✧

Since when was my bed this damn comfortable? Never.

My eyes remain glued shut as I stretch out in the bed, arms brushing the softest pillows I've ever had the pleasure to touch. I frown instantly. The sheets smell like fresh cotton. Silklike, as if they'd been dried in the sun but we're approaching winter.

I force my eyes open after a few moments and shoot upright. Wait. This isn't my bedroom.

I glance around frantically. My head aches. Pounding in fact.

Did I go out and get drunk? No. I was shutting up the shop... but I don't remember making it home. Well by the looks of things, I didn't make it home.

My eyes flick over the simple yet modern room. It's clean, practically spotless. Cream and brown interior with large wardrobes and a desk in the corner with a lamp and small ornaments. Abstract paintings hang on the wall with light coloured curtains that make the room look luxurious.

I notice fresh clothes hanging on a hanger above the door. It's mostly open but a sliver I can't see. I look down at my clothes, no trousers but I'm still wearing my work t-shirt. Interesting.

Then I look back to the clothes hanging up. I squint my eyes in the low darkness when I spot my trousers, they look like they've been steamed and pressed, along with a plain black t-shirt beside it.

When I think about swiping the covers off my body, I spot a figure down the hall in the opposite bedroom. My eyes certainly don't deceive me when I find Declan in nothing but a white fluffy towel wrapped around his waist. Droplets are running down his body, that toned chest which has been living in my dreams for the past week and a half.

I can't look away. He rummages through his drawers, finding something to wear.

Shamelessly, I stare at him. That body is sinful. In fact, I'll be the one committing all the sins when he walks around like that. How many times does he go to the gym? I've barely stepped inside one because I'm insecure about being around gym regulars. It'll be obvious that I have absolutely no idea what I'm doing.

For a moment I'm mesmerised but then I shake my head. Wait, wait. Why am I here?

I lean over to the bedside table and take my phone. My finger taps the screen and I practically leap out of bed with a yelp. It's almost six thirty and the shop should be prepped and ready, people will be waiting. Bile rises in my throat, oh god, oh god. I'm late, I'm fucking late and we might lose customers this morning.

I hear footsteps echo down the hall as I reach for my clothes, Declan pops his head inside and thank goodness he's not naked anymore. His body is covered with a black long sleeved top which clings to every muscle. My mouth turns bone dry.

"Good morning," he offers me a smile.

"I'm late for work," I say instantly, taking the clothes down from the hangers.

Declan steps inside and nods, folding his arms over his chest. Oh my, don't do that!

"Take a shower and I'll drive you," he nods.

I chew on my lip. Not taking a shower after working an entire shift yesterday is quite frankly the most disgusting thing, but I'm already severely late as it is. "The shop–"

"Can wait five minutes whilst you shower," he nods before retrieving a towel. "It's just here."

When he taps on the door beside the spare bedroom, I quickly hurry inside and shed my clothes. I even jump in the shower before it's even warm, I bite down on my jaw and tell myself to deal with it. How did I sleep in so damn late?

After I scrub myself head to toe in record time, I rush back into the spare room and dress myself in my work trousers which have definitely been cleaned because they smell like flowers and fresh laundry. Guess I'm going commando today. The t-shirt is Declan's but it'll do, even if it drowns me. I'm ignoring the fact that it smells like him and it gives me goosebumps knowing I'm wearing his clothes. Next to it is my apron and I slide it over my head before grabbing my phone and rushing downstairs.

I try to ignore the pressure building between my brows. I'm more than dehydrated, I practically need to go on a drip. I slept for so long without water or food and my body might be thanking me for the rest, but I still need to keep my energy up in other ways.

Declan is waiting for me downstairs. He beckons for me to walk through the front door as he grabs his car keys. I barely have time to take recognition of his house–which after one glance is truly beautiful.

I hop in the passenger seat and thrum my fingers across my thigh. The anxiety I thought would have gone away after getting in the car only amplifies. Declan's eyes keep glancing to my fingers and then back to the road.

"What happened yesterday?" I ask, trying to change my train of thought.

He looks at me once, a hand resting on the steering wheel effortlessly. "You weren't replying to my texts, so I came by the cafe and you were literally asleep on the floor." He explains and my cheeks redden. Why am I so embarrassed? "I was going to take you home but you were fast asleep and I thought you didn't need your mother asking questions, so I took you home and you slept all night."

"Shit," my hands are trembling. "Sorry."

"Don't be sorry," Declan shakes his head. "I wanted to make sure that you were okay."

I glance out the window. The pounding in my head increases and I raise my hand to massage my temples, fluttering my eyes shut. "You okay?" He asks.

A hum falls from my lips. "Just got a headache."

My heart pounds inside my chest. I can't even turn to look at him. I'm beyond mortified, I need to get out of this car as soon as possible. I begin to pick at the skin around my fingers because I've got nothing better to do. Anything for a distraction.

I pray there aren't people waiting outside. I pray no one writes a shitty review online saying that we weren't open when the sign says that we are.

He pulls up round the back and I rush to get my seatbelt off. "Thank you for the lift, and for yesterday," the words are nothing but a mashed jumble of nothing. Declan offers me a small smile but it doesn't seem convincing. "I'll see you later."

I hook my fingers into the inside of the door to open it but it remains locked. I try again frantically before glancing over my shoulder at Declan. He's staring back at me with a mix of concern and apprehensiveness.

"Declan," I say desperately. "Please open the door."

He says nothing. The door remains locked.

"Declan, please."

"You need to think about your health, Luca."

My jaw clamps together as I flick my eyes between his. "I'm being serious," I mumble, my fingers flicking the handle again but it remains closed.

"So am I." He responds, his voice growing louder in determination.

"I'm fine," I rasp, even though we both know that's a lie.

I'm running on used fumes. I always have. It's nothing unusual.

"You're not," he shakes his head and swipes his thumb over his lips. "You're going to end up making yourself sick and I'm not going to stand here and watch you do it."

I blink at his words, my lips part but nothing escapes them. Am I going to make myself sick? When I feel my brows fall down into a look of confusion, I wince at the pain inside my head. God, I need some paracetamol and something decent to eat.

But my entire morning will consist of getting my shit together before I can even have a sip of water.

"There isn't anything I can do about it right now," I mumble after a few moments. "Please, Declan. Open the door. I'm already late. Thank you for the ride but I really need to start now."

Declan exhales a long sigh and he unlocks the side of my door. I don't rush to get out. Instead I watch him for a few seconds. I'm not sure what exactly washes over his face but it makes me feel mushy and warm inside.

He cares about me. That's obvious. He doesn't want me to burn myself out.

When he turns back to me, we just stare at each other. I slowly nod. "Thank you for everything," I say gently as I begin to get out of the car. "I am really grateful for you and I don't deserve your kindness or concern."

Before he gets the chance to say anything more, I shut the door and hurry up the steps to the cafe. I unlock the door and get to work, I'm only an hour late for opening time and I try to push down the nausea in my windpipe.

I'm here now and I can make up for lost time later.

I ignore my head for the next thirty minutes as customers float through, in between each one I'm trying to set up for the day. Something I should have done early this morning. Shit. I shouldn't have fallen asleep last night.

Declan was trying to do something nice for me. I get that. But my anxieties about this place run deeper than anything else. I don't want to be the reason that it fails, I want to be one of the reasons that it succeeds.

As I place a paper cup holder over a steaming drink, I glance up to find Demi beaming back at me. "What are you doing here?" I ask.

"Hazel asked me to come in and help."

My brows pinch together. "Really?"

"Yeah, said you need some help today. I'm available until two o'clock, so hopefully that helps out." She raises her shoulders as she walks around the counter, dropping her bag in the back room as she grabs an apron.

"Thank you," I tell her.

We get to work in record time and I explain to Demi about last night, ending up sleeping in Declan's spare room and how he brought me to work. I'm still confused about the entire thing but I have other things to worry about right now.

Thirty minutes fly by and I brush my hands down my apron and trousers. The bell above the door rings and I glance up, almost rocking back on my feet when I see Declan strolling towards me.

Demi pauses what she's doing and watches along with me.

Goodness. I know I saw him an hour ago but I'll never get bored of looking at that face.

He walks straight up to the counter and drops a box of paracetamol and ibuprofen down, then a smoothie in a bottle from the shop across the road. I glance down at them and then back to Declan who is looking at me with an unimpressed expression. "Take these and drink this, alright?"

I can't form any words. Declan flicks his gaze to Demi. "And make sure he eats something please, those tablets don't work well on an empty stomach."

"Of course," Demi nods her head. "I'll get a panini going."

Declan offers her a small smile before meeting my gaze again. "I'll see you later, alright?" He raises his hand to tilt my chin gently with his finger and thumb.

I melt into a puddle on the floor. Nothing but blood and bones.

"Alright, thank you." I murmur as he drops his hand, gives me a subtle wink and strolls out of the cafe.

Demi returns to her position behind me, both of us staring at the spot he was occupying a few seconds ago. "That guy is literally acting like your boyfriend." She comments.

I dampen my lips, core tightening. "God, I want to suck his dick so fucking badly."

She laughs behind me. "Wow," she exhales. "I was not expecting that."

Me either. But it's true.

He deserves the worlds best blowjob for being so damn caring. I have no idea what I've done to deserve his kindness.

✧

Read the rest of the book, bonus chapters and the first 41 chapters of the third book in the series over on Patreon and Ream!

www.reamstories.com/savannaroseauthor
www.patreon.com/dreammcatcher

Link is also in my bio!

Author's Note

Declan is the definition of boyfriend material ahhh. I love him.😭❤️🥰

Luca's comment about sucking his dick has me on the floor hahah🤭

What did you guys think of this chapter?👉🏼

Don't forget to vote and comment! it makes my day ✨

Love Savanna x

Insta: savannaroseauthor
Patreon: dreammcatcher
Ream: savannaroseauthor
Tik Tok: SavannaWritess