Love's Learning Curves

by Diana DeRicci

Dario rubbed his eyes with stiff fingers. “Next weekend. Shit.” He cursed lowly. “Just how long did they date before he asked her, if the wedding is next weekend?”

  “Six weeks.” She laughed fully when his mouth popped open. “It’s okay. Really. I’m over him. I think I was expecting the end.”

  He curled one of her hands into his. “Why? You’re beautiful, fun, ambitious, smart. What could he want that you didn’t have? Because to me, he’s a fool.”

  She froze, swept away by his declaration and compliments. Sheridan knew deep inside why. Granted, now that they’d separated, she’d realized she didn’t love him, but part of it was she really wasn’t what Brant had wanted in a woman. He was the second strike. Luc had been the first, but… She refused to dwell on him at all. In the end, they’d both found her lacking for the same reason, or maybe ‘lacking’ wasn’t the right word. It was more an overabundance.

  The warmth of his palm cupped her chin, bringing her focus to him. “Sheridan, you’re amazing. If he couldn’t see that, then it is his loss.”

  Her pulse pounded against her skin. The heat in his tawny gold eyes made them glimmer. He leaned forward, cresting the console between them. With both hands touching her, she felt electric, drawn to him like a moth to a flame.

  “I’m going to kiss you, sweetheart,” he murmured.

  He stopped moving forward, a breath from her lips. She felt the rush of his exhale as he waited, gave her a chance to deny him, or stop him.

  Sheridan didn’t want to.

  Her fingers tightened over his palm. Dario erased the distance between them. It was like she was reliving her very first kiss. He didn’t plunder, he caressed. He didn’t demand, he lingered. Gentle whips of his tongue sent desire curling through her. He purred when she dipped, wanting more.

  A brush of his lips left her seeking for more when he rose from her. Opening her eyes, the banked hunger in his gaze made her shiver with need.

  “Soon, lovely.” He pressed his forehead to hers. “What I want shouldn’t be done in a car, in front of a restaurant.” Hot breath whisked over her ear when he slid against her to whisper, “What I want to do is devour you, one sweet kiss at a time. I want to hear you scream my name. I’ve wanted your kiss since that first look.” Sheridan shivered at the underlying promise in those words.

  With a kiss to the fingers of the hand he held, he let her go, releasing first her seatbelt then his own. “Don’t move.”

  Dazed, she didn’t. Hopping from the car, he strode to her door and opened it, helping her out with an offered hand. With an arm locked around her waist, Dario made it clear she was with him.

  Chapter Four

  They were waiting on the change from the check, when Dario made his offer.

  “Let me take you to the wedding.”

  She absently waved her fingers in dismissal. “Oh, you don’t have to.”

  He caught her hand, wrapping her snugly between both of his. “I know I don’t have to. I want to.” The idea had been taunting him all through dinner. He’d seen the hurt in her eyes earlier. It didn’t matter that she was over him. There was something about it all that had wounded her. Whether it was the breakup, or knowing who the bride was, he wasn’t sure. But he’d be damned before he’d let anyone hurt this woman ever again.

  “Think of it as just desserts. He’s apparently over you enough to marry this other woman barely months after having a long term relationship with you.” Immediately, he could’ve kicked his own ass, as her eyes dimmed and she dropped her gaze to the tabletop. He hadn’t meant to put the pressure on her that it was her fault that he’d jumped into this other relationship.

  “Damn,” he breathed. “I didn’t mean—”

  “It’s okay. I know why he was willing to accept the split.” She traced a tile on the table without looking up. “Believe it or not, I broke up with him. I was hoping for a deeper commitment, but he took the out instead.” A shrug of nonchalance was a blatant smokescreen to her real emotions.

  “Why? I meant what I said. You’re one of the most amazing women I’ve ever run across.”

  A pleased blush deepened her cheeks even as she denied it. “I’m not. I’m too tall, too big. I’m heavy in the chest.” She was speaking quietly, keeping the conversation private, and he had to lean across the table to catch the words. What he heard took him a second to digest.

  “Wait. Are you saying you’re fat?”

  Her lips thinned. Her lashes kept her eyes completely hidden now.

  “Bullshit,” he bit out. Grabbing the purser packet, he ripped out a ten to toss on the table and took the rest, shoving it in a pocket unconcerned. He grasped a wrist with a firm circle of loose fingers to not hurt her, but he refused to sit there and let her talk about herself that way.

  Careful to not rush her, he purposely kept her close, half afraid she might suddenly bolt. Stopped outside his car, he told her, “Let’s finish this discussion at your apartment, okay?”

  She made a sound, as if it didn’t matter. So she’s the stubborn, quiet type, huh? Lucky for her, she’d met her match.

  It took them only twenty minutes to be standing outside her door. Her entry light illuminated her space in the breezeway. She unlocked it, but faced him instead of continuing through. “Look, Dario, I really appreciate the offer, and dinner—”

  “Open the door. I’m not leaving until we’ve talked.”

  She groaned, then lifting her gaze upward, shoved the door inward. “Fine.”

  The door closed with a resounding note of determination. “Now then, let me make this clear.” She dropped her purse on the kitchen break bar as if she couldn’t run fast enough. There was limited space to run, though. He followed her and turned her around. She refused to meet his gaze. “You are not fat. You’re beautiful. Is that why he left?”

  Sheridan tried to play it off to be of no consequence with an evasive, dismissive tone. “I can assume so. Mona is everything I’m not.”

  Right there, he wanted to strangle her ex. “What? Is she smarter?”

  She blinked, as though surprised that would be the first thing he’d pick on.

  “Is she wittier?”

  Her mouth popped open, but no sounds emerged.

  “What then? Because I don’t see the faults that apparently you think you have.”

  She glared at him. “Jesus! Do you want me to spell it out for you?”

  She was even more stunning when she let her fire take over. The different colors in her blue hazel eyes almost danced as her heat rose, making them spark like roman candles. Dario moved up close enough to crowd her. He caged her front while the bar blocked her back.

  “Tell me, and we’ll see.”

  “I’ll never be able to wear a bikini. I have hips the size of Mount Rushmore and a chest that makes Shamu look tiny. I’m a size sixteen. In other words, not perfect.”

  He did the only thing he could think of. Grabbing her forearms, he slammed his mouth down on hers to stop her. Sheridan would slap him unconscious if she had even an inkling of how much he wanted to take advantage of her cleavage. Sliding his cock between her lush mounds had been one of his best dreams last night. And don’t even get him thinking about her mouth. Erotic inspiration started with just her lips. Every time he’d looked at her, he’d found himself drawn, like a bee to flower petals, to her lips.

  Instead, he drove his tongue into sweet heaven, imagining her taste in all the places he wanted to explore. He reached deep and plied her tongue alongside his, making her mold tighter against his chest. His heart pounded as, this time, he took everything he’d wanted in the car, and then some.

  Rising when he had no choice but to let them both breathe, he told her, “Let me tell you what I see. I see a woman a man can hold. One who won’t break if loving turns into passion. I see curves and beauty. Do you have any idea how much sleep I got last night?”

  She trembled beneath his hands, but managed to shake her head, wide eyes watching him without blinking.

  �
�Two hours. It took that long to convince my body to come down from wanting you. I left the Fair with a hard-on and didn’t lose it until after three this morning. And not because I took care of it. All I could think of was how much I wanted you.” He’d had to take a nap just to function. He sucked air through a clenched jaw, calming the raging beast in his blood. “Damn, woman. You drove me insane yesterday and you never even knew it.” Leaning into her softness, he showed her exactly how she affected him, rubbing the aching ridge of his cock against her stomach, wishing he could do more. Wishing he could drive into her welcoming body and stay there. “Tell me. Do you really think I could fake that?”

  His voice evened out, the passion she’d stirred morphing into real desire instead of anger. “Sheridan, sweetheart. You are perfect. You’re my kind of perfect. Never in my life has a skinny beanpole even made me look twice. A nice set of tits, okay. I’m a guy, but honey. You…are…beautiful.” He leaned forward until his forehead rested on hers. “Being able to wear a bikini is a stupid bar to set. Have you seen what some women who wear them really look like? Most of them shouldn’t be allowed outdoors, but they do it anyway, and it’s not a sexy look.”

  She giggled, her eyes widening.

  “So tell me again why I shouldn’t escort you next weekend. Are you over him?”

  “Completely.”

  “And you’re friends with the bride?”

  “Not best friends, but yeah, we spent a lot of time up until him on class work together.”

  He lowered and nipped at her bottom lip. When she arched to give him her mouth, he claimed her offering. Slipping an arm around her shoulders and the other around her waist, any space between them vanished, chest to chest, lifting her as close as he dared to his own body. Every part of him wanted to make love to her right there. His cougar was crying for more. His body was aching for release. His lungs burned as he tried to breathe around the onslaught of hungers.

  It was with a will of steel that he controlled it all.

  Panting heavily, he teased her lips, letting her go slowly as he tried to think above the screaming urges pummeling him. “Then let me show him what he lost, that I’m so grateful for because there isn’t a doubt I’m ever letting you go. He can’t have you back, either.” Grinning evilly, he even knew how he could make the other man eat crow for ever making Sheridan feel like she was less of a woman. Like she wasn’t beautiful, or perfect.

  Dario was going to treat her like a princess and love every minute of spoiling her rotten.

  Chapter Five

  Dario picked up his phone on his desk Tuesday afternoon. “Acardi.”

  “I need you this weekend.”

  He rolled his eyes, straightening regretfully in his chair. “Hello, Muffy.”

  She purred. Sadly, her cougar only put his to sleep. Not that he could ever tell her that. She’d be insulted, and likely claw him to shreds. In fact, his cougar was actually turned off by Muffy. She thought she was the cat’s meow, all blonde perfection. She’d be appalled to learn she did nothing for him. His cougar rolled over in utter disinterest with his thoughts on the blonde.

  Giving the bid on his desk a lingering look, preferring it to the woman on the other end of the phone, he explained, “I already have plans this weekend.” He wondered if he should go so far as to tell her he was seeing someone, but didn’t want to put the cap on that bottle just yet.

  His cougar wanted Sheridan like a kitten and his first bowl of cream. He’d eat her alive and go back for seconds, making her love it then scream for more. Dario just wanted to lose himself in her. The tattoo of his pulse against his ears made his skin tight just thinking about her.

  Rolling his hips, he pressed the heel of his hand to his cock beneath his business slacks. Down boy.

  “But you were busy last weekend too,” she complained, trying to flirt with him and failing miserably. “I really do need you this weekend.”

  He almost asked her what for, then clamped his jaws shut. Don’t give her an inch. “And I’m sorry, Muffy. I can’t.”

  “You’re not even going to tell me what is so important that you can’t come with me?”

  He reached for a pencil and idly tapped the eraser on his desk. “Nope. I do have a life. Last I checked, it was mine to live.”

  Chilled silence was his answer. “You’re avoiding me. Ever since the Christmas ball.”

  He pitched the pencil and scrubbed his hand down his face. “I’m sorry, Muffy. You got the wrong idea.”

  It had been an incredibly bad idea to escort her to that one. Everyone had exclaimed at their pairing. She was prime for him, and perfect for his status. She ate that up like a prom queen. Dario couldn’t wait for the evening to end. From that night on, it had seemed to only be a matter of when they’d announce their engagement. It was enough to make him ill. Ever since, he’d avoided anything in the least public with the woman. The last thing he needed was more tongue wagging and people already seeing them with a house and kids. He shuddered. God, no.

  “Dario.” Her voice lowered, a sexy cajoling sound that probably worked on every other male on the planet, Uncle Antonio included, but it didn’t work on him. “If you’re not ready, I understand, but please. I need you for this weekend.”

  He shook his head. How magnanimous of you. “I’m sorry, Muffy. I really can’t.”

  After hanging up with her, it took less than five minutes before both his uncle and his father stormed his office.

  “What is so important that you can’t take Muffy this weekend?”

  Dario gave his dad a pleading look. By the indifferent expression he received in return, it appeared his dad was on the ‘Muffy for a daughter-in-law’ train as well.

  “I already have plans.”

  “Break them. You managed to avoid the Luncheon last weekend. This weekend you are needed to make an appearance.” He wasn’t shocked to hear it. He was shocked to hear it come so flatly from his father. It was a borderline demand, and not like his dad in the least.

  Dario studied his father. “Dad? What is going on? What is this weekend that is so damned important that you can’t live without me being there?”

  “The council is requiring a Taja presence for their next ascension. You’re the heir coming into place behind me. It’s time you began to do your duty.”

  Dario stood, his eyes narrowing at his uncle. “Duty? Now why does that sound familiar?” Antonio used to be his favorite uncle, but ever since Dario came into age, he’d been hounding him to marry, and his flavor for the pride matriarch had been the blonde he’d turned down less than ten minutes before.

  “You’re shirking your responsibility.”

  A growl was hard to swallow. He’d never hurt his uncle, but the man had been pushing buttons for months over Muffy. “The hell I am. Dad, you and I both know the presence is voluntary. There’s no requirement in it. If they want a showing of the Taja pride, why?” He leaned on taut fists on his desks, not giving a single inch. “I’m sorry. I am. But I have plans for this weekend, and I can’t back out of them.”

  That was when it hit him. It wasn’t that he just wouldn’t back out, but he sincerely couldn’t. Sheridan’s dewy gaze rose before his face, and he felt himself melt a little. His cougar purred with mild impatience, wanting. He knew the drill. Work had to be done. Both had a place in Dario’s life, and he fought hard to keep his cougar happy, letting him run when he needed and as often as he could, which wasn’t always easy. The feline part of him was inseparable in so many ways.

  So why didn’t he realize what it all meant sooner than now? It had been before him for two days. In fact, she’d been right before him and he’d never suspected.

  Regarding the two standing in front of his desk, he almost blurted it out, so overwhelmed with the truth, he felt weightless.

  Sheridan was his match. His cougar’s mate. The snort he heard between his ears made him chuckle to himself. Okay, so I’m a little slow. At least now, he knew there was no way, ever, that Muffy would get her c
laws into him, no matter how appropriate the match seemed.

  Focusing, he sat, clearly ending the discussion. “I’m sorry. I have this bid to finish.” He wanted to roll and sunbathe in his newfound discovery.

  “Dario.”

  He lifted a hand to silence his dad. “I’m sorry. Please, don’t bring it up again. I will not court her, and from this point forward, I am off the block for her mate.”

  “Are you serious?” His uncle shared a wide eyed glare with Dario’s dad. “You need to give her a chance, son.”

  “I can’t.” Leaning back in his chair, he felt like the cat who ate the canary, when he replied with a grin, “She’s too late.”

  * * * *