by Marie Harte
He didn’t speak while she lectured him all the way to her office. He stifled a cringe but followed her obediently inside the professional building to her suite. He even managed a pleasant greeting to her secretary, Diane, as well as to James Kincaid, her business partner and fellow shrink.
James grinned at him but said nothing.
The minute Derrick stepped inside her office, he flopped down onto her couch and covered his eyes with his hand. “You told James?” Who the hell didn’t know he had woman problems?
“I tell him a lot of things. We bounce ideas off each other when we encounter stubborn clients. Of course, we speak in generalities. Nothing that would violate confidentiality.”
“Mom, I’m not a client.”
“Yes, dear. I know.”
He wanted nothing more than to go back and redo last week. He’d have bypassed Sundance and made Sydney dinner at his place. Then they could have had dessert naked in his bed. And by this time today, he’d know if his fantasies matched up to the reality of her. Instead, he couldn’t stop obsessing over the redhead who got away..
“Now Derrick, I want you to tell me exactly what happened from start to finish. Who drove? What was she wearing? You didn’t pressure her to have sex, did you?”
“Mom.”
She tsked. “Don’t be shy, dear. Don’t think of me as your mother. Think of me as someone who’s here to listen.”
Oh God. He was in hell.
Chapter Two
A less assertive woman might have taken no for an answer. But Sydney hadn’t become one of the foremost independent sellers in eastern Georgia by acting meek. She cajoled, she wheedled and she persuaded with solid arguments, financial know-how and a strong belief she’d fit this couple with the perfect house to suit their needs.
They left smiling after the husband tacked the Sold sticker over the For Sale sign.
Sydney watched them leave even as Gage Warren’s blue truck pulled up at the curb. A gorgeous blonde stepped out of the passenger side, looking annoyed.
“Hailey, even you can’t ruin my mood,” Sydney greeted with a smile. “The commission on today’s work should be enough to pay off the remaining loan on my car.” At least something was going right with her life. “Is that Gage with you?” Because if it was Derrick, she’d pull the woman’s hair out by the roots, best friend or not.
“I can’t believe you didn’t tell me.”
Sydney frowned. “What?”
“I stopped by your office. There are bouquets of flowers everywhere. And cards piling up on your desk. Derrick’s been trying to call you for two weeks now to apologize.”
Sydney turned on her heel and walked back inside the house to get her purse and papers. “Figured you’d turn to the enemy soon enough. Mr. Tool hammered the loyalty right out of you, didn’t he?”
Hailey flushed. They’d called Gage Mr. Tool for months before they’d met him. Of course, he used to parade around his apartment half naked, waving that impressive tool between his legs while they enjoyed the show from a covert distance. Those days seemed like a lifetime ago.
Sydney envied Hailey. Gage seemed to be everything Derrick was not. Nice, pleasant, a gentleman.
She picked up her purse and her papers tucked in a folder and turned.
“You’re not as funny as you think you are.” Hailey refused to move even when Sydney threatened to walk through her. “Now stop avoiding the issue. Why won’t you at least let him explain himself?”
Sydney sighed. “What’s there to explain? I should have known from the beginning not to go out with him. Sure, he has a sexy phone voice. Okay, he’s handsome enough.”
“Almost as good-looking as Gage,” Hailey agreed.
No, he’s better. Tall, muscular and incredibly handsome. Thick black hair, light green eyes, that firm mouth, chiseled cheeks, strong jaw. The size of his biceps and chest had made her breathless the first time she’d seen him. And then she saw those massive hands... What a waste of a fine specimen like that. Cursed to be a dickhead for life.
“Sydney, I’m talking to you.” Hailey huffed and crossed her arms over her ample chest. “I think you’re scared.”
She opened her mouth to retort and stopped. “Scared? Of what, exactly?”
“I think you really liked him. More than the other losers you’ve dated. And you’re scared that if you give him another chance, you’ll find that you still do.”
She narrowed her eyes. “I wouldn’t necessarily call my other dates losers.”
“Please. The last guy you kept around because he was good with his tongue but nothing else. If I remember right, you’d only let him use it for one thing, and it wasn’t for talking.”
Sydney chuckled. “Well, Joe wasn’t a smart or even charming guy, but wow, did he know how to please a girl.”
“And Mike? Who stiffed you with the bill every time you went out? Or how about Don? He was nice—and turned out to be engaged while he and you were dating. It’s like you’re a magnet for them.”
“Yeah. So, go figure, I’m breaking my losing streak by giving Derrick a pass.”
Hailey shook her head. “He’s different and you know it. I don’t get you. You gave Mike six dates before you dumped him. Don’t let one bad date with Derrick throw you. Jeez, Sydney. You can handle Derrick. If I had had half your confidence, it wouldn’t have taken me so long to grab on to Gage.”
“Hailey, you jumped him on the first date.” She shouldn’t take so much pleasure in making her friend blush, but she did. “And it’s been, what, all of—not even—four months since you’ve been in your relationship?”
“Sometimes you just know.” Hailey clung to a stubborn refusal to admit defeat. The poor girl actually thought she could win an argument with Sydney, the queen of inflexible. “Like the way I know you and Derrick would be perfect together if you’d give it a chance. I’d never just go over to the enemy without cause. Come on, Sydney. We’ve been best friends for years. I’d never screw you over.” Her lips twisted into a wry grin. “Not even for Mr. Tool.”
“Or Tool’s brother. The limp screwdriver,” Sydney muttered.
Hailey sputtered with laughter. “Nice. How about he’s a few bubbles shy of being level?”
“Or a few inches short on the tape measure.”
Hailey blinked. “Really? Is he, um, small down there?”
“How the hell would I know?” It was her one major regret. “I didn’t get a chance to inspect the merchandise. One lousy date after weeks of making me like him. Okay, there. I said it. We had some great phone conversations.”
The man could make her melt with that voice. So husky and deep. To her shock, they’d had meaningful discussions about everything from her favorite color to their families. Thoughts about how Hailey and Gage really seemed to click. How Derrick’s mother could annoy and amuse him at the same time, and how much they all missed his father. What it felt like to grow up as a twin, to be so close to someone else yet so different from him at the same time.
Sydney had shared what it was like to grow up an only child, daughter of a single mom. How hard she’d worked to be taken seriously in her current vocation. And she’d told him something she’d never told anyone, even Hailey. She’d once found her mother in bed with her college boyfriend—the most embarrassing moment in her entire life, and a defining moment with her mother. She’d confessed it to Mr. Sexy because she’d stupidly started falling for him over the phone.
“Whatever. I’m done with him.” So she kept telling herself. If she held onto the rage, she could forget how much it had hurt that he’d been less than she’d hoped.
“Sydney, I believe him when he said he had nothing to do with Brittney being there.”
“Maybe not, but he never stood up for me after all the ugly things she said.”
“You didn’t give him a chance. Besides, since when have you ever needed a man to stand up for you?”
“Touché.” Sydney granted her that one. “But he should have.”
&n
bsp; “I agree with you. But in his defense, he said he was too focused on not ruining the night with you. He didn’t even realize what she’d been saying, and boy, did I yell at him for that.”
Sydney paused. “You yelled at him for me?” Hailey hated conflict.
“Of course I did. If you hadn’t been ducking my calls, you’d know that. You’d also know I’ve been waiting forever for you to come back to the office today. Thankfully, Lena told me where you were this afternoon.” Hailey crossed the space to grab Sydney in a big hug. “I’m your best friend, Sydney. I’ll never do you wrong, I swear. Can’t you just give him one more chance? For me?”
“It’s that important to you?” No wonder Gage did anything Hailey wanted. One look into her best friend’s warm brown eyes and Sydney wanted to melt into a pile of whatever you want.
“It is. Gage is the love of my life. You’re my best friend. And Derrick is always going to be there. He’s Gage’s brother, Syd. I can’t ignore him forever.”
“But you ignored him for me. You yelled at him for me.”
“Yes.”
Sydney considered the idea. “How about if I go out with him once, just to make peace? Then maybe he’ll leave me alone and I can get back to my life. We could have coffee or something and call it quits. We’ll be friendly for you and Gage. End of story.”
“Good enough.” Hailey beamed and dragged Sydney from the house. She didn’t even let go when Sydney struggled to relock the key in the small lockbox affixed to the door.
“Wait. Where are you taking me? Who’s in that truck?”
“I promise I’ll drive your car back to your place after I deliver your folder to Lena. She said she’d handle the paperwork on your sale. Now enjoy your Friday evening and tell me everything about it tomorrow.” Hailey reached the passenger side door and yanked it open. Then after wrestling Sydney’s car keys and the folder from her, she pushed her into the cab...where Derrick sat waiting.
Realizing she looked ridiculous trying to escape, Sydney composed herself. She straightened her skirt and took a deep breath, then let it out slowly, not even jumping when Hailey slammed the door shut.
“Hey, Sydney.”
Hailey Jennison, you witch, you owe me for this.
“Derrick.” She gave him a regal nod. Queen to peasant. “Let’s get this over with, shall we?” She crossed her arms over her chest and refused to look at him. Her entire body came alive in his presence, and she hated it. Sydney had a rigorous sex drive, but around Derrick, she felt like a needy nympho. And wouldn’t he just love to know that?
So she forced herself to ignore her dampening panties and thought about her recent sale. Brian Goode’s prospective line-up. Hailey and Gage’s engagement. Anything to take her mind off the sexy jerk behind the wheel.
Derrick drove without speaking, letting the silence fill the truck. While he drove, he concentrated on what his mother had told him during that hellacious interview a week ago. He’d managed to turn her interrogation into an introspective on Sydney and Sydney’s needs. A help, and a definite buffer right now, thinking about Barbara Warren. Because he needed to tame his sudden hard-on.
Fuck if he could think with Sydney so close. She shifted next to him, and the faint scent of perfume and woman wrapped around his balls and refused to let go. Her arms lay over her full breasts, and he cursed himself for not being able to resist anything about her.
Why Sydney? He’d had prettier women. Taller, softer, shorter, heavier. Soft-spoken, aggressive. But none of them had ever stolen his appetite or put his nerves on edge. None of them made him lie awake at night, wondering how she felt, what she might be doing. And none of them had turned him into a complete lunatic, ready to punch out her male clients while he kept tabs on her through her best friend.
At least Hailey had consented to talk to him again. He’d taken his mother’s advice and sought her help first, explaining the mistake that night at the restaurant. Tenderhearted Hailey had forgiven him, especially when he’d told her how miserable he was without Sydney. A slight fabrication. He wasn’t so much miserable as frustrated and damn annoyed.
Or so he kept trying to convince himself.
He leaned forward to turn on the radio. Sydney didn’t so much as flinch, her attention seemingly on the neighborhoods they passed, though he knew she was aware of every move he made.
Derrick had it bad for Sydney, and it made him nervous. He wanted to chalk up his fascination to an obsession. Dylan had been right. The Warren twins never got turned down. Of course, the Warren twins were also smart enough to engage the right women. Or men, in Dylan’s case.
Derrick had a type. Pretty, available, slightly aloof. He’d been blessed with good genes, and he made the most of them. Working out helped him stay healthy, and was an added bonus in his business. On occasion he helped Gage and the crews on site when they were down a man. Besides, the ladies liked the muscle.
Did Sydney like it? “Hmm.”
“What?” She turned to him, her dark blue eyes brimming with suspicion.
“Um, is the music okay?” A local country station. Gage and his cowboy blues.
“Whatever.”
Derrick gritted his teeth. The woman was not going to make this easy. In one respect, he admired her for it. He liked a woman who valued her worth. Sydney Fields not only had beauty and brains, but a good self-image. One he hadn’t helped by letting Brittney bitch about her looks.
“Okay, I’m just gonna say it. I’m fucking sorry.”
“Oh?”
He scowled. He hadn’t meant to swear. “I am. I had no intention of doing anything with you but having a nice dinner at Sundance. We’d had weeks of buildup. Talking and stuff. I liked it.” Surprisingly, he had. “I was really looking forward to our date together. I swear. Then Brittney ruined it with her big mouth and her crying.”
“And her fake breasts and bad dye-job,” Sydney added in a low voice. “She had the nerve to talk about my hair?”
He blinked at her and quickly brought his attention back to the road. So much for her bland attitude. That temper that so turned him on had returned. Even when she’d been pissed as hell at him in that restaurant, he’d been on fire to have her. Hell. His cock was killing him.
“Uh, yeah. Look, she and I ended things months ago. I don’t know why she acted that way, and I’m sorry she did.”
He could feel her looking at him and wished he’d waited until they reached his place before confronting her about the matter. But he couldn’t let it go unsaid another minute. He’d rather she raged at him than pretend indifference.
“Derrick, let’s face it. Our date would have been a mistake anyway. We’d have had dinner, maybe headed back to your place or mine, screwed like bunnies and gone our separate ways. I’d have hurt your feelings or you’d have acted like an ass, and then we’d hate each other. At least this way we can be friendly for Gage and Hailey. It means a lot to her—that’s why I’m here.”
Oh sure. Don’t let me mistake the reason you agreed to be anywhere near me. And please God let me forget that part about screwing like bunnies. He cleared his throat. “I don’t think you’re right, but I’d like to be friends for Gage’s sake. So I’m going to continue with the rest of tonight. We’ll go back to my place and have dinner,” he said over her objections. “Just dinner, where we can talk. Then I’ll drive you home. Okay?”
“Just as friends.”
“Yeah.” If he had his way, friends with benefits. A part of him wanted more, but just thinking about permanence and forever gave him hives. He had to get the damn woman out of his system before he fell any harder for her.
“Well, if you’re sure.” She bit her lower lip, and it was all he could do to return his attention to the road.
He nodded.
“Okay. Then I forgive you for being a complete shithead at the restaurant. It wasn’t your fault your ex thought she had the right to treat me like crap and embarrass me in front of the entire restaurant. I’m sure the bleach in her hair
tampered with the space between her ears and tainted her limited ability to think. That or the weight of those implants made it hard to focus on anything but standing up straight.”
Derrick blinked. “That’s forgiveness?”
“Do you have a problem with anything I just said?”
“No, no. Not at all.” He pulled into his driveway and parked, his heart hammering at the thought of finally having Sydney Fields all to himself. “So just between us friends, how about a nice dinner and maybe a glass of wine or two?”
She shrugged. “Why not?”
Why not? She needed to have her head examined. If she kept this up, the blasted man would charm her right out of her panties and into his bed. He wore jeans that molded to his fine ass and thick thighs. Tall, with broad shoulders, the man could wear anything and make it look good. The cable-knit sweater clung to his arms, and the sage green color made his eyes look like mossy invitations to say yes. Yes to anything he freaking wanted.
He smiled at her across the table. “You like the lasagna?”
“Love it.” She smiled back and took another look around. He lived in a swanky neighborhood she’d planned to show to Brian. Acre lots, homes that started at three thousand square feet and up and a nice ratio of professionals and families occupied the neighborhood.
She would have pegged him as a bachelor pad kind of guy. This was much more inviting. And unexpected. Comfortable yet quality leather furniture, bookshelves lined with history texts and DVDs, pictures of his friends and family—mostly his family. And of course, a huge-screen television. Masculine but not overdone. She wondered who’d helped him design the place. His mother? A girlfriend? Brittney? God, she should have bitch-slapped the woman in addition to dousing her with wine.
The minute she thought it, she wanted to slap herself. How clichéd. Women fighting over a man. But at least it beat crying over one. A niggle of guilt intruded when she recalled Brittney’s tears. Still, balanced against the fat ass comment, the blonde deserved that wine in her face.
“Like the house?”