Derek Mule was hugging me.His strong arms were wrapped around my middle and somehow I hadn’t fainted from the mere shock of it all. Warmth pooled in my belly and I didn’t know what to do with my hands. I patted him on the back awkwardly.
“You’re supposed to hug me back, you weirdo.” My stiff shoulders relaxed at his voice and my arms wrapped around his neck. But then a thought passed through my head and I was trying to pry his arms off of my body.
I hadn’t showered from travel and I probably smelled like a commercial flight. He laughed and hugged me tighter.He had smelled my hair.
Mortified. Completely mortified.
My body slumped in his arms. No fight left. I had lost and he was still holding onto me like I didn’t smell terrible. He chuckled and his body vibrated with it. “What’s wrong?”
“I stink,” I whispered.
He inhaled at my hairline again. My lips thinned out in horror. “You think this is what stink is? Oh, you are in for a rude awakening for when we all start training together again.”
I shook my head. The horror. “Do any of you know what a shower is?”
He pulled away from my arms and waggled his eyebrows. “I didn’t know you were that forward.”
My eyes grew wide and I could have died right there. “That’s not what I meant.”
He smiled and my heart stopped. It wasn’t one of his forced tiny smiles that only showed up on a rare occasion. No, this one was megawatt. His pearly whites were on bright display and a little dimple formed in his cheek. The smile faded slowly as he took in the expression on my face. “What is it?”
I reached forward and touched his cheek right where his dimple was. I couldn’t help but smile at his surprised expression. “You have the prettiest smile I have ever seen.”
He snorted and looked away but I didn’t miss the beginning stages of a blush stretching across his cheeks. “Nah, it ain’t that pretty.”
A cactus with a pink flower coming out of the top was sitting on the table. I had almost forgotten about it. “Derek Mule, did you buy me a houseplant?”
Something like happiness bubbled up inside of me. He hadn’t gotten me flowers. Somehow he knew I didn’t like them. He was a perceptive one that was for sure. He shrugged and shoved his hands into his pockets. “Yes, you have house plants with zero color. You needed something to brighten up this place.”
I scrunched up my nose. “I like the houseplants I have.”
“Vince hates taking care of them.” Derek muttered.
“So that’s how you got in.” The laugh that escaped me surprised us both.
He smiled again. “I love your laugh.”
I snickered. “I sound like a dying horse.”
He deadpanned. “How was your trip?” His eyes held grief and worry, something I hadn’t noticed before. His story came rushing back to me and it was my turn to hug him.
“I think my favorite part of it was getting to know you.” I pressed my face into his neck.
“You’re such a liar.”
I pressed a kiss to the inside of his neck and goosebumps ignited on his flesh. “No, I’m not. You broke me in two when you told me what happened to you. You made me want to be here. I wanted so desperately to hold you and hug you and kiss you.” The last bit took me by surprise. “I missed you, too.”
And before I knew it, his lips were on mine and nothing else mattered. Everything else faded away and the only thing on my mind was Derek’s mouth and how too many clothes were in our way. But he kept it innocent and sweet. The kiss that had gone from zero to one hundred in two seconds simmered down. He planted his hands on either side of my face and looked into my eyes. I didn’t know what they were searching for but I let him sit there and stare. However long he needed, I didn’t care. Though I did miss the warmth of his lips pressed against mine.
“You have this fire inside of you,” His eyes continued to search mine. “And when I first met you I was afraid that fire was going to burn me up too.”
“Oh?” I raised my eyebrows.
“Turns out I don’t mind this flame one bit.”
His lips crashed on mine again and I no longer cared for anything else.
Somehow I had managed to get Derek’s lips off of me long enough to get to the shower. He sat on my white couch with his big burly self and he looked so out of place. I had placed my family picture on the table and he had picked it up. I let him look over it while I tried to keep myself sane in the shower alone. I tried to be as quick as possible, if I wasn’t careful I would tempt the fire inside of me and this whole place would be an inferno. I wasn’t ready for that though. I wanted to know him. I wanted to date him. I wanted more kisses and deep talks. If I had to take things slow to get there, then dammit, I would.
