Derek glanced down at the view within Tabitha's shirt.
This pose was incredibly inviting.
His Adam's apple bobbed. "I want to kiss you. May I?" he asked, his gaze intense.
Tabitha was taken aback.
Derek had always been bold and direct, taking what he wanted. This sudden politeness threw her.
"I'm hungry," she said, turning him down.
Derek let out a soft sigh. He didn't push her. Instead, he patted her head gently.
"Eat up then," he said, before returning to his makeshift bed.
As Tabitha chewed on the wild boar meat, she touched her face—it was hot and red. Must be the cave's warmth, she thought.
Looking at Derek's muscular back, she admitted to herself that no one could truly dislike such a man.
Last night's passionate encounter had ignited something in her.
Setting aside feelings of resentment, being with Derek was undeniably exhilarating.
Yet, humans were defined by emotions. The past weighed heavily on Tabitha, creating a constant sense of guilt.
Each intimate moment with Derek felt like a betrayal of her former self.
She hadn't truly moved on, still mired in the past, unable to find redemption.
She ran forward but constantly looked back, never truly moving ahead.
After all this, Tabitha knew she still loved Derek.
The question was, where would her heart lead her now?
He had changed, become cautious and careful—it wasn't the Derek she once knew.
She longed for the confident, strong Derek who killed the wild boar without hesitation.
She didn't want him to become indecisive because of her, falling into traps time and again.
"Tabitha, the bed's ready. Let me test it," Derek said, flopping onto the bed and rolling over a couple of times to check its sturdiness.
Satisfied, he added more leaves and dry grass on top.
He muttered, "Too bad there are no tigers. A tiger-skin blanket would be nice."
Being with Tabitha brought out his protective side—it was a husband's instinct to care.
Once a man of hidden emotions, he no longer bothered to mask them.
His affection for Tabitha was genuine, and given her past hardships, he wished to shower her with nothing but the best. She deserved all the stars and moon in the sky.
After adding a layer of clothes over the grass for extra comfort, Derek said, "You must be exhausted. Eat first."
Derek finally dropped the matter. He even reminded her, "I made a little reservoir outside. It collects spring water. You can use it to wash up. I've got toiletries in my backpack."
This guy had thought of everything for her. An outsider might think they were on a wilderness adventure vacation.
Tabitha was touched. No one had ever been so considerate to her.
When she was alone in the wild, she slept in trees, always on high alert.
Now, with Derek, all dangers seemed far away.
The rain came and went. Standing at the cave entrance, Tabitha breathed in the fresh post-rain scents of the forest.
A bird cooed in the distance. The night was alive with activity as predators began their hunt.
After washing up, Tabitha felt refreshed, her mind clearing. She had made her decision.
Turning back, she saw Derek busily weaving a fishing trap.
He had brought compressed biscuits, water, and some fruits, planning to make do with mountain springs and foraged fruits until he reached safety.
But the rain and Tabitha's appearance had disrupted his plans. Tomorrow would likely bring more rain. Derek worked on the trap, ready to catch some fish.
Tabitha sat on the wood bed he'd made, her legs swinging gently.
"Aren't you tired?" she asked.
"Almost done," Derek replied. He hadn't slept and had been busy all day, sweating by the fire.
"There's a river nearby. The fish are plump. I'll go catch some while the rain's paused. Tomorrow we'll have fish to eat."
With that, he took the trap and walked into the night.
When he returned, he was glistening with water droplets, having taken a cold bath.
Tabitha glanced over, and the sight took her breath away. Derek stood there, glistening with water droplets that cascaded from his chiseled abs to the unknown below.
His usually sharp demeanor was softened by damp strands of hair falling across his forehead. There was a gentleness in his appearance that she hadn't seen before.
He looked like a male idol, capable of driving any woman wild with a simple twist of his waist.