be a way to change her mind. He wondered about the
checklist Charlie had mentioned.
The duo got up and headed his way. He finished the last sushi
piece, crossed his arms over his chest and waited. The sexy little black dress
Anabelle wore had a deep neckline that showcased her killer cleavage. The fact
that bow tie hadn’t once looked served as a warning to Derek. What if bow tie
was like Anabelle’s ex?
Derek frowned, his eyes narrowed and his body primed to attack.
No one would take advantage of Anabelle’s sweet nature again.
A few feet from his table, Anabelle glanced
up and caught sight of him. Her surprise made her stumble and in a flash, he
was up and steadied her, ignoring her gasp at their electric contact. He caught
a brief hint of her scent before she pulled away, steady once more on those heels of hers.
“Thanks.” She shot him a polite smile and tucked
a lock of hair behind her ear, peeking up from under her lashes. If she knew
what that habit of hers did to him, she would run hard in the opposite
direction. Instead of keeping him away, like she seemed to want, it only served
to bring out his cave man instincts. Even now, he had an overwhelming urge to toss
her over his shoulder and make off with her.
“Not a problem.” He widened his stance and
waited for an introduction.
“Hello Derek.”
“Anabelle.”
“What are you doing here?” She fiddled with
her purse strap. It looked like she was blocking his view of bow tie standing behind
her.
He lifted a brow, catching the guilty look
in her eyes. “I was in the mood for sushi.”
“Really?” She bit her lower lip, as if she didn’t
quite believe him. Smart girl.
“Yes, really.” He glanced behind her and
she sighed.
“Derek, this is Heath, my date.”
Bow tie extended a hand and he took it. “Hello
Derek. Good to meet you.”
“Nice to meet you as well.” Derek nodded and
crushed the guy’s hand, already hating the fancy boy accent he heard. Bow tie
had a good grip and smiled back as if he hadn’t noticed Derek’s bone crushing
grip.
He wondered if Anabelle was the type of
girl who went nuts over an English accent. Unfortunately, Dani was half in love
with Pierce Brosnan although Derek wasn’t a hundred percent certain the guy was
English. At one point, Dani had set Disney’s Ocean documentary as her sleep
mode, claiming the sound of Pierce’s narration gave her ultimate sweet dreams
or whatever the hell that meant. As he wasn’t comfortable with the thought of
his kid sister as a sexual being, still saw her as the kid who melted her
Barbie’s hair playing beauty salon in front of the furnace, he’d pretended he
hadn’t heard her dreamy eyed confession.
Women.
He loved them, was often surrounded by
them, but he didn’t necessarily understand them.
And if Dani heard his competitor’s accent,
he’d never hear the end of it. On that depressing thought, he pumped the guy’s hand
a little harder and blamed it on the MSG loaded soy sauce, he heard it made
people crazy.
Anabelle looked on with worry.
“Heading out?”
“Yes, we were-“
“Good. I’ll walk with you.” He avoided the
glare sent and threw down money to cover his bill. He motioned her forward and casually
stepped between the couple.
“How do you two know each other?” Heath
asked after the hostess bid them a good night.
“Derek and I work together,” she said as
they stepped out into a perfect October night. Shoppers milled about enjoying
the balmy weather in the upscale residential plaza. “He makes sustainable
furniture and custom wood work.”
“Yes, Wheaton Woodwork.”
“I’ve seen your work on Inhabitat.
Excellent stuff.”
He hated that bow tie knew of and liked his
work, made it a little hard to dislike him, especially as he had every intention
of stealing the guy’s date. “Thanks.”
“I’ve invited Heath to help with the
student competition judging.”
“You have, have you?” He understood her guilty
look from before.
checklist Charlie had mentioned.
The duo got up and headed his way. He finished the last sushi
piece, crossed his arms over his chest and waited. The sexy little black dress
Anabelle wore had a deep neckline that showcased her killer cleavage. The fact
that bow tie hadn’t once looked served as a warning to Derek. What if bow tie
was like Anabelle’s ex?
Derek frowned, his eyes narrowed and his body primed to attack.
No one would take advantage of Anabelle’s sweet nature again.
A few feet from his table, Anabelle glanced
up and caught sight of him. Her surprise made her stumble and in a flash, he
was up and steadied her, ignoring her gasp at their electric contact. He caught
a brief hint of her scent before she pulled away, steady once more on those heels of hers.
“Thanks.” She shot him a polite smile and tucked
a lock of hair behind her ear, peeking up from under her lashes. If she knew
what that habit of hers did to him, she would run hard in the opposite
direction. Instead of keeping him away, like she seemed to want, it only served
to bring out his cave man instincts. Even now, he had an overwhelming urge to toss
her over his shoulder and make off with her.
“Not a problem.” He widened his stance and
waited for an introduction.
“Hello Derek.”
“Anabelle.”
“What are you doing here?” She fiddled with
her purse strap. It looked like she was blocking his view of bow tie standing behind
her.
He lifted a brow, catching the guilty look
in her eyes. “I was in the mood for sushi.”
“Really?” She bit her lower lip, as if she didn’t
quite believe him. Smart girl.
“Yes, really.” He glanced behind her and
she sighed.
“Derek, this is Heath, my date.”
Bow tie extended a hand and he took it. “Hello
Derek. Good to meet you.”
“Nice to meet you as well.” Derek nodded and
crushed the guy’s hand, already hating the fancy boy accent he heard. Bow tie
had a good grip and smiled back as if he hadn’t noticed Derek’s bone crushing
grip.
He wondered if Anabelle was the type of
girl who went nuts over an English accent. Unfortunately, Dani was half in love
with Pierce Brosnan although Derek wasn’t a hundred percent certain the guy was
English. At one point, Dani had set Disney’s Ocean documentary as her sleep
mode, claiming the sound of Pierce’s narration gave her ultimate sweet dreams
or whatever the hell that meant. As he wasn’t comfortable with the thought of
his kid sister as a sexual being, still saw her as the kid who melted her
Barbie’s hair playing beauty salon in front of the furnace, he’d pretended he
hadn’t heard her dreamy eyed confession.
Women.
He loved them, was often surrounded by
them, but he didn’t necessarily understand them.
And if Dani heard his competitor’s accent,
he’d never hear the end of it. On that depressing thought, he pumped the guy’s hand
a little harder and blamed it on the MSG loaded soy sauce, he heard it made
people crazy.
Anabelle looked on with worry.
“Heading out?”
“Yes, we were-“
“Good. I’ll walk with you.” He avoided the
glare sent and threw down money to cover his bill. He motioned her forward and casually
stepped between the couple.
“How do you two know each other?” Heath
asked after the hostess bid them a good night.
“Derek and I work together,” she said as
they stepped out into a perfect October night. Shoppers milled about enjoying
the balmy weather in the upscale residential plaza. “He makes sustainable
furniture and custom wood work.”
“Yes, Wheaton Woodwork.”
“I’ve seen your work on Inhabitat.
Excellent stuff.”
He hated that bow tie knew of and liked his
work, made it a little hard to dislike him, especially as he had every intention
of stealing the guy’s date. “Thanks.”
“I’ve invited Heath to help with the
student competition judging.”
“You have, have you?” He understood her guilty
look from before.
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