Unexpectedly Yours(10)

"Want some coffee? A piece of toast?" Derek asked, calculating that his  granddad hadn't had a square meal since lunchtime yesterday. His face  was more haggard than usual, and his skin was an unhealthy putty color.

"Later." Otto waved him off. "I need to catch up on my sleep, which you  so rudely interrupted." His gray eyebrows drew together as he glanced at  Derek's rumpled shirt with its missing buttons. "Were you out all  night?"

Fresh guilt pricked Derek all over as he nodded.

His grandfather snorted derisively. "Huh. Just like the old days. You  were always disappearing all night, getting up to no good. Drink. Girls.  Trouble." His lips twisted. "Well, I don't want the police knocking on  my door again, you hear?"

Derek wanted to protest that he wasn't like that anymore. Yes, in his  teenage years he'd sometimes gone wild, when the frustrations of his  life got too much. Nights of drinking beer down by the lake followed by  juvenile acts of delinquency that a few times had ended in a ride in a  cop car. And there had always been girls willing to participate in the  antics. But he was more mature these days.   





 

Oh yeah? What about Marla Beaudry's arrest? a voice at the back of his  head piped up. And the traffic violation on his first day back?

"I hear you, Grandpa," he said dutifully, but Otto's eyes were already shut.

He straightened the bed cover and quietly exited the room, shutting the  door behind him. Back in the kitchen, he cleared up the mess, scowling  as he worked.

He'd slipped up last night. He shouldn't have stayed out all night,  regardless of how excited he'd been to see Hannah at Jimmy's. But one  drink with Hannah, one touch of her soft, warm skin, and he was a goner.  He hadn't given a second thought when he'd carried Hannah upstairs to  her attic bedroom. To be honest, he hadn't been capable of thinking of  anything else besides how sweet her mouth was, how full her breasts  were, and how amazing it felt to make love to her.

Heat climbed in his veins, causing him to huff in frustration. He had to  stop daydreaming about Hannah because it was over and there was no way  they'd repeat it. Besides, he had a big problem on his hands. What to do  about Otto? He couldn't leave his grandpa after his fall last night,  but he was also supposed to be driving back to L.A. today. Filming  started on Monday, and he had contractual obligations.

He was still tossing up possibilities when his cell phone rang. It was  Malcolm, his TV producer, and the news he had made Derek straighten up  with a jolt. Filming had been postponed for at least two weeks because  of a union     dispute.

"So I don't need to be in L.A. for another two weeks?" Derek had to confirm.

"Uh-huh. Why? Something holding you up in Pine Falls?" Malcolm asked.

"Yeah. My grandpa's causing me some headaches."

"Well, you got two weeks to sort that out, buddy. I'll call you later."

Derek hung up and tossed the cell phone aside to rub his hands over his face.

He would have to hire a caregiver for his granddad to come in for a few  hours each day. Otto would most likely make a fuss, but with his leg  causing problems, there was no other option. He'd call an agency today  and enquire about likely candidates.

And in the meantime, he could at least make the house safer for an aging  man in his seventies. There were a few loose tiles on the kitchen  floor, and the faucets were stiff and leaky. He walked through the rest  of the house, making mental notes of what needed doing. A grab rail and a  non-slip mat in the shower were essential. The screen doors were  difficult to operate for a person with crutches or a walking stick. And  he would definitely make some shelves for the storeroom.

It felt good to make a list of chores. Fixing things and working with  his hands always calmed him down. This was what he was good at. This was  something he could control.

What would Hannah think when she found out he wasn't back in L.A.? Would  she be embarrassed? Would she try to avoid him, pretend nothing had  ever happened between them? He'd had plenty of one-night stands before,  but never one like this. Never with someone he'd crushed on for years,  someone who had been and was still important in his life.

Maybe it was best just to go with the flow and handle the situation as  it came up. No point getting worked up for nothing. He and Hannah had  always known they'd meet again in the future; they just hadn't figured  it would happen so soon.

He would play it cool, he decided. But deep down, cool was the last thing he felt about Hannah.





Chapter Six

Later that day, Hannah had just stepped out of the supermarket with her  bag of groceries when she bumped into Amber holding a takeout coffee.

"Ooh, this is lucky," Amber exclaimed after they'd exchanged hugs. "I  was just about to call you." She hooked her arm through Hannah's, and  they began walking up the main street toward Amber's store.

"Yeah?" Hannah eyed her cautiously, wary of the look on her friend's face.

"So? How did it go last night?"

"Uh, it went fine." Hannah shifted her gaze to the sidewalk, hoping she  wouldn't start blushing. She was no good at lying, especially to her  friends.

"How late did you leave Jimmy's?"

"Not late. Not late at all." That was the truth.

Amber seemed slightly disappointed at that. "Not late? So Derek didn't buy you another drink?"

"He did, but that was it. I had a day shift today."

They reached the hardware store that Amber owned and operated. "Come in and chat," Amber said, tugging at Hannah's arm.

Hannah wasn't too thrilled about being under Amber's microscope for much  longer, but her friend gave her no choice, pushing her into the store  before whipping off the Back in five minutes sign from the glass door.   





 

"Did he give you a ride home?" Amber asked before taking a large gulp of coffee.

"Um, yeah, he did." Hannah stopped. She transferred her bag of groceries  from one hand to the other. Amber was gazing at her, and as her  friend's scrutiny continued, a tide of heat began to creep up Hannah's  neck, and there was nothing she could do about it.

"Oh my G-God!" Amber spluttered, droplets of coffee spraying everywhere.  "Did you sleep with him?" Her shriek reverberated off the walls, and  Hannah thanked her lucky stars the store was empty. "You did!" Amber  pointed a finger at her in triumph and did a little victory dance on the  spot. "You did. You slept with Derek Carmichael. Omigod! Come on, you  can't deny it."

Sighing, Hannah rolled her eyes at her friend who was grinning from ear  to ear. "Okay, yes. If you must know, I did spend the night with him."  She lifted her head, trying to appear as dignified as possible.

"Oh, yes, I most definitely must know."

"You can't tell anyone," Hannah pleaded. "I don't want Caleb finding out."

"I can't even tell Nicole?"

"Okay, Nicole, but no one else. Promise?"

"Sure." Amber made beckoning gestures with both hands. "Now let's hear the details. The juicier the better."

Hannah sucked in a breath. "I can't tell you the details!"

"Ooh, was it that dirty, huh? I'm not surprised. That Derek is one sexy  hunk, and from the look of him I'd say he knows his way around in bed.  Just tell me one thing. Is he well hung?"

The image of Derek's naked body that had taunted Hannah all day burst  into vivid color, and the memory of everything he'd done to her last  night sent her blood pressure soaring.

"Yes, he is," she said, unable to suppress the grin spreading across her lips.

"Ha, I knew it!"

"It was a one-time thing. It's not going to happen again."

"Why not? Sounds like you barely got enough last night."

"Oh God, Amber. Don't talk crazy. Derek is halfway back to L.A. by now.  It'll be months before I see him again." Which was a relief, so why did  that make her heart pinch just a little?

The doorbell chimed, and a customer walked into the store. Derek. Hannah's mouth fell open.

"Derek?" Her voice squeaked. "W-what are you doing here?"

Well-hung Derek, who was supposed to be hundreds of miles away from  here, stepped toward her. "Change of plans. I'm staying for a couple  more weeks."

Staying? A couple more weeks? No, this can't be happening. He shouldn't  be here at all! Her shopping bag slipped from her numb fingers and  plopped to the floor, spilling some of its contents.

"Let me get that for you," spectacularly well-hung Derek said.

Oh God, was she ever going to stop blushing? She dropped to her knees at the same time he did, and their heads almost collided.

"Sorry," she muttered, reaching for a can of tomato soup.

"Here you go." He helped her to her feet and handed her the shopping bag.

A light sweat had broken out between her shoulder blades, and her hair  was sticking to her neck. "Why-" She cleared her throat, trying in vain  to calm her racing heart. "Why the change of plans?"

"My filming schedule got changed. Plus, I need more time to sort out my grandpa's care. So it's all serendipitous."