When he couldn’t hold back any longer he came. His orgasm was sharp and shook him hard. He was breathing fast as he let his head fall back. Bree curled up against his side, stroking his face as she kissed his neck. “You taste good too.”
He wanted to laugh but all that came out was a damn whimper. “You killed me.”
“It’s fun to have the power.”
He lifted his head and looked at her. Her face was rosy pink and her eyes were shining. “Feeling pretty good about yourself, aren’t you?”
She nodded vigorously. “Yes I am. And I’m looking forward to the next time.”
“The next time?”
“As long as we keep this between us.”
It was there again. Her fear about losing the life she was starting to build here. He had his own set of baggage too, didn’t he? He’d play by her rules.
“You’ve got it.”
She kissed him again, but before he could get things going she pressed a hand against his chest. “You should go.”
“I’ve said it before.” He tucked himself back into his briefs and stood. “Lady’s choice.”
The look of relief on her face made something shift in his chest. They had so much in common. This was from what little he knew about her, and already he could see that. If they played by her rules, he’d never know much more. Wouldn’t any guy jump at this chance, though? He sure would have if any of his hookups had made the offer. No strings. Non-dating. Whatever they called it, it would be incredible before it ended.
He set that depressing thought from his mind and dressed. She pulled on her shirt and jeans, but he couldn’t help but notice that she wasn’t wearing the bra. He stared at her nipples poking at the cotton before dragging his gaze back to her face.
“Thanks for dinner, Bree. I’ll get the next one.”
“Okay.”
She walked him to the door and he couldn’t help kissing her good night. Her hair was mussed and her cheeks still rosy. She looked soft and sexy and he didn’t want to leave. That was a first for him, so he placed his hand on the doorknob.
“Good night,” he said.
“Good night.”
She shut the door and he walked to his car. Something had changed between them tonight. Talking about his mother and sister moving down? That had shocked him. She’d seemed curious but he couldn’t tell her more. Then he’d have to tell her about Eddie and the many times Derek had failed to keep his mother safe.
That was something he wasn’t going to share with anybody, not even the girl who drove him out of his mind with just a kiss.
***
Bree sat in the model home two days later, humming to herself as she thumbed through the emails on her tablet. Jessie’s husband Noah was working in the office at the back of the house, but she didn’t mind giving him that space. She was on domestic detail, as she often thought of the “living with the house” assignment.
A married couple she guessed were in their thirties were murmuring back and forth as they toured the house on their own. They visited the kitchen again and she simply smiled at them. She had given them the welcoming spiel and then let them have at it. In her experience, they were much more likely to picture themselves in a home if there wasn’t a salesperson dragging them around.
This was most likely her last showing of the day. Of the week, really. It was Friday, after all.
She’d managed to keep herself from smiling like an idiot when she’d run into Derek in the breakroom yesterday, but she suspected it was only a matter of time before she said or did something to bring attention to their little non-affair. Wednesday night had been amazing. She’d never felt like that before. Free and sexy. He’d driven her crazy and she’d returned the favor.
That had been a first for her. Taking enjoyment in it, at least. In college guys seemed to expect that and it had been a way to placate them just to get them the hell out of her room. Pleasing Derek, though? It made her feel powerful. Naughty, too. Free, somehow.
The couple came into the kitchen again. By the raised eyebrows and expectant vibe, she knew they were sold.
“I just love it!” the wife said.
“Do you have the list of what’s an upgrade in this model?” the man asked, obviously trying to rein in his wife’s enthusiasm.
He didn’t have to worry. They didn’t push for sales in Cypress. Nope. They simply brought the horse to water, so to speak. The drinking? That was all on them. Luckily, Cypress had a way of making them thirsty.
“You have choices of finishes, naturally,” Bree said. “But nothing you’ve seen here is an upgrade. Aside from the pool out back, of course.”
The wife nodded vigorously. “Well, I just love it.” She laughed a little. “I keep saying that.”
“Yeah, you do,” the husband grumbled with a small smile.
Bree handed them the folder she’d put together for them, including items tailored to their particular wants. School info, for example. They had kids, after all.
“This model is set to be built on the lots I’ve indicated on the neighborhood map,” she said. “If you have specific questions regarding the building materials I can put you touch with the builder, Noah Brady.”
The wife’s smile widened. “We met him! He’s so nice.”
Bree nodded. Noah was getting used to interacting with homeowners, and she suspected that was Jessie’s influence on him.
“You have my email. Please email me if you have any questions.” She arched one brow. “You do know that the Sales Center and models are closed on the weekends.”
“We do,” the husband said. “I like that. It’s unexpected but makes sense with what Cypress Corners stands for.”
Bree smiled. “You get it. Good. I think you and your family will love it here.”
The couple left, the wife chatting excitedly as her husband nodded. They were hooked, and Bree entered their contact info into the database.
“They loved the house,” Noah Brady said. “Good work.”
Bree shrugged as she faced him. “Sorry if they bugged you, Noah. I didn’t expect them to peek into the back office.”
“No worries.” He smiled. “The door was open.”
“So do you and Jessie have plans this weekend?”
Noah grinned. “We have Max this weekend, so I think we’ll be heading to Rick and Harmony’s for their Sunday picnic.”
Max was Noah’s six-year-old son. He was adorable, and Jessie was as in love with him as she was with her husband.
“Ah, the picnic,” Bree said with a nod.
“You haven’t gone to one yet, Bree. How have you managed that?”
She winked. “I’m cagey.”
“It’ll come for you.”
Bree shook her head. “Nope. I’m not on their matchmaking radar. By design.”
Noah laughed. “You think so.”
“Why?” She swallowed. “What do you know?”
Noah threw up his hands. “Nothing, I swear. Jessie has been trying to figure out who might be a match, though.”
“Yeah, your wife is like that. Now that her sister is married and settled out there on the east side with Billy, she’s looking for another project.”
“True. She did love planning Shannon’s wedding on New Year’s.”
“Then she can take the next few months off.”
He smirked at her. “I’ll be sure to tell her you said that.”
It was Bree’s turn to laugh. “I’ll tell her myself, when I see her.”
Noah gave her a two-finger wave and walked out of the model home. He looked a lot like the surfer guy he’d been before getting into construction, and he was apparently as easygoing as he was good looking. He was a great fit for her friend Jessie, who tended to overthink things. Bree had some of that going on too, but she’d taught herself to let the little things go. Not when it came to righting this model for Monday, though.
She straightened and cleaned and set everything to rights. It was picture-perfect. She frowned. How long
had she struggled with that image crap? How long had she bowed to her mother’s criticisms and her father’s disapproval? Jeez, way too long.
She stowed her tablet and as she was about to tuck her phone in it dinged.
Call me, Sabrina.
Bree cursed softly. How did her mother do that? She never called either. No. She summoned Bree, who had to jump at the bell.
Certain she was every kind of sucker, she tapped on the phone and made the call. Her mother answered on the first ring.
“Hello, Sabrina.”
“Hi, Mom. What’s up?”
Her mother sniffed. “Up? Why, nothing dear. Everything is where it always is.”
Bree rolled her eyes. “All right. How is everything?”
“Everything is well, Sabrina. Your father’s dinner is next week.”
Bree’s stomach clenched. “Oh?”
The clicking of her mother’s tongue echoed across the miles from Cypress Corners to Heathrow. “It’s always on May first. You know this.”
“Yes, I do. Sorry.” She winced. Why was she always apologizing to her mother? “How are your plans going?”
“Your father’s office has everything in hand, along with the staff here at the house. Have you considered my suggestion?”
Last month her mother began angling for a fix-up date to accompany Bree to the event. Of the three men put before her, each one had traits that put them too close to what dating her father might feel like.
“I told you I would attend, Mom. That’s all I’ll say on that.”
“Alone? Sabrina, really.” More huffing from her side of the call. “Don’t tell me you’re dating someone down there on the ranch?”
“The ranch?” Bree just shook her head. Every time her mother even mentioned Cypress she came up with some countryfied description. “I’m not dating anyone.” That was true, technically.
“Is there no one you could bring with you? Perhaps one of the salespeople? Perhaps the director or golf pro?”
Really? Those men would be preferable to her daughter’s coming alone?
“No.”
“There’s no one?” Her mother’s voice slipped into that singsong tone that always put Bree on high alert. “You will have to be partnered for dinner, dear. Leave it to me. I’ll provide your date.”
Not on a bet! “Actually, I have someone in mind.”
“But you just told me there was no one.”
“There is, but it’s very early days.”
“Oh, good! The table will be even now.”
“Yes, we mustn’t have an uneven table.”
“Sabrina, please. As long as you’re bringing someone suitable…he is suitable, isn’t he?”
Derek’s more than suitable face and form flashed in Bree’s mind. Her cheeks burned but she managed to keep her voice even.
“He’s suitable, but I haven’t mentioned the party to him yet.”
“Don’t dawdle. You’re always dawdling.”
Bree clenched her teeth. “Was there anything else?”
“I suppose it’s too much to expect you to come for dinner on Sunday?”
“I’m busy, Mom. Sorry.”
Silence. Deafening silence. “Very well. Good evening, Sabrina.”
“Good bye, Mom.”
The call disconnected and Bree scowled the counter. Every time she felt like she was finally making her own way her mother provided a stark reminder that she was a failure. A screw-up. A colossal disappointment.
And now she had to attend her father’s annual May Day pat-on-the-back dinner. With a date. She could ask Derek.
It could ruin what they were beginning to share. What she was beginning to learn about him and about herself.
“It could ruin everything,” she whispered.
Her phone dinged again and she saw she had a text from Derek.
Dinner tonight?
She didn’t even hesitate, surprising herself.
Sure. Tavern?
Sounds good. See you at 7?
7
She clutched her phone and let out a breath. She might be uncertain about asking him to her father’s event, but she had absolutely no doubt about one thing.
She wanted to spend time with Derek, and she wasn’t going to miss any opportunity.
Chapter 11
Derek made his way to the tavern. He’d debated over texting Bree for all of five minutes. He’d managed to resist the urge to grab her in the breakroom yesterday morning, but just barely. She’d been her usual proper professional, but he knew what was beneath those sedate clothes she wore. Yes, she had a smoking hot body. He hadn’t needed to get her naked to confirm that, but the feel of her skin had been beyond his imagination. The way she’d lost herself beneath him? That was a surprise too. Her cool patrician blood ran hot.
“Derek Stone, right?” the girl at the hostess stand asked.
“Hello. Joy?” At her nod he said, “How are you?”
“Good. Bree’s at the bar.
He froze his expression. “Oh?”
Joy smirked. There was no way he’d out Bree as coming here to meet him. “I’ll just head in.”
He stepped towards the bar in the tavern and took a long minute to just look at Bree. He’d been surprised when she’d agreed to dinner with him. This was Cypress, after all. Everyone would know they were dating unless they played this right. He was no liar, though. Deflect? Sure. Distract? Definitely. That he could do. From what he knew of Bree, she was upfront as well.
He recognized a few people in the tavern, and nodded when they saw him. Ben and Tammy Chapman sat over near the fireplace, a baby with a shock of dark hair propped in a highchair between them. Tammy waved and Derek nodded in return.
Noah and Jessie Brady were sharing a pizza with a blond little boy at a table set near the front windows. Jessie called Derek’s name and gave him an enthusiastic wave which he returned with a more subdued one of his own.
It was weird, but he never really connected with any of the people he worked with at Chapman. He never joined the other clerks for pickup basketball games or to grab a movie and beer. Eli was the closest thing he had to a friend, and even their relationship wasn’t very deep.
He joined her at the bar. “Hey, Bree.”
She swiveled on her seat, flicking her hair over one shoulder. “Hey there, Derek.”
He bit back a smile. “Great minds think alike.”
She laughed a little. “Apparently.”
He sat on the barstool next to her, leaning his elbows on the bar. “We’re in the fishbowl. Just so you know.”
“Yeah, I thought that might happen.”
Her voice sounded a little flat, and he angled closer to her. “Are you all right?”
Her eyes were wide on him, and then she waved a hand. “I’m fine. Just dealing with some family stuff.”
His face was close to hers and he breathed her in. She seemed to want quiet and, since he had no idea how to start a conversation about “family stuff,” he made the conscious decision to follow her lead. He was used to hiding all of his family shit. This wouldn’t be a big deal.
“How do you want to play this?” he asked her.
She licked her lips. “How about we go to Joy and ask for a table?”
Derek glanced over at the hostess stand and saw that Bree’s friend wasn’t going to fall for it. “She’s not going to buy it.”
“She’s not the one I’m concerned with.”
He followed Bree’s gaze to the dining area. Yes, there were a lot of eyes out there. “We’re coworkers, Bree. You’re helping me with my home purchase.”
She leaned away from him, as if she remembered to maintain some distance in public. He didn’t care for himself. He’d hidden a lot of things in his life but dating Bree wouldn’t even show up on that list. This was her town, though. Her fishbowl.
A small smile curved her lips and he was seized with the urge to kiss her. Clearing his throat, he walked over to the hostess stand.
“Joy,
do you think you could find a table for Bree and me? We decided to grab a bite together.”
Joy raised a brow and then grinned. “Already done.” She took up two menus and breezed past him, her nose in the air.
Chuckling, he followed her and waved for Bree to join them. He and Bree were soon seated not far from Noah and Jessie.
“Hello there, Derek,” Jessie said. “Have you met our son, Max?”
Derek knew that Noah and Jessie had only been together for about a year, but it was clear from the bright smile on the little boy’s face that he loved the way Jessie introduced him.
“Nice to meet you, Max,” Derek said with a nod. “Hi, Noah.”
“Hi, Derek.” His eyes shifted to Bree. “Bree.”
Bree’s cheeks were a little pink but she maintained that smooth exterior. “Hi, guys.”
“Having dinner together?” Jessie asked, her eyes twinkling.
Bree clicked her tongue as she took her seat. “Never mind, Pixie.”
Jessie laughed out loud and Noah chuckled. Derek sat across from Bree and put the other couple out of his mind. Drinks and dinner ordered, beer and burger for him, white wine and salmon for her, they still sat in relative silence. Her brows were drawn together and every so often she looked like she was going to say something to him and then pressed her lips together.
“Are you sure you’re all right?” he asked as their meal was nearly finished.
Bree sat back, folding her hands in her lap. “I have something to ask you and you can totally say no.”
Derek smiled, and thought to tease her a little. The urge surprised him. He wasn’t exactly the charming teaser his friend Eli was.
“Bree, I can’t think of anything you could ask me that I would say no to.”
Her eyes flared and she shook her head. “Stop that. Seriously, I have this thing I have to go to on the first.”
“Of May?”
She nodded. “My father hosts this May Day party every year. I’ve been summoned.”
“What kind of party is it?”
“Oh, the usual. Look how well we’re doing! Look how beautiful my wife is! Look how perfect my daughter is! The usual.”
“Sounds painful.”
“Oh, the food is fantastic and the drinks poured freely. The pressure and guilt? Yeah, that sucks for me.”
Kissing Bree Page 9