Unexpectedly Yours(29)

She pushed up her chin and cast a challenging look at her father and brother. "He did offer to marry me, but I refused."

"Why?" Frank thrust his jaw back at her. "Why won't you marry him?"

Hannah began to feel cornered. "I've just been divorced. I don't want to rush into anything without thinking."

Her father's voice rose. "Well, you sure rushed into something without thinking."

"Frank," came Rosalind's quiet reprimand before she turned to Hannah.  "It's going to be okay, honey. You'll just have to move in here with  us."

The pity in her stepmom's eyes made Hannah's stomach contort even more  painfully. "It's kind of you to offer, but I think it's better if I stay  on my own."

"But you can't manage on your own, and we have plenty of space here.  It's the parents' duty to care for their children even when they slip  up. What will people think if we don't take you in?"

So now she was a daughter in disgrace, and Rosalind was worried about  being judged as a parent. Anger shook through Hannah, lending her enough  strength to push from the table and stand on her own two feet.

"I'm sorry I've disappointed you all. I'll leave now so you can talk about me more freely." She turned to go.

"But Hannah-" Rosalind called after her, but Frank must have hushed her because she didn't say anything more.

Hannah left the house. As she shut the front door and stood on the  porch, a new bleakness overwhelmed her. This house had always been a  sanctuary to her, but now it felt like she'd been ostracized, that she  wasn't welcome here anymore.

She drove off, operating the car on autopilot. A lump had lodged in her  throat and tears stung the back of her eyes. Stop the pity party, she  told herself, but the feeling of abandonment only intensified. This must  be how Derek used to feel when his grandfather's meanness drove him out  of the house. She could truly empathize now; it was horrible to feel so  bereft.   





 

When she got home, the cottage felt silent and lonely. She prowled  around in circles, too upset to sit. If only she had someone to talk to,  but she hadn't told Amber or Nicole about the pregnancy yet and she  didn't feel up to dealing with their questions. There was only one  person she wanted to talk to.

She dialed Derek's number before she had a chance to think twice, and he picked up after the first ring.

"Hannah?" He sounded surprised.

"Um, hi." She sucked in a breath.

"You sound upset. What's wrong?"

"I told my family tonight about the baby. B-but not about you." She realized her voice was shaking.

There was a pause. "Are you at home?"

"Y-yes, but-"

"I'll be right over."

He hung up. She thought about calling him back and telling him it wasn't  necessary, but she didn't. She was alone, and she needed him.

Ten minutes later, a car swung into her driveway. She opened the door as  Derek bounded up the front porch. His eyes were wide, and his face was  paler than usual. Remorse washed over her. She shouldn't have caused him  so much worry.

"I shouldn't have called you," she said.

He moved into the hallway and shut the door behind him. His arms twitched as if he didn't know what to do with them.

"Of course you should have called me. So. You told your family. I'm guessing the news didn't go down too well with them?"

"No," she choked out.

After a moment's hesitation, he reached out and wrapped his arms around  her. His embrace was gentle, hesitant, even, as if he was afraid of  hurting her, but the warmth of his body enveloped her like a comforting  blanket.

"I'm sorry." His breath stirred the top of her hair as he tucked her  under his chin. His broad hands were splayed across her back, warming  her through the thin cotton of her dress.

She closed her eyes, relinquishing herself into his strength. Until  recently, she hadn't realized how exhausting it was to be the strong,  dependable one all the time. She'd been doing it for years, first with  her family, and then with Rick. But tonight, just for this moment, she  didn't need to be the supportive one. She could lean on Derek for a  while, and he wouldn't let her down, not tonight.

"They're all angry or disappointed with me, and each of them wants me to  do things I don't want to do." With a sigh, she allowed herself to melt  further into Derek's embrace.

"Once they get over the shock, they'll come around."

"I hope so. I'm not used to being the bad egg of the family."

"I am. You should have told them I'm responsible."

"Oh no. That would've made things worse."

"I hate that they ganged up on you." His grip firmed on her, and his  voice deepened. "And sooner or later they'll have to know about me. I'll  talk to them, first chance I get."

"No, not yet," she said quickly. She tipped back her head to look at him  to emphasize her point. "Give them time to digest the news before we  hit them with another whammy."

He gazed down at her for a long time, and awareness of him prickled  through her. She shouldn't have called him, shouldn't have let him  embrace her, but when she tried half-heartedly to draw away, his arms  tightened around her.

"Don't," he murmured. "Don't pull away. This is nice."

"But I shouldn't," she whispered weakly.

"You've just had the family dinner from hell. I think you're allowed."

She didn't know what to say to that, so she remained silent and basked  in the sensations of being held by Derek. The night was quiet and  peaceful, with only the chirping of insects outside. His arms around her  were firm and solid, making her feel protected from anything the world  could throw at her.

"Want to watch some TV or something?" he asked after a while.

"Yeah, sure."

She turned on the TV, and they settled on the couch. He draped an arm  around her shoulder, and she didn't think twice about snuggling into  him. Tonight she needed someone to hold her tight. An eighties rom-com  was showing on the screen, but she didn't pay it much attention. She was  too busy soaking in Derek's embrace. It felt so right sitting here in  his arms, not talking, just leaning into each other.

After a while, Derek turned to her and smoothed her hair away from her eyes.

"Hey, I've got a question for you," he murmured. "What's the difference between a dirty bus stop and a lobster with implants?"

"I don't know. What?"   





 

"One's a crusty bus station and the other's a busty crustacean."

She gasped out a laugh. "Oh, that's so lame, Derek."

"You're welcome." His hand rotated slowly over her shoulder.

Was it so wrong to lean on him for a little while? It wasn't like she  was depending on him for anything more. It was just a respite.

The trouble was, the warmth stealing through her body wasn't just  comfort, but desire, too. Derek's denim-clad thigh was pressed up  against her bare leg. And her face was tucked into his chest, which  meant every breath she took was infused with Derek's unique scent, an  aura that made his masculinity impossible to ignore. Longing shivered  down her spine, melted her resistance, and she was sure he could sense  it.

His fingers slipped over the curve of her cheek to tilt her head up. The  blue flame in his eyes stole her breath, set her heart racing.

"I know something else that'll make you feel better."

She gulped. "A-another joke?"

"No. This."

He lowered his head and pressed his lips to hers. The touch of his lips  struck a match to the simmering fuse of her longing, and she could feel  the sparks lighting up as he moved his mouth gently over hers. The kiss  was slow and sweet and so, so seductive. After the acrimony from her  family, this was exactly what she needed, a honeyed balm to take away  the bitterness.

Vaguely, at the back of her mind, a voice tried to warn her of the  danger she was heading into, but the sweetness of Derek's lips drowned  out that voice. Problems and worries disappeared. She was just a woman  kissing a man on a summer night, and nothing else mattered.

She shifted closer, eager for more of him, curling her fingers into his  T-shirt. She parted her lips and heard a faint moan from him before his  kiss deepened and his tongue curled over hers. The taste of him drove  her on. His lips and fingers roamed compulsively over her face and neck,  slightly frenetic, as if he feared she'd pull away at any moment.

Then one hand drifted lower over her body, coming to rest at her waist, and Derek went still, his breathing unsteady.

"May I?"

For a second she didn't know what he was asking permission for, but then  she realized and nodded. "There's not much to show yet."

He spread his hand over her belly. At first his touch was tentative, but  then he relaxed and rotated his palm slowly and gently over her.

"It's … amazing."

The catch in his voice made her gulp, too, as the sight of Derek  cradling her pregnant belly choked her up. Wonder shone in his eyes. Her  heart tumbled over at this rare and special moment.

Then he leaned over to kiss her again, and her hunger returned tenfold.  As his mouth teased hers, his hands roamed over the front of her dress,  and his moans of pleasure told her how urgent his need was growing.