Chapter 24
Chapter Twenty-Four
Amber
I ’m not sure if I’m even remotely still on Earth.
Is it possible to have your soul leave your body during sex? Because, if so, that’s exactly what that felt like.
Damn, I didn’t know that it could feel like that.
The sheets are tangled, and Derek’s arm draped around me feels like the safest place in the world. His fingers are tracing slow circles along my shoulder, and neither of us has said a word for what feels like a long time, but there’s no need. I feel his lips press a soft kiss to my forehead, and I shift to look up at him, catching his eye.
“I think we deserve a reward after that,” I say, grinning.
He chuckles, a deep, satisfied sound that sends a flutter through me. “What did you have in mind?”
“Hmm…” I stretch lazily, feeling the warmth of his gaze. “Do you have ice cream?”
“Absolutely,” he says, pulling me closer for a quick kiss. “And I’m more than happy to share.”
As we get up, I giggle as I make my way into the bathroom quickly. My thighs are soaked, and my entire body radiates with pure ecstasy.
When I come out, we make our way to the kitchen. We don’t bother with clothes; we just have a couple of blankets wrapped around us like togas as we raid the freezer. Derek grabs a pint of chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream, waving it triumphantly before pulling out spoons and offering one to me.
“Here,” he says, holding out the first spoonful. “The first bite is all yours.”
I lean in, closing my lips around the spoon, savoring the creamy sweetness. “Mmm, perfect. Maybe even worth sharing.”
“Maybe.” He smirks, dipping his own spoon in before taking a bite.
The kitchen is dimly lit by only the soft, yellow glow of the stove light, but it’s enough to see the way he’s looking at me—like he’s genuinely enjoying this simple moment as much as everything else we’ve done tonight.
“Tell me,” he says, his voice light, “what’s something I don’t know about you yet?”
I smile, considering the question as I twirl the spoon between my fingers. “I’m not really a morning person,” I admit. “My family would say I’m a ‘don’t talk to me until I’ve had two cups of coffee’ kind of person.”
“Oh, I can work with that.” He grins. “I make a mean cup of coffee.”
I raise an eyebrow, intrigued. “Do you now? I will say you making me a pot before you left last week was really sweet.”
He nods. “I do what I can. My secret weapon is fresh-ground beans. None of that pre-ground stuff.”
“Fancy.” I laugh, taking another spoonful of ice cream. “I’ll hold you to it. But I have to warn you, I’m pretty picky.”
“Noted,” he says, his eyes gleaming. “What else?”
I think for a moment, deciding to throw something unexpected at him. “I can whistle really loudly with my fingers, like…impressively loud.”
Derek’s eyes widen. “Really? Alright, now you have to demonstrate.”
“No way.” I laugh, covering my mouth with the back of my hand. “Not in here. Maybe somewhere in the middle of the woods, where it won’t scare the neighbors.”
“Oh, I’m definitely gonna remember this,” he says, giving me a teasing nudge. “So next time we’re in the woods, I’ll be expecting a concert.”
“Deal,” I say, still laughing.
As we finish the ice cream, we fall into an easy silence. Leaning close, we occasionally steal little kisses, lingering just long enough to make each one feel like a promise of more. The comfortable quiet is punctuated by his laughter or the soft clink of our spoons against the container.
Once the ice cream is gone, he tosses the container into the trash and reaches out, pulling me against him. “Wanna watch something? I’ve got a hundred terrible movies I’ve been meaning to get through.”
“Perfect,” I say, letting him guide me into the living room. We settle into the couch, him pulling me snugly against his chest, a blanket tucked around us as he flips through options on the TV. He finally lands on a rom-com, giving me a little nudge.
“I feel like you’re gonna judge me for this, but I’m kind of a sucker for rom-coms,” he admits a little sheepishly.
“Are you?” I can’t hold back the smile. “Noted. I’ll add that to the list of ‘Derek facts’ I’m learning tonight.”
He gives me a look that’s both playful and challenging. “Oh yeah? And what else is on this list?”
“Hmm, let’s see.” I pretend to ponder for a moment. “Number one: you’re annoyingly good at cooking and won’t let anyone help. Number two: you can tell when I’m nervous, even when I try to hide it. And number three…you’re a hopeless romantic at heart, even if you don’t want anyone to know it.”
He tilts his head, feigning offense. “Who says I’m a hopeless romantic?”
“You.” I laugh, snuggling closer. “Every single time you look at me like that.”
We watch the movie, but it’s mostly just background noise as we exchange little stories and silly secrets.
When the movie credits finally roll, neither of us moves to turn off the TV. Instead, he pulls me closer, tucking a loose strand of hair behind my ear.
“You’re dangerous, you know that?” he murmurs, his voice soft.
“Oh really?” I ask, my heart skipping. “How so?”
“You’re making it way too easy for me to imagine what this could be like…all the time.”
He leans in and brushes a kiss along my cheek, then my temple, before finally meeting my eyes. His expression is so sincere and open that it leaves me breathless.
“I feel the same way,” I whisper, letting my hand drift to his face, feeling the stubble along his jaw.
We stay like that for a long time, just letting the closeness sink in, taking our time in this perfect, easy quiet between us.
“Do you want to stay here for the rest of the night, or would you feel more comfortable if I drove you home?”
I narrow my eyes in shock as I look back at him.
Is he saying that I need to leave, or is he just making sure I’m comfortable?
“Do you have a problem sleeping in the same bed with someone?” I tease.
“No.” He chuckles. “I really enjoyed it the other night, if I’m being honest. I…I want to make sure you’re comfortable and that we’re not rushing into anything that neither of us are ready for.”
“Do you think you’re not ready?”
“That’s not what I meant. Damn, I’m messing this up.”
I reach out and take his hand in mine. “You’re not messing anything up. I want you to be transparent with me, Derek. I don’t want to be blindsided by something down the road because you didn’t feel that I was a safe space. I can’t imagine what it’s like losing someone that you thought you were going to spend your entire life with, so if you need to slow this down, I get it.”
“I…I don’t. I don’t need to slow this down. I am perfectly fine with how it’s progressing right now. It feels right, and that’s what I’m going with right now.”
“If that’s the case, I would like to stay the night with you.”
“I would like that. I would really enjoy you being my little spoon.” He chuckles.
“That’s my favorite thing to be.” I grin widely as I lean into him. “Can we go there now? I really like snuggling with you. I absolutely love it when you rub my back at night, too. Or was that just a one-time thing?”
“Not at all.” He laughs. “Physical touch is my love language. It was not Sharon’s so…shit, I’m sorry.”
I inhale sharply and then try to hide it. The mention of that wretched woman hits me hard, but if I want to be with him, I’ll have to work through that. She’s a part of his past, nothing else, the same as she is with me.
“Please don’t apologize. It’s a part of what makes you, you, and I want to know about it in that regard, okay?”
“We weren’t very physical, a lot. I really enjoy giving backrubs and snuggling. Playing with your hair, whatever.”
It’s almost vindicating to hear him say that. In a way, I’m everything she wasn’t.
“Well, you’re in luck because I also love physical touch and love when you do those things.”
I lean forward and kiss him softly before I stand. He does the same, pulling me into a warm hug.
We’re going to get along just fine. Any fears I was having are completely gone for now.