Kissing Bree

by JoMarie DeGioia

  “What does that mean?”

  What did that mean? “Casual, I guess. Only once in a while. I don’t know. I didn’t really date.”

  “You?” She stroked the center of his chest, her fingers working in a small circle. “But, how is that possible? You’re gorgeous.”

  “Thank you for that, but I think that’s the orgasm talking.”

  She laughed softly, dipping her head to kiss his bicep. “I feel too good right now to argue with you.”

  “That’s a shame. You know how much I like to argue.”

  She nodded. “Due Diligence.”

  They laid there, just breathing and gently stroking each other until he found himself needing her again. This time she took the lead, climbing on top and riding him until he thought he’d pass out from his climax. Holding her tight against his chest, he let himself breathe her deep inside.

  “What is this, Bree?”

  “What?”

  “Us.”

  She jerked her head up so fast she knocked him in the chin. “Us?”

  He’d bitten his tongue, so he took a few seconds to answer. “Yes, us. What are we doing?”

  She pushed herself up on her arms, and he took a long look at her plump and rosy breasts before meeting her gaze.

  “We’re dating, Derek. That’s what we’re doing.”

  “All right.”

  “Where is this coming from?” She slid off of him, gathering the sheets over her as she folded her knees beneath her. “We never talked about this before.”

  “I know.” He brushed his hair back from his face, blowing out a breath. “This is all new to me. I’m sorry.”

  “Hey, no sorries remember?”

  He found a smile. “God, that conversation feels like eons ago.”

  “Just a few weeks, actually.”

  “I don’t want to fuck this up, Bree. Whatever this is.”

  “Then we’ll just go on as we have been. No expectations. I’ve had them in the past and no one ever ended up happy.”

  He’d never had any expectations. Not as far as relationships were concerned anyway. There were a few things he wondered about, though.

  “Are you seeing anyone else?” he had to know.

  She blinked at him and then flashed a cute smile. “I’m not. The guy I’m seeing keeps me way too happy.”

  He let out a breath he hadn’t been aware he was holding. “Then this is exclusive.”

  “Unless you’re seeing Lettie, I’d say so.”

  Grinning, he shook his head.

  “You really are clueless about this,” she added.

  “I am.” He grabbed her and turned to pin her beneath him. “But I’m a very fast learner.”

  The mood was considerably lighter as they focused on making each other feel rather than think. It was only later, when Derek was back home stretched out alone in his big bed, that he realized he’d asked for a sort-of commitment from Bree. And gotten it, amazingly. She wasn’t seeing any other guy and he’d told her he only wanted to see her. Not in so many words, which was a first for him about…anything.

  No expectations. No obligations. Then why did he feel like he was missing something?

  ***

  “So what’s up with you and Mr. Tall, dark and not-so-gloomy?” Oliver asked when she arrived back at her desk the next afternoon.

  “I guess we’re dating, Ollie.”

  “You guess?” He smirked at her. “Then you’re doing it wrong.”

  Bree waved a hand. “It’s early days.”

  “It took the Pixie all of a week to fall for Noah.”

  “Jessie was half in love with Noah from the day he came to Cypress.”

  “Mmm, weren’t we all?”

  “Um, no. Still, Derek and I are not Noah and Jessie.”

  “And none of you are me and Todd.” Ollie shrugged. “So what?”

  “I’ve been out at the model home all morning, Ollie.” Bree tried to make sense of Oliver’s circular logic. “What are you asking me?”

  “I met Derek Stone’s mother this morning, she is such a lovely lady, and she mentioned having dinner with you and Derek last night.”

  “We did.”

  “She also mentioned her son staying out afterwards.”

  Bree swallowed, fixing a cool expression on her heated face. “Is Lettie saving you a seat at her table this afternoon?”

  Oliver laughed. “I’m just happy you’re getting some. I was worried.”

  “I don’t need you to be my hookup fairy godfather,” she said. “Aren’t you supposed to be in charge of Tammy’s life?”

  He snorted. “She’s so happy with her very own Chapman there’s absolutely no drama there.”

  “I’m sorry for your loss.”

  Oliver gaped at her, and then grinned. “Bree James, throwing shade?”

  “No. Just asking for you to leave the subject of my love life out of your field of expertise.”

  “You’ve got it, girl.” He held up splayed hands. “Just making conversation.”

  “Oh, I can’t be mad at you Ollie. You’re a sweetie.”

  “I am.”

  With that, Oliver hurried over to his desk and settled down in front of his laptop. Shaking her head, Bree hid behind her own computer and clicked through the afternoon’s coming appointments.

  As she reviewed her schedule, she couldn’t help but think about Derek. Not that what Oliver said bothered her. She and Derek knew what was what and everyone else could jump in the lake. Still, he’d driven her crazy in more ways than one last night.

  What the heck was up with that conversation? Derek, her perfect, in-the-moment kind of guy, wanted to be exclusive? She’d been stunned, and had she been completely in control of her faculties she would have questioned just what the heck had brought that on? His mother’s arrival couldn’t explain all of it.

  She’d sensed something ever since he’d gone with her to her parents’ party. Something very tempting. She’d leaned on him and it had felt so right she’d had little trouble imagining doing that forever. She so didn’t do forever. She hadn’t done it to make her parents happy and she wouldn’t do it to make anyone else happy. Even if the guy was perfect for her in every way.

  Her fingers froze on the keyboard. Since when did she think of him that way? Yes, he was perfect. Perfectly gorgeous and perfectly wonderful in bed. But perfect for her?

  “No,” she murmured. “That’s crazy.”

  “What’s crazy, Bree?” Oliver asked without looking up from his desk.

  “N-nothing.” She took a breath, her heart racing.

  This felt a lot like when Kip had proposed his ridiculous idea last year. Like things were out of her control. Derek wasn’t pushing her, though. And he certainly wasn’t an idiot like Kip. Still, she felt like she was being forced. Forced to be something she wasn’t. She so wasn’t any guy’s girlfriend. She never had been.

  Derek had never dated before? She sure had. Tons of dates with tons of guys who never meant a thing. What she had with Derek, though? It was dating. Real, exclusive dating. That, truly, was a first for her.

  Putting a hand over her chest, she breathed slowly in and out. Why hadn’t she taken more yoga classes? Then she could refresh. Or revive. Or something like that.

  “Mr. Forbes called a meeting,” Jessie said as she rushed in. “Something about the launch.”

  Bree silently thanked Jessie for giving her something else to focus on at the moment. “What time?” she asked as she pulled up her schedule.

  “Three thirty,” Jessie said as her fingers flew over her keyboard. “That gives us just about twenty minutes.”

  Bree was only half listening now. She had her own stuff going on, but now she could turn her attention to something completely unrelated to her situation with Derek.

  “Let’s go, let’s go!” Jessie grabbed a notebook and her tablet, bouncing on her feet. “Noah hasn’t let me see any of Ben’s plans, even though he’s been working with him.”

  �
�Noah’s been keeping secrets?”

  “Only that one.” Jessie tapped on Bree’s desk. “Come on!”

  Bree gathered her own things and closed her laptop. “Ollie, let’s roll.”

  Oliver joined them and they made their way to the conference room. Bree stepped inside with a smile for Rick Chapman and Mr. Forbes. Then her gaze fell on Derek, standing just to the side of them. Her heart thudded and she knew. This was more than dating. This was even more than exclusive dating.

  This was love, and she was in a lot of trouble.

  Chapter 18

  Derek took detailed notes on his tablet as Forbes and Rick related information regarding the launch. Eli presented more solidified plans as Ben and Noah each talked about what the Active Adult community would look like both in early days and upon completion of the first phase. It felt strange in a way, since last year he and Eli had been sent on an information-gathering mission. Now Derek was part of the team, as amazing as that should be. Aside from crew, he’d never been a part of any team. Not as a law clerk and not as a corporate lawyer.

  Bree’s gaze kept sliding to him, but he forced himself not to let her pretty blue eyes grab a hold of him. She looked worried about something, but that might just be her concentration face. There would be a lot of work involving the new village and, although she teased him about doing due diligence, she was very dedicated to her job.

  After the meeting concluded, Derek reviewed his notes in the conference room. Absently saying good bye to the others, he sat at the long table for a few minutes.

  “Everything all right, Derek?” Eli asked after everyone else had gone.

  “Hmm? Yes, thanks. Just making sure my notes are accurate.”

  “How about we get together tomorrow morning and review.” Eli smiled. “I could use your, let’s call it attention to detail.”

  Derek found a smile. “That would be great.” He shut down his tablet and stood. “What are you up to tonight?”

  “Early nights for Caro and me, man.”

  “You’re totally committed, aren’t you?”

  “I am.” Eli’s brow furrowed. “What’s going on with you and Bree?”

  “Damned if I know.” Derek blew out a breath. “This is all new for me.”

  “Dating in the fishbowl can suck, Derek. Trust me on this.”

  “Bree doesn’t want people to know but I think that ship has left the dock.”

  Eli laughed. “Sail ho.”

  Derek shrugged. “I actually asked her where this was going.”

  Eli gaped at him. “Seriously?” He crossed to the door and closed it. “You started the conversation?”

  “Shocked the hell out of myself, but yes.”

  “At the risk of sounding like Lettie, what was her answer?”

  His belly tightened as he recalled the worry on her face. “Nothing. We’re just going to go on as we are.”

  “Wow. That’s good?”

  “Are you asking me?”

  “Most guys might want to just go with the flow, right?”

  “Did you?”

  Eli shook his head. “At first, maybe. Sure. What the hell did I know about relationships? Caro, though. She was even more afraid to get involved than I was.”

  “And now you’re both fully committed and having a baby.”

  Eli flashed a wide smile. “Yep.”

  Derek doubted any such future was in the cards for him and Bree. She’d put him on notice last night and he wouldn’t dare do anything to end what they had right now. Not before it ran its course, or whatever the hell happened.

  He nodded at his friend but before Eli could tell him anything more about his reversal of fortune where emotional stuff was concerned he held up a hand. “Thanks, Eli.”

  Eli nodded. “I’ll text you about tomorrow.”

  Derek nodded as Eli left the room. He’d never been at such a loss with a woman. Hell, he’d never really cared enough to bother to ask where they stood. He could see something more with Bree. Could feel something more.

  He didn’t give a shit about gossip or any of that. He did care about appearances, though. From years of hiding and crafting a finely-honed persona. Bree broke through it, amazingly. Pretty easily, too.

  “Cypress Derek,” he said to himself with a small smile. “Maybe there’s something to that.”

  As he made his way back to his office his cell phone rang. Glancing at the screen, he saw that Bill Chapman was calling. He hadn’t talked to him in a couple of weeks, so he was a little puzzled as he answered.

  “Hello, Bill.”

  “Derek, I’m glad I caught you.” Bill sounded abrupt, but he always was. “I assume you were in a meeting with Forbes?”

  Derek didn’t even ask how Bill knew that. “I was.” He shut down his laptop and straightened his desk. “It just ended.”

  “I figured. The man loves his meetings.” A soft chuckle came across the line, further baffling Derek. “This isn’t about that, though.”

  “You don’t want to know what was discussed about the new village?”

  “I don’t. Forbes will get with me on it, and you too. You’ll see contracts coming soon, Derek. Chapman will be the main investor in the Active Adult community.”

  Derek grabbed his tablet and walked out of his office. “I bet you’re happy.”

  “Ah, son. I’m never happy.”

  The man’s tone said something else entirely. He sounded a little lighter, so maybe he was finally making inroads regarding his relationship with his kids.

  “So why are you calling?” Derek asked as he walked into the lobby. He nodded at Mrs. Walsh seated behind the reception desk and pushed open the glass doors. “If you’ll have a report from Forbes and contracts for me.”

  “This is about your father.”

  Derek felt a chill dance over his skin despite the heat of the May afternoon. “What about him?”

  He wasn’t even certain how Bill knew Eddie, but if his father was involved this call couldn’t bring any good news.

  “He came to see me, Derek.”

  Derek lifted his chin in idle greeting to Oliver and Tammy as they left the Sales Center, keeping to the far corner of the covered porch. “What the hell did he want?”

  Bill snorted. “He’d a piece of work, your father. All flash and polish, but I’m sorry to say I didn’t like him.”

  “It’s the first time you’ve met him?”

  “Son, I wouldn’t have any sort of relationship with the family of one of my people without their knowing it.”

  Derek ran a hand over his face. “What did he have to say.”

  “He was looking for you. Played it up as wanting to reconnect with his son. He might be able to fool some of the people with that line but not me. I’ve been working on that very goal myself and I can recognize when someone’s being sincere. He wasn’t.”

  Derek’s throat tightened. “Did he ask about my mother?”

  “He said he’d heard she was living with you in Cypress.”

  “Fuck. Sorry. I didn’t want him to know that.”

  “He already knew. Maybe your mother let it slip a couple of months ago that you were taking the job?”

  “That’s possible. My sister said she met for coffee with Eddie a couple of weeks ago.”

  “I think he might be headed down there, Derek. I wanted to give you a head’s up.”

  This was something Derek didn’t need right now. He was navigating his own way in Cypress, in his relationships, and now he had to deal with Eddie?

  “Thank you for telling me.”

  “I’ll say it again, son. I don’t like him. You get me on the horn if you need anything from me.”

  Derek felt his eyes prick with tears. Bill had his back. Like a real father would. “Thank you. I will.”

  “I’ll be coming down in a few weeks,” Bill said. “For Memorial Day.”

  “For the festival?”

  “Cypress seems to always have a festival, but I want to see the grandkids and get in
some golf. Play a round or two with me?”

  “Sounds good.”

  “Take care of yourself, Derek.”

  It was the warmest, fuzziest good bye he’d ever heard from Bill. He wasn’t surprised when the call disconnected. Bill wasn’t one for platitudes.

  Derek clenched his phone in his fist. Fucking Eddie. What the fuck was he thinking, going to Bill Chapman? Bill had seen right through his bullshit, though. Derek shouldn’t have expected any less from his old boss.

  He had to see his mother. Warn her that Eddie was asking around. Angling for some sort of preferential treatment, because that was the way he rolled.

  “Fuck,” he said again.

  Sending crushed shells and gravel spinning, he pulled out of the parking lot and headed for home.

  ***

  Bree stared at her phone, her palms sweating as she studied Derek’s text.

  Will I see you tonight?

  Oh, would he? She didn’t dare. It had been rough enough, gazing at him at the meeting this afternoon. Those graceful fingers of his, tapping on his tablet. Those compelling eyes, laser focused on Mr. Forbes and Eli as they laid out the expansive plans for the east side of the property. With her feelings so messed up right now, though? She didn’t trust herself around him tonight.

  She might gush and confess her undying love, which was something neither one of them wanted. Derek might have asked where they were going. What was this between them? He didn’t really want to know, did he? Any guy would take what they had for what it was. Amazing sex and personalities that just…meshed. They were so well-suited to each other, she knew she would somehow mess it up. Somehow become the ice queen she’d been in the past. That had turned guys off faster than losing access to their trust funds.

  Busy tonight.

  The response was short and way too vague, but she couldn’t admit the real reason. Not in a text, at the very least. Holding her breath, she waited for Derek to respond. It took a few minutes but a sad little okay showed up on her phone.

  Tossing her phone on the couch beside her, she crossed her arms. She wanted to see him. She was busy. That was true. She had notes to review from today’s meeting and new scheduling to review for tomorrow. Fridays were busy at the Sales Center. Nearly as busy as Mondays. Still.

  She’d told Jessie she would meet her and Noah for a drink tonight, in part to celebrate the big launch. She’d bowed out of that, too. She’d been afraid of running into Derek.