shot at the door. I take it, practically running. The darkness is not a hindrance to me.
“Melissa!” Derek is behind me, but he’s having a harder time navigating the dark room.
I barely notice Patrick and Elaine cuddled nose to nose at the bar, grinning in their blissed-out state. The milder repellence of his aura drives me out into the pouring rain.
I’m soaked immediately, my red dress clinging to my body, but I can’t stop. I’ve got to get away. Moving quickly, I head west in the direction of my hotel, block after block. The street is still littered with people either too drunk to care about the pouring rain or committed to turning the sudden deluge into a game.
I dodge them, pushing past, onward until I’m at the corner of Bourbon and Conti Streets. A car rumbles past, hitting a puddle and sending an arc of water waist-high in my direction. With a little cry, I jump back, and SLAM! right into Derek’s firm chest.
His strong arms are around me again, pulling me under the awning of a daiquiri shop. We’re out of the rain, but he isn’t speaking. My back is to the wall, and he catches my chin, forcing me to look at him.
Drops of rainwater drip from the ends of his dark hair. We’re both soaked, but our physical condition is secondary to what’s happening now. The muscle in his square jaw moves, and I stare into his steel blue eyes. All the longing, the lust, the desire is there, but I see something new as well—confusion and disbelief. Anger.
My breath hitches faster, and he pulls away, dragging me behind him the remaining block to his hotel. We push past drunken tourists, and he strides through the lobby, barely noticing the doorman, who mutters Monsieur and holds out a thick, white towel.
Derek’s expression is resolute as we enter the elevator. It’s so different from last time. My heart thuds loudly in my ears, and my anticipation level remains high. I have no idea what’s coming or why he’s so angry. My dark hair is heavy and wet on my shoulder, and the air conditioning inside the building makes me shiver.
My nipples peak, and he notices. Lust smolders dark in his eyes. Still, I quiver under his stern gaze. A little ding, and the doors open. He takes my hand roughly and moves faster to his room. Door card in, chirp!, the door is open, and he practically throws me inside while he stops to remove his wet boots.
I cower against the wall, unsure whether to speak. I can’t stop shivering in the cold air, and with the thud of the second boot hitting the floor, Derek comes to me with determined strides.
His eyes are on my mouth. I’m breathing so fast, I can see my chest rising and falling as he slams my body against the wall. Pinned again, he looks hard into my eyes before claiming my mouth roughly, forcing my lips apart, and finding my tongue.
A little noise squeaks from my throat. I don’t know why he’s treating me so roughly. I grasp his shoulders, following his movements with mine, hearing his heart beating faster like mine. His blood heats in my veins and moisture pools between my legs. Even frightening and angry, I want him so much.
Without speaking, he takes my hand and leads me to the bed. He lifts my wet dress over my head and steps to drop it in the empty tub, pausing a moment to quickly discard his own wet shirt and jeans. I watch him mesmerized as he takes an oversized towel off the ledge and returns to me. He’s gloriously nude, the low light deepening the lines on his chest and stomach, his enormous cock fully erect.
Touching my hair with the towel, he gives it a few squeezes then spreads it on the bed behind me. Anger mixed with desire is in his eyes.
He lifts me and pushes me onto my back then grips my thighs, shoving them open. Immediately, he begins to kiss and lick my center. His soft lips and velvet tongue move slowly over my clit as his beard scrapes the delicate skin of my legs.
“Derek!” My cries join the low growl coming from his throat as heat rockets through my pelvis down to the arches of my feet. Adrenaline is so high in my veins I start to come.
“Oh, god!” The tingling sensation spreads over my gums.
My mouth! He has me trapped on my