Page 32 of Second Chances
“Was it something to do with George? I know you were just in Chicago because of him,” Beth forged on, looking for any flicker of recognition in his face. “Was it Mrs. DeBourgh? Has she done something? Has she threatened you, or me, or Georgiana?”
Darcy let out a quick, harsh laugh, halting Beth’s interrogation instantly. She looked at him waiting for the explanation, assuming she had struck a nerve with one of those suggestions.
“I wish it was any of them,” Darcy began, “hell, I wish it was all of them but, it’s not.It’s her.”
Her who?
Oh my God.
“Her, as in…” Beth’s voice was barely perceptible as she trailed off, waiting for the confirmation that she knew was coming.
“My ex.” His voice was laced with hatred. “The fucking bitch is back, and I can’t…”
He trailed off, his hand coming up to pinch the bridge of his nose.
Beth’s heart ached as she watched this strong man struggle to control his pain and anger and immediately, she knew that punishing him was not going to bring them closer together right now.
“What happened?” she asked, softly.
“God, Beth,” he paused again, shaking his head, “I can’t talk about it right now, I’m so fucking on edge. I will tell you, I swear on my life, but I just can’t focus right now. I feel like I can’t breathe.I need you.”
His eyes bore into hers on that last statement and Beth saw the need burning in them. His need for her, for her comfort, for her to help him soothe and erase the pain from his past that had come back to haunt him. He needed her solace, her grounding; she was his physical tether to the world and right now, his mind, his emotions were spinning out of control
“Please,” he begged.
Holding his tortured gaze, she set down her glass and held out her hand, signaling her invitation and acquiescence.She was his lifeline, and she would be damned if she closed herself off from him when he needed her most.
She barely even registered his movement across the room before she was crushed against him, his lips on hers. She kissed him back with every emotion coursing through her body; all her anger and frustration with him mixed and melded with her pain and empathy at his suffering, her fear of what had transpired. She poured it all out into that kiss until the only emotions she was left with were desire and love.
One arm held her fast to him, while his other hand roamed over her body, clutching her ass, forcing her hips flush to his so that she could feel the hard evidence of his need. It then moved up to grasp her breast, toying with her nipple through the fabric of her dress.
“I can’t go slow, Beth,” he said, strained, his breathing as labored as hers. “I need you now.”
“It’s ok,” she responded, her voice thick with desire, “I need you, too.”
Her admission released him, released everything that he had been trying to hold back. Pushing her up against the window, he roughly yanked her dress up, his hand delving beneath the material. He groaned loudly as his hand discovered her soft, unprotected, folds soaking with need for him.
“Fuck, you are incredible.”
She smiled to herself just before his mouth claimed hers again. She’d been hoping he would appreciate her lack of undergarments tonight.
Her arms around his neck, he grabbed her ass, lifting her and hooking her legs around his waist. She hadn’t even realized when he had undone his fly until she felt his pulsing erection slam inside of her. Pleasure rocketed through her as her mouth opened under his in a gasp, allowing his tongue to plunge deep inside her lips, just as his arousal was doing to her swollen lips below.
He thrust into her uncontrollably. Beth was momentarily concerned that they were going to break the window, but her escalating climax quickly blurred any rational thought from her mind.
She moaned his name, begging him for release.
“God, you are so fucking warm and tight,” he ground out. “I’m going to come,come with me.”
His thrusts became more frenzied, pushing her right to the edge, when suddenly his expert fingers were on her clit and she went soaring, screaming his name in unison with his shout of release. His hips continued to jerk against hers; as the waves of their climax began to finally slow, his forehead came to rest on her shoulder and she felt the rapidness of his breathing against the equally rapid rise and fall of her chest.
After a few moments, she felt him pull out of her, allowing her legs to come back and rest shakily on the ground, her dress dropping to cover her as if nothing had ever happened. Her body fully sated meant that her mind was easily able to shift back into gear, immediately refocusing on the need to know what had happened between Darcy and his ex-girlfriend. Adjusting himself, Darcy’s gaze finally returned to meet hers - one filled with hazy, yet determined, curiosity. His mouth thinned, his eyes glazing over as the remnants of pleasure left only to be replaced with hardened frustration as he, too, returned to the reality of the situation.
“Do you trust me?” he asked her bluntly.
Taken aback by his question, she stammered out, “Of course I trust you. I…wouldn’t be here if I didn’t.”
“I want to show you something,” he responded, cryptically.
