Love's Learning Curves

by Diana DeRicci

  His smile broadened. “Promise me tomorrow, and I’ll stay as long as you want the company today.”

  Suddenly the ride came to a stop, and the safety gate was unlatched, disrupting their conversation.

  With a shared laugh, they both realized they’d completely forgotten to keep looking for Dario’s cousin.

  Chapter Two

  Dario could barely contain his cougar. Twice the damn beast had head rammed his solar plexus since he’d walked up behind the curvy beauty. Black hair that sparkled like wet ink in the sunlight flowed in rich, heavy waves and curls down Sheridan’s back. Then she’d turned around and flashed those blue-hazel eyes, and he began to understand the insistence. She had the most incredible eyes, the first thing to grab him completely when she looked at him. Dark blue, with slashes of honey brown and dove gray surrounded by thick onyx lashes. Remarkable.

  Luscious and stunning, she had a sweet, rich voice and a slightly plumped bottom lip, giving her a natural pout. For a few seconds, when they’d stood talking, the only thing he could think, as his brain short-circuited, was how much he wanted to nibble on that lip and discover how she would taste. The temptation of her kiss was only the very beginning while she spoke. He wanted to devour that bewitching mouth. It was all too easy to picture her riding his cock, those sweet lips wrapped around him as he thrust between them. His heart pounded in answer to the rush of raw desire.

  He kept his own lips closed with a forceful control, stifling the groan as he walked with her to meet whomever; he assumed the group she’d mentioned earlier. There was no way he was letting her out of his sight twice.

  Holding her hand in his sent his blood pulsing wildly through his body. It wasn’t a lie that he’d been looking for Chance and Bethany. The only small white lie was that it had to be at exactly that minute. Even with Chance ignoring his phone, Dario was their ride home. No way was that kid going to disappear and risk the wrath of his father while on a date.

  Dario had spotted Sheridan getting into line and quickly fell in behind her, hoping for just a moment to talk to her. He was practically drooling, and he doubted she had any idea by how much.

  As a male, he loved a woman with curves, with a body he could hold, touch and feel. She would fit perfectly against him, resting right under his chin if she’d only leaned back a few inches to meet his chest. His arms had twitched to reach around her and mold her to him.

  Dario wanted a passionate woman, and knew from the fire and heat he’d fleetingly captured in her eyes, she was passion untapped. Cut-out females weren’t in the least sexy, or the least appealing to him. A sheet of wood was more arousing. There was little doubt the woman walking at his side, curled within his finger’s grasp, aroused himself and his cougar. Sheridan wore cute denim shorts, a summery yellow blouse and sandals that strapped over each foot. Modest was what came to mind. Devilishly enchanting for the right beholder.

  She had sweet, delicate skin all along her jaw. He’d almost lost his control when he’d leaned in to whisper to her in line, her scent so intoxicating, so fresh; a clear mountain stream woven through the enticing allure. That single drawn scent had his cougar yowling. Even now, he was pacing back and forth within, impatient, but for what, Dario didn’t know. It wasn’t something he could take care of right at that second anyway.

  The last thing he had expected was for her to be the woman he’d seen at the banquet. Now he could barely contain the rising heat and needs zinging through his blood. He’d known then she would be someone special, but he’d lost his chance that night. This was the best unexpected surprise he could have ever hoped for.

  “There they are,” she stated, gratefully bringing him back to the Fair and all its noise.

  Looking ahead, he spotted two couples. Not surprisingly, both of the men were watching him with distrust and suspicion. With a light squeeze to her hand, he let hers slip away, settling a palm to her spine instead. He couldn’t let her go completely. He’d even face her two guard dogs to make sure he didn’t lose her twice.

  “Do they bite?” he asked, only half-joking. He feared they did.

  “They’re both in law enforcement.”

  He slowed. “Wait. Promise me tomorrow first. You didn’t give me an answer.”

  “Worried they’ll run you off?” she asked with a cheeky grin tipping the corners of her mouth.

  He stopped walking and with a finger to her chin, lifted her face. “No, more worried I’ll leave and never see you again. I saw you once before and it took two years for luck to be on my side again.” He bit his cheek to shut his trap. He’d almost blurted how badly he wanted to kiss her. Watching the sun sparkle in her eyes, the gentle slope of her lips, it was all he could do not to kiss her.

  He’d thought she’d been beautiful a room away. Standing in front of her, he was enchanted.

  “You better have a good reason to be touching my sister,” a voice threatened just beyond his shoulder.

  “Rush,” she interjected with a sharp exasperation. “Chill. Dario, my brother, Rush.” She pursed her lips at the man behind him as she said it. Being intelligent, Dario let his hand fall, though he hated to have to do it.

  He turned and faced the firing squad. Rush looked a lot like his sister. There was no doubting the family resemblance. “Dario Acardi,” he said, offering his hand. Introductions continued until Sheridan intervened.

  “I invited him since none of you are willing to hit the rides. He’s not an ax murderer,” she stated clearly for her brother’s sake.

  “D! Dario.”

  He swiveled on a hip and spotted Chance and Bethany jogging up to him. “What’s up?”

  “We’re gonna do lunch, if that’s okay?” Chance slid a glance around the group, but dismissed them when none of them were family.

  “Do you need money?”

  Chance looked insulted and Dario almost smacked himself. “Dispiace. Ho dimenticato.”

  “Grazie.”

  With a nod, Dario told them, “Go ahead. Just remember to keep your phone on.” A final, stern reminder. He wasn’t going to hunt through the grounds in a few hours because his cousin wanted space with his girlfriend.

  “Will do.” With a brief acknowledgment to those fanning around Dario, Chance turned and guided Bethany back to the concessions.

  “What was all that about?” Sheridan asked.

  “That’s who I’m chaperoning. Sort of. Chance got a job last year, and I forgot he would have his own money. He still borrows my car. At least he puts gas in it when he does.”

  “So it wasn’t a pick up line after all,” she teased him. Mirth made the splashes of color in her eyes sparkle.

  “Nope.”

  It seemed to be a tacit agreement when everyone turned to start walking, though they were obviously strolling to make it easy for them to keep up. She slipped a hand into his.

  “Come on,” she urged him with a quiet hint. “They’re just protective.”

  He could easily see that. What made him happier was she didn’t try to take her hand back as they walked with the other two couples. His cougar rolled over and basked, content for the first time since he’d walked up behind her.

  Crazy cat, he thought.

  “I think I do remember you,” she murmured a few minutes later. “Someone at your table gave a speech.”

  “My dad.” Even though she remembered his dad more than him, it still made him tingle that she’d placed him. “If I remember right, you wore a powder blue gown.”

  She twitched, looking up at him with wide eyes. “I think I did.” She breathed a laugh. “I’m shocked you’d remember that.”

  “You were stunning. How could I not notice you?”

  A warmed tint hued her cheeks. “Thank you.”

  Giving her hand a squeeze, he asked, "So what do I have to do for you to say yes?"

  "Yes?"

  "To tomorrow. I'm desperate for brownie points," he teased, liking the way she laughed. She bobbed a shoulder, giving him the signal to do his best.
"Okay." Dario thought for a moment. "How about a gondola ride in Venice?"

  She gasped. "You're kidding, right?"

  "Yes." He reached and tapped her nose. "I'll save that for the second date."

  Her laugh was robust and carefree, drawing curious peeks from those ahead of them.

  "So what do you say? Don't you want to know what I have planned for the first date?"

  She slipped him a glance from beneath her lashes. “Okay. You win. You’ve definitely made me curious.”

  “Wonderful,” Dario whispered. His chest swelled, thinking ahead to the evening he’d have this beautiful woman at his side, especially without the suspicious looks from her friends and brother. It’s a good thing he did have a clean record. He had little doubt Rush would know his entire life’s history by that same time tomorrow.

  Chapter Three

  Dario drew a deep breath. Sitting in his car outside her front door, he felt like a teenager picking up his date. The fun he’d had the day before with Sheridan had been unreal, and so unexpected. Anticipating watching over Chance and Bethany with only marginal enthusiasm, considering how quickly they’d vanished into the crowds, his day had improved dramatically after meeting Sheridan. Even Stacee and Jonas had warmed up as the afternoon had worn on, though Dario wasn’t sure where he stood with her brother. He hadn’t proved himself yet.

  It was an afternoon of frustration and enjoyment. The enjoyment had definitely been due to her. The frustration was all about his cougar. If he strayed from her, the feline grew agitated. At one point, an operator had flirted with her at one of the booths to get her attention to play his ring games. Dario’s cougar had gone berserk. He wouldn’t be at all surprised to find needle-sized holes in his innards from the claws that had held on, just waiting for the chance to break free. When Dario had denied his cat the chance to filet the young man in question, his cat had hissed—the first time in his life that he’d ever hissed at Dario. Needless to say, he was at his wit’s end over his cat’s behavior.

  What is your problem?

  A single thud reverberated between Dario’s ears when his cat rammed his solar plexus. I let you run last night, he groused with annoyance. I can’t let you out now. You need to behave, at least for tonight. I’ll let you run more later, okay? he cajoled. Begged was more like it.

  At least this time there was no sharp spike of pain, rather an impatient pacing.

  With a sigh, Dario got out of his car and walked to her front door. A lower floor apartment in a nice, secure community. The sound of locks on the inside reached him through the wood following his knock. She guarded herself. He found the knowledge actually relaxed him a little.

  It didn’t last.

  Sheridan appeared before him, barefoot, in jeans and a blouse, with her hair down around her shoulders in a thick, onyx sheet of looping waves. Claws ripped at his ribs and he sucked in a breath. Please, stop, he pleaded. His cougar was adamant. It wanted her.

  “Are you okay?” She canted a hip, watching him with distress-shadowed eyes. “You look like you’re in pain.”

  “Yeah.” He forced a calmer expression, literally putting a palm to his cougar’s face and shoving him down. Let me do this or we’re both going to lose.

  The seriousness wasn’t lost on his cougar. He crouched, attentive, but silent.

  “Phantom muscle pains,” he said, winking. “You look adorable.” Forcing air into his lungs to think, he admired her, taking in her full breasts and waist, curvy hips and long legs. Her top was a print floral pink something with a ribbon threaded down the front, an innocent appeal worn by a dark-haired siren. The things he wanted to do with that ribbon… His heart thudded into his ribs when the thought happened. The jeans she wore clung to her, leaving nothing to the imagination. He was practically salivating. She was heaven in denim. Perfect. For once, he and his cat were in perfect harmony.

  “Come on in,” she invited. “I just need to grab shoes.”

  “Take your time.” Following the sway of her hips as she left him sent a jolt of lust soaring through him. If he could keep his hands off of her for the rest of the evening, it would be a miracle. He’d been a gentleman and hadn’t even tried to kiss her yet. Watching her walk away, he decided that was something he was going to rectify by the end of the evening, multiple times.

  Waiting, he took a moment to study her apartment, searching for anything to help take his mind off her lush shape. The woman had more peaks and valleys than the Alps, and he wanted to caress and taste every single one.

  He had to admit, he loved the space and the location where she lived. New and still unblemished apartments, up-scale without seemingly being too trendy. Designed with thick, sandstone colored carpet and wood accents. She’d added a little to it to mark it as hers, but she’d let a lot of the natural design highlight the spaces with the high ceilings and molding.

  It was large for a one-bedroom. There was a study where he noticed her computer. The bedroom was tucked around the corner where he could hear her moving around. With a searching glance, he was glad, rather selfishly, that she didn’t seem to have a thing for pink, or laughably, kittens.

  While he waited, he noticed she’d left a stack of mail on her kitchen break counter. Not meaning to snoop, a single envelope still caught his attention. Nearing, on the very top of the pile, was an embossed card. A wedding invitation, dated for the following weekend. Did she have a date? Was she going?

  “Ready,” she said, reappearing from the bedroom. She’d added stylish boots to her outfit and finished it with a thin-strapped purse she slipped over a shoulder. With a hand to her spine, he waited for her to lock her door then helped her get settled into the car. A final warning to his cougar and he rounded the car. For once, he prayed his cougar would listen, otherwise it was going to be a very tense evening.

  * * * *

  Sheridan was going to have to talk to Rush, and soon. For some reason, her wolf was whining. A lot. She’d never had this problem before. She didn’t even know what was causing the animal to rise into her subconscious. Most of the time she was quiet, a silent, strong-willed beast. She had to be with Rush as her Alpha. They’d fought plenty growing up, but no two were tighter, either.

  Studying Dario, she remembered he hadn’t once let her hand go the day before. Though, when he was talking with the others, she’d had a chance to breathe, which had become a difficult task. Every now and then, he’d bumped against her, thigh to thigh or hip to hip and her heart had leaped at the contact. The tingles she’d first encountered within his grip had never dissipated, even without the shocking punch of when he’d first shaken her hand. It had remained more like a pulsing current between them.

  Her wolf seemed genuinely curious, though cautious about the man sitting in the car with her. She’d taken a minor interest in a few of her dates, though very little in Brant. She’d simply assumed that was the way it was. The gene was male dominant. Women shifters didn’t have the capacity to share the gene. Sheridan knew it was to keep from creating a ‘mule’, in their terms. Rather than a horse-jackass hybrid, a wolf and God only knew what, because though they didn’t cross paths often, the wolf packs weren’t the only shifters around.

  The constant whining ring between her ears, though? That was new.

  Her attention was tugged from the scenery and her tumbling thoughts when he asked, “Do you have plans for next weekend?”

  She drew a breath, stifling the sour wave that roiled through her stomach. “Unfortunately.”

  “Oh?” Dario arched an eyebrow, making a right turn into a restaurant parking lot. They’d agreed to keep it casual since the next day was a work day for him and a school day for her.

  “I have a wedding I should go to.”

  “Should? Don’t you want to go?”

  Not really. Steeling herself, she admitted, “It’s my ex-boyfriend’s wedding.”

  “Damn,” he breathed. “That’s ballsy.” The Mercedes hummed, sliding easily into a spot where he turned it off.

>   She chuckled. “He didn’t invite me. The bride did. She’s a classmate.”

  He blinked. “Wait.” He paused, turning in his seat to see her better. “Okay, let me get this straight. Ex-boyfriend for how long?”

  “We broke up right after the holidays.”

  “Dated?”

  “For a little more than two years.”

  He snarled. “And he had the audacity to date a classmate of yours?”

  Her laughter was lighter. “It gets better. He asked me to introduce them.” She leaned on her shoulder, pleasantly warmed at his anger on her behalf.