Page 10 of Royal Beast
“I’m not doing it,” she sneers, pointing a finger at me. “I’m not signing myself over to you for this. If you aren’t willing to help me, I’ll pay it back myself. Even if I have to get a second job.”
My irritation flares up. “Don’t be foolish,” I snap. “You could work an entire lifetime and not be able to pay back that much debt. I’m offering you a way out, Darcy.”
The waitress arrives with our food, and the discussion is set aside for the time being while we eat.
“I don’t understand why you want me to marry you,” Darcy mumbles as she finishes her meal. “What would it entail, and how would it benefit you?”
“I need someone like you on my arm when we attend political functions or business events,” I explain. “I’m bad at interacting nicely with people, and you have the charm and the wit to help.”
Darcy sighs. “You’re too kind. I don’t know if I’d do well at those kinds of functions, but I guess I could try. This would be a marriage in name only, right? As compensation for the debt being paid off?”
I flash her a predatory grin. “You can think that if you want, but you and I both know that would never work. I think it’s better to be upfront and honest with each other. You’ll be my wife in all the ways that count, including the marriage bed.”
Darcy’s hand trembles as she reaches for her glass of wine. “What if I don’t want that?”
“You may not want to admit it, but there’s something between us, Darcy. You can try to resist me, but it won’t work.”
She inhales sharply, and I reach out to stroke her hand. “I can make you very happy, Darce.”
Her pulse is racing under my touch as goosebumps crop up across her skin.
“Can I think about it?”
“You can, but the clock is ticking on this offer,” I tell her, pulling my hand back. “I can only hold those men back for so long. They’ll get impatient soon.”
A flicker of fear crosses her face and I breathe out slowly. “I’ll give you twenty-four hours. Think about it and get back to me. But this is the best offer you’re going to get, Darce. You know that.”
Darcy clears her throat, pinches the bridge of her nose, then takes another sip of her wine, refusing to meet my eyes. I slip my foot across the space between us, stroking up her calf. She shivers, and I smirk, enjoying her reaction at the contact.
“Let me take you home,” I say. “I enjoyed seeing you tonight. You’re still just as beautiful as I remember.”
Once the bill is settled, I escort her to my Range Rover Sport, opening the passenger side door and watching as she slides in. We sit in silence as I drive to her house.
I walk her to the door, pausing on the steps while she unlocks it.
“You should consider my offer,” I say, leaning down to whisper into her ear. “I can give you the world, and all I ask for in exchange is you in my bed. That’s not such a bad deal, is it?”
My lips make contact with the skin behind her ear, and she shivers again, turning her face so her lips meet mine head-on.
Pulling her toward me, I deepen the kiss, slipping my tongue inside her mouth as I run my hands over her shoulders.
“Kellan,” Darcy breathes out as we break apart. I move to step away, but her hand shoots out, grabbing my wrist in her grip.
“Come inside,” she offers, and a flutter shoots through my belly.
“Are you sure?” I ask, leaning down to press my forehead to hers.
“Yes.” She tugs me into the house and upstairs to her bedroom.
5
DARCY
As we enter my bedroom, I dimly realize what’s happening. Clearly, the wine I had at dinner has fogged my thought process. I have no idea why I’m doing this. All I know is that I can’t deny how badly I want him. His tongue enters my mouth, and my mind goes blank as I kiss him, my hands flying up to wrap around his neck and pull him to my level.
My fingers dig into the hard muscles of his shoulders as though trying to ground myself. Kellan is so strong, so solid. I can’t believe how much I missed this, how much I missed him. He feels familiar, like coming home, while my heart is racing like this is my first time.
I groan as I press myself against him and everything else melts away. How did I stay away for so long? All the reasons I gave myself feel like nothing more than a lie now as his large hands slide down to my waist, the heat radiating from his fingertips as he grazes my sides.
