of our somewhat similar problems.”
“Similar problems?”
“I have this virginity I’m dying to get rid of, and I think you’re definitely in the mood to end your long dry spell.”
Ryder groaned. “Jesus. Please don’t paint those pictures in my head.”
She laughed. “But they’re so pretty.”
“Did I say tenacious before?”
“You did.”
“Yeah. I think it bears repeating.”
Darcy reached over and lightly smacked him on the arm, and he shook his head at her playful touch.
Unable to resist, Ryder reached out and tugged her hair, the action meant to mimic hers—all in fun. Until he touched her long, silky strands…and held on.
Darcy’s eyes closed briefly, and he recalled her desires.
He tugged it harder and caught her soft intake of breath.
Shit. Abort. Abort.
He forced himself to release his grip. “You have very soft hair.”
Darcy shifted closer, running her fingers over the side of his face, touching his close-cropped beard. “Yours is coarse. It tickled when…”
Her flush told him exactly when and where his beard had tickled her. He gripped her wrist.
“Still playing the boss card?” she asked.
“I still am the boss.”
A voice in his head was telling him to let go, but instead, he interlocked his fingers with hers. And he didn’t move away when Darcy shifted even closer.
Too close.
Not close enough.
“Darcy,” he murmured, intent on repeating the same damn thing he had last week. The words fell away when she cupped his face with her free hand, her thumb lightly stroking his beard once more.
It had been too long since he’d felt desire. Fuck, since he’d felt anything that wasn’t either rage, despair, or numbness.
Darcy made him feel too many things…all at once. It was a jumble inside. And right now, the only thing he could focus on was how much he wanted to kiss her again.
So he made yet another mistake, as he leaned forward to capture her lips.
Darcy met him halfway and after that, he was lost to anything and everything that wasn’t her.
He grasped her waist, tugging her toward him. Darcy followed the direction of his grip, shifting until she straddled him, their lips never parting.
Their mouths opened, and he found her tongue, her teeth, stealing a taste of the wine she’d been drinking and the heat of her sweet breath.
Her hand drifted around his neck as her hips gyrated, pressing her pussy against his crotch.
What would he give to divest them both of their pants and push inside her tight—fuck, virgin—
Ryder broke the kiss, lifting Darcy off his lap just as headlights flashed through the window.
Darcy sat next to him, looking somewhat dazed—and disappointed.
“Looks like Leo and Yvonne are home.” It was clear from her tone she knew that wasn’t the reason why he’d broken off their kiss.
“I’m sorry, Darcy. I realize I’m giving you mixed signals. Saying something, then doing something completely different.”
She gave him one of her endearing grins. “So start saying the things that match those amazing kisses and we’ll be fine.”
He heard the car doors slam. He only had a few seconds to try to make this right. It was on the tip of his tongue to tell her that was the last time, that it wouldn’t happen again, but he’d already told that lie once, and even now, his resistance was weak.
All he could think about was dragging Darcy to his bedroom and tying her to his bed until he fucked out this uncontrollable hunger for her. Shouldn’t take more than a year or eighteen, he figured.
“I can’t do that. I know what you want, and I can assure you, I’m not that man. I’m sorry, but I’m just not,” he admitted, because what he wanted and what Darcy wanted were worlds apart. He wanted her physically, so badly it hurt. However, Darcy was looking at him with those soulful blue eyes, seeing someone who didn’t exist.
She wanted a prince.
He was a frog.
Chapter Six
“Well now, that’s a long face, lass. Where’s that bright smile of yours?”
Darcy offered her grandfather a half-hearted attempt as she climbed onto the stool next to his regular spot at the pub. It was a Sunday afternoon, and the regular crowd gathered to watch, discuss, and place wagers on the football games. She’d been watching the Ravens play upstairs with Colm, Kelli, Oliver, and Gavin, but she couldn’t get into the game, so she’d decided to seek out Pop Pop. He always knew how to cheer her up when she was low.
Her cousin Padraig was tending bar. He came over with a pint of Guinness for Pop Pop. “Want something, Darc?”
“A