Unwillingly Yours (Warning: Love Moderately) by Marian Tee, Lourdes Marcelo Page A

much.
    “Did you love him?”
    Had she loved Angelo?
    She felt Derek flinch when she pulled away from him, and she hated herself for it. Now was the time to make a clean break, and Jaike knew it was the only chance she would have to save herself from what fate had in store for her all along.
    Derek’s gorgeous face was taut as he waited for her answer.
    “Yes. I loved him. I love him.”
    Derek tried not to react even though the words were like a fucking blow to his chest.
    Jaike swallowed. “But I didn’t love him the way he deserved to be loved.” The flare of surprise in Derek’s eyes was a lovely sight, but the faintest glimmer of hope that followed was even more beautiful.
    Derek wanted to haul her back into his arms when he realized what she was saying.
Finally.
The word was all he could goddamn think of. He wanted to shout, wanted the whole fucking world to know that he finally had the girl who had been born for him. But he didn’t do any of those because it just wasn’t the right time yet.
     “Come here.” His voice was both a command and a caress, and Jaike’s body instinctively responded to it. Her tears slowly dried out, her body molding softly to his.
    Derek tipped her face up once more, and this time it felt entirely natural to raise her lips as he lowered his head.
     The first touch of his lips was gentle, the very opposite of their first kiss. His lips moved softly against hers, licking and nipping tenderly. His tongue slipped between her lips, exerting a pressure that Jaike welcomed because it took the decision entirely out of her hands.
    Slowly, she let his tongue in, and Jaike wanted to cry at just how beautiful his kiss felt. His lips felt and tasted even better than she could remember, and his passion as scorching and raw as it was when they had first kissed.
    A hard arm curled around her waist, pulling her closer until every inch of their bodies touched. His other hand gripped her hair, pushing her head forward so his tongue could move further into her mouth. And then his hands were drifting lower, caressing her back before curving around her buttocks.
    Derek’s kiss continued to mesmerize her. When he shifted her in his arms, leaning back against the sides so she could lie on top of him, her eyelids fell shut. Mind already made hazy by alcohol, her heart made numb by pain, her body was completely free to take over, and Jaike gladly surrendered to its urges.
    She rubbed herself against him like a kiss, loving how blissful it felt to give in to the desire she had always tried to hide, to simply forget and lose herself in Derek’s touch.
    Sensing her surrender, Derek’s arms tightened around her, locking her in an embrace Jaike couldn’t get enough of. His kiss became aggressive and rough, and she loved it like that even more.
    She didn’t open her eyes when she felt him lifting her in his arms.
    “Bedroom?” His voice was rough with passion.
    “Second door,” she croaked out. The words had barely left her mouth before Derek’s lips were on hers again, his tongue reclaiming what it had recently possessed.
    Jaike couldn’t suppress the shiver that slithered through her body as she felt Derek lowering her onto her bed. Even so, she couldn’t help releasing a moan of protest when his lips left hers, his body lifting off from her as well.
    When she opened her eyes, she saw Derek standing at the foot of the bed, breathing hard, his hair exquisitely mussed, his face flushed with desire. His eyes burned with naked need – for her.
    “Are you sure about this, Jaike?” His rock-hard dick strained in protest at the fact that he asked the question. His body told him not to give Jaike a chance to walk away, not when his dick dying to enter her. But he resisted the selfish urges. He wanted more from Jaike, and for that he had to do everything right.
Perfect
even.
    Jaike didn’t want to think, and she hated that he was forcing her to do so. All she wanted was to enjoy his touch. She tried