8: Just a touch, a little too much.

"Are you not done yet?" The assistant asks and she knocks on Mirabelle's door, getting her to sigh and quickly wipe off the water on her body before grabbing the dress the assistant handed to her earlier.

She quickly checks herself in the mirror once the dress is on and double-checks the scent on her skin, making sure the scent of her perfume is long gone and masked with the scent of the citrus shower gel.

It's good enough.

She hurries out of the door as she fixes her hair and smiles at the assistant who sighs in relief and gestures to continue on.

"Don't explain to him how to use a fork. He'll figure it out." The assistant says as they make their way to the diner hall. "The staff knows about the arrangement we've made, so don't feel constrained when acting as Serena."

Mirabelle nods slowly and sighs shakily as she emerges into the large dinning room where the staff stand by, waiting.

Hearing the sound of the heels tapping against the marbled tiled floor, Derek sits up, straightening his back as his heart thuds in his chest. 

"Serena?" He asks as Mirabelle walks over to the seat right beside him, sitting down as the assistant pulls back the chair for her and tucks her in.

"I'm here." She smiles and reaches her hand onto his which he takes immediately and clenches her hand. 

"Where were you all day?" He asks as he brings her hand up to his lips, gently kissing her knuckles, sending a shiver down her spine from the feel of his warm lips. 

"Work... " Mirabelle clears her throat as she glances at the assistant who nods. "How... How was your day...?"

"Could have been better if you were around, Serena." He sighs as he begins to feel the table as she had told him to, recalling all the right places the utensils were, she smiles.

"Did the nurse teach you that?" She asks as she also begins to cut into her food.

Derek chuckles softly as he places his food into his mouth and chews slowly.

"Yes, she did." He says. "It's the first she's been very efficient."

Mirabelle frowns at him as she narrows her eyes while watching him eat his food slowly, careful not to make a mess.

"She seems nice though." Mirabelle says as she aggressively cuts into her steak. "She's kind."

"She's doing her job as she's paid to." He shrugs his shoulders. "Just because someone is nice at work doesn't mean they are the same outside of it, Serena. People are different."

Mirabelle sighs as she knows too well he'd shave off her head once he realizes he's talking to the same person.

Regardless... She can't blame him since to him, Mirabelle's persona is just a nurse doing her job while Serena's persona is his loving fiancee.

The dinner goes on in silence since Derek isn't the type to converse during meal time and all that matters to him is that he is with Serena.

His fiancee.

Once they were through, the assistant forced Mirabelle to take Derek up to his room for the night, trying to bring him some closure with the fake Serena to keep him from stressing over the surgery.

It's her last night as Serena, and she needs to play her part and earn her money before Serena arrives in the early hours of the next day.

"Where are you sleeping for the night?" Derek asks as he sits on the bed that Mirabelle guides him to.

She stares in bewilderment at the size of the room and the breathtaking decor and furniture. A large landscape painting stands at the the head of his bed, surrounded by black wallpaper which bring out the art more.

The bed itself is massive with enough room to fit nine of her.

"Serena, take a seat with me." Derek says as he pats the spot beside him and she looks over at him. "I want to show you something."

Mirabelle nervously moves towards him and sits a little further from him but close enough to hold his hand as he interlocks their fingers.

"Serena... Today would have marked the day I see again." He sighs and frowns softly. "I would have looked you in the eyes today... And declared my love openly."

Mirabelle frowns as she looks down at their hands, feeling sad for him that he has to go through all this again.

"I hate myself for this outcome. We planned to marry soon after all these years and I still... Can't see you." He clenches his hold on her hand. "We'll still marry, but I need to be patient not to rush things. I want to marry you with sight... To see your beautiful face." 

He glides his fingers along her arm and up to her cheek, bringing his hand to her chin as his thumb caresses her bottom lip.

"There are many things I want to do. And they don't need to wait until the day I can see." He whispers as he moves closer to her, getting Mirabelle to gasp in panic as his other hand reaches down to her thigh and squeezes it. "Serena... You owe me a kiss." 

Her heart jolts and before she could come up with an excuse to flee the scene, Derek snakes his hand behind her head and brings her to him, finally feeling the warmth he'd been dreading to feel for the entirely of his life.

Her soft... Warm lips...

A shiver runs through him as he finds himself entranced by it, the feel of her lips against his, the warmth, the moisture... It all made his body shudder as he brings her closer to him.

Mirabelle in the meantime is unable to lean back from his strong grip as she's forced to kiss him despite not wanting to.

Though... It did feel... Good.

She slowly closes her eyes and allows herself to simply enjoy what's already been done, feeling the way his lips move hungrily against hers, as though he'd been starved his entire life.

She kisses him back, letting her own hormones betray her as she invited his tongue into her mouth, allowing it to roam around and tangle with her's, setting her body on fire.

She knows too well the assistant would lose it if she found out.

But it's not her fault... She's the victim.

Finding herself fully absorbed in the kiss, she suddenly feels his fingers stroke her, his hand went further down than she'd have preferred without even realizing it.

"S-Stop..." She leans back and quickly stops his hand from by passing the only barrier he had left, her underwear. "What are you..."

"Don't you want me... Serena?" He ask as his other hand travels down her back, bringing her closer. "We've stayed this way for years... We're much... Much older now... You should feel the same."

He leans down to her ear and takes a bite of her skin, getting her to gasp as her face warms up instantly. 

"We... I..." Mirabelle struggles to come up with an excuse only to have him reach down to her dress and bring it over her thighs as he pushes her down to the bed.

"I'm blind, but I can still make you feel good, Serena. My body works just fine." He whispers before reaching his hand back down to her thighs and she plasters them tight together as panic replaces her desire. 

He doesn't let this stop him as he simply moves his fingers over her thighs and reaches down to her, he then slithers his hand into her underwear.

A deceitful gasp escapes her throat and as her body fails to suppress the unwanted feelings.

Feelings she shouldn't be having with him.

Her knees weaken and he manages to place his entire hand between her and press his fingers against her, getting her to gasp as she bites her lip.

Get up.... Get out, get out, get out... Come on Mirabelle... Snap out of it.

A knock at the door finally slaps the senses back into her and she manages to move his hand from her when he gets distracted by the knock.

"What is it?" Derek asks in annoyance, feeling too irritated that someone always keeps intervening in times he didn't want them to.

"I'm here to show Ms. Serena to her room." It's the assistant, saving Mirabelle just in time and she sighs in relief as she fixes her dress and hastily gets up from the bed.

"Are you really leaving me like this?" Derek asks as he grabs her wrist, preventing her from leaving. "I thought you were enjoying it."

"I... I have some late assignments I need to work on." Mirabelle clears her throat. "I'll... I'll come soon after".

She lies and he eventually lets go of her hand, knowing she'll be back.

"Come to me once you're done, Serena." He sighs and clenches the beddings. "You must."

She feels a shiver run up her spine and immediately runs out of the room and closes the door behind her, feeling her heart thud in her chest as she leans against the door with the assistant staring at her, assessing her.

"You didn't put up your boundaries." She sighs, shaking her head. "How close have you gotten?"

"He's... Kissed me " Mirabelle blushes and reaches her hands to her lips, stroking them. "He's such a strong man... I failed to stop it... Then things got worse and he... Touched me."

"Touched you?" She asks and Mirabelle nods. "Where?"

Mirabelle stood straight as she clears her throat while looking to the ground, feeling too embarrassed to say it.

"I don't feel comfortable mentioning where." Mirabelle says in a low tone and the assistant sighs as she nods slowly.

"I feared he'd be very... Desperate. But understand him, he's afraid of losing you and wants to show he's capable of doing things a seeing man can do to please a woman."

"He wants to do that to Serena. Not me." Mirabelle sighs and runs her fingers through her hair. "I almost let him... That's what's worse."

"No need to worry, Serena will be here by morning. You can go rest." The assistant says and stares at her with a frown. 

"He... He's uh, expecting me, so..." Mirabelle sighs as she leans from the door. "I can't go back there."

"I'll take care of him, you go to your room." She smiles and nods as Mirabelle sighs and walks off, feeling her body slowly cool off from what could have gone horribly wrong had she not knocked.