Page 165 of Destined Lovers

“Was she feeling alright this morning?” Guilty that I was hungover and couldn’t wake up and be with her for breakfast.

Maeve nods and then uses her tablet to speak. “Feeling better, she’s tired.”

I turn my attention toward Penny and ask, “Hey, Pen, you feeling okay today?” Realizing she’s not said a word, which is unusual. She’s typically very chatty.

She turns her head in my direction, realizing that her eyes are bloodshot.

“Hey,” I whisper. “Are you all right?”

She rolls her lips and gulps, clearly holding back tears. I put down the hair supplies, walk over to her sitting and rub her back for comfort.

“He’s… he’s not going to fire me, is he?” she croaks.

“Declan?”

She nods and bows her head.

“Of course not, you’re irreplaceable,” and I’m not just blowing smoke up her arse. When I first met her, I won’t lie and say I was thrilled Declan had been living with a gorgeous twenty-something-year-old. Spending some time over this week with her, I’ve realized she’s not only respectful and kind but, most importantly, exceptional at her job. Maeve loves her, and now so do I.

“Penelope, you didn’t do anything wrong. Why would he fire you?”

“He was so mad at Ethan, I just… we were just talking,” she murmurs. “I’m so embarrassed.” She wipes a lone tear that slips down her cheek just as the front door opens and Ethan strolls in.

He stops in his tracks. “What’s going on.” He looks between Penny and me, his eyes lingering longer on her. His ordinarily stoic facial expression softens when they see her tears.

“Penny,” he whispers. “Are you okay?”

She smiles sadly. “Mhmm.”

Oh no.

Oh no, no, no.

The way his eyes linger tells me he would like much more than ‘just talking.’

I grab some honey and shove my mouth with a few spoonfuls to calm my nerves, needing to distract myself right now; otherwise, I might blurt out something inappropriate.

Declan enters the kitchen and stops… narrowing his eyes when he sees me.

“You just couldn’t wait for lunch, could you?”

I playfully smirk around the spoonful I have in my mouth and seductively pull it out. Trying to distract him from Ethan.

“It tastes so good I couldn’t resist. Honey has a whole new meaning now.” I lick my lips around the spoon as the last bit drips down the handle.

He rolls his neck, and his nostrils flare. He can’t do anything because his sister and Charlie are behind him.

I take another spoonful. I can’t help myself. “Except this time…it’s all for me.” I put the spoon to the back of my throat and slowly pull it out.

In a flash, Declan storms over, rips the brand-new jar of honey out of my hands, and throws it in the bin.

“I’m throwing them all out,” he mumbles, and I quietly snicker.

I so love this side of him.

* * *

By the time my little honey scene ended, Penny and Ethan had left the room, thankfully, because I’m not sure how Declan would have acted since he’s suddenly decided to take the role of papa bear over Penelope.

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