~ Summer of 2002 ~

"He'll never embrace you the way I do." he murmured into my ear, his voice trailing away. I tensed as his warm, velvety lips grazed my ear. I looked up at him, taken aback. Derek held me against the wall, his hips aligned with mine. He tenderly grasped one of my hands, our fingers interlaced, while his lips lingered just a hair's breadth from mine. "He'll never kiss you like the way I kiss you." And with that, he gently pressed his lips to mine.