Unexpectedly Yours(3)

He and Marla had hooked up once and discovered they had zero sexual  chemistry. They had remained friends, but to the rest of the world it  looked different when they were snapped leaving clubs and parties  together. Marla was a very hands-on person, and she liked playing it up  for an audience.

But he wasn't interested in Marla right now. The only woman who held his  attention was right in front of him. He grabbed his glass of milk and  drained it in one gulp.

Hannah's grin widened. "Nice milk 'stache there, Derek."

Damn. And here he was hoping to look all grown up and mature. He  scrubbed the back of his hand across his upper lip. If only Hannah had a  milk 'stache, too. He bet she'd look really cute with one. And wouldn't  it be fun to lick it off her upper lip …

The image sent a pang right through him. He gripped his glass hard, the coolness pressing against his hot palm.

"So aside from Marla, there's no one serious in your life?" Hannah  asked, apparently oblivious to his reaction. Christ, if she knew what he  was thinking, she'd be horrified. Or, worse, amused.

"No." He studied her closely, trying-and failing-to see if his answer pleased her or not.

"Guess you're young, and L.A. is filled with gorgeous young women. You don't want to tie yourself down."

"I'm not that young," he protested. He'd never felt young. Never experienced that carefree childhood other kids had.

Hannah tilted her head, studying him in that focused way of hers that  made him feel he was the only person who mattered. This must be how her  patients felt when she took care of them.

"True," she said. "In some ways you always were more mature than the  other boys." He winced internally at being lumped with the "other boys,"  but Hannah continued. "And you've achieved so much at such a young  age-your furniture business and your TV show."

"It's not ‘my' TV show," he was quick to point out. "I just have one segment, and it's only on cable."

Carpentry was his passion, not television. Hannah's late grandpa Joe had  nurtured his interest, patiently showing him how to hone his craft.  He'd started his cabinetmaking apprenticeship while still in high  school, and when he'd turned eighteen he'd moved to Los Angeles, eager  to get away from his grandfather. Now, with Ben, his business partner  and friend, he had a thriving business in high-end, bespoke cabinetry.  That was his focus, not the TV stuff.

"The TV thing's only temporary," he said. "Nothing long term."

"Hmm." Leaning an elbow on the table, Hannah tapped a finger against her  chin as her clear green eyes studied him. Her appraising look reminded  him of the times she'd told him he needed a haircut or a clean T-shirt.  "And what do you want long term?"

He'd thought he'd always known what he wanted. When he was a kid  drifting around southern California with his mom, all he'd wanted was  for them to settle in one place and put down roots. Then, when she'd  dumped him with Grandpa Otto here in Pine Falls so she could join a  commune somewhere in the wilds, all he'd craved was autonomy from his  overbearing grandfather. Having Caleb and Hannah in his life had made  things bearable, but after Hannah had married and moved away, he could  hardly wait to finish high school and get away. He knew what he  wanted-independence, a good job, and money wouldn't hurt either. He'd  gotten all that and more money than he expected.

But now Hannah was sitting a few inches away, and right at this moment he knew what he really wanted.

"Long term? I don't make plans too far ahead, but right now it's a nice evening. Why don't we go out for a drink?"





Chapter Two

My kid brother's best friend just asked me out for a drink.

In all her wildest dreams, Hannah had never imagined she'd be having  this bizarre thought. Derek looked expectantly at her, and she realized  she'd been staring at him for some time. Quite possibly with her jaw  hanging open, too.

"U-uh," she stuttered. "You mean like at a bar or something?" God, she sounded like such an idiot.

Derek's lips twitched at the corners. "Yeah, a bar would be good. I am over twenty-one, you know."

Ah, hell. As if she needed any reminding of his age. She sneaked another  peek at him, and once again a weird frisson ran through her as she took  stock of how much he'd changed.

She gave herself a mental shake. Of course Derek had changed. Since  she'd last seen him he'd gone from boyhood to manhood. He was a fully  functional adult now, and a very successful one, too. Though it seemed  he couldn't avoid the police here in Pine Falls.   





 

"Is something wrong?" Derek lifted his eyebrows.

What was wrong? Nothing, and everything. She couldn't explain it, this jumble of emotions his appearance had triggered.

"No," she said automatically.

"You look upset."

She wasn't used to someone noticing her feelings. She'd been with Rick  too long, that was for sure. When had Rick stopped being concerned about  her feelings? Had it started a lot earlier than she realized? Maybe  even back when they were just dating. Certainly he hadn't cared about  her feelings when he'd cheated on her with that radiology technician.  She'd found out later it wasn't the first time he'd slept around, not by  a long shot. Now Rick was living the single high life in Miami. And  Hannah was back home, with nothing to her name except a few hundred  dollars in the bank and a beat-up old Ford Fiesta.

She flicked back her ponytail, searching for a chirpy tone. "I'm not upset. Must be my wrinkles confusing you."

He leaned toward her across the table, and his searching eyes made the  heat rise in her cheeks. "Can't see any wrinkles from where I'm  sitting."

The warmth intensified in her face. "If I didn't know any better, I'd  think you were flirting with me, Derek Carmichael." She added a flippant  wave of her hand, knowing that was the only way to treat his words.

His eyes widened, and for a second she saw genuine surprise. He really  had the most attractive eyes. Clear cerulean with tiny specks of silver,  fringed with dark lashes. A girl could get lost in those eyes- She cut  off her thoughts before they wandered into dangerous territory. She'd  just recently divorced her lying, cheating, dirtbag husband; this was no  time to fall under another man's spell. Especially one as footloose and  fancy-free as Derek.

Derek gave her a lopsided grin. "Me? Flirt? You know me. I never flirt."

That was true. When he was a teenager she'd never seen him chase after  any girl. They just fell for him. And now it seemed he had women like  Marla Beaudry at his beck and call. Marla, with those big lips and busty  curves. How dull and skinny she felt in comparison …  Wait a second. Why  on earth was she even comparing herself to Marla? She wasn't competing  for Derek's attention.

She shook her head, annoyed with herself. "Well, that's a relief."

He was still leaning over the table, his expression intent. "So, how about it?"

He was so large, not just in size but presence, too. His forearms  resting on the table were roped with muscle, and she felt a strange itch  to brush her fingers over those solid, manly arms.

"How about what?" she asked, feeling hopelessly out of her depth.

"How about that drink? I hear Jimmy's is still open downtown. Shouldn't be too busy on a Wednesday night."

"Uh, I, uh … " Hell, why couldn't her mouth form any words?

"I'd just have to check on my grandpa first. Make sure he's finished his  dinner and all. But I'm certain he won't want me at home this evening."

Her heart panged for Derek. He'd never spoken much about his  grandfather, but it was plain Otto didn't care for his only grandson.  Pine Falls had its fair share of cantankerous old hermits, and Otto was  well known for his grumpiness and his desire for isolation. Judging by  the amount of time Derek had spent here at the Willmett house, he'd had a  tough time living with his granddad. So coming back and putting himself  in this situation would be no picnic for Derek, especially when he had  no reason to, except for his conscience.

But this didn't help her. She had enough trouble adjusting to this  adult, attractive Derek without going all mushy inside about him.

"I don't think Jimmy's is a good idea," she said, more abruptly than she intended.

"Why not?"

"Because, um, I have work tomorrow."

"I was only suggesting one drink, not an all-night party." He paused. "We could do that another night."

"Me? An all-night party?" she scoffed.

"Why not?"

"Stop asking why not." At the back of her mind curled a wisp of panic.

"It's a valid question." He continued to gaze at her, persistent and  unruffled. "We're both adults. We can go to a bar and enjoy a drink. I  don't see the big deal."

How could he sit there looking so calm? It didn't matter how grown up he  looked, he was still her kid brother's friend, and she couldn't get her  head around that. And besides, he was a player-exhibit A: Marla  Beaudry-and she was on a strict no-player diet.