Unveiling Hope

by Jeannine Allison

  God, this was torture.

  “You don’t seem very into this,” he said. My eyes swung to his and I realized I hadn’t even been looking at him.

  “I’m sorry.” I shook my head. “I’m not trying to be rude. But I recently got out of a relationship and my friends…” I trailed off, like he would know what I meant. Truthfully, I didn’t even know what I meant.

  “No worries.” He held up his hand. “How about we just keep talking for a few more minutes and then I’ll leave. That should satisfy her.”

  “Oh. I don’t want to ruin your night.”

  He waved away my concern. “You’re not. I was about to head out anyway. I’m a paramedic and on an early shift tomorrow.” Maybe-Tim leaned in and whispered, “So why’d you break up with him?”

  My head snapped back. “Why would you assume I broke up with him?”

  “Because if looks could kill I’d be dead ten times over. That isn’t the kind of stare you give a girl you broke up with.” Brows furrowed, I waited for him to explain. He nodded behind me. “Isn’t that him?”

  I turned around and found Derek back at the table, draining his glass as he glared at us. “Oh.” Facing him again, I continued, “No. He’s not my ex. He’s… complicated.”

  Maybe-Tim chuckled. “He wants to storm over here, rip you away from me, and fuck you senseless. Not complicated at all.”

  Rolling my eyes, I picked up my drink and took a generous sip. “Why must all men be so crass?”

  “I like the reactions. People—girls in particular—react in fascinating ways,” he said with a wink.

  I laughed and we talked for a few more minutes before I told him I should go.

  “Here.” He grabbed a napkin and a stray pen left on the bar. “At least she’ll know you tried.”

  My eyes followed his movements, and I made an internal fist-pump when he wrote the name Tim.

  “Thanks for the company, Sam.” He placed the napkin into my hand and leaned down to kiss my cheek. “Good luck with your… complication.” I smiled and watched him leave.

  After finishing my drink, I walked back to the table. A guilty-looking Alara and Gabe approached at the same time. Derek was staring into another glass of liquor.

  “Where’s Sam?” Gabe asked as he sat down.

  “Here.” I arrived at the table at nearly the same time, but he’d been too focused on other things.

  “Where’d your new friend go?” Sherry asked, looking at the bar.

  “He left,” I said quietly.

  “Why?” she asked with a pout.

  “He had to be up early for work. He’s a paramedic.” Derek grunted, but I ignored him. “He gave me his number, though.”

  “I need another drink.” Derek stood up and stomped over to the bar. This time I couldn’t ignore him and my eyes trailed after him. I probably looked as pathetic as I felt.

  I needed to think away from prying eyes. Grabbing my clutch, I excused myself and walked toward the bathrooms. After I quickly did my business, I washed my hands and touched up my makeup.

  Bracing my hands on the sink, I stared at myself in the mirror.

  Everything had been so perfect this week, away from prying eyes. What was I so afraid of? I knew my dad wouldn’t be pleased with my relationship, but surely my brother wouldn’t care. He’d just want me to be happy, wouldn’t he?

  My fear was keeping me from asking the question. Because if I never asked, he’d never answer, and in my bizarre—completely ridiculous—train of thought, no answer felt like approval.

  Shaking my head, I stepped back and moved into the hall, running smack-dab into Derek’s hard chest. He steadied me by grabbing onto my shoulders. I could smell the whiskey on his breath as he rested his forehead against mine.

  “I don’t want to keep this—us—a secret, Sam. I can’t,” he begged.

  “I don’t either. Soon…” I whispered, trying to ignore the hurt in his eyes. “Please don’t look—”

  He held up his hand and backed away until we were no longer touching. “Don’t worry about it.” Derek leaned forward and dropped a kiss on my forehead. I closed my eyes against the feeling. “I wasn’t trying to be a possessive asshole. Well… not only a possessive asshole.” He smirked but it quickly fell. “I’m proud to be with you.”

  His implication wasn’t lost on me. But I was proud of him, too.

  “Derek, of course I’m proud—”

  “I’m sorry.” He shook his head. “This isn’t the time or place for this conversation. I promised I wouldn’t rush you, and I don’t want to. I just wanted you to know that whenever you’re ready, I’m prepared to shout my feelings to the world,” he whispered. Then he flashed me a sad smile before walking away.

  I wished he would have yelled at me—that probably would have been less painful. His acceptance of me, at the expense of himself, somehow hurt more.

  Maybe it was because it felt like he was the only one sacrificing anything. Since the beginning, it had been him. The truth was, I didn’t always know how to be brave. My romantic relationships had never been ones I was willing to fight for. Honestly, and sadly, I would have been fine with or without them.

  This was nothing like that. Derek was nothing like them.

  Which was probably why this was so terrifying. There was so much more to lose.

  I took a deep breath before stepping back into the dining room.

  We avoided each other for the next hour. No one seemed to notice that we each got up, for one reason or another, at least four times.

  After I’d had one glass too many of champagne, I slipped outside. The storm was still raging, which helped quell the restless energy coursing through me.

  I can do this.

  I could be brave enough to tell my brother and our friends the truth. I could admit I was in a relationship with Derek. I could let myself be happy. I could profess that I loved him—after all, this secrecy was the only reason I’d stopped him two nights ago.

  Determined, I turned around and walked back in. I stood at the periphery of the dance floor, my eyes flying over the small crowd, searching. And something about not being able to find Derek made me panic. Like I’d waited too long, and he would find another girl to move on to. It was ridiculous. He’d been waiting for years, but I didn’t want him to think he was the only one willing to risk something.

  My gaze finally landed on him. He was on the opposite side, floating around the dance floor just like me. His eyes looked concerned as he took in my appearance, almost as if he was checking for harm. Satisfied when he didn’t find any, he brought his eyes back to mine. They flared with need and asked the question I’d kept running away from. He remained fixed to his spot as I slowly walked toward him. My hands were sweating and I swallowed roughly. I’d only made it a few steps when I grew the courage to nod, a shy smile lifting my lips.

  A determination, unlike anything I’d ever seen, came over him as he prowled toward me. My legs shook and my heart pounded. This was a turning point, a do-or-die moment. This was something we could never come back from.

  But I felt no fear. I just felt excited, giddy… and okay, a little horny. Derek’s eyes, dark and heated, stayed on mine as he continued moving forward, shoving people out of his way without apology.

  Finally he was an arm’s length away. “Derek, I—”

  His body slammed into mine, stealing my words as he cupped my cheeks and sealed our lips together. I whimpered as his mouth greedily moved over mine. Kissing me. Claiming me. And absolutely destroying me for any other man.

  Because even though this wasn’t our first kiss. I could finally feel everything he’d been saying, or trying to say. I could feel his love and that he was proud to be with me.

  This kiss encompassed everything. This was how Derek and I came together. We crashed. We burned. We thrived.

  He tasted like whiskey and smelled like rain. It was a delicious combination that caused a warm tingling to spread throughout my lower belly. My underwear grow dam
p and I blushed.

  We broke apart, panting. The noise around us filtered in as we came down from the high of our kiss. Neither of us looked toward the table for reactions.

  “I really hope that nod meant you were ready to tell everyone,” Derek said hoarsely when he caught his breath. The words hit my lips and I smiled.

  “Yeah,” I whispered.

  “Thank God,” he murmured before reverently squeezing my cheeks and pulling me back in for a deeper kiss. His mouth slanted over mine, his tongue immediately slipping inside and wrapping around mine.

  “You ready to get out of here?” Derek asked when we came up for air again.

  “Definitely.”

  We stumbled into the hotel room, blindly pulling at each other’s clothes the second the door slammed shut. I spun her around and pinned her to the wall.

  “W-w-wait,” she mumbled, her head falling back as I squeezed her breasts over her dress and kissed her neck.

  “Yeah?” I murmured against her skin.

  “M-my dress. I don’t want to ruin it.”

  My hands immediately froze, and it took everything in me to step back, my hands and lips falling away from the places they wanted to be most. At least I could take satisfaction in the fact that the loss caused her to whimper and rub her legs together.

  I held out my hand and Sam immediately grabbed it, letting me lead her through the darkness until we reached the bedroom.

  Once we passed the threshold I guided her to the balcony. Sam shivered as I unlocked the doors and let them swing open. The beach was deserted from the earlier storm, but the smell of rain still hung in the air.

  Sam stood in the center of the balcony, her head turned to show me her profile. Against the backdrop of the moon and sea, she was fucking stunning. I’d never be able to look at the ocean the same way. It would always feel incomplete without her standing in front of it. A view that was recognized as one of the most breathtaking in the world was now forever ruined for me.

  It almost made me feel guilty that no one else would see something as beautiful as this moment. No, that wasn’t true. I was fucking giddy that this belonged to me, that she belonged to me. Completely. No more secrets. No more hiding.

  “Derek…” she whispered.

  Her body trembled as I stood from where I was leaning against the doorframe and walked toward her. I moved slowly. And when I was close enough I tortuously slid my palms down her arms, feeling her shudder beneath my touch, before grabbing her hands and placing them on the table in front of her.

  “Keep them there,” I commanded softly. She nodded, sucking in a breath as I slowly dragged my fingers back up her arms, ghosting around her shoulders until they met at her nape where a delicate pearl button was holding her dress together. I carefully slid the pearl through the hole and pulled the material away, revealing Sam’s smooth skin.

  Placing a kiss on the back of her neck, I guided the dress down her arms. She pulled her hands away when I got near, and I noticed that they had formed fists. I couldn’t help the grin that took over my lips.

  “You’re enjoying this, aren’t you?” She groaned as she slapped her hands back against the table. I felt myself harden even further. A hot and bothered Sam was definitely a sight to see.

  I pulled my mouth away and rested my chin on her shoulder. Putting my lips to her ear, I started slowly dragging off her dress. My fingers pointed toward the ground as my hands slid down the front of her along with the dress.

  “You wanted this…” My hands lingered beneath her strapless bra, my thumbs teasing the underside of her breasts, before skating down her stomach. “Remember?” I asked quietly.

  Sam’s head fell forward, her breaths coming faster. My lips dragged down her spine as I knelt behind her, my hands finally skimming down her legs and freeing Sam of her dress.

  I slowly helped her step out of the material still pooled at her feet. Sam stayed put as I carefully collected her dress and walked it back into the room, laying it on the chair in the corner. I turned around to find her facing me, eyes on fire as she looked me over from head to toe, lingering on the bulge in my pants. Her ass was leaning against the table and her hands white-knuckled the edge.

  I was less concerned with my own clothes, but I still took my time. Unfortunately the torture was proving to be too much for me too. Sam’s eyes squeezed shut as she rubbed her legs together, her hands twitching like they wanted to slide between her legs and…

  Like hell.

  Wearing only my boxers, I stalked back toward her. She was in nothing but white lace: a strapless bra and a tiny thong. Her eyes widened at my predatory gaze before she quickly spun around and resumed her position, hands on the table and ass out. When I reached her, I pulled her against me by her hips.

  “I don’t know how I stayed away so long,” I choked out. With one hand I reached around and threaded our fingers together, resting them back on the table, while the other traced the waistband of her thong until my palm was resting low on her stomach. My fingers slipped beneath the material and skimmed down. Her breath hitched and my head my fell to her shoulder—the one covered in freckles—when I glided through her wetness.

  “Fuck,” I grunted, thrusting my cock against her ass.

  “Derek,” she whimpered, her trapped fingers squeezing around mine. Her other hand left the table and wrapped around my wrist, pushing me deeper into her panties. Taking her cue, I slowly slid a finger inside her, immediately feeling her pulse at the invasion. She was so damn tight.

  “Shit, Sam.” Her response was a rapid nod followed by her nails digging into the skin of my forearm. Slowly, I withdrew my finger only to gently push it back in. Over and over again until she was squirming in my arms.

  Sam moaned, and I started moving my finger faster before bringing my thumb up and circling her clit. When I thought she was close I slowed down and removed my thumb. She whimpered, but it quickly ended on a gasp as I pushed two fingers inside and brought my touch back to the place she wanted it most, my fingers moving faster and my circles becoming tighter.

  “Derek…” She drew in a breath, like she was preparing herself, and I doubled my efforts, until moments later she came on a shuddering cry. “Ahhhh… oh God, Derek…” Sam clenched around my fingers and rolled her hips into my hand, drawing out her orgasm. I kept moving until she was trying to get away from me, unable to take anymore. I withdrew my hand and unlaced our fingers.

  In the blink of an eye she spun around, taking me off guard by grabbing the back of my neck and pulling my lips to hers. Gripping her bare ass, I lifted her until she wrapped her legs around me. The tips of my fingers grazed the string of her thong and I ground myself against her. My cock was painfully hard, and when she rubbed herself against me, my eyes rolled into the back of my head. I turned and stumbled, slamming her into the wall. Thankfully I was aware enough to cradle her head and keep it from hitting.

  “Shit, are you okay?”

  “Yeah, yeah,” she rushed out, like I was crazy for even asking. Her impatience was hot as fuck.

  Sam leaned her head back, her hooded eyes boring into mine. I closed my eyes against the feeling of her arousal seeping through our underwear. Fuck, how I wished there was nothing between us right now. I didn’t even care that we were humping like teenagers. I didn’t care that we had neighbors who could be out on their balconies listening to us. It was enough to know they couldn’t see us thanks to the alcove-style balconies this hotel had.

  But the rest? I didn’t give a shit about.

  Literally the only thing I cared about was getting inside her.

  My eyes snapped open when I felt her arms move from my shoulders. Her hands fell to the front of her bra, easily working the clasp before peeling the material away and throwing it behind me, all while her hot stare stayed on mine. I heard something clatter to the floor, but I honestly couldn’t give a shit what her bra knocked into.

  My gaze dropped to her breasts, to her pebbled dusty-rose nipples that were more perfect than
I ever imagined. Leaning forward with a groan, I wrapped my lips around one. Sam’s hands flew to my head, pulling on my hair as she shoved her chest against my mouth.

  “Oh shit, that feels…” she mindlessly rambled as she rubbed harder and faster. I helped her, using my leverage on her ass to shift her up and down until I couldn’t take it anymore.

  “Whaaa…” she groaned when I abruptly stopped and dropped her legs. That groan turned to a gasp as I ripped her thong from her body and shoved my boxers down.

  We quickly resumed our previous position until I was thrusting inside her.

  “Sam,” I panted out when I’d filled her completely, my head falling to her heaving chest. Every single part of me screamed that this was too intense, but somehow I craved more. Why did this feel so different?

  “Condom,” Sam breathed out, answering my unspoken question.

  “Shit.” I moved to pull out only to slide back in. “Fuck, I’m trying.” I lifted my head to meet her gaze. Her look mirrored everything I felt.

  “I’m on the pill,” she said softly. “And I’m clean. I’ve never…” Sam waved her hand to where we were connected, a faint blush overtaking her cheeks.

  “Me neither.” She let out a breath of relief as I slowly started moving. Our eyes stayed connected and goddamn it, I didn’t know how I’d ever wear a condom again. This felt like another sense entirely, or maybe it was just that every sense was on overload. All the places our bodies connected sparked. Her groans and commands for “more” roared in my ears. My eyes couldn’t settle on one part of her; I found myself chasing every goose bump, and savoring the way her mouth dropped open and her brows pulled together. Pure ecstasy was written on every part of her, authored by me. And her taste…

  There was nothing sweeter.

  I leaned forward and crushed our mouths together, stealing every moan and gasp, and giving back my own.

  I was relentless as I pounded into her, wanting to mark her the way she marked me. I broke our kiss and moved my lips to her ear.

  “Can you feel that?” I asked.