by Isabel North
She looked down into his heated eyes. “Don’t go.”
“I have to.”
“You stayed before.”
“It’s getting harder.”
Jenny glanced down between their bodies and raised a brow.
“Not what I meant,” he growled.
“I want to sleep with you.”
“I want that too, baby, but I’m done. I can’t control myself anymore. I know you don’t want this to happen yet. If I stay, it will.”
“I trust you.” Her fingers laced through his.
“I don’t,” Derek said, and in a sudden move he reversed their positions. “I can’t sleep. I lie here with you against me all night and I can’t shut my eyes because I can’t believe I’ve finally got you. And you’re so close, Jen, but it’s not close enough.” He lowered his head and muttered, “It’s never close enough.” He kissed her.
Usually Derek tasted like humor and light, and teasing passion. This was different. There was nothing teasing about this kiss. It was sharp-edged and dark, and she felt the need in him unraveling as he slid his tongue against hers.
He gripped her jaw with one hand and slanted first one way then the other, filling her over and over, breathing hard.
Jenny whimpered and wrapped her legs around his restless hips, locking him to her, welcoming everything he gave. He slid a hand into her hair and tugged, hard enough to sting but not hard enough to hurt. He ravaged her neck with harsh, sucking bites and she clutched at his muscled sides, pulling him into her, again and again.
Derek broke the kiss and rolled them.
The sensation of his weight being snatched away left her disoriented for a moment, and she swayed on top of him. Bracing a hand on his chest, she pushed herself upright and straddled him, letting out a shaky breath.
He held her waist in possessive hands. “Still trust me?” he said with a dark smile.
“Always.” Jenny shifted off him. She stayed kneeling as he got to his feet and stood, staring at her. “What?” she said with a little laugh.
“You really do trust me, don’t you?”
She reached up to smooth the small crease between his brows. “I said it, didn’t I? Derek? What is it?”
“Nothing.”
“You sure?”
“Everything’s fine.” He caught her hand as it fell away, and kissed her palm. When her soft smile faltered, he cupped the back of her neck and dragged her into another searing kiss.
Jenny watched him leave her bedroom, heard the front door open and shut. Thoughtfully, she traced the small crease between her own brows.
Tomorrow, she decided. Tomorrow she’d fix the Dean problem. Then it was time. She’d tell Kate about Derek.
* * * *
Derek stuffed the grease rag in his back pocket and folded his arms over his chest, watching the man stroll into the workshop like he had a right. Lassiter stopped a few feet away, and Derek knew. He knew. “No,” he said.
Lassiter pursed his lips and gave a slight shrug. “I’m afraid, yes.”
“Marshall and I had an agreement.”
“Yes, he told me. He also warned you the agreement wouldn’t hold if someone offered him millions for it.”
Derek popped his jaw. “You expect me to believe that someone offered millions?”
“It’s a valuable property, and Marshall’s intent was to sell it to you at your price unless someone offered a ridiculous sum. And they did.” Lassiter’s smile spread slow. “Truly ridiculous.”
“This is bullshit.”
“Marshall never should have strung you along. I always knew I could get better than he would settle for. Thought I’d lost my commission when he made me take it off the market. Lucky me, an interested party contacted me the very same day. When it came down to it, Marshall’s need to leave a family legacy couldn’t stand firm against double the asking price.”
“Someone is willing to pay double?”
“Yes. He wants to expedite the sale.”
“It’s over, then,” Derek said.
“Yes.”
“So why are you here?”
“Marshall insisted I give you a chance to match the bid price. Can you? No? Didn’t think so. Not that there’s any point. The buyer has indicated that he will go higher every time. He wants it, and he wants it now. I’m not at liberty to reveal his identity, but trust me. You cannot beat this man.”
“I can’t go ten bucks over. Marshall knows that. It was real generous of him, sending you to rub my nose in it.”
“I’m also here for another reason—”
“I don’t care.”
“I do,” Lassiter snapped. “She is making life very difficult for me.”
Derek, who had been walking away, stopped and spun to face Lassiter. He smiled. “You talking about Lila Baxter?”
Lassiter’s face was red. “Call her off.”
Derek laughed. “No.”
“It’s done. All over but for Marshall’s final signature. You’ve accepted it. Tell Baxter to accept it, and move on.”
“Sure. I could tell her. But you have to know, no power on Earth—or in Hell, come to that—can stop Lila doing what she wants. Sucks for you to be on her bad side. My thinking is, she’s not going to let this go anytime soon. Reap the whirlwind, Lassiter.”
“This is just business.”
Derek strode forward until he was standing over Lassiter. The shorter man took an involuntary step back then stood his ground.
“This is my life,” Derek said. “My future. My family’s future. You and Marshall, between the pair of you, have thrown it all into chaos. It isn’t ‘just business’. I’ll tell Lila to leave you alone, but for her own reasons, she’s as invested in a future that involves me having a functioning business as I am. My guess is, you have made yourself a professional rival the likes of which you can’t even begin to imagine. I’m all about forgiveness. I understand mercy. Lila? Not so much.”
“But she—”
Derek pointed at the open bay doors over Lassiter’s shoulder. “Exit’s that way.” He strode to his office, slammed the door, and dialed Marshall.
“Hello, Derek,” Marshall said at the other end, sounding cautious.
“Gonna keep this short, Marshall.”
“Before you—”
“Harry gave me a job the day after I graduated high school. He encouraged me, supported me, made me partner then sold me the business. He was a good man, and I owe him a lot.”
“Shoot, Derek, I’m sorry that—”
“Out of respect for Harry,” Derek said on a sigh, “I’m going to wish you and your wife the best.”
There was a silence at the other end of the phone.
“You…?” Marshall said.
“Hope you’re both very happy in Texas.”
“That’s very kind of you, Derek. I know that Dad loved you and…well, he’d kick my ass for selling.”
“Yep.”
“But you understand, right?”
“No, Marshall, I don’t. I don’t have to understand. You did what you did. You did it for you. You wanted more than I could offer, and it’s your choice to make. We’re done. All the best. Email me the details about vacating the property.”
“The new owner was unclear as to his plans, so maybe he’ll—”
“I’m hanging up now, Marshall.”
“Okay. And, hey, if we ever come back to visit, I’ll bring the car in for a tune-up.”
“I wouldn’t. Might cut your brake lines.”
“Uh...”
“That was a joke. Bye, Marshall.”
“I’m sorry, Derek.”
“Yep.” He hung up.
Well, fuck.
Fuck.
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
The meeting with Dean couldn’t come quickly enough for Jenny. After the night before, when Derek had refused to sleep over, she just wanted things to be straightened out.
She had it all lined up. She worked at the community center garden, and arran
ged for Elle to pick Kate up from school, take her home and feed her. Jenny didn’t anticipate it would take long to crush Dean like the insect he was—not that she would crush an actual insect, she preferred to gently but firmly relocate them. With any luck, she’d be done by Kate’s bedtime.
Halfway through the day, Jenny tweaked the plan and called Elle to ask if she’d be an amazing sister, and keep Kate overnight. Once this was done, Jenny knew that she’d be in a celebrating mood.
She intended to share that celebration with Derek.
She’d make Dean back down, and then she’d ask Derek to sleep over. She would come clean to him about Dean, and tomorrow she’d come clean to Kate about Derek.
Jenny was excited about the Derek coming over part. The rest, she just had to get through.
Her first hint that things weren’t going to run as smoothly as she’d hoped was the appearance of Lila at her back door when Jenny had gotten out of the shower after long hours of laboring in the sun.
“I have something to tell you,” Lila announced as she marched into the kitchen, “and you can’t freak out.”
“The only reason you’d tell me I can’t freak out is because you know that whatever you’re about to tell me is totally going to make me freak out.”
“Brace yourself.”
Jenny stared at Lila.
Lila stared back.
“I’m braced!” Jenny almost yelled. “What is it?”
“Derek is in monster debt.”
Jenny groped for a chair and sat with a heavy thump.
“It’s not that bad.” Lila positioned her own chair in front of Jenny’s, sat, and leaned forward to pick up Jenny’s hands, clasping them with a strong grip. “He’s lost his garage.”
“Is that it?” Jenny sucked in a deep breath, held it, and released it in a slow and relieved exhale. “I thought you were going to tell me he’d had an accident or was in hospital or…” She shuddered. “You’re the worst, Lila. He’s lost his garage? I don’t care, it doesn’t matter, so long as he’s all right.”
“I’m not sure we can call him all right. He’s going to be in a hell of a mood. As far as I know he hasn’t had an accident, and his health is fine. Although, you’d know better than me. What with you having been up close and personal enough to assess the muscle tone, aerobic capacity, stamina and recovery time of Derek I’m-so-fine Tate.”
Right. She hadn’t told Lila. Jenny scratched her head. “His middle name is Michael.”
“Not to me. To me, it’s I’m-so-fine.”
“Lila.”
“Yes?”
“I’m kind of seeing Derek.”
Lila clapped her hands to her cheeks and made an exaggerated surprised face. “I know you are, dork. Everyone knows you are.”
“I didn’t say anything because it’s new.”
“Are you kidding me?”
“What?”
“You two have been circling each other since you divorced Dean. It isn’t new. It is long past due.” She eyed Jenny. “Make it up to me by giving me details. I want a play-by-play.”
“Ha ha. No.”
“My luck to be stuck with a BFF with privacy issues. Never mind. I have an amazing imagination.”
“Don’t imagine Derek naked.”
Lila closed her eyes. “Mmm.”
Jenny leaned over the distance between them and poked her. “Stop it.”
“Can’t make me.”
“How did he lose the garage? Is his business in trouble?”
Lila sighed and opened her eyes. “Goodbye for now, naked Derek. Until later. Okay. The business is thriving. Derek’s the best mechanic for miles around. That boy can print his own money as far as it goes. Sadly, he cannot print enough to buy the building. He owns the business, but his old boss’ son owned the building, and this guy has up and decided he wants to retire to Texas. He sold it.”
“Why didn’t he sell it to Derek?”
“Derek couldn’t get a loan. It was too much.”
With a decisive nod, Jenny got to her feet.
“Where are you going?” Lila demanded.
“Going to call Derek. I have some savings. I was putting it aside for when I set up my business, but since Ronnie got involved, the money’s sitting there accruing interest.”
Lila stared at her.
“I’m going to co-sign Derek’s loan,” Jenny explained, pulling her phone out of her backpack.
Lila lunged and slapped the phone out of her hand before she could place the call.
They both stared down at where it lay on the kitchen floor.
“Lila!”
“Overreaction. I’m sorry.” Lila crouched gracefully, snatched up the phone. “Not cracked,” she said, turning it to face Jenny. “Phew.”
Jenny held out an imperious hand.
“No.” Lila put it behind her back. “You can’t give him your savings.”
“I can. I will.”
It probably looked like madness to Lila. Get shot of a debt-ridden husband, only to throw her savings after a soon-to-be-debt-ridden boyfriend? Probably that looked like madness to anyone, unless they happened to know Derek like Jenny did. Trusted him like she did.
Derek was nothing like Dean.
While Jenny wasn’t thrilled to hear he was about to lose the garage, she could handle it. They could handle it.
From the moment Derek first kissed her, she’d known that was it. She was in for the long haul. Good and bad. “I’m doing it,” she told Lila through gritted teeth.
“Very romantic, but you’re too late to save the garage. He’s lost it. He’ll have to find another site. Don’t worry, you can still ride to the rescue. With the economy like it is, and having to finance the relocation, he’ll still have a monster debt. When I say monster, we are beyond velociraptors. We’re talking King Kong here. Or Godzilla. Which one’s bigger?”
“I don’t know. I can handle either of them. Both of them.”
“You’d take on King Kong and Godzilla for Derek?”
“I’d take anything on for Derek. I love him.”
Lila burst into tears.
Holy shit. What is happening? Jenny ran for her backpack again, rummaging around and hauling out a packet of tissues. She held one out to Lila.
“I’m so happy,” Lila said, gulping sobs. “That’s so beautiful.”
Jenny scowled. “Girl, get a hold of yourself.”
Lila dragged Jenny into a rib-cracking hug. “I’m so happy for you. I was scared you’d to freak out and go all ice queen on him and live in your little house all alone forever more with nothing but the occasional visit from your grown-up daughter, and woodland creatures for friends.”
Ice queen?
“But you love him.”
“I do.”
Lila pulled back. “Does Derek know?”
“I think so.”
“You haven’t told him yet?” Lila shoved her. “Better believe if I ever find a guy I can stand for more than a week, if such a guy exists, I won’t sit around not telling him things. I’ll be all up in his face from the get-go. He will be in no doubt as to my feelings.”
Was anyone? Ever?
“I’ve got some stuff I have to straighten out first,” Jenny said. “I was planning to tell him tonight.”
Lila, being Lila, picked up on the first point. “What stuff?” Her brows lowered at Jenny’s shifty look. Then, making the cognitive leap as Jenny both knew and dreaded she would, Lila demanded, “Dean stuff?”
Jenny hadn’t mentioned Dean to Lila for the same reasons she hadn’t mentioned it to anyone other than Gabe. Lila’s expression said, very clearly, that she wasn’t going to let this one go.
Jenny sighed, and explained.
“You and Derek are as bad as each other,” Lila said when she’d finished. “He is going to lose his mind.”
“No he won’t. He might not throw a ticker tape parade with joy, but this is my problem to solve. I’m doing it my way. He has got no reason to lose his mind.�
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“With that attitude, I am already fearing for Jerek’s future as a couple. Jerek. You sound like a science fiction romance hero. Who abducts virgins and keeps them in his space harem. Wait. I think I’ve read that book.”
“I don’t have to justify how I deal with my daughter and my ex-husband to anyone.”
“Lots of fear.”
Jenny waved this away. “It’ll be different when we’re married,” she began, and flinched when Lila shrieked.
“Married?”
“Of course, married. What? You think I’m playing around?”
“Is Derek aware that he’s getting married?”
“I haven’t told him I love him yet, no he doesn’t know I’m marrying him.”
“Maybe you should keep that particular ace up your sleeve. Propose after you tell him that you went to Gabe for help rather than him. It might deflect the jealous rage.”
Jenny considered Lila. “Why would Derek be jealous?”
“Because you’re running to your pet billionaire for help rather than confiding in the man you intend to spend your life with?”
“I’m not running to Gabe, I’m borrowing the name of his lawyer as a bluff.”
Lila looked at her.
“Shit,” Jenny said. “He’s going to think I went running to Gabe.”
Lila nodded.
“I can’t tell him about any of this now. You can’t tell him about this, either.”
“As it turns out, I’m not that good at keeping secrets.”
“You will swear on the sisterhood.”
“I could do that. I have to warn you, there’s a chance it might not stick.” Lila held up a finger and thumb. “Slight chance.”
“I never thought Derek would see it like that. But you’re right, he totally will.” Jenny rested her face in her hands and mumbled, “At the time, it seemed like the smart thing to do.”
“While a lot of our very best stories begin with ‘it seemed like the smart thing to do’, I kinda don’t think this is going to be one of those stories, Jenny.”
“It’s okay. There’s no need for Derek to know about Dean or Gabe. There’s no need for anyone to know. I don’t like keeping secrets—”
“Hah!”
“—and maybe one day will be the right day. But maybe not today. Today, I’m going to squash Dean, and move on. Happily ever after. It’s going to work out. It is. What can go wrong?”