Then he bit her. His teeth sank into the flesh of her ass, stopping just before they broke the skin. She didn’t dare cry out, instead trapping the scream inside her throat. Before Ginger could truly register what he’d done, she heard his pants hit the floor, belt still attached. One arm snaked around her waist and held her steady as he thrust home inside her.
She couldn’t prevent the hiss of pleasure from escaping through her teeth. The difference compared to last time astounded her. No pain, only fullness and the immediate urge to move.
Derek’s chest pressed against her back, his hips tilting upward into hers so high and deep, the position forced Ginger onto her tiptoes. Then he pulled out, almost leaving her completely, before thrusting deep once more. Ginger bit her lip to keep from crying out, positive she drew blood.
“Do you feel that, baby? That’s your man moving inside you.”
Bracing herself on her elbows, she ground back against him, circling her hips and begging him to keep moving, but he seemed determined to set the pace.
“Please, Derek.”
He thrust hard and quick exactly five times, just enough for Ginger to get used to the rhythm before slowing once more. “Who’s fucking you, Ginger?”
She knew what he wanted to hear. Throwing her head back, she reveled in every word. “My man. My man is fucking me.”
With a stifled growl, he yanked her back against him and pumped his hips up and into her wildly. Ginger held on to the bed, absorbing each thrust that carried her closer to release.
“Fuck, baby. I’ll never get used to how tight you are.”
Derek’s hand slid over her hip and found her clitoris, applying pressure and friction with his middle finger until Ginger’s body shuddered and shook with the most powerful orgasm she’d ever experienced. A minute later, Derek followed, groaning his release into the side of her neck.
When their breathing returned to normal, Derek kissed Ginger’s shoulder and pulled out of her slowly. Then he turned her in his arms so he could hold her.
“I can’t seem to control myself long enough to show you we’re not just about sex.” She felt him shake his head. “Even so, Ginger, I’m not going to apologize for what just happened. When we touch each other, it’s honest and real. I crave it.”
Ginger remained silent, absorbing Derek’s warmth. She wanted to forget the agony of the last hour and simply enjoy being held, but she couldn’t. The uncertainty of what lay ahead for them didn’t scare her nearly as much as losing him. She’d learned that hard lesson tonight.
“I know that now.” Sucking in a shaky breath, she gave him her honesty. “When I thought you’d been shot, maybe even before that, I realized you were right. What I feel for you…it’s not only physical.”
Arms tightening around her, he started to speak, but she laid a hand on his chest to stop him. She’d just taken a big step admitting her feelings and needed to let it settle.
“I know sex doesn’t define us, Derek. But maybe it’s an important part of what’s between us. And I think that’s okay. We’re people who need more than words. Can we agree on that?”
Derek kissed the top of her head, holding her close. “You won’t get any argument from me.” He tilted her chin so he could meet her eyes. “But someday, when we need reassurance from each other, our words will be enough. I promise, Ginger.”
Chapter Twenty
After a hot shower, Derek collapsed into bed around 7:00 a.m. His body felt sore from the overwhelming tension of the day and needed sleep to repair itself. Despite his exhaustion, he couldn’t deny the unfamiliar sense of contentment he felt. Last night, after buying Ginger a cup of coffee at the hospital to keep her awake, he’d given her his jacket and walked her to the parking lot. She’d refused to let him call her a cab, so he’d settled for her promise to text him when she arrived at home.
It came twenty minutes later: Home sugar xo.
He’d caught Alvarez eyeing him funny in the waiting room and realized he was smiling like a kid on Christmas. Highly inappropriate behavior when a man lay wounded in the next room. Even if they knew for certain he would pull through. Sensing the room full of officers was dying to know more about the gorgeous, half-dressed girl who’d jumped him in the hallway, he’d silenced the first one brave enough to ask with a look that prevented any more questions.
Before she left the hospital, he’d extricated one more promise from her. When Willa left for school this morning, Derek wanted her to come over. He still planned on having their talk despite what took place last night. He’d clipped his spare keys back on her key ring so she wouldn’t have an excuse not to come.