by Taryn Quinn
How did he know her body so completely after just a few hours?
He crouched in front of her and she backed up. No, that was too intimate. She took the washcloth back from him. He brushed his nose along her belly. “I love that you smell like me.”
She tipped her head back and closed her eyes. Gosh, everything about him was earthy and sexual and lacking in pretense. He gently nudged her legs apart and took the washcloth back. He washed her, tracing his thumb around the sensitive knot of muscles inside her.
“Ben.”
“Shh.” He washed the soap away and leaned into her and sipped.
Her hand slapped against the tile as he soothed her with his tongue and lips. Her release was so soft and sweet that she couldn’t do anything but push his hair out of his eyes. His face was heavy with scruff and dotted with water, and his lips glossy with her. He stood, but before he could sluice the water and her release off, she pulled him down and tasted herself on his tongue.
He drew her back, his eyes already fired up. And again, she wanted to suffuse herself in all the energy that was Ben, but her body simply wasn’t willing. She swayed a little and he kissed her forehead before drawing her under the spray again. They finished up, quietly drying off before they slipped back into his bed. Without words he settled her against him until his smooth chest was her pillow.
She’d never comfortably slept with a man before. She liked her space. But she slid her thigh over his and dropped off without another thought in her head.
Chapter Eight
Ben watched the sun creep up his midnight-blue comforter. He’d forgotten to pull his blackout curtains before taking Darcy to his bed. Not that it would have mattered anyway. He’d been staring at the ceiling for the last hour.
Another day with four hours of sleep under his belt. He didn’t care. Not when Darcy was curled so trustingly into his side. He slid his thumb over her shoulder and smoothed back down her arm.
He was used to sex being fun. He liked the feel of a woman in his arms. He was one of the few of his friends who actually didn’t dread the morning after. All the other mornings were okay because it didn’t matter if the woman was clingy or cranky or even indifferent. He could usually coax them into a good mood and they would leave with a smile, relationship or not.
But nothing about Darcy could be relegated into something so safe. The moment he’d touched her in the store he knew it was going to be different and still he’d wanted her in his bed.
His instincts never steered him wrong. From adjusting his major in college to leaving the safety of his job in Boston to start his own business with Cesar, and now the Christmas venture—all of it fit him.
But Darcy terrified him.
He’d known that opening himself up to her would be a gamble. And it still was. Hell, he only had half the cards in his hand and he was tempted to scoop up his chips and run. Except he wasn’t going to run. He’d figure out some way to get to know her a little better. He really didn’t want the cool Darcy back with morning-after weirdness.
The winter sun curled its fingers around her arm and teased the edges of her chin. Her lemon-blonde hair tangled across his chest. And she felt so good in his arms he was fairly sure sleep would be nonexistent without her.
When the sun crept up to her golden lashes they started to flutter. Her hand slid across his chest then down to his hip. He dragged air through his nose and didn’t move. Morning wood took on a whole different meaning when a woman was involved.
She rubbed her nose into his chest and settled back into him. Her forearm skimmed under the sheet and her soft skin bumped the head of his cock. Her smooth thigh brushed along his as she slowly woke up.
Braced for the excuses, he caught her gaze flick to his nightstand. He didn’t know what time it was, but instead of bounding out of his bed, she grazed her nose over his pec and swiped her tongue over his nipple, then dragged the back of her fingers down his cock.
He hissed when her swirling tongue was followed by a bite. He buried his hand in her hair, hoping it was enough to show her that he liked it. Her touch was tentative but his achingly stiff cock didn’t care.
Hot breath blew over his nipple as she lifted her arm enough to see beneath the covers. Her name was a grumbled whisper as she stroked down his shaft and tightened at the base like he showed her the night before.
Efficient, that was his Darcy.
His? The possessive feelings from last night were already starting up again.
His hips flexed on the second trip up and back, his body tuned up from lying under her for hours. And he liked her weight. Soft and solid and long-limbed. Her kisses skimmed his ribs with open-mouthed nips and swipes of her warm tongue.
Silently she coasted over his belly, her cat-green eyes bright in the sun as she watched him. She dipped her tongue into his navel, pushing the sheets aside. He swallowed down the urge to paint her lips with the tip of his cock.
What the hell was wrong with him? He should be laughing and teasing her, using all his usual morning-after tricks to keep things light.
“I’m too sore for more than this.”
He shook his head. “You don’t need to—”
“It’s been a long time, but I want to.”
The tip of her pink tongue darted out, flicking under the sensitive dome of his cock. Again, her tentative nature showed, but the sun glowed around her light hair and her eyes were clear and determined.
He was a dead man.
She learned him. Slowly. His fingers dug into the mattress and he wouldn’t be surprised to find chunks missing when she was done with him. She wrapped her lips around the base of his shaft and swirled her tongue along the throbbing vein, hardening him even more, paying attention only to the underside of him. The heat of her tongue and strong suction threatened to end it before he was ready. Christ, she hadn’t even taken him all the way into her mouth yet.
She finally curved the flat of her tongue around his head and enveloped him in one hot, wet glide of her mouth.
“Shit.”
She hummed around him with a wicked smile in her eyes, taking him deep. He brushed the tangle of her hair away from her face, not trusting himself to do any more than that. Everything inside him wanted to grab her hair and make her take him deeper. He arched off the bed as she finally found her rhythm.
Her nails scraped through the hair above his cock, splaying her fingers across his belly as she drove him crazy. He bumped the back of her throat and swore. “Darcy.”
She shook her head, still working him to within an inch of sanity.
He grabbed her hair this time. “Darc.” It was all he could make out. Her mouth sealed over his head, her tongue massaging the crown with each pull. And he was lost to the hot suction of her tireless mouth.
She looked up at him and he couldn’t hold off any longer. With a muffled groan he came and she took every drop. Ben watched her throat work and his shaft disappear into her swollen mouth.
Chest heaving, he dragged her up until her nose was buried into his neck. He locked his arm around her, pressing a kiss to her temple. “Jesus, Darcy.”
He could feel her smiling into his skin. “I thought a little payback was in order.”
“Oh yeah?” He peered down at her, his chest tightening with the puffy state of her lips. All from him.
“Mm-hmm. Besides, watching you like that. All your muscles tight,” she ran the backs of her fingers over his cheek, “and gosh, those eyes of yours.”
“Do you really not swear?”
She wrinkled her nose and pushed away from him. “I just said all sorts of good stuff there, Hartley, and you focused on that?”
He laughed and hauled her back into his chest. Lighten it up, asshole. “Just an observation. I don’t think I’ve ever heard anyone use gosh like you do.”
She peered over his shoulder at his clock and settled back onto his chest. “My mother was so busy all the time with work and of course I was left to my own devices.”
“
So she dumped you in the Girl Scouts?”
Darcy poked him in the gut. “No. I lived in Boston.”
“That should definitely make you swear.”
“Exactly. I hung out with some rough kids. When I started talking like them my mom proceeded to parrot back to me all the same things I’d said all night long until I couldn’t stand to hear it.”
He winced. “I’ll try to curb the swearing.”
“It doesn’t bother me to hear others say it, but me? Yeah, she beat it out of me without laying a single hand on me.” She snuggled into his side, her husky voice a rumble against his neck. “Then we figured out all sorts of dorky ways not to swear. Kinda became our thing.”
He kissed her forehead. “Do you get to see your mom much?”
“No. She got married recently and her new husband likes to spoil her with cruises and trips.”
He trailed the backs of his fingers down her spine then back up. She felt good against him. Her soft breasts and belly, her cheek back in its rightful place on his chest. “That’s a good thing, right?”
“My mom deserves not to have to work every day.”
He tucked her bangs away from her eyes. “Do you not like this guy?”
“What? No. Jerry’s fine. Amazing actually.”
“What about your dad?”
“He’s not important.” She slid away, dragging the sheet with her.
He rolled onto his side. “Darcy.”
She flicked a glance over her shoulder. “I have to get ready for work.”
He sighed and rolled back into the middle of his bed. It was a big day for her, but he didn’t like the way she shut down. He had to remember they were still getting to know each other. He didn’t talk about his own deadbeat dad, and she was probably the same.
She scooped her shirt off the floor. “Will you come in this afternoon?”
Lacing his fingers behind his head, he forced himself not to go to her. “Yeah, I have to go in and check on the shop, but I’ll be in.”
“They’re coming at—”
“Yeah, darlin’, one o’clock. I know.”
She pulled her shirt down and let the sheet fall back on the bed. “Right. I just wanted to make sure you remember. She wiggled into her jeans, stuffing her panties into her pocket.
He already missed the freckles.
She rushed out of the room, then back in and leaned down to press a quick kiss to his mouth. “I’ll see you later.”
He grinned. Not quite running. He’d take it.
Chapter Nine
Darcy tugged on the cuffs of her blouse. Where the heck had she put her blazer? The Blackstones were in the store and she had Ben on standby in the break room in case there was a meltdown with the software. The lights had been on all day, but they hadn’t turned on Ben’s options yet.
They wanted to surprise the owners. Even though Miriam had told her not to come in before one, Darcy had walked through the door at ten. She had to make sure everything was ready in her department as well as the front displays.
“You are going to faint if you don’t get yourself together.”
Darcy laced her fingers together until her knuckles turned white. “Jaime, if I screw this up Miriam will have me back in the shoe department by nightfall.”
“Come on, Darcy, everything looks amazing. You and Ben did an amazing job.”
Darcy tried to block out the words amazing and Ben. Between the store and last night she was a wreck. “You don’t understand.” She shook out her rapidly numbing hands. “She told me this would pretty much make or break my chances of advancement.”
“The Black Widow likes to instill fear in all who are under her. You’re nothing but management in waiting. You know this store better than she does.”
Darcy dragged in a steadying breath. “Thanks. I’ve just got to get through this reveal and to the other end of Black Friday and then I can breathe.”
“That’s a whole lot of days without oxygen, mija.”
Jaime only fell into Spanish when she was worried about her. Darcy pasted on her best kick-butt smile and patted her friend’s shoulder. “I’ve got to go get Ben just in case the tree shorts out or something.”
The arches of her feet screamed and her dress pants pinched, the blouse was too big and the silky rayon kept untucking from her pants. She was so ready to hit the fire door and keep on walking. Gosh, she hated when the owners came in. She got to the break room and Ben was holding court. He had all the stock guys laughing as well as two cashiers on break completely enthralled.
She did not need his charm. Not right now.
He looked up and the quick half grin liquefied her knees. It was the same grin he’d given her in the shower when he’d been kneeling in front of her. And that thought needed to be banished. Now.
“If you’re done entertaining?”
His eyebrow rose and he pitched his empty soda bottle into the recycling bin. “All right, guys, I gotta go earn my keep.”
Her shoulders tightened. Again, she was reminded of the favor she owed him. She hated to be indebted to anyone. But it would be worth it if she could just get through this day. She backed out the door and into the blessedly empty hallway. “Okay, I just— What are you doing?”
He crowded her, his thighs pinning her to cool wall. “You need to relax and I know just the thing.”
She slapped her hands on his chest. “This is not the thing!” She looked down the hall. He dipped his head and she gripped his chin, turning his head before their lips could connect.
“Hey!”
“This is not the time, Ben,” she whispered. “My bosses are here.”
“Yeah, and you need to relax. They’re just people.”
“They are not just people. This is my butt on the line.”
“They aren’t any better than you or me.”
“I didn’t say that.”
“You didn’t have to. Look, Darc, this is no big deal. We tested the lights last night and again when I came in a little while ago. They work and they look great.”
“It has to look great.”
“It will.” He laid his hands on her shoulders. “Hey, they’re going to love it and you’ll be employee of the century.”
“Ben.”
“Don’t get that school librarian voice on. I told you I’d get you out of this jam and I did.”
“I still can’t believe you came in and did it all.”
“Yeah, well, it’s the least I could do.”
She frowned. “What do you mean, least you could do?”
He looked down at his shoes. “This is helping me out just as much, remember?”
“Right.” She shook her head. The quick flash of something in his eyes didn’t sit right with her, but she had too much to deal with to worry about Ben today.
He walked ahead of her and turned back to her. “Shake a tail feather, darlin’. We got a kick-ass display to show off.”
“I’ll catch up.” She couldn’t stop her lips from twitching into a smile. And all of a sudden she noticed that he had black slacks on, as well as dress shoes and a deep burgundy dress shirt. He’d spent the time to dress up for her, to hide the tats on his arms and to make a good impression. And she was being a prudish brat.
She’d been off balance since he’d started in on the personal post-coital talk and now she was making everything awful. And showing just what an uptight idiot she was about this possible promotion.
“Son of a beach ball.”
“Ms. Tucker?”
Darcy’s spine snapped straight. Miriam’s disapproving voice was enough to push thoughts of Ben to the back of her mind. “I just sent Mr. Hartley up to check on the display before we met with your parents.”
“Excellent. I trust there aren’t any problems?” In other words, her butt was in a sling if there were.
“Absolutely not. We’ve tested it twice. I think they’re going to be very pleased.”
“I think you’re correct.”
She turned
to go and Miriam touched her arm.
“Darcy.” Miriam twisted the slim signet ring on her right hand until it was perfectly centered. “I know I’ve put a lot of pressure on you, but there’s a reason for that.”
“Oh?”
“My parents haven’t made the announcement yet, but they’re opening a store in Boston and they want me to go and oversee it.”
“Wow.” Her heart began to pound in her ears. What did that mean? They’d have to break in a new store manager? She’d just gotten so she knew what to expect with her job and a new boss would change everything.
“They want—no, I want—my replacement to be you.”
The roaring in her head faded as if she’d been shoved into a vacuum. “I’m sorry?”
“It’s going to be a few months before the store will be ready for me to go and open so we’ll have time to train you properly. I need to be sure this store will be in good hands. And I think those hands are yours.”
“I-I don’t know what to say.”
“You stepped up with this Christmas tree debacle and you’re obviously a problem solver. I wish it had been a bit cheaper on the budget, but I think the new design makes us look even classier and I have a feeling it will translate into sales. And your Mr. Hartley certainly has himself a job when the Boston store opens. And he’ll be paid handsomely this time.”
“I’ll tell him. This is a prototype. It will certainly put him on the map.”
“And you said he’s an artist?”
She nodded. Ben was going to be ecstatic. This design was his baby. He wouldn’t just be a tattoo artist anymore. He could sell the design and do anything he wanted.
“Well, I’m happy to see him in more business-minded clothing today. I appreciate that.”
A little niggling of unease fluttered under her breastbone. “I think Ben—Mr. Hartley—understands how important this is.”
“And the ghastly tattoos are covered. I was worried about my father seeing those.”
“They—” Darcy wanted to shout at her just how beautiful they were. The meaning behind them was so obvious if Miriam had taken the time to look at them closely. “He has a very good head on his shoulders,” she said lamely.
