by Ciara Cole
Leah screamed again as she felt Derrick’s tongue inside her. He always knew just what to do, and she had to let him. She knew that look on his face. His inner beast was strong, and that inherent need of his to dominate, possess, and mate seared her to the bone.
As always, Leah complied to his wishes, knowing the consequences it would bring if she didn’t, knowing it would push him to the brink and make him crazy. His mouth and tongue never left her slit, knowing exactly which spots to hit and just the right pressure to use to send her brain into overdrive.
Leah felt her passage tighten around Derrick’s tongue. She moaned and looked down at him. Those arresting grey eyes were bright with passion and need. As he reached up one hand to grab one breast and roll her nipple in his fingers, Leah arched into his mouth. Desperate for release, Leah rocked her hips and pressed her sex into his face. He pinched her sensitive nipple just that bit tighter and stroked his tongue softly over her vulva before he plunged it deep inside her and was not soft anymore.
“Angel,” he panted. “Hold on for me. Let’s do this together.”
As he spoke, he pulled up and straightened over her, positioning his turgid member against her soaked slit. Taking a fistful of his hair, Leah pulled his mouth and tasted him, her, and their mixed essences. Derrick groaned, and Leah pulled away to gaze deep into his eyes.
“Take what you need, baby,” she purred. She licked her lips as her eyes grew half-lidded, the perfect image of a wanton, sultry woman. “Do it, Derrick. It’s what I need, too.”
Still propped up on her arms as she leaned back, Leah stared face to face with Derrick, who arched over her with his big, encompassing frame. Leah felt his member being fed into her. She was wet, yet incredibly swollen from her sustained arousal that was readying to detonate into a million atoms. Kneeling upright between her wide-open legs, Derrick propped each one over his hips and pushed, all but impaling Leah on his staff.
Using his strength, he began to bounce her on his hips, taking her breath away each time he drew into her to fill her, over and over. Sweat soaked them both, sliding down Leah’s big breasts to her bigger bump, which was positioned between them as their bodies mated with an animalistic intensity.
Leah threw her head back as Derrick pounded into her. The tension built up to a fever pitch, and just when she teetered over the edge, Derrick bent over and sucked hard on her left nipple.
“Derrick!” she screamed as she plummeted over the edge. She felt his hot seed spurt into her simultaneously, his loud yell of her name joining hers in the highest clouds.
Lights danced behind Leah’s eyelids as she lost all sense, barely aware of almost falling back until Derrick caught her up in his arms. He gently laid her down, lying beside her and pulling the covers over him and the shuddering Leah. He calmed and soothed her, petting her full, soft dark hair until she slowly revived and looked up at him.
Her deep brown eyes were still slightly glazed with bliss, but she smiled up at him. “You know the best thing about all of this?”
“Tell me,” Derrick said with an indulgent smile.
“The knowledge that when I wake up, you’ll still be here,” Leah whispered, not sure Derrick even heard her, but catching the tenderness, maybe even fondness on Derrick’s handsome features before they misted in her vision as she waded into peaceful sleep.
Chapter Nine
Leah walked into the house and closed the front door with a sigh escaping her lips. She was exhausted yet happy to be home.
Home. Who would have ever imagined she’d make a home with Derrick?
He’d convinced—or was it coerced—her to move in with him a month ago. Leah had been reluctant at first but he’d been much too persuasive. They had a committed relationship and a baby on the way, so it finally made perfect sense. But the fact really was that Leah had a problem saying no to Derrick, especially when he’d grown so affectionate and demonstrative, showering her with attention at every opportunity.
Now she was feeling the strain of a hectic day on a woman with an advanced pregnancy. There’d been a weekend branding mixer for Blake Wright, and walking around in heels hadn’t helped the baby weight Leah was carrying. But she loved the fact that she was making a name for herself, especially with her lifestyle and fashion portfolio. She was used to working with athletes and male-focused brands, and covering PR for Blake Wright was opening some major doors. It was too bad she’d have to put it on hold once she reached her third trimester, as she planned to.
Now, she was craving a hot shower and one of Derrick’s massages and couldn’t wait for the moment to finally get both. “Derrick!” she called out as she walked up the wide spiral stairs.
She was greeted with silence, which surprised her since she knew he’d be home. She began to question the possibility as she pushed open their bedroom door.
Quickly scanning the massive master bedroom, she spotted her boyfriend across the room, seemingly busy on his phone. Leah sighed and with a shake of her head, closed the door. With his team off on mid-season break, he was mostly home, using the given time to let the bumps and bruises of the season heal. And yet he seemed to spend every available moment on his phone, constantly texting and answering random calls at three in the morning.
Leah had shrugged it off at first, but now it was getting on her last nerve and she needed it to end. Walking over to their bed, she placed her hands on her hips and stared at him full-on.
“Derrick, I don’t know what’s been going on, but the way you’re acting needs to stop. You barely lifted your head since I walked in,” she grumbled. The next instant, he looked up at her, placing the phone on the dresser beside him.
“Sorry about that, cupcake,” he said as he suddenly pulled her closer to his chest, placing a small kiss on her cheek. “I promise I’ll have time only for you tonight. Why don’t I run you a bubble bath? I’ll even light some sexy candles.”
That infectious grin of his had her every time. Leah smiled and shook her head at him, placing a quick kiss on his lips before walking over to her vanity and starting to take off her makeup.
“I might even join you. Then you can pick what you want me to make us for dinner,” Derrick added before closing the bathroom door after him.
“Sounds exciting,” Leah murmured while feeling an inner tremor at the prospect of some steamy moments with Derrick—in more ways than one. One thing that stayed constant was their physical compatibility. No matter what issues they faced, the bedroom was not one of them as their chemistry together was still off the charts. Good thing, then, that Leah’s pregnancy hormones and Derrick’s insatiable libido seemed perfectly in tune. How she was going to keep up remained to be seen. The man could have a girl walking side to side for days with the way he couldn’t seem to have enough of her body, even at seven months pregnant. The baby was really active at night though, which meant they had to keep their sex fests for earlier in the day while their night sessions were less prolonged.
Leah was grateful for continuing to have an easy, healthy pregnancy. Baby Talbot was doing fine, and hopefully, Leah wouldn’t have any hiccups that could turn her life upside down.
If only she knew it was just around the corner.
Leah was almost done wiping off her eye makeup when Derrick’s phone started to buzz. She looked over at it, wondering why it was even on vibrate. She glanced quickly over at the bathroom door and heard water running. She then got up, grabbed Derrick’s phone, and began to read through his messages.
Gina: I can’t stop missing you.
Derrick: I’ll have to see what can be done about that.
Gina: Don’t keep me waiting too long, baby. Can you at least promise me something?
Derrick: And what could that be?
Gina: Remember our pictures and videos I told you about?
Derrick: What about them?
Gina: We’ll have to try them out one more time. I need to refresh my memory (smirky smiley).
Before Leah could read any further, the phone w
as suddenly snatched out of her hands. She was ready to grab it back when she looked up and saw Derrick’s face.
“Why are you on my phone?” he asked mildly, in contrast with the dark shadow falling on his brow. He was dressed in nothing but a towel wrapped loosely round his waist, apparently in preparation for Leah to join him in the bath.
All of those big muscles on display, as well as the gruff undertone in his voice, would have had Leah quaking, but she was past that now.
“Why are you talking to another girl, Derrick?” she fumed.
“Don’t worry about it.”
“What do you mean, don’t worry about it?” Leah could hear her voice rise shrilly. “How can I not be worried? I’m your girlfriend and I’m carrying your baby. You can’t be texting these women like I’m not with you. Are you for real?”
Derrick ran his fingers through his hair and began to turn away from her.
“You’d better start explaining why you’ve been talking to this Gina girl,” snapped Leah, following closely as he walked away.
“It’s my personal business and you shouldn’t get involved.” He went to the dressing room and starting picking out a change of clothes.
“That’s crazy. Listen to yourself! You’re making no type of sense right now,” Leah said while on the verge of angry tears. “I caught you cheating on me and you’re acting like it’s nothing. But then, you were never the type to stay with one girl, were you?”
Leah should have known this would happen. How could she have been so dumb? Derrick’s past life on the fast lane would be hard to leave behind now that he had a girlfriend and a baby on the way. She’d always secretly worried that he wouldn’t be able, or willing, to change and give up his old playboy lifestyle for her and the baby. Well, now she had her proof.
“You mean the world to me, Leah, and this, I repeat, is nothing you should worry about,” Derrick said calmly.
“You’re lying. Why don’t you simply tell me you want to be single? Must be tough with all of those beautiful women out there just begging for even a glance.”
“Leah,” he began, pulling her in gently for a kiss, but she promptly smacked him away.
“Don’t you dare play me like that ever. I’m not one of your side-chicks. That’s not how it works,” she blurted and started pulling her cases out of the closet.
Derrick swore roughly and then pulled the empty cases out of her grip.
“You’d better give them back. I’m getting my things and leaving you.”
Leah’s mind felt surprisingly clear even with her whole body feeling numb. Was this how it felt when your life was over? But no, it wasn’t over. She still had her baby, the one ray of light in her life, and she’d keep the hope burning for the little one. She didn’t need Derrick, didn’t need to be second place to his meandering ways.
When he gently took her shoulders, she swiveled angrily and snapped at him, “Do you even know what you want?”
“You, Leah, just you,” he said with a heavy sigh. “Why else would I ask for us to move in together? It’s always been you. From the moment we met, you caught my eye. For two months after, I couldn’t get you off my mind, and then I got the news you were pregnant.”
“If you cared about me or the baby, you wouldn’t do this to us,” Leah said, fighting back a sob. She was shaken and anxious about the thought of losing Derrick, but what could she do? You don’t always get the right person in life, but she’d thought he was perfect and she had wanted to never let go. Had things between them really lost the spark?
“I’m not cheating on you, I promise. If it’s an explanation you need, I’ll give you one, but please, let’s sit down and talk. I want you calm, especially in your condition.”
Leah nodded, suddenly deflating. She let Derrick lead her back to the bedroom, where he sat her next to him on a sofa.
Unbidden tears wet her eyes as she looked up at him before he could start, blurting out, “Is this because of me and Wright? You hate the fact that I’m still working with him and this is your way of getting back at me?”
“What? No. Fuck.” Derrick gathered her stiff body against his warm chest, kissing the top of her head. Leah shivered and closed her eyes, telling herself the protective heat of his body still made her feel as safe and secure as ever. How was she ever going to get over losing him?
“Gina and I had an on and off thing during the time I dated my ex, Jennifer, when we’d break off and get back together. I’ll admit I played the field much too much, but I give my word I haven’t slept with her again, nor do I plan to. This is all about me finding out the truth.”
Leah pulled back slowly and stared up at him. “Truth about what?”
Derrick let out a ragged sigh. “Gina called me some days ago, saying that someone contacted her asking if she had any sex tapes or juicy secrets about me from when we had those flings. She said they sounded pretty serious and were ready to pay a whole lot of money for incriminating pictures or whatever. You may not know it, but I’ve been trying to find out about the person who’s been on our case right from the start, and something told me this could be them.”
Leah’s eyes widened. “You mean, the people behind our first night together being exposed and the fact that I got pregnant? Those losers cost me my job and reputation,” Leah said in a fury.
“That’s why I’ve been stringing Gina along in the hope she’ll try to give them what they want, and then I can find out who they are. She tells me everything, and if she was going to meet them or make contact in any way, I’d know and find out how to catch them red-handed.”
Derrick paused to shake his head ruefully. “I know it sounds far-fetched, but it’s the best idea I could come up with since the private investigators haven’t found anything.”
“I didn’t know it worried you that much,” said a dazed Leah. “I mean, I felt mad about everything that happened. The peeping Tom who’d taken that video of us—and then, of course, the snitch who somehow knew I’d taken a pregnancy test. I just always assumed it would be someone from my company since everything just seemed like too much of a coincidence.”
Derrick’s head slowly bobbed in assent. “I’m thinking that too. It had to be someone close to you, not necessarily a friend or family member, but a co-worker who knew of your professional ties with me and might have even followed you around.”
Leah gave another shudder. How could people be so sick?
“I’m sorry I doubted you,” she said softly.
“It’s not like I could actually blame you, what with how everything looks.”
“Well, at least you found out one more thing about me—I hate sharing someone I care about. I’ve tried to hold back my feelings, but they don’t seem to go away,” she said with a shy duck of her head.
Derrick tipped her chin right up again and kissed her lips lingeringly. “You don’t have to keep holding back. I’m not going to act stupid and ruin everything. I shouldn’t have kept things a secret.”
“I know you did it to protect me,” Leah said, her arms slipping around his waist, her body turned to the side to not press on her big bump.
“I want to give you everything and treat you like the queen you are. I want you and only you. To kiss you . . . to feel your skin against mine as we make love.”
Leah loved hearing Derrick say these things and making her feel special. She, too, wanted to tell him exactly how she felt and how she wanted him to feel the same way.
She stared up straight up at him. “You make my heart pound like crazy. I get lost in your beautiful eyes sometimes, and when you smile, my whole world lights up. I just want you to be all mine.”
“You know I’m all yours,” Derrick said softly, cupping her face and holding her gaze. “You’re so beautiful. I hate it when you say you aren’t or are worried about looking different with the pregnancy. I want to make you happy and give you everything you deserve. I love you.”
He stared, waiting for her to say something, but all Leah did was gape back at h
im. He slowly began to frown, becoming worried that maybe she didn’t feel the same way and saw him only as a lover.
“Aren’t you going to say anything?” he teased, breaking the awkward silence.
Leah bit on her lip and didn’t tear her eyes from his. Her hands reached up to cup his face and she planted a kiss on his lips.
“Of course I will. And I love you. I’m just afraid to lose what we have.” Her deep sigh seemed to come from the soul. “I always wished to tell you I’d fallen in love with you, but there was the fear that I’d jinx things.”
Derrick chuckled, gently combing back her hair. “It’s a risk that we’re taking, but worth it.”
Nodding, Leah let him place another kiss on her lips. She took in every second of their lips moving perfectly together. In silence, his hand gently closed over her belly in that way he did that made her feel he was protecting not just her but the baby too. Her smaller hand closed over his giant one, and she sighed deeply against his lips.
I'm finally his.
And he was hers. Leah had never truly felt it until this moment.
“Now that we’ve cleared that up, there’s one more thing. Instead of working with Wright, why not work for me?” asked Derrick, placing her on his lap. “You could handle my PR management.”
Leah huffed. “Bad for business. I’ll be tempted to personally decapitate your female personnel. So not a good idea.”
“Ever so difficult,” growled Derrick playfully, then he snatched her lips with his as if to shut her up. Giggling, Leah wrapped her arms around his neck and twirled her tongue seductively against his in an open-mouthed kiss.
“Leah.”
She liked how his voice sounded unraveled at the edges. The warmth of his mouth was delicious. So sensuous. Leah was excited, giddy, and exploding with desire. Her eyes closed as a wave of ecstasy washed through her.
“Derrick,” she moaned in answer, clawing her fingers over the swell of male muscles in his shoulders, pecs, and abs. She wanted him.
