by Nikki Paris
“Ew!” Clara yanked a t-shirt on over her bra, with fury coming off of her in waves. “Why the hell did you bring me here, Derrick? What the hell is wrong with you?” She grabbed a pair of jeans next.
I shrugged. “There’s a lot of things wrong with me, Clara.”
Clara shot me a stony glare. “Clearly. God, I should have known better! I should have listened when my friends pointed out all the red flags with you!”
I sighed. “What red flags?”
“Oh, I don’t know! Maybe like the fact that we’ve been dating for eight months, and you still haven’t said, ‘I love you.’ Maybe the fact that you flirt with other girls in front of me! Maybe the way you won’t let me in!” Clara buttoned her jeans and furiously wiped her tears away. “I thought you just needed time. I kept telling myself that you just had commitment issues, and the fact that you called me your girlfriend should be enough for me. I thought you’d come around.” She sank onto the edge of the bed and asked, “Why did you bring me here?”
“Shit. Clara, I don’t know. It just seemed like the right thing to do.” I covered my face with both hands. “I’m sorry. I’m an asshole.”
Why had I dated Clara for so long? I knew I wanted Skylar the second I saw her at the engagement party over six months ago. But I was afraid Skylar would hurt me again. Clara was my reason to keep a safe distance from Skylar. Shit. I’d just been using her.
Clara was sobbing now. “I don’t deserve this!”
I looked over at her and felt a pang in my chest. I wasn’t in love with Clara, but I still cared about her. “No,” I shook my head, “You don’t. I’m so sorry.”
“Oh, save it, Derrick!” She stood and started shoving things back into her little pink suitcase. I didn’t want to stop her. I wanted to help her so I could find Skylar faster. Yep. I was a complete ass.
Suddenly her tear-soaked eyes flashed up to meet mine. “Did you cheat on me, Derrick?”
“No. Never. I swear.”
Relief passed over Clara’s face. “Okay.” She zipped up her suitcase and then turned to look at me. “You know, I’m hurt and mad as hell, but I wasn’t happy either. This would have happened eventually. I just wish you would have done it before you brought me to your sister’s wedding.”
I groaned. “I’m sorry, Clara. It was a dick move. Let me drive you down.”
“Ha!” Clara glared at me. “Like hell I’m sitting in a car with you for two hours. I’ll have one of the girls drive me down to the lodge. Then I’m using your damn Uber account to get home.” Clara grabbed her suitcase and wiped a few more tears.
I just stared at the floor and nodded. “At least let me walk you out.”
“Do whatever you want.” Clara shoved past me and headed down the hall. I followed her down the stairs and winced when I saw nearly everyone still sitting at the kitchen table.
Maci’s eyes darted back and forth between me, Clara, and her suitcase. “Wha—”
“Maci, I’m so sorry!” Clara put on the sweet, professional nurse voice she always used with my family. “I’m not going to be at your wedding, but I hope the day is just perfect, like you! I still adore you, even though your brother is a dumbass.” Clara shot me a look of pure venom.
We all heard the front door swing open. It was either Skylar or Kai. When Skylar walked into the kitchen with red-rimmed eyes, my heart lurched. I wanted to hold her.
“Skylar!” Clara said. “Would you mind giving me a ride down to the lodge?”
Oh shit.
Skylar frowned in confusion. “Why? Are you leaving?” She wouldn’t look at me.
Maci’s eyes were getting bigger and bigger, and she just kept looking from me to Clara to Skylar. Suddenly she said, “Bri will take you! I need Skylar’s help with something.”
Maci nudged Bri with her elbow and gave her a pointed look. Bri sighed and dropped her toast. “Yep. I’d be happy to.”
“I’m sorry that my brother’s an ass, Clara.” Maci stood to hug Clara as she and Bri headed for the door.
“Me too.” Clara rolled her eyes and stormed out the door.
25
Derrick
I watched my girlfriend of eight months walk out the door and hardly felt a thing. I mean, I felt bad, of course. I shouldn’t have kept her around so long. I should have been braver. I should have admitted what I wanted years ago.
As soon as Bri’s car disappeared from view, Kai burst through the front door. “Is Skylar back?” he asked.
I sighed and rubbed the back of my neck. “She’s in the kitchen.” I wanted to talk to Skylar, but I needed to figure out what I was going to say first. I stepped outside and sank onto the porch swing.
I could hear snippets of Skylar yelling at Kai in the kitchen. “…DUMBASS! Where the HELL do you get off… Don’t you EVER…”
The front door swung open, and Maci stared down at me with her hands on her hips. “You and Skylar sure have a flair for the dramatic. Can you guys pull your shit together before my wedding?”
I leaned forward and covered my face with both hands. “Sorry, Maci.”
“Scoot over.” Maci shoved next to me on the swing and patted my shoulder. “Pretty much every time Skylar’s in a bad mood, it’s because of you. So, are you going to go fix her bad mood, or what?”
I glanced over at my sister. “I don’t know what to say to her.”
“Start with, ‘I love you.’ Isn’t that why you just dumped your sweet, hot girlfriend?”
“Yep.” I stared up at the skyline of pine trees. “I’m scared, Maci. Do you hear her yelling at Kai right now?” I grinned at my sister.
Maci laughed. “She’s not as tough as she seems. I told you. She’s a big softie. And she loves you. She told me while she was drunk last night, but I don’t think she remembers saying it.”
I grinned. “I know. She just yelled it at me this morning right before I broke up with Clara. I think she told me last night, too, but I didn’t understand her.”
Maci sighed. “You’ll be good to her, right?”
“Of course.”
“All right, go figure out your shit with Skylar now so that the next two days can be all about me. Got it?” Maci raised both eyebrows at me.
“Deal.” I pulled my little sister in for a hug. “Do you think mom and dad are going to be mad that I screwed up with Clara? Are they going to be mad that I’m going for Skylar?”
Maci laughed and hugged me tighter. “Duh. Mom knows you love each other, too. She and I have had many chats about how stupid you are.” Maci pulled away from me and said, “Okay, go get her, dumbass, but don’t you dare fuck her anywhere that I could accidentally hear you or walk in on you.”
I laughed out loud and stood up. “Man, I shouldn’t feel this happy after a break-up, should I? I’m an asshole.”
Maci shrugged. “If the break-up was right, then yeah, you should feel happy.”
I smiled and reached down to mess up Maci’s hair. “Love you, sis.”
Maci rolled her eyes and mumbled, “Love you, too.”
I was about to open the door when Skylar burst out of it, with fury in her eyes. “Move!” she yelled at me. Then she shoved past me and stomped off down the path.
I turned to Maci and raised my eyebrows.
“You’ve got this, man.” Maci gave me a thumbs up and headed back inside.
I took a deep breath and jogged after Skylar. “Skylar!” I yelled after her. “I need to talk to you!”
“No!” she snapped and kept walking.
I caught up to her and grabbed her waist. “Don’t you want to know why Clara just left, Skylar?”
She turned. Her eyes searched mine, filled with hope. “Doesn’t matter.” Skylar jerked away from me and kept walking. We were almost to the tire swing now.
“Just give me five minutes of your time!”
“I feel like I already told you to leave me alone. Are you deaf and stupid?” She glared at me.
I grinned and felt my heart racing. God, I l
oved it when she got all fiery like this. “Maybe a little,” I said.
She bit her lip to try to hide her smile, then started walking again.
“Please, let me tell you why I broke up with Clara.”
Skylar stopped when she reached the tire swing. She glared at me and said, “No, bitch.” But then she fell into my arms.
I laughed and ran my hands down her back, resting them on her hips. “All right, kid.” I pulled her tightly against my body and gazed into her eyes. “Clara wasn’t it.”
“No?” Skylar sounded breathless, and I swore I could feel her heart beating rapidly against my chest.
“No.” I grinned at her and reached up to brush the hair from her face. She melted into my hand. “She just… she never figured out how to make a head shot.”
Skylar burst out laughing.
“She never called me ‘bitch’ either, and you know how I like that.”
Skylar grinned and bit her lip. “I do know how you like that.”
I smiled back at her. “She was too nice and not that great of a kisser.” I lifted her chin with one finger and gazed at her perfect pouty lips. “I adore your rude little mouth.”
“Well, it doesn’t like you.”
“That’s a lie, Skylar.” I rested my forehead against hers. “I finally figured out why you say all these things you don’t mean. It’s because you’re scared.”
She scoffed but pressed herself into me. “What do you think I’m scared of?”
“How much you love me.”
Her breathing was heavy, and her fingers dug into my chest. “What if I was lying about that?”
“You weren’t.”
She pressed her lips into mine and looped her arms around my neck. I felt like my heart was going to explode. I lifted her up, and she wrapped her legs around me, devouring me with her lips and burying her hands in my hair. I couldn’t get enough of her. “Skylar.” I tore my lips from hers, “I love you.”
She just nodded. “I love you, too.” Then she pressed her lips back into mine. Damn. I wanted her. Could I just tear her clothes off and fuck her here, under the tree with the tire swing? No one would come this way, right?
I backed her up against the tree, kissing her neck and collarbone. My dick was rock hard, and I felt drunk off of her.
Suddenly she laughed. “Derrick. We can’t fuck up against this tree. My dress shows too much of my back, and I can’t have scratches all over it for the wedding.”
I laughed and let her slide down my body to a standing position. “Did you hear my thoughts?”
She laughed. “I was thinking the same thing.” Then Skylar’s eyes turned soft and shy. “Why do you love me, Derrick?”
I held her face with both hands and brushed my thumbs against her cheeks. “Oh, Skylar. Eyes, lips, tits, ass — solid tens.” She rolled her eyes, and I laughed and kept talking. “But, I love you because you’re tough and sassy, but inside you’re all soft and sweet. You’re funny as hell. You’re smart and determined. I wasn’t joking when I said I liked seeing you get your dance studio and follow your dreams. I’m so damn impressed with the way you take charge of your life and get what you want. I love how you don’t take my shit, and I swear you can read my thoughts sometimes.” I laughed and wrapped my arms around her waist. “I mean, except for when I’m thinking about how much I love you. Apparently, you couldn’t read that thought.”
Skylar laughed and rested her head on my chest. “I’ve dreamed about this moment almost my entire life,” she almost whispered.
“Is it as good as you imagined?” I asked.
“Better.” She looked up at me with a shy smile. “I swear this isn’t real.”
“It’s real. It’s so real.” I leaned down to kiss her pouty lips with my heart pounding. I couldn’t believe that Skylar was mine. She was, right? Mine? I pulled away, just slightly, and asked, “Why do you love me? Don’t you think I’m an asshole?”
Skylar laughed out loud. “You are an asshole, but you’re also sweet and thoughtful. You love your family, and you love my best friend almost as much as I do.” She traced my lips with her fingertips. “You stand up for people and look out for people. You’re patient and smart.” She smiled. “Remember when you used to help Maci and me with our math homework when we were in middle school? I don’t think I heard a word you said because my heart was practically beating out of my chest, but I remember being amazed by how smart you were.”
I laughed and kissed her hand. “I’m smart? Who knew? I mean, for all the times you’ve told me I’m stupid…”
Skylar rolled her eyes and rested her head on my chest again. “I was mad that I loved you and mad that you didn’t know. I’ll be nice, Derrick.”
I kissed the top of her head. “I like it when you’re nice, but it’s also sexy as hell when you get all fiery and sassy.” I tilted her chin up with one finger to look into her gorgeous eyes. “I don’t want you to change a bit, Skylar.” I kissed her again, loving the way her warm lips felt against mine. I’d never in my life been this real and vulnerable with a girl. It was terrifying and incredible. “Skylar?” I trailed kisses down her neck. She smelled like vanilla.
“Yeah?” She sounded breathless.
“Be my girlfriend?” I slid the strap of her tank top down and kissed her bare shoulder.
“Mmm…” she sighed and tilted her head back. “Yes.”
Suddenly Skylar jerked away from me with a look of horror in her eyes. “Oh, shit! Maci! She’s going to be so pissed! I’ve never told her that I had feelings for you! She’s going to think I’ve been lying to her, or using her or something!”
I shook my head. “We’ll talk to her after the wedding. She’s fine with it. I promise. We just need to talk to her after the wedding.”
“How do you know?” she asked, eyes still filled with worry.
We heard a car door close up ahead. It was way too soon for Bri to be back from taking Clara to the lodge.
Then I remembered that my parents were arriving today. I groaned and took Skylar’s hand in mine. I just wanted to spend the entire day with her. I wanted to pull her down and fuck her in the grass, right under the tire swing, but there wasn’t time right now. “K, we have to help with the wedding stuff now, and I need to explain the whole Clara situation to my mom, but we’ll talk to everyone after.”
“Right. Yeah.” Skylar nodded. “Shit. Your mom loved Clara. She’s going to be mad at me!”
I squeezed her hand and grinned at her. “No, she won’t. Let’s go and help. I promise everything will be fine.” I gave her sexy ass a little pinch and jogged over to meet my parents.
I hugged my mom as she climbed out of their Lexus, then I walked around to the trunk to help my dad carry boxes into the cabin.
“Oh, Skylar, honey, you have leaves and sticks in your hair.” I heard my mom saying as I made my way up the front porch steps. That must have happened when I had Skylar backed up against the tree. I grinned to myself. It was going to be hard to keep this quiet until the wedding was over.
26
Skylar
“Skylar! There you are!” Trinity said as I walked into the cabin. Trinity’s shiny, red hair was pulled into a tight, perfect ponytail, and her hands were on her hips. “Bri isn’t back yet, and now Clara’s gone, so we have like twice as much work to do!” She pursed her lips at me, grabbed a box from the table, and shoved it into my arms. Trinity had a degree in hospitality, just like Maci. She was such a good little bridesmaid.
Instead of rolling my eyes, I took the box with a smile. I was in a ridiculously good mood. “What do you need me to do?”
Trinity blinked at me. “You seem happy. You’ve been pissy all week and now—” She held up a hand. “Never mind. Just cut these ribbons into three-foot sections. I mean exactly three feet.”
“You got it, Trin.” I grinned at her and carried the box to the table. Where did my sexy boyfriend go? Was he out back? Holy mother-fucking shit-balls. Derrick Myles was my boyfriend now.
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I pulled a roll of cream silk ribbon from the box and grabbed a pair of scissors and a measuring tape. Derrick was my boyfriend, right? I hadn’t just daydreamed that whole thing?
I started cutting the ribbon, and Maci burst into the kitchen. My heart rammed against my ribcage, but she didn’t even look at me, just ran out the front door yelling, “Mom? When are the flowers getting here?” What the hell was I going to say to Maci? Derrick had seemed so sure that she’d be okay with us being together. Maci loved me no matter what, right?
Maci rushed back through the door and ran up the stairs. “Skylar and Trinity, the flowers will be here at three! You know what to do!” Then she disappeared from view.
Maci had initially hired a wedding planner, but fired her after three weeks and decided to do everything herself. Maci was the best event planner she knew. She couldn’t leave the biggest day of her life up to someone else.
I finished cutting the ribbon and stacked it neatly in the box. When I stood to grab a roll of pink tulle, Derrick walked through the front door, carrying a stack of wooden chairs. Mmm. The muscles in his arms practically made me drool. He grinned at me when he walked past, and I hardcore melted.
I didn’t see him again until dinner time, but the cabin kitchen was packed with people — the entire bridal party, and the families of both the bride and groom. Most of the wedding guests were staying at the lodge twenty minutes down the mountain, but all of these people would be staying here tonight.
Derrick had graciously given up his room to Blake’s parents, volunteering to sleep on the couch. Then, when no one was looking, he discreetly pinched my ass and whispered in my ear. “You’re not really going to let me sleep on the couch tonight, right?”
A torrent of butterflies rushed through my stomach, and I was sure I blushed. There were a thousand things I’d been imagining doing to Derrick all day. Would I get to do them tonight? Would it be wrong to ride his cock until we were both gasping for breath, with his entire family sleeping down the hall?
