Ten Years

Chapter 15

"You came!" Noa says, running towards me.

"Of course I did" I say, picking her up and lifting her in the air.

"Declan also came" she says, her arms around my neck.

"Good" I say, trying not to blush. Though I don't think a 4 year old would notice.

After saying hello to other kids and Edith and Stefan, I finally see Declan. He is with Dom, hiding something behind one of the benches.

"What are two doing?"

"Shit!" Dom says, the bucket he was carrying falling to the floor.

"Are those water balloons?"

"Shhh" he says. "We don't want the kids to find out just yet. It has to be a surprise."

"For them and for their parents when they come to pick them and see they are soaking wet?"

"The parents already know, and they are bringing them some clothes so they can get changed for the party " Declan explains.

"You have thought about it all, haven't you?"

"We have. So don't ruin the surprise, sis."

"I won't, I promise."

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"No, no, no!" I scream when two of the older kids throw the biggest balloons ever at me.

"Sorry!" they say, running away and leaving me even more soaked than I already was.

"I think there still is a dry patch over here" Declan says behind me, throwing a bucket full of water on my back.

"Oh you piece of shit!" I yell, turning around and running after him. But he is faster than me (perks of being a professional football player), and I quickly lose him when I make it to the changing rooms building. "Where the hell did he go?"

"Here" he says from my right, grabbing me by the waist and pushing me against the back wall, hiding us from the others.

"You scared me" I say with a nervous laugh, trying to focus on something that isn't how close he is, and the way his t-shirt is sticking to his chest. Or his abs. Or his arms. Dear God.

"You are staring" he says, moving closer, his nose touching mine.

"How not to" I chuckle.

"Do you like what you see?"

I just nod, my brain starting to short-circuit from having him this close. And also because of the way he is looking at me.

"I also like what I see. And I like it a lot" he says again before kissing me. But this time it isn't like on the car. Or on the park. This time there is passion. Need. And I can't get enough of it. Of him.

"Let me alone!" a kid says way to close to where we are, making us stop.

"I think he's gone" I whisper after a couple of minutes.

"Should we continue, then?" Declan says with a smirk.

"Too risky. You'll have to wait."

"Urgh" he says, resting his forehead on my shoulder.

"You'll survive, Rice" I say, laughing and patting the back of his head.

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Once the water balloons war is was over and most parents have arrived, I quickly go home to get changed and dry myself, though the weather and the state Declan's kisses had left me in, had already done half of the job. The kisses maybe didn't dry my clothes, but they definitely helped with not feeling cold while wearing them.