The Ink That Haunts Us

Chapter Seventeen

My head was spinning with the things Freya had said. She made it sound so simple when in reality it was far more complicated. Derek was my friend, my family, and I had never seen him as more than that. I had always considered all the guys at the shop as a family. Seeing Derek in this new light was confusing, and it felt wrong.

    Rationally, I knew it was far from wrong. Derek wasn't my family by blood and from what I've gathered, his feelings for me have never been brotherly. If I could get over my own mixed feelings, I knew Derek and I could have something great. If I didn't take this chance, I could miss out on something amazing. Derek was a great man and any girl would be lucky to have him. I had to stop focusing on what would happen if it went wrong and focus on what would happen if it didn't.

    The sun was starting to set and before long someone was bound to come looking for me. It was past time to get back to work. Besides, whoever came to find me would likely rip me a new one for lingering out in the open alone for too long. It was risky given the circumstances.

    With one last look at the setting sun, I climbed from Freya's truck and made my way toward the shop. Just as I was rounding the corner, someone grabbed me by the arm. My first instinct was to pull away, but I knew better. Remembering the refresher Derek had given me this morning, I reacted quickly.

    Within seconds, I had my pursuer pinned in front of me.

    "Shit! Ouch, fuck! Saw, let me go!" Derek grunted, holding his other arm up in surrender.

    "Derek," I breathed, letting go quickly, stepping back.

    "Son of a bitch, that hurts." He cradled his arm to his chest, trying to rub the pain away.

    Before I could open my mouth to apologize, I was in his arms. He lifted me off the ground until we were face to face. I bet it looked pretty comical with my feet dangling off the ground. A startled 'oh' escaped me and he loosened his hold on me. He leaned his head back, letting me get a better view of that brilliant smile that stretched across his face. The smile transformed his face into something beautiful. It lit up his eyes in a way I had rarely seen.

    "I'm so fucking proud of you, Tink," he beamed. "You handled the situation perfectly."

    "Wait," I frowned. "That was a test?"

    "Of course not. I was coming to find you. When you rounded the corner you weren't paying attention, so I reached out to keep you from running me over."

    "Oh."

    Before he could say anymore, I surprised us both when I wrapped my legs around his waist and planted a warm kiss on his lips. I wasn't sure what came over me. Maybe it was the breathtaking smile or how he seemed really proud of me. Whatever it was, I didn't regret it. It was the extra nudge I needed.

When he froze, I pulled back, looking at him through my lashes.

    "I think we need to have that talk now, yeah?" The sun was setting around us, casting an array of colors across the sky.

The setting was perfect, but the timing was apparently off. A frown tugged at Derek's mouth, and he set me back on my feet. Embarrassment burned through me and rejection set in. Was I too late?

I took a step back needing the distance. Before I could go far, Derek reached out, taking my hand.

    "It's not what you think. We do need to talk, but right now isn't a great time. I have a client waiting." He ran an aggravated hand over the back of his neck. "When we talk, I don't want it to be rushed or interrupted."

    "Right." Was all I managed to get out.

    Derek reached out, caressing my cheek. Without thinking, I leaned into his touch. His thumb traced over my bottom lip, and he bent down kissing me. His kiss was much gentler than mine had been. When he pulled back his eyes were intense.