Chapter 62 Derek
Derek
Derek shut the door to his bedchamber and turned, then froze. His gaze roamed over the small lump in his bed. The Livy-sized lump.
He quietly divested himself of his boots and then padded over to the side of the bed.
And just stared. The covers were gathered around her waist, revealing a silk nightdress—one he recognized from the items he’d commissioned from Mrs. Bean.
Her golden hair was woven into a plait resting over her shoulder and chest. Small hands were tucked under her cheek, eyelashes fluttering lightly in sleep.
His world lay right there in front of him.
She was his entire world.
He’d come so bloody close to losing her.
His throat bobbed, and his vision blurred over. He blinked it clear and let out an unsteady breath. She looked so innocent, so fragile. And she was, life was. The events of the past month had proven that. But bloody hell, she was strong. Stronger than him.
In a life of unpredictable variables, she was his constant.
He quickly rid himself of his clothes and washed up before returning to bed. He slid beneath the coverlet and nestled as close to her as he dared without waking her. He rested his forehead against hers and enjoyed the simple pleasure of sharing breath with her.
“Derek?” Her sleep-thickened voice whispered over him.
“Yes, love, it’s me.”
He pulled back, and what a sight she was, eyes slowly flitting open, those too-blue irises coming to life like the first light of dawn over a water’s surface as they registered it was him before her. He did that. He brought her light. He was the reason for the happiness reflecting back at him.
“I tried to stay awake,” she murmured.
Derek softly shushed her. “You didn’t need to do that, love. I’m just overjoyed to have been surprised with you in my bed.” He pressed a soft kiss to her forehead. “Go back to sleep.”
She blinked hard, a small frown-line forming between her brows as she came out of the sleep-induced fog.
Her hands found his face, cupping his jaw, tracing over his jawline, his ear, down his neck.
Like she was confirming he was really before her.
“Everything went well?” She dropped her voice to a barely audible whisper.
“I was so nervous that something would go wrong. We’ve had such a terrible run of luck—”
Her voice broke off, and he instantly wrapped his arm around her, pulling her flush against him. He tucked her to his chest and buried his nose in her hair, drew in that intoxicating vanilla scent. “I’m well. Everything went as planned. We’re safe now.”
She pressed a soft kiss to his chest, then to his throat, slowly working her way to the line of his jaw.
He shivered against her, and his body went pliant when her lips met his.
Everything in him eased; all the fear, all the pain, all the shadows—disappeared.
Because that’s what Livy did. She took it all away.
He wasn’t foolish enough to think those things would never touch him again. He knew he’d still have dark days, that the fickle bastard that was fate would continue to deal its blows. But with Livy by his side, he’d survive it.
Everything about her kiss spoke to that. It was a promise. Her lips passed over his. She said he’d never be alone again. Her tongue slid over his lips, snuck inside to brush against his. She’d never leave him. Their tongues glided together. Forever.
And once again, Derek was blown away. Kissing Livy was nothing like anything he’d ever experienced before.
He could lose himself for eternity like this.
The way everything seemed to settle into place the moment her lips met his.
How it was tender and loving, yet heady and simmering.
How all he wanted to do was take his time, yet every nerve in his body screamed to hurry, to devour her.
She hitched one of her legs over his hip and wiggled into him. And then stilled. She pulled back and narrowed her eyes at him. “Are you naked?”
He grinned. “I sleep naked, love.”
She bit her lip and slowly rolled it back and forth, then let it drag free. “How fortuitous,” she whispered.
Eyes glued to that plush pink flesh, he swallowed heavily. “Is that so?” he whispered back.
She ground against him, and he let out a soft hiss. Her eyes darkened. “Mmhmm.”
That was all it took to take him from half-hard to aching.
His hands found her nightgown by her thighs, and he gathered the fabric and slowly slid the silk up her body.
His fingers explored every new inch of skin he revealed, every dip and curve.
Which apparently was too slow for his queen because she sat up and pulled the nightdress over her head.
Derek groaned. Fucking hell. She was perfection.
“Now we’re both naked.” She shot him a cheeky, satisfied smile.
Christ, she was adorable too.
She threw a leg over him and straddled his waist. Just like that, all coherent thoughts disappeared. There was nothing but need and Livy and now.
Livy leaned forward and brushed her thumb over his bottom lip, like she was wiping something away. He frowned at her…
“You were drooling, darling.”
He tried desperately to bite back his grin. Cheeky bloody minx. He loved how confident she’d become. How bold. That statement just now was something he would have said, and to have her turn it around on him? He loved her even more for it.
He closed the distance between them, sucking her bottom lip into his mouth while his hands roamed her thighs. He bit down until she gasped, a gasp that had his cock jumping where it rested against her arse. He groaned. His cock was much too close to where it ached to be.
“Touch me,” she murmured between kisses and lifted onto her knees in silent demand.
Fuck. Whatever she wanted, he’d give her.
He pulled back and quickly shifted them so he was resting up against the headboard.
He encouraged her to rise higher until she towered over him, until she looked down on him.
He softly cupped her face with one hand and brought her mouth down to meet his.
Their lips swept over each other in a slow, silken pass that mirrored his free hand sliding between her legs.
And just like the kiss, his touch was gentle, not seeking, not exploring further. Not yet.
Derek held her possessively, her warmth, her want pulsing against his palm. But he didn’t demand anything more from her. No, he wanted his clever girl to use him. Take her pleasure using him. And he got his wish. Her hips canted, searching for pressure, for friction.
He trailed his mouth down her neck, nipping and sucking on her sweet skin.
Her hips ground in small, slow circles, occasionally picking up speed before she’d still and slow down again.
His amused smile curved against her shoulder before playfully grazing her collarbone.
She was teasing herself. Teasing herself on him. Fuck, he liked that.
He rewarded her by sucking her nipple into his mouth.
She cried out, her hands digging into his hair, her nails raking over his scalp.
Her hips picked up speed, and he was gifted with the first hint of wetness.
Fuck me. He couldn’t resist any longer, not now that his fingers were slipping over her. He parted her, circled her.
He wanted nothing more than to sink deep, but not yet. She wasn’t desperate enough. His heart pounded in his chest, his cock like iron against his stomach. Want pulsed painfully down his spine.
Then again, there was the risk he expired in the process of torturing her.
Whimpers fell from her lips, and she pushed down on him, trying to force him inside her, but he retreated every time.
She yanked his head up to hers, eyes glinting, dark and as dangerous as midnight waters.
But he still didn’t capitulate. He pulled away and circled his fingers over her clitoris.
And watched her while he controlled her pleasure.
Quick and soft, slowly increasing pressure before pulling back.
Her jaw was slack, lips parted, silent moans pulling from her every time he gave her more friction.
Her fingers were latched onto his shoulders, holding on for dear life as his slick fingers coasted over her.
Her breaths were hitched, choppy, uncontrolled.
She pulsed against him, so swollen, her cunt desperate for release.
So much so, he was barely touching her now.
If he gave her any more, she’d tip over the edge.
Her lids were hooded over a pleasure-drunk gaze, cheeks flushed, skin shimmering with sweat.
Otherworldly.
His.
“Marry me.”
Her gaze sharpened for a heartbeat, and he finally gave her the pressure she needed. And she gave him the word he needed.
She flew apart, a moaned “yes” torn from her, head thrown back, breasts thrust forward, body shaking violently in his arms. His free hand flexed on her hip, fingers tightening like a vise.
God, she was a vision. He ground his teeth and willed his body to behave.
It was nearly impossible for him not to come from watching this display, her in full throes of pleasure.
It was like he could feel it, her own ecstasy rippling through him.
She came down, chest heaving, and dropped her forehead against his. His breaths matched hers until finally his looming orgasm receded, and he relaxed beneath her.
He couldn’t hold back his grin. “I told you, the only thing you’d be able to say is yes.”
“You are such a muttonhead,” she said breathlessly.
He nuzzled her nose, a rumbling purr leaving his chest. “But you will, yes? Marry me?”
She brushed her lips over his in a whisper of a kiss. “There’s nothing I want more than you for the rest of my days.”
His heart swelled, his pulse picking up an erratic pace. Fuck. It wasn’t as though it was a surprise she wanted that. This. Them. But hearing the words? He swallowed down the overwhelming emotion, the elation threatening to crack through his ribs, damaged one and all.
A small hand lazily trailed down his chest until she reached his length and stroked him loosely twice before rising and positioning him at her entrance.
“I believe a celebration is in order,” she whispered.
She hovered, eyes locked on his, and gradually sank down on him.
He didn’t know what had lust burning through his veins more, the way her mouth parted, little hitched breaths falling from her with every inch of him she took, or the tight wet heat surrounding him.
He caressed her hips, her sides, with trembling fingers.
The way she was staring at him, like she never wanted to look away, like there was nothing more important to her than him, had an emotion so immense, so all-consuming, filling him it threatened to swallow him whole.
Love.
It hovered there between them, weaving around them.
Skin met skin, and their shared stuttering breaths echoed through the chamber. Finally complete. His fingers tightened on her hips, his body’s way of demanding they stay like this forever.
He didn’t understand how he got to have this. He didn’t understand how he’d gotten so lucky. He didn’t understand why this magnificent woman had chosen him.
She pushed back his misbehaving waves, and it was like they were so attuned to each other she could read his thoughts. Because she paused, her gaze searching his. Then she leaned forward and pressed a soft kiss to his forehead.
“I love you.” Another to his brow. “I love the arrogant arch of your brow.” His cheekbone.
“I love how your blush paints you right here when your confidence slips.” His jaw.
“I love how sharp your jaw gets before you’re about to say something cutting.
” The corner of his lips. “I love how your smile hooks up on this side when you let your walls down.” His lips.
“I love your filthy mouth.” Her hand came to rest over his heart.
“I love how deeply you love.” She cupped his face.
“Your loyalty. The lengths you go to protect those you care about.”
He swallowed hard, the pressure behind his eyes building. He let out a watery chuckle. “Careful, clever girl. That’s quite the long list. It might go to my head.”
Livy shook her head softly. “You deserve to hear them. I’d name every reason if it were possible.” Her voice dropped to the barest whisper. “But I couldn’t possibly. When it comes to the number of reasons I love you, the limit doesn’t exist.”
She lifted in a torturous glide and then sank down. “But I can show you.”
His lungs seized. It was all too much, too overwhelming, so he answered in kind, showed her, rather than spoke, the depth of feeling he didn’t think he’d ever be able to voice.
Words would never do what he felt for this woman justice.
He crushed his mouth to hers. It was stripped of gentleness and grace, nothing but harsh, hungry fervor.
Lips tasting, sucking, tongues coming together, delving deep, all raw and fierce emotion.
Her body chased their rhythm, the urgency in their kiss carrying over to her hips.
Fingers grasped, digging painfully into flesh, as though they could anchor themselves inside the other.
Because that was how deep their love ran.
The heat between them had perspiration trickling down his neck, their sweat-slicked skin gliding together.
Because that was how hot their love burned.
With each glide of her hips, she proved to him that he had her. And with every drive of his tongue, he proved that she had him. And that’s all they needed. As long as they had each other, they’d have everything they needed.
Her hips grew erratic, her rhythm faltering. And then the next time she sank onto him, he hit a place inside her that had pleasure streaking down his cock. She stayed there, grinding against him, an unbroken storm of sensation assaulting him. Her moans grew louder, their ecstasy building in tandem.
She fluttered around him, and he couldn’t hold back.
He fisted her hips and planted his feet while he thrust up into her.
A cry tore from her, and he swallowed the delicious sound.
She clamped down on him, her body convulsing, and that was all he needed to topple over with her.
His grunt mixed with her continued cries as he drowned in bliss, downed in Livy.
He never wanted to resurface.