She shakes her head at me, a hint of a smile toying with her lips. “Just when I think I have you figured out, you throw me a curve ball.”
I cross the small space between us and pull her into my arms. I’m nervous that she’ll ask me why I’m a regular here, why I came in the first place... that she’ll ask me anything at all that might reveal too much.
But she doesn’t, she just looks up at me with an emotion in her eyes that I can only place as love... admiration... adoration. This woman is looking at me like I hung the moon and all of the stars above us, and I know without having a mirror, that I’m looking at her the very same way.
This is it. This is the moment that I saw coming five years earlier. This is the feeling that I never thought I’d get reciprocated.
I think she feels it too – that this moment is pivotal – she shifts her weight nervously from foot to foot.
I smile. I like the fact that she’s as nervous as I am.
“I’m falling in love with you, Darce.” It’s not entirely true, I’m already head over heels, but it’s a step in the right direction.
She swallows deeply, never breaking eye contact, “I’m, falling in love with you too.”
My chest feels so full, it could explode.
I lean in, brushing my lips softly against hers. I couldn’t think of anywhere in the world I’d rather be than right here with her, under the moon and all of the stars.
We fall through the door, giggling like a couple of lovesick teenagers who have been dying to get their hands on one another since the moment they locked eyes.
She bites her bottom lip, looking up at me in a way I can’t even describe. Her eyes, those light, crystal blue eyes are filled with so much longing. No one has ever looked at me the way Darcy does.
I press her back against the front door at the same moment as she wraps her arms around my neck, tugging my mouth to hers with so much urgency I nearly fall to my knees.
I moan into her mouth as her teeth find my lip and tug gently.
She’s so fucking sexy, I can barely believe that she’s here, with me, letting me kiss her and touch her in all the ways I’ve always dreamed of.
“You’re so fucking beautiful, Darcy Shearer,” I tell her, holding her gaze. “In here.” I kiss her temple. “And in here.” I dip my head to kiss below her collarbone, over her heart. “And out here too.” Lastly, I kiss the tip of her nose. “You’re the most beautiful person, on the inside and the outside.”
It’s cheesy as shit, but I don’t care. I’d get it sky written right over the middle of this town if that’s what it took to make her smile. I’d play out every cliché movie scene, listen to an entire Taylor Swift album... fucking whatever.
She presses her body against me, making no secret of where her head is at. She wants me, almost as much as I want her.
I might not have been drunk last time, but I wasn’t exactly sober either, so I’m going to make the most of being with her this time, I’m going to make sure I remember every single second of this.
“I want you in my bed,” I tell her, my tone firm, leaving no room for negotiation.
She doesn’t even try, just turns and heads in that direction. I slap her ass as she goes.
That fucking ass. She’s been tormenting me with these fucking jeans ever since we went for a ride on my bike. They fit her like a glove and make her ass look sexy as sin.
She giggles, her pace quickening as I follow her down the hall and into my bedroom. No sooner has she stepped over the threshold, I’m in her space again, crowding her.
She’s so tiny compared to me, and I love the way that makes me feel... like I can protect her.
“Ryan,” she breathes as I run my fingers down her sides. She shivers as I make contact with the bare skin between the bottom of her top and the band of her jeans.
I love hearing my name come from her lips. It makes me feel like a rock star, it’s pure euphoria.
This is by no means a first in my list of sexual encounters, but it’s a first of kinds with her. Everything hits differently when it’s with her. We connect on a level I never knew existed until our paths crossed.
I’ve never been a big believer in soul mates or the idea of everyone having a perfect match, but standing here, with her in my arms; it’s hard to deny the concept. She’s right for me in every way imaginable.
“Lift up,” I instruct.
She complies, lifting her arms above her head.
I reach for the hem of her top and pull it slowly over her head, revealing a black lace bra underneath.
I take it all in, every last inch of her bare, golden skin as I let her top fall to the floor.
I run my finger slowly from her chin, down between her tits, over her teeny, tiny bump, all the way to the button on her skin-tight jeans.
I slip the button through the buttonhole. “Do you know what they say about a woman’s underwear, princess?”
I look up from her jeans to her face. She shakes her head.
I smirk at her. “That if they match, it wasn’t you who decided to have sex.”
Her cheeks flush slightly, a soft pink colour. “I can tell you right now, they definitely match.”
I groan as I slide down her zipper and see for myself the truth in her words. I shimmy her jeans down her hips, revealing a pair of barely there, lace underwear.
With a little help from her, I get her jeans off and discard them on the floor in the same fashion as her shirt.
I’m standing in front of her, fully fucking clothed, and I’ve still never felt desire like this. I’m almost shaking with the need I feel for her. It’s consuming me, but I’m fighting it back – I need to explore every inch of her... savour every moment.
“You’ve got a hell of a lot of clothes on, biker boy,” she says, her voice raspy as I continue tracing patterns on her skin, lingering slightly on her small star and moon tattoo.
“I can think of a way to remedy that situation,” I growl, shrugging off my jacket and reaching behind my neck to tug my black t-shirt off over my head.
Her hands immediately go to my skin, her fingers splaying wide over my tattooed torso, skimming and exploring in much the same way as mine did hers.
“You are so hot.” She groans.
I don’t know what it is about the way she says it, but I chuckle. She’s too fucking sweet.
She leans forward and sinks her teeth into my peck, not hard enough to draw blood, but definitely hard enough to leave a mark. Sweet goes out the window and is quickly replaced by red-hot sex appeal as she soothes the bite with her tongue.
Sexy as hell.
Her hands find the buckle of my belt and before I can even take another breath, it’s undone and she’s sliding down my fly.
“Lose the pants.”
It’s my turn to do as I’m told now, and it’s a request I’m only too happy to comply with.
I drop my jeans to the ground and kick them clear.
“And here we are again,” I murmur. Standing before one another with next to nothing covering our bodies.
“Here we are,” she repeats.
I back her up towards the bed until she stops, her thighs hitting the mattress. She sits and then lies back.
“I’ve barely even touched you and I’m going crazy, Darce. You make me crazy.”
“You make me crazy too.”
I spread her legs and kneel between them. “I’ve been dying to taste you again.” I cup her between her thighs, feeling how wet she is for me already.
“I’m all yours.” She pants.
“Fuck yes you are.”
I hook my fingers into the sides of her underwear and drag them down her legs.
Perfection.
“I need you,” she begs, “you can taste me later.”
I can’t argue with that.
I lower myself down against her body before pushing back up to my knees and ridding myself of my boxer briefs. “Condom?”
“I’m already pregnant,” she replies
, her voice impatient.
I’m well aware she is, but I don’t want to be the guy who just assumes.
“Get back down here, right now,” she demands as she pulls my arm, unbalancing me. I fall on top of her, catching my weight on my elbows.
I don’t need to be told twice, I kiss her, hard and fast, my tongue skimming her lips.
She wastes no time, reaching between us to grip my hard length and guiding me inside her.
Fuuuuck.
This feels like heaven.
She moans in my ear, and it spurs me into action. I start moving, burying myself to the hilt with each thrust.
“Ryan,” she breathes as I hitch her leg over my shoulder and pound into her.
She grips onto my shoulders, her nails digging into my skin.
I love that shit. “Scratch me,” I demand.
She complies, her nails skating down my back, no doubt leaving a trail behind.
I keep up a relentless pace, her moans becoming louder and louder with every passing second.
I throw her other leg over my other shoulder, and she cries out. I’m so close to blowing my load, but I refuse to come until she does.
“Come for me, princess.”
She throws her head back.
I wrap a hand around her throat and a guttural, appreciative sound escapes her.
“I’m. Going. To. Come,” she manages to get out between thrusts.
I wait until I know she’s fallen off the edge before following right behind her, filling her up.
“Fuuuuuck!” I grunt with my release.
I fall onto her.
“Oh my god,” she whispers.
Oh my god indeed.
13
Jacob
“Jacob, get in here.” My father’s booming voice crackles through the intercom system sitting on my desk.
I grind my teeth in irritation but rise from my chair. I’ve been summoned. I’m well known as being a grade-A prick, and it’s no secret where I learnt my ways.
The apple didn’t fall far from the tree. Not in my case anyway. My good-for-nothing twin brother is another story, but he’s as good as dead to me these days.
I push open my office door, ignoring the questions my assistant is firing at me as I stride across the room towards my father’s office.
It’s three times the size of the one I currently occupy, and it’s going to be mine the second I can get the old bastard to retire like he should have done three years ago.
“Sit,” he barks as I enter, not bothering with pleasantries or to even look up from the screen in front of him.
I take my time, an attempt at defiance – but eventually give in to the fact that I’m going to sit – as instructed.
He taps away on his keyboard, as though I’m not sitting in front of him, waiting.
Conrad Steele is a real bastard. Powerful and intimidating. Ruthless and cunning. Men want to be him, and women want to be under him. I’ve heard the murmuring in the hallways. “Silver fox” is the most common one from the hordes of middle-aged women that work in the building.
I don’t give a fuck how handsome the old man apparently is, when I look at him, all I see is the person standing in the way of me running the cutter – like I was born to do. He’s nothing more than an inconvenience to me now.
“You fucked up,” he grunts, as he finally drags his eyes from his computer and gives me his focus.
“Can you be more specific?” I drawl. I’m in no mood for guessing games. I’m always fucking up in the eyes of my father, so it could take some time to figure out exactly what he’s referring to, and time is not something I have in abundance. Time is money in this industry, and money is about the only language I’m interested in speaking.
“With Darcy. You fucked up. It’s not dying down; the press is still having a field day with the story of the billion-dollar, second-in-charge walking out on his fiancée on the day of their wedding.”
I’m well aware of this fact. It’s been over two months, and this is a scandal that just refuses to die down.
I’m still being hounded by reporters and magazine journalists almost daily.
It is bad press, I’d be the first to admit that, but I was choosing to run with the age-old mantra that any press was good press.
“It’ll blow over eventually,” I reassure him.
“Not good enough,” he snaps. “I want it remedied. Right now. That woman did wonders for your image. She’s wholesome. If you look good, this company looks good. CEOs don’t make waves like this, Jacob. You know there’s no way I can hand over the company to you when your personal affairs are in such a state.”
The last comment has me sitting up straighter in my chair. I can see where this is going. He’s blackmailing me. I sort this mess out, or he’ll refuse to hand over the reins.
I open my mouth to argue, but snap it shut again. I learnt at an early age that there was little point in arguing with my father. Once he’s made his mind up about something, that’s the end of it.
“What do you want from me?” I grind the words out.
“Get her back. Keep her happy. Go through with the goddamn wedding this time.”
This is un-fucking-believable. Yet, I should have seen it coming. Everything is about the business. The image. The money.
I should have known better. I should have just married her in the first place, but arrogantly, I assumed I made my own rules. Clearly, I was mistaken.
“What if I can’t?” I demand.
“Find a way. No one says no to a Steele.”
I can’t find an answer inside my brain that isn’t a string of profanities, so I say nothing, I simply stand and exit the room.
“Make it happen, Jacob – or kiss your future in this company goodbye,” he calls after me.
14
Ryan
“I’ve got the night off, do you want to spend it together? We could go shopping for baby stuff before the store closes?”
Her eyes light up, but she shakes her head no. “Steph is coming over to watch a movie, I thought you’d have work... but we could all watch it together?”
I don’t miss the fact that she’s avoided the question about baby shopping. I’m not stupid, I know exactly what’s going on. She’s worried about how much it will all cost.
There’s no way I’m going to let her, or our baby, miss out on anything they want or need, but Darcy is stubborn – and proud. It’s not that I don’t understand it; she’s come from a relationship with Jacob, where she was a kept woman. She doesn’t work as much as she used to, no doubt my brother’s influence – there’s nothing that intimidates that man more than an independent woman. Finances are bound to be playing on her mind.
“What girly crap are you two watching?” I tease.
“Probably something awful if Steph has any say in it.”
“Maybe I’ll go work in my office.” I make a show of standing up, but she grabs my hand and pulls me back down to the couch before snuggling in closer.
“You’re not spending a night off away from me. And I know you secretly love a chick flick anyway.”
“Wildly untrue.” I scoff.
“I heard you singing along to Pitch Perfect the other night, you don’t fool me.”
I nip her in the ribs with my fingers. “Don’t repeat that, you’ll absolutely kill my street cred.”
She giggles and arches out of my reach. “I forgot that you’re so big and bad and have a reputation to protect.” She rolls her eyes dramatically.
“You bet your sweet little ass I do.”
I lay hands on her again, tickling her sides where I know it makes her squirm the most.
She shrieks, trying and failing to stop me.
“Ryan!” she cries.
“Promise you won’t tell,” I insist.
“I promise, I promise!”
I stop, chuckling as she catches her breath and shoots me daggers with her eyes.
“You know I hate being tickled.” She playfully smacks
my arm.
“That’s what makes it so much fun.” I smirk.
She settles back in the couch, one hand on her cute little baby bump, the other on the remote, and she scrolls through Netflix, no doubt looking for the most girly movie on there to torture me with now that I’ve crossed the line with tickling.
I don’t give a shit what we watch; I’d sit through anything for this woman.
I slide a hand in next to hers; it’s still hard for me to believe that she’s growing our baby in there. It’s incredible when you think about it. A human growing inside another human. Wild.
“If you put on Fifty Shades, I really am leaving,” I warn as she pauses on the title.
She giggles, her eyebrow raised in challenge, but thankfully she keeps scrolling.
“What about –” Her sentence is cut off. “Did you feel that?” she demands.
Her eyes are wide in shock.
She gasps, and this time I feel it too. The baby – it’s kicking.
“Holy shit.”
She nudges my arm, her eyes still wide. “No swearing in front of the baby, if we can feel it, surely it can hear us.”
I chuckle and immediately feel another flutter under my palm.
“I think the baby likes your laugh,” she says in wonder.
“We need a nickname for this kid,” I tell her. “I’m sick of saying ‘it’ and ‘the baby’.”
“I’ve been using ‘peanut’,” she murmurs, still sitting motionless, waiting to feel another flutter.
“Peanut it is.” I nod.
I hear the front door open and shut.
“Come on, Peanut, kick for Daddy,” I coo at Darcy’s stomach.
“The baby’s kicking now?” Steph asks excitedly as she breezes into the room and takes in the two of us snuggled on the couch.
Darcy nods her head in short, sharp bobs. “For the first time just now.”
She lets out an excited shrieking noise, kicks off her shoes and makes a beeline for us.
“Get out of the way, baby hog, it’s my turn.”
The First Rule: A Standalone Second Chance Romance Page 10
