Chapter 10
Steve cleared his throat, his face heating. “Um, how about in front of that tall mirror?”
“This one?” Darcy moved towards the back of her front door where her purple mirror hung.
“Yeah that’s good.”
“Steve?”
“Yeah?”
“I did some research on pin-ups, none of them were wearing this much clothing.” She said with false bravado.
“Darcy, I don’t want you doing anything you don’t want…”
“I want to,” she assured quickly. Darcy turned from the mirror and began removing her clothing. Even though her hands shook with excitement and nerves, she still reminded herself that Steve had seen her like this before. “Okay, I’m ready.”
Darcy turned back towards the mirror, loving the sound of Steve’s intake of breath. “Good gracious, woman.” He muttered.
“I’m glad you approve.” She replied saucily. “Now, how do you want me?”
“Let, um, your hair down.” He commanded softly.
She pulled the unruly locks out of their messy bun and placed them over one shoulder. “Like this?”
“That’s…amazing. Okay, now place one hand on the wall and cross…”
“Like this?”
“Perfect, doll. God, you could make a man’s heart pop out of his chest.”
“Like in Bugs Bunny or something?” She teased with a smile.
“Keep that smile!” He said suddenly. “I love it when you look like that. Looks like you got a secret that no one will ever know.”
Darcy could feel the blush spreading, but kept the teasing smile in place as she gazed at her figure in the mirror. At first it was uncomfortable to stay standing still for so long, but she soon grew comfort in her vision switching from staring at her own body to watching Steve hands meticulously move along the page. He worked on her face first, getting her smile just right so she would be able to talk.
“What’s your favorite color?” He asked suddenly.
“It’s a tie between red and orange.” She said. “I love how red just stands out and makes a person just stop in shock, ya know? But I love how soft orange can get in a sunset.”
“You’re a poet, Darcy Lewis.” Steve teased.
“Oh, like you haven’t waxed a couple of words before.” She rolled her eyes.
“For you, I would.”
Darcy brightened at the comment. “Do you think this goes against one of the space time continuum thing? I mean, what if this picture gets snagged and ends up being published in a magazine and the next thing I know, I’m part of history.”
Steve snorted. He loved how her mind could create a whole scenario out of one action. “Darce, this picture isn’t going to leave my side, trust me.”
“Don’t want anyone seeing your girl like this?”
“Not a chance,” Steve replied.
“Steve, I’m going to ask you a question, but I don’t want you to be afraid to answer me honestly.”
“Okay,” Steve agreed, trying to get the shape of her neck just right.
“Are you a virgin?” She blurted.
“What?” Steve’s pencil scratched across the page. “Why would you ask…”
Darcy shrugged, her face heating up. “I told you it doesn’t matter, I was just wondering. I know things were different in your time, so…”
Steve took a deep breath. “There was one girl, Mary. Last year, a friend of one of Bucky’s gal. She was real sweet, but I think she felt sorry for me more than anything. We still write some times.”
Darcy smiled wolfishly. “I don’t feel sorry for you, I just wanna jump your bones.”
“Darcy!” Steve admonished, part of him wanting to laugh and the other part of him feeling the burn of the words. He had never had a conversation like this before with a lady. But then again, his lady was different from all the others. That was probably why he liked her so much.
“I lost my virginity to a guy named Wayne when I was seventeen.” She sighed wistfully as she carried on the topic. “He was three years older than me and in a band that did cover songs. Now I look back and realize how big of an idiot I was to be hung over a guy with that much grunge living in the attic of his parent’s house. But, it lasted all of twelve minutes and he patted me on the ass afterwards. A week later he broke things off to move to California.”
“How’d that work out for him?” Steve asked dryly, though a good part of him hated about hearing another guy touching her.
“Last I heard he never got to Cali and ended up having four kids with three different women and a beer gut. Like I said, not my greatest choice in life.”
“Do you wish we could…” He let the sentence drop, focusing back on his drawing.
“Well, I am standing her half naked.” She remarked. “I already told you I wanted to jump your bones.”
“I’ve never heard it put like that.” Steve chuckled.
“It just means I’m adding more spice to your life.”
“You’re adding a lot of great things to my life.”
Darcy felt the little butterflies in her stomach from the statement. They were quiet for a while as Steve kept working on the drawing. Now and then Darcy would look at the drawing, but she wouldn’t look much because she wanted to be surprise. She would smile when she would hear Steve mutter to himself or make comments about how beautiful she is. Darcy was not kidding when she said she wanted to be with Steve sexually. Other girls might not give him a second glance, but Darcy saw an artist hands that couldn’t wait to mold a body and eyes that wanted to watch every moment. Darcy was suddenly shaken out of her reverie.
“Darce? You still with me?”
“Sorry,” she smiled bashfully. “Got caught in a train of thoughts.”
“The drawing’s almost done, if you wanna see it.” He shyly.
“I do!”
She focused her gaze back to him and suddenly she was looking at a rough sketch of her smile and her curves leaning up against what looked like a plane instead of a wall. She admired the strokes and details from the curls in her hair right down to how she had pointed her toes. Darcy’s breath shook at the sheer beauty of how Steve saw her.
“It’s breathtaking, Steve. I look amazing.” She commented lowly.
“I just drew what I saw, Darcy.” He gulped. “It still needs a little more work, but it’s going to stay by my side. I’m luckier than other guys, though.”
“What do you mean?”
“My gal will be inside my head any time I start missing her. Most guys have to hope for letters.”
“I’m gonna be with you every step of the way, Steve.”
“If I do have to go out and fight, I don’t want you seeing any of that, Darce.” He admitted. “That’s something I want to keep you untouched from.”
“We’ll just set a time when we can talk, how about that?” She suggested. “And when we can’t talk, you have my picture now.”
“Something no other man is going to see.” He remarked possessively.
“I’m worried, Steve.” She admitted.
“I know, doll. So am I.”
“Does it ever concern you with how we clicked?” She asked suddenly. “It’s weird, but since the moment I started talking with you, I just had this nagging feeling that I had to be with you.”
“It doesn’t concern me,” he disagreed. “Shocked me a little, maybe, but it makes me happy more than anything. I never thought in a million years that I would have a girl as beautiful and amazing as you are. Until you came into my life, I knew that I wanted to fight for those who couldn’t. Now, leaving…”
Darcy frowned at his unfinished sentence. “I’m going to be with you every step of the way, Steve. Promise.”