Chapter Six - Sophia

“Are we allowed to be up here?” I asked, craning around to look up into Derrick’s face as he escorted me up a narrow staircase. His hand rested on my lower back and it took all my concentration not to trip over my own feet on the steep stairs at his first touch.

Derrick smiled down at me and nodded. “It’s fine. I come up here all the time. It’s the only quiet spot in this damn palace.”

I smirked and turned back in time to stop before a doorway. I pushed it open and stepped out onto a small balcony. The sight of the city below, with the moon and stars gleaming high overhead, took my breath away. “This is beautiful,” I breathed.

“I think so,” Derrick agreed, coming to stand beside me at the stone railing that was the only barrier between us and a four story drop to the courtyard below. A few people were below, probably security or Army MP’s on patrol. We were well within the green zone, but that didn’t mean danger didn’t lurk in the city below, even if it was hard to imagine as the city looked peaceful and quiet below.

“The sky looks like velvet,” I said, returning my gaze to the sky overhead. “You certainly don’t see this in the middle of Manhattan.”

Derrick chuckled. “No, I would assume not.”

I lowered my eyes to meet his and my heart raced a little faster as the quiet of the night caught up with me, and I realized how close and intimate our new surroundings were. The balcony was small, probably only big enough for two, maybe three people, and though there were a few people passing below, it felt like we were all alone in the twilight.

Derrick, as though realizing it too, took a side-step and leaned down against the stone railing that encircled the balcony. His forearms were exposed as the sleeves of his fatigues had been cuffed up to his elbows. It was still fairly warm, but it surprised me how different the temperature was compared to the day. I hadn’t expected the nights to be so chilly in the middle of a desert. I mirrored Derrick’s posture and scanned the city. “What do you do when you come up here alone?” I asked, glancing over at him.

He thought for a moment, before answering, “Think, mostly. I get to the end of a long day and just need a minute to myself to destress. Things out here can go from good to nightmare within a split second.”

I nodded, as though I knew what he was talking about, but didn’t dare compare my own personal tragedy to the kind that occurred out here.

“What about you?” he asked, meeting my eyes. “What do you do to unwind? I imagine your life gets to be a little much sometimes, as well.”

I laughed under my breath. “That’s an understatement. I try to keep a journal while I’m on the road. Helps me keep things in perspective when I can look back and have that record of my life so far.”

“Smart. I keep all my letters and emails from back home. Those are kind of my time capsule.”

“Do you get a lot of them?” I hoped the answer was yes.

Derrick smiled. “Yeah. My parents do a weekly newsletter of sorts and my sister sends me emails every few days, mostly with pictures of my little niece.”

The warmth in Derrick’s eyes melted me when he talked about his family. “You have a niece?”

“Harper,” he answered, his smile deepening. I traced the lines of his lips and the smile lines in his face with my eyes. “What about you?”

“Two of each, actually. Being an auntie is the best.”

Derrick chuckled. “It’s fun.”

“Do you want a family of your own someday?”

“Definitely,” Derrick replied with a nod. “What about you?”

“I think so…” I nibbled on my lower lip. “It’s hard to imagine sometimes. But yes, I do.”

Derrick’s hand found mine and traced the backs of my knuckles. “What was it that you were talking about at the end of the show? You said something about having a rough year and looking forward to coming out here.”

“Oh, that…” That whole speech had been a last minute addition, not scheduled or scripted on a TelePrompTer. Emotions had grabbed a hold, seeing all the smiling faces and knowing that there were thousands, probably tens of thousands, of families back in the states that were missing them. “I went through a nasty divorce earlier this year. It was splashed all over the internet and every grocery store rag mag cover. It was a nightmare.” I shook my head, wishing I could shake off the residual sadness that still settled around me whenever my guard wasn’t up. “Still is…” I added in a whisper.

Derrick interlocked our hands and I glanced down, fixated on the way his strong fingers engulfed my hand. “Wow. I’m sorry, Sophia. I didn’t know.”

I met his eyes and managed a small smile. “It’s all right. I actually like that you didn’t know. Everyone has an opinion formulated on whichever magazine or online gossip personality they follow. I’d rather you hear about it from me anyway. Although, on a night like this…it seems like there are better things we could be talking about.”

Or doing…

Getting lost in Derrick sounded like the perfect salve to heal the subtle ache left in my chest. I hadn’t been with anyone since the divorce was finalized. Hell, I hadn’t been with anyone other than my ex-husband. Ever. I’d worked too hard to cultivate a family-friendly brand for myself that affected every aspect of my career, and therefore, life. I didn’t have curse words in my songs, refused to wear sparkly booty shorts or tops that barely covered my boobs, and even in my personal life, I dressed relatively conservatively and didn’t go around stirring up trouble or bar hopping. Since I’d started my career at such a young age, I had younger girls who would find my music and I refused to be anything but a good role model for them.

But Derrick was standing there making me want to do some very unwholesome things.

“We can talk about anything you like. I just like being with you.”

I smiled over at Derrick, letting his words warm through me. “Me too.”

“Can I ask one question first?”

I nodded, steeling myself for the worst. Was this the part where he’d ask about my ex?

Derrick released my hand as he turned to prop himself against his elbow on the railing. “Were you serious about New Year’s?”

Relief flooded me and I nodded. “Of course. If you have a chance, after seeing your family and everyone…I don’t want to steal away your time from them.”

He smiled and leaned down, his lips getting dangerously close to mine. “I’m pretty sure they’d understand…” He captured my mouth before I could object to his statement and as he kissed me deeply, the arguments died away.

Derrick raised a hand to cup the side of my face and I moved in closer to him. His free hand went to my waist and pulled me against him before settling on my low back again, this time his fingertips grazed the top curve of my backside. A purr formed in the back of my throat and bubbled up, turning to a soft moan as Derrick’s tongue slipped past my lips and stroked the tip of my own with seductive rhythms that sent bolts of heat between my thighs. I squirmed against him, wanting and craving more of his touch. His hands slid down, over my ass, cupping me with an appreciative groan. The kiss broke away as he leaned down to nibble at my ear. “I know I should take it slow, but damn it, Sophia, I can’t stop thinking about you. All of you…”

My cheeks flushed with heat at his sultry words and then at the path his fingertips took as they slid back up my body, taking a lingering tour of my hips, before settling back on my low back and tugging me in close again. “Who said you had to take it slow?” I asked, my voice a throaty whisper.

He pulled away a little—just enough to meet my eyes. A half-cocked grin spread over his tempting lips. “Careful what you wish for, Sophia.”

I tilted my head back, arching my neck for his perusal. “It’s been a long time…what can I say? I’m running high on estrogen and low on patience.”

Derrick needed no further invitation. He ravaged the side of my neck with hot kisses as his hands slid over my hips and pushed past the edge of my shirt. The cool desert air brushed over my bared skin as his hands dragged it up my sides. With a quick maneuver, he turned me so my back was pressed against the wall, out of the line of sight of anyone walking down below. Only when I was concealed in the shadows did he strip the shirt completely off. I tugged his jacket apart, wincing at the loud sounds the Velcro made as they ripped apart. Derrick chuckled softly against my collarbone as he explored the newly exposed flesh with his lips and teeth and tongue. His hands were behind my back, protecting my skin from the exterior of the building, but as I pulled at his jacket, he pushed away long enough to strip the jacket and then the faded tan undershirt off.

I smiled widely at the display of muscles I was rewarded with as he pulled the shirt off over his head. And when his dog tags tinkled and came to rest against his chiseled chest…I nibbled my lip and tried not to moan just at the sight of him. For all of Derrick’s nice guy tendencies, his body was pure naughty delight. Defined muscles rippled over every inch of his arms and an inky band of Celtic symbols made their way down his right bicep. I traced my finger over the design, absently wondering what they meant, but was quickly distracted as Derrick’s skin crashed against mine, a war of hard and soft, that made me wish we were back in my room, lost under the sheets.

Derrick’s fingers wove through my hair and tugged gently to bring my lips back to his. The kiss deepened and I squirmed against him, craving more of him. His hips rocked against mine and there was no doubt we were on the same wave length.

I arched against him, my nipples straining against the satin cups of my bra, aching to be touched. His hands went to my breasts, palming them through the soft fabric. He ran a thumb over my nipple and I shuddered against him. I clenched my thighs together, the pressure building to dizzying heights. “Derrick…” I whispered, my breath coming in short little pants as his lips moved over my jaw. “I want this. I want you.”

“Not here, baby,” he whispered, tracing a finger down the side of my face. “I want you somewhere where we can be alone. I plan on making you moan my name and don’t need a bunch of nosy MP’s breaking up the party.”

I shuddered at the seductive promise in his words and whimpered a little. I didn’t want to beg, but the thought of peeling myself away from him and going back to my room alone…and unsatisfied…was unbearable.

“We can go to my room…” I suggested, stroking the front of his chest, making sure he noticed that each circle had my hand going lower on his torso, getting dangerously close to the belt wound around the waist of his fatigues. His hard-on was visible through the material and if I dropped one more inch my fingertips would graze him.

But I had a feeling that if I did—we’d never make it back to my room.

Derrick considered me, his eyes drunk with lust, dark and wide under the soft light of the moon above. “I’d offer to take you to mine, but I share with three other guys, I gotta figure having an audience is not your thing.”

A laugh slipped out louder than I’m planned, and I immediately slapped my hand over my mouth to muffle the sound. Derrick’s eyes danced. “Come on, trouble.”

We shrugged back into our discarded clothing and Derrick took my hand as we ducked back into the palace. “Uh oh…” I said, looking both ways down the wide hall.

“What?”

I giggled. “I have no idea where we are.”

Derrick shot me a sideways grin. “That’s why you’re with me.”

“Oh, that’s why,” I repeated, laughing. “I thought it was to have my wicked way with you.”

His eyes flashed with heat and for a moment I thought he was going to back me up against the wall and kiss me right there in the middle of the hall. No one was in sight but footsteps sounded in the distance and he gave a slight shake to his head, apparently changing his mind. He tugged my hand and drew me close to him. “Come on.”

As promised, Derrick maneuvered the labyrinth like an expert guide and within minutes we were on the other side of my bedroom door and our clothes were flying again. This time, Derrick didn’t show any restraint, though he was still gentle, as he tugged my shirt back over my head and immediately went to unclasp the back of my bra, letting it fall to the floor as his hungry eyes took in every inch of newly exposed flesh.

He gripped my hips, dragging me toward him as I toyed with the dog tags hanging around his neck. “You got a thing for tags?” he asked, smirking down at me as I played with the warm metal plates that clanged together over his once again bare chest.

I glanced up into his dark eyes. “I do now.”

Derrick kissed me and worked his fingers to the button on my jeans. I worked at the same fevered pace to shuck away his pants, getting hung up on all the buttons. I had to laugh at my shaking fingers. “God, I’m acting like a virgin or something…”

“Well, to be fair, you did say it’s been a while. Maybe you’re just rusty,” Derrick teased, reaching down to give me a hand.

I slapped him playfully on the arm and took over. I popped the last button. “We’ll see if you’re still saying that after I’ve had my way with you…”

Derrick stopped breathing.

I grinned at the stunned look on his face but it faded quickly, changing into a soft squeal as he lifted me from the floor and tossed me down onto the bed. He tugged at the waist of my jeans and peeled them from my legs, making a sexy little growl as his eyes explored my body. I twisted and squirmed under his eyes and clenched my thighs together, feeling heat and achy pressure building once again. My panties were black with red embroidery thread making little designs at the sides. If they were any other color, Derrick would have seen how ready I was for him to slide deep inside of me.

“Damn, baby, you’re even hotter than I imagined.”

“Been dreaming about me, huh?” My sarcastic smile fell away as Derrick finished dropping his pants, revealing his thick shaft that made me wiggle even more with anticipation.

“Baby, you don’t even wanna know the things I’ve been dreaming about,” he replied, a wicked smile crossing his lips. He bent to unlace his boots and I studied the thick, corded muscles in his back as he made quick work of them. He kicked out of the boots and joined me on the bed. “But this,” he drawled, dragging his finger along the curve of my breast, “is even better than I dreamed. You’re a very sexy woman, Sophia.”

My cheeks warmed under his intent study of every curve in the soft light coming from the lamp over the sitting area in the large suite.

Derrick lowered his lips to follow the trail his finger made, working his way down my body with soft strokes of his tongue and gentle nibbles with his lips and teeth. I arched back when his teeth raked over the tender skin on the insides of my thighs. He grinned up at me and our eyes met as he dropped another soft kiss to the place where the silky soft fabric hugged my aching pussy. Derrick worked under the panties and I gasped at the shock of sensations that flooded me at his featherlight touch. He was teasing me. Giving me just enough to take the edge off, only to have the urgency heighten to new levels a moment later. I bit my lip to keep from begging. Secretly, I loved the slow torture of it all. Derrick was a man on a mission, but he wasn’t in a hurry to get there. Not anymore. He was enraptured with my body and his careful tour over every inch was sheer seduction in a way I’d never experienced before.

Derrick ravished my body as though I was a fine wine or decadent dessert with relish, but slow enough to savor every morsel. When he brought me to the brink, I pleaded with him to let me go, to let me fall, because I knew he’d be there to catch me.

I clung to his squared shoulders for dear life as waves of pleasure gripped me and tugged me under. The soft light in the room exploded into starbursts behind my closed eyes as arched and bucked, fisting the sheets to keep anchored. Derrick worked back up my body with another trail of hot kisses. “Open your eyes, Sophia. Let me see you.”

My lashes fluttered open and our eyes met again. Derrick smiled down at me, bracing his weight on his hands as he hovered above me. “That’s better…” he drawled.

I wove my arms around his neck and tugged him down, the taste of myself still clinging to his lips as they crushed mine. The climax had only made me hungry for more and this time, slow wasn’t what I wanted. My tongue slipped past Derrick’s lips, tangling with his in a fierce battle of wills.

We broke apart only long enough to catch our breath and Derrick’s expression drooped.

“What’s wrong?” I panted, shaking my hair out of my eyes.

“I don’t have anything…I don’t get a lot of action out here…”

I laughed softly. “No worries.”

I squirmed from underneath him and sauntered—bare ass naked—across the room to my purse and tugged out a condom packet. I held it up and watched Derrick’s expression flood with relief. I giggled, but heat flooded my cheeks as I worried what Derrick thought of me carting around spare condoms in my purse. Truth was, I’d bought them before the trip and had even ordered them online to prevent the gossip mongers of the world from getting into my private life. All it would take was a loud mouth drug store clerk to land me on the front page of some lowbrow tabloid. “I wasn’t sure where the trip would take me…” I offered, stalking back to the bed, feeling Derrick’s eyes on every inch of me as my hips swayed.

“Fortune favors the prepared,” he said with a wink, trying to take the foil packet from between my fingers.

I gripped it and shook my head. “Let me…”

Derrick’s eyes went wide, but he didn’t argue. Instead, he reclined back and playfully put his arms behind his head, looking like he was doing some nude sunbathing on a beach somewhere. I gave him a quirky grin before tearing into the package. Derrick’s teasing smile fell away as soon as my fingertips touched his thick shaft. I stroked down the velvet skin with the same feather touch he’d used when exploring my body minutes before. I watched his eyes go big and round as I stroked him. I slid the condom on him, one tantalizing inch at a time, cupping him with my fingers when I reached the base.

Derrick growled and reached for me, trying to tug me back to him. I climbed up his body and straddled his narrow hips. Derrick flashed an approving smile. “A take charge kind of woman?”

I didn’t answer as I slid onto him. He hissed under his breath as I arched back, moaning at the sensation of being so perfectly filled. Whole. Derrick’s hands went to my hips and guided me in tight little circles as I rocked onto him. He rose and fell with each stroke and it was as though our bodies were perfectly coordinated, working together to eke out every last drop of pleasure. His hands moved up to my breasts, teasing my tender nipples as my breasts bounced with each thrust. I groaned out a curse and he rolled us over just as I was ready to crash over the edge again.

My thighs clung to his lean hips and our eyes met as he thickened inside of me. Derrick released and I shuddered into another climax moments later as I tightened around him. I laid a hand over Derrick’s smooth chest and smiled at the way his heart rocketed around inside, following the same frantic pace as my own.

“Damn,” he bit out as he rolled off of me and flipped onto his back.

I laughed softly and grinned over at him. “Don’t get too comfortable there, soldier. Like I said, it’s been a while…”

Derrick gave me a lazy smirk as his eyes drifted over my body. “With you looking like that, it’s not gonna be a problem, baby.”

I smiled to myself and moments later he gathered me back in his arms, pressing himself against me to back up his statement.

When we both had all we could take, we collapsed down in exhaustion and clung together under the sheet. Derrick kept his arm locked around my waist and as our breathing evened out, I wondered if I should just let myself drift off to sleep. “Are you awake?” I whispered in case he wasn’t.

“Mmhmm,” he hummed.

I smiled at his sleepy sounding reply.

He roused slightly, propping himself up on his elbow. “Do you have a show tomorrow night?” he asked, his lips centimeters from my ear.

I nodded, my eyes still half-closed as I tried to absorb every last drop of pleasure at being in Derrick’s arms.

“What are you doing after that?”

“Hopefully more of this…” I replied, a sly smile on my lips.

“Good answer…” Derrick drawled before kissing the back of my neck.