by Desiree Holt
He swallowed more beer.
She was smart and funny and he hadn’t even given her a chance.
Of course, she hadn’t given him one, either. But what if that was just a defence mechanism, the way his was?
He thought again about Terry putting the moves on her and wanted to find his friend and wring his neck.
Man, you are one fucked up idiot. Go find Darcy instead and tell her how you feel. See if there’s really something there.
He was considering a third beer when something touched his arm and he looked down to see a small but familiar hand resting on it. His heart rate picked up and his dick sent him a message. Soft lips barely touched his ear as Darcy said, “It’s very noisy in here. Can we go someplace else?”
* * * *
Darcy had been so glad when the video shoot was finally over she’d wanted to cry with relief. She was tired of avoiding Terry Milburn’s wandering hands and seductive smiles. And wasn’t it just a shock to see Jack walk into the studio. Of all the things to happen then.
She’d worked so hard to get him out of her system, all week. Tricia’s words kept running through her brain along with a little voice that repeated ‘Call him, call him, call him’.
The minute she’d placed the final product in the campaign manager’s hands she’d told Hugh she was leaving and hadn’t waited to listen to his objections. Home first for a shower and change of clothes. From the back of her closet she’d dragged out a sundress the colour of her eyes and a pair of sandals. Then, digging deep for every bit of courage she could find, she had driven to Jack’s house.
She could have called, but he might have blown her off. It would have been harder for him to say no in person. But Jack hadn’t been there, only Mr Big sitting in the window and staring out at her.
Panic had sliced through her as she’d tried to figure out where he might have gone. When he’d be home. She really only had one more place to try. If that didn’t pan out she hadn’t been sure what she’d do. Camp out on his doorstep?
But the minute she’d entered the place she’d spotted him at the end of the bar. Then she’d had to push her way through the tightly-packed bodies to get to him. And ask him to go somewhere with her so they could talk. She’d taken another deep breath and put her hand on his arm to get his attention. When he’d turned his head to look at her and she’d seen the heat in his eyes, she’d begun to relax. Just a little bit.
* * * *
Jack grabbed her hand and dragged her through the crowd, elbowing people out of the way and ignoring their irritation with him. When they finally made it to the car park he couldn’t do anything for a long moment except stare at her. Drink her in. Then, before she could change her mind and run away, he cupped her face and kissed her, sweeping his tongue inside that welcoming cavern. Darcy wound her arms beneath his and went up on tiptoe. She melted against him, her soft breasts pushing against his hard chest, the mound of her cunt kissing his cock. He slid his hands up and down her spine, her flesh warm beneath his touch.
He didn’t think he ever wanted to stop kissing her. He tasted her everywhere, licking, his tongue sliding. One hand slid around to cup her breasts. It was only when he heard the honking of a horn that he lifted his head and realised they were still in Eli’s car park.
His eyes locked with hers and they burst out laughing.
“We seem to be making a habit of this,” she giggled.
“I can think of a more private place to take this.” He studied her face. “That is, if you want to.”
“I do,” she whispered.
“We can come back for your car later.”
“Eli’s going to start charging us.”
“Let him. It will be worth it.”
He hustled her into the SUV then ran around to the driver’s side as she buckled herself in. He was sure he broke every speed limit on the drive to his house, before pulling into the driveway and racing into the house with her. As soon as the door was closed he pushed her against the wall and took her mouth again, their tongues tangling as they drew from each other.
“A dress,” he murmured, his lips still pressed to hers. “You look fantastic in a dress. Very edible.”
Dress? She was wearing a dress?
She felt so good beneath his hands, warm and soft and nicely rounded for such a small body. He wanted to touch her everywhere at once. Dragging his mouth from hers he moved it along her shoulder and the line of her collarbone. Paused to suck gently at the hollow of her throat where her pulse was hammering. The dress was cut low enough that the upper swell of her wonderful breasts was exposed and he took full advantage. He licked the dips and curves like a starving man with his first meal in days.
He scored her skin with his teeth then lapped at the places where he left his mark. Then back to her mouth, seeking her tongue. He caressed up and down her spine with one hand while the other clenched around fistfuls of material.
Darcy’s own hands were busy everywhere—in his hair, down his back, tugging his shirt from his pants.
“Shirt. Off,” she said against his mouth and they broke enough for him to yank the shirt off and toss it over his shoulder.
He found the thong she was wearing and the wet heat of her pussy where he sank his fingers inside her, excited by the fact she was so wet and ready for him. He pulled her thong down and she stepped out of it, even as her fingers were busy with the button and zip on his pants. When she closed her hand around his shaft fire raced through his veins. Oh hell, he needed to be inside her right now. This instant. His need for her hadn’t lost any of its urgency. She made him so hot and crazy with need it turned him into a wild man.
But as he pushed his slacks and boxers down, ready to pull one of her legs around his waist to open her for him, sanity returned.
Bathroom.
Condom.
He lifted her and carried her into the bathroom with him, bunched her skirt up around her waist and sat her down on the vanity counter. God, she smelt so good. Jasmine and rain and fresh, clean air. He pressed his face to her neck for a long moment and inhaled deeply. Then, fumbling in the drawer with one hand, he found a foil packet, ripped it open with his teeth and sheathed himself. Spreading her legs to open her for him, he placed the head of his dick at the opening of her pussy, took a deep breath and drove into her waiting heat.
He closed his eyes, savouring the feel of her around him.
Home!
That was all he could think of.
He slid his hand between their bodies, finding her clit and stroking it, rubbing, rubbing. Feeling the tremors in her pussy increase in intensity. Hammering into her as his climax built and built and built.
“Now, Darcy,” he growled.
“Yes. Yes, yes, yes.”
It was the ride of his life, a clenching and spasming that tugged at every part of his body, singed every nerve, stole his breath and sent him to a level of pleasure he hadn’t thought possible. She gripped his shoulders, holding on tightly as the orgasm grabbed them both, shaking them, almost frightening in its intensity. Jack dropped his head to Darcy’s shoulder, dragging air into his lungs while his heart thundered against his ribs. At last he slid from her body, got rid of the condom and lifted her in his arms.
He was still shaking, still dying of hunger for her but he had to get things straight with her first. Make sure she understood he’d come to his senses and for him she was…everything. But it wasn’t possible in the current situation.
Finding some measure of control, he lifted her from the vanity and grabbed her hand, dragging her into the bedroom and setting her in the open doorway.
“I have to get you away from a bed,” he said, his voice ragged.
“What?” She blinked at him, dazed.
“Outside.” He sucked in air. “Talk.”
“Talk?” She stared at him, confused. “Jack, what’s going on?”
“Give me a minute here, okay?” He set her down only long enough to pull a pair of sweats out of a drawer—his trouser
s and boxers were still where he’d dropped them in the other room—and yank them on then took her hand and led her into the kitchen.
“Are you going to tell me what this is all about? What do you want to talk about?” She moved away from him. “If it’s bad news just give it to me right now.”
“Not bad. I think.” He stared into the fridge. “Beer?” he asked, his voice shaky. “Or I’ve got wine.”
“Um, beer’s great. I love beer.”
Why did he know she’d say that? Good for Darcy. He opened two bottles, handed her one and nudged her out through the French doors on to the patio.
“Sit here,” he told her, pulling out a chair from the patio table.
He took the chair next to her. Darcy’s skin was still flushed from the orgasm and Jack noticed his hands were not quite steady as he took a long pull from the bottle. When he looked at Darcy she was staring at him.
“Why are we sitting out here?” she asked. “I mean, you’ve got a great yard and I love looking at sunsets but—”
Jack held up his hand. “I know, I know. We get together and a Hellfire missile doesn’t create as much heat. We take the edge off and we’re back burning up the sheets in seconds.”
She laughed, a tinkling sound. “I’d say that’s really well put.”
“So,” he went on, digging for the right words, “the reason we’re not in bed on sweaty sheets.” He rubbed his hand over his face. ”I want to do this right and I’m so scared I’ll screw it up. It’s just… Darcy, when we get naked I can’t think, can’t make my brain work, and I need it to work now.” He drank some more beer. Smooth, he kept telling himself. Don’t just dump it on her. Apologise for being an ass. Work your way into it.
Then he blurted out, “I’ve missed the hell out of you this week. I know I acted like the biggest jerk in the world to you and you have no idea how much I regret it. If you tell me to get lost I will truly understand.” He took one of her hands, lifted it to his mouth and kissed it. “I was so wrong about everything. All of it. When I said we had nothing in common, I mean. You said that it was just sex and that’s what I wanted it to be.”
“Jack,” she began.
He shook his head. “No, let me finish. I talked to my closest friend about it, and he made me see that I was looking at everything all wrong. Looking for the wrong things.” He played with her fingers. “Last Sunday night I went to a barbecue at Mike and Carly’s. They’re friends of mine, probably the closest ones I have. They fixed me up with someone they thought was my perfect woman.”
“You brought me out here to tell me about a date?” She tensed and tried to pull away.
Jack tightened his hold on her hand. “No, no, no.” He wanted to bang his head on the table. He was doing this very badly. “See, she was the image I’d spouted all these years. The one everyone accused me of putting my life on hold for. But you know what, Darcy?” He looked at her earnestly. “What a surprise to find out there was nothing there. No sizzle. Barely even polite conversation. All I could think about was you.”
“Me?” she squeaked.
“Uh-huh. Mike pointed out to me that I might possibly have my head screwed on backwards.” He looked off at the sunset. “He said he thinks I’m in love with you.”
“L-love?” She picked up her beer and took a long drink.
Watching her neck muscles flex as she drank almost made him pull her back into the house again.
“Uh-huh.”
“He thinks you’re in love with me? Okay, that’s what your friend said. What do you say?”
“I say there’s no thinking about it. I am in love with you. Finally admitting it felt like a cement truck fell on me, but, Darcy? You’re what I want.” He lifted her hand and kissed the knuckles. “I love you, Darcy O’Connor.” He waited. “Darcy, say something. Anything.”
She took a sip of her beer. “I thought we agreed we were all wrong for each other. Not each other’s type. That this was just sex.”
He shook his head. “Maybe that’s what I wanted it to be at first, because to tell you the truth, I think you frightened me. I was so far out of my comfort zone with you. And I wanted people to think…wanted them to think…”
“That you were the guy who could get the girl everyone else wanted?”
He hated the tinge of bitterness in her voice. “Maybe. Okay, yes, at first. But then there she was and I didn’t want her. I wanted you. Just you. And people don’t have the kind of sex we do without feeling something strong for each other.” He waited again. “Darcy? What’s going on in that head of yours?”
She studied his face. “I was scared, too, Jack. Really scared. All my life I’ve been the odd-man-out. But I realised today that I don’t want that anymore.” Her lips quirked in a little smile. “Except with you. That’s why I came to find you tonight.”
His heart turned over and did a funny two-step. “You did? It is? Listen, can I tell you that I wanted to rip Terry Milburn’s balls off and stuff them down his throat today? I wanted to say ‘stay away, she’s mine’.”
“I’m still going to wear my hair like this,” she pointed out. “And dress the way I do.” She grinned. “But I can always pull out a little black dress for button-down occasions.”
“Only if you want to. Because, Darcy, I swear. I love you just the way you are.”
She frowned. “Are you sure it’s not just the sex talking?”
“No.” He grinned. “Although I won’t turn it down.”
She smacked his arm. “Be serious. This is an important moment here.”
“It’s important to me, too.” He tried to put everything he was feeling into his voice. “I know we just met a week ago, and we can take things one step at a time, but, Darcy? Now that I’ve got my head out of my ass I don’t plan to let you go.”
The way she looked at him he wondered if she could see clearly into his soul. Then she smiled and leaned towards him.
“Don’t worry, Jack. I love you, too.”
He felt as if two tons of pressure had been lifted from him. “You do?”
“Uh-huh. And yes, we’ve only known each other a week and we’ve got a lot to learn about each other. But I’m game if you are.” She looked at him intently. “And I’ve just got one question.”
“What’s that?” he asked. “This better not be tricky.”
“Can we go back in the house now?”
Jack let out a cry of triumph, swept her up in his arms and carried her inside.
“A woman after my own heart,” he told her. And as he bent his head to kiss her, he amended, “A woman who owns my heart.”
“And a man who owns mine,” she said in a soft voice, lifting her mouth to his.
About the Author
I always wanted adventure and change in my life, and I certainly got it. I grew up in Maine, a beautiful place to live, then lived in the Midwest and Florida. Now I make my home in the Hill Country of Texas, truly God's chosen place on earth. My husband, David, was a sixth-generation Texan, tracing his roots here back to the time when Texas was a Republic, so retiring here was a dream we finally fulfilled.
I've had a lot of firsts in my life—first female sports reporter on The Michigan Daily at the University of Michigan; first woman to own a rock and roll agency in Detroit, the home of Motown; first woman president of the Pasco (Florida) Economic Development Council.
I graduated from the University of Michigan with a double major in English and History, and a minor in Economics, and went on to have at least four careers. When my children were small, I satisfied my need for writing by working for weekly newspapers. I had a wild and wacky time managing rock and roll bands. I joined the insanity of retail with a string of shoe stores. I worked in fundraising, public affairs and community relations. But writing fiction was always my dream. I had a lot of stops and starts, but it wasn't until we retired that I could devote myself to it full time.
My wonderful husband, David, encouraged me and supported me in my dream and you’ll find a little o
f him in all my heroes. Our children are all grown and on their own, and are my biggest fans.
When I'm not writing I'm an avid reader—anything and everything—and watching football, especially my beloved Michigan Wolverines. David and I golf and target shoot, and of course enjoy life in the gorgeous Texas Hill Country, where most of my stories are based.
I am a member of Romance Writers of America, and San Antonio Romance Authors, Diamond State Romance Authors, and Passionate Ink chapter of RWA.
Email: [email protected]
Desiree loves to hear from readers. You can find her contact information, website and author biography at http://www.total-e-bound.com.
Also by Desiree Holt
Crude Oil
Beg Me
Afternoon Delight
Down and Dirty
The Sentinels: The Edge of Morning
The Sentinels: Night Moves
The Sentinels: Dark Stranger
The Sentinels: Animal Instinct
The Sentinels: Mated
The Sentinels: Silent Hunters
Wet Dreams and Fantasies: Interlude
Wet Dreams and Fantasies: Intermission
Wet Dreams and Fantasies: Game On
Cats Eyes: Pretty Kitty
Brit Party: Four Play
Heatwave: Summer Spice
Night of the Senses: Carnal Caresses
Caught in the Middle: Swingtime
Threefold: Party of Three
Feral: Black Cat Fever
Christmas Goes Camo: Melting the Ice
Treble: Trouble at the Treble
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