Shady Business by Silver MoonAngel -------------------------------------------------------------------- STANDARD DISCLAIMER APPLIES -------------------------------------------------------------------- Darien unsealed his lips from hers. Did he just hear correctly? Did she just say she was a virgin? Gazing into her eyes, he asked, "Whatever happened to Diamond Lathrop?" Serena gazed up at him. Pushing herself up and pulling out from under him, she asked, "How do you know about Diamond? I haven't heard anyone talk about him for about five years." Darien mentally smacked his forehead. Obviously Serena didn't remember that summer ten years ago. * * * Ten years ago * * * "Raye, can you hand me the sun tan lotion?" Serena asked as she flipped her long blonde hair over her shoulder. "Yeah." Raye Carlson handed her best friend her lotion. "I'm glad you get to stay here for a month, Rena. You might even get to meet my half-brother." Serena squirted some lotion onto her hand, "Who wants to meet some twenty-year-old anyway?" Serena smeared the cream along her fair skin and made sure she smeared it on her face. Smiling, she added, "Besides, Diamond is supposed to come tomorrow." Raye perked up. "Diamond's coming here?" Raye arched an eyebrow, "Your boyfriend is coming to my house to see you? All the way out here?" Raye stared in disbelief at Serena. She knew Diamond was devoted to Serena, but this was pushing it. the only reason she could see him coming out here would to... "You two don't plan on... well, you know... at least not in my house." Shaking her head, Serena replied, "No. He's feeling lonely since his parents went away and your parents are having that party in a few days. He was invited, so naturally he'd see me." Serena grabbed a hair tie and walked onto the patio. Sitting in a chair, she dozed off thinking of Diamond. * * * "I'm home!" Darien dropped his bags in the hallway. He was on vacation from New York University and this was the first time he had seen his mother in months. "Ana, where's Mom and Raye," Darien asked, putting his arms around the housekeeper. Ana smiled back at Darien. Maybe now that he was home, Mr. and Mrs. Carlson would not fight as much. "Miss Raye is entertaining a friend by the pool and Mrs. Carlson is in the library." Darien picked up his bags and went up to his room. He opened the curtains and gazed out the window. Sitting in a chaise lounge was a golden-haired goddess, her bright blue bikini barely covered anything. She looked like she was sleeping, but perked up when she saw Raye coming. Darien slowly backed from the window. So this was Raye's friend. He looked down at himself and became disgusted. There was no reason to get excited over a sixteen-year-old, even if she did look good in a bikini. He went into the bathroom and turned the water on. Turning back toward the window, Darien resigned himself to having cold showers for the next month. It's the only way he'd escape the state he was in at the moment. * * * "Rena, do you really have to wear that?" Raye asked as she got a peak at her best friend. Serena was wearing a pink tube top and a pink sarong, showing not only a prodigious amount of cleavage as well as her long slim legs. "Well, of course, Raye," Serena said. "It's summer and we're going to be eating outside." Raye just shook her head at her friend. There was nothing she could do now, but go along with it. Grabbing Serena's hand, she took her downstairs to the patio. Stopping before she opened the doors, Raye smoothed her skirt. Giving Serena one last look, she opened the door and walked in. "Raye, Serena, come in." Raye's mother, Angelina Carlson, rose and hugged the girls. "Dar won't be joining us tonight," Angelina said once the girls sat down. "Why not? Does he have some essay to write?" Raye asked, settling her napkin on her lap. Her half-brother had been home less than eight hours and he was already doing schoolwork. It was a nice thought that her brother wanted to work for his place in life, but he needed to take a break every once and a while. Serena turned her head toward Raye. "What does he plan to do?" Serena looked up at a second-story window as she asked. There was a man standing in the window, the sunlight gleaming off his hair. There was something about the way he was standing that made her shiver with delight. Dark blue jeans molded his muscled thighs and a white T-shirt molded his chest and arms. "He's studying to get his business degree," Raye giggled behind her napkin. "He wants to out do his father in that aspect." "His father?" Serena asked confusedly. "I thought you both had the same father." "Oh, no," Angelina said shaking her head. "I divorced him when Dar was a year old." Shivering, she added, "The most controlling man I'd ever met." With Serena in the room, Raye couldn't ask the question that burned her mind. Why wasn't Darien coming down for dinner? * * * She had seen him in the window. He felt the palpable way she looked at him with appreciation. He saw the way her lips parted in desire, and he wanted her. Oh, Lord did he want her. He could imagine the way she'd feel. Soft skin that smelled like peaches would envelop him and entrap him. Her eyes would turn an almost violet color as her legs would coil around his waist. Her lips would be full and a cherry red from his kisses. Darien sat and put his head in his hands. She'd never notice him, though. He overheard Raye telling his mother about Diamond Lathrop and Serena. That spoiled brat would just take a flower like Serena and ruin her; ruin her fragility and innocence. Darien would need to find her out tomorrow and put a stop to the relationship. Darien stalked out of his room and went into his study, stopping short when he saw Serena there. She sat, perched on the end of his desk, reading a book. Funny, he didn't figure her as the bookish type. The hair on Serena's neck stirred. Someone was in the room with her. Aware of a tingle in the pit of her stomach, Serena kept reading, all the while aware of the figure behind her. Darien maneuvered behind her. He covered her eyes and took the book out of her hands. He softly whispered into her ear, "Don't be afraid." Serena was still. She would bet that the voice belonged to the man she saw earlier. She tried opening her eyes, only to have him ask plaintively, "Please, keep them closed." He slowly inched her off the desk, bringing her to stand in front of him. He looped her arms around his neck and brought his lips down on hers. Passion ignited in Serena. Even Diamond had never kissed her this way and this definitely wasn't Diamond. Where Diamond was soft, this man was hard. She could feel his muscles through his shirt. His hands were rough as he slid them down her arms and pulled her closer. Darien was hanging on by a thread. He was so close to just laying on the floor and taking her. His little one was full of passion and he wanted, no needed, to teach her himself. Serena writhed in his arms. It felt so good to be this close to someone, and to have them reciprocate some feeling, even if it was just lust. "Serena?" Someone called from the hallway. Darien tore his lips from hers. Raye was the one who was probably coming and he didn't want her to find them doing...this. In a roughened voice, he said to Serena, "I'll see you tomorrow night, here at ten o'clock." Serena stood there, in his arms, with her eyes still closed. She slowly nodded, only knowing that they would meet here again, and again, until they were both satisfied. * * * The party was teeming with people. Darien was mingling, making sure that every guest was comfortable, all the while looking for Serena. She had pounced on Diamond the moment he had set foot in the house. She was polite to the guest he had brought, a redhead named Emerald. She had been on his arm all night and remained there when Raye introduced them. "Rena, this is my half-brother, Darien Chaucy. Darien, this is Serena Blade." Darien did the polite thing and bowed. Diamond just smirked and tugged Serena along before she could reciprocate the sentiment. Darien hoped he trip over his ego and get his ass kicked. Serena looked back at Darien. If Diamond hadn't pulled her along, she might actually get to meet someone. "Diamond, why didn't we stop and say hello to Darien?" Diamond threw his head back and laughed. Still chuckling, he said, "Darien is the heir to the fastest failing business." Patting her hand he added, "The only reason I'd even be civil to him is that Raye is his sister and I have the utmost respect for her." Diamond's partner added, "That and the fact that Raye's your best friend." Serena stood there and gapped at him. He was being so callous and cold, not at all like his normal self. "Diamond, will you come with me please?" Serena asked him. When Emerald started to follow, she said, "That doesn't mean you, Hun." Darien watched Serena and Diamond go into the house without his companion. His heart sank as he followed them into the house. She was taking Diamond to the study they were in last night. Resigning himself to never having her again, Darien went upstairs and started to pack. Tomorrow he would be back in New York and would build his life anew. * * * "Serena, what is the meaning of-," Diamond was cut off by Serena launching herself at him. He let her linger a moment, then pulled her away from him. Looking at her quizzically, he asked, "What's wrong with you?" Serena choked back a sob. She couldn't tell Diamond that she had fallen in love with a mysterious stranger. He'd only try and force her into things she didn't want to do. Serena shook her head and stiffly walked out of the room, feeling as if she had aged five years. * * * Present day * * * He could never let her know how he knew. "I ran into him a few days ago and remembered Raye saying that you and him had gone out a long time ago." It was lame, but would do for now. "Oh. We did, for a while." Serena shook her head, then continued, "He cheated on me with this chick named Emerald and that was the end of that." They sat in silence for a few moments, before Serena blurted, "I'm hungry. Can we get something to eat?"