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“I couldn’t have a fake marriage when I was really in love, and it was only one-sided.” I gave him a small smile. “No matter how hot the sex was.”
“Amelia and Drew are never going to let me live it down that they were right,” Derrick said with an amused sigh.
“Amelia and Drew?”
“They suspected why you left,” he said. “I’m sorry I didn’t see it.”
“You know,” I said slowly, “It’s almost midnight.”
“It is.”
“I have a proposal. An agreement, if you will.”
“I’m listening.”
“Let’s start over. New year, new us.” I leaned into him. “Complete honesty from here on out.”
“A clean slate,” he said as his arms tightened around me.
“A clean slate,” I agreed.
“I would love that,” he said, his voice hoarse. “And in the interest of starting us off honestly, I love you.”
The air around us filled with voices as people began to count down, but I only had eyes for the man in front of me.
“I love you, too.”
The countdown hit zero and Derrick’s mouth collided with mine. Fire ignited in my veins, roaring through me as my lips moved against his. When his tongue swept into my mouth, I moaned.
Emotions threatened to overwhelm me even as much as the sensations. I never thought I’d feel like this again, especially not with this man.
When he started to pull away, I made a sound of protest, chasing his mouth.
“Not here,” Derrick said, a hint of amusement in his voice. “Getting arrested for public indecency isn’t one of my kinks.”
I opened my eyes to find him smiling at me.
“We can stay…or we can go someplace where we can have a little more privacy.”
“Take me home,” I said without an ounce of hesitation. “Home with you.”
He brushed his lips across mine. “Gladly.”
FORTY-FOUR
DERRICK
I knelton my bed and looked down at the woman sprawled on my bedspread. Clad only in a tiny pair of green panties, Jessica’s hair was down, her curls fanned out behind her, her eyes sparkling up at me. Her breasts were bare and just as beautiful as I remembered. More, actually. My memory hadn’t done her body any justice.
My hands moved over her, languidly reacquainting myself with the once-familiar canvas. Her skin was smooth under my palms as I skimmed her thighs and up her ribcage. While I continued my exploration, her fingertips traced patterns on my arms, as if she’d craved for my touch as much as I had hers.
“I missed this,” I said softly. “Being able to touch you.”
“I dreamed about it,” she confessed. “There were mornings I woke up still feeling like your hands were on me, my entire body aching for you.”
Unable to resist for a moment longer, I took her mouth in a sweet kiss, even as I cupped her breasts. The weight of them thrilled me and I felt a rush of arousal as her nipples pebbled against my hands. My lips moved from hers to kiss along her jaw and find that spot behind her ear that made her shiver. Tracing a path down her neck with my tongue, I plucked at her nipples until they were a pretty shade of deep pink, and only then did I finally cover one with my mouth.
“Yes,” she hissed, her back arching.