Room Fourteen: Making Her Beg

There was something in his eyes that made me ache for him. A yearning that I’d never seen there before. I’d never associated that word with Derek before. He had everything he wanted, or so I thought. He wasn’t married so he didn’t have anyone to answer to. He had no children to make demands on his time. But did he want more? Is that what that look meant?

I held him in my arms as his lips found mine once more, resting gently against my bruised lips. This was a softer kiss, less frantic, less punishing. I felt like he was exploring me for real now. His first kiss had been a demand, driven by need. This one was something else.

“Val,” he murmured against my mouth, his forehead against mine. I waited, breath held, wondering what he was going to tell me. “Go to bed.”

“Excuse me?” I asked with wide eyes, stunned into staring at him.

“Go to bed. I’ll keep you safe tonight and sleep on the couch.” He got off me and picked up his glass of wine. “Go on. Don’t make me take you in there and tie you down. Because I will.”

“I don’t…, what the hell?” I shot back at him, getting up, grabbing my glass and going to my room to slam the door closed.

Why in the world did they keep doing this? Their stupid little agreement was going to drive me mad, but I knew better than to push Derek. But the fact he would stay with me in the house for the night was everything to me. I could finally sleep peacefully.