Lost in the moment, I melt against Derek, surrendering myself entirely to the intoxicating sensations. Our dance is one of tongues and lips, and our symphony is one of yearning.
With each passing moment, the world around us fades ever further, leaving only the two of us, bound and consumed by our fiery embrace. When we finally break our kiss, I’m almost panting as my heart pounds in my chest.
I trace my lips along his jaw, pausing to kiss his neck softly, and lay my head on his shoulder with a gentle sigh. As we settle into our embrace, all that matters is the warmth of our bodies pressed together, and the rhythm of his heartbeat against my chest, steady and strong, echoing my own. I lift my head to look into his eyes, and in the depths of his eyes, I see a reflection of the firestorm he ignited within me. Nothing need be said, our silent contemplation of each other speaks far more than words ever could. At this moment, I am completely and utterly at peace. Yet what I long for is to again surrender myself to his kiss.
Wordlessly, I invite him to take my lips again. As a subtle smile curves his lips, he gently tilts his head, leans forward, and closes the distance between us once more until his lips meet mine in a soft, yet fervent kiss, igniting yet another cascade of sensations that course through me like wildfire. In this intimate exchange, time seems to stand still, as if the universe itself has paused to witness a perfect moment.
I have no clue how long we were lost in our kiss, nor did I care. Until I’m startled when Harper’s concerned voice calls out, “Kayla? Are you out here?”
For a moment, I'm disoriented, my senses still swimming in the lingering traces of our passionate embrace. Blinking away the haze, I turn my head toward the direction of Harper's voice, and reluctantly pull away from him, though it’s the last thing I want to do.
“Yes, I’m over here,” I call back, my voice slightly breathless, betraying the intensity of my emotional state. As I glance back at him. I smile as I reach down to unzip my clutch and quickly remove a tissue to wipe the smeared lipstick off both of us. I teasingly state, “My lipstick looks better on me than you.”
He chuckles softly and gently rubs my back as his eyes twinkle with amusement. Despite the interruption, he seems far more at ease than he was just a short time ago. At least, I hope that’s what I’m seeing.
Harper's footsteps draw nearer, and soon she and Jeff emerge into view, her expression shifting from concern to curiosity as she takes in the scene before her while Jeff smirks at Derek. Both of them have a knowing glint in their eyes as they look at us, and I can't help but feel a blush creeping onto my cheeks.
“Sorry to interrupt,” Harper says with a playful grin, clearly enjoying the moment. “It looks like we barged into something we shouldn’t have.”
I can't help but laugh, despite the awkwardness of being caught in such a private moment. With a shrug and a smile, I reply, “No need to apologize, Harper. We just needed a moment to ourselves." I wave them over to take a seat with us.
They join us, with Harper taking a seat on Jeff’s lap. “Did something happen?” Jeff asks.
I exchange a knowing glance with Derek before responding, “Just enjoying the pleasant evening and some good company.” I offer a subtle smile, hoping to derail the line of questioning.
Harper smirks as she raises an eyebrow. “Mhmm, sure you were,” she quips, her tone light and playful, yet it’s obvious to see she knows there’s something I left unsaid. I’m supremely grateful for her understanding and discretion, and to have a sister who respects my privacy.
As we settle into a conversation about my party, the lingering echoes of our ardent kisses fade into the background, replaced by the warmth of friendship and laughter.
Finally, Harper pauses and looks me in the eye for a few seconds. “Well, don't let us intrude. I was just a little worried when I couldn’t find you.”
I smile as I reach over and rub her shoulder. “You can never intrude, Harper. It was time for us to return to the party anyway before I’m missed.”
Harper returns the smile, her expression softening with understanding. “Alright,” she says. “Just know that I'm always here if you need me.”
I nod appreciatively, touched by her offer. “Thanks, Harper.”
With a final squeeze of her shoulder, I rise from my seat, take Derek’s arm and we make our way back to the party. I can't help but be happy for everything that Harper brings into my life.
As we rejoin the party and take a seat at our table, I’m asked to dance by Keith, a friend of a friend. After glancing at Derek, and him nodding, I accepted.
I return his smile as I accept his invitation, and we make our way to the dance floor where I quickly lose myself in the music and joy I feel when dancing.
A sudden shift in Keith's behavior catches me off guard when Keith suddenly grinds his crotch against my butt as he grabs my hips. Reacting instinctively, I rip his hands from my hips and whirl around to confront him, my voice tinged with a mix of surprise and indignation. “Whoa, bud! That's completely inappropriate!” I assert firmly, my tone sharp and cold making it abundantly clear that his actions are unwelcome.
Keith’s expression shifts from surprise to embarrassment as his mouth flaps for a few seconds seemingly trying to find something to say. “Uh… I'm sorry, I didn't mean... I just thought…” he trails off, unable to find the right words to justify his actions.
I hold his gaze steadily, my stance firm as I make it clear that there's no room for excuses. “It doesn't matter what you thought. That is not alright. You don’t just grab ahold of someone and you damn well know it,” I state firmly, my tone leaving no room for ambiguity.
I turn away from Keith, unwilling to deal with someone who’s so blatantly disrespectful. As I make my way back to my table, I can't help but feel appalled and disgusted, and unfortunately, this isn’t the first, or the last, time I’ll probably have to deal with it.
As I settle back into my seat, Derek reaches over and gently rubs my thigh, gives it a light squeeze and then holds it. “Are you okay?” he asks softly, his voice filled with concern.
I manage a smile, grateful for his presence and unwavering support. “I’m fine. A bit irked, but that’s all,” I reply quietly. “It’s an unfortunate fact that some people still don't understand boundaries.”
Harper nods in agreement with an empathic expression. “True, but we shouldn’t have to deal with those Neanderthals,” she quips acidly.
Taking a deep breath, I push the incident to the back of my mind just like every other time something similar has happened. When Derek begins to say something else, I shake my head and adamantly state, “It’s done. Let it go,” my tone carries a tight note of finality. Despite the unpleasantness, I refuse to let it overshadow my enjoyment of the night.
The party continues until midnight. I place an order for a car and then Jeff, Derek, Harper and I make our way over to gather my presents. When it arrives, we place the bags of my presents in the trunk and settle ourselves into the seats. I lean against him and close my eyes as he wraps an arm around my shoulders. Unlike the ride to the venue, it’s deathly quiet in the car. Outside, the city lights below us stream by as we make our way home.
In the darkness of the car, I find myself thinking about this evening. Overall, it was phenomenal with one minor hiccup. I concentrate more on the laughter, conversations, and all the other good things that happened. As the car glides above the cityscape, I tell myself to let go of the bad and focus on the overwhelmingly happy events. However, Keith will not be attending another event we host, period.
When the car pulls up to my house, Derek helps me out of the car, and the four of us collect the bags from the trunk. We wave our thanks to the driver and slowly make our way to the door.
As we approach the door, I'm calm and happy despite the minor hiccup, tonight was fantastic. As we step inside, it’s dark and quiet. I turn on a side lamp to dimly light the living room, and we set down the bags of presents.
Harper tells the boys to take a seat and that we’ll be right back. Despite how late it is, we still have a couple of hours until Jeff and Derek have to be home. In the kitchen, Harper and I gratefully remove our boots, grab a couple of drinks apiece out of the refrigerator, and head back into the living room. As we reenter the living room, it becomes much cozier and dimmer when Harper turns down the lighting more.
I walk over, set down our drinks on the coffee table, sit down beside Derek, pull my legs underneath me, and lean against him. He seems to be a little distracted. “Are you okay?” I ask softly, reaching out to place a hand on his arm. He startles slightly before giving me a small smile.
“Yeah, I'm fine," he replies, his voice quiet. "Just thinking about the last couple of days.”
I tilt my head slightly and ask, “And?”
He looks into my eyes, his expression softening. “I can’t help but feel lucky to have met you. Even more so that you like me.”
Harper and Jeff exchange a knowing glance before excusing themselves, leaving Derek and me alone in the cozy living room.
My heart swells and a warm feeling spreads out from my chest. I reach up to touch his cheek, and gently run my thumb along his jawline. “I feel the same way,” I whisper.
He leans closer to me, his breath warm against my skin. Without saying a word, he closes the distance between us, capturing my lips in a gentle yet ardent kiss. When we break apart, a soft smile plays on Derek's lips, his eyes locking with mine. “I don’t want this night to end,” he murmurs, his voice barely above a whisper.
I nod in agreement, feeling a rush of emotions swirling inside me. “Then what do you say we make the most of it,” I reply, a spark of flame igniting within me. Moving into his lap, I kiss him fiercely, leaving no room to doubt what I want from him. Derek’s hands wrap around my waist to pull me close as our kiss deepens, further fanning the flames of my ardor.
I'm going to stop here. Though I will say the next hour was amazing. Even better, the most he ever did is grab my butt, which I didn't mind, but he never tried taking it further than that, which makes me grateful. I say that because if he had tried to go further, I’d have thrown him out of the house and refused to see him again.
As we finally pull away, our foreheads resting against each other, Derek whispers, “I still can’t believe I met you.” His voice is filled with a mixture of wonder and adoration.
I smile, feeling like I might burst into flames. “Hmm… Well, maybe we were meant to find each other,” I suggested, as I combed my fingers through his messy hair trying to put it back into some semblance of order.
Derek’s gaze is intense as he looks into my eyes. “Could be. Who knows, though? I’m just happy we did,” he confesses.
Lost in the moment, I melt against Derek, surrendering myself entirely to the intoxicating sensations. Our dance is one of tongues and lips, and our symphony is one of yearning.
With each passing moment, the world around us fades ever further, leaving only the two of us, bound and consumed by our fiery embrace. When we finally break our kiss, I’m almost panting as my heart pounds in my chest.
I trace my lips along his jaw, pausing to kiss his neck softly, and lay my head on his shoulder with a gentle sigh. As we settle into our embrace, all that matters is the warmth of our bodies pressed together, and the rhythm of his heartbeat against my chest, steady and strong, echoing my own. I lift my head to look into his eyes, and in the depths of his eyes, I see a reflection of the firestorm he ignited within me. Nothing need be said, our silent contemplation of each other speaks far more than words ever could. At this moment, I am completely and utterly at peace. Yet what I long for is to again surrender myself to his kiss.
Wordlessly, I invite him to take my lips again. As a subtle smile curves his lips, he gently tilts his head, leans forward, and closes the distance between us once more until his lips meet mine in a soft, yet fervent kiss, igniting yet another cascade of sensations that course through me like wildfire. In this intimate exchange, time seems to stand still, as if the universe itself has paused to witness a perfect moment.
I have no clue how long we were lost in our kiss, nor did I care. Until I’m startled when Harper’s concerned voice calls out, “Kayla? Are you out here?”
For a moment, I'm disoriented, my senses still swimming in the lingering traces of our passionate embrace. Blinking away the haze, I turn my head toward the direction of Harper's voice, and reluctantly pull away from him, though it’s the last thing I want to do.
“Yes, I’m over here,” I call back, my voice slightly breathless, betraying the intensity of my emotional state. As I glance back at him. I smile as I reach down to unzip my clutch and quickly remove a tissue to wipe the smeared lipstick off both of us. I teasingly state, “My lipstick looks better on me than you.”
He chuckles softly and gently rubs my back as his eyes twinkle with amusement. Despite the interruption, he seems far more at ease than he was just a short time ago. At least, I hope that’s what I’m seeing.
Harper's footsteps draw nearer, and soon she and Jeff emerge into view, her expression shifting from concern to curiosity as she takes in the scene before her while Jeff smirks at Derek. Both of them have a knowing glint in their eyes as they look at us, and I can't help but feel a blush creeping onto my cheeks.
“Sorry to interrupt,” Harper says with a playful grin, clearly enjoying the moment. “It looks like we barged into something we shouldn’t have.”
I can't help but laugh, despite the awkwardness of being caught in such a private moment. With a shrug and a smile, I reply, “No need to apologize, Harper. We just needed a moment to ourselves." I wave them over to take a seat with us.
They join us, with Harper taking a seat on Jeff’s lap. “Did something happen?” Jeff asks.
I exchange a knowing glance with Derek before responding, “Just enjoying the pleasant evening and some good company.” I offer a subtle smile, hoping to derail the line of questioning.
Harper smirks as she raises an eyebrow. “Mhmm, sure you were,” she quips, her tone light and playful, yet it’s obvious to see she knows there’s something I left unsaid. I’m supremely grateful for her understanding and discretion, and to have a sister who respects my privacy.
As we settle into a conversation about my party, the lingering echoes of our ardent kisses fade into the background, replaced by the warmth of friendship and laughter.
Finally, Harper pauses and looks me in the eye for a few seconds. “Well, don't let us intrude. I was just a little worried when I couldn’t find you.”
I smile as I reach over and rub her shoulder. “You can never intrude, Harper. It was time for us to return to the party anyway before I’m missed.”
Harper returns the smile, her expression softening with understanding. “Alright,” she says. “Just know that I'm always here if you need me.”
I nod appreciatively, touched by her offer. “Thanks, Harper.”
With a final squeeze of her shoulder, I rise from my seat, take Derek’s arm and we make our way back to the party. I can't help but be happy for everything that Harper brings into my life.
As we rejoin the party and take a seat at our table, I’m asked to dance by Keith, a friend of a friend. After glancing at Derek, and him nodding, I accepted.
I return his smile as I accept his invitation, and we make our way to the dance floor where I quickly lose myself in the music and joy I feel when dancing.
A sudden shift in Keith's behavior catches me off guard when Keith suddenly grinds his crotch against my butt as he grabs my hips. Reacting instinctively, I rip his hands from my hips and whirl around to confront him, my voice tinged with a mix of surprise and indignation. “Whoa, bud! That's completely inappropriate!” I assert firmly, my tone sharp and cold making it abundantly clear that his actions are unwelcome.
Keith’s expression shifts from surprise to embarrassment as his mouth flaps for a few seconds seemingly trying to find something to say. “Uh… I'm sorry, I didn't mean... I just thought…” he trails off, unable to find the right words to justify his actions.
I hold his gaze steadily, my stance firm as I make it clear that there's no room for excuses. “It doesn't matter what you thought. That is not alright. You don’t just grab ahold of someone and you damn well know it,” I state firmly, my tone leaving no room for ambiguity.
I turn away from Keith, unwilling to deal with someone who’s so blatantly disrespectful. As I make my way back to my table, I can't help but feel appalled and disgusted, and unfortunately, this isn’t the first, or the last, time I’ll probably have to deal with it.
As I settle back into my seat, Derek reaches over and gently rubs my thigh, gives it a light squeeze and then holds it. “Are you okay?” he asks softly, his voice filled with concern.
I manage a smile, grateful for his presence and unwavering support. “I’m fine. A bit irked, but that’s all,” I reply quietly. “It’s an unfortunate fact that some people still don't understand boundaries.”
Harper nods in agreement with an empathic expression. “True, but we shouldn’t have to deal with those Neanderthals,” she quips acidly.
Taking a deep breath, I push the incident to the back of my mind just like every other time something similar has happened. When Derek begins to say something else, I shake my head and adamantly state, “It’s done. Let it go,” my tone carries a tight note of finality. Despite the unpleasantness, I refuse to let it overshadow my enjoyment of the night.
The party continues until midnight. I place an order for a car and then Jeff, Derek, Harper and I make our way over to gather my presents. When it arrives, we place the bags of my presents in the trunk and settle ourselves into the seats. I lean against him and close my eyes as he wraps an arm around my shoulders. Unlike the ride to the venue, it’s deathly quiet in the car. Outside, the city lights below us stream by as we make our way home.
In the darkness of the car, I find myself thinking about this evening. Overall, it was phenomenal with one minor hiccup. I concentrate more on the laughter, conversations, and all the other good things that happened. As the car glides above the cityscape, I tell myself to let go of the bad and focus on the overwhelmingly happy events. However, Keith will not be attending another event we host, period.
When the car pulls up to my house, Derek helps me out of the car, and the four of us collect the bags from the trunk. We wave our thanks to the driver and slowly make our way to the door.
As we approach the door, I'm calm and happy despite the minor hiccup, tonight was fantastic. As we step inside, it’s dark and quiet. I turn on a side lamp to dimly light the living room, and we set down the bags of presents.
Harper tells the boys to take a seat and that we’ll be right back. Despite how late it is, we still have a couple of hours until Jeff and Derek have to be home. In the kitchen, Harper and I gratefully remove our boots, grab a couple of drinks apiece out of the refrigerator, and head back into the living room. As we reenter the living room, it becomes much cozier and dimmer when Harper turns down the lighting more.
I walk over, set down our drinks on the coffee table, sit down beside Derek, pull my legs underneath me, and lean against him. He seems to be a little distracted. “Are you okay?” I ask softly, reaching out to place a hand on his arm. He startles slightly before giving me a small smile.
“Yeah, I'm fine," he replies, his voice quiet. "Just thinking about the last couple of days.”
I tilt my head slightly and ask, “And?”
He looks into my eyes, his expression softening. “I can’t help but feel lucky to have met you. Even more so that you like me.”
Harper and Jeff exchange a knowing glance before excusing themselves, leaving Derek and me alone in the cozy living room.
My heart swells and a warm feeling spreads out from my chest. I reach up to touch his cheek, and gently run my thumb along his jawline. “I feel the same way,” I whisper.
He leans closer to me, his breath warm against my skin. Without saying a word, he closes the distance between us, capturing my lips in a gentle yet ardent kiss. When we break apart, a soft smile plays on Derek's lips, his eyes locking with mine. “I don’t want this night to end,” he murmurs, his voice barely above a whisper.
I nod in agreement, feeling a rush of emotions swirling inside me. “Then what do you say we make the most of it,” I reply, a spark of flame igniting within me. Moving into his lap, I kiss him fiercely, leaving no room to doubt what I want from him. Derek’s hands wrap around my waist to pull me close as our kiss deepens, further fanning the flames of my ardor.
I'm going to stop here. Though I will say the next hour was amazing. Even better, the most he ever did is grab my butt, which I didn't mind, but he never tried taking it further than that, which makes me grateful. I say that because if he had tried to go further, I’d have thrown him out of the house and refused to see him again.
As we finally pull away, our foreheads resting against each other, Derek whispers, “I still can’t believe I met you.” His voice is filled with a mixture of wonder and adoration.
I smile, feeling like I might burst into flames. “Hmm… Well, maybe we were meant to find each other,” I suggested, as I combed my fingers through his messy hair trying to put it back into some semblance of order.
Derek’s gaze is intense as he looks into my eyes. “Could be. Who knows, though? I’m just happy we did,” he confesses.
