Derek was a little startled at the sudden hug and rush of emotion, though he caught her and tentatively patted her back soothingly, still a tad bit stunned at the force of her gratitude but glad he could help and make someone feel so thankful.
Her stomach growled again, and she ducked her head and huffed. ‘before,’ she wrote, giving him a sheepish look. Another wave of dizziness swept over her, and she held still, waiting for it to pass and hoping she wouldn’t pass out.
Derek nodded and stepped up to her. “I’m going to pick you up again,” he said after seeing her sway. He didn’t give her much time to respond before he gently wrapped an arm around her upper back and then scooped her carefully up behind her knees, cradling her to his chest and carrying her outside and to his car swiftly, careful not to jostle her. Sitting her in the front seat, he left the door open and went to the trunk to rummage for something, bringing back a couple of protein bars and a bottle of water and handing them over. “It isn’t a lot right now, but it will get something healthy in you and help you not feel so dizzy until I can make you proper food at the loft.”
The speed of his reaction surprised her; he’d been so cautious before. She turned the protein bars over in her hands, not confused by them, but just thinking. Thinking about the way she’d turned to fit herself in the car, and the way her hands had automatically reached for the seatbelt. Putting the bars down, she tried to twist the bottle’s cap off, but her hands were shaking too much. She bared her teeth at it, frustrated.
Derek was just walking by when Summer’s body pressed into his, going back against the wall with a confused expression. He was surprised by the kiss, though he could smell her attraction to him sometimes, it’s not like there wasn’t some toward her either. He just didn’t expect that. Though it didn’t mean he didn’t enjoy it. He watched her walk a few steps before striding out and catching her wrist gently, pulling her back and spinning her, kissing her again.
She nodded slowly, eyes fixed to his face, and winced a little as she pulled her hair. Pushing herself more upright and letting her feet fall, she dragged the incredible length of her hair out from beneath her. Then she licked at her lips, breathing carefully, and touched his mouth again.
Derek let her shift around, sitting back himself so she could get her hair in order and everything. He leaned minutely into the soft touch to his lips, unsure what to do or what she was asking. He wished he was better at this after being around her for a short while now, but this was a new territory for them.
Slowly, she leaned forward, hand sliding to cup his cheek, and fitted her mouth to his. Her other hand found one of his, and pulled it around her waist. Her kiss was slow and exploratory, this time, but not hesitant. Very gently, she brushed him with her gift, showing him what she was feeling: eagerness, desire, encouragement.
Derek was just walking by when Summer’s body pressed into his, going back against the wall with a confused expression. He was surprised by the kiss, though he could smell her attraction to him sometimes, it’s not like there wasn’t some toward her either. He just didn’t expect that. Though it didn’t mean he didn’t enjoy it. He watched her walk a few steps before striding out and catching her wrist gently, pulling her back and spinning her, kissing her again.
Both hands slid from around his neck when he put her on the bed, and she gasped for breath, chest heaving. She had taken the opportunity, and she was a little stunned at her success. Tilting her head back, she looked up the length off the bed, then back down to him, her legs still wrapped around his hips. Hesitantly, she leaned up on one elbow, touching her fingertips to his mouth, that shy smile curving her lips again.
Derek paused when she sat up, her expression a soft one but he didn’t quite know what it meant. “Are you alright?” he asked softly, one hand going up to stroke her hair. “Is this alright?”
She nodded slowly, eyes fixed to his face, and winced a little as she pulled her hair. Pushing herself more upright and letting her feet fall, she dragged the incredible length of her hair out from beneath her. Then she licked at her lips, breathing carefully, and touched his mouth again.
Derek was a little startled at the sudden hug and rush of emotion, though he caught her and tentatively patted her back soothingly, still a tad bit stunned at the force of her gratitude but glad he could help and make someone feel so thankful.
She held the pen over the paper for a long time, wrestling with herself. She’d /asked/ for help. He was offering help. There was nothing wrong with accepting it. It was just so hard to persuade herself of that. Her stomach growled audibly, even as she started to write, and her hand shook a little. ‘if I could borrow some clothes, maybe I could have a shower?’
Derek of course heard her stomach growl and then read the paper. “Of course. Well, this isn’t the best place, but I have a loft in town also, and we can go there. Would you like food before or after you shower?” She seemed to struggle with asking so he took the option away this time, knowing she needed to eat.
Her stomach growled again, and she ducked her head and huffed. ‘before,’ she wrote, giving him a sheepish look. Another wave of dizziness swept over her, and she held still, waiting for it to pass and hoping she wouldn’t pass out.
Derek was a little startled at the sudden hug and rush of emotion, though he caught her and tentatively patted her back soothingly, still a tad bit stunned at the force of her gratitude but glad he could help and make someone feel so thankful.
She stopped short, standing very still, at the question. Her mouth opened, as if she would say something if she could, and then closed. Then she jerked the hood over her head again. hiding from him. How could she do this? She needed /everything/, and she hated it. Her hands shook a little as she wrote, ‘I can’t repay you for anything. I have nothing.’
Derek was confused at her reaction to the question, wondering what he’d said wrong. When he read the reply though, he shrugged. “That isn’t a question. Don’t concern yourself with that at a time like this. Now, what do we need to do?”
She held the pen over the paper for a long time, wrestling with herself. She’d /asked/ for help. He was offering help. There was nothing wrong with accepting it. It was just so hard to persuade herself of that. Her stomach growled audibly, even as she started to write, and her hand shook a little. ‘if I could borrow some clothes, maybe I could have a shower?’
Derek was just walking by when Summer’s body pressed into his, going back against the wall with a confused expression. He was surprised by the kiss, though he could smell her attraction to him sometimes, it’s not like there wasn’t some toward her either. He just didn’t expect that. Though it didn’t mean he didn’t enjoy it. He watched her walk a few steps before striding out and catching her wrist gently, pulling her back and spinning her, kissing her again.
She barely noticed him moving, drowning in his kiss. Tingles prickled her skin, down her back, and she shifted against him. Unconsciously, she made a faint sound, low in her throat. She curled her fingertips against his incipient beard, opening her mouth to him. None of this seemed to bring even faint memories to the surface; it was all instinct and following his lead.
Derek kissed her hard as he wound his way up the stairs toward his room. He got through the door and strode to the bed on the floor, landing to his knees and jostling them a bit, breaking the kiss as he leaned in and laid her down on her back.
Both hands slid from around his neck when he put her on the bed, and she gasped for breath, chest heaving. She had taken the opportunity, and she was a little stunned at her success. Tilting her head back, she looked up the length off the bed, then back down to him, her legs still wrapped around his hips. Hesitantly, she leaned up on one elbow, touching her fingertips to his mouth, that shy smile curving her lips again.
Derek was just walking by when Summer’s body pressed into his, going back against the wall with a confused expression. He was surprised by the kiss, though he could smell her attraction to him sometimes, it’s not like there wasn’t some toward her either. He just didn’t expect that. Though it didn’t mean he didn’t enjoy it. He watched her walk a few steps before striding out and catching her wrist gently, pulling her back and spinning her, kissing her again.
Her eyes went round and huge, impressed, as he swiftly lifted her up. She hooked her ankles together behind his back and bent to the business of kissing him back, fingers sliding into his hair. She nipped at his mouth, trying to pull herself even closer to him, and desire radiated from her.
Derek’s arms wrapped tightly around the slender frame, holding them together and kissing her deeply. His tongue snaked out to lick past her lips, deepening the kiss as he walked them through the hall, toward the stairs.
She barely noticed him moving, drowning in his kiss. Tingles prickled her skin, down her back, and she shifted against him. Unconsciously, she made a faint sound, low in her throat. She curled her fingertips against his incipient beard, opening her mouth to him. None of this seemed to bring even faint memories to the surface; it was all instinct and following his lead.
Derek was a little startled at the sudden hug and rush of emotion, though he caught her and tentatively patted her back soothingly, still a tad bit stunned at the force of her gratitude but glad he could help and make someone feel so thankful.
She shrugged, unwinding herself from the floor. ‘I don’t think one man can change a lifetime of being told different is bad’. Her eyes flicked to the floor, and she pressed her lips together before shaking herself, trying to drive away the half-memories. Those she didn’t want to face. She just wanted to know who she /was/.
“That doesn’t mean one man shouldn’t try,” he said softly, a small scowl on his face. He took a deep breath and shook himself mentally and then took a deep breath. “Alright. Okay. So what do we need to do?”
She stopped short, standing very still, at the question. Her mouth opened, as if she would say something if she could, and then closed. Then she jerked the hood over her head again. hiding from him. How could she do this? She needed /everything/, and she hated it. Her hands shook a little as she wrote, ‘I can’t repay you for anything. I have nothing.’
Derek was a little startled at the sudden hug and rush of emotion, though he caught her and tentatively patted her back soothingly, still a tad bit stunned at the force of her gratitude but glad he could help and make someone feel so thankful.
She cocked her head sardonically at him, eyes narrowed. Then she underlined the word and tapped the pen on it. Underneath she added, ‘I know what I am. I don’t remember but I know I’ve heard it all my life’.
He rolled his eyes and stood. “No. That isn’t the word for what you are. If people have called you that your whole life then you’re talking to the wrong people. The close minded. The ones that would rather harm you than understand you. And you should stay far away from them.”
She shrugged, unwinding herself from the floor. ‘I don’t think one man can change a lifetime of being told different is bad’. Her eyes flicked to the floor, and she pressed her lips together before shaking herself, trying to drive away the half-memories. Those she didn’t want to face. She just wanted to know who she /was/.
Derek was just walking by when Summer’s body pressed into his, going back against the wall with a confused expression. He was surprised by the kiss, though he could smell her attraction to him sometimes, it’s not like there wasn’t some toward her either. He just didn’t expect that. Though it didn’t mean he didn’t enjoy it. He watched her walk a few steps before striding out and catching her wrist gently, pulling her back and spinning her, kissing her again.
A shiver ran through her body, at both his strength and the implied gentleness inherent in the patience of his kiss. One hand found his belt-loops, hooking in and pulling. If she could have begged vocally, she would have. Instead her body language pleaded for her: more, please.
Derek grinned against her lips when she tugged their hips together by his belt loops. He slid his hands down to gently grasp her wrists, bringing them up and draping them over his shoulders. He then slid his hands down her sides and over her hips, looping around to grasp her thighs and lift her easily to wrap around his waist with her legs instead of her arms. His lips were back on hers in a moment once she was up.
Her eyes went round and huge, impressed, as he swiftly lifted her up. She hooked her ankles together behind his back and bent to the business of kissing him back, fingers sliding into his hair. She nipped at his mouth, trying to pull herself even closer to him, and desire radiated from her.