Never Been Ready (Ready #2)(56)

When Declan had turned to me and told me to tune it all out, I had. I'd shut it all off, focusing on his voice and the feel of his touch. He'd brought me back to reality, reminding me that in the real world, he was mine. When I'd tried to apologize for freaking out on him, he'd covered my mouth with his, ending my attempts before they could even begin.

In the limo ride home, Declan said he was starving, and I agreed. I hadn't wanted to eat before the event. I had felt too scared that I wouldn't fit into my dress. So Declan had the driver take us to this hole-in-the-wall Mexican place. I raised my eyebrows when we pulled in. He just laughed, gave me a quick kiss, and said he'd be back in a few minutes. I was just glad he wasn't making me go in. I'd look a little ridiculous ordering tacos in my ruby red ensemble. After about ten minutes of putzing around on my phone, Declan popped back in with two bags of food, and then we were on our way. We got back to his place, and a few minutes later, he was spreading out the food on the coffee table in the spacious living room overlooking the ocean.

I looked down at my dress before taking another glance at the food. I needed to change, but I was so damn hungry.

"Declan, can you unzip me?"

"Yes. The answer to that question is always yes," he joked.

He came over and slowly unzipped my dress, placing a sweet kiss on the sensitive skin of my neck as he did so.

"Thank you." I turned and shrugged out of my dress, letting it fall to the floor.

Wearing nothing but a lace thong since my dress came with a built in bra, I headed over to the coffee table and sat down on the floor. Declan stared at me, dumbfounded.

"What?" I asked innocently.

"You're seriously going to eat like that?"

"Well, you didn't think I was going to eat greasy tacos in a three-thousand dollar dress, did you?"

"That's an excellent point. I shouldn't be eating tacos in Armani either."

He made quick work of his jacket, shoes, socks, pants, and shirt. He left nothing on but a black pair of boxers that hung low on his hips. I bit my lip when he turned, and I saw the top of his rock-hard butt cheek peeking out of his waistband. The jerk probably did that on purpose.

"So, shall we eat?" He grinned.

"Absolutely." I smiled. I couldn't wait to see who caved first.

"So, why did we stop by a Mexican joint in a limo, sporting formalwear?"

"This is not just any Mexican food. This is the best Mexican food ever."

"Um, okay. That's some serious passion about Mexican food. You know we have Mexican food in Virginia, right?" I argued.

"No, no, you don't. You have food that pretends to be Mexican food. This? This is the real deal."

"Okay. You sound a bit crazy, but I'll try it."

He was right. It was better. The smug bastard laughed, too, when I moaned after biting into a taco. Of course, that moan was also his undoing, and I threw a couple more in there for the fun of it. He lost it and tackled me to the ground, the food completely forgotten. We rolled around, kissing and laughing, until suddenly, Declan sobered. He rose above me, his eyes full of passion and purpose.

"You drive me crazy —all day, every day. I can never get enough. You are my first thought when I awake and the last as I drift off to sleep. I can't imagine how I existed without you, Leah, and for once in my life, I don't want to be alone anymore. Don't ever leave me. Please."

"How can you leave your own soul, Declan?"

He kissed me then, an earth-shattering, love-defining kind of kiss that shocked my very core.

"Make love to me," I begged.

He stood, picked me up, and carried me in his arms, heading out the double glass doors onto the wide deck facing the ocean. It was dark, but we could still hear the waves crashing against the shore.

He placed me on a chaise lounge and laid his warm body on mine. Rising to his knees, he slid my panties down my hips and dropped them to the ground. Needing to feel all of him, I peeled away his boxers, loving the way the moonlight highlighted the toned muscles of his body.

"I love you," he said softly as our bodies became one.

"I love you," I answered back.

Then, he kissed me fiercely, claiming me with his body and heart.

We made love under the stars, loving each other's bodies for hours. Afterward, I lay in his arms, enjoying the sounds of the ocean and the beat of his heart.

"I'm going to sell my house," Declan said, breaking the silence.

"What? Why?" I asked, panicked, rising to face him.

"Because I'm moving. That's what people generally do when they move."

"You're moving? Where? When?"

Panic started to seep into every molecule. He was moving? Where? Why didn't he tell me?

"Leah, I'm moving to Virginia —permanently."

"What? How can you do that?"

"Does it matter? My life means nothing if you aren't in it."

Tears blurred my eyes, and I felt them falling down my cheek. Why did this man always make me cry? "But what about directing? Your career?"

"I'm figuring it out. I've got a couple of things lined up. One thing I do know is that they have these fancy inventions called planes, and I can fly here if I need to. Plenty of actors and directors live outside of L.A., and they do perfectly fine. I can, too."