Soon, Declan was powerless to control the stir of his erection. His body reacted to her presence like gas on a fire. When she innocently rubbed herself against him, he was in serious danger of losing all control in that moment. He wanted to pick her up and have her wrap her legs around his waist so he could rest his c**k in her softness.
Then when he felt her tongue slide against the seam of his lips, he threw all caution to the wind. Gone was the gentleness and in its place was a fire that he hadn’t let out of control in oh so long. He took possession of her mouth and tasted every sweet inch. He lowered one hand to grasp the sweet curve of her ass and used it to pull her even closer.
Ella was writhing against him as if desperate for a release from the tension gripping her body. “Oh, Declan, please . . .”
Running his mouth up the curve of her cheek, Declan whispered, “You have no idea how much I would like to please you, baby.” As she started to fold her body closer in to his, he fought to pull back from her. “Shhh, hold on, baby. We can’t do this. You deserve better than being groped in a parking lot.”
Ella grabbed his hand when he pulled away. “Let’s go to my place. I want this. I want you.”
Declan put his hands on both of her shoulders and pushed her gently away. “Baby, I know you think you do, but it’s just a big case of lust. If any man kissed you the way I just did, you would want him too. It’s basic hormones and you don’t have much experience controlling them yet.” Oh, shit.
Could you have handled that any worse? “Wait, Ella . . . I didn’t—”
Ella pulled back stiffly and looked at him with eyes filled with hurt. “I think I get your point, Declan. Well, thanks for clearing that up. I should have given my date more of a chance tonight if any man can turn me on. That is what you said, right?”
“Baby . . . I didn’t mean it like that. You just don’t have much experience.”
Ella held her hand up and yelled, “Stop! Just stop talking about my lack of experience. First, you were freaking out because I was dating to get experience and then you’re pushing me away because I don’t have experience. Well, which is it, Declan? Should I just take up knitting and stay home alone forever? I don’t need your permission to date and you know what? I don’t even think I want you anymore, so there!”
“Baby,” Declan began, holding out a calming hand.
“Stop calling me baby. I’m not a baby, I’m a woman and if you don’t believe me, then watch and see!” With those final words, Ella walked to her door and slammed it so hard that even he was impressed with how much the frame rattled.
Well, that went well. Why didn’t you just take her to a street corner and push her into the first car that pulls up because you just gave her all of the encouragement she needs to date a different man every night. Fuck! He knew it was useless to try to talk to her again tonight so he took off at a fast run hoping to burn off some of the adrenaline still pumping through his veins. Running with a hard-on? Not so nice.
***
“Oh my God!”
Ella had to pull the phone away from her ear as Beth continued to shriek loudly.
“Okay, sorry about that. I’m just an old knocked up, engaged lady now, so I have to live through my young, single friend. It was good though, right, Els?”
Ella sighed and admitted, “Better than I could have imagined. I thought I would explode just from a kiss.”
“Oh, baby,” Beth giggled, “there is nothing better than a kiss from a man who knows what he’s doing. And if Declan kisses anything like he looks, oh yeah!”
Suddenly, Ella heard a male voice in the background and she had to laugh as she overheard Nick say, “I’m going to try not to take it personally that you seem to have spent a lot of time checking out Declan. It could be worse. At least you aren’t discussing Gray.”
Beth laughed and Ella heard a smacking kiss that she assumed had been delivered to Nick. “Oh, honey, I’m just supporting my friend. You know I haven’t really looked at Declan. It’s just some girl talk.”
“Um, should I let you two go now?” Ella asked.
“Oh no,” Beth assured her. “He just left for the grocery store. I’m dying for some strawberries and Cool Whip. There is no way he would be going without complaining if he wasn’t hopeful that I would eat at least half of the Cool Whip off of . . .”
“No, no, please don’t finish that sentence!” Ella pleaded “I have to see him every day. It’s bad enough the things that Suzy has put in my mind about Gray. At least Claire doesn’t share quite as much about Jason.”
“Alright, I’ll spare you tonight. So let’s get back to Declan. What are you going to do? I can’t believe he told you that any man would make you feel the same way that he did. Is he crazy?”