Unexpectedly Yours(17)

With Otto in the front passenger seat, Derek used his rearview mirror to  get a glimpse of Hannah sitting in the back. This morning he had helped  her paint the bedroom of her new house, but Amber had showed up, which  meant he hadn't had a chance to kiss Hannah again.

All day he'd thought of kissing her. Caleb's warning about squeaky clean  boy scouts still pricked his conscience from time to time, but he had  built up his excuses. Hannah knew he was no boy scout, and she hadn't  exactly fought him off when he'd kissed her yesterday on the back porch  of her house. If it hadn't been for that stray cat …

For the trip to the lake she'd changed into a skimpy, pink-and-green  sundress that floated over her legs and hugged her breasts. She looked  so cute and sexy he had trouble concentrating on his driving.

As they pulled up in the parking lot, he snuck another glance at her in  the rearview mirror, and she winked at him, causing his blood to tingle.  Damn, it was going to be hard keeping his hands to himself. They both  got out and waited while Otto maneuvered himself and his crutches out of  the vehicle. Derek had forewarned Hannah not to leap to his granddad's  aid, as that only irritated him.

"This place has changed since I was last here," Otto said as he slowly  limped toward the water. "Too many people. And kids. Too much noise."

"It's quieter over there." Hannah pointed to a stretch of grass away  from the barbecues and picnics. There were a few wooden benches shaded  by trees and overlooking the lake. "Why don't we grab one of those  benches? It looks like we'll catch a nice breeze coming off the water  there."   





 

"I can get there on my own," Otto grumped. He paused, glancing at Hannah  and Derek. "You two can go off on your walk or whatever." His tone was  slightly more conciliatory.

Derek and Hannah stood and watched as Otto slowly hobbled away.

"He's not too bad on those crutches," Hannah said.

"He's a fighter, but he does need a care assistant. I have another  person starting next week, but I'm not holding my breath." And he only  had another week before he was due back in L.A. If he couldn't find a  care assistant for Otto, the only alternative might be a nursing home.  That was a battle he dreaded, a battle he'd probably lose. And then  what? Would he have to give up L.A. and everything he'd achieved and  move back in with his granddad? He wasn't relishing that.

"I hope it works out." She shaded her eyes against the blazing sun.  "It's too hot for a walk, and that water looks great. Do you want to go  for a swim?"

His problems faded at the prospect of seeing Hannah in a bikini. He'd  already noticed the bikini straps underneath her skimpy sundress.

"Sure." He tried to sound cool but inside he was thrumming with anticipation.

They walked down to the beach and dropped their bags in an empty spot.  Derek was already wearing his board shorts, so all he had to do was pull  off his T-shirt. Hannah stripped off her sundress. His throat dried at  the sight of her in an orange bikini, the triangles of the top hugging  her full breasts, while the bottom scrap of fabric molded her lower  belly. She looked as luscious as a slice of mango, and it was all he  could do to stop himself sliding his hands over her warm, smooth skin.

He realized he was breathing hard and staring at her, making no attempt  to hide his mental undressing of her. She was staring back at him, too,  but when their gazes collided she glanced away.

"Come on," she said hurriedly. "I'm dying in this heat."

He followed after her as she hustled to the water. Every brain cell of  his was glued to the hypnotic sway of her butt in front of him. The sun  beating down on his skin was nothing compared to the lust scorching  inside him, so it was good to reach the water and dive in. The cold  water gave him camouflage, but did nothing to cool his libido. No chance  of that when Hannah was nearby. The sun gleamed on her wet skin, and  the droplets of water clinging to her body only made him want to grab  her and kiss her more.

"It's been ages since we did this," she said. "Remember those scorching  Sundays during summer when it was too hot to do anything?"

Only too well. He remembered coming to this lake with Caleb and Hannah.  Sneaking glances at Hannah in her bikini, just like today. He remembered  his raw jealousy when Rick had tagged along and monopolized her  attention. Well, Rick was gone forever, and he was here with her.

"I remember you shrieking when I got you with my water gun," Derek said.

She laughed. "You hit me square in the face! It stung."

"Now I feel bad about that. Here, you can get me back. I'll be a sitting target."

"I don't have a water gun."

"Well, use your hands. Improvise, woman."

She smacked the water, spraying it full into his face. He spluttered and blinked. "Go on, again."

She used her legs to kick water at him, and he stood there, not dodging an inch.

"It's no fun if you just stand there and take it," she complained.

"You want me to squeal? Okay." He clutched his hands together and mimicked a few girly shrieks until she burst out laughing.

He waded closer. Desperate to touch her, he thought maybe he could duck  her in the water as an excuse. A sudden blast of water hit the side of  his head. Taken completely unaware, he wiped his eyes to see a kid  smirking at him a few yards away with a giant water gun in his hands.

"Sorry 'bout that!" a man called out before he sternly addressed the  boy, "Bobby, you shouldn't have done that. Apologize right now, please."

The boy's face fell. "Sorry, mister," he mumbled at Derek.

"Uh, don't worry about it. He was just fooling around like I was." Derek  waved at the man and boy to show there were no hard feelings.

The father guided the boy away, and soon they were happily horsing about in the water.

"Kids, huh?" Hannah said.

"Yeah." Derek cast another glance at the father and son. They looked so  at ease with each other. How did that happen? "They look like they're  having fun."

"You sound envious. Are you thinking about having kids one day?"

He swung back to Hannah, shocked by her question. "What? Jeez-no!"   





 

"You don't have to act so horrified." She wrinkled her brow at him. "Don't you ever want children?"

He was standing waist-deep in cold water, yet he was sweating. "I  haven't thought about it much, but I don't think I'd make a great  parent. Not with my upbringing."

"I think you're selling yourself short. Just because your mom neglected  you doesn't mean you would neglect your kid. I mean, if we went by your  reasoning, then I shouldn't have kids either because of what my mom did  to me and Caleb."

Neither she nor Caleb talked much about their mom running off when they  were young, but Derek knew it had scarred them deeply, knew because he  hid his own scars from when his mom had abandoned him. He eyed her  cautiously. "So, you want to have kids?"

"One day in the future." She lifted her shoulders. "A very long day away. When I've finished school and got a good job."

"You'd make a great mom."

Her eyebrows shot up in surprise. "You think?"

He touched her cheek. "Yeah, I do."

"Oh, Derek." She placed her hand over his, clearly moved by his words.  "That- Thank you. And I don't care what you say, you'll make a great  dad, too."

He doubted that, but it was kind of her to think so. They stood together  for a while, not talking, just touching each other while sunshine and  water shimmered around them. Then a group of teenagers ran shrieking  into the lake, breaking the moment.

"Is your granddad okay over there by himself?" Shading her eyes, Hannah  peered toward the bench where Otto sat. "Maybe we should go talk to  him."

"He likes being on his own," Derek said. "Besides, often I don't know what to talk to him about."

"We've got some clients at the nursing home who are solitary, too. You  know what I find works? Photo albums. Even the quietest resident perks  up when they start talking about their old photos. It jogs their memory,  helps them remember the good times."

Derek nodded. "I might try that sometime." Although he wasn't sure Otto  had many good times to remember. Or if he had any photo albums to start  with.

Hannah squinted at the sun which had passed its zenith. "My evening  shift starts at three," she said. "I can't be late or my boss will chew  me out again."

He pressed his lips together. Earlier today, while painting with Hannah  and Amber, he'd heard all about Vera, the starchy supervisor who  resented Hannah for reasons unknown. Derek's hackles rose as his  protective instincts kicked in. How could anyone not like Hannah?

"I won't make you late."

Their time together was running out. Not just here today at the lake,  but in general. He had to return to L.A. in a week. After he left, when  would he see Hannah again?