Derek Read online

  “You got me, baby, all of me.” He picks me up and carries me into the bedroom. I am laid down on the bed, and he brings my shirt over my head.

  He grips my side, looking down at me. “Look at me,” he growls and kisses me. I have one second of hesitancy because he just went down on me, but I can’t bring myself to care.

  Not even breaking the kiss, I start trying to push his underwear down his legs. He pulls back, taking off his underwear.

  My mouth waters seeing all of him for the first time. I lean back on my elbows admiring every single inch of him. He runs his hand down his abs and gives me a smirk. Oh boy, I am in for it. He leans forward with his elbows on either side of my head.

  “Are you sure?”

  I nod. “I am one hundred percent sure.” I run my hands down his sides and back, and I open my legs and bring him even closer. I resist the urge to close my eyes at the feel of him against me.

  He snakes his hand between our legs, his thumb back on my clit. “Hands up.” I do as he asks and put my hands above my head, and he ducks his head, his mouth wrapped around my nipple.

  I hiss and bite the side of my arm so I don’t make a loud nose. “Nope.” He pulls my mouth from my arm. “I want all of you, every single sound you make. Every single inch of you.” He slowly puts two fingers inside me as he speaks those words to me.

  I kiss him sweetly, overwhelmed with emotion. He is the best to me and, at moments like these, it’s hard to believe he is mine.

  He takes his finger out of me; then I feel him at my entrance, and his thumb is still on my clit. “Ready?” he asks again to make sure.

  I put my hand on his cheek. “Yeah, I am sure.” I smile.

  He slowly presses his way inside, his thumb stroking my clit lazily. I bring my legs up higher on his waist.

  Little by little he makes his way inside me. When it starts to hurt, I guess he can tell by the way my body stiffens. He stops, rubs my clit, and lets me get adjusted to him.

  “Are you okay?” He pushes my hair off of my forehead, kissing me there.

  “Yeah, honey.” I smile as he lets me get adjusted to him. His willpower is out of this world. I can feel his arms shaking as he controls himself.

  “No pain?”

  I shake my head. “No, you can move.” I reach around and pinch his ass.

  He kisses me and grabs my arms, pulling them above my head. He spreads his legs further and he starts moving.

  Oh God. I tighten my hands around his and he smiles, kissing me. He slowly moves, making love to me. As I stare into his eyes, I realize I will never forget this moment for as long as I live. The way he’s holding me, making sure I am okay, everything.

  He lets go of one of my hands, and he grips my thigh and lifts it higher as he changes his position. He rubs my g spot and I stiffen.

  “More,” I moan.

  He does as I ask, moving faster and faster until he is pounding inside me. He grips my throat, and I clutch the blankets on either side of me.

  He slips his hand between us. “Come for me.” He rubs my clit hard, and I don’t stand a chance—I come. Hard.

  I yell out and bite his shoulder, and he comes along with me. I’m shaking as I pulsate around his dick.

  Wow.

  I stare up at the ceiling, and I try to catch my breath as he slips out of me. He picks me up and lays me on his chest. I throw my leg over his. I kiss his chest and wrap my arm over his stomach. He runs his hand down my back. “I wasn’t too rough with you?” he asks suddenly, out of nowhere.

  “No. Not at all.” I look down at him, my face above his. “It didn’t hurt at all.” I press my hand against his face, rubbing my thumb against his cheek.

  He grips the back of my neck. “You’re precious, my angel.” He brings my head down and kisses my forehead. “Let’s go bathe.” He scoots out of bed, taking me with him. I wrap my arms around his waist. He walks with me into the stand-up shower, shuts the door, and turns on the water. He sets me down, my head just coming to the top of his chest. I can’t resist wrapping my arms around him and laying my head on his chest.

  “You make my happy,” I admit to him, running my hands down his silky, smooth back.

  He touches the bottom of my chin, looking at me. “You are my heart, darlin’. You make me more than happy. You’re my every breath.”

  I could float away—my entire world stops, and I try not to burst into tears at hearing those words. A tear escapes no matter how hard I try. He catches it and kisses the top of my head, bundling me in his arms.

  I never expected for him to have this sweet, soft side to him. He is a badass, there is no doubt about that, but I love that he allows this side of him to come through.

  He throws away every single insecurity I have before I even know I have it. He makes me feel safe. He makes feel more than physically safe; it’s also emotional. I have never felt so fulfilled. All of me is happy for the first time in my life; the missing part of me is now here.

  I know it’s too soon, but it’s the way I feel.

  He lets me go and grabs my shampoo bottle off the shower caddy. I start to take it from him, but he pulls it out of my reach. “Let me take care of you, turn around.”

  I turn around and I smile, waiting for him to wash my hair for me. I could get used to this.

  I could get used to him.

  Chapter Seven

  Brittany

  A Couple of Hours Later

  I’ll admit I am sore now, and the longer the day goes on the sorer I get. Derek isn’t a small guy and I am feeling the effects of that.

  Currently we are grocery shopping. Derek is pushing the cart down the aisles and throwing things in. We didn't want to leave Princess alone at home, so I am holding her as we walk through the store.

  “I want to grab some bait so I can show you how to fish.”

  I start to argue that I can fish just fine when it hits me.

  We didn’t use a condom.

  I’m not on birth control.

  I look at Derek, who stops scanning the shelves. “What’s the matter?” He is at my side in a second.

  “We didn't use a condom.”

  His face changes as he comes to this realization. I never thought of it and I doubt he did either, we were both so wrapped up in each other. “I’m clean, doll.”

  “Good to know, but I am not on birth control,” I inform him and I fully expect him to panic. I never expected him to just shrug it off.

  I grip his arm to get his full attention. “Derek, I could be pregnant.”

  “So?”

  My eyes widen in disbelief—is he high? “So?” I practically screech and what does he do? LAUGHS.

  “Baby, don’t stress. If you’re pregnant then I get to be one thing I always wanted to be. A dad.” He gives me a pointed look, and that leaves me silent. I never expected him to say that; that just blew my mind. He takes my hand and pushes the cart with the other hand as I try to wrap my head around this. Around him.

  I spot the pregnancy tests as we pass. I grab two and throw them into the buggy. “Since you don’t care so much,” I tease and he grabs a few more tests and throws them in the buggy.

  I glare at the back of his head. He really doesn’t care, and that is just crazy to me. Is he that sure that we’re going to work and nothing can change that?

  Apparently so.

  As we finish shopping and go back toward home, the tests are the big elephant in the room for me, but Derek is just having the time of his life.

  Princess jumps from my lap and into Derek’s, traitor. I am not sure how I feel about this. Am I ready to be a mother? I know it’s a long shot, but that small percentage? That’s way too big a percentage.

  What if?

  I push it out of my mind because the chances are so low.

  * * *

  Derek made us dinner, and now I’m watching him tie the hook on my fishing pole. What he doesn’t know is that I have been fishing for years. I am going to let him think that I don’t know what
I am doing, but I guess we will find out who catches the bigger fish, won’t we?

  He hands me the pole. “Here you go, doll.” He smiles and I take the pole. He is seriously cute, I’ll give him that.

  He makes me happy. There is no denying that. Even standing right next to him and doing nothing, I am happy. I have a good-for-your-soul feeling when I’m around him. It’s like I am floating, and I am all giddy inside like a teenager. Don’t even get me started on how amazingly good-looking he is; his tattoo and his smile are just mouthwatering.

  And I had him inside me earlier.

  Oh God, I can feel myself growing wet as I think about him. He was amazing. It was way better than I’d expected. He made my first time perfect with the way he took care of me, cherished me, and put my needs first; it’s something I will never forget.

  Derek stands up and grabs his tackle box along with his bait, and we walk out of the back door of the garage.

  His cabin is beautiful. I honestly would not mind living here. It’s right on the lake—swimming, boating, and fishing all summer long, Derek shirtless. Perfection. Maybe if God blesses me, he will take off his shirt so I can sit admiring him for hours—now that would be pure heaven.

  We walk down to the dock, which extends twenty feet across the lake. It’s around eighty degrees outside; the sun is going to go down soon. I sit down on the edge of the dock, take off my shoes, and put my feet into the warm water. It’s very tempting to strip down and jump in.

  Derek takes my pole and puts my worm on the hook. I find it hilarious that he never asked if I could fish or not; he just assumed not. Now he is going to be schooled. Nonetheless, I love his thoughtfulness. “Thank you.” I kiss his cheek.

  I throw my line into the lake and stare at my bopper, waiting for it to go under the water. He readies his hook and throws it into the lake. “It’s beautiful here, Derek.” I sigh, looking at the birds flying across the water.

  He smiles, and I lean over and rest my head on his shoulder. He kisses the side of my head. “This is where my family spent a lot of time together. My father would use his vacation time, and we would pack up and come here. We didn’t stay in this house, but they have a house right down the road.”

  “Sounds like you had an amazing childhood.” I intertwine our fingers.

  “I did. My mom is the kind of mom who baked me cookies every day. Always at every practice and game, even taking my friends to practice.” He smiles thinking about his mother. I am glad he has her. “They live right up the road if you want to meet them.” I think about it—do I want to meet his family? I think yes, I want to meet the people who made him into such an amazing person.

  “I would like that,” I tell him honestly.

  That’s when my pole dips. I pull it back and start reeling it in immediately. Derek scoots closer like he wants to help, but no way am I letting him take my fish.

  “Nice,” he says when I lift the largemouth bass out of the water. I expertly grip the fish and take the hook out of its mouth. “Are you wanting to keep it?” I ask.

  He shakes his head, his eyes narrowed. I throw the fish back and smirk as I rebait my hook and throw my line in.

  “You know how to fucking fish,” he deadpans.

  I laugh. “I do.”

  He chuckles. “Why didn’t you tell me?” He taps the side of my leg, and I roll my eyes and hit him back.

  I arch an eyebrow. “That’s what you get for assuming.”

  His mouth opens at my sass. “You’re going to pay for that.”

  “Yeah right, what are you going to do?” I tease, and before I can even register it, he picks me up and throws me across his lap, and his hand is on my ass in a second. WHACK.

  I gasp in shock then he smacks me again. Not enough to hurt, but enough to make me realize I am at his mercy. He rubs the spot gently.

  “Now tell me you’re sorry,” he demands and I shake my head. There’s no way I will apologize.

  He laughs and runs his hand up the back of my leg before he smacks my other cheek.

  I wiggle my butt. “I can’t even feel that, my butt is too big.”

  He flips me over and I am on my back on the dock, his lips on mine. I love the feeling of his lips on mine, the way his hands, touching my body, are so strong. I just feel safe.

  With him here, I feel like nothing can touch me.

  Just him. I want him to touch me over and over. I want him to have all of me. I want all of him.

  Words can’t express the way he feels under my hands, the way his lips move over mine. I shiver at the thought.

  I feel my pole, at my feet, move, and I push him away and snatch it off the dock, pulling my fish in. Derek’s pole practically goes into the water. “Catch it!” I scream and he grabs it, his arms straining as he reels it in. I pull my fish in and throw it back. It’s a small fish, but whatever Derek has is a big fish. He stands up and I stand with him. The fish splashes in the water, and my eyes widen at how big it is.

  “Oh my God,” I whisper as he bends down and snatches it out of the water. My mouth opens in shock as he lifts the biggest catfish I have ever seen onto the dock. He drags it across the dock, and my eyes widen at how huge it is. His muscles are bulging as he tries to hold it still and take the hook out of its mouth. He holds the fish with one hand and reaches inside the bag for pliers; then he grabs the hook and pulls it out. The fish flips and moves across the dock toward me. I back up but the fish’s tail slices across my shin. Blood pours out of my leg. Derek cusses and drags the fish into the water.

  I fall to the ground, staring at my leg, and I press my hand to the wound. Derek pulls my hand away and pours water on it. I can practically see the bone. I can’t stand the sight of blood; it makes me want to faint.

  “Fuck,” Derek growls and reaches into his bag, pulling out a bunch of bandages. “We need to get you to the ER.” He lifts me off the ground and carries me up the long walkway to the house, practically running. I can’t even speak; I can feel the blood running down my leg and I can’t look because I will get sick.

  Once, when I was little, I fell off my bike and skinned my knee. I saw the small bit of blood on my knee, and that’s all it took for me to pass out.

  He sets me down in a chair in front of the house. He runs inside and comes out a second later with his truck keys, shutting the door and locking it behind him. He opens the passenger door to his truck and runs back to me again; he has a towel over his shoulder. I wrap my arm around his shoulder, and he sets me inside. I turn my head as he takes off the small bandage. I can feel him wrapping the towel around my leg.

  He slams the door and I open my eyes and watch as he runs over to his door. He starts the truck and I turn on the air conditioner full blast, pointing it in my face.

  “Are you okay?” he asks.

  “It’s just my luck, I was taken out by a catfish.” I fake laugh in disbelief. It is my luck. “I can’t stand the sight of blood too.” I cover my face with my hands.

  “I’m fucking sorry, angel.” He pulls my hand from my face, kissing the back of it.

  “It’s not your fault, but you did fucking win.” If I was going to get taken out by a catfish, it should have been mine, at least, but life isn’t fair.

  He shakes his head. He keeps holding my hand, and I let out a deep breath, trying to relax, not thinking about the bone visible from the cut.

  “I saw bone.” I shudder as I tell him, my stomach turning.

  He doesn’t say anything. Well, that can’t be good, can it? He just tightens his hand in mine, and that’s when the pain starts to kick in; the adrenaline is wearing off.

  “How far are we from the hospital?” I ask, trying to ignore the throbbing.

  “Ten minutes, leg hurting?” He looks down at my leg. I can still feel the blood running down my leg, and it’s soaking my sandal.

  “It’s throbbing.”

  He rubs the back of my hand with his thumb. “I wish I could take it from you, doll.”

  That was so incre
dibly sweet. I smile. “You're the best to me, Derek.”

  He rolls his eyes at me. “What else can I be to an angel like you?”

  I sigh, my leg completely forgotten because of his sweet words. “You’re the sweetest.”

  He doesn’t say anything. He won’t admit that he is a sweetheart, but his secret is safe with me.

  He pulls up to the hospital, parks the truck, and lifts me out of my seat, and he carries me inside. People stare at us. I am sure we both look strange and, by the looks of this town, it’s a very small place. My guess is that everyone knows everyone.

  The lady at the front desk waves us immediately through to a room. Derek sets me down on the bed, and a few nurses come in and take the bandage off my leg. Derek wraps his arm around my back, pressing my face into his stomach so I don’t look.

  * * *

  Derek

  Her leg isn’t life threatening, of course, but it’s going to take a lot of stitches, and the second I saw the blood I was fucking scared.

  The nurses are wincing at the sight of her leg. The cut is four inches long and deep. Brittany is shaking. I know she is in pain, and it’s fucking killing me. I feel partly responsible because it was my fish.

  “Ouchhhh,” she hisses and grips my shirt. I grit my teeth and try not to make any sounds. It goes against every single part of me that she is in pain.

  “It looks like you will be needing stitches. I am going to give you a shot for the pain.” The nurse leaves and comes back a minute later with a needle, and Brittany doesn’t look down as they give her the shot.

  I help her lie down, and I pull up a chair beside her and wipe the tears from her cheeks. I never want to see those tears again. She reaches up and touches my cheek. “Don’t look so sad, it just means that you’re my bitch for the next week or so.”

  I laugh. “You got it, baby, I will take care of you in all ways.” I drag it out in a deep voice so she gets the meaning.