protect me . She prayed for the willpower. She doubted he'd be the one to say no. Not if the way he was looking at her right now was any indication.
"We both have our ambitions. A relationship is messy and gets in the way of what we want. It won't happen. Trust me.” He studied her earnestly.
It wasn't him who was the problem.
"Let's see if you make the team; then we'll talk.” Her stomach twisted into a hangman's noose. Not trusting her knees, she slid onto the barstool at the small eating area in the kitchen. Derek sat next to her.
"You don't think I'll make it, do you?"
"I don't know.” His face fell, and she cursed her honesty.
He refilled his glass, then hers. His fingers brushed hers as he handed it to her. She looked away. Inside she trembled. She wished he'd leave. She wished he'd stay. She pushed that thought as far to the back of her mind as she could. Picturing Derek taking off his shirt and coming to her as she lay in bed looking up at him in nervous expectation was a vision she needed to banish from her mind forever. Unfortunately it kept sneaking in through little cracks in her armor. Cracks that were getting big enough to ride a horse through.
"If I do, I'm gonna need your support, your eye, your no-nonsense way of telling me like it is. Please, Rae, it's important.” Derek searched her face. His dark gaze went deep, reading her perfectly, and pushed past her defenses into secret, private places. Feeling as if he'd stripped her naked emotionally, she broke eye contact.
"We'll see,” Rachel hedged.
"I know you'll do it.” His broad grin lit up his entire face. She'd have promised him anything at that moment just to see him smile like that again. Dangerous thought and well past time to end this conversation and save a shred of her sanity.
"Derek, I'm really tired, and I'm sure you are too. We both have a lot to think about. It's best we call it a night. Thanks for the wine.” She rose to her feet and walked to the door. For a moment he remained seated; then, with a resigned sigh, he unwrapped his long legs from the barstool and hesitated at the open door. He whistled to his dog. Simon leaped to his feet and ran to Derek's side.
"Good night, Rae.” His gaze robbed her lungs of oxygen while heat pooled south of her belly button. She feigned interest in a picture hanging on the wall, avoiding his hypnotic gaze.
"You're worried.” He touched her cheek with the pad of his thumb, just a brief touch, but the aftershocks reverberated throughout her body. “You don't need to be. I don't want a relationship. I don't have the time or energy for one. I just want a friendship. We were always better friends than lovers."
She should have felt reassured, but she just felt empty and alone. “Good night, Dare.” She opened the door. Derek walked out with one final glance back at her, Simon on his heels. “You made a great catch tonight."
"Thanks. Keep those feet where they belong, and don't hurt yourself."
"Brat.” Her heart followed him out the door, but she yanked it back, shut the door, and locked it. Locks might physically keep the man out, but she'd need strength to lock him out emotionally. Closing her eyes, she envisioned her father and the bottles surrounding his chair.
[Back to Table of Contents]
Chapter Six
Sudden Death in Overtime
Rachel jammed her finger against the doorbell and held it there. Even then it took several minutes before a disheveled Cass yanked open the door.
"Cass, you've got to help me.” She snapped her fingers in front of her friend's face in an attempt to force her to focus.
Cass held her hand to her mouth and yawned.
"I need a makeover."
"Wonderful. I need another three hours of sleep.” Cass tried to push the door shut on her.
Not to be deterred, Rachel pushed her shoulder against the door. Heaving a long-suffering sigh, Cass gazed longingly over her shoulder in the direction of her bedroom. She rubbed her bleary eyes. Without another word, she stumbled to the
"We both have our ambitions. A relationship is messy and gets in the way of what we want. It won't happen. Trust me.” He studied her earnestly.
It wasn't him who was the problem.
"Let's see if you make the team; then we'll talk.” Her stomach twisted into a hangman's noose. Not trusting her knees, she slid onto the barstool at the small eating area in the kitchen. Derek sat next to her.
"You don't think I'll make it, do you?"
"I don't know.” His face fell, and she cursed her honesty.
He refilled his glass, then hers. His fingers brushed hers as he handed it to her. She looked away. Inside she trembled. She wished he'd leave. She wished he'd stay. She pushed that thought as far to the back of her mind as she could. Picturing Derek taking off his shirt and coming to her as she lay in bed looking up at him in nervous expectation was a vision she needed to banish from her mind forever. Unfortunately it kept sneaking in through little cracks in her armor. Cracks that were getting big enough to ride a horse through.
"If I do, I'm gonna need your support, your eye, your no-nonsense way of telling me like it is. Please, Rae, it's important.” Derek searched her face. His dark gaze went deep, reading her perfectly, and pushed past her defenses into secret, private places. Feeling as if he'd stripped her naked emotionally, she broke eye contact.
"We'll see,” Rachel hedged.
"I know you'll do it.” His broad grin lit up his entire face. She'd have promised him anything at that moment just to see him smile like that again. Dangerous thought and well past time to end this conversation and save a shred of her sanity.
"Derek, I'm really tired, and I'm sure you are too. We both have a lot to think about. It's best we call it a night. Thanks for the wine.” She rose to her feet and walked to the door. For a moment he remained seated; then, with a resigned sigh, he unwrapped his long legs from the barstool and hesitated at the open door. He whistled to his dog. Simon leaped to his feet and ran to Derek's side.
"Good night, Rae.” His gaze robbed her lungs of oxygen while heat pooled south of her belly button. She feigned interest in a picture hanging on the wall, avoiding his hypnotic gaze.
"You're worried.” He touched her cheek with the pad of his thumb, just a brief touch, but the aftershocks reverberated throughout her body. “You don't need to be. I don't want a relationship. I don't have the time or energy for one. I just want a friendship. We were always better friends than lovers."
She should have felt reassured, but she just felt empty and alone. “Good night, Dare.” She opened the door. Derek walked out with one final glance back at her, Simon on his heels. “You made a great catch tonight."
"Thanks. Keep those feet where they belong, and don't hurt yourself."
"Brat.” Her heart followed him out the door, but she yanked it back, shut the door, and locked it. Locks might physically keep the man out, but she'd need strength to lock him out emotionally. Closing her eyes, she envisioned her father and the bottles surrounding his chair.
[Back to Table of Contents]
Chapter Six
Sudden Death in Overtime
Rachel jammed her finger against the doorbell and held it there. Even then it took several minutes before a disheveled Cass yanked open the door.
"Cass, you've got to help me.” She snapped her fingers in front of her friend's face in an attempt to force her to focus.
Cass held her hand to her mouth and yawned.
"I need a makeover."
"Wonderful. I need another three hours of sleep.” Cass tried to push the door shut on her.
Not to be deterred, Rachel pushed her shoulder against the door. Heaving a long-suffering sigh, Cass gazed longingly over her shoulder in the direction of her bedroom. She rubbed her bleary eyes. Without another word, she stumbled to the
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