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She pictured him up on stage tonight dressed in a tuxedo, looking sexier than any man had a right to. Or kiss you. The unwanted thought popped up and she forced it back into the deep dark places of her brain. No, the next time she saw him, she’d be giving him a piece of her mind, not kissing him. What if he tried to kiss her again?
“That won’t happen.” Unless there’s media around. If a photographer spotted them together now, they’d want a good picture to print. “Ugh. You created one gigantic mess for me, Derek.”
***
She’d told him she didn’t want to talk tonight and to call this weekend. Still, Derek had expected to corner her before she either left the hotel or her mother trapped her in a conversation.
Instead, she’d ducked out on him and everyone else. A very un-Brooklyn-like maneuver, but the only reasonable conclusion, because he’d searched the lobby area for her once he finished talking to Courtney. When he didn’t locate her, he’d returned to the ballroom, assuming she’d settled her financial obligation and then returned to her mom’s table so they could finish whatever discussion they’d started. Surprisingly, she hadn’t been there either. He’d stuck around the Bellevue for another thirty minutes, assuming at some point she’d show up again. She never did. Eventually her family left as well, forcing him to accept Brooklyn had left without telling anyone.
Derek considered stopping by her place before he returned home. He’d even gone so far as to head for the Hillcrest. Before he’d reached the street, he’d changed his mind and hopped on the highway instead. His instincts told him she’d be getting an unwelcome visit from either one or both parents tonight, and he’d pr
efer to avoid them. Scarlet’s expression when they came offstage told him what she thought about Brooklyn’s actions better than any words. And he already knew Donovan didn’t care for him, although he’d never figured out why. Tonight’s auction wouldn’t help the situation, especially if Donovan assumed it would kill his chances of getting Trevor and Brooklyn together. Not that any relationship would ever develop anyway. Even if there had been a remote possibility before tonight, there wasn’t any longer. Not after what happened between them.
Derek shook his head as he poured a glass of lemonade. He’d done nothing but analyze those few moments up on stage since he arrived home. Still, they blew his mind.
From backstage, he’d watched every bachelor, starting with Colton and ending with Evan, the man who’d gone on right before him, kiss the winning bidder when she joined him on stage. In order to maintain the charade, he’d known he would have to do the same when Brooklyn joined him. He hadn’t considered it a big deal. He’d assumed he’d give her a friendly kiss, not quite as friendly as the one Milan and Ryan shared but certainly more memorable than the one Henry had given Vanessa Mitchell. Once the photographer snapped a picture or two, they’d walk off together, him safely away from Tasha and the fundraiser a big success for the foundation.
When their lips touched, something inside his brain switched on, and it was as if every cell in his body was telling him he’d been waiting forever for this single moment. Keeping it a polite, friendly kiss became impossible. He’d pulled her closer, losing himself in the feel of her pressed against him and loving the weight of her arms around his neck. Slipping his tongue inside Brooklyn’s mouth to taste her had consumed his thoughts.
Derek absentmindedly rubbed the back of his neck. He’d known Brooklyn for a long time. They’d discussed everything from law and politics to family. He’d even discussed his past relationships with her. Never had he entertained the idea of kissing her or being with her. Now it was the only thing he could think about.
Was it possible what he’d experienced on stage had been a bizarre one-time thing? One of those in-the-heat-of-the-moment occurrences?
No friggin’ way. He’d kissed his fair share of women. Never had he experienced anything remotely close to what happened tonight.
What had she felt? A nice pink blush had covered Brooklyn’s face when they’d broken apart, a clear indication of her embarrassment, but otherwise her expression remained neutral. Her breathing, however, told another story. She’d appeared as out of breath as him. Was it a side effect of kissing in front of so many, or a sign of something else? He doubted standing on stage would bother her. While she didn’t like to intentionally draw attention to herself, he’d witnessed her in a courtroom full of people. Like a pro, she kept her cool and never let anything unnerve her. She’d been anything but cool up there tonight.
A smiled formed. Yeah, if he hadn’t tried for more, she would’ve let him kiss her all night. He’d moved a little too fast for her. Next time he’d have to take things slower. And there’d be a next time. Several next times.
Chapter 7
From his deck, he watched the sun rise above the Atlantic, a clear signal he’d been out there a long time. He’d climbed into bed not long after he arrived home. However, when all he did was toss and turn, he’d given up on sleep and headed outside instead. Seated in one of the Adirondack chairs, he’d looked up at the black star-filled sky and listened to the crashing waves. Now a light shade of pink coated the sky, reminding him of Brooklyn’s face after their kiss, and the stars had disappeared, replaced by the rising sun.
Climbing to his feet, he inhaled the ocean air. There was nothing like it in the world. Part of him was tempted to toss on his swimsuit, grab some food, and head out on the Affinity for the day. The weather forecast called for a picture-perfect June afternoon. Spending such a day on the water ranked up there as an ideal Saturday. There’d be other great summer days ahead though. Today he had something more important to do. Or more specifically, someone more important to see.
It’d taken a lot of willpower, but he’d managed to not call her during the time he sat outside. The lateness of the hour had been the only thing to stop him from punching in her number. Brooklyn needed some sleep. Especially since when they talked, he wanted her full attention.
Derek allowed himself another moment to enjoy the view before he turned and went inside. His watch read five twenty, way too early to visit anyone, especially unannounced. After entering the kitchen, he made a cup of coffee. He’d get his first dose of caffeine and then a quick swim to kill some time. Afterward, he’d shower and eat breakfast. When he finished, it should be late enough to drive into Providence and see Brooklyn before she went out for the day.
He dropped in on Brooklyn without calling first all the time. While he normally did it during the week after work, he’d done it on the weekends too. Never had he worried about the reception he’d get from her. This morning it plagued him throughout the drive to the Hillcrest. To start, he had no idea if she’d be up or not yet. In college she hadn’t been a late sleeper. She’d preferred to take the eight o’clock classes and get her day started early. And he knew she was often one of the first attorneys into the office. Today was Saturday though, and she’d had a late night. She might have no plans of getting up before noon today.
He’d lose his mind if he waited until this afternoon to confront her. As it was, he couldn’t think about much except their kiss. In fact, he was so distracted he’d actually started his coffee without putting a mug under the machine. He’d only noticed when he heard the liquid dripping off the counter and hitting the tile floor. If he put off his visit until later, who knew what other disasters might come his way.
Gus, another familiar security guard, manned the desk when Derek walked in the building. He sent the man a wave and a brief hello before he hit the Up button near the elevators. Right away a set of doors opened, beckoning him to enter. Rather than jump right in, he paused.
Making the first move never bothered him. He could walk up to any woman, start a conversation, and walk away with her phone number if he so desired. Something he didn’t do often anymore. In college he’d asked out every attractive woman who got his attention. Over the last few years though, he’d become more selective. While he still approached women, he only asked those he’d enjoyed speaking with for their number.
This morning the woman in question was not a stranger, and their relationship was about to undergo a drastic change. Even though he wanted that, the idea of messing with the status quo had him second-guessing himself. What if his feelings weren’t reciprocated? Telling her his innermost thoughts today could ruin the relationship they did have. Was it worth the risk?
Stop stalling, he commanded. She feels the same. She would’ve done a lot worse than pinch me last night if not. Derek stepped inside the elevator and hit the button for the fifth floor.
***
Get up, brush teeth, and make coffee. She went through her normal Saturday morning routine even though her body wanted to stay tucked in bed. She’d learned while still in high school, if she allowed herself to sleep late on weekends and during vacations, it spelled disaster when she needed to go back to her regular routine. So even though she hated it, she got up at the same time every day, regardless of what time she went to sleep the night before. Most mornings it wasn’t a big deal. While she sometimes stayed up later when she didn’t have work the next day, she still usually made it to bed by eleven or twelve. Not so yesterday. By the time her parents left and she managed to stop thinking long enough to fall asleep, it had been well after three in the morning. She suspected she’d be paying for it all day.
With an audible sigh, she dropped into her favorite overstuffed chair, took a sip from her coffee, and reached for the magazine she’d left on the end table. Considering how comfortable she found the chair and how tired she was, she had no plans to move anytime soon. Heck, she might stay there until she either needed to use the bathroom or eat. Thank goodness her parents had canceled the family get-together tonight. Already she knew she’d be calling it an early night and she hadn’t even made it through the morning. No way would she have made it through a whole evening of Novak togetherness.
Brooklyn skimmed through the first article, an interview with actor Anderson Brady about his Clean Water Matters Foundation. She’d read an interview with him the month before in a different magazine and this one contained much of the same information. The only difference was in this newer version the reporter also asked him questions about his relationship with Selena Cruise. Honestly, she didn’t know either Anderson or Selena personally and didn’t care about their romantic life. Rather than start on the next story, a piece about a singer she never listened to, she flipped to the crossword puzzle in the back, which she’d started days ago. Sometimes she thought the only reason she bothered with The Star Report was for its great crossword puzzles.
