Sworn to Be His(The Archer Family Book 3)(6)

"You want me to make out with you in a biker bar?"

At the words "biker bar" One-Eyed Jerry stopped mid throw and shot Derrick a warning glare. Or, really, half of a warning glare.

"Shhh," Jade shushed him. "They don't like labels. And no, nobody said  anything about making out. We just have to, you know, master a good,  natural kiss."

"Right." Derrick took another gulp of his drink, then glanced around the  place. It wouldn't be so conspicuous to kiss her here. There was even  one couple already going at it near the pool table and another  whispering heatedly to each other in one of the ripped leather booths.

He considered leaning in, breathing in her scent, wrapping his hand in her hair, and he had to take another drink.

This was Jade.

Jade who regularly made jokes about his numerous girlfriends. Jade who  was his friend, one of the few friends he'd held on to since leaving the  service. Jade wasn't the sort of girl you kissed. She was the kind you  held on to. The kind you didn't want to tarnish.

Suddenly, he wasn't sure how much his paperwork being done really meant  to him. But then, if he went back on his word, Jade wouldn't have her  chance with Zac.

Good. She deserves better than a guy like that.

"Dare?" she said, and he focused on her again. Her square face, the lock  of blond hair hanging lazily in front of her eye. And most of all on  her eyes-clear sky blue, pleading and hopeful all at once. She'd be  heartbroken if this didn't work out.

"Sorry, I was just wondering if you'd be able to handle kissing me.  Frankly I'm not sure you're woman enough." He turned his smile on her  and she shoved him playfully.

"I've seen the kind of girls you've been with. If they could handle you, I'm sure I can."

"So how do you want to go for this? Just...kiss?"

She surveyed him for a moment, then shrugged. "Yeah, I guess that's our best option, right? We just...go for it."

"Right. Go for it." Derrick leaned in and, just as he'd imagined, the  smell of her overwhelmed his senses the closer he got. Then there was  the ginger on her breath, fresh and crisp, and then the heat of her  mouth on his. The softness of her lips.

He took her bottom lip between his and she responded, slowly opening her  mouth to him and deepening the kiss. With one hand, he wound a strand  of her hair between his fingers and with the other, he gripped her  waist, steadying her as his tongue dipped out to find hers.

It was as though his body knew what to do without his command or  consent. He didn't even take the time to wonder if he'd done something  wrong or gone too far. Instead, he was focused on her, the silky strands  of her hair, the way her kiss sent another electric jolt straight to  his core.

Suddenly, he was aware of a growing ache between his legs and he stiffened as he felt his cock harden.         

     



 

No, that was all wrong. This was Jade. Jade, his friend.

He pulled back to find a blush trailing from the apples of her cheeks  down her neck and down to the collar of her shirt. He imagined it went  lower, too, probably painting her breasts the most delicate shade of  rose.

No. This was Jade for Christ's sakes. He had no business thinking about  her breasts. Or how she seemed to respond to his touch. Or just how  pliant and soft her mouth was...

"Okay, mission accomplished. Do you think you can manage to do that  without flinching?" he asked, though he knew the tension in his voice  was loud and clear.

Jade nodded. "I'll have to psych myself up, but I can probably manage."

"Great. We're good then. We'll just, uh, tell everyone at the staff meeting tomorrow and that will be that."

"Yep," Jade nodded. "That will be that."

"And before long Zac will be all yours," Derrick finished, but the words  left a bitter taste in his mouth and he had to take another drink to  wash them away.





Chapter 4





The next morning, Derrick ran a brush through his hair, tugged on a  shirt, and sighed. It was one of those days where all he wanted to do  was climb back into bed and go back to sleep, if only because he still  felt like sleep had never really come last night.

But then again, when did it ever?

He shook his head, desperate not to think about the dreams that came  back to him every now and then. Memories of his time in Afghanistan,  played back in slow motion. Just slow enough for him to see wrong move  he'd made. Slow enough for him to feel every razor edge on the sting of  bitterness his tour had left behind.

He'd wake up, sweating and aching with regret, only to roll over and  find himself thinking of Jade. The rest of his evening with her had gone  well enough. They'd laughed and finished their drinks, talking over the  latest news in the unit and making plans for their undercover  operation.

Still, as she spoke he kept finding himself staring at her lips,  wondering at the effect she'd had on him. He'd had plenty of kisses-and  more-from women before, but that moment she'd been in his arms? It was  like a magnet had drawn him to her, pulling him closer and closer until  they were wound together.

Frankly, he wasn't sure whether his waking thoughts or his dreaming ones bothered him more.

And now he had a new day ahead of him. The first day of their deal. He'd  have to hold her hand again, kiss her again, flirt with her. Then there  was the morning meeting where they were going to break the news to the  entire unit that they'd decided to get together.

Silently, he pictured what the supervisor's face would look like when  they broke the news. In his mind, it wasn't all that dissimilar from the  expression the old man had worn during their discussion about the new  badge. Shock and horror. Just the slightest dash of disgust.

He wondered what Zac Flynn's face would look like, too. If he'd suddenly  start lurking around Jade's desk now that she belonged to Derrick. If  he'd think that he could get in on Derrick's territory and-

No. No more wondering. No more what ifs. If there was one thing he'd  learned in the service, it was not to build on expectations or  anticipations. No matter how well-planned something was, fate would have  more of a hand in everything than anyone could account for. The best  thing was to go with the flow.

To lay in wait.

And if Zac Flynn did come sniffing around...

That was ideal, wasn't it?

Derrick fastened his belt and holster, and then made for the door,  determined to make quick work of his trip to the station and get this  damned meeting over with. After that was over, this whole thing with  Jade would be short-lived and he could finally have some peace. Who  knew? Maybe he'd even be able to sleep through the night.

When he walked into the Criminal Investigation Unit's corridor, it was  to find most everyone still at their desk, sipping their morning coffee  before they went in to the meeting. Everyone, that was, except for Jade.  And Zac.

Quickly, Derrick entered the meeting room, and caught the two of them laughing at something.

"Oh hey," Jade said. "I was wondering when you'd get here."

"Here I am." Derrick made his way to the coffee machine as he nodded to  Flynn who was sitting on the edge of the table nearest to Jade. Any  closer and the guy would practically be in her lap.

"Morning," Flynn said, nodding back while Derrick took his first sip of coffee.

"We were just talking about the Scaglietti case. Detective Flynn is almost done reviewing the files."

"Please, call me Zac." Zac smiled down at her, and Derrick couldn't help but to pipe in.

"Actually, we call almost everyone by their last name."

"Right. Except you call her Jade. And she calls you Derrick." Flynn  narrowed his eyes, though the gesture wasn't as menacing as the other  man seemed to hope it would be.         

     



 

"That's different." Derrick took a seat at the opposite end of the table. "So what's the word on Scaglietti?"

"Not much of anything," Zac said. "Just surprised at how involved you  two seem to have been on the case. Nearly three quarters of the  documents were filed by one of you."

"We're devoted." Jade said, breathier than he'd ever heard her before.  The knot in his stomach turned over, and he was about to open his mouth  to change the subject when the supervisor walked in and greeted each of  them.

"Flynn, Archer, Lockhart. Glad you're already here."

Behind the older man, the rest of the unit started filing into the room,  everyone holding some version of a coffee mug and pastry. Feddricks  noshed on a bear claw before taking his seat beside Derrick, and Derrick  watched as Flynn slid into the seat beside Jade and started scrawling a  note.

Fucking unprofessional.

The supervisor launched into his speech for the day, reviewing the  progress the unit had made since yesterday's check in and then notifying  them that the new badges had been commissioned for a redesign. Here, he  paused to nod toward Derrick.

Derrick offered a half-smile in return, waiting for him to mention the  paperwork they'd filed with HR, but the other plowed on to ask where  everyone stood on their projects for the day.