Legally Bound: Pregnant with my Rival's Baby

Chapter 23

Chapter 23

The dim lighting of Bella Notte, my favorite Italian restaurant, did little to soothe my frayed nerves. I sat at the bar, nursing a virgin mojito and trying to shake off the tension from the day's disastrous meeting. The merger, which had seemed so close to completion, was now hanging by a thread. And to make matters worse, Derek had been infuriatingly brilliant in his arguments against my client's position.

I sighed, taking another sip of my drink. It was moments like these when I missed the burn of alcohol, the easy escape it provided. But with the baby – our baby – that wasn't an option anymore.

"Fancy meeting you here, Chen."

I froze, the familiar deep voice sending a shiver down my spine. Slowly, I turned to find Derek Hawthorne standing behind me, looking unfairly handsome in his slightly rumpled suit.

"Hawthorne," I acknowledged, trying to keep my voice neutral. "Come to gloat about your victory today?"

Derek's expression softened, surprising me. "No gloating. Just looking for a good meal and a stiff drink after a hellish day." He gestured to the empty seat next to me. "Mind if I join you?"

I hesitated for a moment, then nodded. As Derek settled in beside me, I caught a whiff of his cologne – a scent that brought back vivid memories of our night together months ago.

"So," Derek said, after ordering a scotch from the bartender. "That was quite a meeting today."

I snorted, unable to help myself. "That's one way to put it. I think 'complete disaster' might be more accurate."

Derek chuckled, the sound sending a warmth through me that had nothing to do with the temperature of the room. "Come on, it wasn't that bad. Your arguments about the potential antitrust issues were actually quite compelling."

I raised an eyebrow, surprised by the compliment. "High praise coming from you, Hawthorne. Are you feeling okay?"

He grinned, a boyish expression that made my heart flutter traitorously. "I'm man enough to admit when my opponent has made a good point. Even if that opponent is the infuriating Sophia Chen."

"Infuriating, am I?" I retorted, leaning in slightly. "And here I thought we were developing a grudging respect for each other."

Derek's eyes darkened as they flicked down to my lips, then back up to meet my gaze. "Oh, there's nothing grudging about my respect for you, Sophia. It's your ability to drive me absolutely crazy that I have a problem with."

The air between us suddenly felt charged, thick with tension and unspoken desire. I knew I should pull back, maintain the professional distance we'd been so careful to cultivate since that night. But something – the stress of the day, the intimacy of the dimly lit bar, the way Derek was looking at me like I was the only woman in the world – made me reckless.

"And how exactly do I drive you crazy, Derek?" I asked, my voice low and husky.

Derek leaned in closer, a cocky smile playing on his lips. "Because I can tell I drive you crazy too," he murmured, tucking a loose strand of hair behind my ear with a deliberate, slow motion.

I inadvertently held my breath, the sensation of his fingers against my skin sending a shiver down my spine. "We shouldn't do this," I whispered, my voice trembling.

His smile widened, eyes glinting with mischief. "If you're so sure, then kiss me again," he challenged, his voice a low rumble. "Prove there's nothing there."

The rational part of me screamed to back away, but his proximity made my thoughts hazy, my rationality slipping away. I leaned in, our lips meeting in a tentative kiss that quickly ignited into something more passionate, more consuming than either of us had predicted.

I felt the world blur around us, his kiss sending waves of heat through my body. When we finally broke apart, breathless and flushed, I couldn't deny the truth any longer. Derek Hawthorne made my rationality go out the window, and I was powerless to resist him. Something in Derek's expression shifted. Gone was the careful restraint he'd been maintaining. In its place was a raw hunger that made my breath catch.

"My place is just around the corner," he said, his voice rough with desire. "If you want..."

I nodded, not trusting myself to speak. Derek quickly settled our bill, then guided me out of the restaurant, his hand on the small of my back sending sparks of electricity through me.

The walk to his apartment was a blur of s****l tension and stolen glances. As soon as we were inside, Derek had me pressed against the door, his body flush against mine.

Derek's hands were on me, his touch firm and possessive. He didn't waste any time, his lips crashing into mine with a ferocity that took my breath away. He was in control, his dominance clear in every movement.

He pulled back, his gaze locking onto mine, dark and intense. "I'm going to make you c*m," he said, his voice low and commanding.

A protest formed on my lips. "Derek, I—"

He silenced me with a kiss, deep and consuming, his tongue exploring my mouth with a dominance that left me dizzy. When he finally pulled back, I was gasping for breath, completely intoxicated by him.

"You understand?" he murmured against my lips, his breath hot on my skin.

I nodded, my earlier protest forgotten, my body aching for his touch. "Yes, Sir," I whispered, my voice trembling with desire.

Something flickered in Derek's eyes at my words, a dark, primal satisfaction that sent a thrill through me. He smirked, his grip tightening on my wrists.

"Good girl," he murmured, his voice a velvet purr that made my knees weak.

His hands moved to my blouse, unbuttoning it with a swift efficiency that left me breathless. He pushed it off my shoulders, his fingers grazing my skin, making me gasp. "Take off your bra," he ordered, stepping back slightly.

I did as he said, the heat of his gaze making my skin flush. When my bra joined my blouse on the floor, he stepped closer again, his hands cupping my breasts, his thumbs teasing my n*****s. I moaned, the sensation overwhelming, but when I reached out to touch him, he caught my wrists, holding them firmly at my sides.

"No touching," he reminded me, his voice a dark whisper. "Not yet."

He lowered his head, his mouth closing over one of my n*****s, sucking and teasing until I was writhing beneath him. My hands clenched into fists, desperate to touch him, to feel his skin under my fingers. But I obeyed, the intensity of his dominance sending waves of desire through me.

Derek's hands roamed lower, tracing the curve of my waist, the line of my hips. He slid my skirt down, letting it pool at my feet, and then hooked his fingers into my panties, pulling them down slowly, deliberately.

"Sit on the edge of the bed," he commanded, his voice rough with desire.

I moved to comply, sitting on the edge of the bed, my heart racing. He knelt before me, spreading my legs with a gentle but insistent pressure. His eyes met mine, dark and hungry.

"I'm going to make you feel so good," he promised, his voice a low growl. "But remember, no touching."

I nodded, unable to speak, my body trembling with anticipation. Derek's fingers traced up my thighs, his touch sending shivers through me. He leaned in, his breath hot against my most sensitive skin, and then his mouth was on me, his tongue and lips working magic.

I cried out, my hands clutching the sheets, my body arching towards him. He held me firmly in place, his hands gripping my thighs as he drove me closer and closer to the edge. The pleasure built, overwhelming, until I was trembling with the need for release.

"Derek, please," I begged, my voice breaking. "Please, I need—"

He intensified his efforts, his mouth and fingers pushing me over the edge. I shattered, my climax tearing through me with a force that left me gasping and trembling.

As I came down from the high, Derek moved up to capture my lips in a searing kiss, letting me taste myself on his tongue. He pulled back slightly, his breath ragged.

"You did so well," he murmured, his eyes filled with a dark satisfaction. "Good girl," he said softly, his thumb brushing over my lower lip.

I nodded, still dazed from the overwhelming intensity of it all, my breath coming in shallow gasps. As my gaze drifted downward, I couldn't help but notice the unmistakable bulge straining against his trousers, a clear sign of his own barely contained desire. God this man was going to be the death of me.

He seemed to hesitate for a moment before his expression hardened, a mix of pain and resolve in his eyes. "Tomorrow, we'll go back to pretending we're professionals," he commanded, his voice firm and unyielding. "Tonight, stay."

The panic of what we had done began to settle in, my mind racing with the implications. What had I just allowed to happen? How could I face him tomorrow in the boardroom, knowing we had crossed this line? My heart pounded in my chest, a frantic drumbeat echoing my fear and confusion. This wasn't supposed to happen. We were supposed to be professionals, keeping our distance, maintaining the boundaries that kept our personal lives separate from our work."Derek, we shouldn't," I protested, my voice trembling. "This is too much. We can't—"

He pulled me towards him gently, his arms wrapping around me with a tenderness that contrasted starkly with his earlier dominance. He was still fully clothed while I was not, the fabric of his shirt cool against my bare skin. "Stay," he repeated, his voice softer but still resolute. "Just for tonight."

I hesitated, the logical part of my mind screaming at me to leave, to put distance between us before it was too late. But the feel of his arms around me, the steady beat of his heart against my ear, was too comforting to resist.

I finally acquiesced, melting into his embrace, savoring the warmth and safety it brought. We lay there in silence, the weight of the world temporarily lifted, as I let myself forget the consequences and simply enjoyed the moment. His arousal pressed against me, a constant reminder of the tension simmering just beneath the surface, but for now, it was enough to be held by him, to feel cherished and protected in his arms.