CHAPTER TEN

Chloe was quiet for so long that time that Derek thought she wasn’t going to answer him. When she finally did, she said, “And then what? We re-unite one big, happy family? I doubt that I’d be what they were expecting.”

“Chloe, they don’t have any expectations. Finding out their child is alive after all these years is a miracle on its own. These people are the kindest most non-judgmental people that you would ever want to meet. Their life was centered on family. Their family was taken from them way too soon. Besides, I think they would love you even if they didn’t suspect you were their daughter.”

“I don’t know how to be anyone’s daughter,” she said.

Derek wondered what else had been done to her. It made his chest hurt to imagine, and he was almost thankful that she didn’t seem to want to tell him. “You don’t have to be anything to anyone that you choose not to be, Chloe. All I’m asking is that you let me tell them and that you agree to meet them someday when you’re ready.”

“I’ll agree to think about meeting them,” she said. “You can tell them, I suppose. I’m guessing if they’re rich, they’ll want a DNA test to make sure I’m not trying to scam them.”

“I doubt they’ll ask, but when the time comes, if that’s something you would like to do in order to be sure, I can arrange it.”

“Do you have other pictures of her?” Chloe asked. Derek didn’t have to ask who.

“Yes. Would you like to see them?” She nodded, and he excused himself. He went into the bedroom and took out an album he had in his dresser drawer. It was an album that Samantha had given Sarah on her twenty-first birthday. It had photos of her from birth through that very day. A lot of the pictures had him in them too, and he wondered for a second if that would bother Chloe. He decided that this was one of those things they would have to get past if they had any chance of any kind of future.

He took the album out and sat back down at the table. “You sure about this?” he asked her. She looked up and nodded again. Derek sat the album down, and Chloe opened it to the first page. She saw the date of her birth at the top and underneath was pictures of a beautiful baby girl with tufts of blonde hair and big brown eyes. The tears already began to form in her eyes before she even turned to the next page.

He sat and watched her for a while and then suddenly feeling like he was intruding on an intensely private moment he got up and started moving around the kitchen. He took out some chicken breasts that he had in the refrigerator and began slicing it into long strips. He went back to the refrigerator and took out some vegetables and began slicing them the same way. When Chloe finished going through the book, Derek handed her a box of tissue. She wiped her face and then said, “Can I use the bathroom?”

He smiled, “Of course. You know where it’s at.” As he watched her go, he felt his heart ache for her again. He couldn’t fathom finding out at twenty-four years old that you weren’t who you thought you were. Especially if that twenty-four years had already been filled with so much pain. He took out a skillet and poured olive oil into the bottom of it. He was dropping the chicken in when he heard Chloe come back into the room.

“What are you making?” she asked.

“Stir fry. It’s my specialty.” She raised an eyebrow at him, and he smiled sheepishly and said, “Okay fine, it’s the only thing that I know how to cook. But, it’s delicious. You’ll love it.”

“I’m not sure if I should stay.”

He turned, so he was facing her and cautiously reached for her hands. She didn’t pull back, so he took them both in his and said, “It’s only dinner, Chloe. I will never ask you to do anything that you don’t want to do or aren’t comfortable doing.”

She nodded, and he could see in her eyes that she wanted to trust him. She was trying, and that was all that he could ask for at that moment. He did wish that she would take off those contact lenses. He wanted to really see her eyes. Eyes were important to him. He truly believed that they were the windows to your soul. He wanted to see her soul, and although he knew in his head that it was way too soon for him to feel that way, his heart said something different.

“Can I help?” she asked.

“Nope, sit down and relax and watch the master at work.”

She smiled, but to her credit, she sat and watched and appeared to be interested. Every once in a while, her eyes would drift over to the album, and he wished that he could read her thoughts. When dinner was ready, he fixed them both a plate and they took it up top to eat on the deck.

They sat at a little bistro table Derek had there, and he opened a bottle of wine. After pouring them both a glass, he picked his up and said, “To new friends.”

Chloe toasted with him and took a sip of her wine. She was quiet, and he just let her be, knowing how much she had on her mind. The sun was beginning to set, and as he agonized in his own heart over the pain and confusion in her eyes, he wondered if the beauty of the landscape only intensified it. Chloe probably felt that there was nothing beautiful right now about her crazy, mixed-up world. He knew that she’d been hurt and badly from the scars he had seen and felt. He knew that she didn’t seem to have anyone in her life other than a small handful of friends that she made at a place she despised.

She should be a teacher, sharing her knowledge with children and reaping the joys that – that would bring to them. Instead, she was stuck in a job she hated with people that as far as Derek was concerned, had no right to even be in her solar system. The defiant sky continued to adorn itself with the brilliant colors of orange and red, and he watched her face as she glared at the swirls of color. Her eyes were pink from crying and only made darker by the reflection of the sky.

“This is good,” she said after picking through it several times and finally taking a bite.

“Thanks,” he said, “It’s my secret sauce that makes it.”

With a smile, she said, “What’s so secret about it?”

“No one but me knows the recipe. I keep it in a locked box and have security guarding it around the clock.”

She laughed, and he loved the sound of it. “It’s not really that good,” she said.

He grabbed his heart with his right hand and said, “Oh my God, that was a direct hit.”

She laughed again. “I was kidding; it’s fantastic.”

“It is,” he said, “but maybe you don’t get that because you’re not tasting it right.”

“I’m not tasting it right?” she said.

“Yes, there’s a certain way to eat certain delicacies…” She cocked an eyebrow, and he said, “In some countries, my stir-fry is considered a delicacy.”

“Oh I’m sure,” she said with a grin.

“As I was saying, there is a certain way to eat it that intensifies both the flavors and the experience.”

“And how is that?” she asked.

“May I show you?”

“Okay.” Derek got out of his chair and took her by her hand. He pulled her to her feet and then reached down and picked up a spoon off the table. He slathered it with peanut sauce and then swiped it across his lips.

Chloe rolled her eyes and said, “What a lame way to get a kiss.”

“I’m completely serious here. It tastes ten times better this way. Don’t you want to try it?” He realized he was holding his breath, worried he was going to frighten her away again when suddenly she was on her tip toes, and he felt her warm tongue run slowly across his bottom lip. She pulled it back in, smacked a few times, and he said, “So what do you think?”

“I can’t be sure,” she said. Then she lifted up again, and this time she ran her tongue across his top lip and again across his bottom. He could feel himself getting aroused and he was sorely tempted to open his mouth and join her tongue. He didn’t though; he stood still, waiting to see what she would do.

When she finished cleaning off his lips, she said, “It’s definitely got more flavor that way. Stick out your tongue.”

“My tongue?”

“Yes, stick it out.”

He did as she asked and she picked up the spoon and ran it over his tongue. Then without further preamble, she wrapped her hands around his neck and pulled his mouth down to hers. She let her tongue slip into his mouth as their lips met and she tasted him like he was a sweet piece of dark chocolate. He wrapped her up in his arms and held her tight while they kissed. She felt so good in his arms, and he resolved then and there that he was going to do whatever it took to keep her there.

Taking a step back, she looked up at his towering frame and then her eyes fell to his chest. Chloe started unbuttoning his shirt. The material was thin, but one could tell it was expensive. On the fourth button she could feel her hands start to tremble, not from fear, but uncertainty. Her eyes roamed his tanned torso as she unhooked the last button and pushed his shirt apart. She looked up at Derek, watching the intensity that pooled in his beautiful blue eyes. Pure desire was the only thing she saw. She watched as he slipped his shirt off, hovering above her and her entire body started to tremble.

Chloe couldn't fight the urge not to touch his skin, so she did. Her delicate fingers ran down his chest to his wash board abs as he dipped his head down to hers and kissed her again.

“Let's go downstairs.” He whispered.

Reaching the bedroom his fingers lightly traced her arm, and she could feel the heat from his touch. Chloe's hands ran the firm muscles of his abdomen, and when she looked up at him, he was staring at her with such intensity that it made her weak in the knees.

There was absolutely no thought of resistance as Derek removed her clothes and then his own. His lips crashed into hers, and their tongues dueled like it was their last night together. Chloe moaned into his mouth and ran her fingernails down his back pulling him in closer. She could feel the hardness of his cock press into her thigh, and she could feel herself become instantly wet.

Derek's large hands roamed her body and then gently dipped down to her pussy. His fingers grazed over her wet folds. She was so wet for him. Clinging on to his biceps for support, she leaned her head into his chest as she felt his fingers dip inside her. Slowly gliding in and out of her pussy, she let out a soft moan as he went deeper and faster, caressing her inner walls. His lips trailed down her neck, and then he slowly eased her onto the bed.

Climbing on to the bed, his hand kneaded the soft flesh of Chloe's breast. His thumb and forefinger tweaked her nipple before his mouth claimed it in one mouth full. His lips and tongue rolled and sucked driving her crazy with desire. She arched her back pushing her breast further into his mouth when she felt his fingers slip inside once again and caress her inner walls. Chloe writhed beneath him, and her breaths were coming in pants. She moaned helplessly as his fingers sped up their pace delving between her wet folds. Feeling the first wave hit her she bucked against his touch when suddenly his lips were licking her pussy as he finger fucked her harder. He lapped at her clit and sucked her wet pussy lips as her body exploded into a million pieces. Her hands fisted the comforter underneath her as she screamed out in pure ecstasy, as her orgasm rolling through her body.

“You’re so beautiful.” His deep husky voice said as he looked up at her.

Breathing heavily, Chloe smiled and grabbed his shoulders, trying to pull him up to her. “I need you now Derek.” She whispered.

She watched Derek climb on top of her and grabbed his cock in his hand. He slowly swiped his thick mushroom tip up and down her folds a few times and then lightly pushed in the tip. Pulling back out and then slipping the tip in just an inch. Seconds later Chloe could feel his thick cock make its way in completely filling her. She moaned as he slid in and out stretching her to accommodate his size. The sensation was almost too much to bare as she wrapped her legs around him, wanting him in deeper.

“You feel so fucking good Chloe,” Derek whispered dipping down planting kisses on her collar bone.

She moaned out load, uncontrollably as he pushed in and out of her faster. Her nails ran the length of his back in a plea for more. Chloe started to buck wildly against his powerful thrusts as another orgasm ripped through her body, making her tremble and see spots.

“On my God.” She screamed out as the wave hit her again and his last hard thrust rammed her hard, and he exploded with her. They both collapsed, exhausted and panting for air.

“Jesus Christ. That was amazing.” Derek said staring into her brown rimmed blue eyes. He rolled onto his side and took a deep breath.

“Yes, it was Mr. Stark.”