Serena

Derek pistons in and out of me, his thrusts hard and punishing. Greedy. Owning. With every delicious insertion, his flesh is warm friction against mine. We could go all night, but the sound of laughter and chatter outside his unlocked door means we’ll have to be quick.

Our lips are sealed and locked, our hands knowing no boundaries.

His taste on my tongue, his body against mine—it’s pure heaven.

Minutes later, my body seizes as the build-up rushes through my core and weakens my trembling thighs. I moan into his mouth, and he knows my body. His throbbing hardness fills me, driving into me faster and faster yet as I ride the sweetest rush I’ve ever known.

When I’m finished, my body limp and still reeling, he pulls himself from me, pumping the length of his shaft until his cum drips down my soft belly. I look up at him, my lips arching up in the corners and my expression certainly deliciously delirious.

“I’m falling for you, Serena,” he says. “And I don’t know how to stop.”

* * *

“I love your family.” I’m lying in Derek’s bed, in Derek’s arms, late Sunday night. We left his parents’ house together, and he took me by Demi’s to get my things.

No one asked questions. No one made fun or let their side glances linger too long. It’s as if they all knew this was going to happen long before we did.

And as ridiculous as this sounds, Demi’s become one of the best friends I’ve ever had. Best – as in sweetest, kindest, and most selfless. After the weekend in the city and everything that happened with Keir, I had to break things off with my last remaining friend. Though I don’t suppose I could even call Poppy a friend after all of that.

She was distraught, begging for my forgiveness and apologizing, claiming she didn’t know that Veronica had put Keir up to it, but she never should’ve put me in that position to begin with. She never should’ve lured me to the city for a “girls’ weekend” if all she wanted to do was place me back in Keir’s path of chaos and destruction.

At the end of our conversation, I told her the next time she speaks to Page Six, she’ll be hearing from my attorney.

She hung up after that, and in the days that followed, the gossip articles seemed to die down.

Or at least that’s what Demi told me.

I refused to look.

“You’re a lucky man,” I say. “Everything you have is everything I always dreamed of growing up.”

“I guess they’re all right.” He drags his fingertips along my arm, staring at the ceiling.

My cheek is pressed against his bare chest, and the soft thrum of his heart beating fills my ear.

“I wish you didn’t have to work tomorrow,” I say with a despondent moan as I walk my fingers up his rippled abs. “We could lie in bed all day. Do all sorts of naughty things.”

He breathes a laugh.

“Am I tempting you yet?” I tease.

“I won’t be going to work tomorrow,” he says. “I’m on paid leave.”

I shoot up, facing him. “What? Why?”

“Someone reported us.” Even in the dark, I see his jaw flex and tense.

“Reported us for what?”

“Beginning a sexual relationship with a client during representation is grounds for attorney discipline,” he says. “Anyone can report it to the state bar association. All claims have to be investigated. Paid leave is protocol at our firm.”

“What’s going to happen next?”

Derek exhales, his mouth twisting at the side. “Best case scenario, I’m privately reprimanded. Worst case, I’m temporarily disbarred. Or barred altogether.”

“Jesus, Derek.” My fingers tremble, lifting to my lips. “This is all my fault.”

“I won’t get barred,” he says.

“How do you know?”

“Sleeping with you violates the Model Code and Model Rules, but it’s not grounds for disbarment. They like to throw that in to scare people.”

“Could you get temporarily disbarred?”

“Maybe.” He repositions the pillows behind him, suddenly growing uncomfortable. “More than likely, I’ll face a public censure. They’ll issue me a written reprimand to go in my file at the firm, and it’ll be a public record. Anyone searching my name or requesting my file will have access to the letter. They’ll know what I did.”

“That’s just as bad. This is going to follow you the rest of your career.” I’ve never felt so awful. “I’m sorry, Derek. I just wanted to have fun with you. I didn’t know it would lead to all of this . . .”

“I tried to warn you.” He takes my hand, bringing it to his lips and depositing a kiss. When he pulls me against him, he nestles into my hair, his breath warm against my ear. “I don’t want to talk about this anymore, Serena. What’s done is done.”

Derek is out within minutes, but I can’t bring myself to relax. My mind busies itself with guilt-ridden thoughts that refuse to disappear.

He looks so peaceful when he sleeps, but behind that dreamy façade is a man going through hell . . .

. . . all because of me.

My stomach churns, twisting, sinking. I’m sick over what I’ve done to him. He had an amazing career ahead of him, and I ruined it all like some permanent black mark he never deserved.

I trace my finger down the outline of his jaw, delicately graze his full lips, and then run it down the straight bridge of his perfect nose.

I can see myself with this man. I can see myself marrying him, having his babies, settling in the outskirts of some beautiful, sleepy little town like Rixton Falls. I can see myself being happy for the first time in forever.

When I look at Derek Rosewood, I see my own, personal knight in shining armor and the happily ever after I never thought I’d know.

But none of it matters.

I destroyed this man out of selfishness.

I broke down his impenetrable walls like they were nothing, all because I was curious and lonely and craving a distraction.

I convinced him to violate his professional ethics, and now he’s paying the ultimate price.

I could have loved this man so hard.

And maybe I was well on my way . . .

But none of that matters now.

He doesn’t need my baggage. He doesn’t need to be with someone who doesn’t know what she wants or where she’s going half the time. He would never want to set foot in my big city, paparazzi life anyway, and I wouldn’t subject him to it.

Tonight was a mistake—a delicious, reckless mistake.

But it can’t happen again.

Derek deserves better than me. He deserves more than I can give him. He deserves a woman who won’t bend him until he breaks because it’s all she’s ever done to any man who dared to show her an ounce of affection.

“Goodbye, Derek.” I whisper a final farewell to the most beautiful man I’ve ever known and slip out in the dead of night.