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  He squeezes my waist and frowns down at me. “Yes, Sparkle, I’ve had plenty of hand jobs, but I was referring to us, the intensity and energy. I feel like I just ran a marathon.”

  “Is this a good thing?”

  “Yeah, baby, it’s a good thing. It’s a great thing.” He kisses my nose and moves to leave the bed. I have to let go of him and he moans.

  After he returns to the bed and cleans us both off, he pulls me into his chest. “Are you able to sleep topless?”

  “I’ve never done it before, but I can try.”

  “I want to wrap myself up in you all night long with as few barriers between us as possible. I need to feel your skin against mine. I promise to be good.”

  I nod and lean into him, kissing his lips delicately. Then I fall asleep in his arms.

  Chapter 14

  Tell Me What You Want

  I wake to the sound of the shower running and notice the other side of the bed is empty. I slept like a rock and decide topless is a fun way to sleep. I have to get to school today so I need to get ready. I knock softly on the door and Declan tells me to come in. Reluctantly, I open the door wondering how this morning will be compared to last night.

  “Babe, it’s your bathroom. You don’t have to knock.”

  “I didn’t want to startle you. I need to get ready for school.”

  He pokes his head out, “Do you need to shower?”

  “Probably, but I’m thinking of running later so I’ll just get ready and shower tonight.”

  “I was hoping you’d join me.” He smiles seductively and closes the door.

  I brush my teeth and wash my face. The shower cuts off and Declan steps out in a towel. I grip the edge of the sink for support. Nothing could have prepared me for his naked form. I can see his arousal through the towel and the beads of water slowly streaming down his chest. I try to turn around, but he’s right behind me. He moves my hair over my shoulder and starts nipping at my neck.

  “I didn’t mean to wake you, but I had to get out of that bed before I molested you. A shower sounded like a good idea.”

  “You didn’t wake me; in fact, I’m surprised I slept this late. I need to get to school soon.”

  He’s still facing me in the mirror and I can tell he wants to talk.

  “Raven, are you okay with last night?”

  I nod as I see the beads still running to the edge of the towel.

  “This takes things to a new level. I planned on taking things a little slower, but you drive me fucking crazy. Watching you come was exactly like our first kiss; I felt fireworks. I was trying to be patient, but now we’re moving in a new direction.”

  I’m not sure I know what the “new direction” is. I’m concentrating on the fact that I’m getting wet and he’s behind me in nothing but a towel. He must know this because he kisses my temple and steps back.

  “Now that we got that out of the way, do you want some coffee?”

  “Yes, with skim milk and a dash of sweetener.”

  Once I’m dressed, I meet him in the kitchen where he has my coffee ready with a banana and piece of peanut butter toast. I smile at him and look around for signs of anyone else being home.

  “I think the girls are still asleep. I heard them come home pretty late.”

  “Wow, I can’t believe I slept through that. I’m typically a light sleeper.”

  “Exhaustion can do that to you.” He winks at me and grabs his keys. “Come on, I’ll drop you off on my way home.”

  I get all my stuff and head out the door. When we get to his truck, he opens the door and puts his hands on my waist.

  “I want to try this again; can you come see the band on Thursday night? I promise it’ll be a different scene than your first visit. I need you to come.”

  “Sure, I’ll be there.”

  *****

  Thursday night arrives and I’m getting ready while Ella runs around with a pitcher of Margaritas. It’s the third week of September and we have fall break in a month. I talked to all the girls and we decided on having girls’ weekend on break. I can’t wait for Abbi and Ella to meet my friends. I already told Finn and the other guys that they were coming and to plan on hanging out one night.

  We meet in the kitchen and I whistle through my teeth at both girls. They look like they just stepped off the cover of a magazine. What stands out the most is their piercing green eyes the color of jade. They’re the same eyes that Declan claims me with every time I see him.

  We pile in Ella’s car and head to The Steamroom. When we get there, the place is already crowded and we go straight back to where the band is hanging out. As soon as we enter the room, I stop dead. It isn’t the same room I remember from last month. Everyone here seems to have a place, either with the band or as friends. It’s much cleaner than the last time I was here and I don’t see the Band Bunnies anywhere.

  All the guys from Sayge are sitting around a sectional. Declan spots me immediately and rises to walk toward me. I’m frozen in place because he’s so breathtaking. Even though I saw him on Tuesday morning, it’s like my body forgot how hot he is. I start to overheat and can’t move. When he gets to me, he picks me up and forces my legs around his hips. This seems to be his signature move for greeting me. He claims my mouth in a desperate kiss that has me gasping for breath. When he starts to release me, there’s a collection of catcalling from behind me. I slam my face on to his neck and feel the heat creeping in my cheeks.

  “Don’t be uncomfortable baby; they know I’ve been waiting for you all night. They’re just trying to embarrass me, but I don’t give a shit.”

  I whisper in his ear, “You should probably put me down now.”

  He lowers me down, but doesn’t let go. He kisses my nose, takes my hand, and tugs me to the couch. The guys are staring at me with amused faces.

  “Are you going to piss in a circle too so no one messes with Raven while she’s here?” Laughs Cooper.

  I laugh out loud with the rest of them, but notice Declan isn’t smiling.

  He shrugs nonchalantly, “If that’s what it takes. I’m not sharing her.”

  I lift my shoulders and look at Abbi and Ella. They’re staring at me wide-eyed, but neither says anything.

  “Dec, can we get a drink?”

  He looks down at me, “Absolutely.”

  When we get to the open bar area, I grab the bottle of tequila, pour two shots, and sprinkle some salt on my wrist. He watches me as I lick it and take the shot. Then he reaches out for my wrist. He pours some more salt on me and licks it before drinking his own shot. It may be a small gesture, but it’s incredibly erotic. We stare at each other for a few minutes. I’m the one to break the silence.

  “Not that I’m complaining, but do you want to explain what that was about?”

  “Nothing really, but I wanted to make a clear statement to everyone that you’re here with me. No one will get the wrong idea now.”

  “So that was you staking your claim on me?”

  “Yes.”

  “Isn’t that sort of archaic?” I know there’s more to this story.

  He sighs loudly, “Raven, with these guys, you never know what’ll happen.”

  I still don’t follow; I stare at him waiting for more of an explanation.

  “Shit, we’re used to sharing girls, okay? It’s not unusual for some girls in the room to be with one or more of us a night. I needed to make everyone understand you are not that kind of girl.”

  “Oh, I didn’t realize that. That sounds gross.”

  “I don’t want to taint what we have with the past. That’s not what I want anymore.” He leans down and whispers in my ear, “None of those girls even come close to Monday night with you. I never knew what I was missing until I met you.”

  I stare back at him trying to ignore the butterflies in my stomach. I lift my lips to his to let him know we’re okay and he holds me close. There are a lot of things I might not want to know about Declan’s past, but I know I’ll have to work through
them if I want us to work.

  Several hours later, Sayge is on their last song and the girls and I are swaying back and forth to it. We stayed on our feet with the rest of the crowd through the entire performance. The three of us are soaked with sweat and our voices are hoarse from screaming. Declan made a point to sing to me most of the night. He stripped off his sweat-stained shirt and threw it directly to me. When I caught it, I got hateful looks from all the girls around us. I laughed and poked it into the back of my jeans.

  Sayge finishes the song and the lights go out. Then the girls and I make our way backstage.

  “Holy Moses, I’ve never seen Dec perform like that before. Rave, what have you done to him?” Ella asks quietly as we walk to the room.

  “I’m not sure I’ve done anything. Maybe it was just a good night for them.”

  “Nope, pretty sure it’s you.”

  I see him right away. He’s slipping a clean shirt over his head. There’s a redhead next to him, but he doesn’t even pay attention to her. I walk up to him and run my hands over his back. He smiles down at me and plants a long, wet kiss on my lips. When he pulls away, I suck on his ring and smile up at him.

  “You do realize I just went from a semi to a full hard-on?”

  “We’ll see what we can do about that when we get home.”

  Blake calls out over the small crowd, “Dec, you up for a few rounds? Let’s Party!”

  “What do you think, Sparkle, you want to stay?”

  “Let me check with my ride home and see what they’re doing.”

  “You didn’t answer me,” he says in my ear. “I’ll take you home. Do you want to stay with me?”

  I’m breathless again, so I nod my head.

  “Good, let’s make sure they know you’re with me in case they want to go.”

  Abbi and Ella are standing at the door with water. They decline to stay so Declan walks them to their car and I go to the bar.

  He tugs on my ponytail when he returns and lands a kiss on the back of my neck. I turn to him and wrap myself around his shoulders. We both have lust in our eyes and I rub my body up against his. Even though the band has stopped, there’s music blaring from the stage. He orders two shots from the bar. He hands me one and we slam them back.

  Declan leads me to the dance floor. “Scream” by Usher is playing over the speakers and bodies are bumping into us as we find our way to a dark corner. He situates my back against his front and starts to dance. I can feel his hands all over my body. Every place he touches leaves a trail of heat. I forget we’re in public and grind into him as I throw my arms around him. He’s licking my neck and biting on my ears. I’m so turned on that I think I’ll burst. I feel his erection at my back and turn to look at him. I continue to grind with him in hopes that he can feel what I’m telling him. I want him too, maybe not tonight, but soon.

  “You’re fucking hurting me. Can you feel how hard I am? Do you know how much I want you?”

  I decide to play a game with him, “Why don’t you tell me what you want?”

  He slices his eyes to me with such intensity I think I have a mini-orgasm in his arms. “I want to lift your ass up, carry you back to the room, and strip you bare. Then I want to finger fuck you until you scream my name. When I know you’re wet enough, I want to slam my dick into you until you can feel me in your chest. I want you to see exactly why I have an apa while you ride me bareback. Then, when you can’t take it anymore, I’ll take over until you can’t move. I won’t let myself go until I see you come at least three times. Then I’ll explode in you and you’ll see stars.” He stops and licks my lips. “How does that sound, Sparkle, can you handle hearing what I want?”

  I start to grind on his leg and he knows what I’m doing. This isn’t like our dancing routine; I’m rubbing my center on his thigh. I’m so hot and bothered that I need him to give me release.

  “You want me to make you come right now? Here on this dance floor where everyone can see what we’re doing?”

  I’m not sure how to do this, but I need it now. “Please, Declan, I don’t know what to do. Can you do this discreetly?” I sound desperate.

  He laughs down at me, “Yes, baby, I can do this discreetly. Just hitch your leg around me and I’ll take the lead. When you come, try to stifle your cries in my neck. I don’t want any of these fuckers to see.”

  I hitched my leg around him and he keeps dancing. The friction of my jeans rubbing on my sensitive clit is sensational and I know I won’t last long. The silk of my thong is drenched and I can feel his hardness rubbing me right along the edge. Then, without warning, he brings his hand between us and unzips my jeans. His thumb goes directly to my clit and he circles. I’m sweating all over. I can feel it running under my bra and down the edges of my waist. All I can do is hold onto his neck and balance myself with the one leg I have. I know it’s coming so I stare into his eyes. He’s watching me while playing with his ring. That does it; I lift as much as I can and throw my face into his neck as I cry out. I feel the orgasm rushing through my bones. I can’t control myself and I bite down, trying to hold on. After a few minutes, he grips my hips and slowly releases my leg so I’m on my own two feet. I’m not sure if I can stand so I keep holding on to him.

  Finally, when my mind comes back to me and I’m no longer dizzy, he loosens his hands. He lifts my chin and leans down, “That was hot as fuck. I’m so hard my balls are turning blue. You’re fucking amazing.”

  “Please don’t talk dirty right now. I’m not sure I can handle it. ”

  I look around to see if anyone is watching us, but no one’s looking our way. “Just so you know, that was the hottest thing I’ve ever done in my life.” I wink. He grabs my hand and leads me back to the bar.

  We have a few more drinks, but it’s pretty obvious I need to go home. When I try to go to the bathroom, I lose my balance. Declan walks me to the door and stands outside while I use the toilet and wash my hands. When I walk out, he picks me up and carries me to the car. I fall asleep on the way home, but I wake to feel Declan putting me in bed and stripping off my shirt and jeans. Then he crawls in beside me and pulls me close.

  “Declan, I had a great night. Thank you.” I close my eyes.

  I’m seconds away from passing out and I barely hear his response, “Me too, Sparkle.”

  “Me too.” He repeats again.

  Chapter 15

  Boyfriend

  It’s been two weeks since The Steamroom. Declan and I talk every day and he tries to spend at least three nights a week with me. He hasn’t said it, but I think he’s uncomfortable with his sisters right down the hall. Even though we aren’t having sex, he still acts nervous. I haven’t brought up the subject of staying at his place because he hasn’t asked.

  We’ve only been together a few weeks and I’m still not sure how to label us. I’m crazy about him. And every minute we spend together, he makes me feel special. We spend hours at night just talking. We both have a love for music and he’s started talking to me about his writing. We joke about his early days when the band didn’t have a following and would play for free just to get stage time. He even invited Finn to play football on Saturday so they could get to know each other.

  Lately, Declan’s been playing two to three times a week around town. If I don’t want to go to one of his shows, I hang out with his sisters instead.

  This weekend is the gala event my mom has been working on for the last six months. It’s geared to help families of wounded warriors acclimate to their new surroundings. It’s near to our hearts and we enjoy the event every year. When Finn and Robbie were both wounded in Iraq, we were a family that had endless support. Some families are not so lucky.

  It’s Friday afternoon and Finn is picking me up. We’re heading to my parents’ house to help with the last minute preparations for the gala. He’s loading all the swag bags in his truck and I’m in charge of the silent auction materials. We have several rooms booked at the hotel where the event is being held tomorrow night so w
e don’t have to drive home. I was able to get tickets for all my friends, even Harper and Charlie are coming up from Atlanta. I’m glad they get to meet Abbi and Ella before our girls’ weekend. Finn, Robbie, and our friend Max are staying there as well. Max lives in South Carolina and came into town for the event. Declan has a show so he can’t come to the actual dinner but he may meet up with us later.

  *****

  We get to the hotel on Saturday morning to make sure we have enough time to set up the auction room and reception table. While Robbie and Finn unload the trucks, I check-in and take our clothes up to our rooms. I meet them back downstairs and we spend the next five hours setting up all the displays for the silent auction and the swag stations. I’ve followed my mom’s directions to the letter. I’m satisfied with the way it looks so I head upstairs to start getting ready. The girls texted me that they were here and I told them I’d meet them at the room.

  When I get there, Harper and Charlie scream and run to me. We jump around hugging like school girls. We’ve never gone this long without seeing each other. Even though we talk on the phone, I haven’t told them everything about Declan. I hope they can meet him tonight. Abbi and Ella walk off the elevator and see us in our huddle. I introduce everyone as I open the door to our room.

  Once everyone’s acquainted, we start getting dressed. I chose to wear a royal blue, one shoulder, tea-length gown with silver strappy heels. Harper ties my dark hair into a low ponytail that drapes over my shoulder. I apply my eye makeup heavier than usual since the dress has a little sparkle in the bodice. I have to admit the whole outfit looks hot. I’m not sure why I have butterflies, but I have a strong feeling tonight is going to be amazing!

  *****

  The gala is in full swing and everything is perfect. I’m at the table with Robbie, Max, Finn, Abbi, Ella, Charlie, and Harper. My parents come by to introduce themselves to my roommates and hug the guys. After dinner is served, my mom and the other co-chair get up to give a speech. They welcome everyone and explain what the charity is about. Then they open the silent auction in the other room. The mayor gives a warm welcome and introduces the speaker of the night. He’s a wounded soldier that returned to Tennessee after losing both his legs. His story is inspirational and when he’s finished, all the girls at the table are in tears. He gets a standing ovation. After he walks off the podium, the band starts up and almost everybody begins to dance.