Marie Harte - Closing the Deal

“Whatever. I’m done with him.” So she kept telling herself. If she held onto the rage, she could forget how much it had hurt that he’d been less than she’d hoped.

“Sydney, I believe him when he said he had nothing to do with Brittney being there.”

“Maybe not, but he never stood up for me after all the ugly things she said.”

“You didn’t give him a chance. Besides, since when have you ever needed a man to stand up for you?”

“Touché.” Sydney granted her that one. “But he should have.”

“I agree with you. But in his defense, he said he was too focused on not ruining the night with you. He didn’t even realize what she’d been saying, and boy, did I yell at him for that.”

Sydney paused. “You yelled at him for me?” Hailey hated conflict.

“Of course I did. If you hadn’t been ducking my calls, you’d know that. You’d also know I’ve been waiting forever for you to come back to the office today. Thankfully, Lena told me where you were this afternoon.” Hailey crossed the space to grab Sydney in a big hug. “I’m your best friend, Sydney. I’ll never do you wrong, I swear. Can’t you just give him one more chance? For me?”

“It’s that important to you?” No wonder Gage did anything Hailey wanted. One look into her best friend’s warm brown eyes and Sydney wanted to melt into a pile of whatever you want .

“It is. Gage is the love of my life. You’re my best friend. And Derrick is always going to be there. He’s Gage’s brother, Syd. I can’t ignore him forever.”

“But you ignored him for me. You yelled at him for me.”

“Yes.”

Sydney considered the idea. “How about if I go out with him once, just to make peace? Then maybe he’ll leave me alone and I can get back to my life. We could have coffee or something and call it quits. We’ll be friendly for you and Gage. End of story.”

“Good enough.” Hailey beamed and dragged Sydney from the house. She didn’t even let go when Sydney struggled to relock the key in the small lockbox affixed to the door.

“Wait. Where are you taking me? Who’s in that truck?”

“I promise I’ll drive your car back to your place after I deliver your folder to Lena. She said she’d handle the paperwork on your sale. Now enjoy your Friday evening and tell me everything about it tomorrow.” Hailey reached the passenger side door and yanked it open. Then after wrestling Sydney’s car keys and the folder from her, she pushed her into the cab…where Derrick sat waiting.

Realizing she looked ridiculous trying to escape, Sydney composed herself. She straightened her skirt and took a deep breath, then let it out slowly, not even jumping when Hailey slammed the door shut.

“Hey, Sydney.”

Hailey Jennison, you witch, you owe me for this.

“Derrick.” She gave him a regal nod. Queen to peasant. “Let’s get this over with, shall we?” She crossed her arms over her chest and refused to look at him. Her entire body came alive in his presence, and she hated it. Sydney had a rigorous sex drive, but around Derrick, she felt like a needy nympho. And wouldn’t he just love to know that?

So she forced herself to ignore her dampening panties and thought about her recent sale. Brian Goode’s prospective line-up. Hailey and Gage’s engagement. Anything to take her mind off the sexy jerk behind the wheel.

Derrick drove without speaking, letting the silence fill the truck. While he drove, he concentrated on what his mother had told him during that hellacious interview a week ago. He’d managed to turn her interrogation into an introspective on Sydney and Sydney’s needs. A help, and a definite buffer right now, thinking about Barbara Warren. Because he needed to tame his sudden hard-on.

Fuck if he could think with Sydney so close. She shifted next to him, and the faint scent of perfume and woman wrapped around his balls and refused to let go. Her arms lay over her full breasts, and he cursed himself for not being able to resist anything about her.

Why Sydney? He’d had prettier women. Taller, softer, shorter, heavier. Soft-spoken, aggressive. But none of them had ever stolen his appetite or put his nerves on edge. None of them made him lie awake at night, wondering how she felt, what she might be doing. And none of them had turned him into a complete lunatic, ready to punch out her male clients while he kept tabs on her through her best friend.

At least Hailey had consented to talk to him again. He’d taken his mother’s advice and sought her help first, explaining the mistake that night at the restaurant. Tenderhearted Hailey had forgiven him, especially when he’d told her how miserable he was without Sydney. A slight fabrication. He wasn’t so much miserable as frustrated and damn annoyed.

Or so he kept trying to convince himself.

He leaned forward to turn on the radio. Sydney didn’t so much as flinch, her attention seemingly on the neighborhoods they passed, though he knew she was aware of every move he made.

Derrick had it bad for Sydney, and it made him nervous. He wanted to chalk up his fascination to an obsession. Dylan had been right. The Warren twins never got turned down. Of course, the Warren twins were also smart enough to engage the right women. Or men, in Dylan’s case.

Derrick had a type. Pretty, available, slightly aloof. He’d been blessed with good genes, and he made the most of them. Working out helped him stay healthy, and was an added bonus in his business. On occasion he helped Gage and the crews on site when they were down a man. Besides, the ladies liked the muscle.

Did Sydney like it? “Hmm.”

“What?” She turned to him, her dark blue eyes brimming with suspicion.

“Um, is the music okay?” A local country station. Gage and his cowboy blues.

“Whatever.”

Derrick gritted his teeth. The woman was not going to make this easy. In one respect, he admired her for it. He liked a woman who valued her worth. Sydney Fields not only had beauty and brains, but a good self-image. One he hadn’t helped by letting Brittney bitch about her looks.

“Okay, I’m just gonna say it. I’m fucking sorry .”

“Oh?”

He scowled. He hadn’t meant to swear. “I am. I had no intention of doing anything with you but having a nice dinner at Sundance. We’d had weeks of buildup. Talking and stuff. I liked it.” Surprisingly, he had. “I was really looking forward to our date together. I swear. Then Brittney ruined it with her big mouth and her crying.”

“And her fake breasts and bad dye-job,” Sydney added in a low voice. “She had the nerve to talk about my hair?”

He blinked at her and quickly brought his attention back to the road. So much for her bland attitude. That temper that so turned him on had returned. Even when she’d been pissed as hell at him in that restaurant, he’d been on fire to have her. Hell. His cock was killing him.

“Uh, yeah. Look, she and I ended things months ago. I don’t know why she acted that way, and I’m sorry she did.”

He could feel her looking at him and wished he’d waited until they reached his place before confronting her about the matter. But he couldn’t let it go unsaid another minute. He’d rather she raged at him than pretend indifference.

“Derrick, let’s face it. Our date would have been a mistake anyway. We’d have had dinner, maybe headed back to your place or mine, screwed like bunnies and gone our separate ways. I’d have hurt your feelings or you’d have acted like an ass, and then we’d hate each other. At least this way we can be friendly for Gage and Hailey. It means a lot to her—that’s why I’m here.”

Oh sure. Don’t let me mistake the reason you agreed to be anywhere near me. And please God let me forget that part about screwing like bunnies. He cleared his throat. “I don’t think you’re right, but I’d like to be friends for Gage’s sake. So I’m going to continue with the rest of tonight. We’ll go back to my place and have dinner,” he said over her objections. “Just dinner, where we can talk. Then I’ll drive you home. Okay?”