Page 59 of See You Maybe

Declan seemed on surer ground now that he was angry. “Does this happen a lot? You get drunk at business events and go home with any man available?”

Olivia gasped, and her temper ignited. “Fuck off. I only had two drinks.”

Declan huffed a disbelieving breath and sat to tie his shoes, leaving the rest of his shirt hanging open.

“You didn’t answer my question.”

With jerky movements, Declan scooped up his tuxedo jacket from the chair.

He was going to leave without talking to her.

Asshole!

“How about an easy one? Why am I in your shirt? I need to know what happened to me last night?” A bit of her fear must have translated because, with a heavy sigh, Declan’s shoulders dropped, and he turned back.

“You got sick.” He glanced toward the bathroom.

Olivia blanched.

This is just getting better and better.

“You said you couldn’t breathe, so I had to rip your dress off.”

“You ripped it off?”

A ghost of a smile teased at his lips. “Too many damn buttons. After… I put you in my shirt.”

Her gaze fell again to Declan’s chiseled chest, still visible through the partially buttoned shirt. Colors on his chest peeked from where the edges of the shirt moved. He has a tattoo!

Olivia licked her lips. Why is that so hot?

“Why did you stay?”

Emotions warred in his face. “I guess I was worried you might actually stop breathing.” His arm swung wide in frustration, pulling the edges of his shirt and jacket further apart, and bringing the ink on his skin into full view.

The air in her lungs seized, and her gaze zeroed on the image. Olivia surged to her knees to get a better look, and Declan’s eyes dropped to his body to see what had gotten her attention. He cursed and pulled his tuxedo jacket closed, blocking her perusal.

“When we met in that presentation, you pretended like you had never seen me before. Why?” Her voice shook, but she couldn’t tell if it was from pain or anger.

Declan’s voice was ice cold. “Would it have helped if I’d announced to your colleagues and my own that you and I fucked on vacation a lifetime ago?”

Olivia’s eyes narrowed. “That’s not what it was, and you know it.”

His face hardened. “It was a long time ago. From what I remember, we had a nice enough time.”

“Nice enough,” Olivia scoffed. “Is that why you have a fucking white rose over your heart?”

A muscle ticked in Declan’s jaw. “I have a tattoo. It has nothing to do with you.”

“Reeaallly.” She drew out the word mockingly. “You’re going to stand in front of me and pretend that’s not about me?”

Olivia felt like she was in a tornado of emotion. A tumultuous mix of relief, pain, and anger. It hadn’t all been in her imagination. Declan had loved her too. It was there for anyone to see.

Declan slowly buttoned his shirt, obviously trying to prove he was unbothered. “Thinking back, I believe that is what you said your name was. Rose, right? We both had our small deceptions.” He shrugged and tugged at the cuffs of his tuxedo jacket. “I’m sorry to disappoint you, Olivia, but my tattoo has nothing to do with you.”

“Declan—”

“Do you honestly imagine you were the first woman I’ve lied to about who I am?” His expression was so unyielding he looked like a completely different person.