Page 44 of It's You
But what about you? Are you…okay?
I’m fine, Darcy. Better than fine. I got to watch you.
But you?—
I can wait.
With infinite tenderness, it dawned on her that he had stopped when she had climaxed and hadn’t pushed her to satisfy him in turn. She wondered what kind of strength it took to take care of her and deny himself. Phillip had never been overly concerned about her pleasure when they’d been intimate. But even including several college flings and a one-night stand with a visiting professor from England, Darcy hadn’t known what she was missing. She was thirty-five years old, and tonight she’d had her first orgasm.
Darcy reached down for her sweater and pulled it over her head, adjusting her bra back over her nipples, catching his frank assessment of her breasts before they slipped out of view.
He exhaled loudly and grinned at her.
“That was…” She was at a loss for words and suddenly a little self-conscious.
“Yeah, it was.”
She smiled back shyly. “I should get going.”
“Wow. Just like that?” He reached out and took her hand, his face tired but happy. “Stay with me.”
She ran her other hand through her messed hair, then put her palm gently on his cheek. “I shouldn’t.”
“Please stay.” He reached up to cover her hand, leaning into it, closing his eyes.
She looked at his impossibly perfect chest and messy hair, the gentle way he held her hand against his face.Couldn’t she stay? Couldn’t he carry her up to his room, and couldn’t shestay all night? Couldn’t he make love to her over and over again on his big bed?
No. Not yet. Her body wanted every inch of him, but her head still had to adjust to his return, his strangeness, the sheer force of their connection.
“Jack, I’m not ready yet.” She shook her head, giving him a small smile. “Attends-moi?”
“Thief. Stealing your brother’s line.”
“What he doesn’t know won’t hurt him.”
“Come back tomorrow? Come for a walk in the woods.”
She beamed at him, chuckling softly. “You know my weak spot.”
“I’m counting on it,” he whispered.
“What time?”
“I’ll pick you up at sunrise.”
“Sunrise,” she agreed, before kissing him softly and saying good-night.
9
Joy cometh with the dawn.
Darcy woke up to the lavender early morning light filtering in through the voluminous white cottage curtains on either side of the windows in her bedroom. She stretched her arms straight back over her head until her knuckles found the headboard and curled, then she snuggled back under the thick down comforter and sighed.
Jack.
She smiled drowsily and turned to hug her pillow, her body hot and sensitive and tingling. Her dreams of him had been relentless.
Oh, Jack.
