I didn’t want to have this conversation over text. I needed to see her. The truth was, more than anything, I needed her to hug me.
Mia:You got time for coffee tomorrow?
Josie: Seriously, Mia, what’s going on? Talk to me.
Mia: Just need some girl time…
Josie: I can’t tomorrow.
Mia: OK.
My heart sunk. Something was wrong. This wasn’t the first time she’d dodged me lately. It was really starting to piss me off, but I didn’t have time for her bullshit. Frustrated and tired, I turned off my phone and threw it on the floor, willing myself to sleep.
I woke up freezing. All the blankets had been ripped away. But it was only for the briefest moment before I was tugged up against a hard, warm chest.
“Sleep, sweetie.” Derek’s warm breath tickled the back of my neck. It felt right. It felt like home. Closing my eyes, I let sleep carry me away.
When my eyes cracked open, I couldn’t help but nuzzle against Derek’s naked chest. Sometime through the night, I must have wrapped myself around the gorgeous hunk of man beside me. Breathing in, I was surrounded by his intoxicating masculine scent. The urge to lick him made my mouth water.
“Now, a guy could get used to waking up like this.” Derek’s sleepy voice was deep and raspy and did all sorts of things to my body.
“Morning,” I replied before I started pressing not so innocent kisses against his chest.
“Wh-what are you doing, Tinkerbell?”
“Nothing,” I mumbled as I shifted so I was straddling his hips. Leaning down, I placed soft kisses on the edge of his smirking lips.
“Why don’t I believe you?” Derek growled, and before I knew what was happening, he’d flipped us so I was beneath him, caged in by his arms.
Three hours and too many orgasms later, I stood in Derek’s shower, the water pounding down on my head. I took my time washing my hair and letting the steaming water ease the aches in my overworked muscles.
“Mia! Come on! If you don’t move that sexy ass, I’m coming in,” Derek called through the door.
My smile consumed me. I was happy. Happier than I could ever remember being. And it scared the shit out of me. The sad part was, I wasn’t used to it. I didn’t deserve it. Fuck, Derek didn’t deserve to be dragged into my bullshit. I just didn’t know if I had the strength to confess. I know I needed to. I was well aware that I owed him the truth before this went any further, but the moment I thought about what I would say, when I tried to find the words, I felt like a steel band wrapped itself around my chest and started to squeeze.
