On Monday morning, I walked into the office feeling as confused as always. I had managed to get more information about Declan's past, but I wasn't sure if I wanted to dig deeper. I was scared of what I would find out and how it would affect him.Add my completely inappropriate feelings for Declan, and you'd have a perfect soap opera. I had skillfully avoided the subject of my feelings for him because I didn't want to label it. I'd rather refer to it as complicated feelings that I would need to deal with soon.If there's anything, Saturday proved that I needed to stay away from him to sort out my emotions. I couldn't even put my feelings aside so I could get the full story from Cassandra. I had acted like a jealous fox and she had gotten defensive.I sighed, staring at my computer… I had nothing."I'm giving my therapist a call if you sigh one more time," Kevin called out from his desk, earning a death stare from Tracy.The exchange shook me from my thoughts, and I smiled weakly at
I sat in the boardroom, my eyes fixed on Cassandra, trying to read her body language."Why do you look so surprised?" Cassandra asked.I stared at her, wondering how to go about this. Cassandra had obviously struck some type of deal with Miranda. I needed to know what it was to decide what to do."I'm not surprised, Cassandra. I'm just wondering what you aim to achieve."She chuckled and leaned forward, resting her hands on the desk. "You can ask, you know. I bet you're really curious," she said, flashing her signature smile.Why did she look so pleased with herself?I cleared my throat and said, "You're aware it's an exposé, which would probably tarnish his image.""Oh, honey, I know everything."My heart skipped a beat. I knew that Cassandra was up to something, but I tried to maintain my composure. "And you're going to tell me what you know?" I raised an eyebrow in skepticism. "Including what happened in 2013?"She rolled her eyes. "Don't act dumb Leah. You know what I'm he
I avoided Declan for the rest of the week, because I wasn't sure how to feel about him. I made up excuses every time he tried to set up a date, and Marcella would shake her head at me disapprovingly, which intensified the guilt I was feeling. My feelings for Declan were so strong that the idea of hurting him seemed to hurt me too.Still, I wasn't sure what to do about the story. I had so many questions. Did Cassandra tell the truth? Was Declan really the type of man to force a woman to get an abortion?I didn't have the chance to really figure things out because Miranda wanted the story out as soon as possible. In fact, she was thrilled when I submitted the first draft on Friday—she even smiled at me for the first time since I started working with her. But that didn't change anything, I felt dirty, and I was beginning to lose myself."I'm just not sure how to face Declan after this," I confided in Marcella as we went through magazines together.Marcella shook her head disapprovingl
*Declan*She was going to be the death of me, I swear.Leah Garcia was like a roller-coaster ride, always taking me on an unpredictable journey. That's what this whole relationship with her was, a very unpredictable journey. She had a way of making me feel alive, yet at the same time, on the verge of insanity. I found myself constantly drawn to her, despite the chaos she brought into my life.As my feelings for her intensified, I found myself doing things I never thought I would. She had me acting out of character, canceling appointments, going away for the weekend on a whim. Her pull towards me was magnetic, and I just couldn't resist.Despite my deep feelings for her, I couldn't shake the feeling that there was something she was hiding from me, something I couldn't quite put my finger on, and that made me uneasy. The fact that she didn't trust me enough was painful in its own right.Regardless of this intense feeling of unrest, I couldn't help but feel protective over her. As I
*Leah*I stared at his retreating back, suppressing the urge to pull him back. There was no need to hurry, I had the whole weekend to flirt with Declan."Sh*t," I cursed, as I realized that I still hadn't called Marcella. For all she knew, I was seeing Declan briefly at a restaurant close to our apartment. Frantically, I rushed back to the bedroom and picked up my phone to call her.It was dead!Sh*t.I needed to find a charger, since Declan didn't give me time to bring mine. He hadn't given me a full tour of the house, so I didn't know my way around. If anyone knew where things were, it'd be Mrs. Thompson. But first, I had to find her.There was no one in the hallway when I stepped out of the room. I walked slowly, trying to retrace the steps I took with Declan, so I could find the living room."Hello, Miss Garcia," a voice said.I turned around quickly to find a woman coming from the other end of the hallway. She looked to be in her mid-fifties. She seemed soft and welcoming,
I reached up, pulling him closer. I rubbed my body against his, loving how hard and manly he felt against me. The force of the kiss knocked me over, and I lost my footing. Declan caught me swiftly. "Sorry," he mouthed.I shook my head, indicating that it was okay and reached up to kiss him again. His hands made their way to my waist, and I automatically arched towards him, giving him the perfect opportunity to explore my curves.He growled slowly, his fingers digging into my waist as he pulled me even closer. My body shook from intense desire. His hands were like fire on my skin, the kisses he left on my neck sent cold shivers down my spine trickling down and creating a pool in between my legs.I squished my thighs together, wishing he would touch me there.Finally, his hands trailed down my body teasingly. He caressed my legs, running his fingers up my inner thighs. I gasped and clutched his hand for support."I've got you," he whispered against my lips. His hands trailed higher,
*Leah*My life had taken a pretty dramatic turn a month ago. I'd been extremely stressed and anxious, but for the first time in weeks, I was completely calm, which was new to me. My mind was at peace; in fact, I was happy.I could only think of one thing – Declan and his incredible hands. I couldn't stop thinking about how he had used them to make my body writhe in pleasure during the shower we took just a few minutes ago.I quickly got dressed, eager to find Declan and bask in the afterglow of the wonderful experience we had just shared. However, I realized I had no idea which room was his, as we had spent most of our time in the guest room, or on the deck. So, I decided to embark on a barefooted journey around the house in search of him.As I walked, I felt the coolness of the floor beneath my feet, and the gentle breeze caressed my skin, adding to my feeling of serenity. I listened closely, hoping to hear his voice and follow it to his room. After a few moments of wandering, I h
We spent the rest of the day holed up in the guest room. I had managed to put all intrusive thoughts at the back of my mind and fully focus on Declan. I was all in.Declan seemed to appreciate that because he became more attentive than ever. He kissed me every time he laid his eyes on me, making my heart flutter. He held me every chance he'd get, like he'd never let go.We barely slept that night. We didn't stand a chance against the soft bed that was definitely made for long, hard nights. Wanting more, I woke up in the middle of the night and touched him subtly. He was soundly asleep, so I had all the time in the world to run my hands along his body.Before I knew it, he growled and pushed me under him, releasing himself in my tight, wet heat. Only after that did we finally find sleep.The next morning, he brought breakfast to me which consisted of pancakes and bacon. We tried to focus on the food, but as I took a bite of the second bite, Declan began running kisses down my neck.