Page 75 of Declan's Dove

“Now.” Skyler turns back to me. “Spill.”

“I-I, um …”

“You have had sex with Declan, right?” Skyler’s eyes are narrowed, but her expression is one of confusion. “He just claimed you in front of everyone. So, I’m assuming that means you two did the deed and he claimed you properly, right?”

Oh, thank God.

My shoulders relax as I let out a long, deep breath. “I—yeah. We, uh, we’ve made love. If that’s what you mean.”

“Made love?” Sadie snickers. “No way. Declan is a beast of a man. There’s no way he’s the soft and sweet type in bed. Spill it.”

“I’ve got this,” Avery says. “Hey, Blake. Can you make us a round of Taming of the Shrew? It’s a special concoction we give all the old ladies. Like an initiation of sorts.” There’s a mischievous glint in her eyes and a smile I’m not sure I should trust.

“We’ve had them before. Remember our first girl’s night out together?” Skyler adds. “You like it.”

“I remember liking the sweet slush like cocktail. I also remember having way too many.” I have a horrible feeling they’re setting me up for something I’m going to regret later.

“Ah, come on. It’s just us girls having a good time. Besides, when the guys come out of church, they’ll all be grumpy and you’ll want something to help lighten the mood.” Skyler wiggles her eyebrows, and her smile widens.

Blake comes over carrying a tray with five glasses. “The one with the blue straw is yours, Sky. There’s no alcohol in it.” He lays the tray on the coffee table, throwing one more curious look at Jayde before he walks away. We all pick up our glasses.

“Welcome to the club, Violet,” Skyler says. Jayde and Avery shout, and Sadie wraps her lips around her fingers and whistles. We’re so loud I almost expect the guys to come out and tell us to be quiet. But they don’t.

We clink our glasses and take a drink. I mean to sip the cocktail, but the sweetness surprises me and I end up downing half the drink in one go.

“Ahh.” Placing the glass on the table, I grab my head. The girls are all laughing.

“Yeah, that brain freeze is a bitch. We should’ve warned you, but it’s more fun to watch what happens when it hits.” Sadie laughs.

“Bitch,” I whisper. Not meaning to say it out loud. They don’t seem to mind. They laugh even louder. I drink the rest of my drink and before I know it, I’m feeling a little more relaxed.

We fall into comfortable conversation. Skyler talks about the baby and her last doctor’s appointment. “We tried to find out what we’re having, but the baby is as stubborn as its father and turned over, giving us a great shot of its ass.”

Avery talks about plans for her and Jake’s wedding. “We were going to aim for this December, but with it being so close and now with whatever this shit is,” she waves her hand toward the room where the guys are meeting. “I’m looking at color schemes and venues for the summer instead.” She sighs, sounding somewhat defeated. “It’ll happen. And I’ll have more time to plan my perfect wedding.”

“Girl, I have finals in December and then I’ll be looking for a job, too.” Jayde groans. “I wouldn’t be much help if you did it in December. But I graduate this summer, and then I’m all yours. Plus, Sadie’s been so busy with her new company starting up, it’s probably better all-around if you push the date out.”

“What company are you starting?” I ask Sadie. It’s the first I’ve heard of it.

“I sold a program I designed to help families with special needs kids. It helps adults keep track of them in caser they wander off.” She shrugs, clearly not comfortable with the attention being on her.

Another tray of drinks is handed out. I didn’t even see Blake bring them over. We lift them up, clink our glasses, and drink. Deciding to pace myself, I set my glass down on the table.

“All right. You’ve had your drink. We’ve officially welcomed you. Now …” Avery starts.

“Spill!” they all shout in unison, eliciting another fit of giggles.

“I don’t know what you want me to spill.” I try to play ignorant.

“I call bullshit,” Skyler declares. “You know what we want. Your impersonation of a tomato gives you away.” They all laugh. “Come on. Tell us. Is Declan the beast that we all think he is in bed?”

“I don’t know how to answer that. I didn’t have much to compare him to,” I tell them honestly.

“But weren’t you married for a while?” Jayde asks, and I’m not sure how much I should tell them.

“I was. But my husband was not a very attentive lover. I guess that’s the best way to say it.” I busy my hands with the hem of my shirt, biting my lip as I consider what I can share. “He was abusive and all about himself.”

“You mean he didn’t care if you got off?” Sadie snaps. “Get in. Get off. Get out?” She raises her brow, and I nod. “Asshole,” she mutters before downing the rest of her drink.

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