Cindersmellya 1(37)

Derek pulls me into his arms and crushes me against the hard wall of his chest. I can feel his heart racing on top of my mine and I feel euphoric, happier than I've ever been in my life.

Derek tucks a finger under my chin and looks deep into my eyes. "I've been searching high and low for you. I went back to the club after I called the number you gave me and it didn’t work.” The look on Derek’s face is so sincere and genuine I can feel the pain he felt in not finding me as clearly as I see the joy in his eyes that he has.

"I got fired that night after you left. I had to turn in my phone and pack up my things." I laugh now that we're together and can appreciate the humor in the situation. "That's what happens when a stripper misses her call to the stage and doesn’t collect money while in the V.I.P."

Derek searches my face, and I realize that after this time apart, he's worried that all of this is for nothing. "I’m not concerned about what was left behind in New York. Once I figured out where you were from I had to get here. I had to find you. Never have I ever felt this way about anyone before. And I know that there are women lining up to have a chance with you...but I had to try."

Derek waits for a beat to be sure that I'm not about to say something else, and then runs his tongue over his lips, inhaling before he speaks. The intensity in this room now, between us, is practically static electricity in the air. “My heart broke every time I tried to find you but failed. All my friends tried to warn me that you weren't real. That you were too good to be true. And I didn’t care. I couldn’t get you out of my mind." Derek's voice is louder because he needed to get this off his chest. "This whole ball was designed to find you. My man, Travers, came up with the idea in the hopes that you would hear about it and come." He kisses my forehead. "And here you are.” His lips grace over mine, but he's not done talking. "I promise to never let you get away again, I thought I would never find you, my real life princess."

Derek’s words wash over me, I take them into my heart and keep them there. I love him, and after everything, I need him to tell me that we're real before I can say another word. Panic rises in me, remnants of this desperate search lingering and haunting what should be a happy moment. I have this feeling that everything is so perfect that it might come crashing down on us any minute. I need us to be real. I need us to be forever.

Derek cups my face. "Whatever you're worrying about, don’t." He tucks a strand of hair behind my ears. "I am in love with you. I know it sounds crazy because we've spent more time searching for each other than in each others' arms, but I love you. You are undeniably mine, and I have to have you. You know you and I belong together." His arms squeeze around me possessively. "My heart aches when I can’t be near you. This last week has been hell, going to every damn strip club I could find, and all I wanted was you. I'm more than just someone you had in the V.I.P. room. I'm sorry I cost you your job, but I need to have you, forever." He releases his grip a little, relaxing when he realizes how intense he's being.

No one has ever laid it all out like this for me, and I love that he can hardly contain his passion.

"The next day still thinking about you at lunch all I could talk about was you. The way you felt and the way you smelled. My friends have never seen me act this way before. I need you, Ella, to stay with me; let me show you every part of me and I hope you want to show me every part of you. I want to be here to calm your fears, be the shoulder that you cry on. I want to keep you here forever. I will go against the world for you. Ella, I love you."

He said those words again. He knew it was what I needed. He means them. "Derek," I whisper, unable to find my own words right now.

He places his finger on my lips. "If you think I'm crazy it’s okay, just know that I do love you, Ella. I would never have stopped searching for you."

I kiss his fingers and move them and place them over my heart, and while looking deep into his eyes I tell him, "Derek, I don’t think you're crazy. I love you, too." He covers my hand with his and kisses me again. This time our kiss is sensual and intense. It goes on forever, and the whole world feels like nothing else exists but us. Feeling the slickness of our sweat, our cum, we stay pressed together as Derek picks me up and lowers us both to the floor. Placing his body on top of mine, he takes both our hands, and we interlock our fingers above my head. Derek works his tongue down my neck and across my breasts, kissing me with a hungry compulsion that matches my own need. Feeling his tongue once again on my skin makes me quiver. The combined heat of our bodies together makes it feel warm in this place of love. Derek’s secret place will forever be the place where we first told each other we love you.