by Aubrey Parr
The man surely didn’t think that Derek was of any consequence because he spoke freely in front of him. He discussed the area just north of Puerto Vallarta: Nuevo Vallarta. From what Derek could gather, Puerto Vallarta had been growing past capacity and expansion had already begun north with huge success. He figured investing in some land further north now would lead to a huge payday in the near future. It seemed like whoever was listening wasn’t biting. Standing in front of Derek was an opportunity- a man with an idea who needed someone with the means to invest. When the man ended the call, he sat down next to Derek, looking frustrated and defeated. Without much more thought, Derek told the bartender to bring over two shots of tequila and introduced himself.
Given Derek’s age and appearance, the man was apprehensive. He was Roger Long, a real estate developer. Roger became more receptive to the idea when he learned about Derek’s fighting career and the winnings he would like to invest. They had talked for most of the afternoon. Derek had been ready to retire from his fighting career and move on. He had a large bank account from his winnings and there wasn’t much motivation left to keep him going. Almost all of his frustration with his parents had been sorted out during the past five years in the UFC ring. Winning was nice but it wasn’t enough. This seemed like the perfect plan: invest his money so that it would grow for him. He and Roger agreed to take a drive out to the location and have a true business meeting about it. Roger had all the contacts necessary in Mexico to actually make this happen but the laws were tricky, especially when you weren’t a Mexican citizen.
Derek didn’t have a fancy college degree nor did he pay much attention in high school. But he did have street smarts. He learned to trust his gut in life, to follow his intuition, and it had served him well. His intelligence showed in his fighting. He paid attention to his opponent’s tells, he watched to see where fighters planted their feet before swinging or expressions they would make before certain attacks. He always thought he could just fight, not understanding that his brain took a part in the whole thing. Now he could turn that to his business investments.
The land the men invested in soon had a hotel built on it. The Samba Vallarta was a boutique-style hotel that was popular for the area. Part of Derek’s criteria in the negotiations was that he be given living quarters on the site and a percentage of future revenue. He received one of the suites with a kitchenette and was always welcome to stay as long as he liked.
During the process, Derek had realized this industry could be a gold mine and he had no intentions of living in the States again. As soon as the Samba Vallarta was built and generating money, he began looking into new sites in other areas of Mexico. Predicting areas with growth potential, purchasing land before the expansion began, and then negotiating with hotel companies that desired the property seemed like such a simple idea. Kind of like the common place notion of “buy low, sell high.” Derek seemed to have a gift for knowing the future. His gut was always right. One after another, Derek added more land and more hotels to his resume. Now here he sat at his favorite bar where it all began.
Then he saw her- an adorable leggy blonde walking up to the front desk to check in.
He tried not to date guests. It kept things simple. If he did take one of his hotel guests on a date, he never told her about his involvement. It was easier to be a guy on vacation from Detroit. He had recently also made the mistake of dating an employee. And of course Silvia happened to be a manager at the Playa Vallarta. Technically they were only a sister hotel to his, but he still should have known better. When Derek decided to end it between them, she wasn’t very receptive to the idea. Luckily, nothing had gone past dirty looks and the occasional late night request to “talk.” Derek had to admit that he wasn’t sure how she’d react if she found out that he was taking out this blonde. She knew about his rule and he was definitely going to break it.
Even though the blonde had probably traveled all morning, she looked amazing. She was casual in a skirt and tank top, with her long hair pulled back out of her face. She smiled brightly and was nice to the employees. That was always something that Derek noticed. The “waiter test” went a long way in his book. Someone could be all smiles to you across a table in a restaurant, but how they treated the waiter told a lot about what type of person they were. When she turned from the front desk counter, he could see her gorgeous ice blue eyes. Without another thought, he tipped his glass to her and motioned for her to have a seat next to him. Somehow without a word exchanged between them, she let him know that she’d go up to her room and be back down for a drink.
Derek didn’t get nervous, ever. He was an attractive guy, which served him well with women, and his career inside the ring didn’t allow for intimidation. He felt uncomfortable in situations involving families, purely because it was out of his element. But nerves? No, he didn’t have a problem with them. Yet somehow his stomach knotted up at the thought of having this woman sit next to him. He took the time while she was upstairs to think about his past and how far he had come.
There were really only three occasions in his life that felt life-changing. The first time he got in a fight when he was a kid, when he discovered MMA fighting, and when he decided to invest in land in Mexico. He remembered the exhilaration he felt in all three of those moments. Derek realized that he just may be having one of those moments again. He didn’t know what was going to happen but he could feel that something was going to change. And with that thought, he asked for a shot of tequila. The bartender, Emilio, gave him an odd look, given the time of day.
“Yes, this early. I need a bit of liquid courage.” It hadn’t occurred to him that it was before lunch and he was not known to drink alone at the bar in the morning.
He didn’t want or need to get ahead of himself. Long term relationships, other than in business, were not a part of Derek’s life. This woman, whoever she was, looked like fun and a nice escape from reality for a bit. Other than his failed attempt with Silvia, week-long relationships had been his norm. He was surprised at how many women seemed okay with casual sex and quick goodbyes. He knew how to wine and dine a woman while always letting them know that this wasn’t going any further than the length of their vacation. He didn’t feel like he was using anyone. They were all willing participants and he didn’t lead them on. For his investments in areas like the Dominican Republic where most vacationers stayed on their resort for the entire visit, Derek would often spend time with his laptop by the beach or at the bar of other resorts. He had enough business connections and friends to allow him some perks at other resorts. That way, if he became interested in spending time with someone for the week, he was able to return back to his own resort each night or each morning.
He loved women, he just wasn’t sure he was had the skills to make a long-term relationship really work. Derek’s current true love was his work. His tequila shot arrived and he swung it back quickly. Out of the corner of his eye, he caught a glimpse of Silvia. Of course she’d have to be there. She was going to need to get used to seeing him with other women. Vallarta was not a large city. Even if the blonde hadn’t been staying at this hotel, there was still a chance that Silvia would see them out on the Malecon somewhere. She knew his favorite restaurants and he had noticed her frequenting them still.
Silvia seemed harmless enough; she just seemed like a girl that had a hard time moving on. She was young, cute and smart. One reason he decided to give dating a shot with her. They just didn’t have much in common. They stopped having things to say to each other at a pretty alarming rate. And when he realized that he still wasn’t comfortable letting her into his apartment at the Paraiso, he knew he wasn’t willing to let the relationship go any further. He knew she resented it as well. He tried explaining that he was a private person and protective of his personal space but it wasn’t enough.
His head was spinning a bit. He twisted his neck to one side until he felt it crack. It had always been a habit of his to help him relax. He cracked it the other direction, put Silvia
far out of his head and, waited for the mysterious woman to arrive.
CHAPTER THREE
When the elevator door opened, she saw him sitting there, chatting with the bartender, and immediately ten different things that bothered her about Andrew popped into her head. It had to be a defense mechanism, a way of making herself feel better. She reminded herself that she loved Andrew and that this was only an innocent drink. This trip was her time away to escape from everything and an attempt to connect with her father’s memory. She shook the feeling off and walked over to the bar.
He hadn’t seen her get off the elevator so she sat down next to him. “Well, hello again,” she said with a smile. She could see he was glad she hadn’t changed her mind about their drink together.
“How was your flight?” he smiled, “What can I get you?” She asked for a beer and he ordered them each one along with two shots of tequila. “Figured we should start you vacation off right,” he said with a smirk in his eyes. “I’m Derek.”
“The flight was far too early,” she said with a sigh. “I’m Nicole.”
“Are you waiting for anyone to arrive?” he asked casually.
She considered how to explain why she was there. “My father spent a lot of time in Puerto Vallarta and this was where he always stayed,” she continued to check out the hotel as she explained. “I just want to feel closer to him,” she added with a bit of a wince as it was all too real that he was now gone.
“I’m sensing it was recent,” Derek stated, but it seemed like he knew not to push any further.
“Yes,” she admitted and then picked up the shot glass in front of her, “And on that note, let’s do this and start my vacation.”
After being with Andrew for years, there had been little for them to talk about lately. So these days, she loved meeting new people. She loved discovering another’s life and the feeling when they both had so much to say. She especially loved those first conversations where each person is practically interrupting all the time because they each have so much to tell the other. The feeling like they would burst if they didn’t explain everything immediately. She was getting a little bored with the silence at home and only the sound of the radio or television as she and Andrew sort of co-existed. It seemed blaringly obvious now. Had she really not noticed it before?
As she and Derek began to chat about the basics, Nicole noticed everything about him. Even though he was sitting, he looked like he was just under six feet tall and in extremely good shape, lean with just the perfect amount of muscle. She couldn’t help but admit to herself how incredibly attractive he was. He looked like he could kick someone’s ass if needed, which she found extremely sexy. She had always guessed that being raised mainly by her father fed into her love of bad boys. Her father himself had not been the type of man you would mess with. He wasn’t a really large man, but he could command the attention of a room. His numerous tattoos from different parts of the world added to his tough appearance. Nicole always knew that he would do whatever it took to protect her. She was attracted to the same type of man, someone that would love her unconditionally and always protect her.
Derek definitely looked the part. She particularly loved his arms. He had strong forearms and his t-shirt tugged just slightly at his biceps. She got a closer look at the edge of his tattoo. It looked like some sort of design, but not the tribal art that was so popular these days. This looked like the work of a true artist. She blushed a bit when she realized that she was imagining his shirt off and his arms around her. And then she noticed his lips…
She had to stop herself and get back into the conversation before he thought she was a mindless bimbo. She couldn’t exactly explain to him where her mind wandered, that she could practically feel the warmth of his body on top of her…
She had gathered that he was from Detroit and that he was some kind of real estate investor. She told him a little bit about growing up in the suburbs of Chicago. Their lives were very different but they had both been mainly raised by one parent. Nicole lost her mother to cancer at eight years old and he never knew his father. The one thing she could tell, though he said little about it, was that her father had been a far better parent than his mother. Both of them were only children and neither had been married.
“Look at that beach,” Nicole said, staring out over the water, “I cannot wait to get out there for a run.”
“You’re a runner?” Derek stated more than asked.
“Well, no plans on ever running a marathon,” she joked. “But I love the time outside. It’s my version of yoga.”
“Stress relief and meditation, huh?” se agreed.
“Exactly,” she replied with a smile.
“We should go for a run while you’re here,” Derek mentioned casually.
Nicole loved that he was planning on seeing her again. “It’s a date.”
She realized that she hadn’t had anything to eat since before her flight and picked up a nearby menu. Derek casually reached for it. “Would you allow me?” he asked, “I know what’s best here.”
“Thanks, as long as there are no mushrooms.”
Nicole admitted to herself that she kind of liked the take-charge way about him. He wasn’t doing it to be controlling or because he thought she was helpless. He just wanted her to have the best meal possible. She liked that he seemed to care about something so simple involving her.
He ordered her the steak quesadillas. As he passed the menu to Emilio, the bartender, Nicole saw multiple scars on his hand. She couldn’t help herself asking, “Did you used to work with your hands?”
He looked down at them as if he’d almost forgotten the scars were there. “I was a fighter once upon a time,” he told her. “Started in the school yard and finished in a professional ring. Not much difference between the two when it comes down to it.” She ran her fingers across his knuckles, light and slow, as if she wanted to make sure the wounds had indeed healed. The moment she touched his skin, she felt a sudden charge and in a flash, she was transported to the bed in her hotel room. They were naked and he was on top of her. She could feel his lips dragging along her neck while he held her hands firmly over her head.
Nicole drew her hand back and caught her breath. She couldn’t quite tell what Derek was thinking. He noticed that she was unnerved but she hoped he thought it was only the scars. She remembered being told once that sometimes when actors needed to play a very dominant role, they would take boxing lessons to help them appear more confident. She hadn’t thought of the random fact again until that moment. Maybe that was why Derek seemed so able to protect her. He had years of experience in the fighting ring and the confidence that could only come from protecting yourself in fight after fight.
As Nicole finished up the last of her beer, Emilio brought a fresh one along with her quesadillas. Though she hadn’t asked for it, she was thankful it was there. She offered a piece of food to Derek and piled some guacamole on her own before taking a bite. She hadn’t realized how hungry she was until she smelled the steak and cheese in front of her. The only word she could muster up after the first taste was, “wow!” The home-made tortillas were filled with cheese, onions, and peppers, and whatever the spice was on the steak was fabulous. The guacamole was fresh, with thick chunks of avocado. She finished the first piece as fast as she could without forgetting all of her table manners.
She and Derek continue to talk about all sorts of things. When he finally asked about a boyfriend, Nicole was confused about how to answer. She knew she wouldn’t lie, that wasn’t who she was. She realized that she really didn’t know her status with Andrew. They didn’t have a huge fight, they hadn’t yelled or thrown things. No one said that it was over. However, here she sat in Mexico and Andrew didn’t seem to care. That seemed rather final, just without the grand finale. Nicole figured that the best solution was to explain exactly what she was feeling. She gave Derek a quick summary of the last conversation with Andrew and simply stated that she wasn’t exactly sure what her relationship st
atus was at the moment.
Surprisingly, she was quite interested in Derek’s take on her Andrew Dilemma. When she finished telling him that Andrew might not remember what her father’s favorite place was, she could tell that Derek caught on to the fact that her boyfriend may have no idea where his girlfriend actually was. His face crunched in concentration, as if he was trying to wrap his head around that scenario in his own life or maybe trying to think of a nice way to say something.
“What is it?” she asked cautiously.
“Let’s just say it would seem that your Maybe Boyfriend and I are two very different men.”
CHAPTER FOUR
Derek was surprised that he had let Nicole out of his sight that night or the next day. They had continued to talk most of the first afternoon. At one point, they moved from the bar to the pool. They leaned back on lounge chairs, sharing another bucket of beer and talking about everything from movies to card games they liked to play. Derek couldn’t remember the last time a woman had made him feel this way. There were so many times he’d be watching her as they talked, the way her dress hung over her thighs, and it took everything in him not to reach his hand over, slide it up between her legs and pleasure her until she called out his name. He could see glimpses of the little black bikini she was wearing under her dress and, God, he wished for the chance to rip it off her body.
They watched the sun sink into the ocean and Nicole looked so at peace in that moment. When she told him that she was going upstairs because she had been up so early that morning, he could see that she was genuinely tired. Ordinarily, he may have asked a woman to stay for one more drink, but something was different about Nicole. He wanted her to be happy. He wanted to protect her. If that meant she got a good night’s sleep and he tossed and turned while she haunted his dreams, so be it.
That was exactly what happened. He could not get her out of his head. What little sleep he did get was filled with dreams of her in his bed. That part was nice but restless. He spent most of the night pacing the floors, grabbing at his head in an attempt to physically pull her out of it. Nothing was working. At least her trip was twice as long as the usual Vallarta vacation. Though he was happy to have the two weeks, he knew he was going to want more. Already he couldn’t get enough of this girl and they had only spent a few hours together.