Derek took Ginger’s hand, placing it against the stiff bulge behind his fly, and pressed his hips forward suggestively. “I haven’t been the same since you said those things to me. I’ve been in a bad way, baby.”

Unable to wait any longer, Ginger unzipped his pants and dropped to her knees. She took his hands and placed them on either side of her head. “Show me what you want.”

“There’s nothing you can do that I won’t love.”

Gripping the thick base in her hand, she didn’t allow herself think, just followed her instincts. She tasted every inch of him with her tongue, lips, and teeth, listening to his increased breathing or growls to judge what he liked. His fists wrapped themselves in her hair, indicating when to speed up or slow down. She couldn’t get enough of his taste, the sounds of pleasure he made. When Derek tried to pull her away, Ginger didn’t want to stop and told him so.

“Trust me, I don’t want you to stop either, baby. But I need to feel you come.” He gripped her by the shoulders and pulled her to her feet, kissing and licking at her mouth until her body undulated against his once more. “Dammit, I swore the next time I had you, I would go slowly.”

She tore her mouth away, panting. “No. I don’t want you to hold back. Take me however you want me.”

Before she could finish voicing her appeal, Derek spun her around until she faced away from him. She flattened her hands on the high bed to balance herself as he crouched down low behind her and peeled the shorts from her legs. Absently, she registered the rip of a condom wrapper and the faint sound of Derek rolling it onto his erection.

After he’d finished seeing to their protection, Ginger’s short puffs of breath were the only sound to be heard in the room, until Derek finally spoke.

“No panties again, sweetheart?” He made a guttural noise of either approval or disappointment. She couldn’t tell without seeing his face. “If I didn’t think the sound of my palm against your ass would draw attention, I would remind you how much your forgetfulness pleases me.” Ginger’s sharp inhalations accelerated even more, her chest heaving. “I’ll have to show you a different way, I suppose.”

Then he bit her. His teeth sank into the flesh of her ass, stopping just before they broke the skin. She didn’t dare cry out, instead trapping the scream inside her throat. Before Ginger could truly register what he’d done, she heard his pants hit the floor, belt still attached. One arm snaked around her waist and held her steady as he thrust home inside her.

She couldn’t prevent the hiss of pleasure from escaping through her teeth. The difference compared to last time astounded her. No pain, only fullness and the immediate urge to move.

Derek’s chest pressed against her back, his hips tilting upward into hers so high and deep, the position forced Ginger onto her tiptoes. Then he pulled out, almost leaving her completely, before thrusting deep once more. Ginger bit her lip to keep from crying out, positive she drew blood.

“Do you feel that, baby? That’s your man moving inside you.”

Bracing herself on her elbows, she ground back against him, circling her hips and begging him to keep moving, but he seemed determined to set the pace.

“Please, Derek.”

He thrust hard and quick exactly five times, just enough for Ginger to get used to the rhythm before slowing once more. “Who’s f**king you, Ginger?”

She knew what he wanted to hear. Throwing her head back, she reveled in every word. “My man. My man is f**king me.”

With a stifled growl, he yanked her back against him and pumped his hips up and into her wildly. Ginger held on to the bed, absorbing each thrust that carried her closer to release.

“Fuck, baby. I’ll never get used to how tight you are.”

Derek’s hand slid over her hip and found her clitoris, applying pressure and friction with his middle finger until Ginger’s body shuddered and shook with the most powerful orgasm she’d ever experienced. A minute later, Derek followed, groaning his release into the side of her neck.

When their breathing returned to normal, Derek kissed Ginger’s shoulder and pulled out of her slowly. Then he turned her in his arms so he could hold her.

“I can’t seem to control myself long enough to show you we’re not just about sex.” She felt him shake his head. “Even so, Ginger, I’m not going to apologize for what just happened. When we touch each other, it’s honest and real. I crave it.”

Ginger remained silent, absorbing Derek’s warmth. She wanted to forget the agony of the last hour and simply enjoy being held, but she couldn’t. The uncertainty of what lay ahead for them didn’t scare her nearly as much as losing him. She’d learned that hard lesson tonight.

“I know that now.” Sucking in a shaky breath, she gave him her honesty. “When I thought you’d been shot, maybe even before that, I realized you were right. What I feel for you…it’s not only physical.”

Arms tightening around her, he started to speak, but she laid a hand on his chest to stop him. She’d just taken a big step admitting her feelings and needed to let it settle.

“I know sex doesn’t define us, Derek. But maybe it’s an important part of what’s between us. And I think that’s okay. We’re people who need more than words. Can we agree on that?”

Derek kissed the top of her head, holding her close. “You won’t get any argument from me.” He tilted her chin so he could meet her eyes. “But someday, when we need reassurance from each other, our words will be enough. I promise, Ginger.”

Chapter Twenty

After a hot shower, Derek collapsed into bed around 7:00 a.m. His body felt sore from the overwhelming tension of the day and needed sleep to repair itself. Despite his exhaustion, he couldn’t deny the unfamiliar sense of contentment he felt. Last night, after buying Ginger a cup of coffee at the hospital to keep her awake, he’d given her his jacket and walked her to the parking lot. She’d refused to let him call her a cab, so he’d settled for her promise to text him when she arrived at home.

It came twenty minutes later: Home sugar xo.

He’d caught Alvarez eyeing him funny in the waiting room and realized he was smiling like a kid on Christmas. Highly inappropriate behavior when a man lay wounded in the next room. Even if they knew for certain he would pull through. Sensing the room full of officers was dying to know more about the gorgeous, half-dressed girl who’d jumped him in the hallway, he’d silenced the first one brave enough to ask with a look that prevented any more questions.

Before she left the hospital, he’d extricated one more promise from her. When Willa left for school this morning, Derek wanted her to come over. He still planned on having their talk despite what took place last night. He’d clipped his spare keys back on her key ring so she wouldn’t have an excuse not to come.

Just before he let sleep overcome him, Derek recalled Ginger standing in the hospital, shaking from the cold in her nightshirt, crying because she’d thought him dead or dying. He’d never had anyone cry or worry over him before. Both of his parents were accountants living downstate who didn’t understand his chosen profession and distanced themselves from the chaos of it, of his life.

Women he’d dated in the past seemed to enjoy his dangerous job, even get off on it. Or they would venture in the opposite direction and suggest he quit because of the danger. Ginger would want him safe, but she would never ask him to change his lifestyle or give up the job he loved. Since meeting her, he’d been irrationally jealous, dominated her sexually, and provoked her at every turn. Yet, she’d run toward him and jumped straight in his arms this morning, wanting him flaws and all.