Going Rogue Read Online Free Page B

simply ignoring the fact it had ever existed.
    “I shouldn’t have come here,” he said quietly.
    “Probably not.” She wrapped her arms around her middle, just as she had when she was younger. His heart ached for the memory.
    He needed to leave, to be as far from this place as he could get. But there was one thing he couldn’t leave without.
    Taking her by the arms, he pulled her close, and kissed her fiercely.
    She didn’t resist.
    She returned his kiss with just as much emotion, her arms snaking their way up his chest. Their last kiss hadn’t lasted but a second, both of them so inexperienced. But he’d spent nights dreaming about it, imagining all he’d do differently given the opportunity again.
    Now, she kissed him with a skill that he didn’t bother to question. He knew someone else had taught her, but he didn’t care. He wanted her to remember him, remember this moment. He kissed her with every intention of scarring a memory into her consciousness so that after this, every kiss she’d ever receive would pale in comparison to his. He poured every ounce of himself into it—every feeling he’d ever hidden, all the love he’d ever felt for her. His tongue plunged deeper, exploring the secret places inside her mouth.
    This kiss was the requiem for what was to become his past.
    When he felt her knees start to buckle, he knew it was time. He pulled away. His gaze locked briefly with hers. Her eyes were heavy with desire and her lips were red and swollen from the pleasurable assault.
    He said nothing. Instead, he walked straight for the door—ready to leave the place where his vision for the future had been shattered into thousands of irreparable shards.
    And he’d be damned before he tried to pick them up.

 
    Chapter 4
    Derek wandered aimlessly through London, reflecting on all that had transpired. After several hours, he found himself standing on the docks. He’d never ventured so far from home before. Used to nothing but farmland as far as the eye could see, the sight of such a vast body of water stirred something inside him. He stared at the horizon, focusing on where the sun dipped into the sea, wondering what to do next. It was getting late and he needed to go somewhere, but for the life of him he couldn’t figure out where.
    He was lost.
    She was all he’d ever known, this girl who’d so easily dismissed him. He couldn’t very well return to Middlebury, knowing there’d be reminders of her everywhere. And he sure as hell wasn’t staying in London, wallowing in the loss of Meredith Castle.
    It was then he made his decision.
    Derek took the stack of well-read letters—so painstakingly cared for over the years—and tossed them into the water. He watched as the wind carried them off, scattering them across the sea. He didn’t move until the very last piece of foolscap drifted out of sight.
    Satisfied the remnants of his past were thoroughly destroyed, he walked back down the pier, noticing a faded sign swinging above him on an outstretched arm from one of the buildings that lined the walkway. He stopped to read it.
    The King’s Ransom Transports was looking for men.
    He rubbed his chin, wild thoughts racing through his mind—a new sense of excitement coursing through his blood. A shipping company? He could think of no better way to escape than a life of travel, drifting from port to port. He’d never been on a ship before and he could barely swim. But suddenly, reason and logic were beyond him as he entered the business office.
    An older man greeted him, his face worn, wearing better quality clothing than anything Derek had ever owned. “Can I help you?” he asked, stepping out from behind a desk.
    “I’m here to inquire about a position,” he announced. “Are you still hiring?”
    The man didn’t attempt to mask the fact that he was sizing him up before he answered. “We are indeed,” he said, obviously satisfied with what he saw. “Most of our business has been out of America