Ah she's touching him. He exhales a heady breath and his eyes dip halfway closed. The realization her words bring on is a startling one. No, he had not seen that. And did it matter, really? When he felt this good with her touch?

"Seems you and God get along better than I have with Him in a long time." Not that he didn't believe. Not that he didn't have faith that God had a plan. Derek had both of those things. He just didn't like or agree with said plan a lot of the time.

His hands grip her waist, pulling her closer. "So how about I just call you a dream?" Because he had never been confronted with wanting someone who wasn't a woman before. Dream guy? Did that work? Derek, who was usually so sure of himself and put out an air of confidence whether it was true confidence or not, was suddenly a little unsure of himself. All he knew was that he wanted Venus more than he had wanted anything in a long time.