Wholehearted by Cate Ashwood Page A

stunned by what had just happened.
    He took a second to get himself under control before knocking gently on Lucas’s door.
    “Just go away, Declan. I didn’t mean to.”
    “Lucas, no, it’s not like that.”
    “Declan, seriously, just go away.”
    “Lucas, please let me in.”
    “Fuck off, Declan. I mean it.”
    Declan couldn’t fuck off. He couldn’t walk away from the man behind the door. If he left it until morning, irreparable damage may have been done.
    He tried the doorknob, knowing before he hit resistance that Lucas would have locked it. “Please open the door, Lucas. I just want to talk to you.”
    “There’s nothing to talk about. Just forget it happened.”
    “I can’t do that, and I’m not leaving here until you open the door.”
    Declan waited for the brusque response that never came. A few minutes later, he heard the lock click open, but the door remained closed.
    He turned the handle slowly and pushed the door open. Lucas was sitting on the bed facing away from him. Declan walked over to Lucas, stood in front of him, hands shoved into the pockets of his jeans. He knew if he took them out, he would reach out to touch Lucas, and he didn’t want to freak him out any more than he already was.
    “What was that?” Declan asked.
    “Nothing. I don’t know what I was thinking. It must be the meds, they make me loopy.”
    “You said you weren’t taking the meds.”
    “What the fuck ever. It was nothing, but if you’re going to kick my ass or arrest me, or whatever, could you just wait until my arm’s outta this cast?”
    “Why would I want to kick your ass?”
    “Because I’m queer.”
    The pieces were all starting to fall into place. “That’s why you were beaten, right? Someone attacked you for being gay?”
    “I don’t remember.”
    Declan could feel Lucas beginning to withdraw again. If he wasn’t careful, he could destroy the progress that had been so difficult to make.
    He stepped closer to Lucas who was staring intently at his own lap. “Lucas,” he said. He didn’t move; he just kept staring. Declan reached out and touched his face, stroking down his cheek and lifting his head with a gentle finger under his chin.
    Lucas’s eyes were so expressive. Declan felt as though he could read every emotion, every fear and every desire in them. He leaned forward, gradually, giving Lucas time to back away if he wanted to. Lucas’s eyes widened, but he stayed put, waiting for Declan to close the last few inches of space between them.
    Declan kissed him, slowly at first, reveling in the feeling of Lucas’s lips, so soft and pliant beneath his own. He slid his hand behind Lucas’s ear, encouraging him, giving him something else to feel, to ground them together. He kissed him long and slow. Lucas responded to him so easily, opening for him, melting into him.
    He eased up; brushing his hands along Lucas’s cheek as he gently broke the kiss.
    “Is this okay?” Lucas asked hesitantly.
    “More than okay,” Declan reassured him, kissing him on the forehead. This was different for Declan, to see Lucas like this. Up until now Declan believed he only operated in two modes, asshole and completely withdrawn. This was something else. Declan liked it. A lot.
    Declan kissed him deeper and gently guided him backward to lie down on the bed. Lucas moved with him, never breaking their kiss. Lucas whimpered into his mouth, and Declan pulled back abruptly.
    “Oh God, did I hurt you?”
    Lucas’s lips were swollen and wet. He looked like sex incarnate. He just shook his head, laced his fingers though the hair on the back of Declan’s head, and pulled him back down.
    Lucas’s uninjured hand wasn’t idle then, running along Declan’s side, his fingertips brushing lightly against the skin just under the hem of his shirt. Lucas moaned low into Declan’s mouth as Declan touched and teased Lucas right back.
    The noises were making Declan crazy, the moans and whimpers ratcheting up his arousal. The