“Emily,” Derian warned, “I’m close.”
Emily splayed her fingers over Derian’s tense
stomach and took what she’d been aching for all day. The sweet heat of Derian’s
surrender pierced her, impaling her with awe. She stroked and caressed and drew
her deeper until she felt the telltale tightening everywhere. At the last
second, she slipped inside her and Derian convulsed, a hoarse cry of surprise
and pleasure torn from her throat.
“So beautiful,” Emily whispered, her cheek
pressed to Derian’s thigh. Derian’s fingers played in her hair, her breathing
harsh and unsteady.
“I never had anyone own me the way you do,”
Derian said.
Smiling, Emily kissed her stomach and climbed
up beside her on the sofa. She pulled Derian down, and they tangled together
again.
“I never knew I had so much craving inside
me,” Emily said. “It’s a little maddening.”
“I know.” Derian kissed her. “Maddening and
amazing and something I never get enough of.”
Emily tapped her fingers on Derian’s hip.
“Although if we keep putting off dinner, we might die of starvation.”
“Never.” Derian wrapped a hand around Emily’s
nape, holding her close. She wasn’t ready to let her go. She couldn’t think of
anything she wanted beyond lying right where she was. She sighed.
“What?” Emily asked, in no hurry to get up.
Derian had a way of making her forget everything she needed to do.
“I got a call this afternoon from some
nervous investors. I need to show up before the race in Rio. Sponsor-type
stuff.”
Icy tentacles slithered through Emily’s
chest. “Oh. When?”
“The day after tomorrow. I tried to put it
off, but—”
“No, of course you can’t. You’ve been away
for quite a while now,” Emily said, starting to sit up. She couldn’t be this
close to her and know that she was leaving. She was more than half-naked, she
was exposed and feeling incredibly vulnerable, as if her skin were peeling
away. At any moment she was afraid she might start bleeding. She had to gather
her strength, somehow re-erect her shields. She ran both hands through her hair
and tugged as she untangled her curls, the tiny spears of pain clearing the fog
of sex and false security. Jumping up, she searched on the floor for her jeans.
She couldn’t be naked any longer. “I should do something about dinner.”
“I know I might be leaving you in the lurch
at the agency, but I took care of one problem.” Derian got up, grabbed her
pants, and shook out the wrinkles in a quick, automatic move.
“Oh?” Emily said, trying to think of what to
do with her hands. She couldn’t touch her right now. She couldn’t bear to touch
her and want her and know that she’d be leaving soon. Of course she’d always
known that, expected it, but hadn’t let herself think about it. Just the night,
just the now. She’d made that deal with herself, hadn’t she? She couldn’t go
back on it now. She couldn’t expect it to be any different than what it was.
She’d never lied to herself. She wouldn’t start now. She backed up.