Forever After (24 page)

"Marsha, don't push, okay?  I know you mean well, but I'm not ready."

"Hibernating's no cure."

Hibernating was no cure, but it was all she could cope with at the moment.

Marsha added her envelope to the growing pile and threw out a tantalizing scrap that captured Darcy's interest.  "Brad's dating one of the account managers where he works.  He's taken her out twice."

"Does that bother you?"

"Heavens, no.  I'm thrilled.  He's moving out of his mother's next week too.  He's really trying to put his life back together."

"Seeing Jenna more often has probably helped."

"It has.  I wish I'd seen sooner how much Jenna means to him.  Maybe when we were married, I took over and made her my responsibility.  I don't know.  But I do know we're getting along better now that we can see each other as people rather than as ex-husband and ex-wife."

Darcy realized what a huge step that was.

"Do you want to eat supper with us tonight?  Chuck's stopping for Chinese after he picks Jenna up from ballet lessons.  We'll have plenty."

"No.  I want to get a shower, do my nails.  The usual."

Marsha placed her hand on Darcy's arm.  "Promise me you'll think about going out with Chuck's cousin.  The wedding's two weeks away.  Don't dismiss the possibility."

"I won't, but--"

The doorbell chimed.  Darcy looked at Marsha.

Her friend shrugged.  "It couldn't be Chuck and Jenna.  Not yet."

When Darcy opened the door, she gasped.  A unicorn standing in her yard couldn't have surprised her more.  Seth wore a red windbreaker, black jeans, and a serious expression.  He was holding a large two-foot package under one arm and balanced a bakery box on the palm of his right hand.

She opened the storm door only a crack.

Seth's resonant voice reverberated to her toes.  "Can I come in?"

Why was he here?  Was he bearing presents?  Had anything changed?  There was only one gift she wanted--his love.  She was afraid to hope for that.

When she hesitated, he caught the door with his foot.  She stepped back.  He came inside and gazed at her so intently she couldn't look away.

Marsha cleared her throat.  "Hi, Seth."

His head snapped around.  "Oh.  Hello.  I didn't realize Darcy had company."

"No company."  She pushed her chair back and stood.  "Just me, and I'm leaving."

Suddenly Darcy was afraid to be alone with Seth.  "You don't have to..."

Marsha picked up her coat from the sofa and slipped into it.  "Yes, I do.  Let the invitations sit.  We can finish them tomorrow."

With a wave, Marsha was gone.

Seth's eyes found Darcy's again.  "Can we sit down?"

She swallowed and felt more awkward than she'd ever felt with him.  "Sure."  She sat on the loveseat and waited.

He set the bakery box on the coffee table and placed the other one on her lap.  Shucking off his windbreaker, he sat on the recliner as if he wanted to keep his distance.  She couldn't read his expression.

Seth's heart was pounding so fast he could hardly breathe.  She looked as beautiful as ever, but tired...as if she hadn't been sleeping well...thinner in the face so her eyes were huge, incredibly green.  He'd hurt her badly.  While he'd been soul-searching, realizing how much he loved her, she'd been trying to forget him.  Had she done a good job of it?

The fist in his chest tightened.  He forgot his speech and ignored the longing to take her in his arms.  "I was wrong, Darcy.  About us.  I couldn't admit how I felt.  But now I can.  I need you in my life."

She was still looking at the box in her lap.  He had to do a better job than that.  Where was his eloquence when he needed it?  Sticking in the back of his throat.  His heart was too involved to make this as polished as a courtroom strategy.

He'd never been vocal with his feelings, but he realized if he couldn't be now, he'd lose her.  Despite what was in the box.

    So he took a bolstering breath and forged ahead, needing to get it all out, not exactly sure where to begin.  "You stirred up my emotions and made me face feelings I had buried for a long time.  You've caused me days of confusion and turmoil, but you've also given me more peace and love than I've ever experienced."

Her face was blank and he didn't know if he was getting through or not.  Maybe he'd do better to have her open the present.  "Open the box, Darcy."

She lifted the lid off the box and pushed back the tissue paper.  Reaching inside, she pulled out a brown fuzzy rabbit dressed in a blue velveteen vest.

She put the box aside.  "He's adorable, Seth.  But I don't understand--"

"Check his pocket."

She dipped her fingers into the small pocket on his vest.  Seth held his breath until she found the ring.  She lifted it out and stared at it, mesmerized by the brilliant princess cut diamond.

Seth's voice was husky as he asked, "Do you think our children could make him real?  You've made me real, Darcy."

Understanding dawned in her eyes.

He moved to the edge of his chair.  "I thought I wanted freedom.  You gave it to me by cutting me free.  What I've realized in the last month is that I can't have freedom unless I have you.  You give me the freedom to be who I am.  I've been pretending for years, pretending men's rights were the issue.  But being afraid to risk, being afraid to love was the real issue.  You made me stop pretending.  I love you, Darcy.  Will you marry me?"  He'd never bared himself like that to anyone.  Dear God, let her love him as much as he loved her.

With the ring clutched in her hand, Darcy jumped up.  Seth surged forward at the same time and tugged her into his arms.  She hooked one arm around his neck, the other around his waist as she raised her mouth to his.

They waded through the breakers of passion, unable to get enough of each other.  Their feverish tongues thrust, played and cavorted with a sense of freedom as well as passion.  Their lips clung while they touched and stroked.

Darcy knew the full joy of loving and being loved in return.  There was no mistaking the honest emotion in Seth's eyes, in his voice as he'd proposed, in his lips and hands as they caressed her.  The long, drawn-out kiss lasted until with spartan determination, Seth dragged his mouth away from hers but held her tightly against him as if she'd fly away if he gave her too much leeway.

Neither breathed until Seth asked huskily, "Where's the ring?"

Darcy pushed back slightly, brought her hand between them, and opened it.

He took the ring from her palm and slipped it on her third finger.  "How I love you."  The love in his eyes was fierce; he wasn't attempting to hide or deny it.  It was naked and beautiful.  "As much as I want and need you at this moment, we have to talk."

Talking was the last thing Darcy wanted to do.  Her hands tunneled under his sweater, reached around his back and glided up his spine.  As he shuddered, her love made her bold.  "I love you, Seth.  I want to marry you.  We could talk while we undress."  

His eyes were dark grey skies, swallowing her.  "We can go upstairs."

"But we don't have to."

Seth reluctantly pulled back to retrieve two pillows from the loveseat.  He dropped them on the floor, never looking away.

Darcy stared at him--the taut pressure of his thighs against denim, his slim hips, his wide shoulders, the sensual curve of his lips.

She admitted, "I was so miserable without you.  I thought you were out of my life for good.  It was a shock when I saw you standing there..."

Seth hugged her, then lifted her sweater over her head.  She did the same with his and tossed it to the floor.

He tenderly combed his fingers through her hair.  "For the first time in my life, I didn't know what to say."

He unclasped her bra.  She flicked it from her arms, not caring where it landed.  He swallowed hard as she went to work on his belt buckle, and she knew he was eager as she was to consummate their love.

"As soon as I left you, I knew I'd made a mistake," Seth confessed.  "But after I realized how much I loved you, I had to let it sink in.  When it did, I didn't know how to tell you what I was feeling."

Darcy's eyes played over his chest, admired him, and told him how much she wanted him.  "I think you did a wonderful job."

Seth unfastened the buttons on the side of her slacks and let them drop.  Darcy grated down his zipper and pushed his slacks and briefs from his hips.  They stepped out of their clothes and shoes. 

Seth's body was magnificent.  Every inch of his length was emphatically male.  She'd never tire of looking at him, touching him.  She ached to lie beside him, be united to him.  "If you think I can fit in, and if Philadelphia is where you want to live, I'll go with you."

He gazed at her adoringly, his smoky eyes reaching for her heart.  "You'd do that for me?"  When she nodded, he stepped forward and let his hands tenderly hug her shoulders.  "You'd fit in anywhere.  I'm surprised you think you wouldn't."

"I thought I embarrassed you at that party.  I didn't mean to tell anyone about my occupation, but it slipped out.  And then when Patrice's friend unsheathed her claws, I couldn't keep quiet."

"Bright eyes, I'm proud of your occupation.  I don't want you to feel like you have to hide any facet of who you are.  I was proud of you for standing your ground."

His thumbs tenderly ridged Darcy's collarbone.  "But as far as I'm concerned, you can stand your ground in Hershey.  I'm now Vic's official partner.  This is where I want to be.  It's a great place to raise kids.  I've been spending some time at Vic and Peg's, and I'd like to have a family like theirs.  How do you feel about it?"

"I want your children almost as much as I want to marry you."  Darcy stared intently at Seth's lips.  Gently she stroked his cheek and down the side of his neck.  His gaze seared to her soul as it devoured her unapologetically.  The moment was rife with meaning.

He kissed her forehead, her eyes, her nose, her chin.  Darcy's head fell back as his lips blazed down her throat to her breasts.  While she reveled in each tingling touch and kiss, he knelt down in front of her and rested his cheek against her stomach.  She curled her fingers in his hair as his hands slid up and down the backs of her legs, from her knees to her thighs, until she wobbled and crumpled down beside him.  He slowed down the pace and lovingly watched her face as they lay side by side.

He took her in his arms with reverence as if she were a fragile flower he might crush.  But she was having none of that.  She pressed against him, buffed her flesh against his until the kiss he intended to be gentle and tender evolved into a conflagration of a lifetime's pent-up need and desire.  Kissing wasn't enough.  Holding wasn't enough.  Touching wasn't enough.

She arched against his strength.  He drove into her shelter.  They fused in perfect cadence...heart, soul, mind and body...freely without doubt, fear, or restraint.  When Seth's life force exploded, Darcy cried her acceptance and they clung, their words of love becoming vows, oaths, pledges for a future of happiness.

Darcy's lassitude was heavenly, her sense of fulfillment overwhelming.  After an interlude of sighs, silent communication, hazy warmth, Seth kissed Darcy's brow.  She nestled against him, her leg intimately thrown over his.

"What's in the other box?"

He chuckled.  "A cheesecake."

"Cheesecake?"

"If the bunny didn't work, I thought cheesecake might.  Vic told me it always works with Peg."

Darcy laughed.  "What if I didn't like cheesecake?"

"I didn't think of that.  Do you?"

"I love it.  Especially if it has cherries on top."

"It does.  But before we dig into it, we have to settle something important."  He stroked up and down her spine.  "When will you marry me?"

"Whenever you want."  She blew on his chest hair.

"You'd like a church wedding, wouldn't you?  With your family and friends, Jenna as your flower girl."

Her cheek rubbed over his nipple as she lifted her head.  "Yes, I'd like that.  But only if you want it, too."

"I want whatever makes you happy."

Her lips curved up.  "You make me happy."  She nuzzled his shoulder, treating it to miniature licks and pecks.

His voice wafted around her head.  "I took your advice on the Gilbert case."

She lifted her head.  "What advice?"

"I talked with his wife's lawyer and then the four of us met.  Gilbert decided to opt for joint instead of solitary custody.  I recommended a good lawyer in Philly to work out the details for him."

Darcy's fingers brushed the hair at Seth's temple and traced his ear.  "I thought you didn't joint custody was the best option."

"I think in this case it will work.  I hope so."  Seth twirled a lock of Darcy's hair around his finger, and as if he needed to tell her about every change he'd made in his life, he said, "I called my mother last week."

Darcy had been idly running her fingers across his chest.  She stopped.  "And..."  She felt rather than heard the slow sigh that sifted through his lips.

"And...I told her I might visit her some weekend soon."  He was quiet for a moment.  "She says she only drinks mineral water these days.  She and her husband have been doing extensive traveling."