Life With Dasey (A Life With Derek Fanfic)

Chapter Twenty-four

Ralph drunkenly booked hotel rooms for the entire bridal party after the co-bach celebration.

Derek placed his hotel key in his pocket for later, deciding to follow Casey into her own room after agreeing that they needed to talk. He made himself at home, jumping on top of the bed while risking a more serious injury to his back.

"Hey, you have your own room; don't be a pig in mine," Casey warned, turning back to make sure the door was locked. She proceeded to text her mother to let her know that she and Derek were staying in a hotel tonight, making sure Nora didn't worry.

"Ralph booked this room, and since he's my friend and not yours, I can do whatever I want in here," Derek said, rather confidently.

To be fair, Casey should be lucky her stepbrother didn't raid her fridge yet for candy bars and sodas on Ralph's dime.

"Need I remind you, Kendra's dad is paying for the entire wedding, and since she's my friend, I think at least half the bed belongs to me."

Casey forced Derek to scoot over so they both could fit on the double bed. They rested laterally, propped by their elbows, facing each other. Derek's eyes scanned her legs in between the slit of her dress before slowly traveling back toward her face. On autopilot, his body surged him forward, and his lips landed softly against hers. He quickly realized his mistake and drew back.

"Shit, I can't help myself. We should really start talking before I use that pink tape of yours to divide the bed." Derek chuckled, reflecting on the time they stayed home alone together during their March break while the rest of the family went on vacation. Casey had divided the house so they couldn't get into mischief, but still, they almost broke the living room television. Looking back, that fight was a massive excuse for secretive foreplay.

"I agree," Casey nodded, wiping her wet mouth from the kiss, unknowingly hurting his feelings.

Derek sat up straight, rubbing his eyes as he tried to focus on finding the right words. He wasn't drunk enough for this conversation, but here goes nothing.

"Where do I start? I guess I was pissed you made a list about us. I know how easily you get into your head about stuff, and naturally, I was afraid you wanted to end things. I avoided you because it was easier than facing rejection. While you were busy making lists, my walls went back up, and I tried convincing myself I wasn't a man of commitment. Hell, you believed it so easily that I thought it must be true."

"Do you still feel that way?" She asked him.

Derek nervously rubbed at his knees, trying to get in touch with his feelings. Casey was easy to talk to, but it was still nerve-wracking for such a closed-off guy. He needed to get over himself and just tell her. Tell her everything.

"No, I don't. Sam hit me over the head with the truth a couple of nights ago. He made me realize it wasn't a relationship I had problems with, but the girls I chose to date. They were never you, and because of this, I couldn't commit. With you, I want to commit, and I don't know if you feel the same way, but I need you to know that."

Casey smiled, placing an affectionate hand over his.

"Thank you for being honest with me, Derek."

"Er, aren't you going to say something? Usually, you're the one pouring your heart out, not me," he grimaced.

"Oh, the irony." She was enjoying this, wasn't she?