Man of My Dreams (3 page)

Charlie squeezes Cara around her middle. “I wove you, Ca.”

“I
love
you too. With an
L
, right Mommy?”

“Right, baby. Very good.” I stick my head out from the freezer, holding the mini waffles they’ve been adamant on making their only choice for breakfast for the last three months. “Hey, you girls want to get your nails done today?”

“Yes, yes, yes!” They both shout in unison.

“Okay, good. After breakfast and some rest time, we’ll have a special girlie day. Daddy comes home tonight so we’ll be all pretty for him.”

I pop their waffles in the toaster and reach for a coffee mug, but I’m halted from my caffeine fix by the sound of the phone ringing. It can only be one of two people, my mother or Declan. No one else would call here this early. I run to catch it, see the caller ID and smile.

I try my best sultry, seductive voice. “Hey, baby. Cutting the trip short to get home for a romantic night with your wife?”

“Hi, Mia. You’re awfully chipper this morning. And you won’t believe it, but I have to stay another night. Something’s come up…the client wasn’t happy with the presentation and Robert wants another shot to impress them. I pulled an all nighter and we have another meeting in an hour.”

You’re flipping kidding, right?
“Oh, okay.” I want it to be okay, but it’s not. He’s been gone five days already. We miss him and I need a reprieve. “Is everyone staying? I mean, is there a way you can tell him you’re needed here?”
Needed as in, I’m horny and I miss my husband.

“No, babe. I’m sorry. He’s not budging on this one. I tried. Listen, I can’t talk long. Can I just say hi to the girls?”

Dismissive much?
“Yup, no problem.” I turn to the girls, handing them the phone. “Girls, Daddy wants to say hi.”

I watch as they each take turns, laughing and smiling into the phone. I see their little eyebrows droop and the happy twinkling in their eyes vanish when he tells them he won’t be home tonight.
Yeah, girls, I know.
But at the end of their conversations, all is right in daddy-daughter land because they are mauling the phone with kisses and I-love-yous.

I take back the phone, jealous of two little girls again for getting the better part of his attention. I get back to Declan, graciously, “‘kay, babe, kick ass in your meeting. I love you.”

“Me too. I’ll call you later.”

And then I hear the click.

Me too?
I don’t even deserve the ‘I love you’ back? He’s never done that before. I’m not happy. I grab my cell to text him, but the rational part of my brain kicks in, realizing that’s probably not a good idea. If he’s as busy as he says he is, he won’t be able to answer me back, let alone go through with an all out texting war. Because let’s face it, feeling let down and disappointed, I’m ready for a brawl.

“Hey, aren’t you in my psychology class?”

I glance over my shoulder to see who this unfamiliar voice belongs to only to come face to face with one of the most gorgeous men I’ve ever laid eyes on.
And there are plenty of gorgeous guys to take your pick from on campus. I would have definitely noticed if this guy was in my psychology class. Hell, he’d be more than in my psychology class, he’d be in my pants.

My crude thoughts cause me to blush. I tuck a few errant hairs behind my ear, peering up through batting lashes. “Um, no, I don’t think so?” Not sure why it’s coming out as a question.

“You’re Mia, right? I know you from somewhere.”

Oh my God, those eyes.
I want to agree with him just so he’ll stay put and stare at me like that a little longer. But I’m not about to start this off with lies. “Yes, I’m Mia, but I’m certain I’ve never seen you before.” I give him another once over, hoping it reads as
I’ve never seen you, but I’d love to see more of you.

“Mind if I pull up a chair, Mia?”

“I would love that…” I trail off, hoping he’ll put a name to his flawless face.

“Declan. Sorry, my name’s Declan.”

Mmmm.
Even his name is delicious. I’ve never heard of a Declan before, but it’s so different. So intriguing. So sexy.

He sits next to me at our hidden table in the library, and my roommate, Whitney, eyes me knowingly. “I’m pretty much done here. I’m heading back to the dorms. Catch you later?”

“Sure thing, Whitney.” I discreetly wink over my shoulder, promising to fill her in on all the details later.

“I hope I’m not interrupting your studying, but when I saw you here I just couldn’t ignore you.” He’s leaning against his chair, one arm hung nonchalantly over the back. But there is nothing nonchalant about the way his eyes are roaming me.

“You’re not interrupting, Declan.”
Wow, I really like saying his name!
“And I wasn’t really studying, more like wasting time.”
I’d rather be wasting time with you than with Introduction to Ethics.

“Well then I’m glad I got up the nerve to finally come talk to you.”

“Finally?”

He looks down at his hands; they’re mangled together in knots. Oh my goodness, he’s nervous. How cute. “Yeah, I can’t believe I’m going to say this, but I’ve wanted to talk to you since I spotted you at orientation.”

I can’t hide my surprise at his admission. My voice goes an octave too high, “Since orientation? Last year? It took you a whole
year
to build up the nerve to talk to me?” I feel bad for sounding so amused, but really, a year? I’m nothing special. I can’t believe he’s been pining over me that long.

“No,” he flashes a smile.

I melt.

“Not since last year. Since last month. I’m a freshman. I take it you’re not?”

Hello stupid mouth, how do you like the taste of my foot?
I should’ve known a guy as hot as this one wouldn’t have waited around a whole year to talk to someone like me! For the first time since the start of this conversation I’m the one who’s nervous. “Oh…I…I just assumed you were a sophomore too. I’m sorry.”

He laughs, tilting his head back and brushing back a piece of his dark, wavy hair with his large hands. “Nothing to be sorry about. I get that a lot. I guess I won’t have a problem getting into the local bars then.”

How could he have a problem getting in anywhere? “No, no…probably not.” I am practically stammering, and decide to change the subject to gain back some control. “So, Declan the freshman, what made today different than the last thirty?”

He leans closer to me, and any prayer of being in control in such close proximity to this beautiful boy is out the damn window. “I decided I was tired of not knowing you anymore. There was this voice in my head telling me
I have
to get to know you.”

Okay, either that’s his pick up line or he’s just the sweetest thing alive. And the voices in his head—kudos to them. “Oh really? Well, what is the voice in your head telling you now?” I arch an eyebrow, hoping this
voice
is on the same page I’m on.

He leans back in his chair, devouring me with his eyes again. “It’s telling me to ask you out.”

I force myself to take a mental step back. I’ve spent the last year messing around with random nobodies in the hopes of sowing my oats and enjoying my freedom. But Declan and his delicious offer have me uncharacteristically hoping for all the things I never thought I wanted at my age. A steady boyfriend to cuddle during movies with, to lounge around and study with, to hold hands with…to fall in love with.

“Well? Are you going to leave me hanging all day? Or maybe make me wait another month?” Declan interrupts my silent fairytale imaginings with a coy grin, one corner of his delectable mouth turned upward.

“Declan, I don’t know you from Adam, but I can’t bring myself to say no.”

“So is that a yes?” His ice-blue eyes are wide, sparkling with excitement.

On our first date, five days later, Declan takes me to The Alibi, an off-campus lounge-type place that hosts open mic nights and live bands. Luckily for us, they also accommodate the underage crowd. He couldn’t have known it, but this is exactly my type of scene. Tonight there’s a cover band playing their own interpretations of everything ranging from the hits of the ‘80s to Pearl Jam and Matchbox Twenty.

Declan ushers me to a booth with a clear shot of the stage. We order drinks and fries, and I tap my foot, singing along to Rick Springfields’s
Jesse’s Girl
. Declan excuses himself from the table and my guess is he’s headed to the men’s room. But when I see him over at the stage, talking to one of the band members, I can’t help but wonder what he’s up to. He looks over at me with a devilish grin and a raised index finger, signaling that he’ll be a minute.

The next thing I know, Declan’s on stage with the mic in his hand, peering down at me with a shy smile.

Is this really happening?

The lead singer of the band tilts the mic to his mouth to make an announcement.
“I’m gonna rest my pipes for the next set while my man Declan takes over. Seems like Dec wants to make a special first impression tonight. Take it away, buddy.”

Declan rolls his eyes and fake punches the lead singer in the gut. I guess they’re friends. The band starts to play. The drum beat is sensual, mesmerizing. After a bar or two, Declan starts to sing and all I hear are the words,
I want you…you make me want you
. He repeats them again, staring right at me.

Oh. My. God.

This is one of my favorite songs, and as sexy as the lead singer is when he sings this, Declan blows him away. And he’s singing it about me! I lose track of all reality as his raspy voice takes me away. Hearing him sing the words
I want you
makes my heart skip a beat. This is the best first date ever! I wouldn’t mind it being my last first date either.

When he’s finished making me feel like the luckiest girl in the world, the mass of rowdy boys and swooning girls cheer, mobbing Declan with high-fives. He makes his way back to our table and sits down as if nothing’s happened.

I stare at him in disbelief.

He takes a sip of his Diet Coke and says nothing.

“Seriously, dude? Are you kidding?” I pinch his arm, deflating back into the booth.

“What?” he says with a wicked grin.

“
What?
So that’s how we’re playing this? Okay, I’ll just come out and say it then…um, amazing. That was amazing, Declan. No one has ever done something like that for me before.”

“Who said I was doing it for you?” he arches an eyebrow.

I slap his arm this time, tilting my head as if to say “
really?”

“I’m kidding, Mia. But not about what I said up there. I definitely want you.”

I motion to the waitress to get us the check.

Declan narrows his eyes, grimacing. “Check? Is our date over?”

I lean over the table and give Declan an inviting, pre-game peck on his soft lips. “Date’s definitely not over. But can we get out of here? I kind of want you too.”

We escape the loudness of The Alibi in to a brisk, beautiful October night. I love the fall, the way the weather starts to cool, foreshadowing all the things that I love about the last three months of the year; winter and the holidays and the way they spark a kind of innocent magic that I’ll never outgrow.