Wild Embrace (Wilder Irish #11) - Mari Carr Page 0,23
without words—was rendered speechless for a moment, her mouth agape. When she did recover, her response was more breath than sound. “Holy. Fuck.”
“I know. But then, like I said, he stopped. Even though I told him I wasn’t saving my virginity for marriage or even love. I just haven’t found the right guy.”
Sunnie rolled her eyes.
“What?” Darcy asked.
“You’ve been saving yourself for him, Darc. You’ve been crushing on the guy for years.”
“That’s not true. It’s just…” Darcy didn’t have a response for that because her sister had hit the nail on the head.
“None of those idiot drunk frat boys at college ever stood a chance once you laid eyes on Ryder Hagen. You’ve always been more mature than most kids your age. I assume it’s because you were always playing with me and Finn and the older cousins. It’s like you skipped ahead a few years or something.”
Darcy had never considered it that way, but now that Sunnie pointed it out, that did make sense. Darcy’s friend circle was typically always two or more years older than her because the kids in her own grade annoyed the hell out of her.
“The whole night was just so surreal. We played a get-to-know-you game for hours. Asking each other about everything under the sun. He’s so incredible, Sunnie. He’s smart and passionate about his job and the boys and Blade Runner.”
Sunnie crinkled her nose in disgust. “That movie sucks. Both versions.”
“I know,” Darcy said laughing. “I said the same thing. And he’s got a sense of humor. A really good one. He’s sarcastic, which I love, and he’s got this great laugh.”
“Wow. Your crush just went full-blown. I think you’ve crossed into serious infatuation laced with unrequited lust.”
Darcy sighed and rested the side of her head on the back of the couch. “Yeah.”
“So he didn’t just say no to sex on the elevator floor, did he?”
“How did you know?”
Sunnie gave her a slight smile, full of understanding and empathy. “Because there’s no way you would look like this after an amazing kiss—and orgasm—with the guy you’ve been crushing on—”
“Please stop calling it a crush,” Darcy urged. “It makes me feel like I’m twelve years old.”
“Okay,” Sunnie said, revising her previous statement. “You wouldn’t look like this after a kiss with the guy you have the hots for if everything ended hunky-dory. Hell, if it had ended perfectly, he would have come up here with you, taken you back to your bedroom, and relieved you of that pesky virginity you don’t want.”
“That would have been perfect. He said we couldn’t do any of that because he’s my boss.”
“That sounds like an excuse.”
“I said that too.”
“Isn’t that IT girl from work you invited to happy hour here a few weeks ago married to another of the VP’s?”
Darcy nodded. “Yeah, she is, but Ryder’s still determined that nothing else can happen. Said all we can be is friends.”
“Can I ask you something, Darc?”
“Of course.”
“Did you see fireworks?”
Sunnie had teased Darcy about her uber-romantic side for years.
“So many fireworks.”
“Then don’t settle for friendship. I tried to lock Landon in that ‘just friends’ box. Thank God, he didn’t let me get away with it. Think how miserable I’d be right now.”
Sunnie had fallen head over heels in love with her best friend, and while the two were happily married now, her sister had definitely given Landon a run for his money.
“All I’m hearing is my husband is the greatest man on earth.”
Darcy and Sunnie laughed as Landon reached the top of the stairs. He looked beyond exhausted.
“Rough night?” Darcy asked.
“It was a blackout in Baltimore on Halloween, Darc, and I’m a cop. What do you think?”
Sunnie stood up and walked over to him. “Poor baby.” She kissed him on the cheek. “I guess I better get this guy home and tuck him into bed with me.”
Landon’s tiredness seemed to fade a bit as he wiggled his eyebrows suggestively. “All I heard was bed with you.”
Sunnie grabbed her purse and jacket, turning at the top of the steps to look at Darcy. “Don’t give up on him, Darcy.”
Darcy smiled, grateful for her sister’s encouragement. “I won’t. Good night.”
Darcy walked to the window, looking out at the dark night, recalling everything she and Ryder had said and done on the elevator. Something told her she’d be reliving tonight over and over and over.
He’d opened up to her, told her things he’d never told another living soul. They’d connected in a very deep and meaningful way.
And then Ryder had closed