Page 13 of See You Maybe
“You have no idea how much I want to take you up on that.” Declan didn’t realize he’d said it out loud until she responded.
“Then do it.” Her eyes beamed at him, and for the tiniest moment, he let himself sink into them. They really were phenomenal.
“Where are you staying, lass?”
She snorted with laughter. “Lass. Isn’t that Scottish?”
“Not always,” Declan answered. “Are you here with friends? What’s the name of your hotel?”
She looked worried for a minute, and then her brow cleared. Grabbing the collar of her shirt, she pulled it away from her body and looked back at him with a bright smile that hit him like a bolt to the chest.
“Found it!” she exclaimed happily, as she attempted to bend her arm at an angle to reach inside the tight, high neckline. She scowled. “Stupid top… can’t reach.” Her hands went to the hem, and she began tugging it up. He saw a tantalizing stretch of white skin before he pushed her top back down.
“You don’t want to do that, lass. You aren’t home yet.”
She stared at him like he was an idiot. “I know. My key is in my bra.”
“Oh.” Was that supposed to make sense?
She tugged hard at the neckline, and he heard the distinct sound of threads popping, but it apparently gave her enough room to maneuver, and she pulled out her phone and a plastic hotel room key.
“It’s like Mary Poppin’s purse in there. What’s that on your arm?” Declan caught her wrist and turned her arm over. “You came prepared.” He laughed.
“Huh?” She peered down at the lipstick writing on her arm. “Oh! That’s me.” She pointed with her other hand to a smeared spot followed by the word ‘Rose.’ “And that,” she said triumphantly, pointing to the other words, “is my hotel and room number. That nice red-haired bride helped me.”
“Is that why you smell like roses, because of your name?”
Jesus. Did I really just say that?
“Rose perfume like my Grandma Rose. She didn’t take shit and I don’t take shit!” For some reason, that made her almost double over laughing.
“Okay, Rose. The Blackwater isn’t far from here,” he said, naming the hotel written on her arm. “I’ll walk you back. Sit here while I finish closing up.”
Declan led her to one of the low chairs, and swiftly shut off the lights and locked the doors.
When he pulled her to her feet, she slid an arm around his waist and leaned into his chest. “You smell good.”
And then she nuzzled his chest. Literally nuzzled her cheek against him. “But you’re too hard.”
Blood surged to his groin.
No. Asshole. Drunk.
Before Declan realized what he was doing, he had dipped his head and pressed a kiss to the top of her hair, catching a hint of rose again.
That move alone shocked the hell out of him.
Rose sighed and leaned heavier against him, stumbling as they navigated the cobblestones in her heeled boots.
Declan ended up half-carrying, half-walking her the short distance to the small boutique hotel where she was staying. Swiping her key card on the external pad, he pulled the door open and helped her inside, his arm around her waist.
A young man behind the desk looked up disinterestedly until he caught sight of Rose slumped against Declan.
“Good night, eh?” He gave Declan a knowing leer and then blanched when Declan leveled a blistering glare at him.
His throat bobbed when he swallowed. “Her friends came back earlier. They’re looking for her.”
The young man glanced at Rose. “Need some help? She’s pretty out of it, huh?”