by Ciara Cole
Derrick gave her hand a firm shake. “I apologize about not getting to meet you sooner, Eva. I appreciate your coming out tonight with Leah, and I hope you’ll also accompany her to Kevin’s house.”
“I guess if Leah wants to, then I can’t say no,” said Eva with good-natured crankiness.
“Awesome,” Derrick said, grinning and managing to make Eva’s smile grow warmer with just that simple gesture.
Just as he made to head off back to his boys, Leah surprised herself—and Derrick—by suddenly hugging him one last time and whispering, “Good luck tonight.”
Even now, minutes later, Leah wasn’t even sure why she did it. She wasn’t the demonstrative type and it wasn’t as if there was any clear label on what she shared with Derrick. But even with the crowd and the cameras all around, Leah hadn’t cared. In the few weeks since Derrick had become more and more of a fixture in her life, she’d felt her heart opening up to him more and more without even knowing.
Whether Derrick welcomed it or not remained to be seen.
Leah would just have to decide if she wanted to keep allowing him closer into her heart or keep him at a distance while carrying the baby to term.
So far, he’d been doing a great job of being there when she needed him. Such as, when it was time for her first ever scan. It had been such a relief having him there when they saw the baby onscreen and were told they had a healthy pregnancy. Leah hadn’t known how nervous she was until it was over and they could both heave a sigh of relief and smile with pride that the baby was doing fine.
Leah settled into enjoying the game, which proved as thrilling as expected. She barely took her eyes off Derrick the whole time, and she knew she wasn’t the only one. After all, Derrick was the face of the league thanks to his popularity and looks. Leah had a moment when her heart jumped to her throat when Derrick was involved in a collision with another player going for the same loose ball.
Thankfully, Derrick was quick to get up, recovering easily, and for the whole night, he put up a Herculean effort that paid off. His team rattled their opponents right up to the last minute, storming out of the gates to a nineteen-point lead. Derrick ruled every aspect of the game with enough steals, assists, blocks, and rebounds to make it clear he was the most adept player on the floor. He posted forty points, and Leah felt glad Derrick had enjoyed a good night and his team had picked up such a quality win.
The game at an end, Leah and Eva finally went out to the VIP parking lot, and thanks to the concierge service, they were in their car in minutes. With Eva at the wheel, Leah got a message from Derrick with directions to Kevin’s place. The GPS led them to their destination, which took half an hour to get there. They stopped the car in front of a breathtaking, brightly lit mansion, and Leah sent Derrick a quick text to let him know she’d arrived.
He was waiting to let them in at the front door when they walked up the stone steps. This time, it was Derrick who surprised her, wrapping an arm around her waist and kissing her briefly on the lips in welcome. Leah stepped back shakily on her high heels and heard her sister lightly cough.
“Um, good game tonight,” Leah said, and she could hear her voice sounding unsteady.
“Thanks,” Derrick replied with a smile.
He stood back to let both sisters in, and Eva whispered in Leah’s ear, “You can stop blushing now. Geez. Can’t believe you got me third wheeling.”
Leah giggled beneath her breath, knowing Eva was teasing, as usual. They let Derrick lead the way just as the dark-skinned, handsome Kevin suddenly strode up with a drink in his hand.
“Derrick, my man, introduce me to these lovely ladies.”
“Sure thing. Kevin, meet Leah. And this is her sister, Eva.” He turned to the girls, adding, “Leah, Eva, this is my teammate, Kevin.”
Of course they knew Kevin. He was one of Derrick’s closest friends and ‘brother’, with almost as much NBA star power as the fan favorite, Derrick.
“Nice to meet you,” said Kevin, shaking hands with both Leah and Eva. “Welcome to my home. Now let’s go get some food.”
Leah gave an imperceptible sigh of relief. She was so sure that Kevin would put her on the spot and ask about just what was going on between her and Derrick. After all, he was such a close friend.
Instead, he acted completely normal and not as if there was a whole lot of gossip in the media with her and Derrick.
That night, she got to meet a whole lot more of Derrick’s amazing friends and their wives and partners. With the way everyone treated her like one of them, Leah began to feel like she could belong in Derrick’s world. Why else would he want her to meet his friends and team brothers?
Now don’t go wishing for the moon. Leah knew she should stop looking at things past the surface, as she’d face less heartache that way. Derrick Talbot wasn’t looking to be tied down any more than she was. They were together because of the baby, nothing more.
But when much later, Derrick walked her to the car while Eva discreetly went ahead to give them privacy, something rose in the air between them. He pulled her gently to a stop and made her face him.
“Tonight was so much fun. I’m happy you invited me,” Leah said, ducking her head slightly with that silly shyness she sometimes felt around Derrick. “It was great meeting your amazing friends.”
“I enjoyed myself just as much, so no thanks needed,” he said. He gave her a hug, those big arms tightening around her waist in a manner that began to feel more and more welcome and natural.
Leah was about to say goodnight when Derrick added, “I’ll be free tomorrow night, so how about you let me take you out? That’s if you aren’t doing anything.”
Leah’s mind raced, a curious smile playing on her lips. “You mean, on an official date?”
Derrick looked her straight in the eyes. “I’d say it’s long overdue, don’t you?”
“Only if you mean for us to start going steady,” joked Leah, then she clapped a hand over her mouth when she realized what she just said. “I mean . . .”
“I’m sure we’ll work it out somehow,” Derrick said, barely holding back his teasing smile. “So why don’t we start afresh? I know we’re having a baby, yet we shouldn’t make that fact a drawback. In fact, it should draw us closer.”
When Leah’s smile slightly slipped at that, she hoped Derrick wouldn’t notice. Of course, he’d want them to get closer, for the baby. What else could she have expected?
Somehow, she pulled on a smile and nodded in assent. “As it happens, I’m free tomorrow.” They confirmed what time he’d be picking her up and if she should do casual or dressy.
On her way home with Eva, Leah kept silent while becoming lost in thought. Was she making a mistake, to keep on seeing Derrick? Even when she knew he wasn’t romantically into her and simply wanted them to be on good terms for the baby?
Maybe it was too soon to want promises. This was Leah’s chance to get to know Derrick better, as they’d be parents soon. Whether they’d do the parenting together or separately wasn’t something in Leah’s power to predict. Maybe it was time to tell herself not to even try.
If it was meant to be, then it would be. No matter what could possibly stand between them . . .
Chapter Five
Leah couldn’t remember being this enthusiastic about a date.
Derrick wanted dressy, so Leah went all out. She was always fashion forward, fearless and edgy. She liked to flash skin like most women, but instead of going for a stomach baring outfit, she chose something ‘cold shoulder’ that left much of her collarbone and upper arms exposed. Her long brown legs ended in nude pointed-toe heels.
She went to her vanity and began fixing her makeup. She kept the foundation light but made sure her highlight popped. Her eyebrows took most of her attention to get that ‘fleeky’ look that suited her exotic features.
Last was some coral pink lip color, and she felt ready to take on anything. She wasn’t going to let pregnancy make her feel frumpy or start losing interest in m
aintaining her looks.
Ready to go, Leah grabbed her clutch from the nightstand and went down the stairs. Her sister, Eva, was off on a trip for a few days, so Leah was glad for a reason to leave the quiet apartment. Though if she were honest, she didn’t need a reason to spend time with Derrick. He’d already whetted her excitement with the things he’d said last night. Just what lay in store tonight?
Leah got to the bottom of the stairs just as the doorbell rang. Oh, my God. Why did she feel so nervous? She’d gone out with Derrick before. And yet, he’d called this their first real date . . . or had he?
Just relax.
Inhaling deeply, Leah decided to do exactly that, relax. She walked over to the door and unlocked it, saw Derrick, and gasped inaudibly. Damn, the man was fine.
“Wow,” she said, half-teasing. His silvery-gray suit matched his eyes, and coupled with his pristine white shirt and striped blue and black tie, he gave off a JFK charm that stole her breath. Never had a tailor-made jacket looked so good on a man as tall as Derrick. No wonder he was known to have all the cool-guy swerves in the whole of the NBA league.
“That should be my line.” Derrick’s gaze fastened on Leah once she’d opened her door, and she could have sworn his eyes blazed with heat.
He roamed that hot gaze over her emerald green dress that had a slit up to her thigh and up to her hair in curly waves framing her face. Derrick couldn’t seem to take his eyes off her.
“If I didn’t know better, I’d say I had the Derrick Talbot drooling,” murmured Leah with hidden inner pleasure.
“You can’t blame me though,” said Derrick, not bothering to deny it. “You look stunning.”
Leah felt a tug of pleasure at his husky words. Her barely there baby bump was ever growing, and tonight’s outfit gave just a hint of it. Leah was well aware she’d put on ten pounds already, but she was glad she still looked fit. Sure, she still looked kinda pregnant—but not really.
Just the thought that Derrick seemed to admire her voluptuous figure made her feel more positive about her transforming body.
“Thank you,” she managed to say, with cheeks feeling hotter than ever. “You look handsome—very handsome.”
When Derrick took her hand and gently pulled her into a hug, his scent made her weak at the knees, as usual. Leah was glad when he withdrew moments later because she couldn’t tell just what she’d have done.
“Thank you. Now, my beauty, shall we?”
This time, he held out his arm for her to take. Leah ducked her head slightly, quelling a tiny shiver. She didn’t know what Derrick was doing to her—and she didn’t like it. What was so different about tonight that had her like a giddy school girl? He’d already cracked her armor and had her showing too much of herself—just after she decided not to let any man see the soft side of her thanks to her ex.
It had taken a long time for Leah to find herself again, and then she’d met Derrick. Business turned to pleasure, and now they were parents to be. How freaky was that?
As Derrick led her to the passenger side of his two-tone customized Rolls-Royce Dawn, Leah gave an internal shake of her head as she was reminded how Derrick had no problems flaunting his love for the finest things. Not that Leah had any problems with that. Besides, it did feel nice that he seemed to be treating tonight as a special occasion. Leah decided to simply live in the moment and not worry about anything else.
“Well, aren’t you going to tell me where we’re going?” asked Leah with an expectant smile as she put her seatbelt on.
“No. But I will say it’s an excellent spot to enjoy the warm weather that’s finally arrived,” Derrick said, grinning at Leah before he backed the luxury coupe out of the driveway.
It was a somewhat long, yet quite pleasant ride to their destination. Leah couldn’t help but enjoy being in such an exquisitely designed ride, with its gorgeous leather and acres of real wood trim. It would be almost impossible not to be dazzled, and yet Leah had to admit that Derrick was the one thing that got her all starry-eyed, especially when she met his intense, smiling gaze.
He seemed intent to really surprise her tonight, more so when the radio came on and Derrick sang along to almost every song. She wouldn’t have expected he could sing, but he proved her wrong, even hitting some serious falsetto when it came to a popular Justin Timberlake song. Leah thought it was cute, especially when he was being goofy about it, almost as if he simply wanted to see her smile. Who knew Derrick could be such a sweetheart?
Hold up, girl, now don’t you go falling for him, said that cautionary voice in her head.
But Leah didn’t want to listen. This was just harmless fun, and how could she help it when every moment brought them closer and closer?
Finally, they pulled up to the restaurant, which was an elegant seafront spot which seemed to sparkle as much as the body of water surrounding it.
“Not bad for a romantic date spot, wouldn’t you say?” teased Derrick.
“It’s unreal,” said Leah in awe. It was classy yet unpretentious in design, making you feel welcome the moment you arrived.
Once inside, the host didn’t even need introductions and simply led Derrick and Leah to their reserved table. Derrick’s tall, broad body demanded attention, and Leah could see that people around knew who he was. The Derrick Talbot, best shooting guard in the league and one of the star players of his team.
Instead of the main restaurant, which was a bit crowded, they were seated on the patio which offered an impressive vista.
“I bet the sunset will look breathtaking from here,” said Leah while gazing around with enjoyment, then settling into the chair that Derrick gallantly held out for her. He had impeccable manners that Leah was greatly impressed with as she thanked him with a smile.
“It does, and that’s one of the reasons I picked this place. It’s nothing like those so-called fashionable spots where the preppy types converge in their annoyingly loud circles,” joked Derrick, taking his seat opposite. “Still, it’s a social hub with many different influences that made it feel like a cultural experience, not simply a food court.”
Trying to hide the way her heart sank slightly at the thought that Derrick must have come here often, Leah didn’t try to guess with whom and instead said she’d heard of the restaurant and was glad they would be having dinner there. It was one of the best and possibly the most expensive in the city, and Leah wanted to enjoy the chance to try something different.
“It’s truly gorgeous out here,” Leah said, and with effort, she was able to smile brightly as she stared at the man in front of her.
“I’m glad you like it. I want tonight to be perfect.” Derrick took her hand from across the table, and the warmth of his fingers around hers felt as intimate as being caressed in secret places by him.
“I’m sure it will be,” Leah said, unable to hold back a giggle. Her smile felt easier and warmer now, and she finally relaxed.
The waiter arrived to take their orders, and Leah found the food as intriguing as the location, with its Asian-seafood fusion menu.
Though the night was warm, there was a refreshing breeze in the air. The entire night, Derrick and Leah told each other stories, most of them offering humorous insights into their past experiences, be it with work or everyday life.
Leah told Derrick about her dream to start her own consulting agency someday. Promotions, red carpet events, marketing campaigns, modeling agencies, productions, and more—she’d take them on.
“If someone had asked me beforehand, I’d say that having a baby would come much later so as to help me focus on my career path,” Leah said. “But now that it happened so unexpectedly, I think becoming a mother is going to help me gain more clarity instead of being a distraction. I just have to find that balance.”
Leah paused, not wanting to add that deep down, she also feared going about it all alone. She didn’t want to seem pushy or trying to guilt-trip Derrick into making any promises. He was here now, and that was all that mattered.
&
nbsp; Wanting to steer the attention away from herself, Leah got Derrick to tell her about his hopes for his team that season. Ever since he’d taken over point guard duties, the payoff had been impressive. Derrick was pulling insane figures when it came to the points and assists column, and even Leah could see he was already an MVP front-runner.
Looking at his life, with his massively successful basketball career, endorsements, and business pursuits including a clothing line and a shoe collection, Derrick Talbot was ‘balling’ in every sense of the word. He was at his peak and all the women wanted him. Could Leah really see him settling into fatherhood and maybe even a committed relationship with her?
It made her heart ache when Leah realized that at the end of the day, all she thought about was him. All she wanted was him. She didn’t know what she’d do if Derrick didn’t feel the same.
He made her laugh, paid her the sweetest compliments, and every so often, she would catch him staring at her. A part of Leah felt self-conscious about it, but at the same time, she loved that she could hold his interest. If only she could stop wondering if this moment was a passing whim and soon, Derrick would balk at the prospect of playing house . . . and go back to his wild, playboy ways.
They were soon done with dinner, but the night was far from over as they exited the restaurant and headed for the garden. Nothing spelled ‘romance’ more than a walk around the beautifully cultivated grounds hand-in-hand. Leah got more and more flustered, wondering if she was reading all the signs right or just being silly. How could Derrick not be as into her as she was with him?
From the garden, Derrick led them to the sandy outdoor area where the live DJ provided a sultry soundtrack to go with the romantic atmosphere.
“We’ve slurped on oysters, watched an unforgettable sunset together, and explored the magical garden. Ready for some dancing?” asked Derrick, eyes growing hooded as he rested his hands on her waist.
