Never Been Ready (Ready #2)(79)

"Do you see me?" I asked.

"I see you," he answered.

I lifted, sliding up, and then I went back down again, slowly riding him. I grabbed the back of the couch for leverage as Declan wrapped his hands around my waist. He buried his head into my br**sts, taking one nipple and then the other into his mouth.

"Do you feel me, Declan?"

"Yes...f*ck yes."

I continued my torturous pace, over and over, moving my hips back and forth. As I hit all the right places at once, I threw my head back and screamed my release just as Declan let out a guttural moan of his own.

"I'm yours, remember? I'm yours, and you are mine," I said breathlessly.

"Forever," he agreed.

~Declan~

The vision of Leah and Connor being pushed through that parking lot had startled me, and I awoke on the couch with the afternoon sun streaming through the curtains. I was alone, but I could hear Leah walking around upstairs, no doubt finishing up some odds and ends leftover from moving.

I wiped my brow and leaned back on the pillow, still trying to catch my breath. The image had been haunting me for days, so much so that I'd barely slept. Every morning since then, I'd woken up early to jog, unpack, or run errands. I'd done anything to keep my mind off of what had happened...what I'd almost lost.

Seeing that maniacal gleam in Clayton's eyes as he'd smiled at me before the police had come, I knew he would have done anything to get the money he'd so desperately believed he deserved. Leah and Connor had been nothing more than his ticket to an unlimited supply of booze, and that had been the one thing he needed above all else in life, the one thing he would do anything for.

That scared me beyond belief.

The police had tried to convince me that Clayton's threats were most likely those of a drunk man, and therefore, they were idle, but I had known better. Clayton had been desperate, having gone through half a million dollars in the blink of an eye. He'd needed more...and he hadn't planned on taking no for an answer.

We'd been assured that Clayton would be put away for a long time, but there was still a court hearing and a trial to go through —the very things I'd tried to avoid in the beginning with my ill-fated plan.

I'd thought I could fix everything with my money.

And it'd almost cost me everything.

Leah and Connor had recovered well, considering what they'd experienced. Leah had spent a lifetime with her father, and for her, seeing Clayton behind bars had been worth the fear. The only thing she'd had problems overcoming was that Connor was involved. After everything Connor had already been through in his short life, she hated that he'd had to go through something else horrific. But I'd assured her that he was fine. He'd told me shortly afterward that he'd known Leah would protect him and take care of him, no matter what. He saw her for more than she gave herself credit for.

I jumped to my feet, raking my hands through my hair. I looked around the house that was now void of the boxes that had invaded every square inch only days earlier. Now, it looked more like a home —our home.

I'd had a plan —buy the house, get settled, figure everything out with Connor. Once our lives had slowed down, I would propose, and then we could begin our lives together, finally.

But the only thoughts racing through my mind when I had seen her in that parking lot was the fact that I'd never asked her to marry me, I'd never told her that I wanted her to be my wife, that I wanted to love her for eternity.

In my old life, I'd lived from one day to another, never taking life too seriously. Since meeting Leah, I'd done nothing but plan —when I would first tell her I loved her, when I wanted to leave L.A. for her, and then when I wanted to marry her. I'd done nothing but plan.

It turned out the old Declan might have had the right idea.

Sometimes, you just had to f**k the plans and live. Otherwise, life would pass you by, and all you'd be left with was a bunch of useless, unexecuted plans.

It was time I started living.

"Hey, Leah...I have to run out for a bit. I'll be back."

I heard a mumbled, "Okay," as I hurried out the door.

If I wanted to get everything done, I needed to hurry.

~Leah~

"So, do you think he got lost?" I asked Clare, holding the phone against my ear.

I sorted through the box of picture frames, trying to decide how to arrange them. I smiled, seeing a photo of Declan and me from Christmas. We were laughing, and Declan was looking at me with those eyes that made me melt. Those eyes could make me want to smile, cry with joy, and jump him all at the same time.

"How long has he been gone?" she asked.

"Um, about three hours, maybe four. He said he needed to run a few errands, but that was a while ago. I was going to order a pizza, but I wanted to wait for him."

"Ugh, don't mention food. Right now, food makes me want to hurl."

I laughed. "Morning sickness? Aren't you past three months? Shouldn't you be over that?"

"You'd think so, but apparently, Logan Matthew's child is an overachiever."

"It's Logan's child now?" I tried not to giggle.

"Yes. Until it does something redeeming, like flutter or kick, it's Logan's child."

"When was the last time you got laid, Clare?"

"What?"