Chapter 19
Chapter Nineteen
Derek
I should turn around and go home. I should not be following Amber to her house. I’m setting myself up here. She’s not a woman I can have a one-night stand with, nor do I want to.
I know I need to keep her at arm’s length still, but something about her has wrapped around my heart without me realizing it.
“I should have thought this through better,” she groans as we stand on her front porch. “I haven’t exactly unpacked, so there are a lot of boxes everywhere. I’m so embarrassed. This isn’t how I would normally let my house look when I invite someone over.”
“It’s fine. The worst part of moving is the unpacking, I think.”
“You don’t realize how much stuff you have until then. It’s…overwhelming, especially when I’m doing something with Bree almost every weekend for the wedding.”
“This is your grandparents’ old house?” I ask Amber as she unlocks the door and lets me in.
Despite the boxes stacked throughout the living room, it’s all very neat and clean. I remember Teddy and his dad putting a lot of work into remodeling this. The pictures he posted on social media don’t do it justice.
She immediately removes her sweater and drops it on the back of the couch. She’s wearing a V-neck shirt underneath that shows off the swell of her breasts.
“Yeah, they moved to Florida and left it to me.”
“That’s nice. It’s a beautiful home.”
“Yeah, I love it. So many memories here. My parents and Teddy redid it, so it still feels the same, yet it’s different, you know?”
I nod and grin back at her. She walks into the kitchen and pours us both a glass of the apple wine while also making me a plate of apple crisp.
“You’re not going to have any?”
“No, I sampled when I baked it.” She giggles.
I take a bite and let the flavors dance on my tongue.
“This is…amazing,” I tell her.
She does a mock curtsy while still holding her glass of wine, spilling it down the front of her.
“Shoot,” she breathes as she turns around to clean it up.
I gently grab her wrist and tug her into me.
“Let me get it.”
I dip my head down and lick the apple wine off her smooth skin. She sucks in a breath.
Her fingers thread through my hair as I trail my tongue along her collarbone, savoring the sweetness of the wine mingled with the salt of her skin. Her breath quickens, and I feel her pulse racing beneath my lips.
“I…I think you got it all,” she whispers, her voice husky.
I lift my head, meeting her gaze. Her eyes are dark with desire, her cheeks flushed. For a moment, we stand frozen, the air between us electric.
She surges forward, capturing my lips in a passionate kiss. Her fingers grip my shirt, pulling me closer as I wrap my arms around her waist.Guilt claws at the edges of my mind. Is this too soon? Is it fair to her? To my memories?
But then she smiles against my mouth, a gentle curve that I can feel more than see, and the guilt fades—just a little. Something about her makes the weight on my chest feel lighter, as though she’s not trying to take the place of what I’ve lost but offering me something new.
We stumble backward, bumping into the kitchen counter. She breaks the kiss, laughing, but when her eyes find mine again, she gives me a mischievous smile. She reaches down and pulls her shirt over her head, revealing her white lace bra underneath.
My mouth dips down again, going to the curves as my finger slips inside, brushing against her nipple.
“Yes,” she whimpers before her hands go down to fumble with my pants.
We’re a jumble of hands and tearing clothes off. Once we’re both naked, I pick her up and sit her on the kitchen island before I bend down and bury my face between her legs.
“Oh…shit…I wasn’t…expecting…that…but fuck…yesssss,” she pants out.
I savor her taste, my tongue exploring every fold and crevice. Her thighs tremble against my cheeks as I focus my attention on her most sensitive spot. She tastes amazing, and I can’t get enough of her. Her fingers tangle in my hair, guiding me, urging me on as her hips rock against my face. Her touch sends electricity through me, my heart pounding in my chest as I continue exploring her warm center.
“God, don’t stop,” she moans, her head thrown back in ecstasy.
I have no intention of stopping. I slide two fingers inside her, curling them as I continue to work her with my tongue. Her inner walls clench around me as her breathing becomes more ragged.
Suddenly, she tugs at my hair, pulling me up. “I need you inside me. Now,” she demands, her eyes wild with lust.
Damn, that’s hot.
I like a woman who knows what she wants. It’s nice when she speaks up like this and lets me know she’s just as turned on as me. It fuels my confidence.
I stand, positioning myself between her legs. She reaches down and wraps her fingers around my shaft. I let out a small groan.
I pick her up and set her down on the floor before I turn her around and guide myself inside her.
All I can think about is burying myself as deep inside of her as possible. I can’t think straight. I need to feel her pussy wrapped around my hard cock. I need to hear her say my name. I need to hear her beg me for more.
My hands go up and thread into her hair as I guide myself inside her.
She…feels…amazing.
I’ve been with other women. I thought that after Sharon, one-night stands were the answer. That sleeping with a woman without getting too close would trigger my healing and help me move on while also filling my primal needs. It didn’t, though. I typically felt bad after sleeping with a woman and not wanting anything else to do with her.
I tried to feel more for the women, but I just couldn’t bring myself to do it. I wasn’t allowing myself to be open to anything else. That fear of falling again has held me back from so much.
It’s immediately different right now and I’m settled inside her. I feel everything at once—desire, guilt, hope, and something deeper that I can’t quite name. It’s been so long since I’ve let myself feel this close to anyone, and for a fleeting moment, I hesitate.
But then she whispers my name, soft and steady, her hands sliding over my shoulders like she’s anchoring me to her. And just like that, the hesitation melts away. She’s here, with me, and I can’t help but wonder if this is what it feels like to heal—slowly, tentatively, but surely.
I don’t have time to think about any of that, though, because my entire body is screaming at me not to slow down.
I thrust into her hard, eliciting a gasp of pleasure from her. Her hands grip the edge of the kitchen counter as I begin to move, setting a steady rhythm. Skin slapping against skin fills the room, punctuated by our moans and heavy breathing.
“Harder,” she demands, pushing back against me. “Fuck me harder.”
I comply, gripping her hips tightly as I increase my pace. She feels incredible around me, hot and tight. I lean forward, pressing my chest against her back, and trail kisses along her shoulder and neck.
“Say my name,” I growl into her ear.
“Oh God, Derek,” she moans. “Derek, please…more…”
Hearing my name on her lips sends a jolt of pride through me. I slide one hand around to rub her clit, causing her to scream and grip the counter tighter.
I can feel her body trembling beneath me, her inner walls clenching around me as she nears her climax. Her breath comes in short, ragged gasps as she pushes back against me, meeting each of my thrusts.
“Don't stop, Derek. Please don't stop.”
I increase my pace, pounding into her relentlessly as I continue to work her clit with my fingers. The kitchen is filled with the sounds of our passion—skin against skin, breathless moans, and the creaking of the counter beneath us.
Suddenly, her body goes rigid. She throws her head back, a cry of ecstasy escaping her lips as her orgasm shoots through her. The feeling of her pulsing around me pushes me over the edge, and I follow her into blissful release, groaning her name as I empty myself inside her.
As the waves of pleasure subside, I collapse beside her, my chest heaving, my mind spinning. For a moment, the world feels still—like nothing exists outside this room, this bed, this woman. I close my eyes, overwhelmed by the weight of what just happened. It wasn’t just physical. It was more. So much more.
A part of me still feels like I shouldn’t be here, shouldn’t be with her like this. But as she shifts closer, her head resting on my shoulder, I realize that the guilt doesn’t feel as sharp as it used to. Instead, there’s a quiet sense of hope—fragile and new, but it’s there all the same.
We stay like that for a moment, both panting and trembling. I press gentle kisses along her shoulder blades as we catch our breath. Slowly, I pull out of her and turn her to face me. Her cheeks are flushed, her hair wild, and her eyes bright with satisfaction.
Damn, she’s even more beautiful than I ever realized.
“Well,” she says with a breathless laugh, “that wasn't quite how I planned this evening to go.”
I chuckle and pull her close, kissing her deeply.
“Me neither, but I’m glad it did.”
“Me too.”
When we part, she looks up at me with a mischievous glint in her eye.
I chuckle, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. “No complaints here.”
She laughs and playfully swats my chest. “You’re not so bad when you’re like this.”
“Yeah? Are you saying I’m much easier to be around when I’m naked?”
“Well…yeah, you are.” She giggles. “I mean, I really like to look at you naked anyway.”
“I really like to look at you now, too,” I say before I realize how corny it sounds.
She grins back at me and leans forward, brushing her lips against mine.
“Can you pull my hair like that again? I really liked it.”
“Whatever you want.”
“What if I asked you to eat me for the rest of the night?”
“I would be the happiest man alive.”
She bites her bottom lip as she looks down at the floor sheepishly. I tip her chin back up so that our eyes meet. She’s so damn sexy, and I can’t stand to go another second without kissing her again.
I lean in and capture her lips in a passionate kiss, my hands cupping her face. She responds eagerly, pressing her body against mine. The warmth of her skin against me reignites the fire in my veins.
I can’t get enough of her. I’ve never had a hunger like this before.
Breaking the kiss, I trail my lips down her neck, savoring the taste of her skin. “Your wish is my command,” I murmur against her throat.
I lift her onto the kitchen counter, spreading her legs. She leans back on her elbows, watching me with hooded eyes as I kneel before her. I start with gentle kisses along her inner thighs, teasing her and building anticipation.
“Derek,” she whimpers, her hips lifting slightly off the counter.
I smile against her skin before diving in, my tongue exploring her folds. She gasps, her hand flying to the back of my head, urging me closer. I lap at her eagerly, savoring her taste and the little sounds of pleasure she makes.
My hands grip her thighs, holding her steady as I work. I alternate between broad strokes of my tongue and focused attention on her most sensitive spots. Amber writhes above me, her breathing becoming more ragged with each passing moment.
“Oh god, yes,” she moans, her fingers tangling in my hair. “Right there, don't stop.”
I redouble my efforts, sucking gently on her clit as I slide two fingers inside her. Her hips buck against my face as I curl my fingers, finding that spot that makes her cry out.
I maintain my rhythm, my tongue and fingers working in tandem to bring her closer to the edge. Her thighs begin to tremble against my cheeks, and I can feel her inner walls tightening around my fingers. She's close.
“Derek, I'm…I'm gonna…” she gasps, her words dissolving into a long, low moan as her orgasm hits her. I hold her steady, continuing to lick and suck gently as she rides out the waves of pleasure.
As her breathing starts to slow, I place a soft kiss on her inner thigh before standing. She looks at me through half-lidded eyes, a satisfied smile playing on her lips.
“Come here,” she murmurs, reaching for me. I step between her legs, and she pulls me in for a deep, languid kiss. Her tongue explores my mouth, tasting herself on my lips. “Let’s go to my bed.”
I do not need to be told twice.