Chapter 59 Nightcap
Rebecca looked at him, before nodding her head slowly. "Eh… okay. No problem." She replied.
Derek nodded back, calm as always.
They finished eating in near silence, the soft sound of the ocean waves following them as they stood and walked back toward their room. The night breeze was gentle, carrying the scent of salt and flowers from the resort gardens. Rebecca walked slightly ahead, her thoughts busy, her chest tight with feelings she refused to name.
Once they were inside the room, she slipped off her shoes and let out a tired sigh.
"I want to sleep," she said, turning slightly away from him.
Derek loosened his jacket and glanced at her. "Already? We can have a nightcap first. Just one drink." He said, he wanted to find out more about her and what other way to, than over a drink.
Rebecca stiffened. She didn’t like the idea at all. Anything that made her relax around Derek felt dangerous. She shook her head immediately.
"I don’t think that’s a good idea." She turned to look at him before replying.
Derek raised an eyebrow. "Why not?"
She hesitated, choosing her words carefully. "I don’t want anything that will make me start thinking… wrongly."
"Wrongly?" he repeated, amused. He had been right then, he thought. Them being together was having that effect he wanted, soon he will find out all she is hiding from him and why. He thought.
She folded her arms. "Sexually."
That made him chuckle softly. "Is that why you ran out of the room earlier?"
Her head snapped up. "What do you mean?"
He stepped closer, his tone teasing. "When you saw me naked. You didn’t even look properly. Why? Were you scared it might lead to something?"
Rebecca scoffed loudly. "Scared? Of you?" she asked as she walked over and sat down on the edge of the bed.
"Yes," he said calmly.
She straightened her back. "How will I be scared? I’m not scared of anything."
"Then why are you acting like you are?"
"I’m not," she insisted. "Besides, we already agreed, we are not thinking of each other sexually and also we are not having sex."
Derek nodded slowly, studying her face. "Okay. Then relax."
She frowned. "Relax how?"
"I won’t make you do anything you don’t want to do," he said evenly. "As long as you don’t want me to touch you, I won’t."
Her heart began to beat faster, though she tried not to show it.
"But," he continued quietly, "if I touch you and you don’t stop me… then I’ll assume that’s what you want. And I won’t stop."
His words made her chest feel warm, her skin suddenly too sensitive. She hated that reaction. Hated that her body betrayed her thoughts so easily, she hated how the thought of him touching her not only aroused her but made her want to tell him to touch her. And lastly, she hated how she easily gave in to him.
"Fine," she said quickly. "Let’s do the nightcap. Just to prove I’m not scared."
A small smile appeared on Derek’s lips.
He moved to the counter and picked up a bottle. Rebecca watched him pour a glass, before she stood up and walked over to the counter, she sat down on one of the chairs.
"If you’re drinking," she said stubbornly, when she saw he made no attempt on refilling the other glass, "then I should drink too."
Derek turned sharply. "No."
She frowned. "Why not?"
"You’re pregnant," he said gently. "You’ll take juice."
"That’s not fair," she muttered, pouting.
He poured juice into a glass and handed it to her. "Drink." He said, his tone leaving no room for argument.
She rolled her eyes and took it, grumbling under her breath as he sat down beside her. She told herself again that this meant nothing. Just a drink. Just talking.
They sat there for a while, talking about small things, the resort, the food, random memories. Rebecca tried hard not to look at him too much, but she could feel his eyes on her.
Then he spoke again. "When you first saw me… earlier this night"
Her fingers tightened around her glass, she thought they were done with this embarrassment.
"What did you think?" he asked quietly. "Seeing me naked… did it stir something inside you?"
Her breath caught. She didn’t answer immediately. Her mind betrayed her, replaying that scene, the confusion, the heat, the way her body had responded before she could think.
She looked away. "Why are you asking me that?"
"Because I want to know, now answer me, did it" he said, his voice dropped a tad deeper.
Rebecca felt the heat spread from her cheek down to her toes, the air between them changed. Her cheeks warmed, her heart racing. She hated that she couldn’t lie properly, that she couldn't control the effect he has on her body.
Before she knew it, he leaned closer. She didn’t move away.
Their lips met gently at first, hesitant, almost questioning. Then the kiss deepened, slow and warm. Rebecca felt her thoughts blur as memories and feelings tangled together. Her hands rested against his chest before she realized it, her body responding even as her mind screamed at her to stop.
The kiss grew more intense. Too intense.
Suddenly, she pulled back, breathless.
"No," she whispered.
She stood up quickly, her chair scraping the floor, and walked straight to the bed. Without looking back, she climbed in and pulled the covers over herself, turning her back to him.
Her heart pounded wildly as she stared into the darkness, her thoughts spinning.
'This can’t happen', she whispered to herself again and again. 'It’s already complicated enough.'
Behind her, Derek remained silent, watching her curled form under the covers. He didn’t follow. He didn’t touch her. But he knew one thing clearly now.
She wasn’t as unaffected as she wanted him to believe