Sunbeams and Thunderstorms (now published so sample only)

Chapter 11

Chapter 11

Declan brooded over what to do next. He stared at his phone, drank another beer and wished to hell that he could forget her. Two years, it had been more than two years since he left her standing next to Jed's pub.

The expression on her face as he drove away that day still haunted him. She seemed lost but still a little dreamy from the kiss they shared. Once again, he had dumped her in the middle of nowhere and left her to fend for herself. He'd never hated himself more since that day.

His phone rang and he stared at it with a sullen snarl. She wasn't calling him back anytime soon. He'd tried more than a dozen times to ring her back and received no response. It wasn't as if he earned any more trust from her.

When Jed's number flashed on the screen, he groaned. He wasn't sure if he could deal with Jed right now, especially when he knew the lecture headed his way.

With a stifled sigh, he answered, "hello, Jed."

"She subsided the land and the chasm is back."

"So? What do you expect me to do about it?"

"She made a claim on you and you accepted it. What the fuck are you doing away from her?" Jed growled.

"I don't know." The truth spilled before Declan could stop himself.

"You ring Arabella daily to find out if she's fine. Why don't you come back here and see for yourself?"

"I don't think she wants that."

"Of course she wants you with her! If you didn't want her claim then why didn't you reject her? Don't even try to answer that with a 'I don't know.'"

"Jed."

"You of all people know what a claim means and you left her in an emotional void. Get here and fix it now!"

"She deserves someone better than me."

"Then you should've refused her claim if you actually believe that statement. She chose you and nobody else."

Declan tried to argue but all he heard was Jed hanging up. He scrubbed a hand through his hair and glared at his phone. Inside him, his intuition made its all too familiar nudging and he cursed.

The memory of her sweet and not so innocent kiss made his body react. He gritted his teeth, slugged back another beer and tried to stop thinking about her.

To say her claiming flattered him was the hugest understatement. He went from shocked to thrilled and then the panic hit him hard. He would never deserve the perfection of Summer Sunshine Rae, but that didn't stop him from staking his claim.

His phone pinged, jolting him from his memories. With dread growing, he glanced down at his phone, "the plane's waiting." Jed had texted.

The urge inside him nudged a little harder and Declan couldn't breathe. Excitement at seeing her wrestled with the ever present panic.

He wanted to run to her and bask in the purity of sunshine she offered. Deep inside he knew the truth, he would never be the hero the way she wanted. Hell, he couldn't even bring himself to claim her without guilt assailing him.

She saw him in a deluded way and he knew that. Declan had a darkness inside of him that he didn't want her to have to deal with. She deserved the best while he remained at the bottom of the deepest hole. At no point in his life would he ever be good enough for her.

He drank the rest of the beer and mulled over what to do about her. Staggering out of the pub, he fell into a taxi. Without any thought, he directed them for the airport.