“You don’t have to apologize. It was clear as day on your face when you saw him.” He moves a strand of hair away from my eyes.
“I feel terrible. I don’t know why you’re even putting up with me.”
He presses a kiss to my lips. “Everyone has relationship problems, Darcy.”
Yeah, but I have more than most normal people.
“Do you like me?”
“What?” I ask.
“Do. You. Like. Me?”
“Y-Yes.”
“Well then, that’s the only thing that matters right now. We can figure out everything else later.”
There’s a muffled grunt in the room and Benjamin is standing there, staring between the both of us.
Fuck.
“I was sent in for more ice,” he says, his eyes practically searing straight through Luke’s face.
“It’s in the bucket in the sink.”
“I was just reading about the deal you closed last week,” Luke says conversationally. “Must have been difficult. My boss was defending Bill Moyer. Tough guy.”
Benjamin squints. “You’re a lawyer?”
“Yes.”
“Ah. Yes, it was difficult, but in the end, the proceedings were well worth it.”
“He’s not too happy about it.”
“I can’t imagine why. He received much more than what his company was worth.”
“Well, he loved his company.”
Benjamin is practically oozing irritation. “He would have loved it a lot less if it bankrupted him.”
“That is true.” I sense disapproval from Luke, and for some strange reason, it annoys me.
Benjamin moves over to the sink and gets the bucket. “May I speak to you a moment, Darcy?”
“Um, sure.” I look up at Luke and smile. “I’ll be right out.”
“Okay.” He nods, and with one last glance at Ben, disappears.
I lean against the counter and cross my arms, waiting.
“I can see my being here is making you uncomfortable, and I’m sorry for that.”
His voice is soft and gentle and it immediately calms me.
“I didn’t know you were coming.”
“I didn’t know you were having a party.”
“You didn’t?”
“I didn’t know if you were alone, so I came and brought your present. Things were left really badly between us yesterday. I wanted to make amends.”
“That’s sweet of you to have thought about me.” I fidget in place. “As for yesterday, I do understand why you were upset, I guess.”
“I had no idea he was here or I would have left.”
“Really?” I ask curiously, and his lips turn up slightly.
“No. Probably not.” He sighs and sets the bucket on the counter. “I don’t know what to do right now…what to say.”
Neither do I. “I’m sorry.”
“Are you planning on dating this guy?”
“I don’t know yet.”
“But you like him.”
“Yes.”
“More than you like me?”
“Benjamin, please. You know the answer to that.”
Frustrated, he runs a hand through his hair.
“I was so mad at you.”
“Me too. I don’t know where it went.”
“What?”
He grins. “The anger.”
“I’m sure it’s not far away.” I move to jump up on the counter, nearly missing the edge, and he puts his hands on my waist, lifting me the rest of the way.
“There,” he says softly, caressing the curve of my waist. I never break eye contact with him, wanting him so much I can barely move. This man could lay one finger on me and I could be ready for him.
“Thanks.”
“Seeing you with him should discourage me,” he says, his mouth dangerously close to mine.
“It doesn’t?”
His head shakes passionately. “No.”
“It should.”
“I know he can’t make you come like I can.” His fingers are traveling up my arms, causing goose bumps to form over my skin. “I could see it when you were looking at him…you don’t want him.”
“You don’t know that.”
“You’re staring at my lips.”
“You’re such a cocky, conceited—”
“I’m staring at yours too, Darcy. I’m always staring at yours.”
His moves his thumb slowly along my bottom lip, parting the skin.
Luke could walk in any minute.
“I dream of you.”
“What?”
“You’re always happy, so happy. So am I.” Beneath the mask, I see a sad, lonely man.
“Why do you say these things to me?” I glare at him accusingly.
“What?”
“Every word that leaves your mouth, Benjamin, is trying to assure me that you love me, whether you know it or not. I don’t know why you can’t admit it. I don’t know what made you change your mind after four months, and I’m not going to try and figure it out either.” I ease him away and hop down onto the floor. My knees are shaking, my bones weakened by arousal.
“You’re wasting your time with him. I could make you so much happier, Darcy.”
“I know you could.”
I leave him behind and enter the dining room again.
“Present time!” Kevin exclaims. “Sit!”
He forces me into a chair. I smile briefly at Luke and he smiles back. Good, he’s not mad.
***
“You already know what I got you,” Luke says when Kevin hands me his bag.
“What was it?” Danielle asks, peeking into it.
“A candle,” Luke says.
Everyone ended up giving me small but multiple gifts, and as each present was opened, he became visibly more and more uncomfortable.
“It’s a great gift,” I reassure him, touching his arm briefly. Out of the corner of my eye, I see Benjamin shift uncomfortably in his seat. The candle is a Christmas scent and I say, “Christmas is my favorite season. There is nothing like holiday scents.”
“I think so too.”
“There’s one more,” Marilyn sings, handing me Benjamin’s.
“Darce, you don’t have to open it now.”
I look up at Benjamin curiously, surprised by his comment. What? Why doesn’t he want me to open it in front of everyone?
“No way! Everyone else did it!” Marilyn slaps his arm. “Open it, Darcy.”
I swallow, scared of what it might be. The room now has a tense energy, everyone wondering secretly what’s inside. I rip the wrapping paper off, remove the lid, and peer at a copy of Pride and Prejudice. I can’t help the huge grin on my face.
He remembered…
“Oh shit, it’s a book.” Kevin feigns enthusiasm, knowing all too well my love for novels.
“It looks old,” Luke observes over my shoulder.
I open the cover and flip the first page slowly. My mind is already churning with the possibility that Benjamin may have spent a lot of money on this. At a collective gasp from Luke and Danielle, both of whom were looking as well, my breath leaves me.
“Ben?” I look up at him in shock and then back down at the page. This is a first edition.
“What is it?” Marilyn demands.
“It’s a first edition of Pride and Prejudice,” Luke says, taking the words from my mouth.
Speechless, I caress the book between my hands, thinking quite possibly this might be the greatest moment of my life.
He remembered.
I blink back tears, risking a glance in his direction. He’s watching me tenderly, his hands tightly clutching the table.
“Ben, I don’t know what to say.”
“Thank you is a good start,” Kevin snickers. Doris is staring at Benjamin in shock.
“Of course, thank you,” I choke out. “I-I can’t possibly accept it, though.”
“Why not?”
“It was too much money.”
<
br /> He smiles. “No, it wasn’t.”
“How much was it?” Kevin asks, and I shoot a glare at him.
“Don’t answer that.”
“I heard a copy of Austen’s Pride and Prejudice went for 140,000 pounds last year,” Danielle chimes in.
The eyes of everyone at the table shift between Benjamin and I. I don’t even want to see what Luke’s face looks like.
Marilyn stands abruptly. “Everyone come help me get the cake.”
The air is ridiculously heavy, full of questions. Probably between Benjamin, Luke, and I. Luke reluctantly gets up and follows everyone out into the kitchen.
I look up to the head of the table and stare at the gorgeous man in front of me.
“I read it.”
I gulp, a tight, exquisite pain flaring in my chest. “You did?”
“Yes.” He grins. “Surprisingly, I liked it.”
I blink multiple times, trying to force the tears back into my skull. He did this for me…
“I’m not surprised,” I reply, smirking slightly.
“Do you like it? I didn’t know everyone was going to see it. I’m sorry if you’re embarrassed.”
“I’m not embarrassed, just shocked. This was the best gift anyone could have ever given me.”
He smiles widely at that. “I’m glad. I wanted to give you something you’d cherish.”
“I will.” I nod, tracing the indents on the cover.
The group reemerges with a large cake and begins singing happy birthday loudly and very much out of key.
I can’t remember a better day than this.
CHAPTER TWENTY
“I have to get going, Darcy.” Luke treads over to the doorway, where I just said goodbye to half of the party. He smiles, far more gracious than I deserve him to be considering the manic occurrences that seem to follow me day through night. He must be suffering from a serious case of whiplash.
“So soon?”
“Yeah, I think it’s time to go.” He puts on his jacket, his attention on Benjamin talking to Doris in the corner. “I know he probably wants to talk with you.”
“In other words, you don’t want to see me anymore?”
“You have a lot of unsolved business with him, and you should figure out what you want before we start anything.”
I hate the look in his eyes, but I find myself unable to fight to keep him here. “I understand.”
“You have my number, Darcy. Call when you’re ready. I’ll be there.”
His lips are gentle upon my forehead. “Happy birthday.”
I feel uneasy when he twists away, probably because I know I’m most likely not going to see him again.
“Goodbye,” I say. He shuts the front door behind him.
“So…he’s gone?”
Kevin is leaning against the wall and probably saw the whole conversation.
“Yeah, he’s gone.”
“Is it because of what happened at dinner?” He draws me into his hard body, king of finding a way to pick me off the floor even in my lowest moments. I lean into his lanky athletic torso, sucking in a calculated inhale.
“Yes.”
“You seem okay with it.”
I contemplate it for a moment, bobbing my head with acceptance. “I think I am. Honestly, I don’t know what I’m feeling.”
“Well, I don’t know if you want to hear this, but I’m not so sure about the whole Benjamin-not-loving-you part anymore.”
My eyes dart to Benjamin. “I’m not so sure anymore, either. He seems different.”
Benjamin kisses Doris’s cheek and heads our way.
“I need to get going,” he says.
Kevin lets me go. “I’ll see you later, Benjamin.”
“See ya.”
Speak, Darcy!
“Thank you for coming to check up on me, and for the gift.”
He smiles. “I just hope you had a good day.”
“It’s been the best birthday I’ve ever had.”
He shuffles in place, holding an expensive pair of leather gloves. I perspire profusely under his scrutiny, my naturally rosy cheeks heating. Months apart and it’s still there.
“I don’t know what’s going on with that guy and you, but I’d really like to keep in touch. I hate when we don’t speak.”
“I hate it too,” I whisper, knowing I shouldn’t even be answering him.
“So, I’ll call you?”
“Okay.” I’m looking down at my feet when he kisses my cheek. Gasping softly at the unexpected gesture, I glance up at him. His hair is falling delicately over his eyes so perfectly.
“Happy birthday, Darcy.”
“Good night,” I say, stepping aside for him to leave.
***
I’m helping Kevin clean up the living room silently despite his nonstop chatter. Hard liquor does that to him.
I’m still trying to get over the sudden change in circumstances tonight. Luke is no longer in my life and Benjamin is back. I had sworn him off for good, but somehow he’s planted himself firmly back in place. I can’t get him out of my mind. My gaze shifts over to the hardcover book on my table. He must have been planning to get that for me for a while. There’s no way he could acquire a first edition Austen novel overnight.
He’s thought about me. He wasn’t lying.
“Where are you?” Kevin asks.
“I don’t even know,” I lie.
“You know, I have this covered. You can go to him.”
That makes me look up from the trash bag. “What? Why do you say that?”
“It’s been clear as day since he planted those luscious lips on your cheek and walked out that door.” He takes the trash bag from my hands. “It’s your birthday. Go have fun.”
“It’s not just fun with us. I love him, Kevin.”
“And he loves you. I had doubts before, but they’re long gone after tonight.”
I stare at him silently.
“He does. You know it, I know it, heck, everyone knows it.” Kevin smirks. “Who cares if he can’t tell you right now? He definitely let you know for sure tonight.”
“Kevin…”
“I’m about to throttle you!” he exclaims, pointing to my front door with his index finger. “If you don’t want him, give him to me! I’ll happily take a billionaire that makes me come repeatedly and buys me first editions of my favorite books.”
I narrow my eyes at him but find my feet moving to my coat.
***
I have no idea what I’m doing. I up and left Kevin cleaning my apartment and am now standing in front of Benjamin’s high-rise in a foot of snow. I curl my jacket closer to my body and dial his number.
I wait…I wait…and puff when I hear his voicemail.
I should have thought this through.
Running inside to find any source of heat, I enter the doors and the security guard looks up from his desk.
“Good evening, ma’am. Are you expected?”
“No. I’m—”
“I’m sorry, but I can’t let anyone in without prior notice at this hour. Who are you looking to see?”
“Benjamin Scott.”
His eyes flicker with awareness at that, and he directs his attention immediately to his computer. “Your name? I can see if you’re on the list.”
“Uh, Darcy Fontaine. I-I don’t think I’m—”
“Darcy Fontaine. Here you are, you are on the list. I’ll call up and let him know you’re here.”
“Wait…I’m on it?” I ask, staring at him in awe.
“You are the only person on it.”
I try to shake the look of pure disbelief off my face before this guy gets suspicious. “Thank you.”
“Of course. Have a good evening.”
When he picks up his phone, I hurry to the elevator and step in, then realize I don’t know the code to the penthouse. Just as I’m about to walk back out, there’s a beep and the word PENTHOUSE lights up above the buttons.
Whoa.
I’m
on his list.
I’m the only person on his list.
How could I have been so stupid? He’s wanted me all along.
I pull my snow-soaked hair from my face and hope that my makeup is still intact. There’s a loud ding that makes me jump and then the door opens.
Benjamin is standing in the corridor barefoot, looking particularly uneasy. He’s dressed in a loose gray t-shirt and black sweats. As I take in the sight of his bedhead hair, I realize now he was sleeping. I’m rushing into his arms before I even realize it. My body slams into him, my impact powerful enough for him to grunt.
“What’s wrong?”
I squeeze him tighter as I feel his arms come around my waist hesitantly.
“Darce?”
“Nothing…nothing’s wrong.”
He stares at me, obviously not understanding what’s going on. I press my lips to his, hoping that will give him a clue. After a beat, one of his hands leave my waist to find its way into my hair. He ushers me into the house, but my mind is too focused on the way his body is pressed against mine.
I barely notice him lead me into his bedroom and shut the door with his foot.
I shrug out of my wet jacket.
“Darcy, what’s going on?” he asks, pulling back to look at me.
“I can’t take it any longer. I want to be yours. I don’t need the words,” I hastily add. “I don’t. I just want to be with you.”
“What about Luke?”
I snatch his cotton shirt and yank him closer. “It’s always been you. I want you.”
His expression softens.
“Am I too late?” I ask, turning around. I move my hair away from my back, showing him my zipper.
He unzips it, and the light buzzing noise of the metal invigorates me.
I guess that answers my question.
“You’re shivering,” he whispers against my neck, slipping his hand through the open slit now present in the back of my dress.
“I know.” I tremble as his hand finds the curve of my breast. He presses his warm lips to my shoulder and my knees buckle. His hand leaves my waist then and my dress drops to the floor. I let him guide me to the bed and sit down. He pulls his shirt over his head in a swift sweeping motion and he removes his pants, granting me an eyeful of his monstrous physique.
He pulls his hair from his face and bends down onto his knees. He wastes no time focusing on the lesser spots, targeting the most sensitive part of me, and I raise my hands to his face a few inches away, tilting forward so our lips connect again. His skillful fingers circle in a slow, tantalizing motion above my underwear.
Consumed By You Page 20
