Down and Out

Declan grins at me. “Depends on who I’m talking to. With you, it seems to be always.”
I bite my lip, trying not to get sucked in to the tangled web of this smooth-talker.
Screeching guitars, fast-paced drums, and unintelligible screams sound from my pocket, making me jump. I totally forgot I still have Declan’s phone. I tug it out, briefly seeing the caller is someone named Marcus, and hand it over to Declan.
“Shit.” He frowns at the cracked screen and slides his thumb across the bottom of the busted glass. Holding it up to his ear, he says, “Hey, man.”
I thought I’d give him some privacy by taking a shower, but when I move to climb off the bed, Declan wraps his hand around my wrist. Glancing back at him, he holds his finger up to indicate he’ll just be a sec as I hear the muted voice of the guy on the other end.
“Listen, there’s been a change of plans. Come up to the apartment when you get here and I’ll explain.”
After a few seconds, he hangs up and tosses his phone on the bed. “That was my trainer. He’s gonna be pissed.” He throws the covers off, wincing as he tries to swing his legs over the edge.
“Where do you think you’re going?”
He pauses. “To the bathroom?”
“Oh.” I feel like an idiot as I stammer, “Uh, do you need help?”
His dimples are in full-force as his mouth twists into that sexy smirk I’m starting to see more and more. “Unless you want to hold it while I take a leak, I think I’ve got it.”
My face feels like it’s on fire. “You’re an ass.”
“I’ve been called worse.”
He goes to move again, his body tense and slow, and I spot the bottle of painkillers on the nightstand that Blake left. I forgot about those, too.
“Wait.” I crawl on my knees and reach in front of him. Right as my fingers wrap around the orange prescription bottle, my chest brushes his and his hands go to my ribs, practically engulfing me with their size. I hadn’t realized I’m all but sitting in his lap, but here we are, so close that if I move my head an inch to the right, our noses will be touching.
His bright green eyes slip to my mouth, and I know we’re having a “moment.” I’ve never had one with anybody before, not really, and certainly not like this. I don’t know what to do with it.
Swallowing, I lean back and hold the bottle between us, the pills rattling inside. “Blake left these for you.”
He nods, watching my lips move as his hands remain firmly planted on my sides. I reach up, barely grazing the tips of his butterfly bandage over his eyebrow.
“Your eye looks better.” It’s still a nasty shiner, but it’s not swollen shut anymore. The dark purple actually makes his impossibly green eyes more vibrant.
My heart thumps unevenly as he leans in infinitesimally, looking at me like he just wants to devour me, body and soul, until I’m nothing more than a residual pile of boneless, satisfied woman. Declan carries himself with the swagger of someone who knows his way around the female body, and oh boy, does he.
A knock at the front door shoves reality back in my face, and I scramble away from him and off the bed.
Was I seriously about to kiss him? What the hell?
I toss the pills to Declan, who looks as surprised as I feel, and head for the front door.
It swings open and I come face-to-face with the guy I’ve seen sparring with Declan this week, and I finally put two and two together. “Marcus, right?”
He’s a little shorter than Declan, and leaner, but there’s an air about him that gives me chills. I have no doubt he could hold his own in a fight.
Dark brows pull tight over chocolate-brown eyes as he stares at me, looking none too pleased to see me standing in Declan’s doorway. “Yeah.”
I try not to take offense, since it’s not what he probably thinks, and say, “Declan’s back in his room,” as I open the door wider and step aside. The flash of bright sunlight over the parking lot catches my eye, making me panic.
Crap, what time is it?
I look over my shoulder, to the clock on the stove. Shit. The gym should’ve opened two hours ago, and Declan’s in no state to work today.
Looks like I’ll be working a double.