Page 25 of Playing with Desire

A sinful grin curved his lips. “In exchange for sex?”

“You’ll get no argument from me there,” she murmured, though her gaze was sultry and seductive as she leaned closer to him. “As long as it’s really dirty sex.”

He laughed huskily, more than willing to accommodate her request. “Then consider it a deal, kitten, because that’s what I do best.”

Their waitress came by and picked up their plates, and after the two of them declined dessert, the young girl returned with the check. After Declan paid for the meal, along with a generous tip, they left the restaurant with about ten minutes to spare until Summer’s lunch hour was over.

“So, what else do you do when you’re on leave?” Summer asked him as they casually strolled hand in hand back toward Paige’s shop.

Declan exhaled a deep breath. When he thought about his time off, there was nothing memorable that came to mind. He usually hung out at home while Rick was at work. Ruminated about certain things too much. Wasted hours futzing around on the computer and internet, amusing himself with stupid shit he found. Went to a few places with Rick in the evenings and weekends. Had a one-night stand or two, to ease his sexual needs, depending on his mood, because going to a bar to pick up a woman was sometimes too much damn work.

“Not a whole lot,” he said, which summed up his lack of activities and just how boring his trips home actually were. He wasn’t the party-animal type like some of his comrades were.

She blinked at him in surprise. “Do you at least watch or catch up on shows or movies that you’ve missed while you’re gone?” she asked.

He shook his head. “Not really. I honestly don’t know what’s good or worth watching.”

“Oh, I do.” Her eyes lit up enthusiastically. “There are so many great shows and series to binge watch on Netflix. You’re missing out.”

Reaching the boutique, he stopped them a few feet away from the door and turned Summer toward him so he could slide his hands around her waist and pull her close. “Maybe you’ll have to introduce me to them.”

“Mmm. Maybe I will,” she said with a bit of sass.

“See you tonight?” he asked, wanting to make sure that was still the plan.

She nodded and looped her arms around his neck, pressing her soft breasts against his chest and her thighs along the length of his. “Be at my place at six,” she said, standing on her tiptoes and feathering her lips sensually across his, giving him a taste of what he’d craved since leaving Summer at her apartment last night. “And I’ll entice you with your first home-cooked meal and we’ll watch a few episodes ofSchitt’s Creektogether.”

He’d meant to thread his fingers into her hair and take that playful kiss of hers to a deeper level, but the name of the show she mentioned completely distracted him. “Dare I ask what it’s about?”

“It’s hilarious. And I think you need something that will make you laugh more, especially before you go back on assignment,” she said and slid her hands down to his chest. “Thank you for lunch. I’ll see you this evening.”

With a quick, unexpected move, she flitted out of his arms before he could stop her, as if she’d purposely meant to tease him with the brush of her body and the sultry slide of her lips on his that left him wanting so much more.

With a flirty finger wave at him, she opened the door to the shop and disappeared inside, leaving him to figure out what to do with the rest of his afternoon.

Chapter Eight

Summer couldn’t believethat one week with Declan had nearly gone by already. As she tidied up around the boutique the following Friday evening—making sure silky lingerie was folded neatly in drawers and other more expensive items were hung properly—she thought about the routine they’d settled into. Her newly adopted daily schedule hadn’t been planned—at least not on her part—but Summer had to admit that it was oddly convenient for all parties involved.

After inviting Declan to her place the previous Monday night for a home-cooked meal, then to watch a few shows, it quickly became apparent that her little studio apartment was way too tiny for anyone other than herself. She didn’t have room in her kitchen to move around or counter space to place items, nor did she have the pots and pans and utensils she needed to prepare a more complex dinner. Even before she’d started cooking, she’d nearly burst into tears out of pure frustration.

That’s when Declan had taken pity on her and suggested that they bag up the ingredients for his pork chop dinner and take them to his place to make, where there was a stove and oven that was big enough to accommodate everything, a kitchen she could dance around in if she wanted to, and a table they could sit at without knocking knees.

He’d also pointed out that the thin mattress on her Murphy bed was equivalent to what he slept on in the barracks, and when he was at home, he wanted to sleep in comfort on his pillow-top—while making it clear she’d be with him all night long. Which meant she was now living with Declan for three weeks.

The arrangement wasn’t a hardship. After packing a small bag with clothes and her toiletries and knowing she could go back for anything else she might need, she moved into Declan’s bedroom with him. She thought that Rick might object or be put out, but he seemed fine with the arrangement and never made her feel awkward or uncomfortable. In fact, their conversations were friendly and flirty, the latter of which had always been a part of Rick’s personality.

As for their daily routine, Summer started the morning by making breakfast for both men and herself, which she figured was the least she could do in exchange for staying there. Same for dinners. Rick left early for work, and Declan took advantage of that extra alone time with her—in bed, naked—before she had to leave for the shop, and so far she’d walked into work every day with a blissful smile on her face from the multiple orgasms Declan made sure she had before taking her to the boutique.

Declan insisted on driving her to work and picking her up, and during the day, he’d found a way to keep himself busy by deciding to finally work on the old motorcycle he’d stored in the garage but had never taken the time to fix. It gave him purpose and something constructive to do, and he seemed to enjoy repairing the bike.

In the evenings, she loved cooking dinners for Declan and Rick, both of whom appreciated and raved about her flavorful, homemade meals. The next few hours were spent cuddling on the couch with Declan while watching shows on Netflix—comedies, thrillers, or dramas, depending on what they were in the mood for. Sometimes Rick joined them, and other times he went out for the night or did work for Noble and Associates on his laptop.

Then there was bedtime... and Summer was incredibly grateful that Rick’s room was on the other end of the house. While she wasn’t about to scream in pleasure while Declan used his mouth and hands and cock to make her come, she knew her soft gasps and moans couldn’t be heard unless someone was standing right outside the door, deliberately listening.

The arrangement was certainly unconventional, yet strangely normal and domestic feeling.

Finished with rearranging things in the showroom and realizing that Declan would be waiting out in the parking lot to pick her up, she went behind the front counter to grab her purse.

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