by Vi Carter
“I am?” Derek said, like a question, the frown that had accompanied his words disappeared and he gave me a small smile. I hadn’t seen this side of him much, and I liked it. It helped me relax.
“And here I thought you were all serious.”
“I can be, when I want to be.” His eyes grew serious and my stomach tightened. God, they were a weapon upon themselves. “But I’m finding it hard.”
“Hard?” I questioned. Why was the word ‘hard’ bringing so many things to mind? Thank god for makeup.
He grinned like he got the double meaning. “You are very distracting in that dress, Grace.” Feeling myself blush at the compliment, I took another gulp of wine, and he laughed softly. This wasn’t going to end well.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
GRACE
THE WAITRESS ARRIVED. She spent so much time staring at Derek that I don’t know if she heard me at all. I would be seriously surprised if our orders arrived correctly.
Starters arrived, I just got a small salad and Derek got duck. He offered me some, but I declined. My stomach still hadn’t settled, and wasn’t ready for anything rich, alcohol exempted. I took another mouthful of wine, trying to settle myself.
Derek took a bite of his duck and looked up at me thoughtfully, “We might have a secret visitor next week. My sister needs someone to mind her dog and, being her big brother, I got the job."
“You have a sister? What age is she?”
“Seventeen going on thirty. A part of me is glad she doesn’t live at home anymore. I spent more time keeping guys away from her." His tone was playful.
“Does she look like you?” I asked knowing if she did, she would be stunning.
He smiled before answering “Yes, we are pretty similar. But Jess would hate to hear anyone say that.” He smiled as he spoke. They had a good connection. My brother was scratching at my skull, so I took another gulp of wine. This was part of getting to know each other. I would manage. I just needed to stay calm.
“What kind of dog?” I asked.
“A teacup one. Horrible thing. I will need your help.” I smiled, delighted with the idea of spending more time with Derek, and then I found myself smiling at the image of him with the little dog.
“I want to get a picture of that," I said, still smiling.
“You only want one of me; you don’t have to use the dog as an excuse." His playful tone surprised me once again.
“You caught me,” I said. His leg brushed mine, it wasn't an accident.
“Do you have any siblings?” The waitress arrived to take away our starters, and I was so grateful. I took another gulp of wine, trying to dislodge the rock that lay in my stomach now.
“A brother,” I said, and Derek grew serious. Surprise filtered through me that I had told him so easily.
“Do I have to worry about him kicking my ass?” Picturing James going up against Derek made me smile while my heart broke.
“No, he’s only five.” Silence filled the table. Silence that I didn't know how to fill in.
“Are you close to him?” Derek asked quietly.
“Was,” hands tightened around my throat and I cleared it, trying to release some of the tightness. The realization showed on Derek’s face. “He died,” I said in a small voice and took a drink of water this time.
“I am so sorry, Grace.” I smiled gently at his words.
“Me too,” I added. Silence descended on our table again.
“Do you want to talk about him?” Derek asked, surprising me again tonight.
He didn’t say it, he said him. Not many people say that. They want to know how he died, or they refer to him as it. But never to talk about James.
“Tonight? No. But one night, we will talk about him. James is his name.” I had said all that without crying. It had to be the wine, or Derek. He didn’t panic or act like he was out of his depth. Most people got awkward. He seemed genuine and caring.
“Can't wait to hear all about James.” He sounded like he did. As the night went on, no more family topics came up, much to my relief. Instead, I laughed so much throughout the rest of the night. Derek had a great sense of humor, but it was his stories. He should have been a storyteller; they all were about where he came from, his past. He came from a ranch, but they also had cattle, so the old farmers in the area mingled with him. Some of the stories were hilarious.
“You’re lying,” I said through tears of laughter, for like the hundredth time that night. My sides ached, along with my face.
“I couldn’t make this stuff up,” Derek said, smiling. I grinned. He was right; no one could make it up.
Once we had finished, we left the restaurant and went to a bar close by. I hadn’t been in it before, but the soft music and dimmed lights told me, that maybe, just maybe, Derek had already picked this bar. We sat in a snug booth, looking out on what would likely become a dance floor later on. Our thighs brushed against each other, the closeness had all my nerves on fire. I wondered what a kiss would do to me.
I held my wine glass like an anchor, frustrated that the alcohol hadn’t kicked in. Since entering the bar, my senses picked up every movement that Derek made.
His hand intertwined our fingers together. I looked up at him, startled. His eyes focused intensely on my lips, he bent his head down, his breath brushing my cheek. “I’m going to kiss you now,” he whispered while placing a soft kiss on my cheek, my stomach fluttered, my breathing hitched. He moved closer to my lips. “If you want me to stop, I would suggest you say something now.”
Even if I wanted to, I was incapable of speaking, and then his lips touched mine, carefully and gently at first, driving me insane. I tried to stay still for a split of a second, but I couldn’t. I fisted his shirt pulling him against me, and I deepened the kiss. He groaned, low in his throat just before his tongue entered my mouth and he left my nerves frazzled. My breathing became fast as he deepened his tongue and the kiss. His hand found the back of my neck, his thumb stroking back and forth, the motion driving me crazy. I never wanted this kiss to end, but I needed it to end all the same.
When we finally broke apart, we were both a little breathless. I became aware of the other patrons now, but Derek had his back to the floor, his forehead against mine as if shielding me from everyone. Our eyes met, and I realized that, after kissing Derek, I have never been kissed properly before in my life. They were so insignificant compared to his kiss, compared to him, and I also realized that he would ruin me.
Once our breathing started to regulate, he smiled at me. “I’ve wanted to do that from the first night I saw you,” he said, breathlessly. My mind reeled, trying to think of where he meant.
“When you were jogging?” I asked doubtfully.
“Yes.” His answer was low, his eyes focused on my lips, and I moistened them in anticipation.
The waitress cleared her throat, and her face told me she hated her job. “Do you need a refill or a moment?” The way she said ‘moment’ told me she saw our kiss and I blushed. I moved away from Derek and noticed my glass was empty.
“We are fine thanks,” Derek answered and he turned back to me before the waitress even had time to leave.
“I thought a nightcap back at mine would be nice.” My heart began pumping, and my throat turned dry at the thought of Derek’s words, so I just nodded.
It wasn’t until we were in the jeep that I realized Derek hadn’t drunk any wine, or anything at all. My mind was racing. Would I go the whole way? My head tried vehemently to say no, but my body screamed yes.
“Are you okay?” Derek asked, sounding unsure.
I looked at him, and my heart gave another heavy thud. “Yeah, completely. I’m actually having a great time.”
Derek’s smile wiped any uncertainty from his face, and then he became serious again. “I didn’t mean to leave so abruptly; I just thought somewhere private would be nice.” He looked so unsure of himself. “I’m not saying we have to do anything…” He glanced at me; he was so cute and hot right now.
>
“If you don’t want to…” I said, keeping a straight face.
“I do. I really do, but I don’t want you to think I am expecting anything.” His words came out flustered now, but he reeled it in, trying to look like he had it all under control.
“Like, what would you be expecting?” I asked. He glanced at me, a touch of horror on his face. I wasn’t sure where my own bravery came from; this was not like me at all. I supposed fresh air plus wine could have been the answer. This was so much fun.
“Nothing, this is coming out all wrong.” He rubbed his hand along his jaw, and I couldn’t keep it in anymore, I burst out laughing. It took him a few seconds. “You were messing with me?” He looked at me like he couldn’t believe that I would do that.
“You should have seen your face,” I said, still laughing. We pulled up into the apartment complex and my laughter died down. Derek no longer had to focus on the road, so his attention was on me, and there wasn’t enough wine in the world to stop my stomach from somersaulting, or my heart from fluttering.
Derek unbuckled his seatbelt, without taking his eyes off me. When he leaned in, the smell of his cologne filled my senses. He undid my seatbelt. “You’re not so brave now,” Derek whispered with laughter in his voice.
“No,” I said back, while trying to control my breathing, as his mouth moved closer to mine. His lips were a hair’s breadth from mine. He lingered there, teasing me until my composure slipped, and I pulled him to me. I took the lead and slipped my tongue into his mouth. He gave a low moan that I echoed. His hand started at my knee, leaving a path of fire behind it as it made its way slowly up my thigh. His other hand stroked the back of my neck. Both my hands had his shirt bundled tightly, as I tried to pull him closer. I needed to feel him, all of him. Our kisses turned frantic more urgent, and the next minute, a light was shining into the jeep. It was so bright that it had us moving apart.
“What the–” Derek said as I shielded my eyes and put my dress back into place. Derek rolled down the window, the light disappeared, and in its place, stood Maggie.
“Fornicating in the car park is illegal.” Maggie looked past Derek, to me. “Grace, of course,” she said it like I was at this every weekend. Wendy appeared behind her, but she had the decency to look embarrassed.
“What are you doing?” Anger laced Derek’s words, but Maggie obviously didn't notice, or if she did, she didn’t care.
“We patrol the carpark.” Maggie pointed her flashlight towards Wendy, who tried to move further away from the jeep when Derek looked darkly at her.
“There are exactly seven people in this building. Why does the carpark need patrolling?" Derek asked. I, for one, wouldn’t have asked. Maggie was off her rocker.
“This. Derek.” Now she pointed between me and him. “So poor women like me don’t have to see these shenanigans.”
Derek leaned a little out the window and he must have smiled because Maggie was smiling at him. “Why don’t you two poor women go to bed? Then you don’t have to see anything.” At that, Maggie’s face turned into a scowl and Derek rolled up the window.
“We better go in.” I got out at Derek’s words. I fought hard not to laugh. He was fuming. I mean, Maggie got on my nerves, but it was kind of funny.
“Mr. Oslan!” Her next victim froze halfway across the carpark as Maggie, with Wendy in tow, made a beeline for him. I could visibly see Mr. Oslan, who was like ninety, hunch his shoulders. Wendy looked back at me and gave me an apologetic smile. I wasn’t sure if it was for Maggie’s behavior towards me and Derek, or how she was about to speak to Mr. Oslan. Really, it was anyone’s guess.
“No Smoking. You nearly killed us all.” I cringed for him as Derek took my hand, sending waves of warmth up my arm. The poor man, I could picture Maggie saying this every time she saw him. Yeah, he had nearly burned down the building, but Maggie was like a prison warden. “Hand them over.” One hand went to her hip as she drummed the opposite foot impatiently.
We reached the apartment door without notice. “But Maggie–”
“It’s Miss Wells, Mr. Oslan.” She corrected. The rest of the conversation I missed as the door closed.
I looked at Derek for the first time; his jaw was clenched tightly. “Are you okay?” I tugged on our joined hands getting his attention. His face softened when he looked at me, and my stomach fluttered.
“Yeah, she just annoys me,” Derek said as he opened his apartment door.
As I sat in his leather suite, I fidgeted with my hands, trying to calm the nerves that jumped around in my belly. He had unpacked everything now, and his apartment was spotless, yet it lacked a woman’s touch. It had no pictures or ornaments; a large unit held a music station and his TV. At the end of the couch sat two small tables, each with a lamp. The far side of the room had one armchair. His kitchen wasn’t open plan like mine, so I couldn’t see in as he left me to get us drinks. His table and chairs sat in the living area, and that was it. There wasn’t much to tell me anything more about him.
Derek returned with a glass of wine for me and a bottle of beer for himself. I was mesmerized as he lifted the bottle and took a drink, his shirt rising slightly, giving me a glimpse of his tanned stomach. When I looked up at him, he was smiling. I hid my own smile as I took a drink of wine. I didn’t take my eyes off Derek as he sat down beside me. My heart started to pound, and I could feel my hands start to get damp. Why wasn’t the wine kicking in? And if it was, what state would I be in if I was sober? Was this going to be a disaster? Was I better off aborting this? My mind was going a million miles an hour, so I was surprised when Derek removed the wine glass from my hand. As he leaned over me to place it on the table, I held perfectly still, but closed my eyes and inhaled like a nut job. His cheek rubbed my face as he moved back, his lips grazing my ear. I had to use all my willpower not to shiver. His long fingers held my face, and I couldn’t help the soft moan that escaped my lips.
When I looked at him, my breath caught. His eyes were too much, and too intense, yet I couldn’t look away. I took a deep breath as his breath puffed against my lips, sending all my nerves into a jumbling mess. His fingers moved towards my neck, my heartbeat was out of control. His fingers stopped on my jumping pulse, his eyes going to my lips. I licked them. I didn’t think my body could take anymore; it would combust if he didn’t kiss me.
The second that Derek lost his own battle, his eyes darkened, and before I could even ask the question, his lips were against mine. I moaned loudly, like an addict finally getting their fix. His hands were everywhere, but yet I needed them more. I pulled him towards me, feeling all of him this time, and my own need erupted. Two more seconds and his clothes would have been off.
The knock on the door came to me as though it was far away in the distance, but when Derek pulled away and looked over me towards the door, it gave me a moment to clear the lust from my mind. My breaths were coming in short, sharp gasps. I sounded like I had run a mile, and I was seriously struggling to breathe. Derek looked pissed as he continued to stare at the door as another knock sounded.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
GRACE
I CLEARED MY THROAT, trying to pull myself together. “I think you should get that.” I said, and my stomach fluttered when he looked at me for a second before reluctantly getting off the couch. I tried to calm my body as he answered the door. Maybe it was a good thing. This wasn’t like me. I didn’t just sleep with guys on the first date.
“Grace.” I looked up at Derek, a storm brewing in his eyes as he held the door. “It’s Craig,” he moved away, and I got up, feeling annoyed.
“What?” I asked as I made my way to the door. Craig leaned against the wall across from Derek’s apartment.
“I forgot my key.” He took a cigarette out of his packet. Craig knocking on the door I would take as a sign.
“Just wait here, I’ll be a second,” I told him.
“Going for a smoke,” he pushed off the wall and strolled down the hall. When I closed the door and t
urned around, I nearly walked into Derek who was lingering behind me, annoyance written on his face.
“I don’t like that guy,” he said, he wanted to say a lot more but didn’t. I was thankful that he wasn’t going to turn it into a thing and ruin the evening further.
“Yeah, I know. I get it. He locked himself out," I explained.
“On purpose.” Was that jealousy I detected in Derek’s voice?
“Doubtful,” I added. “But I better go,” I said, and had to move around Derek to get my bag, he still stood in my way. When I turned around, he seemed more relaxed.
“Shall I walk you home?” he offered, and a smile was back on his handsome face.
“I wouldn’t want to put you out,” I said, and he waved his hand in the air.
“Not at all, it would it be my pleasure.” He took a step towards me, and the deer in me got a little startled that I moved backwards. I was so screwed. He took another step, and I took one back. My back hit the door. I clutched my bag like it held my sanity and dignity as my body went into full lust mode. His hands reached my fingers and I dropped the bag as he entwined our fingers together, and then he slowly raised them over my head. His tongue flicked out as he moistened his lips. I swallowed; I couldn’t cope with another tantalizing ordeal. He leaned in and whispered in my ear. “I don’t want you to go,” he said. I closed my eyes fighting with my self-control. I didn’t want to go, but I had to.
“I don’t want to go either.” My mouth betrayed me. I slammed it shut, trying to stop anymore words from spilling out.
“Then stay.” His kiss was gentle and light.
“I can’t,” I said before he placed another kiss on my lips, his body flush with mine, and I noticed the impact I was having on him. His body was the only thing holding mine up. If he moved away, I would be a pool on the floor, my legs were like jelly.
The knock reverberated through me. I swear Derek growled. I needed to go. “I better go,” I said, and Derek slowly lowered our joined hands. When he moved away from me, I missed his warmth immediately. He bent down and my heart kicked into overdrive as he picked up my bag and slowly rose while looking at me. His smile told me he knew he was driving me crazy.
