Sleeping With The CEO
Chapter 185: Of Sleep And Man-eaters

Chapter 185: Of Sleep And Man-eaters

When Derek had invited Emily along last minute, he had thought that she would just be there as a shield between him and a particularly handsy diplomat’s daughter. But it turned out to be more than that.

She was more than just a shield, she was a life saver.

Sure enough, the first person that they ran into when they got to the party was none other than Penelope Bonham herself.

Too thin for her height, nothing but big hair, big boobs, way too much makeup, and a very loud and shrill voice.

The moment that Penny realized that it was Derek. She let out a screech so loud, Derek was sure even the dead would complain.

"Der-bear!, you came!" He wanted to just go back out and not come in again. But he forced himself to stay where he was.

The moment that Penelope moved in closer. Her hands raised, Emily was suddenly there. Rather than Penelope’s clawed hands making contact with Derek. The woman found herself shaking Emily’s hand. "Hello, I’m Emily. Lovely to meet you," She said, her pleasant voice at odds with her sharp smile.

She then proceeded to take the next several minutes to block whatever attack that Penelope tried to launch. She tried pouting. Emily stared like she did not see her. She tried swooning. Emily called a waiter over to bring them some water. She tried crying. Emily produced some tissue from her purse and gave it to the girl.

It was rather entertaining to watch.

Every single thing that she tried to do, to get close to Derek was thwarted until Penolope finally lost her cool.

"Der-bear, who is she? I don’t feel comfortable with her here. Can you please take me somewhere where the two of us can talk?" Penolope whined, her voice shriller than usual.

Derek gave her his most confused look, pretending like he did not get it.

"But I came here with Emily. If you are uncomfortable with her, that means that you are uncomfortable with me," With that, he chose to make his exit. As they had walked away, Emily leaned in close and whispered in.

"You do not need to be worrying about her anymore. Women like that tend to like playing games. By seeing me with you, she saw herself. That is why I dressed the way that I did. You see the similarities? I based this off one of the outfits that she has worn before"

"She thinks you’ve already found a replacement for her in me. I doubt she will ever be bothering you again," Was it really as simple as that? So all the running Derek had been doing to dodge her was for nothing. All that he simply had to do was come up with somebody who Penelope saw as an equal?

Women. Why were they so complicated?

Since what he had deemed to be a big threat but actually turned out to be a small fish, easily taken care of. The rest of the night was actually rather enjoyable.

The party was not really one where Derek was there to network actively. It was more of a proof of life sort of thing for him. To show the people that Derek Haven was still there. And so, without any need for pressing business, he and Emily mingled as they wanted. And when the music picked up, he took her into his arms and they danced and danced. Laughing quietly to one another when she accidentally stepped on his toes. When she complained that she was sick and tired of the heels, and that they were hurting her feet Derek had her discreetly take them off as they as they sat at one of the tables. And while everybody else was eating, he was secretly massaging her feet under the table. By the time that they stood up to leave, no one had noticed that she’d had her shoes off the whole time. And Emily was once again back in her heels, was gliding as though they were not paining her.

It was only once they had left and Derek had dropped her off at home and Emily had looked over and said, "I will be back in a few," That Derek had realized what that night was a treat. Emily had called it a treat. They were having a treat.

A random night where they got some sleep in.

So this time instead of leaving her to find her way to his penthouse. Derek waited for her to come down and a few minutes later she had her bag in hand, and was getting into his car.

Derek sped off into the night, headed for his penthouse. Which is why the two of them were currently as they were.

They had partied, they had eaten, they had showered, and now they were changed and in their pyjamas, standing and facing each other from across the bed. "Are you ready?" Emily asked and Derek nodded. "As ready as I’ll ever be," He said and pulled back the covers. With that the two of them got into bed and settled down.

"Tonight was fun,"Derek found himself saying before he could stop it. Emily turned to him, a hand over her cheek as she looked over at him.

"Yes it was. Did you see the look on that mean girl’s face when I told her her lip filler was leaking and she instantly ran for the ladies room?" Emily asked a smile on her face and Derek looked at her. Emily that was not a girl. She is seventy-two years old. Emily instantly sat up, her eyes wide.

"What?! What happened to her? That face though..." Derek nodded.

"I know.Over done Plastic surgery is terrifying. She most likely will never have wrinkles. But that face, you saw it too right. It just wasn’t right. It was just too much,"

"I have no problem with people who do a few touch-ups here and there, but that is an overdose," He said, and Emily nodded at him. The smile gone from her face, she settled back down, looking over at him from her side of the bed.

"To be her age and want to erase all of her time on earth. What the weather was like, what the wind felt like, and how it helped shape her skin and the way her bones sit. Why do that? Why wash away all of her experiences in the world?"

Derek had never thought of it like that before. Plastic surgery, especially among the rich, was something that was so common. It was often referred to along the same lines as going for a massage. Botox injections were the norm. Everyone doing everything to not look like themselves.

There were just a lot of insecurities out in the world.

And looking over at Emily, Derek realized that he had no concrete answer for her, and so he did not bother to lie to her.

"The world is complicated. You and I, we are happy with who we are and I think that is what we should focus on. Everybody does what they believe will make them happy. It is not for us to judge what others do with their own bodies,"

"But rather we must just enjoy what we have with ours like we are doing now. So how about instead of trying to figure out what goes on in the minds of other people we just relax and enjoy our time together? Derek said and Emily nodded. This time she was the one who clapped her hands and switched off the lights. Plunging the room into darkness.

There was space between them, but he was pretty sure that as it had been with all of the other nights, when they had slept together. When morning came the two of them would be in each other’s arms. But whatever it is that brought them together when they were asleep. It was yet to do so when they were both wide awake, and so Derek focused on Emily’s breathing, and did not try to reach out.

Unbeknownst to him, she too focused on his breathing. The two of them matching up without realizing. In, out, in, out.

"Derek?"The call came just as he was beginning to struggle to keep his eyes open.

"Yes," He answered.

Emily was quiet for a bit, and then she spoke up.

"Thank you, for massaging my feet,"Derek found himself smiling in the darkness.

"Thank you, for saving me from Penelope,"

The two of them went back to silence after that, simply breathing, and smiling.

This time when they fell asleep it was not one before the other. They went down together.