She reached over and kissed him, a soft kiss, then pulled back. “You better get seconds, Crew. I’ve been cooking for two hours. I never do that,” she said, trying to lighten the mood.

  “Don’t worry, I’ll eat until I burst,” he assured her.

  “Do you want to know the coolest thing about Portofino?” she asked.

  “Of course, I do,” he said as he bit into a stuffed mushroom that once again sent his senses into overdrive. He finished chewing then added, “I bet it’s pirates. I bet pirates built the town.”

  She laughed. “I haven’t heard any pirate legends, but I’m sure they were there,” Darla told him. “Nope, the coolest thing is that Portofino was a Roman colony originally named Portus Delphini, supposedly because of dolphins in the harbor. It was a strategic point for centuries. But the coolest fact of all is that it was placed under the republic of Genova in 1229.” She stopped and he looked at her quizzically.

  “Um, okay, I guess, but why is that the coolest fact?” he asked as he searched his mind for possibilities.

  “Because my favorite princess movie of all time is The Princess Diaries, and she’s the princess of Genovia. When I found out there was a place called Genova that my family is from I was quite pleased.”

  He looked at her and waited, but she simply went back to her food. He was seriously confused.

  “You’re excited that your family comes from a place in Italy that’s one letter off from your favorite fictional movie?” he asked just to clarify.

  “Yep, very excited,” she told him.

  “Maybe I should make an appointment for you on my couch,” he said with a straight face.

  Her head whipped up as she glared at him. “Just for that, you’re going to watch The Princess Diaries with me tonight,” she said.

  “I’m sorry,” he told her, holding his hands in the air. “I was just kidding. I think it’s an incredible and unique fact. Please, for the love of all that’s holy, don’t make me watch that movie.”

  “Too late. I haven’t seen it in years. And, do you know what the best part of all is?” she asked. He was no longer fooled by her sweet, innocent smile. She was truly a devil in disguise.

  “What’s that?” he asked as he reached for the wine bottle and filled his glass to the top. He was going to need a lot more if he had to watch princess movies.

  “There’s a part two,” she said with evil glee. “They have a script eighteen years later for a part three, but it hasn’t been made yet.”

  Crew groaned, then guzzled half of his glass of wine. Darla got up and grabbed another bottle, opening it while he ate more food. Maybe if he ate really, really slow she’d forget about her princess movie. He could always hope and dream.

  Chapter Fifteen

  Crew’s hopes and dreams were quickly squashed. He spent thirty minutes cleaning the huge mess she’d made in the kitchen. He could’ve done it in half the time but he was hoping she’d turn her movie on, and he’d only have to suffer for about forty-five minutes. Nope. She’d pulled up the movie on Disney Plus, paused it, and waited for him.

  If he hadn’t wanted to hold her in his arms so much, he would’ve found some excuse to get out of watching it. It wasn’t so bad once she was curled up against him, a blanket shielding them from the world as the movie began playing.

  It was terrible, absolutely terrible. He liked the grandmother played by Julie Andrews, but other than that it was a teenage girl’s dream and a grown man’s nightmare. However, Darla’s sighs of joy as Mia — the princess played by Anne Hathaway — found herself made the movie adventure worth it.

  The more she snuggled into him, the more he tolerated the movie. His body had heated up and he was ready to take her to his bed. No matter how often the two of them made love, it was never enough. He had a hunger for this woman that was never going away.

  Unfortunately the hunger had to wait. Darla went straight from the credits of The Princess Diaries to The Princess Diaries 2. His torture wouldn’t be complete until Princess Mia got her happily ever after.

  When the second movie ended, Crew felt his IQ had dropped a few points. “Do you want to watch another of my favorite princess movies?” she asked.

  That was it, Crew had most certainly suffered enough.

  “Woman, you’re torturing me on purpose,” he growled.

  She laughed, and that’s when he knew he’d been suckered. “I didn’t think you’d get through the first movie, let alone two. I really have power over you,” she told him, laughing so hard she could barely get the words out.

  “You’re going to pay for this,” he told her. “I was being that nice because you made me a spectacular dinner. Now I know you’re just a sneaky little vixen,” he said as he flipped them over on the couch and pinned her.

  “I got you to watch two princess movies. That makes me the most brilliant woman in the universe,” she said. “I might even post it on my social media page.”

  “Don’t you dare. I’ll find some dirt on you and do the same,” he promised. The thought of his brothers knowing he’d been suckered into cheesy chick flicks was terrifying. He’d never live it down.

  “Oh, come on, Crew, you’ve found your sensitive side,” she said, still laughing. “The truth is men really do love chick flicks. They just don’t want to admit it, so they act as if it’s torture to watch them.”

  Crew knew of one sure way to end this dispute. He closed the space between them and lowered his head, claiming her mouth as his own, kissing her with a savageness that spoke of too much time passing since their last kiss. Whether five minutes or five hours, his hunger for her couldn’t be sated.

  As soon as their mouths connected, Darla’s laughter turned to passion. She melted against him as his lips molded perfectly to hers and he dipped inside to explore the sweetness of her mouth. It didn’t take much convincing to have her tongue dancing with his, making his body ignite as he pressed his arousal against her.

  He sucked up the sweet sounds of hunger escaping her mouth as he pushed harder against her. The way her hands reached around him and tangled in his hair only made him greedier for her. They fit perfectly together, her plump breasts pressed against his solid chest, the sweet V of her thighs a perfect home to bury himself.

  In every other relationship he’d been disciplined, in control, doing what was best for him and his partner. But not with Darla. No matter how hard he tried to maintain a semblance of calm, the second they touched he lost control, becoming a man he barely recognized. He instantly wanted to stake his claim, pound his chest, and own this woman.

  Discipline flew out the window when he was in Darla’s arms, and the longer the two of them were together, the more he hoped he’d never find that control again. She made him a new man, a better man, a happier man.

  He didn’t care that she pushed him past the point of no return on a daily basis and took away all semblance of restraint it had taken him years to develop. That was the beauty of it. He liked to be messy and uncomfortable around this woman. He liked letting it all go.

  Crew’s hand lifted as he moved his lips over her jaw. He drew light circles on her collarbone with his tongue and fingers, causing her flesh to quiver beneath him. She was so damn responsive, so very much his. His lips ran over her pulse that hammered beneath her silky skin. She moaned, the sound circling him.

  She was so vulnerable with him. Part of him wanted to claim her again and again, and part of him wanted to stand at her door and defend her from the cruelties of the world. He wanted to own her and defend her, be her white knight and her captor. He wanted to be her everything.

  He leaned back and looked at her. It took a moment before she realized he’d stopped. He watched in fascination as her eyes slowly opened and gazed at him, lust burning in them.

  “Don’t stop now, cowboy,” she slurred, drunk on his kisses. He bent down and kissed her nose, making a sweet smile spread across her swollen lips. She moved her hands down from his neck and trailed her fingers over his arms.

  “I get lost in you, Darla. What you do to me should be illegal,” he told her.

  “Oh, Crew, I second that. When you kiss me, I’m taken to another world. When you make love to me, it’s heavenly,” she told him.

  “Do you ever not say what’s on your mind?” he asked her with a gentle smile.

  “I like honesty. I don’t always want to share every hope, desire, and thought in my head, but if I do want to say something, I don’t normally hold back,” she told him.

  “I love that about you the most,” he said. He leaned down and softly brushed his lips against hers again. It was impossible to look into her flushed face and not kiss her. “I’m not going to ever let you go,” he finished.

  She smiled a serene, happy smile. “You won’t get a choice if I want to be free,” she said, stunning him.

  “What?” he asked. He hadn’t meant to blurt out those words, but her reply wasn’t what he expected at all.

  “I’m here because I want to be here, Crew, not because I feel pressured or because I don’t want to let you down. I’m here because being away from you feels like a part of me is missing. I hope that feeling lasts, but sometimes it doesn’t. Sometimes the world gets in the way, and sometimes beautiful passion fades and turns into loathing. I don’t want that to happen with us, but I can’t promise it won’t. If it does, I’ll walk away,” she told him.

  What she was saying was totally rational; it was the conversation he previously would have with a woman before they slept together. But with Darla, each word was like a stab to his heart.

  “I guess I’ll have to make sure you don’t ever want to go,” he said, deciding he didn’t want to discuss it anymore.

  He leapt from the couch and scooped her into his arms. “No more princess movies for you. Tomorrow we watch Rocky.” She laughed as he carried her to the bedroom. “And do you know what the best part is?” he taunted as he stepped inside what he now considered their bedroom.

  “What?” she asked.

  “There are six Rocky movies. Payback will be very satisfying.” Her eyes widened in horror.

  “That’s not even sort of fair,” she gasped as he grabbed her shirt and pulled it over her head.

  “Haven’t you been told that life’s not fair?” he asked, stopping the discussion by pulling her against him and kissing her again.

  There was no more talk of movies that night, just a lot of moans and sounds of appreciation. They might have vastly different tastes in movies, but their bodies sang together when they were wrapped in each other’s arms.

  He wasn’t going to ever let her go — and he’d make sure she didn’t ask to be set free.

  Chapter Sixteen

  Darla froze as a man chased her. She tried to run, but her feet wouldn’t move. “You’re mine, Darla, all mine,” he said, his face in shadows. She knew she had to run, knew she had to get away. She tried moving and still couldn’t. She opened her mouth and let out a cry.

  The sound jerked her awake.

  Crew was holding her and looked down with concern before he laughed.

  “Really? You fell asleep again?” he asked. “That’s three times now. Are you going to get through even one of these movies?”

  It took a moment for Darla to realize she’d been dreaming. True to his word, Crew had insisted they were watching all of the Rocky movies. She liked them, she did, but there were some really slow parts, and if she heard the name Adrian yelled out one more time she might have to punch someone.

  “You didn’t say I had to stay awake through all of the movies,” she told him. She cuddled in closer to him, enjoying the scent of his skin as she kissed his neck.

  “Don’t think you can distract me with that tempting mouth of yours,” he warned. But she laughed. She could hear the huskiness in his voice. It didn’t matter how many times they made love, it was never enough.

  She was tired. She hadn’t slept well the past few days. There was too much going on in her life. But, she always felt grounded again when she was with Crew.

  “Every Rocky movie is exactly the same,” she complained.

  “No way! How can a woman who loves the rodeo not like Rocky?” he asked, completely confounded.

  “I like live sports. I’m not a huge fan of watching them on television,” she said. “If I can’t get to a live game for a long time, I’ll cave and watch one on the screen. But the rodeo and live sports are so exhilarating with the crowds around you. You can practically taste the fear, desire, and excitement in the air. Plus, there’s always fried food and good liquor,” she added.

  “I don’t know how you manage to have such a fantastic body with your love of fried foods,” he said.

  “It’s all about self-control. If I go crazy at events and then work out hard, I can stay in shape. If there was an event every day I’d weigh five hundred pounds.” She stopped and laughed. “I could probably live with that.” A shudder went through her. No, scratch that, she couldn’t handle being too tired to move, and anytime she gained weight she felt it in her joints. She hated that feeling.

  “So, what are your plans tomorrow?” he asked. She enjoyed the domestic bliss of being with him, enjoyed chatting about their days.

  “I have a full caseload this week,” she said.

  He wrapped her a little tighter.

  “You can quit anytime you want,” he said. “I know you don’t know what’s going to come next, but I hate to see you so miserable with your job.”

  “I go through this sometimes. It doesn’t mean I want to give up . . . not yet. I just don’t know if I’m hurting things more than I’m helping.”

  “I don’t think it’s possible for you to hurt anything. You’re amazing, and I’m sure the people you’ve helped along the way appreciate you more than words can say,” he told her.

  “You have to say that so you can get lucky,” she told him.

  “Well, I am a psychologist so I have to stroke your ego,” he told her.

  “You’re such a brat,” she said as she moved quickly, straddling him in an instant and pinning his arms to his sides. She had no doubt he could break the hold, but he was allowing her to take control. It was another thing she loved about the man.

  “I might be slightly stubborn, but you’re the queen of battiness,” he told her, his voice growing huskier as he pushed up his hips, letting her feel the effect she was having on him.

  “I like being queen,” she said as she leaned down and kissed the side of his neck, pressing her breasts against him, making both of them ache.

  “I’ll give you any title you please,” he said as he freed his arms and wrapped them around her, his hands cupping her butt and squeezing as he pulled her more fully against him.

  “That’s because you’re a very smart man. Are you trying to follow in your brothers’ footsteps, enjoying the benefit of having a good woman around?”

  “I think it’s because you burst into my life like a tornado and I can either jump in and ride the wind, or you’ll destroy me,” he said with a chuckle.

  She leaned back and glared at him. “Are you seriously comparing me to a natural disaster?”

  “Damn straight I am, and I don’t even regret it,” he said.

  “You’ll regret it when Tornado Darla touches down,” she warned.

  “I guess I’ll have to try to make it to the eye of the storm,” he said. Then he grasped the back of her neck and kissed her again, stopping their conversation for a moment. She got lost in his embrace, feeling safe and cared for.

  He pulled back and looked in her eyes, his blue ones absolutely mesmerizing. “I don’t know what it is about you, but I am your willing puppet,” he told her. She was shocked by the words. Admitting the power she held over their relationship was a huge thing for any man, especially Crew Anderson. He was a psychologist who knew what his words meant. She was so overwhelmed, she chuckled a little and made a joke.

  “I think you want me around for my ass and boobs,” she said. She was expecting a joke back.

  “The ass is wonderful,” he told her. “And the rest of you is too good to be true. But it’s the smile, the humor, the loyalty you show to others. It’s the total package that has me willing to do anything you want,” he said.

  “Crew, I worry sometimes that you’re too good to be true,” she admitted.

  He held her close. “I have the same worries, Darla. I was never interested in a relationship this intense, but now that I’m in it, I can’t picture my existence without you there.”

  She didn’t know what that meant for either of them. So she leaned forward and kissed him. They’d figure it out. They had plenty of time. For now, there was one thing she was very sure of, and she was going to make sure he knew how she felt about him with every kiss of her lips and touch of her fingers. She could let go in his arms and be free.

  Chapter Seventeen

  Crew had turned into a regular sex fiend. If he and Darla weren’t eating, it seemed they were in bed together. She sure as hell didn’t have any complaints, so why should he think anything was wrong?

  He wanted to talk to her about their next steps, but he’d begin to talk, then clothes were ripping away and he was pushing her into the mattress, the table, or against a wall, burying himself deep inside of her.

  The woman was both sin and salvation. Shouldn’t he at least attempt to make what they had more real? He felt like he should but he was afraid he’d screw everything up if he did. So, instead of talking, he gave her orgasm after orgasm and hoped that was enough.

  “Crew, now!” Darla demanded. They’d made love the night before, and he’d woke up hungry for more. Her bare ass had been pressed against his very hard groin, so he’d simply lifted her leg and thrust inside of her.