Page 47 of First Impressions
Maybe a little, but it was just that night.
So?
So. He is kind and caring and concerned all the time around Anne.
Ugh. Go away.
She shook her head, trying to physically dislodge the argument going on back and forth in her mind, instead trying to focus on the beauty surrounding her. The grounds of the house were truly incredible; Beth felt like she was in a botanical garden or one of those grand British estates where people had nothing to do except stroll through their endless acres of gardens. Everything was so peacefully idyllic she almost felt like she was walking through a dream.
Turning down a new path, her eyes darted open when she saw someone standing at the end of the walk not ten steps in front of her. He was leaning on one of the decorative wooden gates that signaled an entrance into the rose garden and was facing away from her, in what seemed like deep thought. Her mind recognized him a split second later as her feet skidded to a halt. Only one man could stand so erect with rigid pride.Darcy.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Hearingher footsteps startled him from his reverie as he quickly turned around to face her. The shock registering on his face revealed that he too had not expected to meet her here of all places.
Her mouth went dry. Wearing well-fitting ripped jeans and a white button down shirt with the sleeves rolled up and the collar unbuttoned, he didn't appear as put together as usual, but he was still the most gorgeous man she’d ever laid eyes on. She blinked twice, unsure if he was actually standing there or if she was just imagining him. When his delicious mouth thinned and he ran his hand through his dark, tousled hair, she knew she couldn’t even imagine something that good.
Do something- her mind interjected. She should go off on him, berate him for what he did to Jane and her, but she was frozen. Her angry words disintegrated into dust in her mouth and all she could think was how much she wanted to be in his arms. Judging from how quickly his expression changed from shock to desire, he felt the same way. He took a step towards her and then stopped, his questioning gaze boring into her knowing that she probably hated him right now.
He was her guilty pleasure; he was that one thing that you know isn’t good for you, that has hurt you, that has made you question yourself, that has made others question you, but that is just so addictively good that being around him obscures the reality of all the hurtful things he has done and could do; and it was a blur, Jane’s situation was but a distant shadow in her mind and how he had treated her faded into the intense desire to prove to herself that he was attracted her, that he did want her near him, that she hadn’t been wrong this whole time.
She couldn’t resist him.She licked her lips and took a small, tentative step toward him, grabbing ahold of the nearest archway, her legs suddenly feeling weak.
That small invitation was all he needed. In three steps, his arms were around her and his mouth crashed down onhers, immediately awakening every cell in her body. Her arms twined around his neck as her mouth opened to his invading tongue. They kissed out of deprivation, with desperation and the need to control one another. She clung to him as his hands roamed over her body, staking claim to everything he touched.
She gasped as his hand found its way underneath her loose-fitting denim shirt to massage her breast through her lace bra. His teeth took advantage and grabbed her lower lip, biting and sucking it into his mouth as his thumb brushed over her aching nipple. Her head fell back as he nipped and kissed all along the edge of her jaw up to her ear. Taking her earlobe in his mouth, he gently suckled it while his hand pulled down her bra strap and cup so that he could torment her naked flesh. His other arm wrapped tightly around her hips pressing them tightly against his, the hard ridge of his arousal pushing into her stomach. She moaned his name, her whole body hot and heavy with desire. She didn’t care where they were or who would see; she wanted him to take her now.
In the distance, from the other end of the garden, she heard Char yelling her name.Not now, please, not now.He pulled away slightly, rearranging her bra underneath her shirt, and she immediately felt the loss. The protective cocoon of their attraction had been breached and she felt the hurt and worries of reality begin to creep back into her mind.
“God,I need you. I can’t control myself when I’m around you,” he whispered in her ear before pulling his face back to look into her eyes, “But we can’t, not like this. I need to talk to you.” She could see his internal anguish reflecting in his eyes. Her brows furrowed as his hand came up to cup her face, his thumb rubbing slowly over her swollen lower lip.
“Beth! Where are you?”Her friend was getting closer.
Darcy’s eyes closed in frustrated restraint as he forcefully exhaled. “But not now. I have to go.” Pulling her face to his, he crushed his lips to hers and then in the next moment he was gone, walking out of the garden back towards the main house.
Beth stood, frozen, for several moments just breathing and taking in what had just happened.What was he doinghere? What just happened?She heard footsteps approaching and quickly wiped her lips and checked her shirt making sure everything was back in its place.
“Hey! There you are! I’ve been calling you.” Beth turned just as Char caught up to her.
“Sorry, I didn’t hear you; I was distracted,” Beth stammered.
“Oh. Are you feeling ok? You seem flushed. What happened?” Char knew something had happened; she could tell from the way she was looking at her and then darting her eyes around the garden to see if anyone else was nearby.
“Darcy was here,” Beth confessed, needing to let something out and not wanting Char to interrogate her in front of Jane.Jane can’t know.
“WHAT?! What did he want? Did you punch him? What did he say?” Char asked her incredulously.
“Ugh, no. I just... I don’t know. Nothing happened.” Beth was rambling nonsense because seeing Darcy had just put her brain into a tailspin. “He was here… and then we were kissing. I don’t know why. Why didn’t I say something? I’m so confused.” Even though she wanted to form some sort of coherent thought for Char, she was still recovering from the shock of seeing Darcy, and then kissing him; there were so many emotions flooding her mind that she felt like crying and she wasn’t sure why. Through the hurricane of feelings pulling her in every direction, she registered more footsteps heading their way.
“Don’t say anything to Jane. She can’t know he is here,” she quickly cautioned Char, ignoring her question-laden stare and slapping a smile on her face just as Jane rounded the corner on them.
“There you guys are! Wow, this place is incredible,” Jane said, looking around, distracted by the flowers surrounding her. “Should we head back to the house and get ready for dinner?” she asked, seemingly oblivious to the tension between Beth and Char and the distress that Beth was trying very hard to mask.
“Yeah, we should,” Char said, sparing her from giving what would have been a stuttered and emotion filled answer.Char looped arms with Jane and turned them towards the exit of the garden before Jane could pick up on Beth’s discomfort.
Chapter Thirty
The insideof the main house was more impressive than the outside, if that was even possible. They had pulled up right around five forty-five and Victor had escorted them inside. He proceeded to give them a brief tour of the main floor, starting with the oval great room that was directly in front of the entryway; the room had a domed ceiling with large windows and French doors that led out to the back patio and the vast back lawn. Four couches and several chairs were all precisely placed to accentuate the vastness of the room.
