Chapter Six
Jacey stood on the street corner, waiting for Derrick. She knew she was early, but each minute she waited, doubt and nerves settled in.
She shifted from one foot to another. What had she been thinking, agreeing to this? She had no business going out for dinner with anyone at the moment. She needed to keep her head down and concentrate on herself and the baby.
But Derrick was hard to resist. She only hoped she wasn’t making the same mistakes all over again.
When she had first met Stephan, there had been something about his take-charge attitude that had intrigued her. She’d thought him protective, caring, strong.
She had been so wrong.
Was she also wrong about Derrick? Could he be an asshole as well? Maybe all dominant men were? Maybe everything she had read about how protective and loving dominant men could be was really just fiction. Nerves bubbling, she turned to walk away. This was stupid.
“Jacey!” Derrick called out.
She stopped, unable to ignore the command in his voice. Damn it. Turning, she watched Derrick stride toward her, her throat dry. She swallowed, trying to find her voice. He was so handsome, he took her breath away.
He stopped in front of her, holding out his hand. Against her better judgment, she let him take her hand in his. Tingles of pleasure raced up her arm, her nipples instantly hardening. Stephan had never had this effect on her.
“You weren’t leaving, were you?” he asked.
“N-no,” she stuttered.
He stared down at her knowingly. She thought she’d been getting better at lying, but it seemed Derrick saw straight through her.
Then he smiled and letting go of her hand, held out his arm. She slipped her hand in the crook of his elbow.
“Good,” he said. “I have been looking forward to this all day. I would hate to be deprived of your company.”
“You’ll probably be disappointed. I’m not that interesting.”
“Hey. Look at me.”
Jacey glanced up at him.
“You could never disappoint me.”
Oh, if only he knew. But she gave him a small smile and straightened her shoulders. What was up with all this self-pity? Must be fatigue, she always grew more emotional whenever she was tired.
“Let’s go eat. I’m starving.” Derrick patted his stomach and Jacey snorted, leading him around the corner to the restaurant. It didn’t look like much from the outside, and she snuck a glance up at him as she steered him toward it.
Derrick’s expression didn’t change, though. He just reached forward and opened the door.
“Ladies first.”
***
Jacey chuckled as she and Derrick left the restaurant. She’d spent most of the evening laughing and eating. She felt pleasantly full and happy.
As she stepped out onto the pavement, reality hit her. Derrick wasn’t hers. This was just a one-time thing.
And now she had to say goodbye.
“I had a really good night,” she said, stopping so she could face him. Who knew he’d have such a good sense of humor?
“That sounds like you’re saying goodbye,” he murmured, cupping her cheek. “Let me drive you to your apartment. I’ll walk you to the door, we can neck for a bit and then once we’re all hot and bothered you can tell me goodbye.”
“Neck?” She giggled. “Nobody says neck anymore. I’m pretty sure that went out in the fifties.”