Page 52 of About Last Night

Chapter 14

A LOWhum of panic churned in his stomach. "Wh-what did you say?"

"I said I'm not going to reschedule the wedding. I'm not going to marry Steve."

Adrenaline pumped through his body. "You're not serious," he said, his chest rising and falling hard.

"Yes, I am."

"But why?"

"That's really between me and Steve, isn't it?"

Remorse sparked in his stomach. "Not if it has something to do with what happened between us." He'd messed with her mind by not keeping his hands to himself. He'd ruined not only her well-laid plans, but Steve's, too. "Those kisses didn't mean anything, Janine. We were thrown together in an intimate situation. You're a beautiful woman, I'm a red-blooded guy. People do strange things in situations like this. Things happen, but it doesn't have to change the course of our lives."

"Don't blame yourself, Derek. I'm grateful to you, really."

"Grateful?"

"For helping me realize that Steve and I wouldn't be happy."

"I never said that," he said, desperate to redirect her thinking. "In fact, you two make a great couple. If you marry Steve, you'll never want for anything."

"Except a kiss like the ones you and I shared," she said, turning to face him.

"Janine," he murmured, his heart falling to his knees. "It was just a kiss. A friendly little kiss from a Best Man to the bride." He tried to laugh, but a strangled sound emerged when she touched his arm. "I think you were right about me not being out here," he said, backing into the corner of the railing. "My throat is starting to tingle."

"Kiss me, Derek," she whispered, following him.

His gut clenched. "Janine, I don't think this is a good idea." But even as his mouth protested, he lowered his head. Their lips came together frantically, as if they were both afraid they might change their minds. He pulled her body against him, groaning with pleasure as her curves molded to fit his angles. She tasted so sweet, he could have bottled her and sold it. His tongue dipped into her mouth, skating over her slick teeth, teasing every surface, savoring every texture. She inhaled, taking his breath, and he lifted her to her toes to claim as much leverage as possible.

Encouraged by her soft moans, Derek slid his good hand under her baggy T-shirt, reveling in the silky texture of the tight skin on her back. He drew away long enough to loosen the tie on his old sweatpants, marveling in the erotic thrill of removing his own clothes from her lithe body. When the pants fell to her ankles, she stepped free of them. The long T-shirt hung to her knees. He pulled her back into a fierce kiss and realized with a start she wasn't wearing underwear. Only a skiff of cotton shirt stood between him and her nakedness.

Wild desire flooded his body, swelling his manhood against the fly of his jeans. Impatiently, he tugged on the makeshift bandage to free his hand and tossed down the napkin. He ran his hand along the cleft of her spine, cupping her rear end, rubbing the sticky-slick honey butter from his hand into her smooth skin. Lifting her against him, he slid his fingers down to the backs of her thighs, curving to the inside. His knees weakened when hefelt the tickle of soft curls against his knuckles, and the wetness of her excitement under his fingers.

He lifted his head, stunned to a moment of sanity. But she met his gaze straight on, her eyes glazed, but unwavering. When she shuddered in his arms, Derek was lost. He lifted her in his arms and somehow managed to get them back into the room, where he set Janine on the bed. She glanced around the room, uncertainty clear in her expression.

Derek ground his teeth, nearly over the edge for her, but he was determined to give her a chance to change her mind. "The lights," she murmured.

He almost buckled in relief that her concern was modesty, but he shook his head. "Lights on, Pinky, I want to see all of you." With slow deliberation, he lifted the black T-shirt over her head, then swept his gaze over her, exhaling in appreciation.

She was slender and fine-boned, as shapely as a sculpted statue, her limbs elongated to elegant proportions. Her long blond braid nestled between perfect breasts, pink-tipped and lifted in invitation. Her slim waist gave way to flaring hips, her taut skin interrupted only by the divot of her navel. A tuft of dark golden hair peeked from the vee of her thighs. Not trusting himself to speak, he gathered her in his arms and kissed the long column of her neck.

Janine arched into him, plowing her fingers through his hair, urging him lower, to her breasts. Her trembling excitement heightened his own desire, which had already spiked higher than he could ever recall. When he pulled a pearled nipple into his mouth, she gasped, a long and needful sound. As he suckled on the peaks alternately, she clawed his shirt up over his back, running her nails over his shoulder blades, making him crazy with lust. He wanted to take his time to give her pleasure, but her enthusiasm overwhelmed him. He'd intended to leave herbreasts only long enough for her to remove his shirt, but she continued to tug and pull at his clothes until he was naked, too.

* * *

JANINE WASspeechless with wanting him, her body fairly shaking in anticipation of their joining. Derek's body was covered with smooth defined muscle, lightly covered with dark hair, his shoulders breathtakingly wide, his stomach flat, his erection jutting, his thighs powerful. But his eyes were the most captivating part of him.

Softened with desire, his chocolate eyes delivered a promise of tenderness and finesse... all the things she'd dreamed of for her first time. Pushing herself back on the bed, she reclined in what she hoped was, an invitation.

It was.

Derek crawled onto the bed with her, stopping short to kiss her knees, her thighs. Her stomach contracted with expectation, and her muscles tensed as his lips neared the juncture of her thighs. "Derek," she whispered, half terrified, half thrilled.

"Shh," he whispered as he eased open her legs.

She surrendered to the languid, rubbery feeling in her limbs, lying back in anticipation of... what? She wasn't sure, but only knew that if Derek was offering, she was taking. But she was unprepared for the shocking jolt of pleasure when his tongue dipped to stroke her intimate folds. Her legs fell open as she momentarily lost muscle control. An animal-like groan sounded in the room and she realized the noise had come from her throat.

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