Draw Me Close

by Nicole Michaels

  Soon they were seated and enjoying an amazing dinner. He was quick to inform their server that he and Lindsey were together, and she smiled, grabbing his leg under the table before leaning closer to him. So maybe she didn’t have a problem with them being obvious. He gave her a wink. Once everyone was finished, they decided to head over to the nightclub.

  The club required a walk through the main casino floor, and Derek watched Lindsey taking in the lights, sounds, and flash of it all.

  “Wanna try some slots?” he asked.

  “No way, I can’t.”

  “Blackjack? Poker?” Derek pointed to the rows of tables. “If I was inclined to gamble, poker would be my game. At least then you feel like skill plays a part, although it’s still mainly luck.”

  “The odds are not in your favor no matter what,” she said. Derek stopped and pulled her close. He glanced ahead to see that their group had kept moving. The lights of the room flashed in her beautiful eyes and he leaned down to kiss her. She kissed him back, her lips tasting like cherry lip gloss. He lifted his head and rested his nose against hers.

  “Everything’s a gamble, Linds. You just have to decide if it’s worth the risk.”

  She nodded. Their voices were fairly loud due to the noise, but there was no way anyone would hear their exchange. They could only hear one another. “I think you’re worth the risk,” she said.

  He gave her a slow grin and then squeezed her hand in his.

  A siren went off behind them, and everyone in the near vicinity turned to the corner of the room where a giant board of lights began to flash on top of a cluster of quarter slot machines. Several people started clapping and cheering.

  Derek leaned down and spoke to Lindsey over the noise. “Some lucky bastard just won the ten-thousand-dollar jackpot.”

  When he looked at her face he frowned. She just stared toward the corner where the lights flashed, her eyes narrowing. “That’s my dad.”

  Twenty-One

  Lindsey felt like she was going to pass out. At first she thought she’d been seeing things, but no, there he was, grin wide, as a casino employee headed over and shook his hand. The two men laughed and chatted. And still she watched in shock. They appeared to know each other. Lindsey started toward them.

  “Linds, wait.” Derek tried to grab her arm but she shook him off.

  When she was near enough she spoke. “Daddy?”

  Her father’s head jerked in her direction and instantly he looked ashen. His eyes scanned the crowd but as soon as he made eye contact with her again his expression went from horror to panic. “Lindsey, I just won. Can you believe it?”

  “No, Dad. I can’t. What are you doing here?”

  Just then another older man with a floral Hawaiian-style shirt smacked her father on the back. “Isn’t this your second win this month, Isaac?”

  Lindsey gasped and her father’s eyes darted right to her, full of shame. She was going to be sick. She felt Derek squeeze her hand again, but she yanked it from his grasp.

  “Daddy, please tell me you haven’t been gambling every time I give you money. Please.” The words didn’t even make sense as they came out of her mouth. He’d been broke. Down on his luck. She’d been helping him.

  “Answer me, damn it.”

  Everyone had gone silent. Even the gaming around them had stopped, only the jingle of unused machines could be heard. He didn’t say a word. His face was full of shame, his mouth falling open. She knew it had shocked him to hear her speak like that but she couldn’t bring herself to care. Finally he stepped forward.

  “Mi hija, I can explain. I only come here once in a while.”

  “Once in a while? Is that why you’ve already won twice this month? Why this guy knew your name?” She pointed at the idiot in the ridiculous shirt.

  “It’s not like that, Lindsey.” He shook his head. She noticed the crowd had begun to thin and she knew their confrontation was making a lot of them uncomfortable.

  “Dad, do you know that I’m broke all the time? Can you explain to me why my dreams have all been put on hold while I continue to loan you money? You told me your water was going to get shut off.”

  “That was the truth!” He had the audacity to look indignant.

  “So you thought the answer was throwing my money into the toilet?”

  “I just won, didn’t I?” He held his hand up to the flashing $10,000 sign.

  “But how much have you lost in order to win? And I have a hard time believing I would have ever found out about this win. That’s my money, Dad.” This time she pointed at the sign. “But obviously you would have sunk it all back into these stupid machines.”

  His eyes darted from side to side. And he looked so lost. And old. She hated that she stood here still feeling sorry for him when all he deserved was her anger.

  “I can’t believe you would do this to me, Daddy.”

  Her father reached out an arm. “Lindsey…”

  She stepped back, out of his reach, as tears began to roll down her face. She had truly thought this man had needed her. Always had, and she’d been there for him time and again. Sacrificed so much to care for him. Not just recently, but her entire life.

  The warm wall of Derek’s chest closed in around her, his hand going to her waist. She’d almost forgotten he was there, and now her shame deepened.

  “Who are you?” her father asked, his eyes on Derek. As if he had a right to question anything about her or her life.

  “I’m the man that your daughter’s going to be able to count on.” His voice rumbled against her back and she didn’t miss the anger in his words. “Come on, Lindsey.”

  He pulled her away from her father, causing her a mix of relief and sadness. They headed back the way they’d come, and before she knew it they were getting on the elevator. “What are we doing? The party…”

  “I’ll deal with that,” he said. Derek pulled her into his chest and wrapped his arms around her. Closing her eyes she leaned her forehead into his chest.

  “How much have you given him?” Derek asked.

  She shook her head against him, not wanting to say it out loud. She was so ashamed for falling for her father’s lies.

  “Please tell me it’s not as much as he just won.”

  “Half that.”

  “Goddamn it,” Derek said under his breath. “I can’t believe how much I wanted to punch your dad.”

  “Please, can we not talk about it anymore?”

  He squeezed her tighter. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said that. I would never hurt your father. Probably.”

  She would laugh but she was too overcome with anger and sadness. Mel would just die when she found out, and that thought only added to Lindsey’s humiliation.

  In the past year alone she’d given her father nearly $2,000. Since she’d dropped out of college it had been even more. Close to $6,000. And that didn’t even take into account that she’d moved in with him and gotten a job after his heart attack so he could take time off and recover. She’d given up so much for her father and here she’d found him gambling it all away.

  When they stepped out of the elevator, she registered that Derek was on the phone beside her. It sounded as if he were speaking to Mike, probably telling him what had happened. But she didn’t even care, her emotions were all she could focus on.

  Her phone vibrated. She looked down. It was her dad. She ignored it. He immediately called again but she ignored that one also. When they got to Derek’s room he pulled out a card key, quickly sliding it in and out. As soon as the door opened Lindsey slipped inside. The room was identical to the girls’ room and she walked right into the bathroom and shut the door, locking it behind her. And then she cried.

  * * *

  “Linds. Let me in, babe.” Derek knocked softly on the bathroom door. She’d been in there for thirty minutes. At first he’d let her be, realizing that she was in pain. But now he was starting to worry.

  After he’d called Mike, the girls had come up wantin
g to see her, but Lindsey hadn’t wanted to talk to anyone so he’d convinced them to go ahead and have fun. Just as he’d told her father, he planned to be the one to take care of her. And he meant it. This was his woman, the only one for him, and he would do whatever he had to do to keep her happy.

  Keep her his.

  He leaned his forehead against the cold metal door just in time to hear some shuffling, the water turn on for a moment, and then the lock click. Standing straight, he waited for her to appear in the doorway. As soon as she did he opened his arms, and sighed in relief when she walked right into them.

  “Talk to me,” he said.

  “In a minute,” she whispered, her arms squeezing his waist. Derek laid his cheek on the top of her head and inhaled. God, he loved holding her.

  This was what he wanted, to be the person she went to when she was upset. He wanted to fix whatever was wrong for her. Take care of her. He wanted a second chance to be her everything.

  After a long moment Lindsey tilted her head up to him, her eyes red and her cheeks a little splotchy. Still she was beautiful. Derek pulled some hair out of the wet tears on her face and motioned for her to lie down on the bed. He lay down beside her and was grateful when she reinserted herself into his arms without any hesitation.

  “I guess my dad has a gambling addiction.” Her voice was small and resigned.

  “That’s what it looks like. I’m so sorry.”

  “I am mad. So mad. All this time I truly thought I was helping him. I knew he was bad with money, but I never dreamed he was knowingly taking advantage of me.”

  Derek continued to stroke her hair as he spoke. “I’m not going to stick up for the guy, but you have to remember that it is an addiction. He didn’t want to hurt you.”

  She shook her head. “I’m sure he didn’t want to. Doesn’t make me feel any better.”

  The unspoken truth in the room was that he’d done the same thing. Hurt her even when he didn’t want to.

  “I still don’t know how he could do this to me,” she whispered.

  Derek pulled her tighter into his arms when her tears started up again. Unsure of how else to comfort her, he kissed her temple, her cheek. When she finally lifted her face to his he kissed her gently. He was afraid she might stop him, and if she did that would be fine. But he was grateful when she kissed him back. At first their lips lazily slipped against one another but it wasn’t long before she scooted up on the bed, her kiss becoming feverish and wild.

  “Lindsey, we don’t have to do this,” he whispered. She was licking down the side of his neck, working her fingers under his pants.

  “I want you. Please. Make love to me, Derek.”

  There was no denying that request from this woman’s lips. He couldn’t have stopped himself if his life depended on it. He unzipped her dress, sliding it down her shoulders as she clawed at his clothing.

  “Slow down, babe. I don’t want to rip your dress.”

  “I don’t care. Rip it off.” Her hands were pulling at his shirt like she couldn’t get enough. Derek rolled her onto her back, grabbed her hands and held them over her head.

  “What are you doing?” she asked, her voice breathy. He loved how full and swollen her lips were from kissing him. Probably from crying also.

  “I’m making you slow down. Now don’t move.” He leveled her with a stare. “Promise?”

  She closed her eyes in annoyance. “Promise,” she whispered.

  “Not even your hands. Keep them right here.”

  “Okay.”

  Derek pushed off the bed, never taking his eyes off hers as he slid her dress down her body. The dress he loved even more when he noticed that it required no bra. Her panties came next, and he kissed the arch of her foot as he pulled them off and dropped them on the floor. And still her eyes stayed on him. He almost couldn’t tell if she was focused on him or thinking. He didn’t want her thinking or worrying. Only feeling.

  “You with me, Lindsey?” he asked, his hands going to his shirt. She nodded. Now he allowed himself to take in the sight of her there, laid out for him on the bed. She shifted her body, obviously a little embarrassed at being on display.

  “Good. I know you just want an escape right now. And I’m going to give it to you.”

  He pulled his shirt off, his pants, and his underwear, all the while watching her breasts rise and fall. When he was completely naked he crawled back up the bed and laid his body down on hers.

  “Touch me, Linds,” he said quietly. She did, her fingers caressing his back, sliding down to cup his ass.

  Derek angled up, holding his weight on his forearms, and nudged her thighs apart with his knees. Instinctively she pulled her legs up, wrapping them around his waist, giving him all the room he needed to slide into her.

  “This is what I needed,” she whispered.

  Derek looked down at her upturned face, her eyes bright and intense. “I’ll give you this anytime you want.” He pulled back out before pushing in once more.

  He began a steady rhythm of slow thrusts and before long she began to arch her body up to meet him. “That’s so good, Linds.”

  She gripped his waist, pulling him down harder against her. “Faster.”

  He grinned down at her and then nuzzled into her neck. “I like it slow.”

  “Please, Derek.” Her nails pierced his back and her breathy moans finally urged him on. He pushed up and rested on his fists before he began to pound into her.

  “Oh God.” Lindsey smiled and let her eyes close.

  They climaxed together and for a long moment she seemed unable to catch her breath.

  Derek rolled over and pulled her against him. Within moments she was fast asleep.

  Twenty-Two

  The following Tuesday Lindsey pulled into a parking spot on Main Street. Before exiting her car she flipped open her vanity mirror and checked her face. She looked a fright, mascara shadows under her eyes, her hair tangled because after her shower this morning she’d let it air-dry in chunks.

  She’d been up late the night before doing very important things. Such as perusing Pinterest, updating her Etsy site with a few new pieces she’d made, and basically trying not to feel sorry for herself.

  Trying and failing because today she felt pretty damn sorry for herself. She was angry and still in shock over her father gambling all her money away. He’d continued trying to call her Sunday but had finally given up. Thank goodness, because she just wasn’t ready to speak to him and wasn’t sure when she would be. She was certain he wouldn’t show up at Mel’s because he wouldn’t want Mel to know if he could help it.

  Lindsey hadn’t even told her sister. Not to protect her father, but because she was so ashamed. She would tell her … eventually. She was just waiting for the right time. Preferably when they didn’t live under the same roof. Although now even that felt further and further away.

  After putting on a little lip gloss, she got out of the car and headed down the sidewalk toward Callie’s Confections. It was nearly two o’clock and she’d spent the day at the farmhouse doing her last project, which was a cute little entryway table for inside the front door. She’d found it on someone’s curb last week and knew that it would be perfect with some love and care. After three hours of work this morning she was in need of coffee and cookies.

  She pulled open the door, the familiar jingle sounding her arrival, and then stopped dead in her tracks. Derek and his son were standing at the counter chatting with Eric. Just as she was contemplating how she would handle the situation, Tanner turned and saw her.

  He smiled wide. “Hey, look, Dad. It’s Lindsey.”

  Stunned, Lindsey glanced from face to face. Derek looked as surprised as she did. Catching Eric’s eye she saw him put a finger up to his mouth, drawing a smile. Oh, right.

  She obeyed, forcing out a smile, and after a second, Derek reciprocated. They’d only spoken once on the phone since the morning she’d left the casino, but it was fine. He had informed her that Tanner was on sp
ring break this week and he’d be a little occupied.

  “Hi, guys.” Lindsey stepped farther into the bakery. “What a surprise.” It was, and in that moment she remembered how awful she looked. She lifted a hand to her ratty hair, wishing she’d never walked out the front door in such a state.

  “It is a surprise.” Derek grinned.

  Although they were supposed to be dating, they had yet to discuss how to handle being around his son. She decided to just pretend they were friends.

  Behind the counter Eric cleared his throat. Lindsey looked up to find him holding out a to-go coffee cup. “Have you come for this?”

  She stepped up to the counter and took the cup. “I did. Thank you.” She looked down at Tanner and then up at his very handsome father. She still couldn’t get over how similar they looked. “What are you guys up to today?”

  “We’re going to a movie,” Tanner said. “But we came here to get cookies. That’s why I have this hoodie on, so I can stuff them in my pockets.”

  “Smart. I’d take Callie’s cookies over Milk Duds any day. But I’d still need movie popcorn, that’s my favorite.”

  Tanner looked up at his father—who’d been staring at her the whole time—and then back to Lindsey. “Dad, she should come with us.”

  “Oh, that’s so nice, but…” She smiled down at him and he looked so hopeful. She quickly raised her eyes up to Derek, hoping he’d be ready with an easy out for her.

  “You should come. It’s a good idea,” he said. Lindsey’s mouth dropped open in shock.

  Her reaction must have been humorous because Derek gave a silent chuckle and then looked down at his son. “It’s okay, bud, I’m sure Lindsey is just really busy.”

  “No! I mean, okay. I’ll come with you.” If he was willing to include her with his son, she was going to accept.

  Derek’s eyes darted back to hers. “Really?”