Forever After (19 page)

"Why don't you find out?"

Her feline challenge brought silver sparks to his eyes.  The fire behind them made her burn to be naked in his arms.

He found the zipper and slowly clicked it down its track.  When he eased his fingers under the one sleeve, Darcy wiggled and the gown slunk to the floor.  She stepped out of it on shaky knees, balancing herself with her hand on Seth's shoulder.  Flicking off her sandals, she stood before Seth in the merest slip of a champagne strapless bra and silken pantyhose.

His eyes could make her almost as hot as his hands.  Their grey brilliance flared in the shadows as she stripped off her bra and slowly peeled down the pantyhose.  She was close enough to him to see the nerve in his jaw working spasmodically, and she knew his dark good looks were probably flushed with passion.

She ran her fingers along the edge of his waistband then slowly yanked out his shirt.  After she unfastened each stud, she parted the material and lightly kissed his chest.  When she pushed the shirt over his shoulders, she brushed her breasts against his chest.  Seth was strung taut, his hands closed is fists.  He lifted his arm to unhook his cufflink.

Darcy stood on tiptoe, kissed him lingeringly, and whispered, "Not yet."

She could sense he was chafing against being powerless, chafing against her taking the lead.  She showered kisses across his hot skin that became moister with each of her kisses.  With his shirt hanging from his elbows, she drew intriguing designs on his stomach and he sucked in his breath.  He was her prisoner and she loved it.

When she bent her knees and kissed his navel, letting her tongue play in the swirl of hair, he growled, "Darcy, I can't stand much more of this.  If you don't undo these cuffs, I'll..."

She stopped, stepped back, trailed her eyes slowly from the beads of perspiration on his forehead, to his exposed chest, to his waist, to his feet.  "Don't be so impatient.  We have a long way to go."

"Darcy..."

Starlight fell on her angelic smile as she lifted his hand to her lips.  "Okay, I'll take them out."  But before she did, she kissed his wrist, his palm, sucked each of his fingers into her mouth until he blew out a breath of air and said hoarsely, "Woman, you're driving me crazy."

She rimmed the shell of his ear with her little finger.  "Good.  Because you do that to me all the time.  Turn-about's fair play."  She scraped her nails lightly from his shoulders to his knees.  His low groan excited her and instead of stepping away, she made a return trip until she felt his muscles flex.

When her fingers drifted lazily over his swelling need, he ground out, "That's it.  Every man has his limit."  Seth stripped off the rest of his clothes and within moments he took her down with him on the deeply piled carpet.

His hands roved over her frantically.  His lips covered hers and his tongue mimed the actions his body waited in urgency to perform.  Rolling on his back, he pulled her on top of him, guiding her hips into position.  He plunged into her and she absorbed the sweet torture of imminent release in his eyes.

She had wanted to make this last.  But she couldn't wait any more than he could.  Her need was as encompassing as his.

"Darcy!"  His voice was strained and guttural as he stared at her with eyes filled with an emotion he couldn't name.

She could.  She moaned as he thrust.  Her love and passion joined forces, tightening her around him, pushing him deeper.  She longed to know Seth, cherish him, love him in a timeless forever where there were no walls, no doubts, only the union of two souls.  Her nails dug into his shoulders in desperation.  All of her feelings for him swelled into every nook and nerve until earth and sky burst into a galaxy of a billion stars, each brilliant, dazzling, surrounding her with prickles of fire and ice.

For an endless moment, Darcy enclosed him in her love, offered him all she was, all she ever hoped to be.  She clutched Seth to her until she heard his shuddering response to her own peak of ecstasy.

There was no past, no future, only the fleeting now.

CHAPTER TEN

Two weeks later, blue and white streamers of crepe paper flowed from Darcy's kitchen doorway to the milkglass chandelier hanging over the dining room table.  Her cheeks bulged as she blew air into a long white balloon imprinted with HAPPY BIRTHDAY in navy letters.  She rubbed it on her yellow shorts, creating enough friction so it would stick on the smooth wall.

There was a knock at her back door and she scurried into the kitchen.

Vic smiled as he peered in the screened door.  Peg stood beside him holding a gaily wrapped box.

"Come on in," Darcy called.  "I'm so glad you could come."

Vic held the door for Peg as she stepped over the threshold and patted her very round stomach.  "The little one's decided to cooperate...I think.  As much as I want this baby to be born, I didn't want to miss Seth's party."  She grinned at her husband.  "I've been good all week so I can indulge tonight."

"Yep, I've kept her on skim milk and chicken," Vic joked.  "So she can have cake, ice cream and a few snacks."

Peg blew at the blond bangs on her forehead and rolled her eyes heavenward.  "He thinks he's my keeper, my coach, and my conscience.  I don't know what to do with him.  How would you like to keep him here for me until the baby's born?  Then maybe I'd have some peace."

Vic gave an exaggerated sigh.  "She doesn't appreciate me.  And Seth would have something graphic to say if I bunked on Darcy's couch."

"I'm sure Seth trusts you implicitly."  Peg's lips twitched with amusement.

"Honey, Seth and I were roommates.  After some of the stunts we pulled..."

Peg ran her finger along her husband's cheek.  "You have told me about all of those, haven't you?"

Darcy looked from Vic to Peg.  She'd liked both of them as soon as she'd met them.  They were deeply in love...anyone could see that.  Vic's face was gentle, loving, tender.  The last days of pregnancy were taking their toll on Peg.  She looked tired and uncomfortable.  But there was no mistaking her love for Vic or how much she wanted this baby.

Darcy took the present from her hand.  "Why don't you make yourselves comfortable."

Peg waddled into the dining room and braced her hands on the table before lowering herself into a chair.  "Do you need any help?"

"Not yet.  When Marsha gets here, we'll set out the food and drinks."

"Seth tries to leave the office by six on Fridays, but he was still there when I left.  What time's he supposed to arrive?" Vic wanted to know as he stood in back of his wife and absently stroked her shoulders.

"Eight-thirty.  I told him I was working at the garage until late and I had errands to run.  He thinks we're charcoaling steaks on the grill.  I hope he's not disappointed."

"Do you think he's suspicious?" Peg asked as she leaned forward and arched her back.  As Vic's hand dropped lower and rubbed, she threw him a grateful smile.

"I don't think so.  Since his birthday's Wednesday, he thinks we're going to celebrate next weekend.  With him going to Philadelphia tomorrow, he didn't think it was unusual I suggested a quiet evening here."

Darcy blushed when Peg gave her a knowing look.  Thankfully, Marsha popped in the back door just then.

Darcy insisted Peg sit and relax while she and Marsha carried food from the refrigerator to the table.  Darcy had baked a ham, sliced it thin and arranged it on a platter with an assortment of cheeses.  Jenna stacked rolls in a basket next to an array of fresh vegetables surrounding a dip.  Macaroni salad, potato chips and pretzels rounded out the light supper.  A bakery-decorated chocolate cake inscribed with "Happy Birthday Seth" would be paired with vanilla ice cream for dessert.

Darcy listened expectantly for the hum of Seth's engine.  When she heard it, she shooed everyone into the kitchen and made her way to the door.  Her heart thumped hard under her green and yellow flowered halter top.

When Seth opened the screen door and stepped inside, she gazed up at him with a secret smile.  As a greeting, he enfolded her in his arms and gave her a heart-stopping kiss.  Just as she felt herself melting into him, five voices shouted "Surprise."

Darcy wished she had a camera.  The expression on Seth's face was priceless.  He was stunned, chagrined, and embarrassed.

In an aside to her, he said, "I don't believe you did this."

She didn't know if that meant he was pleased or not.

Vic came over and slapped Seth on the back.  "We got you, pal.  It's about time you showed up.  Peg's been complaining about how hungry she is."

"Vic!"  Peg came forward to give Seth a hug and a peck on the cheek.

In the commotion, Jenna sidled up next to Seth and tugged on his hand.  He crouched down beside her so he was at her eye level and asked her, "Did you know about this when we went for ice cream cones the other night?"

"Yes."  She nodded vigorously.  "I promised Darcy I could keep the secret and I did.  I tried to talk her into buying pizza, but she said ham and cheese sandwiches were better for a party."  Jenna pointed to the decorations.  "I picked them out too."

"I bet you were a big help," Seth said seriously as he gave the eight-year-old a thank you hug.  Then he stood, ruffled Jenna's hair and followed Marsha's order to be the first in the buffet line.  When he looked at his elbow for Darcy, she'd disappeared.

After he filled his plate, he set it on the coffee table and sought her out.  She was hunched down in front of the open refrigerator door, pulling a dish from the back of the bottom shelf.  She had the cutest tush, the most delectable shoulders of any woman he knew.  He was glad she'd kept the party casual with no frills, no fuss.  But a lot of planning.  He felt as if he were in the midst of the kind of family he'd always wanted--happy, joking, caring.

Birthdays as a kid hadn't been much fun.  Once his mother had forgotten his birthday altogether.  For others, she'd gone all out with catered parties, inviting people he didn't even know.  They were social gatherings for her, not for him.  Every year she presented him with a card and a check to buy whatever he wanted.  He'd received a card in the mail yesterday with a note that she and her third husband were extremely happy.  Seth had declined the invitation to her wedding eight months before.

Seth's sixteenth birthday was the one that stood out in his mind.  His dad had given him a brand new fishing rod, and they'd gone camping for the weekend.  Birthday dinner had been hot dogs roasted over a campfire, baked beans, and chocolate Tastycakes with a candle poked in the middle.  It had been the best.  Almost as good as the next year when his dad had taken him to a Yankees' game.  And now Darcy was making his thirty-fifth year special in more ways than one.

As she stood, Seth moved in, his tall body towering over her.  He took the dish from her hands.

She seemed flustered.  "I forgot the deviled eggs.  I have to put them on the table and..."

Seth set the dish on the counter, shut the refrigerator door, and took Darcy's face between his palms.  "Thank you."

She looked relieved, as if she'd been afraid of his reaction.  Grinning, she winked.  "I guess I owe you thirty-five kisses."

His need for Darcy consumed him until he almost wanted to push her away as much as pull her close.  She roused primitive feelings--not only desire but the need to protect, harbor, and care for her, even for the details of her daily life.  Somehow, pulling her close always won over pushing her away.

"One will do for now," he breathed a moment before his mouth set firmly on hers.

She opened to him and he drove deep within.  She tasted like mint, smelled sweet, all woman.  A tremor rippled through him as she stood on tiptoe and tangled her fingers in his hair.  As always the pulse of her kiss settled the push-pull tug of war and close was all he wanted.  Stampeding need gripped him as he realized experiencing Darcy on a daily basis might soon be impossible.

If he chose to return to Philadelphia.

He couldn't imagine not seeing the innocent wonder on her face, the sweetness of her smile, the honesty in her eyes.  He needed her too much.  The balance he'd carefully tended was shifting and he felt powerless.  How could a woman make him ache so?  His hands left her face, lowered to the sides of her breasts.  They became greedy and the heels circled her firm mounds until his palms burned.

When Darcy contoured her lower body to his, he shuddered, surrounded her with his arms and lifted her off the floor.  He ground his hardness into her softness.  Her tongue darted against his--giving, taking, sharing.

The bursting of a balloon and a barrage of laughter pierced their passion.  Seth made a final sweep with his tongue, slowed the kiss to a lingering caress, and let Darcy slide down the length of his frame until her feet touched the floor.  But still he held her.

His breath fanned her ear as he said, "Our guests are waiting for the deviled eggs."

She mumbled into his chest, "I guess we'd better take them in."

"Not yet.  I need a minute unless you want to loan me an apron to hide the evidence of what we've been doing."  Darcy stirred against him and he scolded, "Stay still, woman.  Or the cooling down process will take that much longer."

She giggled against his beige safari shirt.  "I could blow on you...you could pretend I was a fan..."