Chapter One
Darcy
“I have to admit, I love waking up with you in my arms,” he whispers.
I giggle as Lennon rolls over on the bed and pulls me into his embrace, kissing me with the same hot passion he had when we first met. Nearly a year later, and I can’t believe he still can’t get enough of me. I sigh as he gently strokes my cheek, his eyes locked on mine. My heart races, like it always does when he looks at me that way.
“Me too,” I whisper, suddenly feeling shy.
“We really need to do this more often,” he teases. “When are you going to give in and stay over at my house? Or at least get yourself a bigger bed?” he chuckles.
I roll my eyes at his little dig, because he knows as well as I do that staying over at his place isn’t allowed, at least, not yet. He shouldn’t even be staying here tonight, but I gave in because it’s my birthday.
“You know how my parents are,” I say, feeling a twinge of annoyance. “It was hard enough getting them to accept you’re my boyfriend. I really don’t want them to know we’re having sex as well.”
He laughs. “You think they haven’t figured that out? You were anything but quiet last night when I went down on you. I’m surprised they didn’t assume you were in pain and call an ambulance, or something.”
“Shut up,” I hiss, my face heating up as I remember screaming uncontrollably with the pleasure I’d felt. My body tingles at the memory of his hot tongue down there. Licking… sucking… probing. God, it felt so good, but the last thing I want to think about is my parents being any part of that! He laughs and pulls me even closer into his arms again, peppering me with kisses as I try to squirm away.
“Come on, Darcy. Would they even care?” he says, sitting up. I glance at his muscular chest, my heart racing again as my imagination runs wild with some very naughty thoughts. God, I feel so lucky to have this guy in my life. I look up at his face, suddenly remembering he was in mid-lecture. “You’re nineteen, for God’s sake. You’re an adult. A grown woman. You’re not in school anymore. The agreement was, they’d accept us as a couple once you’d graduated, and that was over two months ago.”
“They have accepted us,” I counter, but even as I say it, I know it’s not completely true. To them, I’m still their little girl, and especially today. Mom always gets emotional on my birthday since it reminds her I’m growing up. I’m not the same cute little girl she saw me as when I was a child. I am a woman now. Of course, Lennon’s right, but this isn’t a discussion I want to have with my mom and dad today. Scrub that. This isn’t a discussion I want to have with them, ever!
“Besides, maybe we should talk about how accepting your mother and father have been of our relationship?” I say, my voice sweet.
He glowers at me, but doesn’t reply because he knows I’ve hit a nerve. His parents seem to despise me, and that’s okay, because I’m not too fond of them either. I hate the way they treat Lennon. They make him feel like crap for wanting to follow his dreams. He tries so hard to be someone they can be proud of, but nothing’s ever good enough for them. I take his arm and try to yank him out of my bed.
“Enough of the arguing. Please, Lennon? It’s my birthday,” I say, frowning. He grunts, but I know he feels bad at the thought of ruining my day. “Now, get your cute ass out of my bed and out of that damn window. Look lively, mister.”
Chuckling, he finally gives in and pulls on his jeans while I sit back and admire the show.
“So, exactly like we planned then?” he smirks. “I have to walk around the front and pretend I just turned up to see you?”
“Yes,” I pout, frowning at his amused expression. “You have a problem with that?” But, before he can respond, my bedroom door swings open and I gasp in shock as Mom walks in, carrying a cupcake, complete with a fat pink candle flickering away.
“Where’s my birthday gir—”
Her eyes widen, and she stops mid-sentence when she looks up and sees Lennon standing there, half-naked. Thank God, she wasn’t thirty seconds earlier or she would’ve really got an eyeful.