by Starla Night
"Tough diet," Nicole commented, breaking open a roll and slathering it with butter.
"I ate with Ed's cousins, so I shouldn't."
"You should have let the dress out a little."
"I know."
"Tara, do not come to my dinner table and point up your nose." Gayle passed the plate. "The roast is dead. Don't let it die in vain."
Tara took a small slice.
"I think she doesn't like my cooking," his mother complained to Darcy.
Tara took a second, larger slice with a sigh and closed her eyes to enjoy the pleasure.
"It's delicious," Darcy assured her. "Excellent as always. Right, Dad?"
His father jerked up from a text conversation with his phone hidden beneath the table. "Yes."
Gayle turned to Amber. "What do you think? It's not too alien for your tastes?"
"The only thing that's alien to me is having a family dinner. I've never experienced that. Not once in my life. It makes everything better."
Darcy's mother smiled, warming to Amber. "Staying together in this busy world takes an effort. We all make sacrifices. But I swore no matter what it cost I would keep my children around me."
"Great cooking helps." Darcy's father matched the warmth of his mother. "Nothing compares to the flavor of Gayle's cooking, and you'll get a lot by marrying my Darcy."
Nicole's smile dipped in sarcasm and she muttered, "The food's good. It's the guilt that's fattening."
Tara giggled.
"Well, enjoy it," Gayle said. "You won't experience this again."
"That's not true." Their father leaned back. "In this family, every night is family night."
"She's not family."
"Yet," Nicole and the other girls chorused.
"Monday is for fancy dishes because if you don't use them they just collect dust in the cabinet." His father showed the china. "Tomorrow is Taco Tuesday, Wednesday is our family business meeting, Thursday is Game Night, and Friday Night is for sports. On the weekends, the kids alternate cooking."
"But this week, Saturday is the rehearsal barbecue." Tara snapped her fingers. "Oh, and come on Wednesday to help with favors. I know you'll want to meet with Mom to plan your wedding."
"Hey, now." Gayle straightened. "I don't have time to plan another wedding, Tara. I'm devoted to yours."
"It's fine."
"Tara, you are my daughter—"
"Plan Amber's."
"But—"
"Really."
Amber broke in. "I understand." She tried not to let her disappointment soak through. "Darcy, is it very difficult to plan a wedding?"
"Not the kind we're having," he promised. "We can submit the marriage application online."
"You promised not to run off in secret," Gayle warned.
"And that's why we're telling you." The twinkle in his eyes made his mother's lips flap as though she, too, couldn't tell if he were serious or teasing. Darcy's wheeled to the foot of the table. "Oh, Dad. Wedding's on Monday."
His father blinked. "The day after Tara's?"
"Yep. We'd do Sunday but—"
"We don't want to steal her thunder," Amber explained. "Or her lightning, or any other weather pattern she might control."
"Now, wait just a minute," Gayle said.
"Monday. Right." Darcy's father rested his elbow on the table. "Amber. Have you considered buying our company? Making it a subsidiary?"
"Dad." Darcy held up a hand. "This isn't the time for business."
"It doesn't sound like there is time for business, son. I've got to take what I can get. So, Amber? The Onyx Corporation had a great partnership with us in the past."
"Yes, our Nightgowns and Negligees line."
"I'm ready to retire. Hang up my hat and do a little fishing off a boat in Aruba. Maybe now's the time to discuss a business partnership."
"You can't sell off our family company!" Gayle gasped in horror. "It's our company. Our legacy. It belongs in our family, not with strangers."
"Darcy's marrying in, so we can keep it in the family."
"How dare you?"
"I'm thinking about Darcy's future, Gayle."
Amber's worry eased. "Oh. You're not trying to imply that I should be the one leading the Onyx Corporation and deciding what businesses to buy. You're asking about Darcy's dowry."
"Dowry?" Nicole repeated. His older sisters giggled. "I'm sorry. In dragon marriages, Darcy gets a dowry?"
"Yes, of course. I assumed your family company would pass matrilineally, and I will soon be able to submit a dowry proposal for taking Darcy."
Gayle stood and jabbed a finger down the table. "You're not 'taking' my Darcy anywhere! He's my son, and you can't buy that!"
Darcy raised both hands to shield Amber. "It's a dragon way of talking, Mom. She's not literally buying me."
"How much?" Darcy's dad asked.
Darcy's mom turned murderous eyes on his father.
"A percentage of my net worth that we agree is acceptable." Amber calmed with the talk of numbers. "I will prepare my financials and we can review together."
"Absolutely not!"
"You don't mind?" Darcy's father smiled charmingly. "My lawyers can be ready at any time. We could also sell off the business. How's tomorrow?"
"Tomorrow?"
"Henry!"
"You don't want to miss Taco Tuesday. Gayle's tacos are divine."
"Tomorrow is fine."
"And just so I can give my lawyers a starting figure, what are you thinking for a ballpark?"
"Oh, I—"
"Darcy, stop this," Gayle insisted. "No one can buy you. I'll never consent."
Darcy laid a hand on Amber's shoulder. His eyes darkened, solemn, and even though the familiar smile tugged at his lips, he was serious. "Let's drop the dowry. It's too 'dragon' for us."
"I don't understand." Her stomach tightened. "Humans exchange dowries."
"Yeah, humans are diverse, but we don't. Not in my culture."
Tara reached across the table and squeezed Amber's hands again. "Congrats again. We'll get the engagement photos next time, okay? I'll see you on Wednesday."
"You're leaving before dessert?" Gayle asked.
"I have to meet Ed's cousins, so..."
"Tara, you can't prioritize strangers over your own family."
"They won't be strangers for long." She grinned and kissed her mom's cheek. "Bye! Congrats Darcy. Welcome to the family, Amber!"
"Tara!" Gayle hurried away from the table to chase after her.
Nicole and Jackie took the cue to clear the cutlery. Darcy's dad put his phone on the table and finished his meal while texting.
Darcy remained focused on Amber, never wavering despite the chaos. "What's wrong?"
"Without a dowry, how can I prove my ability to provide for you?"
His smile softened and he teased a lock of hair out of her bun to dangle against her cheek. She always came undone around him. "You don't need to."
"But how can I assure your parents my intentions are to protect and treasure you for all of your life?"
"Good questions," Darcy's dad said, still texting.
Darcy ignored him and teased the lock of hair between his fingers. "You don't."
"Darcy, I want to be a good daughter-in-law."
"You are. The same way I didn't go to your mom to order you to marry me, my parents need not order me to marry you." He poked her with the lock of hair, teasing her with the silky threads. "This is about us. Our commitment. You will always be my treasure."
She heard what he was saying. The cool, rational, numeric portion of her mind protested his blasé approach. "I've saved the money."
"How much?" his dad asked.
"Two billion."
His dad fumbled his phone. "Billion? I'm sorry. Billion with a b? Dollars as in US dollars?"
"No, Draconis coins. Sorry, I forget if the exchange rate is five dollars to one coin or six. I'll check the rates tomorrow."
He bolted to his feet. "Yes, see you
tomorrow." He jammed the phone to his ear as he made a call and hurried out.
Darcy carried his and Amber's dishes to the kitchen. "I will not tell you not to do this because it seems important to you. All that matters to me, Amber, is you."
She watched him stack her dishes in their dishwasher, teasing his sisters and dodging sink sprayers with easy chuckles, while they planned which movie they would watch for the night. Her throat closed with yet another emotional lump.
Had she always been this close to wrecking or had Darcy melted her into such a deep puddle she couldn't force herself into a hardened form again?
She'd come to him today to save the planet, her company, and her brothers. But he'd shown her a world she hadn't even realized she was missing. If she let herself love him, really love him, then the one he'd save would be her.
Amber took a deep, shuddering breath and centered herself. She was cool and calm and rational. Darcy's family was adept at acts of selfless kindness and she needed to step up her efforts to win over his mom.
"We're heading up to the family room to watch a movie." Darcy's cheery smile sobered as he saw her determination — well, she hoped she wore a determined expression. "Do you have time to stay?"
"Yes, thank you. I want to talk to your mom."
"Great, we can go together."
"I want to tell her that I will reconsider the dowry."
"Great. We can wait on the movie."
"Go ahead. I'll join you."
He lifted her chin and covered her lips in his easy way.
A wave of seductive heat burned in her body, fiery need seeping into her veins, sensitizing her to Darcy's scent, his feel, his taste.
He pulled back, the same dark sexiness burning in his gaze, and he licked his lips. "We'll be upstairs waiting."
She nodded, not trusting her voice. After a lingering gaze where he almost looked like he might kiss her again, he turned and joined his sisters in heading up the stairs.
Her feminine core clenched. Darcy melted her inside and out. She watched the motion of his muscles beneath the thin, well-cut slacks hug his buns. She needed to peel those clothes off of him and bare their bodies. Enjoy his hard maleness and make him hers. He had started this fire. She wanted to finish it.
And she wanted to do it right.
She joined Darcy's mom on the front porch. His mom watched Tara's disappearing taillights, arms crossed.
"I am sorry about the dowry."
Gayle regarded her from the sides of her eyes. "Oh?"
"Yes, Darcy says it's unnecessary. Please believe I will take care of Darcy and protect him from any ruthless females who might try to use their superior size and strength to force him to do things he won't want."
"That's funny." Gayle turned on her heel and stared Amber up and down. "That's what I'm doing."
She strolled past Amber into the house, turned, and blocked the doorway. With one finger raised, she snapped poison. "My children are not prizes I sell to the highest bidder. I don't care if you own the moon and stars. You'll never, ever own my son."
"The wedding's on Monday," Amber said.
"Over my dead body."
Nerves bunched in Amber's belly. "So you do wish for armed combat?"
"Get out. Stay out. You will never pass through this door again." Gayle slammed the front door, exiling Amber to the porch, and locked her out with a click.
Chapter Fourteen
Darcy reclined on the upstairs couch and tried to watch the opening credits for the newest Aquaman movie.
Amber was taking too long.
He scooted to the edge of the couch. What if she was making a breakthrough with his mom? He didn't want to interrupt a heartfelt talk. He scooted back.
What if she was challenging his mom to armed combat?
Darcy scooted to the edge of the couch again.
Jackie erupted from the seat next to him, waved her phone, and swore. "No, no, no, no! Argh."
He jumped. His heart thudded and he pressed a palm on his chest to calm it. "Trouble?"
"Michael wants to talk to me at the combined Bachelor/Bachelorette party on Friday. Doesn't he know I'm married?"
"As your husband, I'm guessing he knows."
"Right, so why's he assuming I'll be at a wild party?" She stabbed at the screen.
"Oh, you mean instead of staying at home in a cowl, reading and knitting socks?"
"Yes! I have duties. Duties that don't involve him. He does, too, if he will give up on me and focus." She lowered the phone. "Things are going well with Amber, though, aren't they?"
His smile burst out, unstoppable. "Yeah."
"It's so much easier when your parents don't hate your spouse."
"Mom doesn't hate Michael."
"I know. He hates her. I'm aggravated that she was right." Jackie tapped her phone against her temple. "She said he was controlling, self-centered, and put himself before the family, and we wouldn't last five years. Here I am living at home. Michael's not trying."
"He's trying to meet you at the party."
"Right, because he's going straight back to the East Coast after Tara's wedding. How could he accept that promotion? I can't uproot our family business and take it with me."
"You do payroll from home."
"I mean I can't remote in to family time. I can't just remote in to Taco Tuesday."
"You could video chat."
"God, you sound just like him!" Jackie picked up her phone and blasted more angry texts. "The last time he flew to visit he refused to see our parents. Just refused. He said Mom's out to get him, she's poisoning me against him, and a bunch of other lies. 'The only way to save our marriage is for you to leave your family home.' I don't know how to appease him when he's like that. Issuing ultimatums is so upsetting."
Darcy listened sympathetically but he had no words of wisdom.
"At least things are going well with Amber," Jackie repeated and sighed.
Nicole crept up the stairs with a pale expression. "Um, guys?"
"The nerve!" Jackie jumped up and stormed out of the room, passing Nicole and jamming her phone to her ear. "Michael? Right, it's Jackie, and we have to talk."
Nicole let her go by. "Darcy. I think Mom just kicked Amber out."
The entire world froze.
He eased to his feet. "What?"
"I was going to grab a refill." Nicole lofted a new bottle of wine. "And I heard her say something about not buying and selling children. And then she slammed the door and locked it."
Darcy raced to the window which overlooked the back yard. "She wouldn't just leave."
"Yeah, I don't know. Dad's car is gone." Nicole stood beside him while he called Amber. "I'm telling you, Mom's a piece of work. When you're not home, she—"
Tap tap tap. Reeeeek.
Darcy lowered his cell. "What was that?"
They listened.
Tap tap tap. Reeeek.
"The turret," Nicole whispered.
There was an entrance to the turret on the ground floor and a second entrance up a spooky staircase from the second floor.
Darcy pushed the door. It jammed shut. He slammed it with his shoulder, and the swollen wood shrieked as it yielded. A puff of dank dust made him and Nicole cough. She lifted her phone behind him like a flashlight.
He peered up the claustrophobic, uneven steps. It smelled like murder.
"Do you see anything?" Nicole asked.
Crack. Crack. Crack. REEEEEE.
"No. You?"
She poked him in the back. "Go up. Tell me if it's the ghost of Great Aunt Harriet."
"If it is, I'm sending her back down to you."
"Hardy har har. I'm the comedian in this household, thank you."
Darcy forced himself up the creaky, old steps and pushed open the heavy trapdoor. His heart thudded in his chest and his hands sweated like he was five years old, in a forbidden place, and certain he was going to be stuck inside until he died.
As an adult, the experience wasn't much better. Th
e top floor of the turret smelled like a musty matchbox, unventilated and charred with electrical box marks from the ancient wiring his parents had yet to replace.
Nicole waited at the bottom of the steps. "Well?"
"I don't know yet."
He crossed the dusty, old storage room filled with forgotten flammable things. Dust coated the one warped window stuck a half-inch open. Plastic rippled in the wind. He used part of a tarp to wipe away a section of grime. The tarp and his hand turned black.
Outside, hovering in the air, floated Amber.
Her fingers gripped the warped wood and she rocked the painted-over hinge. Crack. Crack. Crack.
He helped her to open it with the last shriek. "Amber, what are you doing up here?"
"Hi, Darcy." She squeezed through, landed on the plastic, and dusted off her skirt. Fresh air ventilated the room, washing over him like a heavenly revival, and it was just the two of them alone in a private attic on a warm summer night.
Her skirt flared as she touched down. Red flashed at her thigh quick as a wink.
"I wanted to say goodnight," she said.
He pointed at her skirt. "What's that?"
"Hm? Oh." She tugged her hem to cover the red satin. "A garter belt."
"The one I gave you?"
She avoided his probing gaze. "Yes."
Heat filled his cock. "You wore it." He drew her into his arms, and his fingertips grazed her hem. "May I?"
She held her breath and then nodded.
He slid the skirt hem up exposing her satin-soft skin, rounded thighs, and the neat stitch of red desire. Innocent sweetness hiding a spicy bite. Heat zipped through his veins and a very pleasant sensation strained his trousers. He wanted to unwrap the rest of her and discover her secrets.
"For me?" he murmured.
She glanced up at his hot gaze and veered away, nostrils flaring as though she scented his arousal and flushed as it turned her on. "You said I'd look good in red."
"I love it when I'm right."
A small smile tugged at her adorable lips. "You're teasing."
"Why? Because I'm smiling?" He stepped forward, allowing the pressure of his trousers to press against her solid waist. "I'm happy you're finally taking me seriously."
Her smile fled. She slid her hand up and cupped his bulging cock. "You're aroused."
He struggled not to groan. "Oh, you noticed."