EIGHTEEN
That was—
She’d never—
There weren’t—
How had he—?
Wow.
Darcy blinked, shook her head and contemplated a hard pinch on her arm, just to make sure she hadn’t actually been dreaming. Only if she was, forget the pinch—with Jeff still dropping slow sensual kisses around her hips, thighs and belly—this was a dream she never wanted to wake from.
Of course thinking like that was enough for her to give herself a hard mental shake and remind herself this was about one night. About the both of them burning off the last of a lingering attraction while it still wouldn’t get in the way. While they had the chance.
Only as she lay in this bed that was Jeff’s, and yet not really, soaking in the attention of a man with a gift for spoiling her, she had to admit, at least to herself, her attraction wasn’t going anywhere. So maybe tonight was more about the chance to act on something she wanted but knew better than to try and keep.
And tonight what Jeff had given her was an experience incredible enough to keep her in fantasies through the months and most likely years to come.
Eventually there would be someone else—another man in her life. Maybe. If Gail had anything to say about it, anyway. But it would have to be a very long time off. Long enough for the memory of what being with Jeff was like to dull and fade. Because this, tonight—she already felt like he’d ruined her for all other men. And based on the glint in his eyes, he’d only just gotten started.
Crawling over her, he positioned himself between her legs, careful not to allow his weight to rest on her, but still somehow maintaining a contact between them in too many places to count. “Marry me.”
Darcy blinked up at him, her heart freezing until she caught the playful mirth in Jeff’s eyes and relaxed back into the bed. “Okay, but only for tonight. And only if you do that thing again.”
Gathering her close, Jeff kissed her long and slow and sweet as if he too wanted to draw out the night between them.
“God, you feel so good,” she whispered, awed by how true it was. “It’s been so long since I didn’t feel bad, I didn’t even remember what this was like.”
“It’s only been five months, baby, and you’ve already forgotten? My ego demands I make a more lasting impression this time.”
“Your ego again. Hasn’t he gotten us into enough trouble already?” Her hand smoothed over his chest, her knees sliding up against the outsides of his solid thighs.
It was so intimate.
The eye contact. The touch. The press of his hard sex against the wet softness of hers.
They wouldn’t have this again and she trusted him, so she told him what she’d meant.
“Besides, I’m not talking about the sex. What I’m feeling right now is more than that.” Then realizing how he might take her words, she quickly amended, “Don’t worry, I don’t mean love or anything crazy. It’s just...for once I’m not worrying, or sick, or uncomfortable or any of the other things. When I’m with you like this, I feel like everything is going to be okay. I feel...safe.”
There weren’t any questions. There wasn’t any risk.
Braced on his powerful arms above her, he searched her eyes, a slight furrow forming between his own. “Then maybe you should stay in my arms.”
Darcy stilled, not wanting to read...anything into his words.
He meant tonight. Right now. For a few more minutes.
His gaze darkened as he stroked her ear, down her neck and over her breast, where he circled her nipple with the tip of a single finger. “Maybe I shouldn’t let you go—”
His words cut off at the quiet thud of the door closing downstairs.
And suddenly Darcy’s heart was pounding for a different reason altogether than it had mere seconds before.
“Your mom!” she choked, trying to wiggle out from beneath Jeff, whose chin had pulled back and seemed to be eyeing her with equal parts amusement and irritation. Okay, and the lust was still there, too.
She shoved at his shoulders and he backed off the bed, muttering something about the joys of being a teenager again, and Darcy wondered just how many times he’d been caught in his parents’ house.
Then getting back on track, she realized the only thing that mattered was that this would not be one of them.
Jeff already had his pants on, and tossed Darcy her bra and his borrowed T-shirt. Then ducked, coming back up with her panties.
“Relax, I’ll head my mother off downstairs. Tell her not to bother you tonight.”
Darcy coughed. “What? No! Jeff, you look like...”
He pulled his T-shirt on over his head, thankfully covering the skin she’d marked.
“...well, like you’ve been doing exactly what we’ve been doing in here. I didn’t think it was possible, but even your hair makes you look guilty.”
Jeff stopped and, one arm in his dress shirt, craned to catch his reflection in the mirror. “Geez, you’re right.”
Yanking the T-shirt on as fast as she could, she looked around. Though they’d never actually made it underneath the covers, the duvet was a crumpled heap and the pillows scattered clear across the room. One was even in the doorway to the bathroom.
“She doesn’t still check on you before going to bed at night, does she?”
Jeff looked at her like she’d gone mad, and he thought it was adorable. Which was so not the response she was after right then.
“This is bad,” she stated, dread settling deep in her belly.
“No, it’s not.”
“Your mother opened her home to me. And the second she walks out the door, I’m treating it like—”
Jeff was in her face, then cutting her off with a hard kiss before pulling away to meet her eyes. “I know for a fact she’s left the house since you moved in.”
“That’s not the point and you know it. Button your shirt,” she said, desperately.
“Yours is inside out,” he returned, flashing a grin when she gasped.
“How can you be so blasé about this? It’s your mother. In her house—”
“Technically, it’s my house. But I know what you mean.”
She blinked at him, then yanked her shirt off and quickly pulled it back on.
Jeff held up a hand, squinting. “Do you hear her? Because I don’t. And for reasons I prefer not to get into, I’m pretty adept at sounding out my mother’s tread on the steps.”
Darcy arched an amused brow at him. “I can only imagine.”
And then her betraying mind was doing just that and it must have showed because suddenly Jeff pulled her in close, tsking at her ear. “Mmm, naughty. I’ve mentioned how much I like that, right?”
Flustered she pushed back, trying to make her scowl stick. “I don’t hear her. So I’m going to make a break for it. Good night, Jeff.”
He shook his head, catching her hand and threading their fingers together. “She must have gone up the south stairs. Stay.”
Darcy looked down at where their hands were joined, felt the overwhelming pull of yes from the very deepest part of her.
She peered up at him, again seeing the fatigue he’d shaken off while they were together, but now seemed etched in every line and shadow on his face.
It made her want to wrap her arms around him, kiss away the tension and— No.
“Better to end it like this I think.”
Because suddenly she didn’t feel so very safe at all.
* * *
Watching Darcy walk out his door, Jeff was struck with the thought that at least this time he’d seen her go. It wasn’t the blindside of Vegas, not even close.
Only witnessing the actual departure didn’t feel a whole hell of a lot better than it had the first time.
Which was nuts considering the panic and urgency he’d faced that night, while tonight he’d agreed to the limitations up front. So what was his problem?
Maybe it was the fatigue which, admittedly, had reached critical levels. He wasn’t thinking clearly was all. Once he’d caught a few hours of sleep, he’d have his head back on straight and his expectations as they applied to Darcy back in line.