by Tia Wylder
“And your lives could go anywhere – in any direction, no matter what you think,” he continued. “When I was your age, I’d just begun working with my father.” He chuckled, putting a hand on his chest. “I don’t know how you all feel about your fathers, but mine, well…he’s a tough cat to please,” he joked.
A ripple of amusement went sailing through the crowd.
“So as you can imagine, I worked my butt off for a couple of years,” He frowned. “But still – Dad wasn’t happy, and neither was I.”
“So what did you do?” Michael yelled. Mortified, I punched him in the shoulder and glared.
Derek laughed. “That’s a good question,” he continued. “Well, for one, I founded Dress For Success – my first charity, that deals with collecting gently used or donated professional clothing. It’s important to get started on the right foot, and sometimes that means turning to others for help.”
As Derek paraded around on the stage, talking candidly about his philanthropic endeavors, I couldn’t help but start to think of him in a light that was almost…new. Away from Damien, away from Jack, heck – even away from my mom – Derek was a totally different person. He didn’t have Damien’s explosive masculine chemistry, but there was…well, there was something there.
By the end of Derek’s talk, I even found myself wanting to know more about him. Before now, I hadn’t known anything about Derek’s work life, or his charities. Jack had mentioned them in passing, but Derek wasn’t a braggart like Damien…it made sense that I knew almost nothing about him.
“Hey, come on,” Michael said. “Ana wants fro-yo. You want some?”
I shook my head. “I’m not hungry, for once,” I glanced down at my belly. “I think I’m gonna hang around here, maybe do some work.”
Ana leaned in close and raised an eyebrow. “I bet she’s gonna wait for Derek,” she said in a sassy voice, cocking her head to the side. “Not that I blame you,” she quickly added.
I flushed hotly. “I’m just doing to do some homework, that’s all.”
Ana and Michael rolled their eyes. “Sure,” Ana pulled me into a brief hug. “Hey, call me later, okay?”
I nodded. “See you guys.”
Ana and Michael grabbed their stuff and left the conference room, chattering excitedly about Derek. As I waited for the room to clear, I shifted my weight from one foot to the other. I had to admit, now that I was curious about Derek, I wondered if there were any surprises about Damien. Maybe his bad boy alpha act was just that – an act, meant to confuse and distract.
“Hey, kid,” Derek tapped me on my shoulder. “Didn’t expect to see you still here.”
I shrugged. “Yeah, my friends, um, they wanted to eat, but I’m not hungry,” I babbled “I think I’ll just do some homework.”
Derek nodded. He was all serious again – the young executive once more. “How about a ride home? I have to drop some stuff off for Dad,” Derek said. “I don’t mind driving you.”
“That would be nice,” I flushed and swallowed. “Thanks.”
Derek and I walked to the parking lot in silence. I noticed that even though Derek was much taller than me, with much longer legs, he didn’t walk too quickly or make me jog to keep up. I appreciated that.
“You gave a good talk,” I climbed into the passenger seat of his luxury car. “It was nice.”
“Yeah, I guess,” he shrugged. “I hate public speaking, it makes me so uncomfortable.”
I burst out laughing.
“What?” Derek narrowed his eyes as he put the car into gear and raced out of the parking spot. “What’s so funny?”
“Nothing,” I tried to erase my guilty smile. “It’s just funny to hear you say that – you were a natural in there, everyone was hanging off your every word.”
“Well, I’m not like Damien,” he said casually as he steered onto the highway. I clutched the underside of my leather seat, trying not to let him know that I was terrified.
“That’s a good thing,” I forced a laugh. “Damien…I mean, he’s something else.”
Derek shrugged. “Yeah.”
I knew I shouldn’t keep talking, but I couldn’t shut up.
“He’s a jerk, really,” I turned and cocked my head to the side, scrutinizing Derek. Suddenly, I realized that Ana and Michael were right – Derek was totally hot.
“It’s just the way he is, he’s always been like that,” he leaned back. “I know it’s hard, but I’d try not to take it personally.”
I frowned, remembering the way Damien had taunted me in the kitchen, simultaneously embarrassing me and arousing me beyond my wildest dreams.
“You okay? You're quiet,” Derek observed. He pulled into the far left land and sped up until I gasped.
“I’m always quiet,” I stared off into distance. “So are you, for that matter.”
He snickered. Just as I was about to ask him what was so funny, there was a loud pop! sound and I gasped as the car whirled to the right.
“Shit, shit!” Derek muttered under his breath, gripping the wheel. My heart skipped a beat when I looked at his hands and saw that his knuckles were white.
“What’s going on?” I asked in a panicked shriek. “What’s happening?!”
The car skidded to a stop on the left shoulder, and I gasped, leaning against the seat, my breasts heaving with each breath.
“Flat tire,” he sighed heavily. “I saw the tire maintenance light was on this morning, but I thought I could make it to and from my engagement without blowing.”
“Oh.” It was all I could say. “Um, do you want me to call Mom? Or Jack?”
“I can call a tow truck,” he waved his hand dismissively in the air. “Give me a second.”
Derek climbed out of the car and walked around, looking down critically at all the tires and frowning, his phone clutched tightly in his hand. When he made the call, I couldn’t hear him over the roar of traffic, but I watched his lips move. Something about his face stirred my insides and made me feel hot and melty, like the way I felt after having a couple glasses of wine. I rarely drank, but I realized the sensation was almost the same.
He's really hot, I watched as Derek climbed back inside the car and slammed the door. Why didn’t I see it before?
“They said it might take an hour,” Derek groaned. Just as he spoke, I saw raindrops patter onto the windshield.
“Crap,” I rummaged through my bag. “I didn’t bring an umbrella!”
“We’ll stay in the car, it’s fine,” Derek tried to calm me down. “Just chill out, Emma.”
I bit my lip and flushed. “I think that’s the first time you’ve ever said my name,” I cooed.
Derek laughed. “I’m sure that’s not true.”
I shrugged. “I don’t know. I guess…I don’t know, I thought that maybe you and your brother hated me.”
“We don’t hate you,” he explained. “Damien’s just…well, he’s just like that. He likes to keep people on edge.” Derek rolled his eyes. “I think it probably makes him feel better about not having accomplished much in life. If he rides everyone else hard, no one can ride him.”
I blushed hotly, thinking of what it would be like to ride Damien.
Derek chuckled. “What? You’re blushing,” he teased.
“I’m not,” I lied, my flush deepening to a crimson red. “I’m just hot. That’s all.”
“It’s steamy out there,” Derek agreed. He turned the car on and cracked the windows, then cut the ignition. The drizzle turned into a downpour, and I wrapped my arms around myself and shivered as I watched the heavy rain outside.
“So,” I asked out of curiosity, “How did you get into charity, anyway?”
“I figured it was something I could do for other people, and that made it a hell of a lot more appealing than working for Dad,” Derek replied. “I enjoy working at Mesa – at least, I do now that I have my own stuff going on.”
I nodded. “That makes sense.”
“What are you thinking of doi
ng when you graduate?”
“I don’t know. Mom really wants me to work for Jack, but I don’t know if it’s the thing for me. I’ve been thinking about doing the Serenity Corps, or something like that.”
Derek laughed, his body relaxing. “Man, I had a buddy who did that – he got placed in this village in Zimbabwe, living with these priests who sang all night and drank beer.”
I wrinkled my nose. “That sounds terrible.”
“Yeah.” He smiled – it was easily the most relaxed I’d ever seen him. “He quit, but I heard other people have things a little easier.”
I nodded. “Anyway, it’s not like I’ve made up my mind,” I shrugged. “It’s intimidating, you know?”
“I get that,” Derek acknowledged. “You’re smart, I’m sure you can do whatever you want.”
“Really?” I bit my lip, trying desperately not to blush. “You think I’m smart?”
“Don’t play it down, I know you are,” he snorted. “You’re just shy. Like me.”
My stomach jumped nervously, and I licked my lips. “Thanks,” I murmured, looking down into my lap.
“And you’re incredibly pretty,” he reached over and stroked a finger down my face. “You’ll have no time doing whatever you want after you graduate.” He paused, “Just don’t let anyone get you down.”
I forced myself to look into his eyes. In the semi-dark of the evening, his eyes were two pools of midnight blue, like sapphires. His gaze was hypnotic, and for a moment, I forgot where I was.
“Thanks,’ I said softly. “I…that means a lot, thank you.”
Derek smiled. It wasn’t Damien’s gamine grin, but a genuine, friendly smile. Derek pushed a piece of brown hair behind my ear, but he didn’t take his eyes away from mine. My heart was beating faster and faster, and I shivered as he moved his hand from my ear to my neck, gently rubbing the exposed, delicate skin.
“Emma…” Derek trailed off as he leaned over, pressing his lips to mine.
It was like a spark ignited between our bodies. Wrapping my arms around his neck, I pulled him close and passionately kissed him back, moaning softly as Derek’s tongue slipped into my mouth.
Oh my god, what am I doing, I thought nervously as our kiss deepened. He’s my stepbrother! I can’t do this, it’s wrong! I don’t care, I decided, purring and pushing my body against Derek’s, straining against his muscular chest.
Just as Derek was sliding his hands down my back, a loud sound made me squeak and jump back in surprise.
“Yo, mister, you got a flat?” A man in a blue jumpsuit was knocking on Derek’s window, looking at me smugly.
“Yeah,” Derek detangled himself and stepped out of the car. “Yeah. I do.”
I swallowed nervously and leaned back against the seat, shivering as lust coursed through my veins. I wasn’t exactly sure what happened – but somehow, I knew that from this point on, things would be different between Derek and me.
Chapter Three
To my chagrin, I didn’t see much of Derek over the rest of the week. He was busy – one of his charities was throwing an important benefit gala, and when he wasn’t paying attention to that, he was working long days at Empire Mesa.
Damien hung around the house, but I avoided him whenever possible. Knowing that I’d passionately made out with his twin somehow made me nervous, almost like I thought Damien could tell from my guilty expression. And the last thing I wanted was for anyone – especially Damien – to find out about what had happened.
I didn’t even tell Ana or Michael – I was too afraid they’d be all too quick to judge me…or worse, ask for details that I didn’t feel ready to share.
I was in my room studying when Mom knocked on the door.
“Sweetie? You in there?”
“Yeah,” I called. “You can come in!”
The door swung open, and Mom stepped inside, carrying a basket of laundry. Jack had two maids, but Mom still did most of the chores herself. I rolled my eyes, thinking about Damien calling her a gold-digger. What a jerk, I thought. I can’t believe he and Derek are actually twins!
“Honey, the boys are coming for dinner tonight,” Mom said. “Jack’s company just bought a huge firm in the city, and we’ll celebrate. Do you have anything nice to wear?”
I wrinkled my nose. “I’ll find something.”
“It’ll be fun,” Mom promised.
“Yeah,” I said. For you, I added silently. Because you don’t know what that jerk really thinks!
Mom sat on the bed and put her hand on my forehead. “Are you okay, honey?”
I nodded, “Yeah, just trying to finish this up.”
“Well, be sure to do it quickly, or after dinner,” Mom said. “Jack made a big effort for tonight, he wants everything to be perfect.”
“I know,” I nodded again. “I’m sure it’ll be fine.”
Mom left, and I got dressed in a pair of black jeans and an oversized sweater – not the most flattering look, but the last thing I wanted was for Damien to tease me and tell me that I was trying too hard. After doing some quick makeup, I darted downstairs.
Mom, Jack, Damien, and Derek were already seated at the table.
“Hi, Emma,” Jack said. “How are you?”
“I’m fine,” I said. “Congratulations on getting that firm – I know that must feel good.”
Jack grinned – he had every ounce of Damien’s charm, only with Derek’s politeness. “It does,” he said. “Come, have some wine with us. This is a fifty-three Malbec,” he explained. “Very rare.”
I nervously watched as Jack overfilled a glass and handed it to me, “Mmm, thanks.”
Damien and Derek were in heated conversation about something, which I took as a blessing. Instead of engaging them, I cozied up to Mom and Jack.
“That’s not what I meant,” Derek said loudly. Frowning, I glanced up and saw that he was red in the face. His normally-tidy brown hair was sticking up at an odd angle, and he looked peevish.
“Too bad,” Damien mocked. “That’s how it looked.” He laughed. “Emma, did you know your other brother fired a secretary because everyone at the office thought she was too pretty?”
“No,” I said awkwardly.
“Shut up,” Derek growled. He reached over and punched Damien in the shoulder. “That’s not how it happened!”
Damien rolled his eyes. “Whatever,” he said. “I don’t care, it’s water under the bridge, even if I was planning to ask that girl out.”
“That’s why I fired her,” Derek hissed. “You can’t be trusted around anyone, Damien!”
“Hey, boys,” Jack clapped his hands. “That’s enough.”
Derek tossed back a full glass of wine, then reached for the bottle. He tilted his head back and poured the wine directly into his mouth. I gasped in shock.
“Derek!” Jack said. “Cut that shit out, act like an adult!”
Derek stood up from the table with bleary eyes and a shaky stance. “Whatever,” he mumbled. “I’m gonna be sick.” He stormed away from the table and thudded up the stairs. When I heard him crash to the floor upstairs, I winced.
“I should go check on him,” I quickly stood up and put my napkin on my chair. “I’ll be right back.”
Damien howled with laughter. “Nurse Emma,” he teased. “Maybe I oughta get sick, too,” he added.
Rolling my eyes, I darted up the stairs. Derek was in the master suite, bent over the toilet, gushing vomit into the porcelain toilet. I cringed.
“Are you okay?” I asked timidly, stepping closer.
Derek’s only response was to cough and vomit, eventually leaning back and wiping his mouth with the back of his hand.
“Here,” I grabbed a clean washcloth from the cabinet and ran it under warm water. “Wipe off with this.”
Derek’s hand shook as he reached for the cloth and I rolled my eyes, stepping closer and squatting down.
“On second thought, maybe I should do this,” I wiped Derek’s face clean of vomit. “You had
a little too much to drink, that’s all.”
Derek choked and gagged again, and I leaped out of the way as he leaned over the toilet and vomited.
“God,” Derek groaned. “I feel miserable.”
Scrambling to my feet, I poured a glass of water from the tap and passed it over.
