Hide and Seek
 

After supper Darcy lead him out to the terrace and lighted walkway.  There were other couples taking advantage of the gardens and cobblestone walkway so she didn’t feel uncomfortable being alone with him even if all he did through dinner was stare at her breasts.

“All that butter is going to sit on my hips.  A good walk is just what we need.”

“We?  I didn’t say anything about walking.  By the way, why don’t you take off those heels and let me carry them before you catch one between a cobblestone and trip.”

“Good idea.”  They stopped and Darcy used his shoulder to balance herself while she removed her shoes. 

“Here,” she handed the sandals to him.  “Thanks.”

“Don’t thank me.  I’m looking out for myself.”

She stopped him.  “Excuse me?”  She faced him in the twilight.  There was a saucy sort of grin on his face and his eyes twinkled dangerously.  He was amusing himself about something and seemed very eager to share it with her.  But Darcy had a feeling she was going to have to beat him with a stick to find out what it was.

He looked around first before he answered her.  “What I mean is, if you fell and that gownless evening strap you’re wearing got hitched up, it could be embarrassing, if I’ve bet my cards right.”

“Bet them on what?”

He leaned closer to her and placed his hands on her shoulders.  Her shoes still dangled from one hand and he was careful when he touched her.  He lowered his face to hers and Darcy prepared herself for a kiss.  But the kiss never happened.  Instead he brushed his lips against her right ear and whispered.

“On whether or not you’re wearing underwear.”

Darcy nearly choked, but not from indignation.  He nipped at her ear lobe, disturbing a dangling silver earring.  She closed her eyes and shivered at the sensation.  He seemed intent on kissing a path all the way down her neck from her ear to her shoulder.  The lips of her pussy throbbed.  Her bottom tightened impulsively.  Her nipples ached to be touched.  She pressed her body closer to him and did indeed feel the achieved effect of her dress.  Not even the dual thud of her sandals hitting the stone sidewalk broke the spell.

 “And by the way, I don’t care who walks by.  I don’t care who’s watching.  I don’t care how long it takes.  I’m not going to let you go until you tell me.”

He’d laid his cards on the table.  Her options were limited.  If she told him, ‘yes’, he might not believe her and he’d insist that she prove it.  If she said, “no sailor, I’m going commando tonight,” chances are he’d slip his hand under her dress to find out if she was telling the truth.  Either way, it would be the end of her.

“If I tell you, will you believe me?” she whispered against his lips.

“Honey, right now I’ll believe anything you say.”  His hands travelled down to caress her buttocks.  “I can’t even feel a panty line.  Shit, I should have bet my wad.”

Darcy let out a nervous chuckle.  “We’ll discuss your...wad some other time.  Face it, stud.  You bet the farm and lost it.”

He cast her a mock pout, the kind of expression Darcy was sure got him past many a resisting gal.  But not this gal! 

“Does that mean you’ll take pity on a poor, homeless farm-boy without so much as a haystack to roll in?”  The vision his words presented nearly caused her throat to close up.  Except that hay made her nose red and her skin itch.  Right now, she was coming damned close to scratching the kind of itch Kyle was creating whether she wanted to or not. 

However, she was known to nibble.  And she might just dive right in if he kept holding her too much longer.  Especially when he took an even greater advantage and pressed her closer.  He then ran his hand between the crease of her buttocks.  That damned near finished her off.  She was so busy enjoying the pleasurable feelings racing through her she didn’t feel him gather the material between his thumb and forefinger until....snap!

“Hey!”  She jumped back, effectively breaking their romantic clinch.  She planted her hands on her backside and rubbed hard. 

“Thong.  Well, how about that.  I’m wrong.  I’ll have to mark this on my PDA calendar.”

“Congratulations, joker.”  Asshole was more like it.  Why didn’t Spence warn her about these kinds of occupational hazards?  He might be laughing but the joke just put her on ice.

“I think we have to call it a night.”

“Oh?” 

Darcy reconsidered her decision when she saw genuine disappointment in his face.  “Yeah.  I, uh, have to go back to the room and change.”

“Into something more comfortable, I hope.”

“You might say that.”  She grabbed the front of his shirt for balance and furtively wriggled out of her thong.  Kyle’s eyes never left her as she inched the garment down her thighs, over her knees and onto her ankles.  Then she gingerly stepped out of the circle of black lace.  She dangled the thong between her thumb and forefinger.  The tee-strap had given way when he’s snapped it.

“Oops,” he murmured sheepishly.  “I’m really sorry.  That’s not exactly the way I wanted to see your underwear.”  She was on the verge actually believing he might be embarrassed.  She couldn’t tell but from the dim lights of the lanterns lining the walkway, his face looked a little red.  Of course, he might only have a sunburn.

“You owe me,” she said and stabbed her index finger into his chest.  His shirt was open.  His skin was warm.  Darcy fought the desire to run her fingers through the crisp, curling hairs.

Kyle cleared his throat and had the decency to appear uncomfortable.  “Yeah, I guess I do.  For that, I’m willing to agree and call it a night.  But let me take you into town tomorrow and allow me to buy you a replacement.”

Darcy thought about his offer for a moment.  Unlike a bouquet of flowers, she’d actually have to be present for this apology.  Perhaps dragging him around to a string of lingerie stores might be the ideal way to get him to loosen up about his personal life.  She could load her arsenal of prompts about returning to Toronto.  And if it took a few concealed weapons, so be it.  So far he was taking the bait nicely.  Nothing like a little private modelling to close the cage.  And speaking of close, Kyle was getting a little too close for her comfort.  He invaded her comfort zone, violated her space.  He covered her hand and pressed it flat against his chest.  Darcy swallowed.  It was too intimate a touch.  It was one thing for him to fondle her ass in the dark on a public walkway; she was in control of what he touched and when.  She wanted him to notice her and he did.   But it was quite another thing to give up control of the situation.

“You know what you should add to your list?”  His warm, wine-scented breath brushed across her lips.  His mouth was too close.

She lowered her gaze to his chest where his fingers gently caressed her own.  “I live in hope that you’ll tell me,” she breathed.