Page 56 of Feel Me

“You mean a positionyou’venever wanted, right?”

Curran doesn’t mess around, not when it’s real. “That’s right,” I admit through my teeth.

“Hell, Deck. Man up,” he tells me. “Melissa is a good girl, but she’s not stupid. You start acting like you don’t want her around, you won’t have to worry about leaving her. She’ll dump your ass and you’ll fucking deserve it.”

I watch him jog back into the house, cursing under my breath when I realize he’s right.

CHAPTER 16

Melissa

I’m at my desk in the spare bedroom I use as my office, trying to pull together a proposal for a child advocacy center, but I can’t keep my mind on work. Dad’s stomach is so sensitive, all he can tolerate are those awful shakes. Every time I think he may be getting a little better, he gets a little worse. My eyes dart to the picture of me and him from the governor’s ball. This is the first year we likely won’t attend together. I only hope last year wasn’t the last.

My phone buzzes, vibrating against my desk and giving me an excuse to turn away from the picture. “Melissa Fenske,” I say.

“Hey, Melissa Fenske,” Declan says on the other line. “May I come in?”

A tear sweeps over my cheek as I grin. What would I do without Declan to make me smile? I push away from my chair. “Hi, babe,” I say. “I’ll be right there.”

Declan has the code to get into my building, but he can’t get into my apartment without a key. I’ve been thinking about asking him if he’d like my spare, but no matter how good things are between us, I still feel him holding back. I’m not, not anymore, which makes the distance he keeps between us hard to take.

My heels click across the floor. I usually take off my shoes the minute I step inside my home. But I was in a rush to finish an email, and then I started working on the proposal . . . only for me to sit and worry about my dad.

I’m scared it’s only a matter of time before I lose him.

I open the door, smiling the moment I see Declan, my mood instantly lifting. “I’m sorry. I didn’t hear you knock.”

“It’s all right,” he says, bending to kiss me. His lips brush sweetly against mine, although they don’t linger as long as I’d like. It doesn’t bother me, we have all night, but it does make me wonder if something’s on his mind.

He walks beside me as we make our way in, shrugging out of his jacket. He didn’t shave today. The rugged look, though, works for him.

I reach up and stroke the stubble along his jaw. “Are you hungry?”

He makes a face. “I think it’s safe to say I’m never eating again.”

“Sofia hooked you up, again?”

“A little too well,” he says. He plops on the couch, reaching for me. “Hey, where are you going?” he asks when I edge away.

“I have something for you.” I bounce into the kitchen and snag the large envelope from the granite counter, my pace slowing as I sit beside him. I hold up a hand when he frowns. “I swear it’s not more work. It’s from Rosana.”

“Rosana?” he questions. He reaches in, his eyes widening when he pulls out a large piece of paper. “Holy shit.”

“What is it?” I ask, lowering myself beside him. My eyes round as I take in the charcoal drawing. Rosana didn’t simply sketch flowers, an animal, or something I’d expect from someone her age.

She drew a perfect likeness of Declan.

“Oh my God,” I say, leaning in close. I’d seen Rosana’s passion for art first hand. But this is far advanced for someone her age, especially given her limited training. “Declan, it’s amazing.”

Rosana meticulously sketched Declan sitting behind his desk, his tie loose, his sleeves rolled up his arms, and his stare intense as he leans forward. The details are incredible, and the shadowing so perfect, it resembles a photo that’s been digitally altered than something created by hand.

He steals a glance my way. “You didn’t see it before?”

“No. When I met with her on Friday, she seemed a little off. More quiet and shy than she has been. When she gave me the envelope she told me it was for you and made me promise I wouldn’t open it.” I shake my head. “We were both busy with meetings, and I had so many files to carry out, I forgot it in the office. I stopped by on my way home from seeing Dad when I remembered.”

He nods like he’s listening, but doesn’t say anything, his stare appearing to take in every detail of the work.

I wrap my arms loosely around his and place my chin on his shoulder. “That’s the day you did a practice run of all the questions you’ll be asking her on the stand.”

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