Page 51

I looked at him. For once, he looked back.

After all this time, real eye contact with him was like holding my flesh right over a flame—too intense to bear. I looked away.

“Yes, we have an attic. You really think you need to check it? We found nothing.”

“Can’t hurt.”

With a sigh, I led him to it.

He pulled the set of steps down and went up first, but I followed right on his heels.

He whistled when he turned on the one dim bulb in the spacious room. “I can’t believe you guys don’t even use this for storage. Waste of square footage.”

He had a point. It was basically empty. My mom hated attics. Said they creeped her out, and so avoided using ours for anything.

Though there was one small box in the corner. I had no idea what was in it, had never seen it before, but as I stepped closer to look, I saw that there were several dried bouquets of flowers piled on top of it, so it must have been something of my mother’s. She must have been saving these for something.

Still, I was surprised she’d stashed them up here.

“All clear,” Declan said, and headed back downstairs.

I followed, eyes running over his naked back. It rippled with his every movement. His dark blond hair was mussed from sleep, sticking up slightly at the back. His boxers were perched low on his hips, leaving a fascinating amount of his toned skin on display.

The longer we searched without finding anything, the more my attention started drifting to the fact that Declan was in my house.

Alone with me. Wearing almost nothing, and being nice to me.

It was surreal and I had no idea how to act.

He moved to the back door, turning on every light in the yard, flooding the pool and surrounding areas with light.

He spent a long time studying the doorknob and the doorjamb, inside and out. “No signs of forced entry,” he finally decreed.

I looked toward the empty hallways. That didn’t explain Max. He was gone.

“I’m sorry,” I said, still feeling silly. “I overreacted.”

“Stop apologizing. You did the right thing. You ever get a bad feeling, so much as a twinge of uncertainty, you call me.” He clenched his jaw. “You call us. Always. Don’t hesitate.”

The warmest, most pleasurable sensation ran through me, head to toe.

This was the old Declan. My Declan. The reason I held on to such a hopeless love in spite of everything.

“And we still haven’t found your dog,” he added.

“He must be out back somewhere. Hopefully coyotes didn’t get him.”

“Hopefully. Can you direct me to a flashlight? I’m going to go check the tree line.”

“Please don’t,” I said instantly, without thinking.

I looked down at my feet, embarrassed to even say it. “We can check when it’s light out, but I have a bad feeling about those woods in the dark.”

“Just a quick look. I won’t go deep.”

“Okay, but I’m coming with.”

“Fine. But grab a gun out of the safe.” He grinned suddenly, a rare gift for me. His smile was my favorite thing in the world, and I’d been deprived of it for quite some time. “I’m timing you.”