“Papa, no. Please. I’ve worked so hard,”I found myself begging him.
Which is when he gave me the ultimatum about playing nice and falling inline.
I’d agreed to it all, of course. I had no other choice. No more trips that weren’t approved. No more parties unless good old Wilson escorted me. I agreed to act like the soon-to-be betrothed and smile until I felt sick—which I would feel rather quickly.
Now here I sit with a man who resembles everything I despise. With his piercing gaze and controlling nature, DariusFalcon is just another man attempting to rob me of my liberty. An arrogant arsehole with a title. One day, he’ll settle down with some poor sad soul, and she’ll have to play along and act like he’s perfect. No one will care that he’s frolicked his way around the world, breaking hearts along the way. They’ll write it off as a young man getting it out of his system before becoming a responsible citizen.
That’s total garbage.
Men don’t stop. They only cease being open about it, doing it behind closed doors. It’s a game of pretending that everyone is in on. But we all know it. We just refuse to draw attention to it, because we’ve bought into the myth that men will be men. We feign refined, when, in truth, we’re barbaric Neanderthals wearing rose-colored glasses.
And with that thought, it’s time for me to go.
Swallowing the last sip of my beverage, I push myself up to a standing position. “I’ll leave you to do what you came here for. It would be a shame to ruin both of our evenings. One of us should have fun while here.”
My head spins as my feet shuffle along the sandy boards, the alcohol hitting me harder than I anticipated. Guess those strong whiskey cocktails are meant to be sipped and not sucked through the tiny straw as if they were water. One would have probably done the job of washing my father’s earlier words from my brain. Three has left my face numb and my feet feeling incredibly heavy, like I’m dragging around bricks.
“Allow me to be a gentleman and escort you back.” He slips his arm around my waist, and the intoxicating scent of his expensive cologne—something woodsy and masculine—makes my head spin.
I hate that I even notice. I’ve noticed it all week.
“Do you know how to be a gentleman?”
The sparkle of a mischievous glint that lights his eyes when I tilt my head assaults my senses.
I didn’t know men’s eyes could sparkle. It’s as if someone dropped a little silver dust into them and flipped on the special effects. “What color are your eyes?”
“My eyes?” He scratches his beard, drawing my attention to that rough square jawline. “I believe my mother refers to them as gray. Plain gray eyes that don’t shine or stand out as they should for a duke. She once looked into surgically getting them changed to blue, like everyone else in my family. But when she learned such an invasive surgery could blind me, she opted for contacts.”
“You wear contacts? That must be why your eyes sparkle.” I reach up and pull his eye wide so I can get a better look. Right before my eyes, they transform, becoming so luminous they nearly glow. It’s as if I can see into his soul, and it makes me shiver.
Grabbing my wrist, he tugs my hand away as he chuckles. “No. I stopped wearing them when I was sixteen. The beginning of my rebellious days, where I did whatever I could to buck the system and piss my family off. Are you cold?”
“No. I’m drunk. Very drunk, in fact. I don’t recall the last time I was this drunk.” The scent of his cologne surrounds me as I lean into him, and I’m surprised by how secure I feel in his arms.
It’s been a while since I’ve felt this at ease with someone of the opposite sex. Although this is different, not the same as being in Lenny or Cris’s arms.
“So, about the gentleman thing you were discussing earlier. Are you sure you know how to be one?”
Long fingers, like silken threads, spread across my belly, a gentle squeeze pressing into the skin. “Not always, and definitely not often, but I’ve shocked a few unsuspecting souls.”
He squeezes again, and I start to wish he’d forget his gentleman ways and show me the other side of him.
“What if I don’t want you to be a gentleman?” I turn my head so I can get a better idea of what he smells like.
Breathing in, I detect a blend of leather and ocean. Reminding me of the days I would ride along the ocean shoreline back home. When my horse and I would trot amidst the crashing waves and the wet saddle would mix with the breeze of salt. One of my fonder childhood memories.
“Sorry to disappoint you, cupcake, but I’m not one to take advantage. I like my women aware when I unleash my wicked ways on their delicious bodies.” He bends down and kisses the top of my head, his lips brushing softly against my hair. “Not to mention I don’t deflower the pure and innocent.”
“Who said I was asking you to deflower me? Sorry to disappoint you, Your Grace, but I lost my virginity at the tender age of sixteen.” I do my best to wiggle my way out of his hold. “Not all of us are precious little porcelain dolls, even if we may look like one.” I’m done with this man and his blind view of the world.
Wilson wanted to be the man who took my virginity before he left for college. We both knew our families’ intentions, even though we weren’t dating. It happened the summer we spent touring Europe with our families. He suggested we get to know one another in a more familiar way. Make sure we were one day compatible, although I think he just wanted to fuck me, stake his claim on me first. I hadn’t envisioned losing mine to a boy who snuck into my room after our parents went to bed. I’d always dreamed of flowers and candlelight. What I got was a fumbled mess in the dark and a gentle but solid hand over my mouth to keep any uncomfortable winces from waking our parents. I didn’t protest when he deflowered me with mypermission, although it was less than satisfying, and I’m pretty sure he was no more experienced than me.
I’ve only been with a few other guys since—none of them were much better, unfortunately. All disappointments to the visions I had floating around in my head—all boys not quite men.
I’ve received more pleasure from the vibrator I ordered after hearing my college roommate discussing hers. How sad was that?
“Did… were you…” Darius grabs my arms and drags me in front of him. “Is that why you were crying earlier?”
