Despite her greatest efforts, Mirabelle isn't able to cope with the way Derek's hand has been holding onto her thigh.
Though he can't see a thing at the moment, he is well aware that he's hand is where he wants it to be.
It had been so long since he'd even shown any hit of affection with her. If at all he'd been given the chance to get intimate with her, since she was always busy with work.
As a man at his age, he's often wondered what it would feel like, being intimate with the woman he loved.
It's not as though he'd even been intimate with anyone else.
Just as he was keeping his eyes for her alone, he kept his body for her as well.
His dear Serena.
"You've been so quiet since we got in the car." Derek chuckles as he gives her thigh a slight squeeze, getting her cheeks to feel odd as she glances at him in shock. "Say something, hearing you speak is more comforting to me."
Mirabelle glances away from him and clenches her jaw as she clears her throat, trying to come up with a topic to say.
"How many kids would you like to have?" He asks, knowing too well she's struggling to think of something. Anything.
"I've been in a house full of kids, others not even related to me, so I want as many as I can get, living alone now makes it feel lonely." Mirabelle sighs as she glances out of the window, feeling the bitter envy of being surrounded by noisy kids and parents.
"... I didn't know that. I've always thought you were an only child." Derek says without a chuckle, Mirabelle instantly picks up on what she's just said.
Completely out of Serena's character.
"I uh just stole that from a book I was reading... That's how I like saying I want a lot of kids." Mirabelle panics as she glances up at him, noting how his expression only told her that he was even more confused.
"Oh. Okay." He nods slowly and smiles a moment later, caring less at what she'd just said.
"W-What about you?" She asks as she places her hand ontop of his, getting the muscles on his hand to tense up from her touch.
The warmth of her palm fills his hand and forces his heart to skip a beat.
"I don't really like children." Derek shrugs his shoulders but moves his eyes to where he thinks he could see into Mirabelle's eyes. "But if you want a full house, I can always change my perspective. For you."
That is... If Serena really wants children. Mirabelle thinks to herself as she frowns and glances down to her laps, frowning to what she's doing to him.
Fooling him.
"Which reminds me, Serena," he says in a low tone as he moves his hand from her lap and trails his fingers up her waist, careful not to touch her breasts purposely as he makes his way up to her chin, giving it a slight teasing pintch as he glazes the tip of his thumb against her bottom lip. "You owe me a kiss, from before, remember?"
Mirabelle widens her eyes in shock as she stares into his eyes that seem to stare back at her.
"No one would interrupt us." He smiles as he leans slightly forward, to the point their breathes mix into one another. "But not here anyway, I'll save it for later."
He leans back, getting her to sigh in relief as she runs a shaky hand through her hair, glad he didn't force her into something she wouldn't have loved doing.
"Do you consider yourself to be a very intimate person?" Mirabelle asks, honestly only trying to tease him and mock him.
Instead of feeling a bit uncomfortable by the question, Derek only smiles and chuckles slightly as he shrugs his shoulders.
"We haven't been very intimate before, I'd like to experience it with you sooner than later." He explains as she widens her eyes. "Unless you don't want to... It's fine."
"No it's fine... Just not before the wedding." Mirabelle chuckles as she holds her hand up in defence. "We'll have all the time after."
Derek stays silent for a moment, almost disappointed to hear it when he's eager to do it even before the marriage.
He only wants to get closer to her... Physically closer.
Even if just a little.
"Okay." He nods his head as he runs his fingers along his trousers. "But no promises... Right?"
Frowning at this, Mirabelle is well aware he's only interested in getting closer to Serena but will not be willing to get close to him to that extent, since she's only pretending for now until the real Serena returns.
Mirabelle nods slightly but curses at herself when she notices he can't see her nodding.
"Okay." She says in a small whisper as she interlinks her fingers together. "No promises."
A smile carves itself on his lips as he reaches his hand closest to Mirabelle, down on the car seat, feeling the soft cushion for any sign of her warm hand.
Reluctantly bringing it closer, Mirabelle closes her eyes as his hand finds hers, interlinking his with hers instead.
Feeling the warmth of her hand in his only makes his stomach churn as his body craves for more than just holding hands. Pleading with him to let her reconsider her words.
But he knows he mustn't force her, or she would leave as she always does and take her time to come back.
This time, the closer they are to the day of the wedding and operation, he doesn't want to waste any second trying to be the best for her. Mistakes is long overdue and he needs to prove he can be the best for her, even in his current state.
"I used to think you think would leave me... For a man who doesn't have any disability... I was scared most of the time, even though you would tell me you wouldn't, ." He says as he brushes his thumb against the skin on her hand. "Sometimes I would tell myself that even if you left me... It would be better. That way I don't cause you trouble. So when the operation was approved... I felt I had the chance to be the man you can depend on after I get my eyesight back. So that's why I want to get closer to you... To prove I don't need eyes to do things any other man can do."
Eeeeesh. This man really wants Serena. Mirabelle sighs as she glances up to his face, confirming his devine features and why Serena probably stayed with him for this long.
Even though she doubts Serena is as invested as he is.
"I'm not going anywhere. With or without your eyes." Mirabelle smiles pitifully as she glances out of the window, sporting the large mansion belonging to Derek slowly peeping over the tall trees and hills.
So this is where he lives... So far from everything. Mirabelle thinks to herself as she widens at how large the mansion actually is.
The trees were hiding the true length of the mansion and how wide it actually is.
To top it off, he lives alone.
How and why does he have this mansion all to himself!? Mirabelle thinks to herself as she screams out at the insanely large mansion. Ten families could live there!