Page 6 of Dealing Dirty
Oh hell. He’s adorable when he’s being funny.
“No,” I drag out the word. “It’s just… I’m not the type of girl who does the settling down stuff. I don’t want someone calling me every day, wanting to know where I’ve been or what I’m doing, and I damn sure won’t be making any sandwiches.” I point to my tongue, faking a gag.
He holds me steady beside him while I ramble on. “So, just a one-night stand. One bang-a-roo to release a little tension, and thassit.” Oh man, the slurring is getting worse, which means hiccups are sure to follow.
We stop by the Trevi fountain close to the entrance of our hotel, and for one small, sobering moment, I look up.
Derrick’s hair is playfully disheveled, and his pupils are dilated from the alcohol, butdios mio… he’s breathtaking. A tiny cluster of dark dots are sprinkled under his left eye, resembling freckles, but their pattern ends there. His skin is lightly bronzed, like he’s friendly with the sun, and if I were a better woman, I’d tell him how handsome he is.
“I understand what you want, Juliana.” We’re a foot apart from each other, but the invisible tie between us shrinks until somehow, our chests are brushing and our toes barely touch. He traces a finger over the curve of my lips, and they part instinctively. “No strings attached.”
The soft blue light from the fountain pool illuminates the angles of his face, giving him an ethereal glow as he slowly, tortuously brings his mouth down to mine.
I expect rough, raw hunger from him given the biker bar, the bad-boy bestie, and that sexy swagger of his. But he’s nothing but gentle, coaxing and inviting me to match the sweet pace he’s setting for us. His tongue carefully sweeps across my lower lip, and I answer him with a stroke of my own.
This kiss… How can it be so sweet and so insanely hot all at once?
My toes curl when his fingers trail up both sides of my arms, raising goose bumps in their wake, turning my knees to rubber. I flatten my palms against his chest as his velvet lips briefly separate from mine, and my eyelids flutter when I open them, suddenly remembering where we are.
“Shall we?” he asks, his twang thickening as the night wears on.
I place my hand in his and let him guide me through the doors.
Okay, let’s see… I run through a mental checklist as we make our way to the elevator and up to his room. It’s been about six months since I last slept with anyone—been a bit of a rough patch—and I’m still on the pill, so no issues there. Everything checked out at my last doctor’s appointment, so I know I’m clean.
Whoa, the floor sure is getting close to my face.
“Hey!” Derrick laughs as we tumble against the wall. “Are you okay?”
I stifle a moan at the brief contact. It would besupercool if I could get my shit together right about now. I’m trying to impress the guy, not pass out on him.
“Yes, yes. I’m fine.” I smile widely as we finally approach his and Jack’s room. The look I get as he slides the keycard into the lock says he knows I’m full of it, but I have every intention of riding this out—literally.
Once inside, I kick off the tacky flip-flops at the door and place my heels beside them. The lingering scents of Jack and Derrick around the space are driving me wild. I spin to find Derrick lounging back on his elbows on the bed, having already turned a lamp on.
The combination of drinking and exhaustion weigh heavy on my shoulders, and when I snake my way between his parted legs, I melt onto his lap like butter.
His light chuckle tickles my shoulder, where his lips begin pressing kisses. I release a sigh as my head tilts toward the ceiling, savoring the heat between us.
“Mmm,” he hums against my flesh. “You are exquisite.”
“That’s a fancy word for a country boy.”
Derrick’s responding rumble flits over the tender skin of my exposed neck just before he presses a kiss under my jaw. “I mean it. You’re absolutely beautiful,” he says, pausing his exploration.
I lean further into him. “You’re just saying that becauseyouwant to get intomypants.”
The stubble on his cheeks lightly scratches my ears as he says, “No, Juliana. I say it because there will be plenty more men who tell you that you’re beautiful—but tonight, I want to make you feel it.”
A sensual flame blooms low in my belly, warming my core in one swift rush.
“Are you always so poetic?” I murmur, pulling his mouth to mine. His lips open for me, but just before we touch, I thread a hand into his wavy locks and pull back so that he’s at my mercy.
He hisses a breath through his teeth and the sound is sexy as hell.
“I trust you’ll be remembering me long after this,” I nearly growl, smiling wickedly before sucking on his bottom lip and biting down.
I release him and he captures my lips, kissing me as if I’m the only thing giving him life. The fire Derrick ignites inside me has all the oxygen it needs to fuel it, right here between us.
