Tied Up In Knots

Duncs POV
 
All night long I couldn't keep my eyes off her. Sure the costume was sexy as hell, but that wasn't the only attraction. Despite her nerves she managed to be herself. She let people see the real Lydia, as she floated around the room charming everyone she came in contact with. I notice her cheeks blush up as Kaner flirted shamelessly with her. She managed to listen intently to Bolly who bored her with stories of how he'd bulked up over the off season. She bonded with Brianna who insisted on helping her replenish food trays and refresh drinks. Lydia was amazing, and she was mine. Finally we were official and this party was our announcement to my teammates, friends and the world that we were together and everyone better just get used to it. Lydia and Duncan were a real couple, not just sneaking into bed together, not just hiding in my apartment, a real couple.
 
The night was near perfect. Everyone came in costume. People danced, ate, drank. The fortune teller, an idea I'd originally hated, had a steady flow of takers. The apartment was loud with music, chatter and laughter. It was probably the best Hawks' Halloween party I'd been to since I'd come to the organization.
 
Over cold beers, Seabs and I were discussing which forwards we thought would be toughest to defend against this year, and Hammy was whining about how we should have beat Detroit, in the playoffs and gone to the finals. I let the conversations continue around me as my eyes fell back to the gorgeous creature who I now shared an apartment with. The corners of my mouth turned up, watching Lydia, as she stood across the room with Tazer and his new girl Cady. Tazer seemed to be telling Lydie a funny story, and at one point she threw her head back and laughed out loud. Her cheeks were pink from the alcohol she'd consumed and her she ran her tongue across her top lip and then the bottom. She was nothing short of amazing.
 
The doorbell rang, and I noticed Claire head in the general direction or the door, as Lydia, ever the gracious hostess watched in anticipation of the new guests that were arriving. From where I stood I couldn't see who had arrived, but I could see Lydie's expression. She was excited at first her eyes going wide, and she started making her way to greet the newcomers, but something happened and she froze in her tracks.  The corner of her mouth fell. I can only describe her look as horror. Without saying a word to my friends, I started across the room, and made it to her just as the glass of red wine slipped from her hand. In some semblance of a miracle I managed to grab the glass before red wine splashed on the white carpeting.
 
"It's OK." I tried to tell her though I'm not sure she heard me. I slid my arms around her, pulling her to face me in my arms and away from the apparent train wreck at the door. I didn't need to look to know who had arrived, but when I did, I was also taken back. It never occurred to me that Patrick Sharp would show up with a date, and a date like that made it even worse. I didn't see how a move like that would help him get his wife back, but Sharpie always seemed to have a plan. "Lets' go dance," I suggested trying to pull her from her anxiety and shock.
 
"NO," she replied firmly. "No I don't want to be rude to our guests." She gave me a half smile. "I don’t want them to know they’ve gotten to me. Will you come with me?" she asked.
 
I pressed my lips to her forehead, "Anywhere you go, I'm with you."
 
She smiled, a small pained smile, but it was still good to see the corners of her mouth turn up. Lydia looped her arm in mine and Bonnie and Clyde headed toward the slutty cop and the nerd, stopping first at the man in a Toga.
 
"I'm sorry," I heard Adam whisper in Lydia's ear as the two friends embraced. She gave him a meek smile and turned toward the couple.
 
"Patrick, so nice of you to come,” She said without making any attempt of drawing closer to him, embracing him or even shaking his hand. “Why don’t you introduce us to you your friend?” she asked. And the Academy Award for best actress goes to Lydia Sharp. The sincerity of her tone even fooled me for a moment.
 
“This is Heidi,” he said looking rather nervous, “Heidi, this Duncan and Lydia.”
 
I wondered if there would be any other explanation of his relationship to Lydie, but there wasn’t. The bare bones introduction was merely followed by an awkward silence that I felt compelled to break. “Make yourself at home, I think Seabs and Bri are manning the bar, they’ll get you whatever you need. Please excuse us now though, we were just going to dance.” I didn’t wait for a reaction from Patrick, and for once I wasn’t interested in seeing the look of defeat on his face caused by me being with his wife. I was more concerned for Lyd and removing her from a rotten situation as quickly as possible.
 
I guided her toward the dance floor and held her close to me. Once I had her in my arms, it only took a few seconds for me to feel some of the tension fall away as she melted into me.
 
“Thank you Duncan,” she whispered. “I don’t know what I’d do without you.”
 
I lifted her face from my chest so I could look into those amazing big brown eyes. “I love you Lydia. I’m always going to have your back, and I promise that, what you just went through back there, will start to hurt less. I promise it will.” She smiled up at me, the first real smile I’d seen since her husband walked through the door. I leaned down and placed a soft sensual kiss on her lips and I felt the tension ease from her even more. She snuggled back into my chest and I held her tightly to me, wanting nothing more than to ease her pain. For a few moments it felt like it was only Lyida and me in the room.
 
For a brief second my attention went back to our guests, and I couldn’t help notice Sharpie in the corner with his blond hanging on him. He paid no attention to her, choosing instead to stare daggers into me.  I gave him a smirk that was sure to piss him off. Clearly, I was the winner. I wouldn’t trade fifty blond bimbos for the woman I held in my arms.
 
****
Lydia’s POV
 
I’d almost forgotten about my husband and his sorry excuse for a date. Duncan had that kind of power over me. He could pull me into his arms and make me forget everything. We moved back and forth to the music, and I lost myself, everything just seemed good. There was a tap on my shoulder and suddenly the spell was broken.
 
Adam stood behind me asking to cut in. Duncan gave me a questioning glance. I nodded my approval, but I could tell Duncan wasn't ready to let go, by the way he lingered.  "I'll come find you in a minute," I called to him and he turned and gave me a smirk that let me know it made him feel better.
 
"I'm really sorry Lyd," Adam said once we started dancing.
 
"About what?" I asked trying to blow off the subject of Patrick, maybe make Adam think it wasn't a big deal that my husband showed up with a blond bombshell on his arm.
 
"Don't play coy with me. I'm talking about your husband's date. I didn't know he was bringing a date, and I sure as hell didn't know he was bringing someone like that."
 
I smiled trying to hide the ache I felt in my heart. "Oh Adam. You're just jealous that she's not into you."
 
He laughed, and the mood eased up a bit. "Lydia. I just don't think it's right, and…"
 
"Stop," I said cutting him off. "Stop right there. I need this to happen. It is killing me inside, but I need him to date other people. I am living with Duncan, Adam. We are getting divorced. He has every right. And if that's the type of woman he prefers…well…we can see why he cheated in the first place."
 
He brushed my hair behind my ear, and pulled me in closer. "You are the type of woman men fall in love with, not her. She's the kind of woman men fuck."
 
Despite his intention to complement me, his words made my stomach turn sour. There wasn't a chance in hell that Duncan and I would fall asleep at the end of the night without having sex, and in all probability with the way he was looking at me all night it would be spectacular, but Adam mentioning Patrick having sex with that tramp seriously made me sick to my stomach. "Let's not talk about it OK Adam. Let's just dance and be together. I feel like I never see you."
 
"You got it. Lyd. Hey did I tell you, you look smokin in that get up?”
 
“Thanks,” I replied with a little blush. If was just funny coming from Adam.
 
“Oh Christ! That's disturbing," he said and nodded behind me. He turned me so I could get a look at what he was referring to. That's when I saw Claire in her sexy sparkling green fairly costume being groped and mauled as she danced with Patrick Kane. "That boy needs to be taught a lesson," Adam said and I could feel him tense up.
 
"She looks like a willing participant Adam. You can't rape the willing."
 
"You really think she's into him?  Kaner is child, a spoiled fucking brat. He's not a man. Claire needs a man."
 
"Someone like you maybe?" I asked teasingly and he just gave me a quick "Pft".  "She thinks she can teach him, she likes his energy, and I think she has every intention to leave with him. Unless…"
 
"Unless what?" he snapped
 
"Maybe you could stop acting like a cave man for five minutes so she sees in you what I see."
 
"It's never gonna happen Lyd. Never. She's beautiful, and oh God that body, but I know a gift from Satan when I see it. I know she was put here to tempt me and then to break me. I'm not going there. But the view is mighty fine, I just wish Kaner would get the fuck off of her."
 
We went back to dancing, laughing and reconnecting. I missed my everyday interactions with Adam. The fun lunches, the heart to hearts, the rides in his car with the music blaring, singing at the top of our lungs. It was obvious to me that choices I'd made, made it impossible for us to have much more than little moments here and there.
 
The little moment we were having was interrupted, however, by my ex-husband. "Think I can get a turn?" he asked Adam, and rubbed the back of his neck. He actually didn't look sure that Adam would allow it, but when Adam stepped away to cut in on Clarie and her little boy toy, Patrick wasted no time pulling me close.
 
I looked around the large open room, from one side to the other. "He stepped out with Q,” Patrick said unsolicited.
 
"What? Who?"
 
"Your little boyfriend. Isn't that who you were looking for. Hoping he'd try to save you from the big bad wolf?"
 
"Whatever Patrick." I replied, not willing to argue. Tonight wasn't about him. It was about Duncan and I wouldn't let him get the best of me.
 
"It wasn't that long ago you were putty in my hands when we danced. Remember that? Remember how we used to dance?"
 
"Yes, and I remember opening a pack of photos with you naked in another woman's bed."
 
He immediately tensed. "I want to apologize to you for Heidi."
 
"Why?" I tried to make light of the situation, not wanting him to know how bad her presence, her presence with him, made me feel. "Did she spill something on the carpet? Maybe I should go try to clean it…"
 
"Stop. Just stop pretending," he demanded and held me tighter. "I saw your eyes when you realized she came with me. I know you better than anyone else, and I saw how badly it hurt you. I didn't mean to do that. I just didn't know what to do. If I didn't show up at all then Duncan would have won. If I came alone then I'd be the loser that lost the best thing that ever happened to him. So I brought Heidi. I don't give a damn about her Lyd. I don't want anything to do with her. I guess I just wasn't grown up enough to skip coming entirely, and I wasn't man enough to come alone. I fucked. up. I'm sorry."
 
"That's possibly the most grown up thing you've said since I left you."
 
He put his lips to my ear so they touched. "Leave Duncan and come home to me, Lyd. I have lots of gown up things to say to you."
 
His breath fell hot against my skin, and he looked adorable in his little nerd outfit. Memories of the sexual grown up things Patrick used to say to me made my body temperature rise. Not a good thing with as close as we were together. "Stop it Patrick,” I demanded, and I really needed him to stop.
 
"I love you Lydie." His tone was so sincere, but I knew better. I knew better than to trust him. "You don't want Duncan. He's not the man for you."
 
I suddenly became very aware of his hand on my waist…how close he held me…his breath on my ear. The room began to spin.. "Just stop," I said again and pulled away. "I…I…I just can't breathe. I need air," I exclaimed and headed out on the balcony.
 
The chilly October air nipped at my skin and filled my lungs and I finally felt my equilibrium return to normal as I leaned over the railing taking big deep breaths.
 
"Don't jump," came a voice from behind me. It was the soft melodic voice of the man I had been married to for just over a year, the man that sent me fleeing out here in the first place.
 
"Patrick, please?" I begged for space without turning to look at him.
 
"You can't run away from me Lydia. I can love you like no one else. You know I'm right." He put an arm on either side of me on the railing and leaned in till our bodies touched. "I fucked up. I did, but I love you. You don't belong with Duncan Keith any more than I belong with Heidi what's her face in there. We belong together Lydie. Stop punishing me. Stop punishing yourself"
 
I turned and ended up in his embrace. I couldn't handle it, him and his body heat, and his words that my heart wanted to hear and my head wouldn't allow. I shoved him hard, but he backed up only a step. "I'm not punishing myself Patrick; I’m protecting myself. I'm trying to live without you, building a life without you, without hurt. I want a life with a man I can trust. I want you to go. Go back to the party, go home, but just leave me alone."
 
He stepped forward and without warning he kissed me, he kissed me strong and hard, his body pressed against mine. He took me completely off guard leaving me no option but to kiss back. Patrick knew exactly how to kiss me. It felt too good to fight, too natural. My head was saying no but every other part wanted this, wanted him touching me, kissing me. He tasted and smelled so familiar and so right as his tongue found mind and greeted it like former lover. I wanted to cry and push him away. I wanted to cling on to him for dear life and never let him go. Then a loud burst of applause came from inside, and we broke apart, both gasping for air and more than slightly worried that the applause had something to do with being caught tongue wrestling on the balcony.
 
When it was obvious we were safe, a cold dose of reality hit me. "You had no right to do that. No right…"
 
"Lydie, I love you." he pleaded knowing how much I felt that kiss.
 
"Step back Patrick. I don't belong to you anymore."
 
"She said step back!" Came a voice from the doorway. Duncan looked like he could explode, and for a second I was scared for Patrick.
 
Patrick stayed facing me, not acknowledging Duncan. "Lydia, please." His eyes were begging.
 
"You have a date Sharpie." Duncan reminded him. "Why don't you go find her? By the looks of things, she's exactly the  type of woman you need in your life. You need to leave Lydia alone. You had your chance and you blew it. She's nothing to you now."
 
Patrick's eyes moved from me for the first time as he turned to face Duncan. "She's my wife!" he spat. "You…" Patrick stopped and scowled. "You are nothing but a place holder, a place holder until she can forgive me."
 
Duncan’s eyes were filled with rage, but he kept his cool as he spoke. "I'm the place holder that is going to toss your ass over that balcony if you don't go back to the party now and leave Lydia alone."
 
Patrick turned back for a brief second and my eyes filled with tears. I felt his pain. I know how badly he hurt, but he did as Duncan instructed and went back inside.
 
In an instant Duncan was next to me rubbing my arms. “Baby it’s cold out here. Let’s get you inside.”
 
“Can you just hold me? Just for a minute? Can we just stay out here? I need some air. I just need you Duncan.”
 
Without hesitation his arms wrapped around me and held me tightly against him. He rubbed the goose bumps from my arms. “Are you OK?” he asked.
 
“I’m Ok. I’m better. Much better now.”
 
He made an “Mmm,” sound before he leaned down and kissed me. It was a sweet kiss, and he tasted like beer and man. He tasted good, but my lips were missing Patrick. “You missed all the action inside,” he informed me.
 
“Yeah? I heard clapping what happened in there?”
 
“I missed a lot of it too, but Seabs filled me in. Apparently your spitfire friend Claire gave Burs a run for his money. Claire saw you run outside, and tried to follow you, but Adam wouldn’t let her. He told her to let Patrick handle it. Claire started yelling at him and told him that Patrick couldn’t keep his dick in his pants long enough to handle being married to you, that it should be me out there not Patrick.”
 
“Really?” I asked giggling. “She said that.”
 
“Yep. Loud enough for everyone to hear. Then they started battling it out over who was the better man for you. They were seriously going at it and Claire totally had the upper hand. Then Burs asked her if she wore a coat. Claire said no, and he grabbed her arm and said ‘We’re leaving.’”
 
“They left together?” I asked completely shocked.
 
“I don’t know if I would have believed it either, but I saw it with my own.”
 
“Oh my God Duncan, that’s wonderful.”
 
“If you say so,” he replied. Duncan smiled down at me and pushed my hair behind my ear. “Claire won you know. I’m the better man for you.”
 
“You are the better man for me,” I said and repeated it over and over again in my head as he kissed me.