//Above is a visual of a similar outfit to Darling's in the flash back in this chapter//
As Darling and Morgan drove to the supermarket away from Jacob's diner, still laughing whilst they blasted Dolly Parton, he couldn't help reflect on a similar day a few years ago that they were meant to go on their big road trip together...
Morgan walked into his new apartment after finally finishing another case, slumping down on his sofa and debating between ordering food or if he should just call it a day, fall asleep and deal with his hunger in the morning.
The grumble of his stomach forced him to sigh as he pushed himself to his feet, walking over to the kitchen and grabbing a freezer meal that he hated, but it was quick and easy and that's all he could mentally manage after a case.
The lights in the apartment were mostly off, there were still boxes everywhere from moving despite living there for months but not having enough time to make it his home since work had been so hectic on the BAU team.
Had it not been for the case, he wasn't meant to be working this week- in fact he had booked it off to be on a road trip starting today with Darling who he hadn't seen in several months and had come down for the next few weeks to see him only for him to have to cancel because of work.
He felt horrible for having to cancel, and even worse for not being able to see her like he wanted to, but after her teasing him for a few hours about it she dropped the act and told him it was absolutely fine and that she would just sight see instead whilst he worked the case.
Said case was meant to be two weeks long and ended up luckily finishing early, but it finished on the day that their road trip was meant to start, not early enough for Morgan to be able to message Darling- especially now that he knew she had other plans.
He let out a sigh as he got up from the dining table to find his ringing phone in his work bag, unable to hide his surprised joy from the caller ID.
"Well hello there Miss Dawson."
"Hello to you too Mr Morgan" she replied with a chuckle, "I don't mean to interrupt your work but real quick I've got a question since you're a big shot FBI profiler now and you have to help me because I'm your favourite person ever."
"We've been over this, I can't give you my badge so you can get a FBI discount that doesn't exist Darling-" He chuckled.
"No, not that- how do you know if someone is a serial killer?"
"A serial killer?" He laughed with confusion.
"Yeah- a serial killer, you know, the stabby people."
"Who do you think is a serial killer then special agent Dawson? I'll have the whole squad there in 10 seconds flat based off your natural detective hunch" he found amusement in teasing her as he prepared his microwave meal for one, thankful for her company even if it was over the phone.
"I'm serious" she laughed, "this guy I'm on a date with won't stop putting mayonnaise on his spaghetti and I'm seriously concerned that he's a psychopath because of it."
"Wait-" Morgan paused, "-you're on a date?"
"Yeah, didn't I tell you?"
"I mean you said you found new plans but I didn't think it was a date" he shrugged, unsure why her being on a date made him feel weird but brushing it off, "I take it's not going well?"
"Not by any stretch of the imagination- my co-worker set me up with this guy; he's like a douche on a whole other level Derek, like it's honestly kind of hilarious how much he's mansplained to me already ."
"And you think that means he's a serial killer then?"
"I mean he is a dentist so that's pretty much the same thing" she chuckled, "anyway, I need a non-awkward way to get out of here, it's been like hours now and he just keeps ordering more courses."
"And you want me to arrest him for being a serial killer to help with that?" He laughed at her, "go enjoy your free food."
"Can't you just start crying down the phone when he comes back from the toilet so I can leave?"
"Give the poor guy a chance, he's probably just nervous."
"You're a terrible friend."
"You love me really" Morgan teased as he hung up, chuckling to himself as he recalled the conversation and ate for a while before washing his dishes and going to unpack more boxes with what little energy he had left from the day, planning on turning on the tv and knocking out on the makeshift bed he had on the floor, but just as he got the box cutter out, his phone rang again.
"Okay seriously, if this guy isn't your next 'unsub' person then I owe you $50" Darling spoke as he answered the phone, amused by her calling him back less than 25 minutes after he hung up.
"Darling, go back to your date- you can't gossip about the guy on the phone at the table."
"He can't hear me, he's in the bathroom again- very suspicious of him."
"He could just need to pee a lot."
"Oh! And he took the free breadsticks I tried to steal back to the kitchen and said it was in 'poor taste'- they're literally free!"
"What? Wait, free breadsticks? Hang on a minute- are you at Olive Garden?"
"Yes, that was the first red flag that he was a murderer- he told me to meet him in the olive garden parking lot in 'something nice' and he turned up fully dressed in a three piece suit that looks like it costs more than my entire apartment, driving a Bentley that he refused to park anywhere apart from the disabled bays despite him not being disabled but claiming he needed the space for his 'beauty' of a car."
"And yet he takes his date to Olive Garden?"
"You don't understand Derek, I'm not a car- I clearly can't be treated to anywhere more than a high school theatre club would go to after a show" Darling joked, finding herself enjoying this short conversation with Morgan far more than the entire three hour long date disaster that didn't look like it was ending any time soon much to her dismay.
Morgan resisted the urge to seriously say how much more she was worth than that, slicing open a box and chuckling at the situation instead, "I can't believe you're on a date at Olive Garden, you sure know how to find the catches."
"Hey it's not my fault, in fact this date disaster is your fault in the first place- I would never have had to go out with the guy if you hadn't cancelled our road trip" Darling teased.
"Don't blame me, blame the murderers."
"You always try to pass the blame to them, it's just lazy now" she joked.
"Seriously though, how is the date really going? Is the guy at least nice despite his spaghetti habits?"
"Eh, he's not the worst guy I've been on a date with- I mean he did say I was dressed like a hooker as his opener but-"
"He said what?" Morgan exclaimed, almost cutting his hand as he sliced open another box.
"And he's non-stop talking about his net worth and when I try to join in the conversation, because ya know that's how conversations usually work unbeknown to this guy, he gives me one of those 'aw you poor dumb girl' looks like I should just be quiet because he thinks I have no idea what I'm talking about, which I don't but still- oh! And he ate my fries, the guy mocked me for ordering them and then ate all of them" she added before shrugging, "so all and all I'll give it a 4/10 date."
"4/10? Darling that sounds like at least a 2/10 date."
"I mean he hasn't spat in my food to add 'more flavour' yet so it's not as bad as my worst date" she chuckled before her laughter faded slightly, "he also keeps insisting that I go back to his for the night no matter what I say so that's a bit of a no good sign but I guess I'll cross that road if this date ever eventually ends and... oh shit- sorry, I've been rambling for a while and you're literally at work-"Darling apologised but Morgan was too busy thinking about what he could do to help her, wanting to do something to turn this horrible date around.
He looked and the time on his wall clock that read 10:30pm and tapped his finger on his side table where the bag he had packed for the trip with her before they had to abandon it sat, a thought laying on his mind that seemed almost ridiculous now.
But the way she spoke about that date, even between her jokes and laughter about it, something about the fact she had to sit there in silence at a table counting down the hours until she could leave made Morgan's stomach drag him towards that ridiculous thought.
Fuck it.
"Okay, make up an excuse and meet me out the front of Olive gardens in 30 minutes" he spoke down the phone as he grabbed the bag and his keys.
"Wait what?"
"Yeah, just say I'm like in crisis or something- I'll even fake cry if you really want me to, I'm a terrific actor when I need to be" he joked.
"Do you not have your case-" Darling tried to say but her date came back to the table.
"I've never had such bland caviar in my life."
"That's because it was rice" Darling raised an eyebrow at him, trying to cover her speaker as Morgan's laugh echoed.
"Sounds like you've got a lie to come up with, I'll see you in a bit Darl."
Half an hour later, Darling was sat on the pavement of the sidewalk outside of Olive Garden tapping her foot on the floor and scrolling on her phone that was on 4% when a car horn jumped her.
"Get in loser, we're going shopping" Morgan called out from the car window.
"I knew making you watch Mean Girls was a bad idea, you reference it way too much" she laughed, eagerly hopping in the passenger seat, "how'd you even know where to find me?"
"There's only one Olive gardens in the world that hasn't banned you from stealing breadsticks" he joked before patting the dashboard, "I followed your GPS tracker, dummy."
"So you stalked me?" She raised an eyebrow at him.
"In the FBI we call it tracking" he joked.
"Sounds like a fancy word for stalking" she teased before smiling over at him, "thanks for picking me up."
"No problem- what lie did you come up with in the end?"
"Okay I know it sounds bad-" she chuckled, "-but I went to the toilet and called his number from a girl in the bathroom's phone asking for an emergency dentist appointment- who knew dentists worked so late when you offer them thousands of dollars?'"
Morgan couldn't help but burst out laughing as he shook his head, "so you scammed the guy into leaving early instead of just telling him you didn't want to continue the date?"
"Honestly with how many coffees and wines he was ordering after the meal I was worried the date would literally never end" she joked, noticing Morgan looking over at her as he drove with a smile at her outfit.
Her red and black bellowed sleeve deep v cropped wrap top sat above a high waisted, layered long black silk skirt paired with a gold buckled circle belt and red 70's booties.
Her small hoops added a spark of formality to match her evening makeup of a dark red lip on top of her usual dewy makeup with a sleek winged eye that rolled at Morgan's gaze.
"Don't mock my outfit- as the great Dolly Parton once said; it costs a fortune to look this cheap.'"
"I didn't mean it like that, you look great like always- you're just not exactly dressed for a road trip" Morgan defended, trying to hide how good he thought she looked.
"Road trip?" She quizzed before his smile in the corner of his mouth explained more, erupting her into a squeal, "oh my god! The road trip is back on?!"
"Partly; my case ended a few days earlier than usual so I could come back today, but a lot of our bookings are already cancelled so we'll have to find sketchy motels or sleep in the car."
"Bed bug motels are the best part of a road trip!"
"Oh yeah motels where we'll probably be murdered and end up in one of my case files and backache from the car are the best parts of a road trip" he joked.
"It's a part of the experience" she chuckled, "I should probably pick up some kind of luggage though unless I'm going to wear this for the next two weeks."
"I already grabbed some stuff from your place- packed you a little bag and everything."
"Oh no- you picked my outfits?" She laughed, "what shades of too-tight navy t-shirts and jeans will I be wearing this week then?"
Morgan let a loud laugh at her teasing of his style and shook his head, "I promise there's no navy, I just picked the outfits that I remember you wearing."
He tried to hide the fact that some of his favourite part of the day was when he would see her would be seeing what outfit she had put together.
Darling couldn't help smiling at the fact he remembered what she would put together as she looked through the bag- pausing and bursting out laughing.
"So you packed multiple full fledged outfits and accessories but didn't think any underwear or bras were necessary?"
"What?" He looked over at her, "oh shit! Sorry, I forgot about that."
"You forgot that I wear underwear?" She laughed.
"Well I mean I was mostly just grabbing what I could find from your drawers and I didn't really want to break into your underwear drawer."
"Your gentleman-ness is going to be the reason half of the country sees my bare ass."
"We'll turn back and grab them" he offered apologetically.
"It's fine, I keep a spare pair in my purse and I'll just buy some new ones tomorrow or something so we don't waste any time."
"You packed underwear for your date? Someone was hopeful" he joked.
"Most certainly not, especially not as hopeful as that guy was- the first thing he said to me was the fact he had a latex allergy- adding a wink just in case 'I didn't get it'" Darling rolled her eyes, "but like I said before, it wasn't the worst date."
"It doesn't exactly sound great" Morgan glanced over at her as he drove, "what did you mean before when you said he kept insisting you go back to his place?"
"Hm?" She glanced over at him, "oh... it's nothing, just usual douchey guy stuff. I mean he said he was paying for dinner so I guess he assumed he sort of would get something back ya know."
"Him buying dinner doesn't mean owed him anything though, and it certainly doesn't mean he gets to ignore when you said you didn't want to go back to his" Morgan pointed out the stuff she would normally point out, confused as to why she wasn't before he looked over at her again and saw how uncomfortable she looked as she shifted in her seat, bringing her knees to her chest and tucking her hair behind her ears, fiddling with the seam of her skirt as she tried to change the subject- placing her feet back down when she saw him looking and assuming he didn't want her shoes on the car instead of the truth of him being concerned for her.
"So, do you have any music for this very well organised trip then?" She smiled at him but he could tell it was forced, debating if he should ask more about how she was feeling or if he should let her brush past it, deciding on the latter when he saw the silent begging in her eyes.
"That might be one of the many things I forgot" he chuckled, "you can look through the glove box if you like- might be something in there from the last person who booked out this SUV."
"Oh shoot- is this your new fancy work car you can book out at the drop of a hat?!" Darling looked around with excitement that made him laugh.
"I mean yeah, did you think that I just brought a black SUV with bullet proof windows for the fun of it or something?"
"It matches your aesthetic" she joked, searching through the glove compartment and squealing excitedly at what she found.
"Jesus Christ woman, you need to warn me before you make noises like that" Morgan chuckled.
"I swear to god I'm going to marry whoever last booked out this car, look!" She held up the 'Dolly Parton greatest hits' CD.
"I think that would mean you're marrying my boss, I can't believe he listens to Dolly Parton" Morgan laughed.
"Wait your boss as in the man you described as 'a statue and a robot's baby'? He listens to Dolly?" She said in shock, "wow, maybe I'll have to pay a visit to your office after all."
"He's married and is like double your age you weirdo" Morgan chuckled.
"I meant to talk to him about Dolly you freak" she laughed before teasing him, "although you did say he was tall so..."
"He's got a kid you homewrecker" he chuckled.
"Ooo so he's a dilf?" She joked, causing Morgan to roar with laughter and nudge her arm.
"You're so gross."
"I'm only kidding, I promise not to sleep with your boss."
"How kind of you" he chuckled, glancing at the CD still in her hands, "go on then, put on a bit of Dolly."
"Really?" She beamed with shock and excitement that he laughed at as he nodded.
"Yeah why not- what was it that you said your mom used to say to you when you were younger about her songs?"
"-Dolly fixes all" Darling reminded Morgan as she wiped his split lip with the cloth when he tried to turn down the Dolly Parton playlist she had playing in her apartment where they were after collecting her car and going food shopping, Darling insisting he come back into her apartment so she could look at his still bleeding lip.
"I don't think Dolly is going to quite fix a split lip" Morgan chuckled, going to take the cloth off her but she swatted his hand away and leaned in with concentration as she gently dabbed the blood off him.
He tried not to swallow or let his eyes dip to her lips but it was getting harder the more she wiggled closer, resting her other hand on his shoulder to keep him steady- and if she was honest just as an excuse to be close to him which she knew was wrong especially since she was positive now that he didn't feel anything near what she felt for him.
"I'm sorry" she apologised as he winced.
"It's fine, it just stings from the alcohol wipe-"
"I mean that I'm sorry that he hit you" she clarified, looking up at him.
"It's not your fault Darling, it was my decision- don't apologise for other people's actions" he looked down at her, their faces accidentally closer than before now, the urge to drop his eyes to her lips becoming too much until Darling forced herself to stand up and went to walk away from him to compose herself but he caught her hand before he could stop himself.
She looked back at him, at her hand in his and how he held it- not to keep her there, not to control her, she could pull it away any time she wanted, but she didn't want to- if she was honest she never wanted her hand to leave his for as long as she lived.
But she knew that wasn't the same for him, or so she thought.
"Darling... about before, when you, uh, about what you said-" Morgan tried to speak clearly but his nerves were getting the better of him which never usually happened, especially not with Darling.
"Oh, uh, yeah sorry just forget about that- I think it's just the drugs" she tried to lie and walk away but he stood up, still holding her hand as he looked down at her.
"The drugs should be all out of your system now."
"Maybe I did more without you knowing" she attempted to joke but wouldn't return his strong gaze properly.
"Darl, look at me-" he crouched down, meeting her eyeline with a nervous bubble in his stomach, "I think... I think you should say it."
"Say what?"
He didn't answer her question, both of them knowing the answer but not knowing how to say it out loud.
"Why... why do I have to be the one to say it? I mean, what are you talking about?" Darling felt a sudden defiance take over, getting further annoyed and flustered by the small smile in the corner of Morgan's mouth.
"What are you smiling at?" She folded her arms with a scrunch of her nose.
"Your face when you're annoyed is adorable" he admitted, suddenly panicking that he made it weird when he saw her expression and trying to add a joke onto it "like, uh, an angry squirrel."
"Did you just call me an angry squirrel?" She scoffed, feeling foolish for her cheeks almost blushing at him calling her adorable and thinking she was reading into it more than it was like usual.
"I, uh-"
"God you're so bad at talking to women" she shook her head and turned to go into the kitchen.
"What? I am not" he followed her.
"You literally are" she lied, she knew how good his game with women was; she had seen it in bars first-hand how he got them with only a sentence, hating the second hand butterflies she got just from hearing his conversations with them, but she didn't want to face the real conversation that threatened to arise and the embarrassing feeling of how in her head she was getting and the 'foolish' hope she had.
"I'm not though, I grew up with 2 sisters and then basically grew up with you- I'm great with women" Morgan defended and she raised an unconvinced eyebrow at him.
"You don't believe me?" He scoffed.
"I mean growing up with sisters and a female best friend is one thing, being able to woo a woman is another" she half mocked, turning and starting to clean her dishes to distract herself.
"Oh really? Is that a challenge?"
"A challenge?" She looked back at him with an amused eyebrow raise.
"Are you challenging me to 'woo' you then Miss Dawson? Or would you prefer to try to 'woo' me?" Morgan pressed his luck, feeling oddly brave.
Darling felt the butterflies grow up to her chest as she looked at him, every part of her wanting to say yes.
But she just stood there in silence, watching him, waiting for him, unable to take that risk and embarrass herself.
Just be normal Darling, he's only playing like he normally does, this doesn't mean anything you fool, just tease back like you two normally do, she reminded herself, clearing her throat and turning back to the dishes with a shrug, "you wouldn't be able to handle my 'wooing' Mr Morgan."
Before she could think about what was happening or let a much needed breath out, he had walked over, twizzled her into a dip with her bubble-soaked hands caught herself against his chest with one looped around the back of his neck, looking up at him in surprise as his arms caught her swiftly with an ease of strength.
Their faces were inches away from each other at this point, staring into each other's eyes in such a moment that shifted the scales.
"I think given your heartbeat increasing it's safe to say I win this one" he spoke down at her before he could let his eyes dip to her lips, hiding behind the challenge again as he propped her back up onto her feet and went to turn to walk away- a surprise hitting him as her hands gripped the front of his shirt and pulled him back to her in a swift motion;
Their lips suddenly meeing in a moment neither of them expected but had unknowingly been waiting for years for.
The kiss was not something Darling had planned on doing, it was just something her body naturally demanded on its own- but she was almost too thankful of it to feel embarrassed for making such a bold move.
Morgan's lips were as soft as she had imagined them even with the roughness of his split bottom lip, perfectly placed against hers, perfectly plump and shaped in just the right way- and to her surprise perfectly pressing back into the kiss.
His hands surprised her too, finding their way around her lower waist almost immediately and pulling her up and closer to him as the somehow fiery passionate but beautifully soft kiss that Morgan thought felt like a long awaited breath of fresh air, just looking at the air but unable to get to it, dreaming of what it felt like but never thinking he would get to know.
But then she pulled him to her, their lips colliding in a wonderful way and he didn't have time to question it over his body naturally pulling itself closer to her, his lips naturally kissing back, everything feeling perfectly natural as if this was how it was meant to be.
It felt like what a kiss should be, like all the books and movies had gotten it wrong and this was what the poets were trying to write about but couldn't quite capture.
Her lips were soft and delicate behind her passion, so bold and gentle at the same time, so leading and controlling in the best way possible- so perfectly her.
It was everything he could ever have dreamed it would be and much more, it was beautiful, it was exciting and so full of hidden love, it was like a dance between the two that neither had learnt but when put together was as if they were choreographed to kiss like this always- but most of all, it was her, and that was by far the most beautiful part about it.
He felt as if he could melt into the kiss forever, pulling her closer to him and feeling her hands explore up his chest around the back of his neck until a knocking at the door made them both pause, their lips slowly coming away from each other despite neither wanting to- going as slow as possible and knowing that once they separated that 'moment' where nothing was real apart from each other was over.
There would be consequences to actions, there would be awkward conversations or avoided ones, there would be anything else apart from the other's lips.
Morgan's arms still stayed around her holding her up onto her tip toes against his chest and her hands still stayed around the back of his neck as she slowly looked up at him, wanting to scream WHAT DID YOU JUST DO at herself but doing the only thing she could think of doing to save her embarrassment of the stupid thought that he didn't like her like that despite the fact he very much engaged in the intense kiss that she almost hated was so good.
"I... I told you that I could out 'woo' you" Darling joked breathlessly in an attempt to pretend that was just a part of the 'friendly challenge' but her eyes drew to his lips again, forcing herself to look back up at him and realising his gaze had never let hers since they parted the kiss, as if he was intoxicated with her as his chest rose and fell.
"Do it again" he found himself whispering in a low smooth voice to both of their surprise, Darling unsure if she had heard him correctly until she saw his prompting gaze drawing her forward back towards his lips that she never wanted to leave again.
The knocking on the door grew and brought her back to reality about what had just happened.
Oh my god, what the hell have you done Darling?!
"C-coming!" She called out, quickly brushing past Morgan towards the door that had unlocked itself by the time they had gotten back, adjusting herself in her panicked state.
What the fuck did you just do?!
"Darling wait-" Morgan walked after her, still flustered but knowing they needed to talk about this- but she opened the door before he could get to her.
"Addie? What are you doing here?" Darling asked the shorter girl who was stood next to her landlord.
"I found her by the main front door looking through your mailbox and I thought it would be safer if I brought her here to you" Jenkins explained with their slight Italian accent, eyeing Morgan up and down with confusion of why he was looked so flustered.
"She gave me some ice tea" Addie smiled.
"Jenkins is nonbinary Ads" Darling corrected.
"Oh, sorry- I didn't mean any offence-" Addie went to apologise but Jenkins shook their head with a smile.
"No worries kiddo- now I'll be off, the gardens need pruning and I have a lock smith for this pesky door" they said knowingly, turning to Darling who they also noticed looked just as flustered as Morgan and gave her a confused eyebrow raise that she shook her head at with a 'don't ask' expression.
"Bye Jenkins, thanks for the tea!" Addie called out, walking into the apartment as Darling shut the door.
"Where's your dad?" Darling asked, "how did you even get here?"
"I snuck out to see you before we were meant to leave to head back home, I got in a taxi."
"You got a taxi alone?! And in this neighbourhood?!" Darling was outraged.
"It's your neighbourhood" Addie shrugged.
"That's how I know it's one that no one should be getting shady taxis to- what were you thinking Addison?"
"Chillax, I had my pepper spray you got me."
"Did you just tell me to 'chillax'?" Darling couldn't help her laughter, "if I wasn't so proud that you kept my pepper spray I would sass you right back young lady."
"I know you would" Addie chuckled, "who do you think I learnt the word 'chillax' from?"
"Why'd you sneak away from your dad then? I should call him and tell him you're safe-" Darling walked over to her phone, still avoiding Morgan's eye contact in fear that the burning of her cheeks would come back- her mind unable to stop thinking about that kiss; his lips on hers, his hands pulling her closer to him, how perfect his body felt against her-
Stop it, stop it- Jesus Christ just stop it.
"Please don't call him-" Addie ran over to her, "I... I don't want to go back home."
"Why not?" Darling turned to her, tilting her head with concern, "he ain't hurting you, is he? I swear to god if he is then I'll-"
"What? No of course not" Addie laughed, "you're so protective."
Morgan couldn't help but smile at that statement and how true it was, Darling was the most protective person he had ever met.
She would attempt to fight someone triple her size if it meant no one she loved got hurt, if someone even looked at them the wrong way she'd be on them like a Rottweiler- it was one of his many favourite things about her.
"Then why aren't you on the way to the airport right now sugar? Everything okay?" Darling asked Addie, grabbing her a glass of lemonade and cutting up some fruit for her- just like Darling used to leave out for her every day when Addie came back from school in Chicago.
"I didn't want to go back if... if you were going to end up like dad was" Addie glanced at Darling's arms where her healing track marks hid underneath her shirt.
"Oh shoot, I'm sorry Ads- you weren't meant to see them" Darling apologised, "I promise it's not like that-"
"I don't want you to feel bad if it is, I just want you to get help or let me help you, I don't... I don't want to lose you like I almost lost him" Addie ramble vulnerability which she was much better at than Darling or her brothers.
"Oh Ads" Darling couldn't help walking over and pulling her into a much needed hug, holding back her tears, "you'll never lose me Addie, I promise you kid- I'll always be here for you, always."
Morgan watched Darling in the hug with Addie, her eyes closed tightly with such love for her niece, such pain from hearing her think that, such apology in her embrace, such protection in how she held her.
"I promise I'm okay, the marks are just from work" Darling explained to Addie as she left the embrace, handing her the plate of fruit and accidentally making eye contact with Morgan, doing a double take at the adoration on his face at her before he covered it up and cleared his throat.
"I... uh, should get going if I'm going to miss traffic on my way home" he said before he could stop himself or stay and talk to her like he wanted- or to kiss her again like he really wanted, still feeling the tingling on his lips from that spark of the kiss; the way her tongue parted his mouth in such a way that felt so natural, the way she moved with him, the way the kiss seemed both like a pent up outburst of frustrated tension and beautiful tender care at the same time.
Darling watched him for a moment, relief and disappointment swirling through her since she wanted him to leave so she couldn't give back into her urges to kiss him again too like she desperately wanted to do.
"Right, yeah- sure, cool" she nodded and tried not to seem awkward to no avail.
"Should I take Addie to the airport?" He offered, knowing her flight with Tobias was in less than an hour.
"I don't want to go" Addie interrupted, looking up at Darling, "I... I don't want to see Grand-dad but dad wants me too."
Darling tilted her head at her, "did he make you sign those papers Ads? Did he sign your name for you?"
Her silence was her answer before she added, "he said that I would be a bad child if I didn't, that he would be disappointed in me."
"That son of a-" Darling mumbled under her breath, wanting to storm out to Tobias wherever he was but Morgan caught her gaze.
"She doesn't need that right now Darl, she needs you" he mouthed knowingly and Darling knew he was right- fighting the awkward built up sexual tension between them and taking comfort in the advice he would always give her when her father's temper passed down to her took over.
"You don't have to see him Addie, if you don't want to then you don't have to" Darling explained, sitting next to Addie at the dining room table and taking her hand, "you'll stay here and I'll talk to your dad for you if you want about you not wanting to sign the file- that's if you don't want to, like I said, it's whatever you want to do. You don't ever have to do anything that you don't want to and it certainly doesn't make you a bad kid or disappointment for living by that, I need you to know that."
Morgan watched with a soft smile, giving a small nod at Darling before slipping out the door as she continued talking to Addie and going to prepare them dinner- although she wasn't a great cook, Addie was though and enjoyed doing it as Darling prepped stuff for the meal, her gaze accidentally going to the sink a few times where the it all happened- where she wished it would happen again, where the thing she couldn't stop thinking about and being overwhelmingly blushed about kept coming back to her mind, the thing that even Dolly's playlist in the background 'couldn't fix' or distract from;
That kiss.
That damn kiss.