Covet (Sinful Secrets 3)

“What?” He looks a bit puzzled.

“Women adore dimples. It’s a known fact.”

“Is it?”

“Don’t be a duck, Declan.”

“I’m Declan again now?” He leans against the railing with a faint smile.

“Only because your surname is so tedious.”

“Tedious?” I love the way his face lights up when I’ve surprised him. “You think so?” He’s grinning now.

“That’s what I said, I believe.”

Baby squirms in my arms, and I set her down. She blinks up at Declan.

“Hey there.” He kneels down beside her. I watch as he holds his palm to her face. “God, they have the softest noses.” His eyes close a moment. Then he runs his hand over her head. “She glad to have you back?” He’s looking up at me now.

“Over the moon. You, she’s not so sure of.”

He remains crouching there on the stoop. My eyes sweep his shoulders and my body warms uncomfortably.

“To what do we owe this honor?”

He stands, pulling something from his pocket. It’s a small black packet. He holds it out, and I squint.

“Pop Rocks…” I take it from him. “What are Pop Rocks?”

He lifts his dark brows. “Guess you’ll have to open them and see.”

“Something edible?”

His dimple deepens. “Open them.”

I tear along the top of the packet and peer inside at a pile of tiny, pink-red rocks.

“Here.” He takes the packet, holds my gaze with his blue-gray one. “Hold your palm out, Siren.” I do, and he shakes some of the candy pebbles into it.

“Now put those in your mouth.”

I laugh. “I don’t want to.”

“Do it.” He grins brilliantly.

“Is it going to hurt?”

“You think I would hurt you, Siren?” The seriousness on his face makes my neck flush. When I stare skeptically down at the Pop Rocks, he pours some into his palm. “Here.”

He puts them in his mouth and opens it wide—and I hear popping.

I laugh. “What?”

“C’mon…”

“Witchcraft!”

He closes his mouth, making a funny, smirky face, and I hear the pop-hiss of the candy.