pressed a kiss in her palm. “I forgive you, though, because you look absolutely stunning.”
A softness entered her expression and her smile hit him right in the middle of his chest. He didn’t want to let her go, so he kept her hand in his.
“Shall we?”
They walked to the third floor where the fund-raiser was being held in an astonishingly ornate room with murals painted on the stucco walls that were made to look like wood panels. As they moved through the crowd toward the bar, Lucien was stopped by an older gentleman. He had to be pushing seventy, and yet he was fit and rather handsome in a distinguished way; but it was the way that Lucien tensed when the man stepped into their path that clued Darcy in that this was no friend.
“Lucien Black.”
“Judge.”
“I’m surprised to see you here; I would have thought for sure you had more entertaining pursuits than supporting the arts.”
“Which goes to show you know nothing about me.” Lucien tightened his hold on Darcy’s hand and she could practically feel the anger pulsing from him.
“Who is your friend? She’s not really your type, is she?”
Darcy stepped in at that moment because she had the sense that Lucien was about to punch the older man in the face.
“Darcy MacBride, and you are?”
He didn’t seem to hear her, because he simply stared with an odd look on his face. And then, as if his brain kick-started again, a smile spread over his face, but it was far from warm as he reached for her hand and brought it to his lips.
“And what is such a beautiful creature doing with the likes of him?”
Darcy pulled her hand away and her voice turned cold. “Lucien, I’d like a drink.”
Not missing a beat, Lucien pulled her from the judge.
“Nicely done, Darcy,” he whispered in her ear, and she looked up at him, surprised to see humor had already replaced his anger.
“What a jackass,” she said in reply.
A short while later, Darcy sipped her wine and watched Lucien talk with someone important across the room. She hadn’t been able to move her thoughts from their greeting earlier. It wasn’t so much what he’d said, but how he’d looked at her, like she was a tall glass of water and he was a thirsty man.
His head turned in her direction and he smiled, a secret little smile that made desire stir in her gut. In the next minute he was walking toward her, and his determined look made her body pulse. He reached her and grabbed her hand before leading her away from the crowd. He found an empty room and pulled her into it before closing the door behind them.
“If you don’t stop looking at me like that, I’m going to give in, Darcy, and to hell with the consequences.”
Even though she already knew the answer, she heard herself ask, “Looking like what?”
He moved so close that their bodies were practically touching. His breath fanned out along her skin as his scent filled her. “Like you want to devour me.”
She did. Heaven help her, but she did.
“Tell me I’m wrong,” he demanded.
The words wouldn’t come and she even went so far as to lick her lips in anticipation. His eyes moved to her mouth and she saw how hard he was fighting it.
“Kiss me,” she said.
He needed no other encouragement and yanked her up against him before settling his mouth over hers. She was like a junkie, craving his taste. He licked her lips and when she sighed, he plunged in, tasting her with a thoroughness that left her weak. His hands moved over her bare back, claiming her as hers moved under his jacket to roam over the corded muscles of his back.
He wanted to push her up against the wall, lift her skirt, and sink into her, but self-preservation made him pull back. Her eyes were still closed and desire had brought a rosy hue to her cheeks. She was so fucking beautiful, so goddamn edible, but sex was the easy part; it was all the rest they’d had trouble with.
“I shouldn’t have done that.”
“I wanted you to,” she said simply.
“I wanted to too, but—”
Darcy finished what he intended to say.
“Not a good idea.”
“I’m glad you feel the same way.” But he wasn’t glad. He was actually pissed that she could even suggest that something as explosive as that kiss could be a bad idea. He ignored the fact that he had been about to say that very