Derek takes one look at me, spans two quick strides, and pulls me against his chest. His beating heart resonates into my ears, my bones, and I crawl my arms around his neck and tug him in with a hug that makes Freddy’s seem like child’s play.
‘Are you okay?’ Derek squeezes me.
‘I’m not concussed today,’ I joke.
He pulls away. ‘What happened yesterday?’ He leads me to the hard lobby cushions and sits me down beside him. I grimace—he seems to get the idea the moment he sits, too—and pulls me into his lap. A hand runs down my thigh, caring, soft. ‘That better?’
‘Yeah. It’s soft.’
‘For now.’ He kisses my forehead.
I’m glad Yazmin and Leo left. I like privacy with Derek, the way the muscles in his body ease to let me in when we’re alone, how he unspools the tension from my guts and org
