Free An Unexpected Affair by Lorelei Moone

humans? I'm not sure we can trust her," Aidan said.
    "I'm sure." Derek radiated confidence as he spoke. Their minds were somehow connected at that very moment. He knew she stood behind him, and she knew that he knew.
    Although she initially hadn't been sure whether she wanted her presence to be discovered, now her concerns were wiped away. Derek turned and smiled at her. Her heart warmed at the realization that she at least had a little bit of insight into his feelings now, even if she couldn't explain why.
    "You're awake."
    "Yes." Clarice stepped ahead into the light radiating from the oil lamp in the center of the table.
    Across the room, Aidan looked up at her, and she finally could have a proper look at him. A strong jawline, like Derek, messy brown hair and eyes that betrayed the capacity for great cunning as well as kindness. He was handsome in his own right but had nothing on Derek of course. He looked skeptical but didn't say a word.
    "I couldn't help but overhear some of that," Clarice started.
    Aidan raised an eyebrow and folded his arms.
    "I don't know what happened between us, or how any of this works exactly," she addressed Derek now. "But I do know it's not just a phase, or something that'll easily pass. I feel you inside me, trying to connect with me. I can't ignore it."
    Clarice glanced back up at Aidan again. "Your secret is safe. I couldn't tell anyone if I wanted to. Plus, do you think anyone would believe me?"
    Although Aidan's expression suggested that he wasn't yet convinced, that didn't matter to Clarice at all. It was Derek she was concerned with, and the look he gave her now was halfway between pride and primal lust. When their eyes locked, she could clearly feel his intentions.
You're mine,
she thought. Or was that his thought rather than hers? Either way, she didn't know how she was going to deal with all this stuff coming from him, without acting on her most basic instincts.
    He stared at her, as she stared at him. So much to see, so many hidden depths in those brown eyes that had sought to avoid her earlier.
    Aidan cleared his throat as he got up from his chair. "I think I'm going to give you two some space."
    Neither Derek nor Clarice so much as answered him. In their newfound connection to one-another, any third parties, family or otherwise, clearly held very little importance anymore.
    "You can sense me," Derek said.
    Clarice didn't need to nod her answer, but she did anyway out of habit.
    "I've been able to feel you for days," he added.
    This revelation put a smile on her face. A smile, which as it turned out, Derek could scarcely resist.
    He got up, the heavy chair falling backward onto the stone floor with a loud crash. Neither of them flinched or looked back as he charged ahead, cupping her face with his large, surprisingly gentle hands and leaning down for their first kiss.
    From the first touch of their lips, Clarice felt unlike anything she'd ever known. Fireworks, butterflies, electric jolts, all those terms could not begin to describe the sensations coursing through her veins. It was as if Derek's being infiltrated hers, irreversibly leaving his mark on her.
    They couldn't hold back any longer, hungry kisses led to a feverish exploration of skin. His hard, muscular torso enveloped her in an embrace that made her feel tiny for the first time in her life. Tiny, yet safe, and dangerously out of control.
    He ran his hands over her curves, taking his time, while his tongue teased hers, pushing her anticipation of what was yet to come higher and higher. He tasted sweet, with a hint of spice, and completely irresistible. The slight tickle on her face from his beard didn’t distract. Instead, it heightened her pleasure.
    As they continued to explore each other's bodies, slowly peeling layer after layer of clothes off and admiring their discoveries, Clarice knew that there would be no going back after this. She wouldn't be able to turn her back on how he made her feel.
    The little glimpses into