One Hot Chase (Hot Brits #12)

Chapter Twenty-Four

Declan

We leave the hotel in the early hours of the morning. That had been Sabrina's idea. She wants to stop off in Spain for one last adventure as a tourist, and I can't refuse her anything she wants. I would do anything for her, even strap my naked body to the back of a crocodile if that would make her happy. That explains why we're now strolling down the cobblestone streets of Seville. Bree's eyes sparkle with excitement as she twirls, her sundress floating around her while her hair conceals most of her face.

"Wow, isn't it magical?" she gushes, grabbing my hand and pulling me toward a quaint café. "We simply must try the churros here. I've heard they're to die for."

"Careful there, love. At this rate, you'll have us eating our way through all of Spain before noon."

She shoots me a playful pout. "Are you saying you don't want to indulge in a little...sweetness with me?"

The way she emphasizes the word sweetness makes my cock wake up and begin to hunger for a different kind of treat. I pull her close, my lips brushing her ear. "Oh, I'll indulge in all the sweetness you're offering, darling. But let's start with those churros, shall we?"

Sabrina's enthusiastic laughter echoes down the street, drawing smiles from passersby. We settle at a small table outside the café, the morning sun warming our skin. As we wait for our order, I gaze at Bree's lovely face and the way she seems to glow in this light. The golden rays of the sun that ignite her strawberry blonde hair make me hunger to fist my hands in those locks as I drag her in for a scorching kiss.

"Why are you smiling?" she asks.

"Nothing," I reply with a smirk. "Just wondering how I got so lucky."

She pats my cheek. "Better save the smooth talk for when we're alone."

"Oh, I intend to do just that."

The arrival of our churros interrupts our flirtatious banter, and Sabrina's attention immediately shifts to the golden, sugar-dusted treats before us. She picks one up, dipping it generously in the thick chocolate sauce, and takes a bite. The moan that escapes her lips is downright sinful, and I have to shift in my seat to adjust myself because my trousers have suddenly grown tight. Sabrina notices, of course.

"Something wrong, Declan?" she asks innocently, licking a stray bit of chocolate from her thumb.

I lean in, my voice low. "You know exactly what you're doing, you cheeky minx."

She grins, unrepentant. "Me? I'm just enjoying my breakfast."

Two can play at this game. I pick up a churro, making a show of slowly dipping it in the chocolate. I bring it to my mouth, maintaining eye contact as I take a bite. A drop of chocolate escapes. I thrust my tongue, dragging it slowly across my bottom lip.

Sabrina catches her lip between her teeth as if she means to devour me instead of her chocolaty treat. "It's not fair to tease me that way."

I lean back, savoring both the dessert and her reaction. "All's fair in love and churros, darling."

She narrows her eyes playfully, accepting the challenge. "Well then, perhaps we should take this tasting...somewhere more private."

My body responds instantly to her suggestion, but I force myself to remain calm. "Afraid we can't do that, pet. Duty calls---and in this case 'duty' means we need to contend with our families."

Sabrina pouts again, but there's a glimmer in her eyes that tells me she's enjoying this game as much as I am. She sighs melodramatically. "If you insist. But you owe me for this torture."

"Gladly." I reach across the table to brush my thumb across her lower lip, wiping away a smudge of chocolate.

In that moment, as the bustling sounds of Seville fade into the background, I'm struck by how effortlessly we've fallen into this dance of desire and playful banter. It's as if we've known each other for years.

Sabrina fastens her hand around mine before I can pull it away, pressing a soft kiss to my palm. The gesture is so unexpectedly tender that it catches me off guard, sending a shudder of something deeper than lust through my chest.

I fold my palms around her hand. "We need to get to the airport. Our journey back to London wont' be long, less than two hours depending on the conditions."

"Okay, let's go. I'm so excited to meet all of your family."

I love her enthusiasm, but I feel a knot of anxiety tightening in my gut. "Are you now? Well, I hope you're ready for the Wilde clan in all their chaotic glory."

"I'm sure I can handle a little chaos. After all, I've managed to keep up with you so far, haven't I?"

"Touché," I concede, rising from our table and offering her my hand. "And I'm looking forward to meeting your family as well as all your mysterious friends."

"Mysterious?" she says with a slight laugh. "They're just good people, that's all."

We make our way through the winding streets, the scent of orange blossoms and freshly baked bread following us like a sweet memory. As we near the taxi stand, Sabrina suddenly stops, tugging me back.

"Wait," she says, her voice softer now. "Before we go...I just want to say thank you. For being you, for playing my crazy game, for taking me on so many wonderful adventures, for...everything."

The sincerity in her voice astounds me, and for a moment, I'm at a loss for words. It's a rare feat, rendering Declan Wilde speechless, but Sabrina seems to have a knack for it.

I pull her close, one hand cupping her face. "No need to thank me, love. If anything, I should be thanking you for turning my world upside down in the best possible way."

Her lips curve into a smile that's equal parts shy and seductive. "Well, I do excel at shaking things up."

"That you do," I murmur, unable to resist pressing a kiss to her forehead. "Now, let's hurry back to the jet before I change my mind and whisk you off to some remote island instead of taking you home with me."

Bree laughs. "As tempting as that sounds, I think we've had enough island adventures for now. Besides, I'm dying to see the look on your family's faces when they meet me."

We hail a taxi and settle in for the ride to the airport. As we weave through Seville's streets, Sabrina twines her fingers with my own. It's a small gesture, but it sends a warmth through my chest that has nothing to do with the Spanish sun. I ask if she'd like to check out the duty-free shop at the airport, but she assures me she just wants to get in the air.

Soon, we land at Gatwick airport and jump directly into another taxi. I had texted my brother Julian so he would know to expect Sabrina and myself at Wildewick Manor. I know he will have alerted the rest of the family.

As our car pulls up to the imposing gates of Wildewick Manor, I feel Sabrina tense beside me. Her usual effervescence seems to have dimmed, replaced by a nervous energy I've rarely seen from her.

"Don't worry," I say softly, giving her hand a reassuring squeeze. "They're going to love you. How could they not?"

She offers me a weak smile. "Easy for you to say, Mr. Charming British Accent. I'm just a divorced American girl with a penchant for trouble."

"Darling, if you think my family isn't intimately acquainted with trouble, you're in for quite a surprise."

The gates swing open, revealing the sprawling estate beyond. Sabrina's eyes widen as she takes in the manicured gardens and the grand Georgian mansion looming before us.

"Holy shit," she breathes, her green eyes wide as saucers. "You didn't tell me you lived in Downton Abbey."

I chuckle at her reaction. "It's not quite that grand, love. Though I'm sure my grandmother would be thrilled by the comparison."

As we pull up to the front entrance, I spot a familiar figure waiting on the steps. My brother Julian, looking every bit the proper English gentleman in his tailored suit, stands tall and proud. But there's a mischievous glint in his eye that betrays his polished exterior.

I give Sabrina's hand one last squeeze. "Ready to face the wolves, darling?"

She takes a deep breath, squaring her shoulders. "Bring it on, Sir Declan."

We climb out of the car, and Julian hops down the steps to meet us, his grin widening as looks at Sabrina.

"Well, well, well," Julian drawls. "So, this is the infamous Sabrina who's managed to tame our brother-in-chief."

I roll my eyes at my brother's theatrics. "Tame is hardly the word I'd use, Julian."

Sabrina, bless her, rises to the occasion beautifully. She extends her hand to my brother with a cheeky grin. "Pleasure to meet you. I prefer to think of it as 'expertly wrangled' rather than tamed."

Julian throws his head back and laughs, a rich, warm sound that seems to break the tension. My brother smiles at Sabrina, then winks at me. "Oh, I like her already. Welcome to Wildewick, darling. I hope you're ready for absolute chaos."

"I was born ready," Sabrina quips, her confidence seeming to grow by the second. "I grew up in a commune, after all. Chaos is my middle name."

Julian's eyebrows shoot up at that, but he seems impressed rather than shocked. "A commune, you say? Oh, I absolutely must hear more about that. Come on in, both of you. The rest of the family is dying to meet you, Sabrina."

As we follow Julian into the grand foyer, I am utterly amazed by how deftly Sabrina is handling herself. She's taking in the ornate surroundings with wide-eyed wonder, but there's no trace of intimidation in her expression or her posture.

"So, this is what you ran away from?" she whispers to me, a hint of teasing in her voice. "I'm starting to question your life choices."

I slip my arm around her shoulders, tugging her close. "Trust me, love, I've never made a better choice than the one that led me to you."

Sabrina's cheeks flush a delightful shade of pale pink, but before she can respond, we're interrupted by a whirlwind of excitement barreling down the grand staircase.

"Declan! You're finally here!" My sister Darcy practically launches herself at me, her arms wrapping around my neck in a tight hug. "And you must be Sabrina!"

She releases me and turns to embrace Bree with equal enthusiasm.

I watch, amused, as Sabrina's eyes widen in surprise before she returns the hug. "It's great to meet you, Darcy. The way Declan talks about you, I could tell I'd like you."

Darcy kisses Bree's cheek and commandeers my fiancée's hand, drawing Sabrina away from me. "Oh, we're going to be the best of friends, I can already tell. Come on, let me introduce you to the rest of the family."

I watch with a mixture of amusement and trepidation as my sister whisks Bree away, chattering a mile a minute as she often does. Darcy does seem more animated than usual, though, most likely due to her excitement over meeting Sabrina.

Julian sidles up beside me, an amused smirk playing on his lips, and speaks in a soft voice. "Well, dear brother, you've certainly outdone yourself this time. She's quite something."

I can't help the proud grin that spreads across my face. "That she is."

We follow the sound of laughter into the drawing room, where the rest of the family has gathered. My parents are there, along with our youngest brother, Leo, and our grandmother, the formidable Constance Wilde. As we enter the drawing room, I feel Sabrina's hand tighten around mine. The chatter dies down as all eyes turn to us. My mother, ever the gracious hostess, is the first to break the silence.

"Declan, darling!" she exclaims, gliding toward us with open arms. "And this must be the lovely Sabrina we've heard so much about."

"How have you heard anything about her? Sabrina and I have been on a whirlwind holiday---alone."

"Oh, don't be so grumpy," Bree says as she bumps her shoulder into my arm. "The grapevine grows like an invasive weed, you know." She steps forward to approach my mother, her smile bright but with a hint of nervousness. "It's wonderful to meet you, Mrs. Wilde. Thank you for having me."

"Oh, please call me Elizabeth," my mother insists, pulling Sabrina into a warm embrace. "We're so thrilled to finally meet you."

I can see Sabrina visibly relax at my mother's warm welcome. My father approaches next, his usually stern face softened by a genuine smile.

"Welcome to Wildewick, Sabrina," my father says, extending his hand. "I hope my son has been treating you well on your travels."

Bree accepts my father's hand. "Oh, he's been an absolute gentleman, Mr. Wilde. Well, most of the time, anyway."

Her cheeky response makes me chuckle. My father raises an eyebrow, clearly amused. "Please, call me Richard. And I'm glad to hear it. Though knowing Declan, I'm sure there's been plenty of adventure as well."

"You have no idea," Sabrina laughs, shooting me a look that makes my heart race.

Before I can respond, a sharp voice cuts through the room. "Well, are you going to introduce us properly, Declan, or shall we all just stand around making small talk all day?"

I turn to see my grandmother, Constance, eyeing Sabrina with keen interest. Despite her advanced years, her gaze is as sharp as ever, missing nothing.

"Of course, Gran," I say, guiding Bree toward her. "This is Sabrina Remington. Sabrina, this is my grandmother, Constance Wilde."

Bree extends her hand, her smile unwavering. "It's an honor to meet you, Constance."

My grandmother regards Sabrina for a long moment, her steely gaze softening ever so slightly. Then she takes Bree's hand. "American, I see. And quite vivacious, I'm sure. Only a strong, delightful woman could tame our Declan. Tell me, dear, what do you do?"

"I'm an insurance underwriter," Sabrina replies, her voice steady despite the intensity of my grandmother's gaze. "But I'm also a bit of an adventure seeker in my free time. At least, I have been since I met Declan."

Constance's eyebrows rise slightly. "How interesting. And how exactly did you come to meet our Declan?"

I start to interject, but Sabrina beats me to it. "Well, it's quite the story, actually. It involves a stolen yacht, a case of mistaken identity, and a rather daring escape from some very determined art thieves."

My jaw drops. Art thieves? What on earth is Bree talking about?

The room falls silent for a moment.

But then Sabrina winks and grins. "Just kidding."

My grandmother lets out a hearty laugh, surprising us all. "Oh, I like you already, my dear. You must tell me all about your antics with my grandson over tea." She winks at Bree. "I enjoy a good fib now and then myself."

All my anxiety fades away. If Sabrina's won over my grandmother, the rest of the family will be a breeze.

My mother claps her hands to gain everyone's attention. "Well, now that the introductions are out of the way, why don't we all sit down for some tea and get to know Sabrina better?"