This chapter is for my 'wife' Aparnaa because she told me to.

Serena is around 21/22 years old and Darien is 28/29 years old ok? You do the math.

Chapter 27:

"Hello?"

"Serena? It's me Michael,"

Serena's eyes flickered over toward Darien who was still fast asleep. She moved away slightly her voice lowering as she scrunched her forehead in thought of what Michael could possibly want.

"Why are you calling Michael?" Serena asked not bothering about beating around the bush.

He coughed over the phone like he was trying to find the right words. "Uh, well you know the plans I had? You know the ones which I could travel the world and what not? Well they sorta fell through after the first week and now I'm back here,"

"What are you saying?"

"I know we ended things badly Serena and I am truly sorry how I sprung it on you but do you think we could maybe go out some time?"

Serena frowned, "I don't know...."

"As friends! Not a date just as friends," Michael hurriedly cut in.

Serena shook her head, forgetting that Michael couldn't possibly see her over the phone.

"I don't think that is the wisest idea right now,"

"Can I enquire why?" Michael asked slightly hurt and put off.

"I'm.... I'm involved with someone else right now. I don't want to play around with him and I don't want to be hurt by you again,"

"Serena I am sorry about our 'break up'"

"Please Michael. New opportunities and other more splendid women will pop up. But this? Us? It will never work. Not even as friends,"

She heard him sigh and then resignedly told Serena goodbye for the final time before adding, "I hope that the guy your with realizes what a lucky bastard he is,"

Serena hanged up her mobile and switched it off. Michael was the furthest thing from her mind and she could never leave Darien. Not when he needed her so bad. Not when she already promised herself to stick by him.

Darien shifted slightly adjusting to Serena's form as she slipped back into bed with him. Her leg intertwining between his as she cuddled up to his warm body.

She was just about to go to sleep. Her eyes already shut tight as 3 words unconsciously slipped past her mouth.

"I love you,"

Darien's eyes popped open.

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Darien saw the first rays of light stream through his window, his indicator to get up. He gently got up from the bed, making sure Serena had his warm pillow to hug once he was gone.

He made his way to the bathroom. What was unknown to Serena, when she had gotten up to answer her damn screeching phone last night he had also woken up too though he faked it so Serena wouldn't get worried.

Her one sided conversation worried him. Who was Michael? How did he hurt her? Physically? Or mentally? Should he be worried? Should he get ready to kick some juvenile ass?

But that wasn't the reason why he hadn't slept a wink since Serena slinked back into bed with him. It was her declaration of love which he was sure she didn't know she slipped out, consciously or not.

Darien switched on the shower making sure the temperature was just right before slipping into the cubicle where he let the spray of the pounding water hit his back.

The little words. The words that could either make or break. Darien winced when he realized that maybe her 'I love you' was not really 'I'm IN love with you and want to spend the rest of my life making beautiful babies together' but rather 'I love you as a professor, as a friend, as a comrade at arms and for just being there,'

Darien wasn't sure which theory he hated more.

His eyes snapped open when he felt cool hands run across his heated upper torso. Serena smiled as she moved closer to Darien. Her golden locks of hair plastered down the sides of her nude body.

"Serena," Darien breathed in awe, as he always was when he saw her. No matter how many times he saw her naked or how long he stared at her, day in and day out. Every single time she made his breath hitch.

Was that love?

She smiled seductively that all women mastered during some point in their lives but which Serena far by excelled at.

"It's only 5:30 in the morning Darien," Serena sighed as she brushed her hand over his soft member which was quickly becoming more animate.

"Perfect time to wake up,"

Serena smiled as she reached up and gently nibbled on his ear before tugging on his ear lobe and enjoying the shiver that ran through his body.

Darien wrapped his arms around Serena, keeping her steady against him. He could feel his heart beat wildly in his chest. Barely suppressing the urge to take Serena right then and there on the shower wall.

It only proved that he was still a red necked male except that maybe age and experience had helped him reign in his sexual desires and control of his sexual impulses.

He nearly jumped out of his skin when Serena grasped his now half-erect member and slowly with the help of her hand reawaken Darien Jr. And with the help of her slow, tantalizing sucks and nibbles across his neck and shoulders, help awaken Darien.

Darien sighed against her lips and she smiled.

They had long ago discovered that sex in the shower was messy and uncomfortable not to mention that they never came out of the bathroom completely clean. But fooling around in the shower was by far more enjoyable.

"God Serena," Darien groaned deeply as he crushed Serena's lips underneath his own as he quickly and heatedly sucked on her tongue, drawing her tongue into his mouth before releasing it.

Serena's tiny fingers wrapped reassuringly around his cock and with precise strokes, alternating between hard and soft as she drew Darien closer to the brink of completely losing control.

Darien knew that Serena enjoyed having complete control of his raging emotions. She adored the way she could make him grow hard in a matter of seconds by just one kiss, that she could run her fingers through his hair and that he would shiver in delight. She loved seeing his eyes glazed over in blind lust, his hands grasping for her when she danced just out of his grasp, the deep and rough growls and moans that he held solely for her.

His head tilted backwards in pleasure as Serena fastened her pace, his throbbing cock in the palm of her hand.

He clenched his legs as the first spasms of his orgasms tingled down his body when unexpecting warmth engulfed him. Serena sighed lost in her own desire as Darien exploded inside her.

Serena rolled her hips over his body causing him to empty himself fully into her. She knew when he was completely spent when he sagged against her. Her head tucked protectively under his head as he maneuvered them more into the spray of water.

He eased himself out of Serena easily, knowing that she was still left unsatisfied but not daring to break the tranquility that surrounded them right that moment.

He closed his eyes as he gently breathed in her scent. "God, I love you,"

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