Page 12 of Third Time is the Charm
You can’t always get what you want.
Turning on the shower, she admitted what was no longer worth fighting to deny: She wanted Darcy and the way he’d made her feel; she wanted to be pushed, to be taken, to be challenged, to be consumed. She wanted to feel that intensity, she wanted to not feel like she was the only one learning and growing in a relationship.
Sometimes, you have to just take what you need.
What she needed was to play it safe. Getting what she wanted had almost gotten her destroyed. She needed a gentleman, someone who would treat her ‘properly’ even if she wanted to be pushed, who would always take her feelings into consideration even if she wanted to be challenged, someone who would take their time to build a deeper relationship with her even if she wanted to be consumed. She needed someone who wouldn’t give her what she wanted because what she wanted was too extreme, it too easily lent itself to unimaginable heartbreak.
Which meant that Colin was exactly what she needed.
As she finished washing under the steady stream of warm water, she felt a sense of relief come over her. She’d been so concerned about what was going to happen last night, how it was going to go, how he was going to make her feel. This morning, she realized that it had gone the best way possible. She’d been afraid that he would make her feel like Darcy did –what a foolish thought that was.
That wasn’t possible… for anyone to do.
The way she thought about it now… about Col… didn’t make her sad or make her feel like she was settling; it was just a different path – one that had a better chance of leading her to a happy ending.
Toweling dry, she wrapped the damp fabric around herself and walked back out into her bedroom, her phone buzzing on the nightstand just as she entered.
Picking it up, she smiled seeing she had a text from Colin.
-Good morning, Beth! Hope the wine last night didn’t make this beautiful morning too painful for you.
~ Nope, I managed to wake up unscathed. How about you?
Beth set her phone down as she threw on some sweats and a t-shirt. She needed to clean her apartment today, and then start packing for next weekend.
Because you have so much stuff to pack…
She shook her head, trying to ignore the smart-ass thoughts that kept popping up inside. Just as she pulled her head through the tee, her phone buzzed. Twice.
-Nothing could bring me down this morning ;)
- I did want to apologize for last night though, I let the alcohol get ahead of myself.
She reread his message. Was he talking about the kiss? She’d been the one that initiated it, why would he be apologizing?
~What do you mean?
- About the wedding.
His meaning clicked immediately and her fingers flew quickly over the screen to respond before he had the chance to elaborate.
~I want you to come with me.
~ To Jane’s wedding.
~ Crap. I mean, would you want to be my date for Jane’s wedding?
Beth stopped to breathe.Ugh.That was not smooth at all. In some ways, her responses were just as impulsive and demanding as Darcy’s – first taking a kiss from Colin after he’d started to walk away, not wanting to push their relationship too far. Now, demanding that he be her date for the wedding, even though he’d already offered, she should have asked.
-I would love to.
- Are you sure?
She smiled again in relief, ~Yes, as long as your dance moves live up to your promise.
- I always endeavor to exceed your expectations, Miss Bennet. This will be no different.
Beth bit her lip at his always seemingly perfect responses to everything. How it was possible that he was so perfect, and yet so single was still a mystery to her. For Darcy, on the other hand, it wascompletelyunderstandable how he was still unattached – even if it had been his preference.
