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Home / Romance / BAD REPUTATION / Chapter 101 - Chapter 110

All Chapters of BAD REPUTATION : Chapter 101 - Chapter 110

112 Chapters

101

She was a whirlwind of frantic energy, scrambling across the floor to find her discarded clothes from the night before. She managed to hop on one foot while pulling on her leggings, her mind already racing through her to-do list, how to get home and get ready and still make it there as early as possible. Derek didn't move with the same urgency. He stayed in the tangle of sheets, propping himself up on his elbows. His dark hair was a chaotic mess, and his chest was bare. He watched her for a moment—this beautiful, whirlwind of a woman who had turned his bachelor pad into a home—and something shifted in his expression. It wasn't the usual playful smirk; it was something steadier. Heavier."Liv," he called out, his voice a low, gravelly rumble that usually made her stop in her tracks."I can't, Derek! I'm going to be late and—""Stop for a second," he interrupted, his tone pulling her gaze toward him.Olivia paused, a sneaker in one hand, her hair half-pinned up. She looked at him, bre

102

“I’m not coming over tonight, Derek,” she said, her voice steady but quiet. She offered no more explanation, because she didn't want to lie to him. The silence that followed was absolute. It wasn't just a pause; it was a void. Derek stood frozen in the middle of his kitchen, his hand tightening around the phone until his knuckles went white. He was a smart man—too smart to fall for an excuse about a late meeting or a headache. He knew exactly what this was. This was Olivia retreating into her shell. This was the wall going back up, brick by brick.He let the silence stretch until it was almost unbearable. “Alright, Liv,” he said finally. His voice was flat, stripped of the warmth it had held seconds ago, an acknowledgment of the distance she’d just put between them. “I'm glad you're okay. Goodnight.”He didn't wait for her to respond. He ended the call and tossed the phone onto the counter, the plastic cover clattering against the marble. The loft was quiet again, but the peace was g

103

Derek’s brow furrowed, his confusion cutting through the heavy tension like a dull blade. “I don’t remember us ever having this conversation, Liv,” he said, his voice flat. “I’m pretty sure I’d remember a domestic summit.”Olivia shook her head, a small, sad smile touching her lips. “Well, it wasn't exactly a conversation about living together, and we weren't even together then. It was a few weeks after we met—back when you were looking for the loft. We talked about long-term reality, and you made it very clear that you never wanted to get married… Something about the relationship losing its spark after,”Derek’s frown deepened, his shoulders squaring as he stepped further into her space. “Okay, fine. I remember the talk. But what does a hypothetical wedding have to do with us moving in together now? We’re happy. Why does a piece of paper change the fact that I want you in my space and in my bed every morning?”“Because it’s not about the paper,” Olivia said, standing and closing the

104

The silence in Olivia’s apartment over the last twenty-four hours hadn't felt like peace; it had felt like a vacuum. She had spent most of the night staring at the ceiling, the ‘whole package’ ultimatum she’d delivered to Derek ringing in her ears. She didn't regret her words because she knew she couldn't build a future on a foundation that had a glass ceiling—but she hated the distance between her and Derek. Their history was littered with near-misses and long silences, and she refused to let this become another scar on their timeliness. If Derek was the immovable mountain, she would have to be the force of nature that moved him.At noon, she stopped by The Gilded Fig, a high-end bistro they both loved, and emerged minutes later with a heavy paper bag that smelled of truffle-parmesan fries, blackened ribeye sliders with caramelized onion jam, and two chilled bottles of a crisp, botanical ginger ale. It was the ultimate peace offering menu—comfort food with an expensive edge, just li

105

Derek swallowed hard, his Adam’s apple bobbing in a throat that felt like it was lined with sandpaper. He knew exactly what this was. He wasn’t blind or naive—but that didn’t make him immune. Not to her. Never to her. He was being systematically seduced in his own office, and he was powerless to call a retreat. He was completely obsessed with her. Olivia had him wrapped around her finger, and she knew it.“Could be both,” he managed, though the words came out rougher than he intended, his voice dipping into something dangerously close to surrender, like a man who was starving and had just been offered a feast.Olivia hummed softly, as though considering that, the vibration of the sound ghosting over his skin, “Perhaps I could help with that.”She didn't wait for a yes. Her hands slid upward with practiced, agonizing slowness to his tie. She unknotted the silk with deft fingers, her knuckles brushing the hollow of his throat. With a slow, practiced ease, she loosened it completely, dra

106

Olivia watched, inhaling sharply as Derek dropped kisses on top of her thigh, gently caressing her legs as he slowly pushed her dress upwards. He pressed her thighs even wider, opening her to him completely, then hissed when he found her bare.“No panties, huh?” he asked, pulling her closer until her sex was hovering over his mouth. He lifted his gaze to hers while she bit her lower lip, “I didn't stand a chance, did I?” She grinned at him, and he lightly brushed his knuckles over her folds. “Hmmm,” he murmured softly. He circled her opening with the tip of his finger. “So wet.”Her breath momentarily stilled at the awe in his voice. Desire burned volcanic hot, making her a willing casualty to his demand for control.He lifted one leg on his shoulder, baring her glistening sex to his gaze, then before she could think, she felt the first feathery brush of his tongue against her sex, and heart nearly stopped beating. When he gently suckled her clit, and his fingers dipped inside her, g

107

He thrust again and again and again, then he reached around and found her clit with his finger, giving it a gentle flick, and felt her knees give way a little.“This is your punishment,” he told her, and she moaned. The perfect punishment. Death by pleasure. She cried out again as he kept the gentle touch on her clit, and then she came in a pained cry of release. He came, too, the pleasure so acute it almost felt painful as the orgasm racked his body, then he collapsed on her back, panting.—------------The office was still charged with a lingering heat, but the frantic, predatory energy had settled into a heavy, comfortable warmth. Fifteen minutes had passed, and the heavy oak door remained locked, keeping the rest of the world at bay. Derek was back in his chair, his shirt unbuttoned halfway and his hair a dark, chaotic mess from Olivia’s fingers. Olivia sat sideways across his lap, her dress hiked up her thighs, her head resting against his shoulder. She looked softened, glowing

108

After a quick, steaming shower to wash away the grit of the workday, he emerged after drying up. He didn't bother with a robe. He slid into the bed, the cool sheets quickly warming as he moved toward her. He lifted the duvet, sliding his body against hers and pulling her back against his chest. His hands found the familiar, devastating curve of her waist, anchoring her to him.Olivia stirred then, the heat of his body acting like a silent alarm. She shifted, her voice thick with the velvet fog of sleep. “Derek…” she moaned, turning her head slightly. “You’re home.”Hearing her call his place home did something to his soul—it was the very thing she had denied him days ago, and hearing it now felt like a coronation. He tightened his grip, his nose brushing against the crook of her neck as he inhaled the scent of her skin.“And you’re here,” he rasped, his voice a low, gravelly vibration of pure relief. He pressed a lingering, worshipful kiss to her shoulder, his hand beginning to roam t

109

Olivia let out a breath she felt like she’d been holding for a lifetime. A small, shaky laugh escaped her lips, and she pressed a hand to her still-flat stomach. A baby. A tiny, half-Derek, half-Olivia life was starting to take shape inside her. Despite everything, a warm, golden wave of happiness washed over her. She’d always wanted this—a real family, a house filled with the kind of love she’d seen in her parents’ eyes.But as the initial glow began to fade, a cold prickle of anxiety took its place.Derek. She leaned against the sink, staring at her reflection. They had just barely survived the "living together" argument. He'd not even brought the topic up again, especially as she spent more time at his place, and though she knew he loved her with a terrifying intensity, a baby was… a lot. It was the ultimate commitment. It was the whole package arriving before they had even agreed to living together permanently.Derek Hawthorne was a man who liked to be in control. How would he r

110

The air in the loft was cool, smelling of expensive bourbon and the rain-slicked city streets outside. Derek was standing at the bar, the amber liquid catching the light as he poured. When the door clicked shut, he looked up, and his entire face softened—that sudden, unguarded brightness that he always had whenever he saw her that made Olivia’s breath hitch. “Movie night over already?” he asked, his voice warm. He didn’t wait for an answer before rounding the bar to meet her. “I thought you were going to spend the night at Isabella's. I’d already mentally prepared myself for a cold bed tonight.” Olivia dropped her bag on the table with a heavy thud. She stepped into his space, leaning up to press a kiss to his cheek. His skin was warm, smelling of cedar and the drink he’d just poured. “I thought so too, but I was tired, so I decided to come home.” “Hmmm,” Derek sighed, and kissed her briefly on the lips. He pulled back, scanning her face with a small smile. “In that case, let me pou

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