Karina felt him grind down on her even as he stroked that place deep inside that made her go off like a rocket. She didn’t fight it. She let that orgasm explode across her body. Wave after wave of pleasure sparked through her. She held on to Derek even as he lost that controlled rhythm he’d used and began to fuck her with pure force. His hands tightened on her, holding on as he slammed into her again and again. His eyes closed and his head dropped back and then he shouted out her name as he held himself hard against her.
Even as he came, she felt the sparks again, the aftershocks of the earthquake he’d started deep in her body.
He collapsed down, his face next to hers, his body warm against her own.
Blood thrummed through her system, pulsing in the most pleasant way. She sighed and let the softness of the moment settle on her.
She half expected him to jump off the moment he was done, but Derek cuddled down, settling his head on her chest.
She let her hands brush through his hair. “How did you get away? Back in Afghanistan, I mean.”
He hadn’t finished his story and she found herself so curious. He rolled off her, but immediately settled at her side again. He propped his head up on his hand and stared at her for a moment. “Big Tag came after me. He went against orders and he found me.” He brought his free hand out to run his thumb over her lip. “It was the morning after Jones died. If I’d been able to keep him alive just another couple of hours…”
She shook her head. “You did everything you could.”
“Sometimes I wonder about that. Karina, I should go and sleep on the couch, but I don’t want to.”
Dangerous. If she thought he was dangerous before, this Derek just might kill her. She’d expected him to get up and stretch and walk out. She’d thought he might kiss her and thank her for the lay. Not once in any scenario that played through her head had he put his head to her breast and asked for her comfort.
“Please stay with me.” She was in too deep, but she couldn’t get out. Not now.
“I don’t want to hurt you.”
She was pretty sure he wasn’t talking just about the physical. She was rapidly discovering that Derek wanted to play fair. He wanted to be honest. “Just stay with me for a while.”
“I don’t sleep with other people, Karina. I can’t. So I’ll just lay here until you fall asleep. If you wake up and I’m not here, don’t take it bad. I’m just not built that way anymore, okay?”
She could handle honesty. “All right.”
She let her fingers rub his scalp and despite all of his protests, his chest rose and fell in an even rhythm and he was asleep within moments.
Karina smiled as she managed to turn off the light.
She held him and couldn’t help but think that no matter what happened, they wouldn’t be the same. A new life. She’d just started over.
Though it made her ache inside, she didn’t even regret it. She kissed the top of Derek’s head and let herself drift off to sleep.
* * * *
Early morning light filtered in through the slats and Karina sighed a little as she turned.
And then remembered what had happened the night before.
She let her eyes fly open, but she was alone in bed. The pillow next to her still had an indention where his head had rested. She’d woken up once in the night to find him wrapped around her, his arm anchored around her middle, his body spooning hers.
Who would have guessed that big bad Derek Brighton was a teddy bear?
Okay. So she’d slept with him. That didn’t really change anything between them. It didn’t make them best buddies. It didn’t even really mean they were friends. It meant they had needed each other in the middle of the night and they were consenting adults without significant others.
She could handle this. Sure she hadn’t actually dated in over fifteen years, but then they weren’t dating. They were…what were they? Intimate strangers? Fuck buddies? When this case was over would he call her up when he needed a lay? Would she shove the phone up his ass? Or would she get used to casual sex?
It hadn’t felt casual.
It had felt real. It felt oddly pure to be with Brighton, like something she’d been missing for a long time had finally fallen into place.
She was acting like a kid. He would likely run if he knew that thought was going through her head.
“You need a maid.”
She nearly jumped and pulled the sheet up, covering her breasts. Where had she put the shirt she’d been wearing the night before? Derek stood in her doorway wearing nothing but a towel wrapped around his lean hips. His hair was slightly wet, and even from where she was she could smell the fresh scent of soap clinging to his every muscle. And there were so many of them. So many gorgeous muscles. She hadn’t taken the time to properly look at him last night. She’d seen him without his shirt before, but somehow it was different without the encasement of his leathers. From the golden tan of his skin to the way his abs flowed into sexy notches on his hips, he was sin on two legs. Even his scars seemed beautiful to her.