Total pages in book: 68
Estimated words: 61851 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 309(@200wpm)___ 247(@250wpm)___ 206(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 61851 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 309(@200wpm)___ 247(@250wpm)___ 206(@300wpm)
It was Jessica’s possible fertility issues that weighed on her soul. There was no doubt in her mind that Derek would want kids one day—he’d told her as much. That house, the yard to play outdoors, and the development where they could ride bikes to the park with friends. His own words. Moving on from a fling or relationship or whatever she labeled it was inevitable.
Jessica wanted to smack the triumphant smirk off of Claire’s face but kept her hands to herself. “Get out of my store,” she said with a shocking amount of calm. “And you’re not welcome back unless you’d like to be arrested for trespassing.”
“As if I’d ever want to come back,” Claire scoffed, then marched around Jessica and out of the back room.
A few seconds later, Avery was by her side, looking furious on Jessica’s behalf. “I heard most of that . . . she’s such a bitch. Are you going to tell Derek?”
Jessica released a deep breath that did little to ease the tension in her chest and shook her head. “No.”
“Why not?”
Moving to the table, Jessica busied herself with putting the photos Claire had been looking at into a folder. “Because it doesn’t matter, and I’m not going to complain about his ex-fiancée bullying me.” She rubbed her fingers across her forehead. “The last thing I want or need is him sticking up for me and causing potential issues between his parents and Claire’s parents, who are big political donors to his father’s campaign.”
Avery crossed her arms over her chest. “Don’t you think that’s for him to decide?”
“I’ve decided,” she said, refusing to let Derek get in the middle of the issue. “I’m a grown woman. I can fight my own battles, and I just did.”
The stiffness in Avery’s posture softened, and she smiled. “Yeah, I’m proud of you. You definitely held your own with that catty bitch.”
Unfortunately, Jessica didn’t think it was going to be the last time she’d have to deal with the other woman. Not as long as Jessica was a part of Derek’s life.
Chapter Fifteen
“Would you rather have your hair pulled or your ass smacked?” Derek asked, casually spouting off yet another outrageous and lascivious question for her to answer.
Jessica nearly poked herself in the eye with the mascara wand she was using to coat the ends of her false lashes as Derek’s deep, sexy voice drifted through the speaker on her phone. She should have been used to those random questions by now, but every time he asked one, her entire body tingled with awareness everywhere, which was probably his intent.
Currently, her nipples tightened against her silk robe at the thought of his fingers fisting in her hair and pulling her head back, and her stomach did a little somersault when she remembered how much she’d liked feeling the swat of his hand warming up her backside.
It had been a week since they’d slept together, and she couldn’t deny she was anticipating an encore at the end of tonight. She might not have seen him in person during that time, but he was a master at building sexual tension with his dirty talk and husky voice in her ear, and she couldn’t wait for the two of them to be alone. And for him to make good on all the information he’d gleaned with his which would you rather queries.
“Jesus, Derek,” she said with a huff of laughter as she dropped her mascara back into her makeup bag and grabbed her blush, which at the moment she didn’t need much of. “You can’t be asking me these kinds of questions while I’m getting ready for the fundraiser gala tonight.”
“Yes, I can, because I need to know your answer,” he said, his voice sounding serious, despite the playful nature of this game that he seemed to enjoy as much as she did. “I want to prepare for after the fundraiser when I have you all to myself and stripped naked.”
Stripped naked . . . that’s how their FaceTime had gone Thursday night. He’d asked her to wear her sexiest lingerie, and she had, but he’d also demanded she take off each piece for him and touch herself in ways she’d only done on her own and in private—while he enjoyed the show. Once again, he’d obliterated her inhibitions while praising and coaxing her to a tsunami of an orgasm that left her dazed and breathless.
And then, he’d ordered her to watch him, and she hadn’t been able to look away as he fisted his cock in his hand, stared into the phone’s camera, and stroked himself off until he came all over his stomach. It had been one of the hottest things she’d ever seen or done, and she could still recall his erotic grunts and groans as he climaxed.
“You’re thinking about Thursday night, aren’t you?” he asked, a too-knowing smirk in his tone.