Dreams of Perfection (Dreams Come True) (11 page)

Chapter 20

As the sun began its descent in the cloudless sky, Darcy and Blake crossed the footbridge connecting the west and east sides of the inner harbor. She’d been covering earlier with her comment about the lobster dinner, but now she really couldn’t wait. Between the hors d’oeuvres on the plane and the ice-cream cones, and, oh yeah, the dark chocolate cashew turtles, they’d skipped lunch, and, decadence notwithstanding, those calories had long since given up the ghost. Still, she mentally added another day or two at the gym to her already packed schedule.

The restaurant Blake selected overlooked the Harbor, giving Darcy a clear view of the piers, where sailboats and cabin cruisers bobbed alongside lobster and fishing trawlers, all set against the postcard image of the town beyond with its cedar-shake-covered buildings.

Diners vied for umbrella-bedecked picnic tables where they could unwind and watch the sunset. The hostess offered them a table, and Blake chose to sit next to Darcy so he could view the spectacle as well.

They met thigh-to-thigh on the bench, and Darcy felt a flush creep up her neck and into her face as her thoughts returned to the gutter.

Blake ordered a magnum of champagne and two lobster dinners with all the trimmings.

“Be sure to save room for a slice of one of our homemade pies,” the waitress recommended after completing their orders. “Today we have blueberry and peach.”

“Go ahead and reserve one of each,” he instructed the waitress.

“Sure thing. I’ll be back with your champagne.”

As the waitress walked away, Darcy could feel Blake’s eyes on her, and the flush deepened.

“There’s that look again. You must
really
like lobster,” he teased.

“Um.” She nervously cleared her throat, her eyes flicking to his lips. “Yeah.”

He laughed, rich and deep, before leaning in close, and whispering in her ear. “If it makes you feel any better, I
really
like lobster too.”

Darcy shivered as his breath tickled her neck and a sudden warmth settled deep in her belly.

The waitress returned to the table with an ice bucket and two flutes. “Here we are . . . a magnum of our best.”

Darcy practically snatched the flute out of the waitress’ hand after she’d filled it with the refreshing bubbly, and took a deep gulp. “Whew! Didn’t realize how thirsty I was.”

“Yeah, all that thinking about lobster really works up a thirst.” Blake grinned and tapped his glass to hers. “Cheers.”

Shortly i
nto the flight back to New York, Blake dismissed the flight attendant with an offhand, but polite, “Thanks, Mandy. That will be all. We’ll call you if we need anything more.”

Darcy relaxed as she and Blake reclined on the sofa, sipping excellent French press coffee courtesy of the now discreetly absent Mandy. Setting his cup aside, Blake reached into his jacket pocket and withdrew a small white box wrapped with a blue ribbon.

Darcy swallowed past the sudden lump in her throat.

“I bought a little something for you today, to remember our time together. I think you’ll like it.”

Taking the box, she slipped the ribbon off and lifted the lid to find a beautiful hand-wrought sterling silver bangle bracelet with a sand-dollar clasp. The same one she’d had her eye on earlier that day. “How’d you—?”

“Before we left the shop, I signaled to the sales clerk to wrap it up. When you went to the ladies’ room, I snuck back and picked it up. Do you like it?”

She looked up at him, awed by his cleverness and generosity. “I love it.” She slipped it on. “It’s beautiful. Thank you.” She leaned in to brush her lips against his. 

He cradled her face between his hands and met her halfway, capturing her mouth with his, lingering there, tasting, savoring. As the kiss deepened and the intensity swelled, he grasped her hips and pulled her across his lap, making her inhale sharply when her firm buttocks (thanks to Booty Barre!) met well-muscled thighs. 

Darcy grasped his shoulders, pulling him closer still. He slid his hands alongside her ribcage, shifting her body once more until she lay on her back amid the pillows, his lips still firm against hers.

The plane bounced, jostling them momentarily.

Breaking the kiss, he trailed his lips along her jaw, before nipping her earlobe, sending little sparks of electricity along her spine.
Oh yes, mile-high club, here I come.
She giggled at her own pun.

A sudden dip in altitude smothered her giggle and had Darcy gasping for reasons other than desire. But Blake’s roving fingers stifled any concern over fiery plane crashes, as his fingers grazed the front of her blouse, unbuttoning the top button.

“Dr. Garrett”—the pilot’s voice came over the speakers—“we’re experiencing some turbulence from thunderstorms in the area, so I’m going to ask that if you’re not in your seats, you return to them now and fasten your seatbelts for the duration of the flight.”

Darcy groaned.
So close.

Blake buttoned her blouse. “Seems we better listen to Captain Southard.” He stood, and held out his hand to help her up, pulling her close as the plane hit another air pocket. “Just as well,” he whispered into her ear, before pulling back to gaze into her eyes. “When we first make love, it shouldn’t be partially clothed on a turbulent flight with only limited privacy. You deserve so much more than that.”

Oh my.
Way to smooth over an awkward moment.
Dang, he was good.

Chapter 21

The following weekend, Darcy stood on the lawn of Sunnyside, Washington Irving’s historic home on the Hudson River, surrounded by wedding guests.

Cindy glowed in her blush-colored satin gown, while Martin cut a dashing figure in his dove-gray morning coat. The wedding weather gods had smiled on the couple with vivid blue skies, cotton-candy clouds, mild temperatures, and a cooling breeze off the river.

Darcy spied Laura in a royal blue silk charmeuse halter dress and her prized nude Louboutin platform pumps—the very pumps she’d been on her way to purchase the day of her now-infamous run-in with the New York City cabbie. As she turned to laugh at something her flavor-of-the-week date said, her thick blond hair swung across her bare back. Even at another’s wedding Laura managed to steal the show.

Josh, surrounded by the other groomsman, looked adorable in his tux.

And there was Dr. Perfect, headed in her direction with champagne for two. Not to be outdone, Blake struck his own dashing figure in a charcoal gray suit, white shirt, and cobalt blue tie. During the lovely outdoor ceremony, Darcy couldn’t help but daydream a little, especially when the minister had invited Martin to kiss his bride and Blake had reached over to squeeze her hand.

“Your date abandon you?”

“Not anymore.” She smiled as she took the proffered glass of bubbly.

Blake slipped his arm around Darcy’s waist, as Laura approached,
sans
escort.

“G’day, mate.”

Darcy rolled her eyes. Obviously, Laura’s new hottie hailed from Australia. “Blake, you remember Laura. You treated her in the ER.”

“Of course I do. How could I forget . . .?”

Laura preened.

“. . . the person who brought you into my life?” He pulled Darcy closer, gazing into her eyes.

“Hmph,” Laura replied with an unladylike snort, making Darcy chuckle.

“I’ll go get us some appetizers,” Blake offered. “Would you like a bite, Laura?”

Darcy could see the wheels turning in Laura’s head, like a spinning Rolodex, in search of the perfect ribald response.

“No thanks,” she said with a smirk, “more for Darcy.”

“So, who’s that you’re with?” Darcy asked after Blake walked away.

“Jake. He’s a cowboy and stunt man from Perth, doubling for Daniel Craig in his latest film.” Laura found him among the crowd. “Glorious, isn’t he?”

“A stunt man? Do you think he’d mind if I asked him some research questions for my current novel?”

“Feel free. Just be sure to give him back when you’re done,” Laura said with a wink.

Two young women in catering uniforms carrying appetizer trays approached them. “You’re Darcy Butler, right?” the shorter, slightly plump one bearing the bruschetta asked. “I’m a huge fan,” she continued without waiting for confirmation. “I’ve read all your books! I follow you on Twitter and Facebook, and I come to all your local book signings.”

Darcy mentally cringed, not wanting to hurt the girl’s feelings, but most of the time the faces at book signings were all a blur.

“Maybe you recognize my Twitter handle, I’m ‘SluttyGirl,’ and this is ‘PrincessLeia22,’” she said, pointing to the tall skinny girl with the tray of Brie tartlets.

Laura snorted, then choked on her champagne.  

“Um, oh, yes.” How could she forget a Twitter handle like that? “I really appreciate all of your retweets, um, SluttyGirl.”

“Can you give us a sneak peek of your next book? What’s the hero like?” PrincessLeia22 asked.

Laura, now fully recovered from her champagne mishap, turned to Darcy. “Yes, Darcy. Do tell. What’s the hero like?”

Darcy briefly imagined strangling Laura with her own Pantene-model-hair and dumping her body into the Hudson, but reconsidered, what with all the witnesses.

“Well, PrincessLeia . . . 22 . . . I’d hate to spoil the surprise I have in store for my fans with this next book. So I’m just going to say you’ll have to wait until it comes out. Sorry.” 

“That’s okay,” PrincessLeia22 replied with a shrug. “It was worth a try anyway. Tartlet?”

“Sure.” Darcy reached for a napkin and a tartlet, figuring it was the least she could do.

PrincessLeia22 and SluttyGirl moved on to the other wedding guests to offer up their tartlets and bruschetta. 

Laura took another sip of her champagne, a devilish smile on her movie-star-gorgeous face. “Oh, you’ve got a surprise in store for your fans, all right.”

“Shh. Here’s Blake.”

“Ladies.” He presented a plate piled high with hors d’oeuvres of every shape and color. “I think I’ve got a little something you’ll like.”

“Don’t say it,” Darcy muttered to Laura.

Josh watched as Blake wrapped his ar
m around Darcy’s waist and pulled her close, holding out a plate of food with the other hand. Josh tossed back the last of his champagne, longing for something stronger. His opportunity to treat Blake as a hostile witness had finally presented itself.

He’d been busy all morning with his groomsmen’s duties, but that didn’t mean he hadn’t noticed how beautiful Darcy looked in a simply cut green—he guessed some might call it jade—off-the-shoulder deal that fit her slender form perfectly. He could just imagine how the color made her eyes sparkle. Her hair hung loose around her shoulders in soft waves.

He headed in their direction, stopping from time to time to greet colleagues from the firm. Josh gritted his teeth when Blake threw his head back, laughing at something Darcy said. Even his laugh was perfect. Infectious, if you liked that sort of rich-timbered baritone.

“Hi, Darcy.”

“Josh.” Darcy smiled. “Don’t you look handsome in your groomsmen get-up? Blake, you remember Josh.”

“Of course.”

The two men shook hands.

“Garrett.” Josh nodded perfunctorily.

“Nice catch at the Yankees game.”

“Yeah, thanks.”

“Bloodsucker,” Laura greeted Josh in her usual charming way.

“Witch.”

“What do lawyers use for birth control?”

“Their personalities.” Josh replied, unenthused with their customary banter.

“Damn,” Laura muttered. “I’ve got to get some new jokes.”

Darcy just shook her head at Blake’s questioning look.

Blake broke the uncomfortable silence. “Laura, how did you spend your Memorial Weekend?”

“Jake and I spent the weekend in the Hamptons.”

“The beaches there are wonderful,” Blake said.

“If you say so,” Laura replied with a wicked grin. “How about you two?”

“We flew to Maine for lobster,” Darcy said, as she slipped her hand into Blake’s.

“Wow!” Josh drew back in surprise. “Conspicuous consumption in action.”

Darcy frowned.

“A man after my own heart.” Laura held up her champagne glass in a toast.

“You have a heart?” Josh quipped.

“And they’re off,” Darcy muttered, while Blake watched the whole exchange as if he were viewing the final match at Wimbledon.

“Don’t you have someone to sue?” Laura thrust.

“Don’t you have someone to do?” Josh parried.

“Actually, yes. Excuse me while I round up my Aussie cowboy. Always nice exchanging barbs with you,” Laura said, as she nodded at Josh. “Blake, take care of my girl.” She kissed Darcy on the cheek and strutted off in the direction of the tent.

“You two always get along so swimmingly?” Blake asked Josh.

“Oh yeah, we’re BFFs,” Josh replied flatly. “So, Blake, Darcy tells me you’re a trauma surgeon, of impeccable pedigree, no less.”

“I suppose you could say that.”

“Harvard undergrad
and
medical school?”

“Yes.”

“Johns Hopkins for residency?”

“Yes.”

“UCSD for fellowship?”

“Josh,” Darcy hissed.

“Yes, that’s right,” Blake replied evenly, as if he were accustomed to being cross-examined by his girlfriend’s best friend.

“Been in New York long?”

“No. I was in Chicago two years before coming here.”

“Where?”

“Mt. Sinai.”

“And before that?”

“Josh, stop it!” Darcy stepped between Josh and Blake.

“No, it’s okay, Darcy.” Blake pulled her back. “I don’t mind. We can cover my entire career if Josh is so inclined.”

“Well, I’m
not
so inclined. Come on.” She tugged at Blake’s arm. “The music is starting, and
I’m
inclined to dance.”

She executed a defiant hair flip before turning to glare at Josh, her eyes spitting green sparks, as Blake took the lead in the direction of the tent. 

Josh scrubbed his hands through his hair.
Oh boy.
Darcy would make sure he paid for that little confrontation.

Blake pulled Darcy into the circle of his arms. Even their
warmth couldn’t sooth Darcy’s indignation. “I’m sorry, Blake. I don’t know what got into him.”
Alcohol, perhaps.
“He doesn’t usually behave like a rabid lawyer.”

“Don’t give it another thought. He’s only protecting you.” Blake tucked her head under his chin, then kissed the top of her head. “That’s what friends do. Just forget it.”

She closed her eyes and relaxed into Blake, vowing to rip Josh a new one at the first opportunity.