Never Been Ready (Ready #2)(30)

When he turned to leave, I said, "Please stay with me."

"As you wish," he answered as he turned around with a little smirk.

He went around to the other side of the bed and slipped off his shoes, jeans, and then his shirt before slipping under the sheets.

"Come here, farm boy," I whispered, responding to his earlier The Princess Bride reference.

"See, I was paying attention."

"Yes, you were," I said, wrapping myself around him. I rested my head on his bare chest over the Celtic knot that forever rested there, letting my hair fan out over the lines and curves of his chiseled abdomen.

His warm body against mine relaxed me, but sleep still seemed impossible with all the thoughts running through my head. The same thoughts I'd had earlier raced through my mind.

Before I had time to think it through, I found myself blurting out, "Do you think there is a reason why she left?"

I hadn't thought about the fact that I could have just woken him up, but he turned to me, still awake.

"What do you mean?" he asked.

By now, I'd assumed that big mouths, Logan and Garrett, had filled him in on the gory past of Leah Morgan. The fact that he hadn't run out the door, screaming, was a plus.

"I mean, there has to be a reason. I always assumed it was me. There has to be something wrong with a child to make the mother want to leave. A mother is supposed to love her child no matter what, right? So, why did mine leave?" I felt weak because my voice broke near the end.

He shifted in the bed and turned on the bedside lamp before pulling me to a sitting position.

"Look at me," he said.

I couldn't. I just stared at the paisley pattern of my bedspread, the tears continuing to fall down my cheek.

"Leah, look at me," he demanded, grabbing my chin to bring my eyes level with his. "There is nothing wrong with you. Do you hear me? Nothing. If your mother left, it had nothing to do with you being inadequate. Do you understand?"

I nodded halfheartedly.

His hand left my chin, and then he grabbed the hem of my tank top and pulled it over my head. I looked at him. I was a bit confused. His eyes were shining in the dark, full of determined green light.

"Take off the rest," he instructed.

"But I —"

"Do it, Leah. Please," he said, whispering the last part like a prayer.

I stood at the edge of the bed and removed my pajama pants and panties before turning around to see that Declan had removed the rest of his clothing. Depressed or not, there was nothing better than seeing him like this. I was starting to believe he could heal all my wounds with one touch.

"Come here," he said softly.

I went without hesitation. I kneeled on the bed to meet him in the middle. His hand slipped slowly around my waist, and he bent down to kiss my collarbone, giving me chills.

"Turn around," he whispered.

I did as told, turning in his arms, so my back was pressed against his front. Both still on our knees, he positioned us on the bed, so we were facing the floor-length mirror sitting in the corner of my bedroom. His hands gripped me tighter against his body, and his fingers dug into my hips as his eyes found mine in the reflection.

"Do you know what I see right now?" he whispered.

Unable to speak, I just shook my head.

"Perfection. I see absolute perfection."

My breath faltered as he pulled me down onto his body, filling me completely in one stroke. My head fell back onto his shoulder as I savored the feel of our bodies connecting. As many times as we had come together, every time felt like the first time.

We moved together, slow and without urgency. His hands slid up and palmed my br**sts, and our mouths found each other, our tongues mimicking the sensual rhythm our bodies were making. When I felt that familiar tightening in my core, Declan broke our kiss.

"Look in the mirror. I want you to see yourself when you unravel in front of me."

Looking at our joined bodies moving together in the mirror was the most erotic thing I'd ever seen, and it sent me over the edge immediately. My body broke apart in Declan's arms, and he followed behind with his own release. His hands gripped my flesh tightly as he came deep inside me, trembling, while he called out my name.

I sagged against him, looking at our glistening bodies in the reflection of the mirror. He leaned down and kissed my collarbone again.

He whispered in my ear, "See. Perfect."

I nodded, and he held my chin again, bringing my attention back to his handsome features.

"It's time to let this go, Leah. You are so much more than your past."

One last tear trailed down my cheek as we settled back onto the bed, holding each other like before. This beautiful man had told me I was perfect. He hadn't told me he was sorry, and he hadn't blown smoke up my ass, like most people would. He'd held me as I'd cried and told me I was perfection. I was the exact opposite, but hearing his determined words as he'd made love to me had made me feel close to it.

As I drifted off to sleep, the last image I saw was my mother's headstone, and I knew I wasn't going to let anything go until I visited the one man who might be able to give me some answers —my father.

Chapter Nine

~Declan~

"Goddamn it, woman! Why the hell is your front door unlocked again?" I bellowed as I walked into Leah's townhouse.