Page 31 of Second Chances (Passion and Perseverance #2)

“We both need to understand how the other perceives love, not just assume that it’s one way or another.

When I push you to tell me things, whether it’s simple stuff or hard stuff that you’d rather forget, or when I ask you to come with me to events, or just want to spend time with you, you need to understand that that is how I know that you love and value me, that it’s not just me being nosey.

And I,” she paused here, unable to stop herself from kissing him lightly on the chin, “I need to understand that when something is going on and you are pushing for physical attention, that it is because you are looking to feel loved and acknowledged by me.”

He groaned, closing his eyes and letting his forehead rest on hers.

“I don’t know what I did to deserve you,” he began. “I feel like a fucking monster when I do that, like I can’t control myself, but I need you. It’s the only way I know for fucking certain that you need me too.”

“Shh, it’s ok. You aren’t a monster; we both just need love in different ways sometimes.

Realizing that, now, is going to make a difference; it’s going to make things easier,” Beth reassured him, knowing that it would take time for him to be fully convinced that he wasn’t completely in the wrong for how he acted.

“I love you,” he said simply, his eyes opening to lock onto her gaze.

He made no move to kiss her or draw her closer.

In fact, Beth had to question if he had even breathed since he said the words; he had gone so still, completely eliminating any physical component to his endearment.

Instead, he let the words stand alone for her to absorb, allowing them to sink in and warm her heart instead of doing so with a kiss, allowing them to comfort and embrace her instead of doing so with his arms, allowing them to love her the way that she needed.

Beth recognized the statement that his lack of action was making and she felt the tears gathering in her eyes at the small, simple gesture, letting her know that he had heard her, that he believed her that these revelations would make a difference .

“I love you, too,” she said, her voice thick with emotion, and then, clasping his face, she leaned in and kissed him deeply, letting her mouth vouch for the verity of her words, letting her kiss love him the way that he needed.

It took less than a second for him to realize she was giving him the comfort that he needed before he relaxed and gave in to her kiss, groaning as her mouth opened to him, his tongue sweeping inside to toy with hers.

Beth felt her back against the window as Darcy’s arms crushed her to him, his mouth angling over hers for better access.

Then his caresses slowed, his kiss deepened, as if, with each lick, with each nip of his teeth, he was drinking in her forgiveness, her compassion, her love for him.

Beth followed his lead, letting their kisses turn slow and languorous.

Her arms linked around his neck, she enjoying his caress, succumbing to the mind-numbing desire that permeated throughout her.

Suddenly, she felt her legs lifted out from underneath her, her gasp breaking their kiss, as he carried her to the couch with a devious smile on his face.

She bit her lip, returning his smile, as she closed the distance between their mouths again, resuming their kiss just as Darcy sat them down on the couch, her legs over his lap.

God, he was delicious.

Maybe it was because of the relief, the hopeful progress, of their conversation that had awakened her passion, but all Beth knew was that her body burned for him.

She didn’t know where it had come from; their kisses had been slow, unhurried, the physical seal of their commitment to each other, and yet somehow, over the past several minutes, her desire had built, silently and steadily, to a searing ache at her core that was impatient for release.

Just at the moment when she realized how completely aroused she was, Darcy broke their kiss and pulled back to look at her.

She stared back, confused why he had stopped.

“What’s wrong?” she asked, impatiently, drawing a warm laugh from his lips .

“Nothing,” he replied, smoothing back a stray strand of hair from her face, leaning in to kiss her forehead. “I just want to talk to you about your day, that’s all.”

Wait, what?

She stared blankly back at him, her mind having to fight through her arousal to process what he had said.

He wants to talk? Now?

God, she was so aroused; she could feel that her leggings were soaked between her thighs, a sign hopefully hidden by her sweater dress.

All she wanted was for him to be inside her already, taking her to oblivion like only he could; even though hers was partially hidden, his arousal was blatant through the fabric of his pants, so she knew that he wanted this too.

But he wants you to feel loved more.

Shit.

As much as Darcy wanted to fuck her right now, he had stopped and put his needs to the side, to try and give her the quality time talking with him that she said she valued so much.

“You want to talk now?” she couldn’t help herself from asking on a laugh; there was no point in hiding how much wanted to not be talking right now.

“Yes,” he said firmly, with a smile.

“Are you sure?” she teased him, as she let one of her hands run down his chest towards his groin.

Catching her hand just before it reached his aching member, he said with a fake disapproving stare, “I am sure.”

As much as she loved him for his attempt at restraint, she couldn’t help the disappointed glance she gave him.

“Don’t worry,” he responded with a laugh, “I’m not going to let you get away with just talking…”

To emphasize his point, his hand released hers to travel up her inner thigh, stroking her core through her damp leggings. Beth moaned, trying to arch up against his fingers before he pulled them away. Her eyes opened and she saw his jaw clenching in self-restraint, desire burning hotly in his eyes.

This wasn’t easy for him either.

“Tell me about your afternoon,” he commanded, turning his gaze from hers as his hands went to work taking her boots off of her feet .

“It was good,” Beth said, struggling to even remember what had happened this afternoon.

As soon as she stopped talking though, she noticed his hands had stopped their task.

“I… ahh… met Jane at Kleinfelds,” she continued, sighing as he freed her feet from the confines of her boots and began to firmly rub them.

Her eyes closed as she moaned with pleasure, enjoying the massage on her sore muscles that had begun to burn as soon as her shoes were removed; until he paused, again, waiting for her to keep talking.

“I met Jane… and my mom… and Caroline,” she continued, segmentally while her brain tried to focus on both the task of talking and the pleasure of Darcy’s touch.

Her eyes had closed again and she missed the shadowed flicker of hatred cross his face at the mention of Caroline’s name.

“Jane was already trying on dresses… when I got there,” she paused on a swift inhale as Darcy’s hands ran up her legs, coming to rest for a moment on the flatness of her belly before grabbing the waistband of her thong, slowly working it over her hips.

“Oh?” Darcy prompted her to continue, “What did you and your mom and Caroline do while you waited?” Her senses still overwhelmed from the mental and physical stimulation from Darcy, she missed the subtle harshness in his voice as he repeated Caroline’s name.

“Talked about the event… last night.” Beth moaned as he massaged her thighs followed by her calves, while slowly working her underwear off of her legs.

Now this kind of talking she was on board with right now.

“Caro wondered where I went… asked how I was feeling… asked about you.” The mention of him caused Darcy’s hands to freeze.

“What about me?”

This time Beth heard the tension in his voice and opened her eyes before answering .

“Not you , you. I mean at this point, I guess I could have told her, but my mom was there and I was, uhh, flustered from our disagreement earlier and I didn’t want to have to deal with her questions.

Either way, she asked about my date…she doesn’t know it was you.

” Darcy’s jaw clenched for a moment and then visibly relaxed at her explanation, his fingers beginning to trace lazy circles up the silky softness of her legs.

She wanted him to go faster, to come closer, to touch her.

The need to feel him was so overwhelming, she forgot about his concerned look.

Just when he almost reached the apex of her thighs, he stopped again, and her desire felt like it had run directly into a wall, literally knocking the air out of her.

“I can’t control myself, if I keep going,” Darcy admitted, “and I want to talk to you first; I want to put you first. Then…” His eyes darkened as he trailed off.

Beth watched his hands reappear out from underneath her dress, to clasp hers and hold them tightly.

“Tell me, how was Jane?” he continued, his eyes pleading to let him do this, not just for her, but for him.

With the interesting combination of grateful disappointment, Beth smiled at this man who judged himself so harshly for his actions, and then tried so incredibly, so consciously to make up for them.

Just think about Jane. You can do this.

Placing a mental barrier between herself and her desire, she poured her focus into what she would want to tell him about this afternoon.

“Well, at first, she was letting my mom influence…well, more like dictate what she was trying on, what she thought she should wear,” Beth began, her eyes drifting to their interlocked fingers, rubbing his thumb with hers, “but, after the first dress, I went back into the dressing room with her and told her she needed to stand her ground. Wouldn’t you know it, the next dress she put on was the one she fell in love with.

” Beth smiled at the recollection of her sister’s happy face.