Darius (Starkis Family #5)

by Cheryl Douglas

  “What are you going to tell him when you go home? You know he’s going to want to know what your plans are.”

  I’d thought a lot about that, but I intended to take my cues from Darius. “I think it’s pretty obvious Daphne will be staying here with Nate no matter what I decide.”

  “Maybe that was your reason for coming here,” Catia suggested. “To help them find each other.”

  I smiled. “If you believe in fate, working with Chase must have been the reason you landed in New York, huh?”

  She shrugged. “I don’t know. Maybe.”

  I hated to see her feeling so conflicted about a man she was clearly crazy about. I’d gotten to know Chase pretty well while I was in New York, and it was obvious he was an incredible guy. He was a loyal friend, devoted dad, successful businessman, good son, and he looked like he belonged on a charity calendar. What more could she want?

  “Why don’t you just call him?” I asked. “At least try to open the lines of communication.”

  “You saw the way he treated me that weekend in the Hamptons. He could barely stand to look at me.”

  “I think that’s because he wants you so much. It’s killing him that he can’t have you.” On the way home that night, he and I had both been quiet and broody, and we agreed it was because the Starkis siblings were hell on the heart. “Come on, call him.”

  “Maybe.” She looked thoughtful as she reached for another handful of dried fruit and nuts. “But I wanna talk about you and Darius. What are you going to do?”

  I looked around the small apartment I’d been happy to call home for the past month and a half. I really loved it here. Turned out Kansas City was my kind of place, but it didn’t have the one thing I now realized I needed to be happy—Darius. “I want to be with your brother. There’s no getting around that.”

  She bounced up and down in the overstuffed white chair. “Yay!” Catia clapped, looking like a little girl who’d just found out her parents were taking her to the zoo. “I’m so happy for you guys. I’m going to love having you as a sister-in-law.”

  “You’re getting ahead of yourself,” I said, laughing. “I don’t know what he wants, what he’s thinking.”

  “He wants you, trust me.”

  “There’re still logistics to consider,” I said, checking the manicure Catia had talked me into getting yesterday. I’d never spent money on myself before, but Catia was helping me understand life was more fun when you pampered yourself every once in a while. Since I had a little extra money for the first time ever, I thought I might talk Daphne into going shopping with me for a couple of new outfits for my weekend with Darius. Maybe even some lingerie to set the tone for the kind of weekend I hoped we’d have.

  “You mean the fact that you’d be in the city and he’d be in the Hamptons?” Catia nodded. “Yeah, I’ve thought about that. Maybe you should think about being the weekend manager at the club and spending weekdays with Darius in the Hamptons.”

  “I can’t afford to work only two days a week, Cat.” To be so rich that you didn’t have to worry about work must have been nice.

  “You could always get work in the Hamptons, maybe even helping out Darius.”

  I thought about school, but I’d put that dream on the back burner when I moved to Kansas City. I could use the money I’d saved for tuition for other things now, like a real bed, if I decided to move back into the apartment above the club.

  “What are you thinking?” Catia asked, leaning forward to grip my knee. “Tell me.”

  “It’s too soon for us to live together, don’t you think?” Not that I wouldn’t love to wake up with him every morning and fall asleep in his arms every night.

  “Only you two can decide that. Darius might be a little gun-shy since the last bitch he lived with—” She clapped her hand over her mouth wide-eyed.

  I laughed. “It’s okay. He told me about her.”

  “Oh, good!” She sounded relieved. “I’m not trying to tell you guys what to do. I’m just putting some ideas out there, something to ponder, so you know you have options.”

  She had definitely given me a lot to think about. I’d be lucky if my mind would shut down enough to let me sleep over the next four days.

  ***

  I was so excited to see Darius I practically tackled him at the airport. He’d had a last minute work crisis, so he hadn’t been able to travel with me, but he had rearranged his schedule so he could meet me at the airport.

  Apparently we were going to the Hamptons tonight and would head back into the city in the morning to visit his club, do a little shopping, have some dinner, and visit a couple of comedy clubs. He had it all figured out apparently. My only question was whether he would be as decisive about our future.

  He picked me up, swinging me in a low circle as he whispered, “God, I’ve missed you.”

  “Not as much as I’ve missed you.”

  Our lips collided, and our kisses rolled one into another until I didn’t care if we stood there all day. I had one goal for this trip: to bare my soul. I wanted to be fearless, vulnerable in a way I’d never been. I didn’t know how he’d respond, but if his reaction to seeing me again was any indication, I felt optimistic.

  “Let’s get out of here,” he said, wrapping his arm around me. He pulled me into his side, dragging my suitcase behind him. “I’ve been counting down the minutes ‘til I got to see you again.” He kissed my temple.

  “Mmm, me too.” The scent of my favorite cologne, the one I’d forever associate with him, made me feel like I was home where I belonged.

  The ride to the Hamptons seemed to take forever in the late-day traffic, but I didn’t mind. We talked nonstop about all the things I’d missed out on since I left, and his hand never left mine.

  “I can’t wait to see the club,” I said when we passed the quaint sign for Southampton. “I can’t believe it’ll be finished soon. Chase’s crew doesn’t mess around, do they?”

  “No, they’re great,” he said, smiling. “I was lucky he was able to squeeze us into his schedule. He usually books out a few months in advance. But he had his guys work overtime to pull this off for me. I really owe him one.”

  Thinking of Chase made me think of Catia and how much I wished my new friend would find the courage to come home to the man I believed she belonged with.

  “Here we are,” Darius said, pulling into the drive of the small cottage I’d missed so much. “I have a surprise for you.” He turned in the seat to face me and looked at me intently.

  His expression made me nervous and question what it might be. “What’s that?”

  He laughed, obviously sensing my trepidation. “I actually have a few surprises for you, but you’ll find the first one in the glovebox.”

  “Okay.” I turned the knob and pulled out a plain white envelope. “This is it?” I asked, turning it over in my hand.

  “It is.” He smiled as he watched me break the seal and pull out the document.

  “Oh my God!” I looked up at the hand-carved sign announcing the address of the cottage. “You bought this place? Congratulations! That’s amazing.”

  “Seeing how much you loved it convinced me this is where I belong.” He leaned in to kiss me as his hand rested against my cheek.

  “I’m so happy for you,” I whispered when we broke apart. “For what it’s worth, I think you made the right call. I can’t imagine a more perfect place to call home.”

  He grinned. “Neither can I.”

  “Does that mean it’ll stay as is?” It would break my heart to see this place torn down and a modern monstrosity built in its place. The cottage may have been small, but it had charm and character, and I could almost feel warmth and love as soon as I walked in.

  “We’ll have to make a few improvements, modernize the kitchen and baths, maybe add a small addition, but I promise not to change things too much.”

  We? My heart raced at the implication, but I didn’t want to get ahead of myself. He may have been referring to t
he construction crew and design team for all I knew.

  “Let’s head inside,” he said, jumping out of the truck.

  Taking in his sexy profile, I watched him round the vehicle. The way the tight gray button-down shirt hugged his muscular form reminded me how right it felt to have those strong arms wrapped around me at night.

  He opened my door and smiled as he reached for my hand. “What’s that look about?”

  “Just thinking about how hot you are,” I said, giving him a thorough onceover as I licked my lips. I didn’t want to be reserved anymore. From now on, I would say exactly what was on my mind and to hell with the consequences.

  “I was just thinking the same thing about you,” he said, dragging me to the edge of the seat before he stepped between my open legs. “I’m so glad you’re here, baby.” He rested his forehead against mine. “The last six weeks have been hell without you.”

  “For me too,” I said, wrapping my arms around his neck as his lips met mine.

  He growled, making me laugh. “Let’s get inside before I take you right here.”

  “You won’t hear me complaining,” I teased, slipping my hand into his as I jumped out of the truck. As soon as we stepped inside, I was assailed by the fragrance of flowers. “Oh my God.” My hand covered my mouth when I saw the largest bouquet I’d ever seen on the sofa-back table facing me. It had a small white envelope with masculine block letters that read my name. “These are for me?”

  He wrapped his arms around my waist from behind, resting his chin in the crook of my neck. “When you told me no one had ever given you flowers, I knew I had to rectify that. I know I’ve sent you flowers, but it’s not the same as being able to see your face light up when you get them.”

  “Wow!” I giggled. “These are unbelievable.” I stepped forward, reaching for the envelope tucked into the arrangement of roses, tulips, calla lilies, and hydrangeas. I blinked back tears as I read his handwritten note.

  Chelsea,

  I thought life was pretty good before I met you, but nothing compares to the days when I get to see your beautiful face or hear your voice. I’ll never take a minute with you for granted.

  Love,

  Darius

  “That’s so sweet,” I said, gripping the card as I leaned into his chest to hide my tears. “I feel the same way, about not taking a minute for granted.” I’d thought loving and losing Shaun had taught me that lesson, but being apart from Darius for the past six weeks had only reinforced the importance of being with the man I loved.

  “Hey,” he said, tipping my face up to meet his. “Why the tears?”

  “I just…” There was so much I wanted to say but not until I knew for sure he felt the same way. “Can we talk?”

  He rubbed the back of his neck, looking uneasy. “I’m not sure I like the sound of that. It sounds serious.”

  “I guess it is. I just want us to talk about where we go from here.”

  Looking relieved, he led me to the slip-covered sofa. “I want that too.” He sat facing me, his leg between us as he held my hands. “Would it be okay if I went first?”

  I was hoping he would. “Sure.”

  He reached into his pocket and retrieved a single key on a crystal prism keychain. Setting it on the bleached oak coffee table, he said, “I had that made for you.”

  “For me?”

  “Yeah.” He shrugged. “I want you to feel at home here.”

  I stroked the stubble on his chin, recognizing what a big step this was for him. “Thank you.”

  “You’re welcome.” His brows drew together as his face tightened as though he was struggling to find the right words. “But here’s the thing. I don’t want you to use that when you’re blowing through town every couple of months.”

  This was the moment I’d been waiting for. “What do you want?”

  “First, I have to ask you something.”

  “What?”

  “Kansas City, the club—are you really happy there?”

  “I love certain aspects of it. Building something from the ground up is kind of fun.” I’d learned a lot about myself over the past six weeks. I had strengths and interests I hadn’t known I had.

  “I know what you mean.” One corner of his mouth tipped up. “That part can be pretty addictive, which is why I love moving from one project to another.”

  I could tell he was holding back, so it was my turn to step up. “It was fun watching our vision come together, and I’m glad I was able to help Nate when he needed me, but I don’t think Kansas City is where I belong.”

  He released the breath he’d apparently been holding. “You’re not just saying that because of me, are you? Because I don’t want you to give up on something you really want—”

  I leaned in to kiss him, hoping I wouldn’t need words to put his fears to rest. “I’m saying it because it’s the truth. But knowing you’re here… how could I want to be anywhere else?”

  He pulled me close and kissed my neck. “I love you, Chels.”

  I’d been longing to hear him say those words, but now that he finally had, I was speechless.

  “Too soon?” he asked, his eyes looking duller than they had just a few seconds earlier.

  “No!” I laughed and cried at the same time as I wrapped my arms around his neck. “I love you, too.”

  “Thank God.”

  I giggled as I peppered his face with kisses. “I’m so happy to be here with you.”

  “Please tell me that means you won’t be going back?” He kissed my hands as he looked me in the eye. “I mean, I know you’ll have to go back to get the rest of your stuff, but I can come with you to take care of that. I don’t want us to be apart anymore, not even for a day.”

  “I spoke to Nate before I left. I told him I couldn’t be his partner.” Regardless of whether Darius wanted to continue our relationship, I knew New York was where I belonged.

  “What about Daphne? Will she be coming home with you?”

  I shook my head slowly, trying to smile in spite of my sadness. Her happiness was bittersweet for me. I’d miss my best friend like crazy, but I was thrilled she’d found a great guy who clearly loved her. “No, if Nate still feels he needs a partner to help him run the club, I think he’s found one in her. A business partner and a life partner if things go as I suspect they will.”

  “That’s great,” Darius said, smiling. His expression changed, as though he sensed my turmoil. “Isn’t it?”

  “I love them both. I want them to be happy, and I know they will be, but I’m not going to lie. I’m going to miss her.”

  “Maybe I can help fill the void?” His eyes shifted back and forth between mine as though he was trying to read my mind. “I’ve always wanted a partner who was my best friend, Chels. The center of my world. I feel like I could have that with you.”

  I’d thought I had that with Shaun, but so much of our relationship had been plagued by the internal war he’d been waging. I didn’t experience much happiness with him, and I knew it would be different with Darius. He’d make me happier than I’d ever been. He already had in the short time I’d known him.

  “I think we could have that too.” In fact, I was certain we could.

  “We need to figure out what to do about the club,” he said, sitting back as he wrapped his arm around me while I settled against him. “I know how much you want to manage it, and I think you’d be great at it, but—”

  “The club is in the city, and you have to be here all week, right?”

  “Yeah.”

  I’d thought about that too. As much as I loved my pseudo-family at the comedy club, I loved Darius more. “A compromise, maybe?”

  “That’s what I was thinking.” He threaded his hand through mine, staring at my fingers. “Owners don’t always have to be hands-on, right?”

  I tried to pull back to look at him, but he held me close. “You didn’t intend to be hands-on. That’s why you wanted me to manage it for you.”

  “Here’s the thin
g,” he said, sounding cautious. “I bought that club because of you.”

  “Because of me?” My heart was thumping wildly. I didn’t want Darius to sell that club, not after I’d spent so many hours imagining how amazing it could be with his investment.

  “Yeah.” He ran a hand over my hair, down my back. “Your enthusiasm was infectious. You loved it, and that made me love it too. But if this experience has taught me anything, it’s that I don’t know jack about running a comedy club.”

  “Oh.” I couldn’t help but feel deflated. I knew it was his money, his decision, but realizing he was giving up so easily hurt. I hoped it wouldn’t be that easy for him to give up on me someday. “So you already have another buyer lined up? Is it Damon, or did you find someone who—”

  He chuckled. “I’m not selling it. Why would I do that after all the effort we’ve put into it?”

  “But if you’re not selling it, what are you going to do with it?”

  “Give it to you.”

  A rush of adrenaline made my entire body tingle as I jumped back to look at him. “You can’t be serious.”

  “I’m dead serious.”

  “But why would you want to do that?”

  “Because I can.” He sighed as he rested his hand on the back of the couch and reached for a lock of my hair. Curling the strand around his finger, he seemed distracted by the action, or maybe he was just afraid to look at me. “When Nate made you that offer, I realized how much he believed in you. He was willing to risk half of his inheritance on you because he knows you’re the kind of woman who gives a hundred and ten percent when she’s passionate about something. You’re hard-working, determined, smart, and savvy as hell.”

  I appreciated his faith in me, but what he was proposing was ridiculous. Nate wanted us to be partners, to succeed or fail together. And he’d had a motive—guilt. He would have shared that inheritance with Shaun had he still been alive. Since he wasn’t, I was the next best thing. Darius was proposing something entirely different. I would be indebted to him, and I didn’t think I could live with that.