The touch of his lips against her palm made her heart tremble.
"Derek, I like you," Bonnie whispered.
Derek laughed softly, his deep, magnetic voice brushing her ear. It was a laugh brimming with quiet delight, and in that moment, his devilish beauty was dazzling beyond measure.
"It's late. Go to sleep."
He released her, lying down on his side of the bed, putting a little distance between them. Reaching out, he turned off the light, and the room was instantly swallowed by darkness.
In the quiet, Bonnie blinked into the dark. "Are you tired?"
After a few seconds, his voice came. "Why do you ask?"
He asked only because he instinctively thought she wouldn't really say anything.
She heard his words, understood the thought behind them, and her heart ached with tenderness. She leaned closer and whispered softly.
The night was utterly still. In the thick darkness, his eyes locked on her. "Really?"
Bonnie nodded, then realized he couldn't see, so she added a quiet "Mm."
