“So why was your profile name Woowoo?” he whispered.
I tilted my head and looked into his eyes.
“It’s the sound Bodie makes when I make his meals. Woowoo. Woowoo.”
“I should have known.” He squeezed me a little tighter.
“What about you? Why Chance?”
“My life has been built on chance and accidental encounters.”
“How so?”
“From the time I was really young, my life has been a matter of chance. Plain and simple. My first acting job was because a casting agent saw me at the grocery store with my mom. It was my first day of kindergarten so I was dressed in a pair of slacks and a bowtie. I looked extra cute.”
“If you do say so yourself.”
“Exactly.”
“Did your parents always stick you in such a getup for the first day of school?”
“I can assure you it didn’t go well with the other kindergartners, which was why my mom took me to the store after school. She was getting me push-up pops to cheer me up.” His face lit up as he talked about his mom. It was a look I recognized. I felt the same about my parents.
Jason twirled Gabby across the floor as her father reached out and grabbed her hand. The dance was beautifully choreographed as the music transitioned to an oldie, Landslide by Fleetwood Mac. We all watched Gabby and her father sail across the floor. I dabbed tears away, thinking about everything Gabby had been through, and how she survived life’s challenges to be here married to the man of her dreams. Life was completely unpredictable.
“You know I have something I should confess,” he murmured.
My body froze.
“What is it?”
“After being stood up….” He bit his lip and looked like he was about to change his mind about telling me whatever was on the tip of his tongue.
“Yes?” I prompted.
“I realized that between the distractions of Seattle and my less than stellar success at finding love, it was time to move Montana.”
His words sliced into me. The man I was possibly falling for was moving to Montana because of me. The irony of this and my life was hard to swallow. I didn’t say anything.
“I thought being with family might help me run into that special person in a less complicated way.”
“You aren’t moving to finish your screenplay?” I asked.
“Partially. It all seems to be intertwined.” Derek scratched the side of his face.
“Wow. That’s a hard one to swallow,” I whispered.
Derek trailed his fingers along my back, and I realized chance really had led his life where it needed to go. Mine never seemed to work quite like that. I was often the one following up on missed opportunities and driving into snow banks. It didn’t used to be that way, but it had become commonplace enough to know that was how things were for me.
“It’s merely an unexpected complication. Something is drawing me to Montana and has been for a while. I think the dating thing was the last little push I needed to center myself on what’s important in life.”
“I can’t believe I’m at least partially responsible for you wanting to go to Montana. And yet, here I stand wishing you didn’t have to go so soon.”
“That’s why I had to share the irony of it.”
I watched Gabby and her dad glide across the floor as Jason danced with Carla, but my mind wandered back to Derek and what he thought of me now that he could link everything I’d written to him. Would that change tonight? Would tonight even happen?
I linked my fingers with his and squeezed his hand tightly as I rested my head back on his shoulder.
As the song ended and a new one began, Lily and Ayden moved onto the dance floor, followed by Aaron and Brandy.
“I can’t wait to get you out there,” Derek murmured.
“Why’s that?”
“So I have an excuse to feel you next to me.”
“Does that mean you forgive me for chasing you out of the state?” I shifted my weight, afraid of what his answer might be.
“I haven’t left yet.”
Derek led me onto the dance floor, and we managed to slip into the growing crowd of guests. It was like Derek and I were in our own little cosmos, getting lost in each other’s embrace. I linked my arms around his neck, and his gaze held mine as he pulled me into him as tightly as I’d fit. My knees felt weak as his fingers slid along my sides. Feeling the tenderness of his lips as his mouth consumed mine, left me completely at his mercy, and I was willing to surrender to him completely tonight.
Chapter Fifteen
The moment Derek snapped the garter out of the air, my world spun into a fantasy of what ifs. I didn’t know if it was the magic of the season seeping into my blood or just seeing Derek nearly elbow every other single man out there to reach the ring of lace. His eyes connected with mine at the triumph of it all, and I melted.
Me…
I melted.
The same woman willing to settle into a life of solitude, loving a little hairy man with four legs, and dreaming of nothing more.
As Derek walked over to me, I eyed the look on his face and knew I was in trouble.
“When are they going to cut the cake?” He encircled me in his arms, his gaze holding mine.
“Not soon enough.” I pressed into Derek’s body and felt the firmness lying underneath his clothes. The twinkling lights caught golden flecks in Derek’s eyes, and their beauty stole my breath away.
Tonight was going to be something I’d hold onto for a very long time. He brushed my cheek with his finger and smiled.
“What are you thinking about?” he asked.
“You.”
He gave me a knowing smile and shook his head. “Do you think they’d be offended if I cut the cake for them?”
“You can give it a try, but I wouldn’t expect to be invited to their Christmas party then.”
“They’re having one?” He knitted his brows together.
“Yep. It’s only for non-Hollywood types.”
“Still stuck on that?”
I raised my shoulders slightly. “A little. I don’t think you realize how many posters they sold of you, and I’m pretty sure I’d collected them all.”
“I’m glad I could make your dreams come true.” His mouth twisted into a devious grin.
“My tastes changed over the years,” I informed him.
“Apparently not much if I’m here holding you.”
I stood on my toes and swept my lips slowly along his jawline until I reached his ear. “I have high expectations. You have a teenage girl’s imagination to compete with tonight.”
“I’m up for the challenge, if they’d just cut the damn cake.”
I spotted the photo booth and released my arms from his neck.
“We’ve got to go get our pictures. I almost forgot.”
I tugged Derek toward the woodland photo hut. Another couple was leaving as we arrived.
“This is going to be so fun. A way to commemorate the night.” I pulled him into the small space, pushing him onto the bench before climbing onto his lap.
His response was a low growl, and I knew I was doing my job as I roped my arms around his neck and kissed his cheek.
“Ready?” he asked, hovering his finger over the red button.
“Ready.”
I ran my fingers through his hair and mussed it up as we smiled for the camera, and the flash went off. The first few pictures were harmless enough, my fingers tangled into his hair, both of us dopily staring into the lens.
But it quickly turned into something more as the photos captured his mouth skirting up my neck, and his hands dashing across my skin. I tilted my head back as his mouth ran across my throat, and a giggle escaped as I spotted something hanging above us.
“Look up,” I whispered. “You’re not going to believe it.”
Derek stopped what he was doing, and his gaze flicked to the mistletoe hanging above my head.
“Sometimes life can’t
get anymore perfect,” he murmured, pressing the red button to capture his lips consuming mine in the most passionate kiss I’d ever experienced. It started slow but quickly revealed the hunger we’d both felt for one another. The camera had long since stopped snapping pictures of us before his lips parted from mine, and I caught my breath.
“You certainly know how to kiss,” I whispered.
“Wait until you see what else I can do.” He took the pictures that printed out exactly as the cake-cutting announcement came over the speakers. Derek placed one last kiss on my cheek before I climbed out of the photo booth to a waiting line of people. I muttered a quick slew of apologies as Derek held onto all of our pictures. I had no idea we’d been in there so long.
We wandered over to where everyone was congregating to watch Jason and Gabby cut the cake. I pulled one of the pictures from his hand, and what I saw almost burned my fingers. It sizzled with what was in store.
“I dare to say these photos put those two floozy elves to shame,” I whispered, admiring what I saw.
Derek’s laughter spilled into the air, and I nestled into him as we impatiently watched Jason and Gabby slice their piece of cake. It was almost impossible to stay focused as desire tingled under my skin.
The photos were like an appetizer, and I was ready for the main course. I chuckled silently realizing how important it was to keep some of my analogies to myself for the night.
Flashes died off as the cake-cutting ceremony ended and more dancing began. It was so much fun to watch Gabby and Jason together.
But not as much fun as what might be in store for me, if I could only get upstairs.
We walked back to our table, and I looked at all of the pictures.
“These are hot and all mine.”
“I might have to take some to Montana with me.”
“I call dibs. I’ll need something for the holidays and years to come,” I assured him, pulling them out of his hand.
“So will I,” his voice lowered to a seductive level.
“I can get copies made, and I’ll email them to you, but I’m not letting them out of my sight.”
He pulled me into him and placed another kiss along the edge of my mouth.
“It’s close to midnight,” I said softly. “Should we head upstairs? I’ve been good all night, staying away from anything that could get me in trouble like gingerbread martinis and peppermint sleigh rides.”
“Again with the Santa theme.”
“How do you figure?”
“You just gave me your version of a naughty and nice list.”
My head tipped back with laughter. “That’s so twisted. Now you’re just making things up.”
“Am not.” He picked up his glass of whisky and finished the last sip, his eyes falling on mine. It was like now that the moment had finally arrived, we were both taking our time.
If I believed in magic and other realities, I’d swear Derek put me in some kind of dazzling spell. Every look from him made my head spin, and every touch brought me to the brink of begging for something I would never have dreamed of months before.
He tilted his head and smiled. “Are you ready?”
“More than you can imagine.”
I didn’t know what to expect tonight, but I did know that Derek had awakened every square inch of my body to the possibilities of being loved. There weren’t any promises of something more with him, and for the first time in my life, I was okay with that. Sharing the night with Derek was enough.
As we stood in the elevator my excitement turned to worry. It had been so long since I’d been with a man, and now I was about to sleep with my teenage crush and a genius storyteller of our generation.
The pressure of it almost overwhelmed me until Derek caught my gaze.
“Don’t be worried,” he whispered.
“I’m not.”
“I can see it in your eyes.” He touched my chin and smiled as the elevator stopped to spill us onto our floor.
Of course I was nervous. I was only a few steps away from making love to Derek Binterelli.
No. Not making love.
Having sex.
It was only sex.
But it had never been only sex for me.
But this time it would be.
We wound up at his door, and he slipped his key card in.
I took in a deep breath and Derek’s eyes fell on me.
“You don’t have to do this…” his voice trailed off.
And that’s when I realized I needed to get out of myself, out of my head. I would never forgive myself if I didn’t allow the events of tonight to unfold.
“I very much want to.”
He opened the door and swooped me into his arms.
“Such service,” I said softly.
“There’s more where that came from.”
His hand slipped along my side, settling on my hip as his eyes locked on mine. The door shut quietly behind us, and my breath caught, but he didn’t give me a second to overanalyze a thing. He cradled my head in his hands and gently kissed me. The sweetness of his lips only increased my hunger for him as his tongue met mine, and the rest of my worries about tomorrow slowly slipped away.
My hands ran underneath his shirt. Feeling the softness of his bare skin in contrast to the hardness sitting underneath made my head spin with anticipation. I couldn’t wait to feel the heaviness of his body on mine. I’d been dreaming about this moment forever, and I hadn’t even realized it until now.
He slowly worked his mouth along my neck before bringing his lips back to mine. I nipped at his lower lip, and the desire in his eyes deepened as his hands slowly ran up my legs. The heat of his fingers against my skin took my breath away. I wanted nothing more than to get out of this dress and feel his body pressed against mine.
His gaze stayed locked on mine as his fingers edged along my panties, teasing and tempting me. I saw the wanting intensify behind his brown eyes, which made my body melt into his. I bit my lip as his fingers ran under the lace, and my world began to spin. The feelings he ignited were almost unbearable. The softness of his touch contrasted with the hard look in his eyes creating a passion I’d never felt before.
Derek was hungry for more just as I was. I’d never felt more desired in my life. He removed his fingers from under my panties and switched to pushing the lace down my legs. His fingers grazed my inner thigh, and the heat burned deep inside.
I ran my fingers through his hair, pulling his mouth down to mine. His lips slowly parted, and I tasted more of the sweetness, more of the desire running between us. The tenderness of his touch as he drew his fingers between my legs completely through me over the edge. I was at his mercy as his fingers began to circle inside of me. My body began trembling, my fingers clutching his shoulders. My kisses eased and I moved my lips to the side of his mouth.
“Derek,” I breathed against his cheek, feeling my legs almost give out.
Without having to say another word, he picked me up and laid me on the bed. The squish of the comforter framed my body as he slowly moved the hem of my dress up. The tickle of the cashmere against my skin with his mouth coming up behind gave the word ecstasy an entirely new meaning. A wave of shivers ran through my body as his lips trailed over my thighs, and I succumbed to whatever he had in store for me.
Every part of my body was on fire. I ached all over. I wanted more. I’d never felt longing like this before. It fired up every part of my body. Every inch of my body screamed to be touched by Derek. My skin felt electrified as the warmth of his tongue pushed into me and shook my world. I needed him to stop. I couldn’t take one more second or I’d—
Derek moved his mouth up my stomach, his tongue producing an astonishing amount of need before he propped himself on his elbow, leaving me weak with desire. Our eyes locked, and my body trembled as I attempted to calm myself down, but seeing the desire running wickedly through Derek’s eyes did the opposite. His fingers slowly ran over my lace bra before moving down my belly.
; He placed a soft kiss on my stomach before he slowly slid my dress the rest of the way over my body, pooling it under my head. His eyes slipped greedily down my frame making me feel spectacular. He didn’t have to say a word. The look in his eyes told me everything. Derek found me beautiful.
He rolled over me, his legs straddling my hips as his fingers scattered along my chest, outlining my lacy bra. The heat running between my legs was agonizing. I wasn’t going to wait any longer. Just as he was leaning over to spread more kisses along my body, I unbuttoned his pants and frantically began moving them down. He let out a soft groan and shook his head.
“It’s not time. I don’t want you to ever forget this.”
“Impossible.” My hand ran under his shirt, rubbing his chest, feeling his pecs flex as he propped himself over me.
He smiled as he unfastened my bra, tossing the pink lace onto the floor. He floated his mouth along my breasts; the warmth of his breath stirred my world into a crazy mix of emotions. I wanted nothing more than to feel his lips running along my skin, nipping and taunting me.
Sensing my need, his tongue teased me endlessly, but the aching only intensified as I dreamed of Derek inside of me. The rush of feelings flooded my body as Derek’s lips slowly trailed up my belly. I tangled my hands through his hair, leading him along my body.
He kissed the curves of my waist, the dip in my stomach, the fullness of my breasts. I didn’t realize how long I’d been so desperate to feel this connection.
I cupped the side of his face and slowly brought him back up to me. I kissed him and felt the familiar burn of longing ignite into a dizzying effect of emotions. My mind spinning with everything Derek—his touch, his feel, his skin—and I couldn’t take the fabric separating us any longer. I worked my fingers down each button before throwing his shirt to the ground. He slid his pants all the way down and sprinkled soft kisses along my bare skin. I was desperate to feel him next to me, his skin against my skin. I pulled him onto me and felt the warmth of his skin on mine. The heaviness of his body felt comforting as he slid his arms under me.
Beyond the Mistletoe: A Christmas Romance (Beyond Love Book 7) Page 13