Page 33 of Declan's Hope

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Hope heldone hand to her racing heart beneath one of Declan’s t-shirts she’d thrown on. The other, she used to hike up a pair of his boxers she’d quickly stepped into before racing down the hall after a crash had startled her awake. She twisted and tightened her fingers into the fabric of the boxers. All she needed was for them to fall down her legs in front of Garrett.

The two men had frozen in place on the floor at her outburst—their bodies entwined in some kind of wrestling hold—one red-faced and huffing, the other grinning from ear to ear with a bloody lip.

Hope focused on the grinning one. How could Declan have found this fun? She swiped her tangled hair out of her face with her free hand then landed it on her hip, before eyeing Garrett who had a slow grin spreading over his face.

She narrowed her gaze on both of them and grimaced, finally coming to the only conclusion she could. "You two are idiots."

"Are you alri… Ummph." Garrett punched Declan in the arm. "Quit digging your elbow in my side."

"I’m fine. But why are you two…" She frowned and waved the hand not protecting her modesty around the room. "What’s up with all of this?"

"Garrett was worried about you," Declan said, lifting himself from the other man.

"Get your knee outta my nuts!" Garrett’s face flushed as his wide gaze flew toward Hope. "I mean… I…" Then he scowled up at Declan now standing over him. "Just watch it."

"Sure thing," Declan said, reaching a hand down to his friend. Hope couldn’t help her smile when Garrett took it, before immediately being hauled up off the floor and straight into a bearhug by Declan.

"I’ve missed you man," Garrett said so low Hope almost didn’t hear it as he wrapped his arms tight around Declan who murmured, "I’ve missed you too." Then both of them clumsily engaged in what she called a he-man back slap.

Men…

She shook her head over the species in general as the two hastily stepped away from each other. Why they had such a hard time showing affection toward each other was beyond her. These men obviously had a deep and abiding friendship—regardless of any conflict.

"So, are you guys good now?"

Garrett gave Declan an uncertain look that quickly cleared with Declan’s, "Yeah."

"Good," she said, curling her toes against the hard, cold tile. Maybe he and Garrett should have beaten each other silly sooner. Then her brow rose as she slowly took in what they’d done to the kitchen. "Now, are you done adding to the mess." She couldn’t help the teacher-tone in her voice. The two reminded her of Toby at the moment.

"We’re done," Garrett said, eyeing his friend, a frown creasing his brow before he turned his attention to her. "As long as I don’t have to kick his ass again on your behalf."

Declan smirked. "Again? I think we’ve just proven my ass wasn’t the one being kicked. But if you want to—"

"No." Hope raised her free hand. "No more kicking of asses, or rolling around on the floor, or…" She eyed the side of Garrett’s head and grimaced. "Ummm, you’ve got something’s stuck to you…" She pointed at the side of her own head. "Right here."

Garrett reached up, a look of disgust crossing his features when his fingers encountered what had been mashed into his hair. He pulled some of it loose and eyeballed it, then Declan. "Mai fun?"

"It’s delicious."

An awkward moment of silence followed while Garrett pulled more goop from his light brown hair and Hope became painfully aware of how little clothes she had on in front of both men, but Garrett in particular. "I, um, I’d better get dressed and head home."

Declan reached her in a few long strides, his big body blocking her view of Garrett, his gruff, "Do you have to?" tempting her to say no. She reached up and lightly brushed across the bit of blood trickling down his chin from his mouth. The disappointment in his gaze was unmistakable. But leaving now felt like the right thing to do.

Besides she had to get home and to bed. Her class had a planned field trip the next morning and she needed all the rest she could get. Something told her the day would require all her energy.

"Your phone’s been blowing up with calls and texts," Garrett provided. "Haven and Destiny. Go figure."

She peeked around Declan’s body, her brows raised at where Garrett reached down to right the garbage can, then gathered the trash they’d scattered and threw it away. "Did you talk to them? To Destiny?"

Garrett’s expression closed up as he pushed the trashcan to where it had been earlier, before reaching for a chair lying on its side. "No. I didn’t talk to them, but I did send them a text to say I was checking on you."

"Garrett, you could have called Destiny back and talked to her." She stepped around Declan. "You know how she worries."

With that, Garrett’s face might as well have been made of stone as he pushed the chair in placed under the table. He shook his head and went over to the sink—ostensibly to wash his hands—saying over the running water, "She got my message."

Hope couldn’t help the irritation flooding her as she murmured, "Yes, she did."

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