of water to wash away all the junk that I just stuffed in my face.”
“No, I’m good. There’s bottled water in my fridge and the bathroom is down the hall. First door on your right.”
“Okay.” As Derek walked away, I picked up all our trash and empty containers to take them to the kitchen. I cleaned up quickly, then turned to go back to the living room to set up Goodfellas, and ran right into Derek’s chest.
He circled his arms around me to stop me from falling and I looked up at his handsome face. “Oops, sorry! I didn’t hear you walk up behind me.”
“I was standing here watching you.”
“Why?” He was still holding me tight against him.
“I guess I’ve missed having someone around, too. I was watching you do the dishes. Odd huh, the things we miss are not what someone would think.” His face was really close to mine and he was staring at my mouth.
I blinked slowly and took a deep breath. He felt it because he did the same thing. I shifted a bit and he let go of me. His face was almost sad…might have been my imagination, though. I smiled, took his hand and as I led him out of the kitchen I said, “Come on. Let’s watch some gangsters kill each other.” Derek followed, continuing to hold my hand. This time when we sat on the couch, he sat on one end and I sat next to him. I looked up at his face when I leaned against his side. He smiled and gave me a little wink, letting me know he was okay with it. The movie started and I got sleepier and sleepier and I fought like hell to stay awake, but could feel myself drifting. All my sightseeing and shopping had worn me out, not to mention the fact that I usually didn’t stay up very late and the wine didn’t help matters, either.
At some point, Derek must have put his arm around my shoulder because I was snuggled next to him. I wasn’t sure how much time had passed, but I woke when I felt my whole body lifted up. Instinctively, I wrapped my arms around the neck of my carrier. “Derek, as much as I love this feeling, you need to put me down. This is too much for your knee.” I yawned and wiggled to get him stop.
He set me on my feet, his arms still holding me next to him and said, “I was just going to take you to your bed and sneak out. You’re tired.”
I leaned against his chest and he pulled me closer, hugging me tightly. “Sorry I fell asleep,” I yawned.
“Hey, I got to have a beautiful woman snuggle against me. Don’t be sorry. Hell, I let the whole movie run just to feel to next to me.”
“Creeper.”
He laughed. “Yep, only with you, though.”
I looked up and said, “Thank you for tonight. It really meant a lot. You’re a good man, Derek London.”
“Well, you just keep thinking that because I’ve had a tough time all night knowing you weren’t wearing a bra.”
I stiffened, but he held me tighter. “What?”
“You heard me. I’m a guy. We notice these things.” He smiled, then kissed my forehead and I relaxed against him, my cheek on his chest.
“Creeper,” I mumbled.
“I should leave, but I don’t want to let go yet. You feel pretty nice in my arms, Claire.”
“I was just thinking the same thing. Feels good to be held.”
We stood there in my living room just holding each other for a few more minutes before I asked, “Is your knee okay to drive your motorcycle?”
“Yeah, it’s not that far.”
I was about to ask him to stay a little longer when a phone dinged, alerting us of an incoming text. Both phones were in the kitchen, so as I started to walk toward them, I asked, “That your phone?”
“No, my phone is always on silent.”
“Huh.” As I touched the round button at the bottom of my iPhone, making the screen come to life, I saw his name. Jake. I could only see the first few words across the locked screen and tried to turn it off quickly. I felt Derek press his body against mine, as he looked
“No, I’m good. There’s bottled water in my fridge and the bathroom is down the hall. First door on your right.”
“Okay.” As Derek walked away, I picked up all our trash and empty containers to take them to the kitchen. I cleaned up quickly, then turned to go back to the living room to set up Goodfellas, and ran right into Derek’s chest.
He circled his arms around me to stop me from falling and I looked up at his handsome face. “Oops, sorry! I didn’t hear you walk up behind me.”
“I was standing here watching you.”
“Why?” He was still holding me tight against him.
“I guess I’ve missed having someone around, too. I was watching you do the dishes. Odd huh, the things we miss are not what someone would think.” His face was really close to mine and he was staring at my mouth.
I blinked slowly and took a deep breath. He felt it because he did the same thing. I shifted a bit and he let go of me. His face was almost sad…might have been my imagination, though. I smiled, took his hand and as I led him out of the kitchen I said, “Come on. Let’s watch some gangsters kill each other.” Derek followed, continuing to hold my hand. This time when we sat on the couch, he sat on one end and I sat next to him. I looked up at his face when I leaned against his side. He smiled and gave me a little wink, letting me know he was okay with it. The movie started and I got sleepier and sleepier and I fought like hell to stay awake, but could feel myself drifting. All my sightseeing and shopping had worn me out, not to mention the fact that I usually didn’t stay up very late and the wine didn’t help matters, either.
At some point, Derek must have put his arm around my shoulder because I was snuggled next to him. I wasn’t sure how much time had passed, but I woke when I felt my whole body lifted up. Instinctively, I wrapped my arms around the neck of my carrier. “Derek, as much as I love this feeling, you need to put me down. This is too much for your knee.” I yawned and wiggled to get him stop.
He set me on my feet, his arms still holding me next to him and said, “I was just going to take you to your bed and sneak out. You’re tired.”
I leaned against his chest and he pulled me closer, hugging me tightly. “Sorry I fell asleep,” I yawned.
“Hey, I got to have a beautiful woman snuggle against me. Don’t be sorry. Hell, I let the whole movie run just to feel to next to me.”
“Creeper.”
He laughed. “Yep, only with you, though.”
I looked up and said, “Thank you for tonight. It really meant a lot. You’re a good man, Derek London.”
“Well, you just keep thinking that because I’ve had a tough time all night knowing you weren’t wearing a bra.”
I stiffened, but he held me tighter. “What?”
“You heard me. I’m a guy. We notice these things.” He smiled, then kissed my forehead and I relaxed against him, my cheek on his chest.
“Creeper,” I mumbled.
“I should leave, but I don’t want to let go yet. You feel pretty nice in my arms, Claire.”
“I was just thinking the same thing. Feels good to be held.”
We stood there in my living room just holding each other for a few more minutes before I asked, “Is your knee okay to drive your motorcycle?”
“Yeah, it’s not that far.”
I was about to ask him to stay a little longer when a phone dinged, alerting us of an incoming text. Both phones were in the kitchen, so as I started to walk toward them, I asked, “That your phone?”
“No, my phone is always on silent.”
“Huh.” As I touched the round button at the bottom of my iPhone, making the screen come to life, I saw his name. Jake. I could only see the first few words across the locked screen and tried to turn it off quickly. I felt Derek press his body against mine, as he looked
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