Chapter 232: Least Resistance?
If there was one thing that both he and Emily needed to work on. Especially when it ca to their partnership.
It was communication.
Whenever there was sothing big going on between them. The mont that they had to address it, if it so happened, that an option ca up where they could ignore the thing, and just keep moving.
Then Derek knew for a fact that he and Emily were most likely to choose the path of least resistance. Opting to ignore sothing. Rather than facing it head on.
The mont that Emily had arrived at the office. Derek had seen the look in her eyes, and he had realized that she was about to apologize for the kiss.
He had instantly shut her down. Holding up a hand to silence her before she could go any further. Part of it had been because they were at Haven Group.
And there the walls had ears, many eyes, very loose lips, and poison tongues. There was always soone either eavesdropping, or happening to pass by just as a secret was uttered. So far, whenever they had ntioned the arrangent. It had been in such a way that it could be explained away to an extent. They often talked in a manner that could be interpreted differently if anyone were to overhear them.
But had Emily ntioned the word kiss. Should anybody have happened to be walking by at that very mont. Then there would have been no talking their way out of that one.
But if he were being honest. It had not all been because Derek had been trying to keep the secret that he had told her to stay silent.
The other reason that Derek had not wanted Emily to ntion the kiss that she had initiated( and Derek had gone along with, with a worrying level of enthusiasm). Had been because of the very fact that he had enjoyed it. He would not have been so into it, if he had not.
But the mont that Emily apologized for the kiss, or so much as ntioned it. Then Derek himself would have to co out with what else had transpired that morning. That other thing being the arrival of his mother.
He had managed to convince his mother that Emily was not soone she needed to worry about. So he did not want to worry Emily by telling her that she had almost encountered his mother. Their kiss was enough of a situation for them.
The kiss had added a new dinsion to their relationship. It was sothing that they needed to address. But now in addition to the kiss, there was also his mother to consider.
He had managed to make her believe that Emily was not anybody important in his life. If the opposite were proven to be true, then no doubt his mother would co at Emily with everything in her.
And that was sothing that Derek could not even bear to consider. His mother was his mother, and he loved her dearly. But he was also not blind to her faults. Derek knew that she could be cold, especially towards strangers,
and Derek wanted his mother to like Emily.
But even though Emily did not know it. His mother’s first impression of her was Emily running out of Derek’s house in the early hours of the morning.
It was not sothing that his mother would be forgetting any ti soon. And even if Derek were to try to convince her otherwise to say that Emily was not so cheap girl out to make money from him. After that impression it would be hard to do. His mother would most likely disregard his opinion on the matter. Thinking that he was compromised in so way because of his continued association with Emily.
That was a battle that Derek was not in any state to fight, and he did not want to. All that he wanted to do was to just continue sleeping with Emily and enjoying his rest. To enjoy the little bit of paradise that they had carved out for themselves.
You also want to kiss her again. A part of him whispered. And Derek pushed it down.
Trying not to think about it. But even as he did that, his hand went up to his face. The pads of his fingers touching his lips gently.
Closing his eyes, he could almost feel Emily’s soft lips against his, once again. Derek forced himself to lock the mory away. Emily might have been the one to initiate the kiss, but Derek had been a very willing participant.
He would not mind around two or three or four or however many there could be. But judging by the horrified look on Emily’s face when they had broken apart. There would not be any more kisses between them, moving his fingers from his lips to his temple. Derek massaged the spot there, thinking.
They had taken Monday as a treat. Tuesday should have been wonderful but instead the day had barely begun and they were already swamped with problems.
The kiss and his mother.
It was all so overwhelming that Derek wanted to leave early and just book himself a massage. But in the na of professionalism, and actually getting so work done.
Derek forced himself to stay at the office. Throughout the day, he ran on autopilot. Working even though he had no idea exactly what it was that he did in the hours that he spent at Haven Group. By the ti that he finally knocked off.
He and Emily had still not discussed the kiss, and he also had not told her that she had unwittingly made a bad first impression on his mother. It was a very stressful situation to be in and Derek found himself feeling more than a little overwheld.
After leaving the office and heading to the penthouse, Derek tried to calm the feeling by doing what he usually did...going for a swim.
But that plan did not work out.
He changed into his swim trunks and headed upstairs. But when he got there, the urge to swim was no longer in him. So instead,
He just sat on one of the lounge chairs.
Staring off into the distance, looking at the barely visible group of buildings where Emily lived.
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