“The plan was always for us to leave the party separately,” she pointed out. Juliet had methodically planned that, weeks ago. “But we were supposed to leave at the same time.”
“Well, I got a little caught up. But as soon as I realized what time it was, I left. And here I am.”
Juliet wanted to – to shout. She didn’t. She wanted to cry. She certainly didn’t. She wanted… she wantedDarcy. All of her. And she didn’t want it to be like this.
Reaching up, she rubbed her temples, forcefully.
“Do you have a migraine?” Darcy asked, taking a step closer.
She huffed out a sigh, dropping her hands heavily back to her sides. “No. I don’t.”
She was experiencing something far worse.
“Do you want to be here tonight, Darcy?” She asked, her voice measured and quiet, which was the opposite of the emotions raging through her. “With me?”
“Again. What do you even mean by that?” Darcy demanded.
“Well, you were by Kerrington’s side all night. She was all over you.” Her hands clenched into tight fists, her fingernails biting into her palms.
“All over me?” Darcy echoed back, eyebrows lifting high on her forehead, the incredulity dripping from her words. “I was justtalkingto her. Do I have to remind you thatyouhad someone’s arm around you all night? I certainly didn’t.”
Juliet grinded her teeth together, her blood thrumming hot through her veins. “Do I have to remindyouthat Kerrington is bisexual? Andout?”
“Of course not,” Darcy threw back. “That was part of the appeal in talking to her.”
Juliet reeled back, feeling like the words had slapped her. She really felt like Darcy’s comment physically shoved her backward, her shoulders hitting the wall behind her.
“So, were you spending time with her to punish me?” Because it had worked. Very well. Juliet felt like she’d been put through the wringer. So much so, she’d rather have a meeting with Harrison than go through tonight again.
Darcy’s mouth fell open in clear offense. “No. Butone day, I plan on also being out. So, it would be nice to have some acquaintances or friends who are, too.”
One day. Juliet didn’t even know how to describe the feeling that word inspired in her. She had a lot of thoughts aboutone day. One day, when her next album was out and all of her obligations were complete. One day, when she could move through the world with so much more freedom.
But did herone dayand Darcy’sone dayalign?
She wanted, desperately, to know that they did.
“What does it matter if I spent all night at Kerrington’s side?” Darcy asked, her eyes blazing. Demanding. She walked closer to Juliet. Closer, until she was standing right in front of her, mere inches away. “What does it matter, when we both know who I’m going home to at the end of the night?”
Hearing her own words echoed back to herburnedthrough her veins, lighting her up from the inside out. Kickstarting a fire in her core, lighting up this feral, primal part of Juliet that she didn’t even know she had.
“Me,” she stated, breathless at this sensation rocking through her. “You’re here withme.”
Darcy surged forward, kissing Juliet with such force, she was slammed back harder against the wall. It forced all the air from her lungs, and she welcomed it.
She welcomed everything Darcy gave her. Right now. Ever. Always. As long as Darcy was giving it toherand only her, she wanted it.
She brought one of her hands up, sliding into Darcy’s hair, curling into a fist to hold her close. Making sure Darcy didn’t pull away from their kiss, because Juliet needed Darcy’s kiss more than she needed air.
Needy, soft sounds that Juliet couldn’t control for the life of her escaped the back of her throat. They came to life, swallowed immediately by Darcy. Which felt right, it felt appropriate. That was precisely how Juliet wanted to exist.
One of Darcy’s hands was clasped around the back of her neck, angling her up, the other roamed continuously over Juliet’s dress-covered body. Like all of that energy she constantly had was focused in on Juliet, like she couldn’t get enough.
Darcy scratched the fingers on the back of her neck higher, into her hair, then tugged. Angling Juliet’s head up higher, so their kiss broke.
Her lips were wet and she was breathing heavily, and she opened her eyes for just a moment. Only to slam them closed again when she felt Darcy’s lips on her neck. Ravenous, dragging from just under Juliet’s ear all the way down to where her shoulder connected. The softness of her open lips mixed with the heat of her breath made Juliet incredibly aware of the way her clit was throbbing.
Her hands were shaking as she reached to the side of Darcy’s dress and fumbled with the zipper, sliding it all the way down. She needed it gone, needed both Darcy’s dress and her own,gone. She needed nothing between them. Nothing and no one between them, at all.
