Riding the Surf Page 19

  “Well, can I just stay here if you move to her apartment? Or vice versa?”

  Derek shrugged. “I don’t see why not. I haven’t asked her what she wants to do yet.”

  “Well, you should figure that out.”

  “She asked me a few days ago and I told her I had to think about it.”

  “If you love her, do it, Derek. You’ve never felt this way about anyone before. I know she treated you poorly, but she got her head on straight eventually. You of all people know what that’s like.”

  He nodded. “I do.”

  “So, go be happy.”

  “I will.” He left the house and drove to her apartment. When he knocked on the door, she answered it with a smile.

  “This is a lovely surprise.”

  He stepped into the room and kissed her. “Hey, baby.”

  Her eyes softened. He hadn’t called her that in so long.

  Derek rubbed his nose against hers. “My place or yours?”

  Her eyes watered. “Is that a yes?”

  He nodded.

  She jumped into his arms. “I’m so happy.”

  “I’m sorry I took so long.”

  “I don’t care.” She sniffed. “You said yes. That’s all that matters.”

  He held her to his chest and carried her to her bedroom down the hall. When they were inside he placed her on the bed. “I need to ask you something.”

  Paola was already removing his shirt. “What?”

  “Was the check from you?”

  Her hands stopped moving, resting on the brim of his jeans.

  “Is that a yes?”

  She avoided his gaze, cornered. Derek knew she wouldn’t lie to him so he chose to plead the fifth.

  “Why?”

  “I wanted to pay you back but you said it was a gift. So I thought the next best thing would be to give it to your sister. Now it’s a gift again. And I think she needs it more than both of us. She can get her own place and go back to school.”

  He smiled down at her. “That was really sweet.”

  “I’d do anything for you and your family.”

  “I’m starting to realize that.” He grabbed her jeans and unbuttoned them. When he pulled them off, she lifted her hips, letting them fall. He grabbed her underwear then removed them. He kneeled before her and gave her a few kisses before he lifted up her shirt, striping her naked.

  Her hands worked his jeans until they were loose. When she pulled down his boxers, she moaned. Derek pulled her further up the bed, resting her head on a pillow. He leaned over her, separating her legs with his. He hadn’t had sex in months. But he didn’t feel horny. Now when he looked down at her, he just saw the love he felt for her reflected back at him. He’d wanted to be inside her for so long. But now it was so much more than that. All the parties he went to seemed forgotten, all the women he fucked disappeared. It was like they never happened. Now he had the girl he always dreamed of. She was lying underneath him, practically begging him to be inside her. It was the happiest moment of his life.

  Derek kissed her lips while he dug his fingers into her hair. His hands ran across her body, feeling every curve. Her breasts were his favorite feature. He loved squeezing them, touching them, kissing them. When his fingers touched the area between her legs, he felt the moisture drip. She was more than ready for him. Derek knew he wasn’t just making love to his first serious girlfriend, but his future wife. Now that she was his, he was never letting her go. She was his forever.

  He opened her drawer and searched for a condom.

  “I don’t want to use one,” she whispered.

  “And I don’t want to have a baby.”

  “I’m on the pill.”

  He eyed her. “Since when?”

  “A while. I assumed we’d have sex eventually.”

  Derek pressed his face close to hers. “I’m not going to last long without anything.”

  “I’m not making love to my soul mate with material between us.”

  His eyes softened when he looked at her. They became coated with tears. He took a deep breath and pressed his fast close to her. He grabbed her back and lifted her gently. Derek felt her entrance and pushed inside her, stretching her.

  “Yeah…”

  He moved until he couldn’t fit any further without hurting her. The inside of her body was warm and tight, the perfect feel. He shook as he explored her. The explosion inside his heart crippled him. He never felt the connection with someone like he did with her. His soul wrapped around hers, binding her to him forever. He had claimed her for a lifetime. Nothing was coming between them.

  Derek moved slow, kissing her as he moved. Her nails ran down his back and she rocked him from below.

  “I love you,” she whispered.

  “Paola, I love you,” he said, moving into her. It was the first time he said it during lovemaking. His heart opened up even more, giving her everything. She felt so tight as she clenched around him.

  She pressed her face close to his, feeling him push into her. His large body dominated her, keeping her pinned to the bed. His chiseled muscles and groves of his body were tantalizing. She moaned incoherently, unable to shut her mouth.

  Derek felt himself crumble. His orgasm was there as soon as they started, but he wasn’t going to ruin this moment before she had hers. He concentrated while he rocked into her faster. His hands grabbed her hips as he thrust into her.

  “Derek…”

  He pinned her legs back and moved further over her, pushing as far as her body would allow. He’d never made love to someone so beautiful. The pleasure was constantly at the surface and he had to keep fighting it.

  She grabbed his neck. “Oh…god.”

  He let himself fall apart when he realized she was feeling her bliss. He held her tightly as he released into her, filling her. Knowing he just came inside her, the love of his life, was too good to be true.

  She panted below him then kissed him passionately, the sweat from her breasts touching his chest. “I can’t believe we waited so long.”

  “I’m sorry I didn’t last longer.”

  “Baby, it was perfect.”

  He kissed her. “I’m glad you enjoyed it.”

  “You always deliver.”

  Derek rubbed his nose against hers. “I do.”

  “I’m sorry about everything, Derek.”

  He shook his head. “Forget about it. I have.”

  Epilogue

  “So, how was the sex?” Coen asked.

  Derek smiled. “Which time?”

  Coen laughed. “You dog.”

  Henry and Thatcher carried the last of the boxes into her apartment. Bryce came behind them with a lamp. Henry wiped the sweat from his forehead. “I think that’s the last of it.”

  “Thanks,” Derek said.

  “Are you telling your friends about our sex life?” Paola asked, coming from behind him.

  “Maybe…”

  She smiled. “Did you tell them about last night?”

  “Ooh,” Coen said. “What was last night?”

  Derek’s face reddened. “Paola and I have been exploring our sexual relationship…excessively.”

  Coen smiled. “Sydney does this thing when we’re in bed. She—” He stopped when he saw the livid look on her face. “Kisses me goodnight,” he finished.

  She nodded in approval then carried a box into the bedroom.

  When she was out of earshot, Coen lowered his voice. “She likes to do anal.”

  Derek laughed. “I can’t see her being into that.”

  “She’s into a lot of things…” Coen said.

  “Coen!” Sydney yelled.

  “Damn,” he said.

  She pushed him.

  “What?” he said. “Like you don’t tell your girlfriends everything.”

  She rolled her eyes and walked away.

  “I like anal,” Ren said.

  Henry smiled.

  “Okay…” Derek said. “This is getting weird.”

  �
��Really weird,” Cheyenne said. “I don’t want to talk about my brother having sex.”

  Bryce stared at her then averted his gaze.

  Paola wrapped her arm around Derek’s waist. “Thanks for helping us move.”

  “Of course,” everyone said.

  “I just can’t believe that Derek finally grew up,” Sydney said.

  Derek shrugged. “I think I just needed to find the right person.”

  Paola kissed him on the cheek. “I love you.”

  “I love you too, baby.” Derek looked around at his best friends, seeing all of them paired off. He didn’t feel so lonely, so empty. Now he had what he’d been missing his whole life. He didn’t miss his former life, not when he had the girl of his dreams. This was just a beginning chapter in his life, but he knew it would be his last.

  The story continues….

  Caught in the Undertow

  Sydney and Coen

  (Book Six of the Hawaiian Series)

  Available Now

  About the Author

  E. L. Todd was raised in California where she attended California State University, Stanislaus and received her bachelor’s degree in biological sciences, then continued onto her master’s degree in education. While she considers science to be interesting, her true passion is writing. She is also the author of the Soul Saga Trilogy, The Alpha Series, and her bestselling novel, Only For You, the first installment of the Forever and Always Series. She is also an assistant editor at Final-Edits.com.

  By E. L. Todd

  Soul Catcher

  (Book One of the Soul Saga)

  Soul Binder

  (Book Two of the Soul Saga)

  Soul Relenter

  (Book Three of the Soul Saga)

  Only For You

  (Book One of the Forever and Always Series)

  Forever and Always

  (Book Two of the Forever and Always Series)

  Edge of Love

  (Book Three of the Forever and Always Series)

  Force of Love

  (Book Four in the Forever and Always Series)

  Fight for Love

  (Book Five in the Forever and Always Series)

  Lover’s Roulette

  (Book Six in the Forever and Always Series)

  Happily Ever After

  (Book Seven of the Forever and Always Series)

  Sadie

  (Book One of the Alpha Series

  Elisa

  (Book Two of the Alpha Series)

  Connected by the Sea

  (Book One of the Hawaiian Crush Series)

  Breaking Through the Waves

  (Book Two of the Hawaiian Crush Series)

  Connected by the Tide

  (Book Three of the Hawaiian Crush Series)

  Taking the Plunge

  (Book Four of the Hawaiian Crush Series)