Page 20 of Playing with Desire
“Your mom and Rick’s dad and what happened to them,” she said, her voice sympathetic.
Declan braced his hands on his hips and exhaled a deep breath, his expression flashing with a momentary bout of pain over the loss. “Yeah, definitely a tough time in our lives,” he murmured.
“I’m very sorry.” She didn’t ask Declan about his biological dad, the one thing she was still curious about. It didn’t seem like the right time, so she saved the question for another day, when they were alone.
She stood up and grabbed her empty coffee mug to take to the counter for a refill. “Why don’t you go and take a shower and I’ll see what I can make us for breakfast,” she suggested.
“Sounds good,” he said with an enthusiastic nod and rubbed his flat stomach. “I’m starving. Be back in less than ten.”
He strolled out of the kitchen, leaving Summer alone with Rick again, who brought his own cup to the sink and rinsed it out.
“Would you like breakfast, too?” she offered, more than happy to feed him, as well.
He shook his head. “No, thanks. I’m good. But there’s eggs and bacon in the refrigerator, and bread for toast.”
While she retrieved those items, he put a frying pan on the stove for her since she had no clue where the cooking utensils were located, along with a spatula. Once the skillet was hot enough, she layered strips of the bacon on the bottom, then cracked eggs in a bowl to scramble them.
Rick leaned casually against the counter next to her. “I know Declan can come across as a bit overbearing, but I want you to know that you’re really good for him.”
His unexpected comment surprised her, and she tipped her head in his direction as she turned the strips of bacon to crisp the other sides. “Why is that?”
“Because when he’s home on leave, Declan mostly keeps to himself and is usually a bit... withdrawn, which I suppose comes with what he does in the military, which is mentally and physically taxing.” He crossed his arms over his chest and continued. “This is the first time that he’s ever made a concentrated decision to spend more than one night with a woman while being home, and it’s really nice seeing him so optimistic and looking forward to enjoying his time off.”
Summer was very glad she was able to give Declan that reprieve, even if she was going to be the woman he walked away from and left behind—a thought that already felt like a twist in her gut. She gave her mind a mental shake, because she couldn’t keep dwelling upon that future end date looming ahead. She’d made the choice to be with Declan knowing the outcome, and she needed to savor and enjoy their time together just as much as he did.
Rick glanced at the time on his cellphone and straightened from the counter. “I need to get going. I’ve got a golf game lined up, so you two have a good time today, whatever you end up doing.” He gave her a wink and headed toward the front door.
Once he was gone, Summer returned her attention to making breakfast, a bit relieved that Rick had somewhere else to be. As much as she truly liked him, she found it incredibly stressful dealing with both stepbrothers in the same room and hoped in time that awkwardness would dissipate. Especially since it seemed to beherissue and not Rick’s or Declan’s. Then again, they were used to sharing women, while she was still trying to figure out how to compartmentalize her different feelings for each man.
By the time Declan returned from his shower, his hair a damp, rumpled mess around his head and wearing a shirt and cargo shorts, she had two plates sitting on the counter filled with food—his piled much higher than her own.
“Where is Rick?” he asked, glancing around the kitchen area.
“He said he had a golf game scheduled,” she replied, and turned around to find Declan closing the distance between them, his eyes on her chest—or rather, the breasts outlined beneath his T-shirt and the nipples that furled tight at his heated gaze.
“Damn, you look good in my shirt,” he murmured, a seductive smile curving his lips as he slid his arms around her waist and added in a low, husky voice, “Hooah.”
She grinned as he read the words stamped across her chest. “I thought at first the T-shirt saidhoo-ha, which is a term for a woman’s nether region.”
His brows shot up in genuine amusement. “As in, a woman’s pussy?”
Biting her bottom lip in embarrassment, she nodded. “Yes. Clearly, I read it wrong.”
He chuckled. “Yeah, being a pussy isnotthe army’s slogan.”
She placed her hands on his chest, enjoying being in Declan’s strong embrace. “What doeshooahmean?”
“It’s like a military battle cry to signify determination and army spirit.”
“Ahhh, that makes sense,” she said, finally understanding, then reluctantly stepped out of his arms because she didn’t want their food to get cold. “Breakfast is ready. Let’s go eat.”
While she took their plates and forks to the table, he poured them each a glass of chilled orange juice, then seated himself beside her and dug into his meal like a man used to fueling his body.
“What do you want to do today?” she asked him after a few bites of her eggs, wondering if he had anything specific in mind.
“I thought it might be fun to go to Seaport Village,” he said of the waterfront plaza located in downtown San Diego that hosted retail shops, restaurants, and attractions. “We can walk around, listen to the live music they play on Sundays, and have an early dinner at Harbor House.”
“I like that idea.” It had been a while since she’d been to the trendy, artsy locale, and she agreed that it sounded like a carefree, relaxing way to spend the day together. No pressure or expectations. “I’ll need to go by my apartment to change my clothes.”
