Declan~
As soon as he closed Lexi's door Declan realized he'd left his own phone in the other room to charge and turned on his heel to go back for it.
"Left my phone on the charger."
Caleb was standing at the door and yelled over his shoulder "Hey Pierce, Romeo here forgot his phone on the charger."
Pierce unlatched the phone from the cord and tossed it across the room. Without any effort Declan caught the phone one handed and pocketed it.
"I've got some condoms too if you need one, brother." Pierce's mouth lifted into a sly smile.
"Fuck you and Fuck you too" Declan joked as he pointed at each of them and turned to head back to his room. Nate brushed past the two clowns at the door and headed toward Declan.
"I trust you're going to sleep in your own bed, alone tonight."
"Well, I mean sometimes Caleb tries to snuggle me, but I'll make sure he knows to keep his distance."
"You know what I mean Dec." Nate's tone was a little too harsh for Declan's liking.
"No, Nate I don't think I do. Care to explain?"
"Seriously? We all saw the way you and Lexi were looking at each other tonight"
"The way we were looking at each other?" Declan scoffed as he raised an eyebrow "Lighten up man."
"You guys were practically eye fucking from across the room the whole night."
"So because I made eye contact with her, that means I'm trying to fuck her? Are you hearing yourself?"
"Don't give me that shit. You know you gave her extra attention, carrying her bag everywhere and practically drooled every time you looked at her."
"I carried her bag because I'm not an asshole."
"Cut the shit, Declan," Nate bit out.
Declan let out a frustrated laugh and ran his hand through his hair as he tried to maintain his composure and control.
"I'm sorry for being nice to your friend, Nate. Is that what you want to hear?" Declan sassed.
"Whatever Dec, be that way if you want to. Just don't fuck with her okay?"
Declan's nostrils flared and he clenched his back teeth to control himself.
"And what makes you think I'd fuck with her?"
Nate recoiled his head in confusion. "Oh I don't know, how about your entire track record with women over the past six years we've known each other?"
Damn it. He couldn't really argue with that. Declan's apartment was a revolving door of women that had a pretty quick turn around.
"Hell, you and Pierce were cruising for easy lays just five hours ago! So what, you've changed your outlook on relationships in five fucking hours?"
Maybe.
"She's not a one and done type of girl Dec!"
"I know exactly what type of girl Lexi is!" Declan roared unable to keep his anger in check any longer. His sudden intensity caused Nate to take a step back.
Declan pinched the bridge of his nose and blew out a breath while he locked himself down again.
"But I hear you loud and clear, Brother. Hands off," he said flatly as he turned to leave with his hands in the air.
*****
Nates words played on repeat between Declan's ears as he mindlessly flipped through the TV channels in his room. He hated his friends assumptions, but what he hated more was that Nate was right. He had built up quite a reputation for himself and it was going to take a lot more than one conversation in a hotel hallway to explain what he was feeling for Lexi. Hell, he wasn't even sure he understood his own feelings for Lexi.
All Declan knew was that everything he felt for her was new and unfamiliar which made him feel uneasy, but curious. He wasn't just interested in her, he was captivated, intoxicated by her presence alone and his hunger to explore those feelings was all consuming despite the guilt he felt. He respected Nate and literally owed him his life. How could he betray his word to his best friend and why was he even considering it?
It was damn near impossible for Declan to sleep that night. Not only were Nate's harsh words and judgements still at the forefront of his mind, but he felt like he was going to come out of his skin at the thought of Lexi being in the next room. Was she happy? Was she sad? Was she hungry? Was she too hot or too cold? He actually cared about her which was a shock to his system. This new Declan was unsettling and someone that he himself was still trying to understand.
Thoughts about Lexi buzzed through Declan's head as he searched desperately for sleep. He didn't want to break Nate's trust, but this burning in his chest indicated that he might not have a choice.
It had been an hour and Declan had only been able to drift in an out of sleep, never truly deep or restful. Caleb hadn't come to the room at all that night. Declan decided he had either passed out in the room with Marcus and Pierce or he had talked to Nate and was giving Declan space to cool down. Either way he didn't mind the solitude.
Changing his position for the hundredth time, he forced his eyes closed and tried his best to relax the tension in his body. Just as sleep was about to overtake him he heard Lexi's sweet voice.
Declan focused all of his attention as he searched the still air for any sound coming from her room. There it was again, a small whimper coming from the other side of the connecting door. Was she crying?
Standing up abruptly Declan moved to the door and pressed his ear against it. At first there was nothing, but then another small whimper. He could hear her voice much better now that he was closer.
"Please don't," she begged in a tone that was more desperate than sad.
Is someone else in the room with her?
Her sobs became louder and Declan was starting to come unglued. Every protective instinct in his body flared and his adrenaline spiked.
Unable to stand at the door and listen to her cry any longer Declan knocked on the connecting door he was currently leaning on.
"Lex? Everything okay?"
No response, just short sobs and the sound of rustling sheets.
Growing impatient Declan knocked again a little louder. "Lexi?"
Suddenly a sharp cry cut through the quiet of the room and slammed into Declan's ears. "Get off of me!" Lexi screamed.
Declan's legs were moving before he could command them as he snatched the extra room key from his jeans pocket on the floor.
Someone is hurting Lexi.
Barreling through the door, Declan scanned every corner of the room and evened out his weight in a fighting stance. He briefly considered grabbing his weapon off of the nightstand but decided against it during his mad dash to Lexi's room. He was more than capable of taking a life with his bare hands and in his rage filled state he wanted that satisfaction.
With his fists eager to make contact with whoever was harming Lexi, Declan searched the room, but to his surprise she was alone in the bed. Lexi was crying out in her sleep.
Declan pushed out a hard breath as he came down from his adrenaline rush and went to Lexi's side. She rolled her head side to side and squirmed under the covers as she cried. Declan couldn't watch her lay there in anguish any longer.
In the softest voice he could muster he urged Lexi to wake up as he stroked her arm.
"Lexi?"
No response. Declan leaned closer.
"Lexi, wake up," he said with slightly more volume, but the same gentle tone.
Lexi's eyes blinked a few times before opening wide in unfocused terror. Before he could speak again, Lexi slammed her hands into Declan with all her strength in an effort to push him away.
His broad chest absorbed the blow easily and he barely moved from the force. Declan gently took both of her wrists and held them close to her body while she thrashed.
"Lexi it's Declan. I'm not going to hurt you. You're having a nightmare."
Lexi relaxed slightly and focused her eyes more fully on Declan's. Once he was sure she was truly awake he loosened his grip on her wrists.
"Shhh you're okay. You were having a nightmare," he assured her once again as he allowed her to take in her surroundings and accept that he wasn't going to cause her any harm.
With ragged breaths, Lexi sat up and swiveled her head as she fearfully searched the room. "No one here, but me. I already checked," he reassured her. With one hand he brushed a sweat soaked strand of hair away from her forehead.
"Who were you fighting, gorgeous?"
Clearly flustered by his question Lexi shifted her weight and immediately broke eye contact with Declan.
"I wasn't fighting anyone...just a bad dream I guess."
Her first lie.
Declan clocked the lie as soon as it left her lips. She was a terrible liar and her tells were easy to pick up on. For a second he considered pressing the issue, but decided it was her story to tell and it was obviously not one she was comfortable talking about.
"You have bad dreams like that often?" he asked as he ran his hand up and down her back trying to help calm her down.
"Just started having them lately. I can't ever seem to get a full nights sleep." No wonder she looked so tired when we picked her up.
"I'm sure it's just stress from work."
Another lie.
Declan hated that she was hiding something from him, but he wouldn't call her on it. Hell they'd only met a few hours ago. He also hated that she wasn't sleeping. Having to wrestle demons every night was a struggle Declan was familiar with. After an intense job Declan usually had to wait out the nightmares for a week or two before he could get any quality sleep. It was a beating and knowing that Lexi shared the same struggle pulled at his heart.
"I could stay if you want." Unsure if he was overstepping Declan continued to make sure she knew his intentions were pure. "I mean if you think that would help. If not I'll go and let you get back to sleep."
A sweet smile spread across her face, but she smothered it quickly. "You don't have to. I'm fine, really."
Declan could sense that she wanted him to stay, but didn't want to be a burden. "I know I don't have to. I want to."
She still wasn't convinced.
"Plus if it happens again I won't have to bust down your door, I'll already be right here to help you through it," he said with a smile. Lexi gave a quick laugh through her nose, but still didn't respond.
"Please?" he asked.
The joy and relief on her face said it all. "Okay. Only if you're sure you don't mind."
"Don't mind at all," he said as he went over to the empty side of the king sized bed.
He slid under the down comforter but kept his distance. The last thing he wanted was to make Lexi feel uncomfortable. To his surprise, she closed the space between them almost immediately.
Realizing that she needed to physically feel him next to her, Declan lifted his arm to give her room and permission to get as close as she wanted. She scooted herself over until she was flush with his side with her head resting on his chest. "Is this okay?" she asked in an unsure voice.
"More than okay. Now close your eyes. I've got you."
Lexi's hand brushed up Declan's side trying to find a resting place on his chest. For a split second Declan had forgotten that his chest was riddled with scars, but the presence of Lexi's hand reminded him.
The lights had been off when he came in and he doubted she had noticed, but now he was sure she could feel them under her soft hands. He held his breath as her hand searched for the most comfortable and natural place on his chest.
Lexi's fingers stalled over one of his scars and examined the raised skin. Without saying a word she laid her hand there and gently rubbed her thumb over the angry scar. Declan's skin peppered with goosebumps as her thumb moved back and forth over the scar as if she were trying to soothe it.
Warmth gathered in his chest as he realized what she was doing. She didn't pull away from his scars in disgust, she didn't ignore them or glamorize them by calling them "hot" or "sexy" the way other women had in the past. Lexi saw his scars for what they were - painful. The physical pain of his injuries had long passed, but the mental anguish they caused was still present. Physical reminders of a hard past that Lexi was attempting to soften with her touch.
The strokes of her thumb started to slow and he could tell she was drifting. Feeling her head go heavy on his chest along with her slow even breaths was a sure sign she was out, which felt like a huge victory to Declan.
Having Lexi in his arms was pure bliss and torture all wrapped in one. Her petite body fit perfectly with his, but the fact that there were only a few layers of fabric separating them was almost unbearable. He'd already had to adjust himself several times and would most likely have a raging hard on the entire night, but it was worth it.
He couldn't believe he was laying there cuddling and actually enjoying it. Cuddling had never been his thing and laying this way with a woman had always been an obligation that needed to be fulfilled after sex. When he laid this way with Amanda it was just a countdown in his mind until he could slide out from under her, but this? This was heaven.
Soon Declan gave into his own exhaustion, completely content and comfortable.
Lexi stirred only once in her sleep, waking Declan in the process. "Shhhh" he whispered as he nuzzled close to her ear and tightened his hold around her. Lexi's body immediately relaxed in response and sunk down onto him.
Maybe he was into this lovey dovey bullshit after all.
************************************
Don't forget to vote and comment! Tell me all your opinions! I love hearing from you!