Page 103 of Devil's Kiss
“Why?” Jordan repeated, and when Derek looked at him, Jordan gripped the door where the window was wound down and told him, “Maybe because we need to talk?”
“Oh, sonowyou want to talk? What about, Jordan? Charities? Okay,” Derek said as he pushed open the door and climbed down before slamming it behind him. He was heaving with pent-up frustration. Yet even with all of the power and fury Derek was radiating, he didn’t frighten Jordan in any way.
“Let’s talk,” Derek said. “I’ll go first. Do you remember a conversation you once had with a student of yours where you told him flat-out that he wasn’t a charity case?” Jordan opened his mouth to deny it, but Derek got in first. “Do you?”
“Yes.”
“Okay. Now, can you possibly understand how it might feel to that same student—hell, let’s cut the bullshit—how it feels tome, the man who has sat in front of you broken and beaten to a fucking pulp…can you imagine how it felt tothatman to hear that you…” Derek paused and dragged his bottom teeth over his top lip, then shook his head. “That the one person I believed wouldneverdo anything to shake the trust I had in him, had gone and done something so personal without asking my permission first.”
“Derek—”
“Can you?” he shouted, and Jordan shook his head. He’d never thought of it that way, never even considered that it would be seen as anything other than how he’d meant it—a gesture of love and respect.
“I’m so sorry.”
“So am I,” Derek said, as he spun away from him and reopened the door. Before he could climb back in, Jordan put his hand over the fingers Derek had on the car and tried again.
“Derek. I wasn’t thinking. I never meant to?—”
“I know,” Derek said, and then glanced over his shoulder. “I know you didn’t mean to hurt me. Iknowthat, Jordan. But it doesn’t change the fact that you did.”
Jordan’s hand slipped away, and as it fell to his side, he nodded. “I understand.”
Just when he thought that would be it, that Derek would get in the car and drive away, he rounded back on him. He grabbed Jordan’s shirt and pulled him in to take his mouth in a bruising kiss, and the spark was instantaneous.
They caught alight as quick as gasoline and a match. Tongues tangled, hands fumbled for purchase, and all of the worry and upset Jordan had experienced the night before fueled the passion now blazing back to life between them.
When Derek finally tore his mouth free, he rested his forehead against Jordan’s and whispered, “I amsofucking hurt right now. But just so we’re clear, I’mnotbreaking up with you.”
The words from their argument a week earlier registered, and Jordan was amazed at how comforting they were even as his heart splintered in two.
“I’ll call you,” Derek said, and climbed into the car.
Jordan stepped up onto the curb, and as he watched Derek drive away, the only question that remained was…when?
Chapter 29
DEREK UNLOCKED THE front door and headed inside, wanting to forget his night from hell.What a shitstorm,he thought, as he headed directly to the couch, determined to turn the television on and zone the fuck out.
Not only had he gotten into it with Jordan, who he’d expected things to be tense with, but Finn and Brantley had laid into him. He got it. Brantley was feeling protective. Derek couldn’t fault him for that, and at least it proved that the guy had finally manned up and decided that Finn was who he wanted. But Finn had said some stuff tonight that cut deep, and as he’d driven home, Derek couldn’t get it out of his head.
Back when he’d been going through all the shit he had with his father and moving out, he’d figured it would be better not to burden Finn, who would feel responsible for him, and in the end had turned to Jordan.Right?
Well, that had been what he told himself when he’d beeninthe situation. But looking back on it now and hearing Finn’s words playing over in his head about how he’d let him go, Derek realized he wasn’t angry because Finn had called him out. He was angry because he was fucking right. Hehadbeen irresponsible with their friendship.
He’d definitely have to call Finn and patch that up. It had finally felt as though they were getting back on track lately, and he didn’t want it to go off course any more than it had tonight.
Closing his eyes, he settled into the couch and let the white noise of whatever show was on fill his head instead of all the other bullshit that was in there. He’d just about dozed off when a hand tapped the back of the couch and had him jerking up in his seat. He turned and saw Dylan with a frown stretched over his face as he strolled around to take a seat on the single recliner they had in the living room.
“When’d you get in?” he asked, as he settled back and Derek took in his outfit.
Dressed in black jeans, a leather belt that had silver buckle holes punctuating it, andonlya leather jacket, Dylan reminded Derek of James Dean. With his hair styled and tousled up top, his stubble accented his square jaw and perfectly symmetrical features. He really was on another level when it came to looks.
“About a half-hour ago,” Derek said.
“Oh, okay. I was showering.”
“Figures. Must take you at least an hour to look that good, considering the mess you start with.”