Protecting What's His (Line of Duty #1)(51)

“Derek!”

“I’m here, baby.”

The orgasm shook through Ginger. Derek thrust deep and ground his pelvis against her. Her insides quaked while her body remained completely restricted, unable to move. Ironically, she’d never felt freer in her life. The room dimmed and spun around her as she tried to hold on to the sensation, to memorize it.

Ginger knew eventually she’d have to question why being restrained fulfilled her and how Derek sensed it and indulged her needs so perfectly, but right now she could only focus on keeping her legs locked around Derek’s back as drove into her one final time and peaked.

“Ginger. Baby. Ginger!”

His grasp loosened as he climaxed, and she used the freedom to grab his ass and pull him deep. Sinking his teeth into her shoulder, he groaned. Ginger wrapped her arms around him when he finally collapsed, placing kisses along his collarbone and neck.

Rolling onto his side a while later, Derek pulled her hard against his chest. He didn’t speak, instead seeming content to watch her. One hand stroked her hair, separating the sweaty strands from her neck and face.

His continued silence began to unnerve her. Derek had called all the shots every time they’d been together. Maybe she’d made him uncomfortable, asking him to hold her down?

She kept her head on his chest, mortified over her brazenness. “I’m sorry.”

The hand stroking her hair stilled, and she held her breath. “Why?”

“You’re so quiet.” She paused to gather her courage. “I figured what I asked you to do…was it… not normal? Or wrong?”

She squeaked as Derek flipped her over onto her back. When she looked up into his face, it was covered in disbelief. “Ginger, you listen to me very carefully. Nothing we do together is wrong. Ever.” He shook his head. “If I’m quiet it’s because I’m trying to figure out a way to never leave this bed again. That was—”

She didn’t let him finish. Relief roared through her, and with a laugh, she sat up, threw her arms around his neck, and hugged him. At first, Derek seemed stunned by her action. But his arms slowly banded around her waist and held her so tight she struggled to breathe.

“You have no idea how happy hearing that makes me, Lieutenant.”

His laugh rumbled against her ear. Without breaking their embrace, he pulled her back down onto the bed, tucking her head into his neck. “Me, too. Sleep, now, beautiful girl. I don’t have to be at work for a few hours.”

Ginger snuggled in close. Within minutes, she started drifting off, lulled by the fingers stroking up and down her spine.





Chapter Twenty-Two


“Hot damn, Wip. We’ve got a stone-cold fox on our hands.”

Willa flipped Ginger the bird without looking away from the full-length mirror. “This touching family sitcom moment brought to you by the letters F and U.”

Her sister tried valiantly to play down the transformation she’d undergone in the last hour, but Ginger noticed the flush of pleasure on her cheeks as she surveyed her appearance.

They stood in Ginger’s bedroom early Saturday evening getting Willa dressed for prom. Something Ginger never would have believed a month ago. She’d found the heather gray cocktail dress Willa now wore at a vintage shop in Noble Square after hunting for half a day. Sensing Willa would balk at anything too colorful, she’d didn’t mind congratulating herself on picking the simple, strapless dress that fit Willa’s small frame to perfection.

Willa gave Ginger full creative control, and after removing the heavy black eyeliner, Ginger had applied a tasteful amount of makeup, playing up her sister’s natural glow, and pulled her hair away from her face in a classic twist. If Ginger hadn’t shared a room with Willa for seventeen years, she would barely recognize her except for the nose ring.

“What time is Evan coming to pick you up?”

“Seven-thirty. We’re going to dinner with some of his friends before the dance.”

Ginger nodded, trying to appear as confident as Willa. This is where they differed. Ginger thrived in social situations where she didn’t have to interact with one single person. She could jump from conversation to conversation and move on when the subject got too heavy or personal. Willa, on the other hand, didn’t generally play well with others. Not that Ginger didn’t have faith in her sister, especially this new, school-activity-participating Willa. But she knew she’d worry until Willa walked through the door later.

Ginger produced a black sequined clutch that she’d kept hidden in her closet and handed it to Willa. As she’d predicted, it looked fabulous with the dress and matching black heels.

Their eyes met in the mirror. “Please make sure you take your cell phone, Willa. There is some money in the purse if you need it. For dinner. For a cab. Anything.”

Willa laughed at Ginger’s fierce expression, then sobered. “Ginger, I’m going to be fine. It just seems like a big deal because I never go out.”

“Okay, just a few more things and I’ll be finished.” She took a deep breath. “No drugs. No getting into a car with someone who has been drinking. Don’t have sex on the first date, but if you do, there’s a condom in the purse. Please, please don’t need to use it. But I won’t ask if you did.”

“Oh, my God.”