McKenzie, Cooper - Saving Chloe (Siren Publishing Classic) (7 page)

“Have ye finished yer editing?”

“Yes, all finished and sent in.”

“Then why don’t ye take another little nap now. Ye’ll need yer strength fer tonight,” Declan said. He gave her one last smacking kiss then pulled away before she could stop him. “And wear another skirt like ye did last night, without the panties.”

Chloe didn’t argue or try to follow him. She was nearly asleep before he walked out of the front door.

* * * *

At seven o’clock, Chloe stepped out her front door and looked across the street. Declan sat in a rocking chair watching her with a hungry and satisfied look in his eyes. The sex switch in her pelvis flipped on high at the sight of him. Her nipples went hard, and her pussy began to dampen.

Her body’s reaction surprised her. What happened to the woman her ex had called an icy fish? Was it him or the fact that she had never had sex as good as she had with one Declan Flannery? She was shocked that all she could think about was getting him behind a locked door and naked again.

Declan met her gaze and smiled. She watched as he lifted his left arm and curled his fingers in a “come here” gesture.

Her pussy clenched as she patted the pocket of her shorts to confirm she had her keys. Without further thought, she started down the walk toward him, blind to everything but the light eyes that held her captive even from this distance.

She’d just taken two steps into the street when someone grabbed her and yanked her back onto the grass. A fast-moving delivery van flashed by with a loud honk of its horn. She blinked, but didn’t realize how close she’d come to injury until Ray turned her to look at him and not Declan.

“Baby, you’ve got to be more careful. That box truck just about took you out,” he said with a hand on each shoulder holding her in place.

“It did?”

Before he could answer, Jasmine trotted over to them. “Chloe, are you okay?”

“I’m fine, Jasmine. Thanks, Ray. I’ll see you later,” Chloe said. She turned to continue her short trip to Declan’s house, but Jasmine clung to her arm. “Jasmine, I need my arm.”

“Where are you going?”

“I’ve been invited to Declan’s. We’re going to watch a movie.”

“Why don’t you join us up at my house instead? I’m cooking a pork tenderloin,” Winston offered as Chloe pried Jasmine’s fingers from her arm.

“I’ll talk to Declan and see what he wants to do,” Chloe said. When she finally freed herself from the other woman’s hold, she took two steps back before the other woman could latch on again.

“Be careful, Chloe. I have a bad feeling about that guy,” Jasmine said as Chloe started across the street again, this time careful to look both ways as she did so.

* * * *

If he had been a younger vampire, Declan would have been across the street, and the man touching his mate would have been shredded vulture bait, and it did not matter that he had just saved Chloe’s life. The man had touched his mate. Instead, Declan took a deep breath and unclenched his fists. He had to allow his mate to deal with the situation. Through their bond, he sent her strength to say no and get away from the human vampires as Jasmine and another man approached.

He watched her pull Jasmine’s arm off of her then back away, all the time shaking her head. A moment later, the three other humans turned and headed down the sidewalk as she walked across the street toward him. She smiled at him, looking rested and triumphant.

“They want us to join them for pork tenderloin and beer,” she said as she climbed the porch stairs and sat in the chair next to his. “I said I was spending the evening with you, watching movies.”

“Did they accept that answer?”

“Not happily, but when I told them I’d talk to you and see if you wanted to join them, they backed down.”

“I’m thinking maybe we should go and have a beer with them. Then we’ll come home and continue with
our
evening.” Declan slid his hand between her thighs and slid it up until he reached her naked pussy.

“Can you drink beer?” she managed to say as a finger slid between her pussy lips and flicked across her clit. She sucked a breath as erotic fire shot out from her clit to the rest of her body.

“Of course, but the alcohol has no effect on me. So if you ever decide you want to go out bar hopping, I’ll be happy to be your designated driver.” Declan stood then held out a hand. “Now, shall we go and have a beer with your Porch People?”

* * * *

Chloe stared at his hand for a moment before placing hers into it. How could he expect her to be guardedly polite when he had her so turned on her thighs were now damp with her juices. As she stood and they crossed the porch, her gut clenched painfully. She had a feeling this meeting between Declan and the Porch People would not end well.

“Darlin’?” Declan asked as they stepped into the empty street. “Are ye okay?”

Chloe took a deep breath and nodded. “I’m fine, but think I’d rather be snuggling with you on the couch watching a movie.”

Declan squeezed her hand. “It will be fine. I won’t let them eat you alive. That’s my job,” he teased with a smile.

Chloe giggled and hoped he was right.

Chapter 8

Ray and Jasmine reached them first while Winston went into his house. Chloe knew from past experience that the man was retrieving beers from the refrigerator for the newcomers since the cooler appeared empty.

“Hey, baby, glad to see you were able to talk him into coming,” Ray said, pulling her into a hug.

Chloe returned the hug, but when she tried to pull away, he didn’t release her. She heard a growling noise come from Declan, but couldn’t do anything about it. After all, Ray was half a foot taller than she was, and muscular from his job as a personal trainer. When he finally did release her, Jasmine was there to take his place.

“Remember what I said,” the woman whispered in her ear before letting her go. “There’s something hinky about him.”

Chloe stepped back and took Declan’s left hand. “Declan, this is Ray. You’ve already met Jasmine. And that is Winston,” she said, waving to the man who held three beers in one hand as he crossed the yard to join their little gathering.

“Here, have a beer,” Winston said. He handed Chloe two beers, and Ray the third, before shaking Declan’s hand. “So you’re the latest man in our porn star’s life.”

Chloe dropped her head and groaned. Ever since he’d found out she edited erotic romance as a job, Winston had called her porn star. Not the most flattering thing he could have named her, but once he decided something, there was no changing his mind. And he didn’t call anyone by their name, just whatever crazy nickname he gave them.

“Porn star?” Declan glanced at her with one raised eyebrow and a smile.

“He calls me that because of my editing job,” she explained.

Declan smiled. “Interesting.”

Taking one of the beers from her, he followed the crowd as they moved to the front porch that ran the width of Winston’s house. Once they were seated in chairs Winston had rescued from the dump then cleaned up, Declan took her hand in his and rested their joined hands high on his thigh. Chloe cringed as the interrogation began, wishing yet again that Declan had declined to attend this gathering.

“So, Declan, what do you do?” Winston asked.

“I’m an international business consultant,” Declan answered easily.

Though Chloe felt like jumping up and pacing the porch, Declan seemed relaxed in his chair and at ease with the questions.

“How long have you been in New Bern?” Ray asked. “I don’t think I’ve seen you at any of the chamber gatherings.”

“I’ve lived in the area my whole life. My house has been in my family since my great-grandfather built it in 1920. I just moved in a couple years ago after the last tenants moved out.

“And how long have you been fucking Chloe?” Jasmine asked in her blunt, no-holds-barred way.

“Jasmine!” Chloe’s face went red-hot as she stared hard at the woman she’d come to think of as a friend.

Declan squeezed her hand tight before she could say anything further.

“I don’t believe it’s polite to kiss and tell,” he responded easily, though there was a thread of steel running through his tone that seemed to reach everyone.

“Okay, so what are your intentions toward her?” Jasmine came back without hesitation. “Are you looking for a convenient woman to fuck when you have time and are horny? Or are you planning to actually date the woman in addition to screwing her?”

“Oh my God,” Chloe said, raising a hand to cover her burning cheeks as she stared daggers at Jasmine. “I cannot believe you just asked that.”

Jasmine’s expression went blank for a moment before she frowned at Chloe. “Well, somebody has to since you won’t. We love you and don’t want to see you get hurt,” she said in a chastising tone.

Chloe dropped her hand from her face, grabbed her beer, and took several large swallows. Turning to Declan, she saw he was studying Jasmine, who stared back at him with a not-too-friendly expression.

“I plan to love Chloe until our dying breaths,” he finally stated, before lifting his beer and taking a single swallow. “That is, if she agrees to be mine that long.”

“Uh-huh,” Jasmine said, obviously not believing him.

“Jasmine, stop,” Chloe demanded, though she knew Jasmine would ignore her.

An hour later, Chloe had had enough even if Declan had not. She was tired of being in the spotlight with these so-called friends telling all of her embarrassing secrets that she did not necessarily want him to hear. She also learned about vampire things that she knew had to be true, even as the others laughed them off, saying Declan was an even bigger storyteller than Winston. The only thing no one asked was whether the rumors of Declan being a vampire were true. When Jasmine started telling what she’d seen the night before, Chloe stood up.

“We’re going now,” she said as she tossed her second empty beer can into the plastic laundry basket Winston used to collect the cans to be recycled.

“You can’t go yet!” Winston and Ray protested in unison. “We’re just getting to know Declan.”

“Sorry, guys, but when the lady wants to be alone—” Declan stood and set his beer can aside.

He shook Winston and Ray’s hands before he turned to Jasmine. Taking her right hand in his, he lifted it to his lips and kissed the back of her knuckles. He then turned his attention and met the eyes of each person and held the gaze for a moment.

“It’s been very interesting. We’ll have to do it again sometime when Chloe doesn’t have to work. I don’t like to bother her all the time, especially when she’s busy with work.”

Again, Chloe heard the thread of power in his voice and wondered at its meaning. She was shocked when the others nodded their heads in agreement. “Yeah, we understand. When Chloe’s not busy.” She frowned at their tone. It sounded like they were in a trance or something. Could Declan control their minds?

Declan smiled at the three before turning and offering Chloe his arm. “Shall we?”

Chloe nodded and threaded her arm through his. Once they were off the porch and well out of earshot of the Porch People, she looked up at him. “I’m sorry,” she said softly.

Declan glanced at her and looked surprised. “What are ye apologizing for, darlin’ Chloe? It was my decision to meet them.”

“Yes, but they were so…so…”

“Inquisitive?” He finished the sentence for her with a chuckle.

“I thinking more along the lines of horrible, nosy, and downright rude.” She giggled as he pulled his arm from hers and wrapped it around her back.

“Yes, but I think they’ll be better from now on. But I don’t want you visiting with them without me, do you understand?” he asked as he guided her past the porch and toward the driveway that ran up beside the house.

“Yes, sir,” she snarked. She lifted her left hand and gave him a halfhearted salute as he led her to his SUV. “Where are we going?”

“We have a little shopping to do.” He winked as he helped her settle into the passenger’s seat. When she fumbled with the seat belt, he took it from her and hooked it. He kissed her deep as his hand brushed over her tits, bringing her nipples to peaks once again.

“Mmmm,” he murmured when he finally moved away. “We’d better hurry, or we’ll have to put it off to tomorrow.” Before she could respond, he closed the door and walked around the front of the car.