Chapter 205: Not Running

Derek Haven was a man. A big strong man who was also very handsome.

Even from an objective point of view. Anybody with a heartbeat would have to admit that. As far as Emily was concerned, even an inanimate object, would be able to tell just how handsome Derek was. When it came to the male of the species. He was one of those who had gotten some really good genes from both his parents.

A real man amongst men. And that brought Emily back to her original point. Derek Haven was a man.

And being a man, he had to deal with certain things that Emily did not have to worry about. One of those things happened to be morning wood. The very thing that had happened on Sunday morning. She should not have run.

She should have stayed. The two of them should have talked things over instead of once again leaving everything in limbo. But should have, and could have, were nothing more than just different ways to phrase regrets. And Emily did not want to dwell on that. What was done was done.

She had made her choice to leave, not because she was running away from Derek in that moment. But because she had seen the embarrassment on the poor man’s face. And if there was one thing that Emily knew about men, despite never ever wanting to claim that she was an expert when it came to them.

It was that men had their pride.

She had seen the look in Derek’s eyes when the two of them had gingerly separated from one another. It had not been just the look of a man who was embarrassed. It had also been the look of a man who could not believe that he had failed at something.

Emily had happened to catch him briefly looking down at himself as though he were disappointed. And Emily knew Derek. He was the type of person who believed in mind over matter. No doubt, he had probably found a way to be angry at his body for responding in a natural way. Feeling as though he should have had control over what his unconscious self did.

So basing on experience, Emily had decided to leave. Whenever Derek got like that, believing that something should have been accomplished simply because he wanted it to be so.

It was impossible to reason with him. She had to let him cool down first, and come to grips with what had happened before either of them could even think to talk about it in a rational way. Otherwise, it would be the same as trying to make an intelligent conversation with a brick wall.

At most, Emily would just get an echo of her own words thrown back at her, and she did not want that to happen. Plus, there was also herself to consider. Because just as Derek, at the end of the day, was just a man, Emily herself was just a woman.

Upon realizing exactly what kind of reaction her closeness to Derek had brought about in him.

Emily had frozen at first, but then when the two of them had been disentangling from one another. Derek had accidentally rubbed his hardness against her, and Emily’s body had reacted. Not in revulsion or disgust. Instead, she had felt a bolt of arousal coiling lightning fast around her groin.

And when she had felt it pooling like hot lava deep within her. Emily had let out an involuntary gasp.

But luckily for her, by that time Derek had already been gone. Safely barricaded within his bathroom.

A few seconds later, Emily had heard the shower turn on. Then the water had run, and run... and run until she had finally realized that Derek was not just in there taking a shower while willing his boner away.

He was also ignoring her. And so for the first time in weeks, Emily had decided to cut her weekend with Derek short.

She had gotten up, made the bed, and then taken her things and left. At home she had taken the easy way out and had told her mom some lie, saying that the project they were working on was a bit ahead. So the boss had decided to give all of them the rest of the day off.

Her mother had not seemed to buy it. But she had not questioned any further, and Emily had not stuck around long enough for there to be any more questions. Instead, she had retreated to her bedroom. Once there she had shrugged on the hoodie that she had gotten from Derek’s place, and gotten under the covers. That night there had been none of the sleep that she was used to on Sundays. But the comforting scent and the softness of Derek’s hoodie had helped to take away some of the sting of his absence. Thanks to that Emily had been able to make it through the night. Sniffing the soft material to calm herself after a harrowing nightmare.

She had been of the mind that come Monday, she would be able to get some time to be alone with Derek. That the two of them would be able to talk.

But on Monday, Emily had been so swamped with work. She had barely been able to tell whether she was coming or going. She and Derek had barely been able to be alone for more than five minutes at a time. On Tuesday, she had come in to a message from Derek stating that

he would not be in the office all day. That he was doing site visits. On the surface it had seemed like a perfectly good reason to not be in the office, but Emily had been unable to shake the thought that he was avoiding her. And come Wednesday, when he was still running circles around her. Doing everything in his power to make sure that they were never alone long enough for any meaningful conversation to take place. Emily had started to feel a bit of fear creep in. She began to worry that Derek might cut the whole thing short and say that they no longer needed to sleep with one another. Which would be a bold-faced lie. But to save his reputation, even though he did not need saving, he might just come up with that. Deciding not to get too caught up in her own head, Emily made it through Wednesday with sheer determination alone. And come Thursday, she felt that it was a miracle that she had not collapsed from nerves. When evening rolled around, she said goodbye to her mother, and headed over to Derek’s place. She could have stayed home and continued to ignore him just as he was ignoring her.

But Emily had already gotten a taste of what good sleep felt like. She would not be giving it up easily. And so, Emily found herself outside Derek’s door on Thursday. With a deep breath, she raised her hand and knocked. Then she waited.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by Aunomay Read