Page 37 of Feel Me

“Which leaves you with three additional cases,” I reason.

“That’s right,” he says.

Which means he’ll likely try seven major cases over the next year. It would have been eight if he didn’t successfully plea out Tricia’s case. “I’m having lunch at the Fat Salmon with the governor on Tuesday.”

He slumps in his seat. “Awesome. Order the Dragon Fly, you won’t be disappointed.”

I lean against the desk in a half-sitting position so I can meet his face smiling slightly. “I want you to come with me. You’re doing a great job, but you’re taking on too much.”

His eyes skim along my body, just like they do every time we’re alone. At first, he was more subtle. Now, not so much. It’s like he no longer cares what I might think and wants me to know he’s looking at me.

“What are you thinking?” he asks.

That I want to kiss you. I fantasize about his lips all the time. How they would taste and whether I could stop once I started. Kissing Declan wouldn’t be an innocent gesture. I’d start at his mouth and keep going, down to his throat and chest and further yet.

I’ve never told him, but each time, it becomes harder not to at least drop a hint. I don’t though, choosing to talk about business instead. Business is safe. Declan isn’t, not when I’m feeling more than simply lust.

“The D.A. offices need more staff in SACU. I’m limited to what I can offer on the law enforcement side, but perhaps you and I can convince the governor we need more A.D.A.s in this unit statewide.” I motion to the stack. “This is ridiculous, Declan. One attorney can’t take on all this alone.”

I grip the sides of the desk, waiting for him to argue. Declan often allows his ego to get in the way, pushing him to do more than humanly possible. He knows how hard this job is. This time, he thankfully doesn’t give me a hard time.

“All right,” he says. “Thank you.”

“Don’t thank me yet. We still have a governor to convince.”

I start to push away from the desk, but the gentle sweeps of his fingers across the back of my hand keep me in place. My breath lodges in my chest. Such a delicate touch shouldn’t create such a firm hold or warm my skin the way it does, and it most certainly shouldn’t send a wave of goose bumps along the length of my arms. Except that’s the power Declan seems to have over me. I love it in a way, but in another, it frightens me.

“Who was that woman in your office?” he asks.

His gaze sears into mine, making it impossible to answer right away. “Her name is Bethany. She was a victim of domestic violence. One of the local agencies helped me relocate her to Canada when the case against her ex-husband was dismissed.”

His fingers stop against my knuckles. “Excuse me?”

“It’s something that happens a lot,” I confess. “When the victim is in danger and the system has failed.”

“You’re aiding and abetting a woman kidnapping her own child?”

I shake my head, hoping he’ll understand. “Bethany was five months pregnant when the charges against her abuser were dropped due to lack of evidence. If she would have stayed, Tomas would have killed her. I took her to a battered woman’s shelter, knowing that they’d help transport her out of the country and to safety. The only reason she returned is because Tomas is currently serving a life sentence. He met someone almost immediately after Bethany left. This woman didn’t make it.”

“Jesus,” he mutters, dropping his hand away.

The memory surrounding the incident breaks my heart and I wish Declan hadn’t pulled away. The way he stroked my hand gave me comfort I could use as I explain. “In an ideal world the A.D.A. would have tried and won Bethany’s case, justice would be served, and Tomas would be sentenced and held accountable for the multiple assaults he committed. That wasn’t what happened so, off the record, I did the only thing I could for her.”

“So she had her baby, and now that it’s safe she came back.”

His voice is so quiet, I have to read his lips. Not that it stops my smile. “Not the best happily ever after,” I admit. “But I’ll take it.”

The corner of his mouth lifts into a lopsided smile. “You looked good holding that baby,” he tells me. “Happier than I’ve ever seen you.”

I laugh, slightly embarrassed. “I adore babies and want a million.”

He chuckles. “Impressive. We’re Irish Catholic and I don’t think we can manage that many.”

I glance down. “I’d be happy with one, a healthy one.”

“What do you mean by healthy?” He frowns when I don’t answer. “You don’t mean one who can hear, do you?”

Declan has a way of reaching me down to my core. My voice splinters despite that it’s not what I want. “I like who I am,” I begin.

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