Emily’s heart said yes, oh yes, yes. The words would not come
out. Derian was watching her, clear-eyed and intense. “I wasn’t expecting
this.” She laughed shakily. “I might need a few minutes.”
“How about you think about it over dinner?
Long enough?”
“I love you,” Emily said, unwilling to let
Derian be the only one taking a chance. “I have for a long time.”
Derian grinned. “Me too.”
“I’m just not sure about all the rest.”
“That’s okay. I am.”
Emily laughed. “You can get up off your knees
now.”
“I like it here.”
Emily freed her hand from Derian’s grasp and
framed Derian’s face. Leaning over, she gave her a proper kiss, slow and deep,
that helped fill the emptiness she’d been carrying inside her since the moment
Derian walked out of her apartment. When she drew back she whispered, “I love
you.”
Derian somehow managed to flow to her feet
and pull Emily up with her, catching her in the circle of her arms. “Tell me we
can have dinner in my room and you’ll think about being mine.”
“Yes, all right,” Emily said, “I’ll think
about it.”
Derian kissed her and murmured in her ear,
“Tell me again you love me.”
“I love you,” Emily whispered.
*
“I never want to live without room service.”
Derian tightened her hold around Emily’s middle and kissed the back of her
neck.
Emily wiggled her rear a little tighter into
the curve of Derian’s hips, found her hand, and drew it to her lips for a kiss.
“Did we eat?”
Derian chuckled. “Not yet. But we can whenever
we want.”
“I don’t ever want to move.”
“Then we don’t have to. There’s nowhere else
I want to be.” Or anything else she’d rather be doing. Lying with Emily, loving
Emily, filled her with quiet contentment and excitement that never relented.
“You’re everything I want, and I want you endlessly.”
“I’m so glad.” Emily gave a little groan,
rolled onto her back, and pulled Derian’s head down to kiss her again. “I love
being yours.”
Derian leaned on an elbow and stroked Emily’s
warm, pliant body. She couldn’t stop touching. Couldn’t get enough of her. Knew
she never would. “Are you? Mine?”
“I am.” Emily’s smile was small and, for just
a second, a little sad.
Derian’s middle clenched. “Does that make you
unhappy?”
Light leapt in Emily’s eyes. “Oh no. Never,
not for a second.”
“But there’s something, isn’t there?”
Emily laughed, a little tremor in her voice.
“I’m just being me. I’ll miss you when you’re gone.”
Derian frowned. “Where am I going?”
Emily grinned, the sadness vanishing in the
face of so much joy. She had fallen in love with a woman who lived on the edge.
She would cope. “Oh, you know, race cars, fancy casinos, and…all of that.”