Authors: Casey Clipper
"How are you feeling?" Darren asked, startling her. He took a seat on the edge of the bed.
Her vision remained a bit blurry, but she was able to see his five o'clock shadow and wrinkled clothing. How long had he been there?
"Better." Her voice
was hoarse and throat dry.
Darren poured her a cup of water and pushed the bed into a
semi-reclined position.
"Thank you," she said, her voice raspy. She downed the full cup of water without taking a breath. Darren filled her cup up again and she drank that one as well.
"Your parents left a couple hours ago. They’re concerned for you,” he said gently. “I believe they're going to release you tomorrow," he said and filled her cup for a third time.
She moaned, "I don't want to think about it."
"You can't go back to your place. You live with him, right?" he asked.
"I do, but I have nowhere to go," she said. Abruptly aware of what she must look like, she looked away from hi
s watchful eyes. What could Darren possible see when he looked at her in this condition? Battered woman syndrome. That was why he took such pity upon her.
"Hmmm," Darren said, clearly forming a plan. "I can make some phone calls to see about getting you an apartment on your own."
She scoffed, "I'm a real estate agent, Darren. I can do that on my own."
He held up his hands. "Trying to help. I don't want you going back to your apartment if he's going to return. The police have filed a PFA, but let's face it Court, the only thing that's going to do is put him in jail
after
he's harmed you. They are searching for him to make an arrest but that will only keep him in jail for a couple days max."
Courtney sighed, tired and deflated. "I know
, but I have all my belongings there. Everything I own is in that apartment. I don’t want to bring this to my parents’ doorstep."
"I can help you get new furniture. I'll call my designer," he offered.
She looked at him in disbelief. "You are not buying me furniture."
"I didn't offer to buy you furniture. I offered to call someone to assist you in buying new furniture." He chuckled.
"Oh," she said embarrassed.
"Her name is Crystal Warington and she's the best. All you have to do is give her a price range and color scheme and she'll stick to it," he said.
"Okay," she conceded. Her mind hazy because of the pain and meds, she was in no condition to argue. He had brilliantly backed her into a corner.
"You'll need your clothes, but I can hire someone to go into the apartment and get everything," he offered.
"There are people who do that?" she asked. What the hell was happening?
"Court, there are people that can be hired to do just about anything," he said and smiled down at her. "Let me take care of this for you so you can concentrate on healing."
"Why?"
"So once you're healed you will allow me to properly court you," he said as if it was obvious.
She chuckled, because that's the only reaction she could muster, then rolled her eyes and winced in pain. "Ow, that hurt."
"Then don't roll your eyes," he scolded.
"Okay, Dad," Courtney retorted.
Darren playfully growled
at her. She couldn't help but notice the glint in his eyes. What the hell?
***
Over the next few months Darren spent his time diligently helping Courtney recover from her injuries, get back to work, and move into and decorate her new apartment. Conveniently her new place was located only three miles from his home. He "just happened upon it."
Frightfully hesitant to allow Darren into her life, he'd proved difficult to get rid of. Even when she refused to answer his calls or her front door. All he would do was wait and accost her when the opportunity presented itself
. He did everything in his power to try to break through the wall she had erected around herself.
David had never shown up after the night of the beating. Courtney couldn't help but to feel dejected over the fact she was expendable to him. After
all he had put her through over the years, he was just...gone. She voiced that thought to Darren one night when he had managed to coax her to dinner.
On a dime
he put a stop to that train of thought. "Court, honey, you certainly are
not
expendable. I personally cannot imagine you not in my life," he admitted. "David doesn't deserve you." He reached across the table, took her hand, and laced their fingers together. "Hell, I don't deserve you but I want you for myself. I want to love you, cherish you, look after you. I want to spend my days and nights with you and treat you like the queen you deserve to be treated. You deserve nothing less."
How could she respond to such an admission? During her recovery, he
had refused to leave her side. He cooked for her, took her to doctors' appointments, and rented movies to spend an evening together. He single handedly helped her heal her body, mind and soul. He worked his way into her life and her heart and forced her see there was another to be treated by a man who supposedly cared for a woman.
She smiled skittishly. "I'm not going to get rid of you am I?"
He snorted and shook his head. "Never."
***
Derrick Murphy
"Who is she?" Derrick choked out.
He had come to Darren’s bar to find his brother, only to find him wrapped up in the arms of the most beautiful woman he’d ever laid eyes on.
Jack saddled up next to them. Carl turned back to his drink, uninterested in the show. Derrick and Jack watched Darren slow dance with the petite, gorgeous woman, his brother's eyes solely focused on her.
"She's his," Jack said firmly.
That got Derrick's attention. "He's claimed her? He hasn't said a word to me."
What the hell was his brother doing keeping this woman hidden from him? She must be vetted. That was protocol. They agreed upon that when Darren started his business and realized he couldn't date just any random woman. It was the best way to keep his brother safe.
"She's a real estate agent and showed Darren the building on Fifth. He was hooked at first sight." Jack took a swig of his bourbon and water. "That night we followed her to dinner at a restaurant. Darren ended up saving her from her crap-ass boyfriend who was beating the shit out of her in the parking lot."
"What?" he sputtered, taken off guard. What the hell, Darren? His brother had no right keeping this under wraps. Darren should have told him. Derrick should have met this woman right away. What was his brother thinking? Well, he knew what he was thinking, but what the hell?
"How long have they been a couple?" he asked. Someone needed to answer questions. Though he had an idea of how long they'd been seeing each other.
"Officially?" Jack asked.
"Yes," he barked. What the hell did that mean?
"They're not," Jack answered.
"Excuse me?" he asked confused and
growing pissed. Derrick did not like games and felt his brother, along with his two henchmen, devised a scheme that purposely left him in the dark.
"She won't commit to him. He's been trying for a year to get her to say she belongs to him, but after the relationship with the asshole she has trust issues," Jack answered. "Though, she isn't dating anyone else, and she's with Darren just about every day. So if you want to get real, they've been together about a year, but technically, he's still single."
Derrick watched his brother lean down and kiss the woman tenderly. His brother didn't devour her like one of his past conquests. He caressed her, as if she was the most precious, delicate piece of glass. The stunning woman melted into his brother's arms. The jealousy that rocketed through him was unexpected. Undeniably, something special brewed between the couple. She looked innocent and sweet. Obviously not from their world. Could that be what attracted Darren to a woman for an entire year and keep it to himself? What was it that had Darren essentially disappear for a year and not say word? And why the fuck hadn't Carl and Jack give him a heads up about this? Those two would be ripped into because of this oversight.
Derrick watched Darren break his kiss from the beauty and lead her out of the bar, waltzing right past him, not making eye contact. His brother couldn’t manage to peel his eyes off her. The couple left the bar arm in arm.
“What’s her name?” Derrick asked.
“Courtney Millen,” Jack answered.
He picked up his phone and made a couple of calls to find out if this woman had any business in Darren's life.
***
Courtney
Protectively leading Courtney into her apartment, Darren closed and locked the door behind them.
"Are you thirsty?" she asked. She shrugged off her sweater and tossed it onto the back of the sofa.
"Just water. Thanks, hon," he answered.
She grabbed two bottles of water from the kitchen and handed one to him.
"Thanks." He kissed her chastely.
They plopped onto the sofa to watch their Wednesday night television programs. Courtney curled into Darren, who wrapped a possessive arm securely around her. They were both absorbed in the program when she bolted up and looked him in the eyes. "Darren..."
Her jolt startled him. "Court?"
"Darren...I...I..." She had no idea how to express what she wanted to at that moment.
"What is it sweetheart?" he asked.
She sighed and looked down at her hands that toyed nervously with the bottle of water. She whispered, "I don't know how to tell you I've fallen in love with you."
Darren
Darren's intake of air was audible throughout the apartment. Those were the exact words he'd been longing to hear from her luscious mouth. He didn’t want to push her even though he’d been desperate to hear that admission. Instead he remained silent for months.
"Courtney," he breathed, "all you had to do was tell me." He took her beautiful face into his hands to look her
directly in the eyes. She tossed her water bottle off to the side. "I’ll take care of you, honey, like I have never done with anyone in my life ever before. I will do everything in my power to make you happy. Will you marry me?"
She blinked, shocked. "We haven't even slept together."
"Yet," he said.
"Yet," she repeated.
"We'll change that tonight," he assured her.
"If I say no?" she hesitantly asked.
"Then I'll ask again and again until you say yes," he said confidently.
"My answer is no." She smiled bashfully. "But that doesn't change how I feel about you."
"Good," Darren said. He scooped her off the sofa into his arms. "I'm claiming your body right now. I've been waiting for a damn year to have you."
When he had her in the bedroom,
Darren gingerly placed her down on the queen-sized bed. Slowly, savoring the vision of her laid out before him, he shrugged off his shirt. He watched her take in his perfect muscular chest, arms, back, and washboard stomach. Her lips parted, not taking her hungry eyes off his body. Man, that moment was why he spent many hours in the gym torturing his body.
He tossed his shirt aside and crawled onto the bed. Stalking her like a panther hunting its prey.
He pulled her into his body. She melded perfectly against him, as if they were made for each other. He slipped his hand under her form-fitting tee shirt and devoured her mouth, tasting and taking.
Her moan vibrated deliciously down his throat.
His desire overtook his senses. Those gentle hands of hers wandered his back and chest like butterfly kisses. The sensation was pure heaven. When she dug her nails into his lower back he totally lost control. He yanked her tee shirt off her delectable body and in one swift movement unhooked her bra. He went straight for her perfect, round breasts. Suckling and nipping away, her vanilla flavor filled his moist mouth. Her fingers entangled into his thick hair and pushed him closer to take in more of her breast. Of course he happily obliged with each breast receiving equal attention. But it wasn't enough.
His hand slid down to the button of her jeans and popped it open. Without
hesitation, his hand was between the fabric of her lace panties and her skin. Her hips undulated with his deep strokes of her wet folds. Sliding a finger into her core, he found she was more than ready for him. He lifted his head to watch her reaction, pleased to find her cheeks flushed and eyes closed, her pleasure evident. A few more strokes, enjoying the sight of her losing herself in his erotic touch, he pulled his hand out of her pants. Rapidly he tugged the tight pair of jeans off her finely toned legs. Black lace panties looked dramatic on her fair skin, astounding him.
"Sweetheart," he said, running an appreciative hand along the seam of the lingerie. "You must own a drawer filled with these." He plucked the panties off her.