It had been a long day, and by the time Sakura was full from the delicious meal, she felt rather tired and light-headed. Of course, the constant flow of wine Tristan and Logan insistently poured into her glass undoubtedly added to those feelings. She must admit…the two brothers were rather good at their jobs as the hosts of the party, ensuring everyone was having a good time.
At the moment, Tristan was reciting a tale of a particular adventure during the brothers’ teenage years, back when they used to live on St. Joseph Island, when Sakura had been living with them, but wasn’t really one of them. This particular one was about the brothers’ camping trip with their father on St. Joseph Island. There was something about a storm that night, and the boys had to sleep in a cave.
Logan said, “It was awesome.” He chuckled. “I remember Conrad was so freaked out by the storm that he clung to Tristan.”
Tristan nodded, a teasing grin on his lips. “That’s right. Conrad was shaking all over like a poor little lamb.”
Conrad, on the other hand, seemed to remember nothing of the sort and said, “Don’t believe anything those two say. They’re just making things up.” He was blushing severely, inferring otherwise.
Sakura couldn’t help but smile at Conrad’s comment because she knew he must be too embarrassed to admit such unmanly things in front of the girls and, of course, Michael. Then she wondered what it would be like if she were a part of the family back then, instead of being an outcast, hiding in her bedroom, and drowning in her loneliness. She thought that if only Tara and Alaina hadn’t started all the lies, abuse, and manipulation, she really would have been a part of the family, a part of the brothers’ lives, and her own childhood would have been so much better. She would have been happy with the Princeton brothers.
The Princeton brothers, indeed. Happy, indeed. Then again, the past could not be undone. What had happened had happened. Nothing could be changed, and Sakura knew she could only look toward the future to make her life a better one.
Suddenly, her thoughts drifted to Darcy, and she wondered where he was. She glanced about her surroundings, searching for the man. She noted that once again, he was nowhere to be found.
She sighed and then stood up.
Akira noticed her movement and asked, “Where are you going?”
Sakura said, “Sorry. I feel exhausted all of a sudden. I’m going to turn in for the day.”
Michael offered, “Want me to come with you?”
She tousled his hair as she said, “No. You stay here and have fun with everyone.”
Michael insistently said, “But I want to come with you.”
Conrad interrupted. “Oi, Michael, Sakura is tired. Give her some space, will ya? There’s plenty of time tomorrow.”
Michael blushed, and seeing the error of his ways, reluctantly gave in. “Sorry, Sakura. You have a good rest, then.”
Sakura nodded, a smile on her lips. “See you guys tomorrow.”
With everyone wishing her a good night and sweet dreams, Sakura turned on her heel and headed toward the house.
On her way, she noted Sebastian, Nicolas, Jim, Peter, and Luke drinking and chatting away animatedly at the bar area, whilst the adults were doing the same thing sitting around the table not too far away. None of them noticed her heading toward the house, which pleased her, because firstly, she didn’t want to bother any of them, and secondly, if they had noticed, they’d have asked questions, and the brothers would probably insist one of them accompany her right to her bedroom door, which wasn’t something she wanted.
As she walked, she was deep in her thoughts, thinking about her childhood and the Princeton brothers. A moment later, she rounded a corner of the mansion and had nearly reached the back door when she felt a man’s hand around her wrist.
She jolted at the contact and swiftly turned around, only to face the man who made her heart skip with delight.
“Darcy,” she whispered softly, staring at him with both pleasure and surprise.
Without a word, Darcy turned on his heel and led her away from the house.
Sakura was confused as she paced after him, his hand firm and warm around her slender wrist.
“Darcy, wait,” she said. “Where are you taking me?”
Still, Darcy did not answer and simply led her away from the light, the loud noise, and the crowd.
Sakura decided to keep quiet as she followed him, her heart racing. A moment later, she noticed they were walking on the sandy beach. The sound of the waves crashing onto the shore was louder here. Not to mention the air; it felt cooler. Cleaner. Fresher.
Finally, Darcy stopped, and before Sakura could utter a word, he pulled her into his arms and hugged her tight.
Sakura was surprised at first and gasped out, but once she was intimately in his arms, she relaxed and savored the moment.
It felt good to be in his arms. She felt warm and safe. Protected. Secured. And loved. She simply wanted to slip into the abyss whilst being embraced by him.
Suddenly, she felt him kissing her forehead, his firm, warm lips branding her skin. She opened her eyes and raised her face to his.
The moment their eyes locked, Sakura sucked in her breath at the sight. God, he looked so dark and passionate, and those mauve-gray eyes, they made her heart leap with both joy and apprehension.
“Darcy,” she whispered, her voice shaking, a little.
Darcy must have noted the mixture of emotions in her eyes and her expression and said, “Am I scaring you?”
Slowly, she nodded as she licked her lips. “A…a little,” she said.
Darcy was mesmerized by her sensual lips and rubbed the sensitive flesh with his thumb. “Sorry. But it’s hard not being with you… Not being near you. It’s hard.”
Sakura cast her eyes downward because she couldn’t handle the intensity and rawness of his passion for her. God, if she were to look into his eyes longer, she was sure she’d succumb and would just do the unthinkable, and that was to let him do things to her they’d both regret later.
She licked her lips again and said, “Darcy, thank you for this morning, on the plane.”
Darcy asked, “During takeoff and landing?”
She nodded, blushing, feeling rather embarrassed.
“Were you always afraid of flying?”
Again, she nodded. “Since I was a child.”
“I see,” he said.
They were silent for a moment, with her still in his arms.
Suddenly, Darcy said, “Sakura, look at me.”
There was a sort of command in his voice that she found hard to disobey. When she finally mustered the courage to look at him and raised her gaze to his, she noted that he still had that dark, passionate expression in his eyes, and she felt her heart race in response.
Darcy cupped her face then, his long, lean fingers digging deeply into her hair. He said, “I can’t help the way I feel toward you, Sakura, and it’s damned hard hiding it. It’s damned hard running away from it. I’ve decided I’m not just going to give up and let any of my brothers steal you away from me.”
Sakura blinked in response to those words. Was…was that supposed to be a declaration? Or a confession? Or both?
“I’m going to kiss you, Sakura,” he said firmly. “If you don’t like it, then push me away, because I sure as hell will not let you go.”
Sakura sucked in her breath again, wondering where this new personality of Darcy’s had come from. This dominating characteristic. This determination.
But of course, she didn’t have time to think further when she felt his firm, warm lips pressing sensually against hers.
“Ngh…” she groaned, and her knees felt weak at the beautiful sensation that rushed through her being.
Darcy was passionate and wild, his lips scorching and his tongue searching, urging her lips to part for him.
Sakura felt light-headed and breathless and leaned further into Darcy’s arms for support because she knew she’d fall to her knees if she didn’t.
Darcy took that as an affirmative sign and pulled her down with him onto the sandy ground below.