Chapter 4: Kisses and Cake
He was ready when she came to the door that afternoon. He was certain she wouldn't be late today, the first time they had had a chance to be alone recently. He might not take advantage of it, but he would definitely make the most of it.
"Hi Darien, I'm here," she announced cheerfully as she entered.
"And on time, too. Would you like a snack, Serena?" He smiled, silly question, "I have some chocolate cake."
"Cake? Alright!" Her smile brightened as she skipped into the room.
"Serena, wait," Darien said approaching her with a gentle smile, "We have time, let's take it slow."
Blushing, she nodded her assent. They sat down together by the low table where there were two goblets, two slices of rich chocolate cake and a chilled bottle. He captured her eyes with his and held her hands. "Darien." She breathed.
He kissed her hands and released them. "Would Milady care for a drink?" he showed her the bottle with a wink.
"Certainly, Milord," she replied with a giggle. She watched as he poured the sparkling beverage into the crystal goblets. He handed her one. "A toast: to desert," he said, clinking the goblets lightly.
"To desert," she sipped the cider. "You are in such a strange mood today," she observed, dipping her finger in the frosting to taste it.
"I missed desert last night," he said catching her hand before it reached her lips and bringing it to his own, "and I've missed being with just you." He licked the frosting off her finger, an anticipatory glint in his eyes.
She shivered sensually. *This is not happening,* she thought, her eyes closed, *five minutes with chocolate and I haven't even tasted it, and I'm beginning to not care.*
"Here." She heard his voice and opened her eyes. He was holding a modest morsel on a fork in front of her. She took it delicately and savored the rich taste and creamy texture. He watched as a look of rapture crossed her face. The golden sunlight filtered through the window, touching her satin tresses and making her seem to glow.
She scooped up a forkful of cake and offered it to him, teasing lightly, "Turn about is fair play." Dipping his head, he took the proffered bite, even white teeth flashing in a smile. Her aim had been slightly off and he had a dab on his cheek. Greatly daring, she leaned forward and licked the spot. He swallowed, visibly moved, then putting his arm behind her back, he drew her to him and captured her lips in a searing kiss. Breaking apart with a shuddering sigh, she could feel his warmth through his cotton shirt and the tension trembling in him as he fought for control. She pulled back and took a cool drink from her goblet, prompting him to do likewise.
"What brought all this on?" she asked wonderingly.
"I didn't want you thinking I take our relationship for granted," he replied with a warm smile. "Want some more?" he asked cocking an eyebrow.
"Haven't you had enough?" she pretended to be slightly alarmed, but was pleased.
"Not near enough," he answered with a wolfish grin, "I know when I've had enough and I'm not there yet."
They proceeded with the give and take of kisses and cake, from light nibbles and kisses on fingertips to abandoning the last bites to recline into an enraptured embrace. Releasing her after a deep, lingering kiss, he rested head on his elbow, watching her as their pulses slowed. "Now that's enough," he chuckled softly, tracing her face with his fingers, "anymore and I couldn't face your father."
She reached up and brushed his hair away from his eyes. He caught her hand and kissed the palm. "Isn't this where we started?" she giggled.
"And your father was just beginning to be nice to me. Why?"
"I think he's heard horror stories about other fathers' daughters' boyfriends. He's decided you aren't so bad after all."
"Really? I'm glad," he said, satisfied. He started to play with her hair, reluctant to get up.
"Of course, I could always date some other guys so he could really appreciate you," she said half seriously.
Just as an ember can be fanned by a wind into a raging forest fire, so her words enflamed a primal passion that threatened to engulf him. "Don't you dare," he growled. "You're mine!" He caught her to him tightly, pressing himself against her and kissed her with a previously unmatched intensity. She responded with equal fervor, catching his fever and clutching his thin shirt and the back of his silky, dark hair.
The phone rang loud and shrill, the sound startling them like ice water. They broke apart, panting. The phone rang again.
"Don't answer," she said reaching for him again.
"Have to.'sAndrew," he slurred like a drunken man. "If I don't." He got up, sobering as the phone rang once more. "Hello.hi Andrew.Yeah, I'm alright..Thanks, buddy." He hung up and leaned his head against the wall. He'd come so close to losing it.
Serena got up and cleared the dishes away, shaken and thoughtful. She had been taking him for granted. He was always there for her, whether she needed him or just wanted him, her boy toy. But he was like a chained tiger, dangerous in battle and boudoir. This is what others recognized immediately: Beryl, Raye, Emerald, even Luna and Setsuna. She was safe only because he chose to keep her that way! She approached him hesitantly, fearful yet excited. *He was hers!*
He looked like a little boy on time out. She touched his arm. Warily, he turned, afraid to face her what- anger?.fear?.shame? What he saw was a cheerful confidence, love and grace.
"So, Darien, where are the family photos I came to look at?"
"Oh Serena," he said, relieved and elated, "have I mentioned today that I love you?"
AN: Oooo, enjoyed that? I reeealy have to update more often. Next chapter: more clues to D's past.
He was ready when she came to the door that afternoon. He was certain she wouldn't be late today, the first time they had had a chance to be alone recently. He might not take advantage of it, but he would definitely make the most of it.
"Hi Darien, I'm here," she announced cheerfully as she entered.
"And on time, too. Would you like a snack, Serena?" He smiled, silly question, "I have some chocolate cake."
"Cake? Alright!" Her smile brightened as she skipped into the room.
"Serena, wait," Darien said approaching her with a gentle smile, "We have time, let's take it slow."
Blushing, she nodded her assent. They sat down together by the low table where there were two goblets, two slices of rich chocolate cake and a chilled bottle. He captured her eyes with his and held her hands. "Darien." She breathed.
He kissed her hands and released them. "Would Milady care for a drink?" he showed her the bottle with a wink.
"Certainly, Milord," she replied with a giggle. She watched as he poured the sparkling beverage into the crystal goblets. He handed her one. "A toast: to desert," he said, clinking the goblets lightly.
"To desert," she sipped the cider. "You are in such a strange mood today," she observed, dipping her finger in the frosting to taste it.
"I missed desert last night," he said catching her hand before it reached her lips and bringing it to his own, "and I've missed being with just you." He licked the frosting off her finger, an anticipatory glint in his eyes.
She shivered sensually. *This is not happening,* she thought, her eyes closed, *five minutes with chocolate and I haven't even tasted it, and I'm beginning to not care.*
"Here." She heard his voice and opened her eyes. He was holding a modest morsel on a fork in front of her. She took it delicately and savored the rich taste and creamy texture. He watched as a look of rapture crossed her face. The golden sunlight filtered through the window, touching her satin tresses and making her seem to glow.
She scooped up a forkful of cake and offered it to him, teasing lightly, "Turn about is fair play." Dipping his head, he took the proffered bite, even white teeth flashing in a smile. Her aim had been slightly off and he had a dab on his cheek. Greatly daring, she leaned forward and licked the spot. He swallowed, visibly moved, then putting his arm behind her back, he drew her to him and captured her lips in a searing kiss. Breaking apart with a shuddering sigh, she could feel his warmth through his cotton shirt and the tension trembling in him as he fought for control. She pulled back and took a cool drink from her goblet, prompting him to do likewise.
"What brought all this on?" she asked wonderingly.
"I didn't want you thinking I take our relationship for granted," he replied with a warm smile. "Want some more?" he asked cocking an eyebrow.
"Haven't you had enough?" she pretended to be slightly alarmed, but was pleased.
"Not near enough," he answered with a wolfish grin, "I know when I've had enough and I'm not there yet."
They proceeded with the give and take of kisses and cake, from light nibbles and kisses on fingertips to abandoning the last bites to recline into an enraptured embrace. Releasing her after a deep, lingering kiss, he rested head on his elbow, watching her as their pulses slowed. "Now that's enough," he chuckled softly, tracing her face with his fingers, "anymore and I couldn't face your father."
She reached up and brushed his hair away from his eyes. He caught her hand and kissed the palm. "Isn't this where we started?" she giggled.
"And your father was just beginning to be nice to me. Why?"
"I think he's heard horror stories about other fathers' daughters' boyfriends. He's decided you aren't so bad after all."
"Really? I'm glad," he said, satisfied. He started to play with her hair, reluctant to get up.
"Of course, I could always date some other guys so he could really appreciate you," she said half seriously.
Just as an ember can be fanned by a wind into a raging forest fire, so her words enflamed a primal passion that threatened to engulf him. "Don't you dare," he growled. "You're mine!" He caught her to him tightly, pressing himself against her and kissed her with a previously unmatched intensity. She responded with equal fervor, catching his fever and clutching his thin shirt and the back of his silky, dark hair.
The phone rang loud and shrill, the sound startling them like ice water. They broke apart, panting. The phone rang again.
"Don't answer," she said reaching for him again.
"Have to.'sAndrew," he slurred like a drunken man. "If I don't." He got up, sobering as the phone rang once more. "Hello.hi Andrew.Yeah, I'm alright..Thanks, buddy." He hung up and leaned his head against the wall. He'd come so close to losing it.
Serena got up and cleared the dishes away, shaken and thoughtful. She had been taking him for granted. He was always there for her, whether she needed him or just wanted him, her boy toy. But he was like a chained tiger, dangerous in battle and boudoir. This is what others recognized immediately: Beryl, Raye, Emerald, even Luna and Setsuna. She was safe only because he chose to keep her that way! She approached him hesitantly, fearful yet excited. *He was hers!*
He looked like a little boy on time out. She touched his arm. Warily, he turned, afraid to face her what- anger?.fear?.shame? What he saw was a cheerful confidence, love and grace.
"So, Darien, where are the family photos I came to look at?"
"Oh Serena," he said, relieved and elated, "have I mentioned today that I love you?"
AN: Oooo, enjoyed that? I reeealy have to update more often. Next chapter: more clues to D's past.