"I could use other words, like fascinating, stunning, breathtaking...beautiful."
"Shut up." I ended his verbal praise with a scorching kiss.
He pressed me against the car, a growl escaping his lips, as his hips dug into mine.
"Careful what you start, Leah," he purred, pulling back to challenge me with his fiery hazel eyes.
"You were nervous today, weren't you?" I asked, changing the subject.
He laughed, knowing I would back down to his challenge. I was kinky, but we were in a freaking parking lot in the middle of the afternoon.
"Yes, a bit."
I gave him a hard look that called him out on his bullshit, and he relented.
"Okay, a lot. It sounds stupid, but I suddenly became very panicked that I would embarrass you, that I would be unable to speak to them. I was afraid I wouldn't have anything useful to say, and you would be disappointed. I had never done anything like that. Not too long ago, my life was going from one party to the next, and my biggest concern was which club I was going to visit next. Before and after Heather, I made it a point to make my life as shallow as possible. Having a meaningful chat with an elderly couple about the trials and joys of their lives is a bit heavier than I'm used to."
"You did great. You need to give yourself a bit more credit, Hotshot. You're more than just good looks. And if you stick around me long enough, you'll find a whole world of fun outside of those clubs and bars...not that I don't enjoy those, too," I answered.
"Well, tomorrow is New Year's Eve. Why don't we do a bit of both? I'll take you out for a bit of fun my way, and then afterward, we can have a bit of fun the Leah way. What do you think?"
"You have no idea what you've just gotten yourself into."
After asking him for the hundredth time where we were going, only to hear him answer for the hundredth time that he wasn't telling me, I asked him if he would at least give me a hint on wardrobe. He just smiled and walked away. Then, I could hear him whistling as he made himself a sandwich in the kitchen.
I couldn't remember the last time Declan had spent the night in his hotel room. Part of me tried to feel bad for whoever was still paying for the expensive room he was supposed to be staying in, but every night when I would be lying in his arms, the smidgen of guilt seemed to drift away as I fell asleep.
When the sun fell and Declan informed me that it was almost time to go, I let him grab whatever he needed out of my room, and then I kicked him out, sending him across the hall to the guest bedroom to change. I'd told him a girl needed privacy when getting ready for a fancy date.
"How do you know it's fancy?" he'd joked. "I could be taking you to a country bar with peanuts on the floor."
I stuck my head out my bedroom door to find him standing in the middle of the guest bedroom. He didn't have a shirt on, and his jeans were unbuttoned. I thought my brain shorted out as drool hit the floor. How could his body still make me go idiotic after all this time? I thought it would at least stabilize a little...but nope. If my eyes saw even one inch of naked Declan, I would turn into a drooling sex fiend.
"Were you going to say something, babe?" he teased, slowly sliding his jeans down his ass.
No boxers today —he'd gone totally commando. Damn him. I turned around and slammed the door behind me, hearing him burst into a fit of laughter.
"You better not be taking me to a country bar! You know I hate country!"
Declan suddenly came through the door, still gloriously naked. He stalked toward me, grabbed my ass, and pulled me against his tight, lean body. His eyes were bright, heated, and his smile lit up the room.
"I'm not taking you to a country bar. Put something sexy on but not too fancy. We're not going to a ball. Do it fast before I change my mind and just throw you on the bed and f**k you till morning. Got it?"
I barely had the chance to nod before he slapped me on the ass, and then he was gone.
Well, this could be fun.
Searching through my closet, I found my black leather jacket, something I hadn't pulled out in a while. Declan wore his like a second skin, so I figured he'd lose his mind seeing me in one. I danced happily over to my dresser where I grabbed the tightest pair of skinny jeans I owned. They required me to lie down on the bed and do several awkward positions and squats to get them on. That was not sexy at all, and it proved another good reason for kicking Declan out. After the jeans, I found a sexy white tank top that barely touched the waistband of my jeans. I finished off the look with high-heeled ankle boots.
Yeah, he's done for.
I redid my makeup, applying a bit more eyeliner and some light eye shadow. I kept the eye makeup on the light side because I had plans for my lips, and I didn't want to look like a hooker with too much. Makeup rule number one —when going big on the lips, keep the eye makeup understated, and vice versa. Nothing said, For hire, like a woman with four layers of cheap makeup on.
Finishing my eyes, I dusted a bit of bronzer on my cheeks and pulled out the lipstick. It was the perfect red. It was a classy matte and reminded me of old Hollywood. I took my time putting it on, making sure it was exactly right. I didn't usually wear much lipstick. It got in the way of kissing Declan, but tonight, I had evil plans, and they involved lipstick.
I took a look in the mirror as I brushed my hair, and then I headed for the living room. Declan was standing there in dark jeans that hugged his ass. I could see a dark green long-sleeved Henley peeking out of the leather of his coat. He turned around when he heard me come in, and seeing his face was priceless.
"Hey there, stud," I said, quoting Grease, another favorite movie.
"Well, f**k me sideways. Where the hell did you get that?"
"I've had it for a while actually."
"And why is this the first time I'm seeing it? Jesus, you in leather —why did I not think of that?"
"Don't know, but here I am. I think I was promised a hot date."
"Right. We better get on that before I change my mind."
His eyes lingered down my body, giving me chills. Suddenly, the idea of staying in for the holiday sounded much more appealing, but I was curious about where he was taking me.
"So, you gonna tell me where we're going yet?"
"Hope you're prepared for some liquor, babe, because we are going to do an old-fashioned Richmond pub crawl."
Oh Lord. I was pretty sure I could hear my liver whimpering in protest.
Chapter Fifteen
~Declan~
Being the responsible adult that I was, the limo I'd rented pulled up just as we were locking Leah's front door.