Her Perfect Gift: A Christmas Romance Read online

  “Oh my God, did she post a picture with you online?” I gasp happily as Darcy is finally back to me. “Because you do understand that is huge, right? That will really help you with what you want to achieve.”

  “She isn’t the first one.” Darcy pulls out her cell phone, a different one to what she had before, which explains just why I haven’t been able to get through to her, and she shows me the buzz on her social media accounts.

  “Oh wow, you are kicking ass.” I throw an arm naturally around her shoulder to congratulate her, before realizing that she might not want me to. Another good sign. “I can’t believe it. I am so proud of you. This is all that you have ever wanted, and you are finally making it happen.”

  Her smile stretches from ear to ear and she nods with excitement before quickly checking her watch. “You know, it’s about time for my lunch break if you wanted to go somewhere a little quieter.”

  “Of course.” I feel amazing, there is a heat from my head to my toes. “That sounds great.”

  She gets out a little ‘Be Right Back’ sign, then takes my hand and pulls me outside the building into an alley way behind, which is clearly there for people to take a time out. There are even benches but luckily right now, we are the only people out here. Thank God, because we need this time alone more than anything in the world.

  “So, you are here,” Darcy giggles a little awkwardly. “I can’t believe it. I didn’t even know that you were missing until a few moments before you turned up, so this is a real shock for me.”

  “I’m sorry, I did try to get in touch with you first, but obviously that wasn’t possible.”

  “Yes.” Her head hangs low. “I left my cell phone back at Ivy’s house. It ran out of battery as soon as I got home and after the drama with my mother… we fell out big time, by the way.” I guess she feels the need to explain because she doesn’t know that I had a run in with her as well. “So, when me and Ivy came here, for a vacation, not for me to stay, I didn’t bring it with me. I had to get myself a new one.”

  “I can understand that.” I think I can anyway. It all seems a little messy for me. “And so, you stayed here.”

  “I did. As you can see, this is the place for me to be, I am really enjoying my time here. It suits me.”

  “It definitely does.” My smile falls away just a little as I know that I have to get into this awkward stuff. If we don’t do it now, then I don’t know if the chance will slip by us. “It’s just a shame that you had to run out on me to get here. I would have rather we had some kind of real conversation first.”

  “I’m sorry,” she jumps in right away. “I know that was the wrong thing to do. I knew it right away. I was just so scared, and I needed to get the hell out of there. LA wasn’t for me. Especially when I thought that you and Winter were together. And then, you didn’t want me around when you went to meet your mother, which made me feel useless.” She shakes her head sadly as she tells me something that I didn’t even realize.

  “I’m sorry, I should have been far more sensitive to your feelings about the whole Winter thing. I didn’t even acknowledge it because I got all wrapped up in the situation with my mother. Because I knew that nothing ever happened between me and Winter, I pushed it to the side. I don’t even like Winter in that way, and I never have. Yes, she tried to kiss me once, and she put all that stuff in my head about neither of us being happy, but I still didn’t entertain her. I didn’t want to, because I finally had the girl that I have spent my whole life wanting.” I break off panting to see her looking at me with nothing but questions in her gaze. “I love you, Darcy, I always have.”

  “I love you too,” she whispers as her eyes fill with tears. “I am so sorry that I freaked out.” She reaches out and takes my hand for a moment. All the feelings that I have for her race through me. “How was your mother?”

  “Oh God,” I groan while rolling my eyes. “Well, that was a disaster. She was a nightmare. A drug addict who only wanted to get some cash out of me. Not someone that I ever want to see again.”

  “I’m sorry.” She spins around and hugs me, pressing her head to my chest. “Sorry to hear that, it must have been hard. I wish I could have been there to get you through it. I guess that I wasn’t thinking either.”

  “When I was with her, I wished that I had taken you up on your offer because it would have been much easier to deal with, had you been there.” I huff morosely. “It was hard, but if there is one good thing to come from it, it’s that I think it might have been the closure that my dad needed to move on.”

  “That would be nice,” she muffles against me. “He really does deserve to be happy.”

  I hold on to her tightly, silently freaking out inside. We have gone through some of the hard stuff, but not all of it. There is a lot that I need to get out there, to find out more about, and I have to do it now. I need to work up the courage to get down to the nitty gritty, to figure out the truth.

  “Darcy, are you…?” Oh God, this is so hard, terrifying, I am scared. “Are you pregnant?”

  She snaps her head back and stares at me, her eyes dancing with terror. She’s pausing, trying to work out how I feel about this, which gives me my answer. But I still need to hear it directly. Finally, she nods.

  “You are?” I step back and clutch my hand to my chest. “Oh my God, you are?”

  “I am.” She nods again while gulping back emotion. “I’m sorry that you are finding out this way…”

  “Actually, I went to your house and your mother told me.” I can’t help but laugh at the horror on her face. “It’s okay. I mean, she definitely isn’t happy with me, but it doesn’t matter. Anyway, we’re having a baby?”

  “We are… is this ok? I know it wasn’t exactly planned, especially when me and you were falling apart… I get it if you are freaked out.”

  “I am so happy,” I gasp with joy. “Honestly, you have no idea. This is fantastic. Having a family with you is the best thing that could ever happen to me. I am over the moon.”

  I reach out to hug her, but she steps back away from me. I can see that she still has things she needs from me. Just as I thought that we were done, there is more to come. I’m not the only one who needs to push things.

  “I can’t go back to LA, Seth, I’m sorry. I tried and I couldn’t make it work. I don’t want to go back.”

  “I would never make you go back,” I tell her firmly. “That wasn’t my plan at all. I would come here.”

  “To New York?” She nearly falls to the ground. “But don’t you need to be in Hollywood for your movies?”

  “I want a new direction anyway.” I smile brightly, doing what I can to reassure her. “And plenty of actors make a successful living while in New York. I can do that too. I will do that. You supported my career and now I can do the same for you, because you are killing it. Also, I want to be here with you to raise my child.”

  “You do?” She rests her hands on her belly and I put mine there too. There is a magical pull inside of her, the feeling that she is growing life, making something that is part of both of us. Human life. Our child.

  “Of course I do. I need to be here with you. This is it for us. This is our life now.”

  I stare lovingly into her eyes and I get the same look back, making me feel incredibly special. I’m so glad that I put in the effort to search for her, because I found what I am looking for. Everything that I am looking for. This is my happily ever after right here, and I am willing to change everything for her. My life, my movies, my home, all of it. And I won’t even look back even once because with Darcy, I only want to look forward to the future. I can’t wait to get there.

  Chapter Thirty-Eight

  Darcy

  February 8th

  I did not know that today was going to turn out this way. I had no idea that I was going to find myself faced with incredible career opportunities and Seth Bishop wanting me back all in one go, it’s insane. Not only does he want to be with me again, he wants to move here where I am
happy, to make things work. If that doesn’t spell love, I don’t know what does. I have been trying to close the door on Seth because I thought that the outside influences would tear us apart forever, but it turns out that we might be strong enough after all.

  I will just have to make sure that I focus on the positives of the Internet and not the trolls.

  “Is this real?” I reach up and gently touch his face, allowing myself to feel the true happiness. “Are you sure?”

  “Darcy, I want you to know my love for you is so strong that I would do absolutely anything for you. Whatever it takes to make sure that we have this family, because we sure as hell deserve it.”

  “We do.” I might explode with joy; this is almost too much for me. “We really do.”

  I rise up on to my tip toes, giving up the walls surrounding me and caving to temptation at last. This has been a long time coming, this feels like the proper first real kiss leading towards a future. I have thought that before, but it hasn’t been like this, this time it’s real, I can tell. This time, I know for sure.

  Our lips crash together and all of the pent up sadness and frustration that has been building ever since I first learned that Seth Bishop was back in town, just before the Christmas carnival, simply floats away. None of that matters anymore, everything that we have been through in the past is irrelevant. It’s all about the future. Our future.

  I wrap my arms tighter around his neck, pulling him against me, deepening the kiss. Immediately, everything inside of me reacts like crazy, all the electrical sparks shoot in every direction, it’s too much for me, but in the best way possible. I want to remain here, kissing him forever, but of course I need to pull back. I can’t get so wrapped up in Seth that I forget about my career. That was my mistake last time.

  “I need to get back inside,” I declare regretfully. “I need to continue my booth…”

  “Can I come with you?” he asks me excitedly. “I can help you, if you like?”

  I don’t see any issues with that. Why the hell not? Sure, people might come over only to speak to him, but I’m sure that they will stay and get to know my products as well. It can work in my favor.

  “Sure. That sounds awesome.” I take his hand in mine. “But just to warn you, there are journalists out there who want to know where you are, because you are missing at the moment.”

  He shrugs and smirks. “Hey, if they are taking pictures of me, I will make sure that I am next to your make up. Then you will be in the media as well. Sounds good, doesn’t it?”

  I can’t stop from tossing my head back with laughter. I am even more positive than ever before. This is going to be the best day of my whole life…

  I am not proven wrong. As soon as we get back to the booth, people rush around me and talk excitedly. Some want to know me, others Seth, but it’s okay because it’s the commotion that I need. It brings more people because they want to know what the hell is going on. It’s a frenzy. Of course, there are photos taken of Seth because they have finally ‘found him’ since he has been missing, but he always makes sure that my makeup is in the mix. I can just imagine the hate fueled comments that will make their way on to the Internet, me making him leave Hollywood to sell my makeup. But I don’t care because I have Seth by my side.

  The haters can say whatever they want. I feel much stronger, now that I am on my own territory, so I can handle anything. I’m certainly much less vulnerable than I was back in LA. I’m more me, I can hold my head up high, and show the world that I will not let them take me down, however much shit they talk about me.

  Eventually, all the commotion around me attracts some agents from retail clients, who become interested in my products which is great. I get business cards and offers for meetings, which I am confident will lead to something incredible. I want to jump for joy.

  I don’t though, I remain professional in front of my new clients, or the ones that I want to be my clients anyway. I need to hold it together, I can celebrate much later on.

  To have Seth by my side through all of this is amazing. To have him wanting my success as much as I do is wonderful. I can see it in his eyes. I am honestly the luckiest woman alive. I can’t wait to show Seth the rest of my life here, starting with my apartment, even if it is a lot smaller than he is used to. Tomorrow, I’ll take him to the place that sells the best bagels and coffee, the Chinese takeout place that’s just around the corner… this is so exciting.

  * * *

  “You did so well today,” Seth gushes as he helps me to carry my stuff back home. I can’t wait to show him inside, and show him what else I have. “I can’t believe how far your makeup line has come.”

  “I know, but you have to admit that you did help.” I let out a little giggle. “Having Seth Bishop on my arm was useful. You brought a lot of people over to see me, thank you very much for that…”

  “Even if they came for me, they stayed for you. You were phenomenal. I can’t believe how proud I am.”

  I smile from ear to ear, I can’t believe he’s here, that he still wants me, this is happening. I’m the luckiest woman alive.

  “You want to come inside?” I pull out the key and unlock the door. “See where you will be staying?”

  “I’m glad that you are okay with me staying, because I already checked out of my hotel.”

  “Cheeky.” I shoot him a playful wink. “Come on then, let’s see what you think. But no funny business.”

  He pats my butt as I shimmy through the door. “I won’t make any promises.”

  Oh god, those words are incredible. They make me feel like I am losing my mind. This time, the dizziness that threatens to consume me is lustful and heady, thrilling to the bone.

  I pull him inside and show him around quickly, but I have a feeling that he isn’t really looking around my home, he’s looking at me. I can feel his gaze piercing through my body, and I know what he wants.

  Eventually, I give up the pretense that I’m not putting out, and I take him into the bedroom. I pull him towards me, no longer able to be apart, then we crash on the sheets together, already entangled in one another’s arms. We kiss passionately, frantically, desperately, like the time apart has been a lifetime rather than a few days. It has, in a way, because I was done with him, I had to be, I didn’t have any choice in the matter, so to be back here is wonderful. It’s a fresh start and a brand new life. Now, I get to keep him in my arms. This time it’s forever, because there is no way in hell that I am letting him go again.

  Things heat up quickly, and it isn’t long until both of us have stripped down and our limbs are entwined naked. His rock hard cock presses against my leg and leaves me gasping for more. A wet heat pools at my core, and I need him desperately. The urge to have him buried in me is overwhelming. I part my thighs and roll myself on top of him, angling until I can feel him plunging deep inside of me, giving me exactly what I need. A guttural cry flies out of my mouth, it vibrates in my chest, and rocks all the way through my system.

  “Oh God, Seth,” I scream as I press my hands to his chest and rock myself back and forth. “Fucking hell.”

  It feels so good, too good for words. Every time I thrust against him; I feel an intense bolt of pleasure rocket through me. Every time I push him deeper in, I lose myself in the happily ever after that we are going to share. He seems to sense that I need to hold him, and he pushes himself up into a sitting position to hug me tightly. His arms cling to me desperately, just as I do to him, and the orgasm hits me in a tsunami of pleasure. He kisses me hard to swallow up my screams. In this moment, I can’t tell where he ends and I begin, which is the best feeling in the world. I want us to be connected in this way for the rest of my life…

  “I love you,” I pant out as we fall next to one another on the bed, trying desperately to catch our breath. I’m so glad that you are here, Seth. Much as I love New York, I have to admit that it’s better with you in it.”

  He pulls me to him, and I curl up in his arms, happy to block out the rest of t
he world for a while. “I’m glad that I’m here too. I love being with you. I’m scared to start my life again, but you have been a real inspiration to me. You have done such an incredible job here, which proves to me that I can do the same. I love you Darcy. I love you so much I would do anything for you.”

  “I can see that.” I let out a happy chuckle. “But I’m hoping that we can make this work. I’m hoping that we can really have a future here.”

  “I think we can,” he tells me with a real tone of satisfaction. “In fact, I’m sure of it.”

  Chapter Thirty-Nine

  Seth

  September 1st

  “So, what do you think about that slight change to the script?” Alice, the director on my new movie project asks me with a smile. “It’s only slight, but I think that it will make a big change later on.”

  “I love it,” I shoot back enthusiastically. “You have a really good vision. I agree with you whole heartedly.”

  Alice has an artier vision than what I am used to, but that doesn’t much surprise me. All of New York is different to LA, in a really good way. I didn’t realize how fake Hollywood was, how staged everything was, how people used one another to get to where they wanted to be… which I’m convinced is what happened with Winter. She wanted a ‘relationship’ to climb the ladder. It isn’t like she got in touch with me after I left, she actually started ‘dating’ her co star from another movie, so that leaves me with the conclusion that just because she seemed different and someone that I could be friends with, she wasn’t.

  But my blinders are gone now, what I work on is more important, more exciting, more me. I love the more artistic side of things, the unique vision that people here have, and I’m happy to explore it further. I always assumed that Hollywood was the only place that I could be a successful actor, but I was so wrong.