more than anything

shopping

"Jack's coming over later, sorry, we'll try keep it down" Meredith apologised. "So you and Jack... you guys are serious?" Derek asked, "I don't know, it's still early but we're having fun" she said before the doorbell rang. "I'll get it" she ran over to the door.

"Hey!" Jack smiled, "hello" she smiled back. Spontaneously, he pulled her closer and connected their lips. Derek stood paralysed, the girl he loved was kissing another man. When they finally pulled away for air, Derek greeted Jack. There was tension between the two, but they were civil and polite.

Before he knew it he was back in the uncomfortable position of sitting downstairs, listening to feb sex noises, headboard banging and the squeaky bed springs.

Derek had practically moved in, he paid rent, he had all his stuff moved in and Addison was living in their house. He had only spoken to Addison once since the wedding. It was tense and very very awkward. But he didn't care about Addison, she wasn't the one he couldn't stop thinking about. It always came back to Meredith.

Later, after Jack had left, they both sat in the kitchen, while they ordered pizza. Cristina was due to come over. "If it isn't the happy couple" Cristina burst into the room. Meredith smiled snd rolled her eyes. "How's that Jake guy?" she asked halfheartedly, "It's Jack, and he's good" Meredith corrected."Poor Derek has to listen to your sex" Cristina joked, "it's okay really..." Derek replied awkwardly. "How long has it been?" Cristina wondered, "a whole month" Meredith beamed proudly. Derek tried to block out the conversation, he really did not want to hear about Meredith's boyfriend.

The second Meredith got up to use the bathroom Cristina have Derek a death stare. "Can i help you?" he asked her, "your obviously head over heels in love with her" she rolled her eyes at him. "I'm not" he lied, "sure, whatever you say" she chuckled. "Just don't say anything" he asked her before Meredith walked back into the room. "What are you guys talking about?" she asked playfully, "nothing" he answered quickly. "Derek likes someone" Cristina blurted. "Cristina!" Derek raised his voice, "oh..." Meredith felt a rush of disappointment. But she was involved, why did she care who he dated. "Who's the lucky girl?" she pretended like she didn't care, "she's no one" he covered his face feeling vulnerable. "You're ready to date again, after..." Meredith didn't want to bring up Addison. "Yeah, Addison and i were finished long before either of us were ready to end it" he said.

"I'm gonna head out" Cristina stood up, "Derek you should really tell this girl how you feel, before it's too late" she left before anyone could say anything.

Meredith and Derek were left in an awkward silence. Meredith's phone ringing broke the silence. "Hey" she spoke softly, he couldn't hear the person on the other end, but he was more than sure it was Jack. "I'm busy tomorrow, i can't" she said goodbye and hung up the phone. "I'm going to bed, night" he smiled, "wait" she interrupted. "What?" he asked, "let's go out tomorrow, lunch or something" she suggested, "didn't you just say you have plans for tomorrow?" he looked at her confused, "i do, with you?" she asked hopefully. "Of course" he assured her, "good, because i miss my friend" she hugged him.

Not that they hadn't seen much of each other, because they did. But they had been distant, plus Meredith and Jack made their friendship more awkward and tense, they needed some time to just spend with each other.

"Good morning" Derek found Meredith making coffee for them both. "So what are we doing today?" he asked her curiously. "We can go out for lunch at the mall or something, then i really need to go shopping, and i could use your advice... but i understand if you don't want to do girly crap like that" she rambled. "Of course i'll help" he reassured, "good, because i could really use a guy's opinion" she smiled.

As they sat in a cafè eating lunch, Meredith's phone kept buzzing. "sorry i'll switch it off" she mumbled, her mouth full. He laughed at her lack of etiquette. "Who is it?" he wondered, but figured it out when she stayed silent.

"He's just been weird recently" Meredith looked concerned. "Weird in what way?" Derek questioned, "i don't know, he has a problem with me and you" she replied. "Why?" he asked, "he thinks there's something going on between us" she shook her head slightly. "Oh" he wasn't sure what else to say, "i don't get why he's suddenly so controlling, it's like he wants me to ask permission. I feel like property" she ranted. "You shouldn't feel that way" he complained, feeling furious that a guy would ever hurt her.

"Okay so the pink or blue" she held up both blouses, "pink" he responded.

Meredith had tried on about 5 stores worth of clothes, but she was no where near done. "Mer i didn't think shopping was going to be like this" he groaned. "I'll be as quick as possible" she replied, distracted by the clothes that were in the window display.

What Derek felt was 12 hours later, they were in their last store. He was relieved it was almost over, but also very distracted by some of the items in this shop. Victoria Secret. He'd never been in here before, but he knew of it, he grew up with 4 sisters.

He walked behind Meredith as she skimmed her eyes over the sets of lacy lingerie. "Red or black?" she asked him, "uhh...red" he struggled to answer.

Swallowing hard, he tried to erase the image of her in underwear from his mind. "Are you okay? you look flustered" she asked him, "just tired" he responded.

Meredith had finally finished shopping. They hauled what seemed to be 900 bags of stuff she'd bought into the car.

"I love you, but never will i come shopping with you again" he joked. "Der, i love you too, thank you for being just a really great friend" she gave him a genuine smile.

The words 'really great friend' broke him. He wished he had the balls to tell her how he really felt.

They ate dinner together, just enjoying one another's presence. "I had an amazing day, i'm sorry i tortured you with all the shopping" she giggled. "That's okay" he forced a smile.

She stood next him while he put away the dishes. He finished up and turned to face her, his eyes studying her face.

They could both sense it. The sexual tension was so thick you couldn't cut through it with a knife. "So uhhh...i should go up to bed" she broke the silence, but didn't move. "Yeah, me too" he responded.

He took a step closer and her eyes sparked with curiosity. He was going to be brave, this was it.

He cupped her face with his hands, caressing her cheek. She didn't pull away or say stop. He leant down slowly, until their lips were millimetres apart. "Derek" she whispered, instead of responding, he connected their lips.

The kiss started of slow, their tongues exploring each other's mouths. It quickly heated up, Meredith let out a soft moan when she felt his erection pressed up against her stomach.

This was happening, and she didn't try to stop it, she didn't know how much she wanted it until now.

to be continued...