AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Once, I drove by your dorm and nearly demanded you get in my car even though it was midnight.”
My heart soars. “You should have!”
He grins.
I wrap my legs around his waist and he keeps working. FINALLY, my beard is tugged off and I’m a free woman. I turn back to look in the mirror and am greeted by splotchy red skin. Specks of the glue still hang from my face. In other words, I am a vision.
Since there’s no way in hell we’re about to get it on—I wouldn’t even kiss me right now—I decide to use this opportunity for something equally as important.
I turn back around. “Let’s have a state of the union address.”
His brow quirks. “Meaning?”
“We make sure you and I are on the same page. Relationship-wise.”
He tugs off his tie and walks into his closet to hang it up. “Shouldn’t we do this in the morning?”
“I won’t be able to sleep otherwise.” Wrong. I could lie down on this counter and be out in five seconds flat, but I’m worried I’ll chicken out if I wait until the morning, when I’m stone-cold sober.
“All right, then,” he says, walking back into the bathroom a few moments later, after having changed. He’s bare-chested above a pair of gray pajama bottoms, and my heart stumbles over itself, trying to keep up.
As if I’m ogling when I shouldn’t be, my eyes shoot to the ceiling as blood rushes up my neck and cheeks. Oh good, my face wasn’t red enough.
Derek chuckles.
My embarrassment only amuses him.
He sits on the lip of the tub, facing me, legs crossed at the ankles.
He is smooth confidence and refinement. I’m the previously bearded lady. The gap between us has never felt quite so obvious.
I wait for him to begin, to take the helm and explain in detail what exactly we’re doing, but he stays silent. Watching me. Waiting.
I clear my throat dramatically before starting. “So…we’re in a relationship?”
I leave it hanging like a question.
“Yes.”
“If I call you my boyfriend in public, you won’t deny it.”
“Why would—”
“Just agree or disagree.”
“Agreed.”
“Wow.”
If I wanted to, I could stick my head out the window of his bathroom right now and tell everyone outside I’m dating Derek Knightley. What a time to be alive.
“That’s it for me.”
He laughs and stays put on the tub. Apparently, we aren’t quite done. “There are other things to discuss.”
My gaze is caught on his chest when I ask, “Like what?”
“With Cal back in the office next week, I won’t be as busy, but it’s still going to be hard to find time for each other if you’re working two jobs.”
My eyebrows scrunch together. “What do you mean?”
“You might have to retire your post as a residence hall manager.”
“Really? But I like that job.”
It’s so fun. Kind of. Lately, I suppose it has been more of a chore than anything else, one more thing keeping me from Derek.
“Okay, so if you enjoy that job, maybe you can cut back your hours at the park.”
“Never!”
“So then we’ll see each other next year sometime?” he asks flatly. “Maybe I can pencil you in for some time in May.”
“Point taken.”
“Where do you see yourself in five years?” he prods.
“In your bed. You’re drizzling chocolate sauce down my body.”
“Whitney.” He tries to level me with a Be serious glare, but I have rug burn on my face, I’m still dressed up like his grandfather, and there’s enough alcohol in my system to sedate a bull.
“Fine.” I close my eyes as if really trying to imagine it now. “I’m not working as Princess Elena anymore. Now, I’m running the park. You work for me. You call me Master—”
With my eyes closed, I don’t see him move until he suddenly hauls me up off the counter, and I burst into laughter as he carries me into his bedroom.
I spank his butt like I’m playing conga drums.
He tosses me onto the bed and stands over me.
“You’re drunk.”
I hold up my fingers so they’re pinched together, only separated by a millimeter. “Only this much.”
He takes off my shoes and drops them on the floor.
My socks go next.
“Seductive,” I tease, rolling my tongue like I’m speaking Spanish.
My jeans are tugged off along with Cal’s vest.
“Wait, if we’re going to have sex, will you make me some coffee first? I want to remember our first time and my head is spinning.”Chapter Twenty-OneDerekWhitney is still disappointed we aren’t having sex tonight.
We’re standing side by side, brushing our teeth in the bathroom. She’s drowning in one of my t-shirts, cheeks still inflamed from that stupid glue.
“C’mon, just a quickie?” she asks, toothpaste spilling out of her mouth.
It’s ridiculous that she’s still attractive.
“Spit,” I tell her, and she does before rinsing out her mouth.
“How about a hand job?”
I level her with a glare and she throws up her hands.
“This relationship is dead already. Look at us—day one and we’re already going to sleep like two old people. No kissing. Just proper dental hygiene followed by lights out.”
