10. Chapter 10

W as I smitten? Maybe a little. It felt really nice to have the attention of the kind of man who could have anyone he wanted. It wasn't forced or polite, either. He seemed genuinely interested, and damn , if that didn't make me want to dance about like I'd won the lottery.

It wasn't that I was sitting in a car I never could have afforded, or the fact the man beside me smelled expensive and delicious. I really wasn't much for all the showy stuff, but Derek didn't use his car as a calling card. It simply was a tool, a very sleek tool, that he looked entirely too enticing in.

He must have felt my stare, as he slid a glance at me and raised a brow. "Everything okay?"

My cheeks warmed at having been caught. "Yes. Fine. Just appreciating the view." I decided to go with an honest approach, since Derek had been fairly open with his compliments so far.

"Is that so?"

"Yup. Handsome man at the wheel, it's a pretty great view."

"Well, this feels a little unfair, because I have to keep my eyes on the road." His rough voice had a hint of amusement in it.

"So, I'll just have to enjoy it for the both of us."

"Okay." A crooked smile appeared as he kept his gaze straight ahead. I settled into the passenger seat, feeling giddy and content, and trying to keep from touching the man I still barely knew. But he looked so damn touchable.

Luckily, the torture was over soon enough when he pulled into a parking lot. "It's not a five-star restaurant, but speaking of views…I hope this works."

The place was a fancier family restaurant that specialized in a variety of flatbread pizza and whose breadsticks were what dreams were made of, but what made it a local favorite was the fact that it overlooked a duck pond that had a big fountain in the middle of it.

"Yes! Definitely. This is one of my favorites, but I haven't come in a long time. Can we sit outside?" I used to love coming here, sitting on the patio area that had a plexiglass railing, so it didn't obstruct the view.

"Sure. It seems like a beautiful night for it."

Before I could get out of the car, Derek asked me to wait. So I stayed seated while he got out and walked around to open my door. He held his hand out to me to help me stand. A guy could get used to this kind of treatment. I felt like Pretty Woman , stepping into a world that I didn't belong in.

"Shall we?" Derek kept holding my hand even after I was standing before him, using my free hand to brush my shirt into place, because if he wasn't letting go, I wouldn't either. And he didn't. Our hands stayed locked together as we walked to the entrance. He only let go when he opened the door for me. Damn , if the twirlies twirled any harder I might fly away. Was it possible to swoon yourself to death? Because my heart, she was a-thumping.

The hostess took us to the patio, to a table right up against the glass. My attention immediately went to the ducks swimming around the dark blue-green water. I loved watching them, the trails behind them in the water as they swam, the duck butts sticking up while they dove under, the ducklings following along in a line, all of it.

When I turned back to face Derek, I found him watching me intently, before he blinked and looked at the menu. It was silent for a moment as we each searched through the options. Needing to break the silence, I asked, "How's your sister?"

"Good. We haven't talked much, but she and Steve seem really happy. "

"That's great. They were such a fun couple to work with. And it's just the two of you, right? I think I remember only hearing mention of a brother."

Derek gave a slight nod. "Just us. What did she, uh, say about me?"

I thought back to the conversations we'd had while planning the wedding. In truth, I'd been surprised to hear there was a brother that lived locally, because he wasn't mentioned as part of the wedding party.

"Not much. Though, I think I can remember Mrs. Marten, well…your mother, mumble about you bringing a plus one." When I recalled seeing him at the wedding, he'd seemed upset, but alone. Had he brought someone with him and they fought? The idea of him being with someone else made a twinge of jealousy spark through me. The man had held my door for me one time, that wasn't the basis for envy. It was ridiculous.

Derek huffed. "I'm not surprised. My mom had been begging me to bring a date."

"And you did?"

Derek's brows pinched as he tilted his head. "No. I came alone."

"Oh? Really?" My voice squeaked out higher, betraying the casual interest I was aiming for.

"I don't really know why she was so surprised. I'd told her from the start that I wasn't going to be bringing anyone."

"You didn't want to be tied down, huh? Wanted to be free to meet someone there?" I couldn't tell you what to do with a hook or a worm, but here I was…fishing.

Before he could answer, I heard my name called out. "Marley?"

I looked past Derek to see a teenage girl wearing a glittering peach prom dress and behind her was a girl in a suit, watching with curiosity. "Jayda? Wow, look at you! You look beautiful. Is it really tonight? I thought prom was next weekend."

The girl glanced back at her date before turning back to me. "Tonight is Queer Prom. Casey wasn't sure if she was ready to wear a suit at school, but tonight, we get to just be us."

"That sounds wonderful. And you both look amazing. Have a great time!" The girl gave me a quick hug and waved before returning to her girlfriend.

Derek watched me with fascination.

"That's Jayda. She comes with her dad to the farmer's market a lot. They just ordered her corsage, and seeing her in that dress gave me a little panic that I had somehow missed the date. And look at them, they are so cute together. I wished we would have had a queer prom when I was in school. I loved my prom, but it was me and a group of friends. I think I might have died and gone to heaven if I had gotten to dance with a boy in front of everyone. It's so nice to know how much things have changed."

"You dance now ," Derek commented in a serious tone.

His statement gave me pause. Had I mentioned dancing? Had I posted about it, and he'd found it in the endless scrolling through my account? "How…did you know that?"

"I saw you. At the wedding."

"Oh, right! When you were scoping the crowd to find someone to go home with?"

Derek set his menu down and met my gaze. "That was never my intention. I planned to leave the same way I came; by myself."

With my elbows on the table, I leaned forward. "Really? But weddings are full of people looking for a way to capitalize on the good feels and open bar, ready for some easy action."

"Is that what you were there for?" Derek asked, avoiding my question.

"No. I mean, I had fun and may have flirted a little. Mostly, though, I was happy to celebrate with the newlyweds, especially seeing how much my flowers were a part of the day. Seeing people madly in love is my catnip. I'm a total sucker for it."

Derek studied me for a moment before saying, "You really do take joy in seeing others happy, don't you?"

"I really do."

Our server interrupted us, taking our orders and our menus. After she walked away, Derek reached across the table, holding out his hand. A hand I simply could not resist as I placed mine in his.

"I didn't go looking, Marley."

"It doesn't matter. You could have. It's not a big deal."

He shook his head, and he bit out in a stern voice. "No."

"I'm sorry, Derek. I didn't mean to pry or insinuate anything. I'm not judging you."

The handsome man across from me offered me a barely there smile. "No, you don't understand. I wasn't looking. Haven't been looking, but who I saw…was you."

My heart was about to burst out of my chest, hearing those words, even if I didn't know what they meant. "I don't understand."

Derek took a deep breath and gave my hand a squeeze. "The thing is…I don't really do this."

Whatever it was he was going to say was clearly hard for him, but if I was going to follow along, I needed a little more information. "Do what?"

"Date. Like ever. It's been years. And I've been content. I like being by myself. Like I've told my mother more times than I can count, I'm fine alone. I was fine. Until I saw this person with dark pink hair dancing with abandon, looking like the most radiant person I've ever seen, and needing to find a way to soak up his light."

My jaw hung open as I took in what he said. For a fat person who had worked hard on self-love, there still was the acknowledgment that I wasn't what the media would portray as male beauty. I tried to shake off just how much it affected me, knowing that I had caught the eye of a man who was intentionally not looking for something.

Forcing a playful tone, I asked, "And then you started stalking me?"

Derek pulled his hand away and rubbed his short hair, his cheeks pinked, and his eyes darted away. "Yes. I suppose so. I didn't mean for things to go as far as they did. But I got your name from Carmen, found you online, and…here we are."

Seeing him acting sheepish made my heart flutter even more. What's a little stalking after all? "Here we are."

"I hope you don't hate me for using your business like that."

It was my turn to reach across the table and grab his hand. I held it in both of mine. "I don't hate you. Far from it. In fact, I have to admit that it's pretty flattering to be pursued like this. At least, as long as you're not a serial killer."

One side of his lips pulled up. "That's a pretty big commitment that I don't have time for. Check with Paul; he'll show you my calendar."

I let out a laugh at his dry tone, even while my heart was flipping around inside. This man gave me the palpiest of palpitations. "Good thing."

"Tell me about yourself, Marley. Do you have any siblings? "

Okay, get-to-know-you stuff. That seemed like a good idea to get back to, or I might swoon right over the plexiglass wall and into the duck pond below. I like to make a splash, but even that would be a little much.

"Nope. I was an only child, which was probably a good thing no matter how much I had begged for a baby sister. It was my mom and dad and me: the three of us shared a one-bedroom apartment. Well, several. We moved a lot. They did what they had to do, but I knew I wanted a house of my own as soon as I could. Anything to not have to share walls with other people. Once Bearclaw found its footing, I was able to save up and get my house. Nothing felt better than being handed the keys to a place that was all mine. It's not the biggest place, but it's something that I could afford and since it's just me, it's big enough. Sorry, that was a long answer to say I don't have any siblings," I chuckled nervously, realizing my word vomit was acting up.

Derek's crooked smile made another appearance. "I don't mind long answers. And I like your house. It's very colorful."

I grinned, wishing I could have seen his first impression when he'd come in. "Haha, yeah. After growing up with white walls and not being able to paint since we always rented, buying paint was the first thing I did. Can I tell you how much my heart sang with the first push of the paint roller? "

"I can picture it. I bet you danced all around an empty house with drips of paint on you." Derek's eyes glowed as he imagined the exact scenario that had happened.

I stared at him in awe. "I don't know how you did that."

"I'm in marketing. And if I were to make an ad for paint, and you were my star, I would have done exactly that. It would have been irresistible."

I fanned my hand in front of my face, trying to hide my blush. "Oh, stop. I already said yes to the date, no need to keep laying on the flattery."

"I'm not laying anything on, just calling it like I see it," Derek said with a wink. Holy hell, the man could not get any hotter if he tried. And I didn't think he was even trying.

Our flatbread pizzas arrived, and we ate and chatted, all while the sun was setting, and the ducks were duck-ing . Everything was perfect.

"So, Derek? What did you do before you became a big shot with initials for a job title? Did you always want to be in marketing?"

The man across from me dabbed at the dark long stubble around his mouth with a napkin, making me wish I could feel the coarse hair scraping against my skin.

"Not always, no."

"What did it used to be?"

Derek gave me that same partial smile. Even that seemed as if it was more than he was used to showing. Was he always serious? Though, in his job and as the leader, maybe he had to be. That was okay. I didn't mind, especially when he said the sweetest things and treated me so kindly.

"When I went into college, I was convinced I was going to be a doctor. But after a short stay in the hospital, I realized quickly it wasn't for me, so I switched paths."

He looked like a doctor, like a sexy George Clooney doctor. It surprised me to hear that though, even if he was clearly intelligent and dedicated to his work enough. "Hospital? What happened? If you don't mind me asking, if it's too personal, just change the subject."

"I had a scholarship for soccer, but I tore my ACL during a game. I'm fine now, but during the ER visit, surgery, recovery, and physical therapy, I learned I didn't have the stomach to do most of what they did. So, I took a sharp turn and never looked back."

Resting my chin on my hand, I stared at him, imagining what a younger version of him would look like running around on the field. Hot, for sure. But it was hard to imagine him without the dusting of white in his hair, and it was one of his sexiest features. "No regrets?"

"Nope. None."

"Did you get to play soccer again?"

"I tried to return to it, but there was a mental block that wouldn't let me commit the same way I used to."

"I'm sorry that happened." I hadn't gone to a university, but from what I'd heard from Harper, those connections made were powerful, and sports teams tended to have strong bonds.

Derek shrugged. "It's all right. I enjoyed it while it lasted, but I'm just glad I was able to run again. Running is my favorite outlet."

Chuckling, I said, "Not me. Dancing is one thing, but this body ain't made for running. If I'm running, it's because something is chasing me, and even then, it's not gonna be pretty."

That crooked smile I'd seen a few times widened slightly, making my heart flutter, and he snickered. "Tell you what…if there's something chasing you, I'll distract it, so you can get away looking as pretty as you like."

"Deal! And don't think I won't take you up on it, because I absolutely will." I lifted my glass, and Derek clinked his against mine, sealing the contract, and sharing an amused glance. And I was looking at my future husband, my very own knight in shining armor. It was too late; this was a done deal.

"I was on a soccer team once," I said casually, after taking a bite of my buffalo chicken flatbread.

"You were? Even with your objection to running?" Derek's eyes twinkled with interest.

"Well, I didn't say I was there by choice."

"Oh? Nonconsensual team sports?"

"Yes! Exactly that! Thank you! My parents put me in it when I was five or six. It was fine. I liked wearing the uniform and matching the rest of the team, but I was much more interested in chasing butterflies or sitting on the edge of the field picking dandelions. It only lasted one season, thankfully. I think my dad realized it wasn't worth paying for me to be on the team if I didn't play."

Derek laughed, and his smile stretched a bit more. "God, you're adorable."

With my hands folded under my chin, I looked skyward, offering a cutesy pose. "Thank you. I certainly don't mind hearing that."

"Then I'll make sure you hear it more often," Derek replied in complete earnest.

"Such a charmer. I don't know why you don't date more; you're very good at it."

"I don't date for the same reason I don't kill."

I barked out a laugh. "Right. Just ask Paul?"

Derek inclined his head. "That about sums it up."

"Well, I'll say you're doing a pretty good job considering, this isn't something you do often."

With a shrug, he said, "My mom insisted that even if I was going to be dating men, it didn't mean I couldn't be a gentleman. But I also think it has a lot to do with the company. You're the one that's making this easy."

Are those birds I hear breaking out into song ? Okay, maybe just ducks, but it felt no less magical and swoony. Somehow, I managed not to climb over the table and hop into his lap, ready to be whisked away. It was a challenge, but I stayed in my seat. "I'm pretty sure it takes two to make the thing work."

An older man walking by lost his footing and bumped into me. When he turned to apologize, recognition lit his face.

"Marley? Right?"

He was a customer who came into my shop twice a year, once for his wife's birthday and once for their anniversary. "Mr. Smith, how are you? Are you here with your wife?"

"Yes. We're good. Marilyn is just over there." He pointed at a table on the far side of the balcony.

"This is Derek, my date." I pointed to the man across from me, who watched the entire exchange with interest.

The older man looked between us and smiled apologetically. "Oh, I'm sorry to interrupt. You fellas have a nice evening."

"Thank you. You as well. Tell Marilyn I said hi."

The man patted my shoulder before walking away. Derek simply stared in disbelief.

"How do you do that? Everyone seems to know you, and you always remember who they are."

"Like I said, it's all about making those personal connections. At the shop, I tend to get an older group of people, the ones that are used to shopping in person, or the occasional passerby, but most of my sales are online, so I don't see as many folks there. It's part of why I love Heartcraft, even if it is a lot of work to essentially set up and tear down an entire store every two weeks. But the people that come to the market usually come for the day out and to support local businesses. They spend more time walking around and browsing, and it's my time where I really get to connect with folks. They also tend to come back, turning into repeat customers."

"I saw you…at the market. I'd been impressed then, too, with how easily you fell into conversation with the people that came to your booth."

I hit my hand on the table. "I knew it! I knew that was you lurking around. My sweet little stalker."

Derek's cheeks pinked slightly. "Yeah…that was me. I was in battle with myself to either talk to you or leave."

"Well, you can see how intimidating I am; it's no wonder you left," I said with a smirk.

"You are. Intimidating, that is. So bright and happy. Not sure what you're doing here with someone like me."

"You're pretty intimidating yourself. All devastatingly handsome, successful, and swoony."

Derek's brows raised and there was a hint of humor when he asked, "Swoony?"

I waved him off. "Oh, please! As if you aren't aware that everything you say has me wanting to drop to my knees."

His eyes rounded, and the blush on his cheeks deepened. Derek squirmed in his seat. "I wasn't…aware."

My lips pursed, holding back the laugh at his discomfort. A discomfort I really wanted to help him with. Letting him off the hook—even if I wanted to see how much I could make him squirm—I asked him about his work and our conversation continued as we finished dinner.

After he'd paid our bill, Derek faced me. "Would you like to walk around the duck pond? I promise…no running."

I let out a happy sigh. "You already know me so well." Hooking my arm through his, we followed the path that went down to the pond. They had a few machines with duck food around the pond where you could put in a quarter and it would dispense a palmful of feed.

"Oh! Can we feed the ducks, too?"

Derek met my gaze with a look of adoration. "If it will make you happy, absolutely."

Unable to resist the sweetness of this man, I leaned up and pecked another kiss on his cheek. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a few quarters to give me. I may have squealed. Shut up, you would have, too.

With a crank of the knob, food pellets fell into my hand. There was a drake wandering nearby, waiting to see what we would do. When I tossed a few pellets toward him, he hurried over and snatched them up. It didn't take long before the rest of the ducks noticed that food was happening, and they all swam or walked quickly toward us. I felt like a little kid, throwing pellets into the water or on the sidewalk, loving how they darted after them .

Another quarter, more feed. Again and again. Derek seemed to produce them from his pockets magically.

To the great despair of the surrounding ducks, I stopped and eyed him suspiciously. "You don't seem like the type to carry around change. How is it you happen to have quarters on you for this?"

"I knew they had the dispensers, so I asked for change when I paid for dinner."

Overcome by just how thoughtful he was, I threw the rest of the feed I held and let the ducks battle it out, before wiping my hands on my jeans. Once I was sure there was no pellet dust left, I grabbed Derek's sweater and pulled him down, pressing my lips to his.

He froze for a moment, but then his hands went to my sides. I could feel them float an inch away from me, as if he wasn't sure if he could touch me. I grabbed his hands and pressed them to my waist before pushing back into his mouth. His fingers gripped me, and he met my mouth with intention, sinking into me. He tasted of garlic and parmesan, and a hint of sweetness from the wine. So fucking delicious.

Derek teased my lips with his tongue, and I opened, both of us moaning as our tongues swept together. The fountain sprayed behind us, the ducks quacked their fury at the lack of food, and a sexy as hell, powerful man held me in his arms and kissed me into delirium. He was the only tether I had to this earth; if he let me go, I was certain I would fly away.

I was no longer in Pretty Woman , but Princess Bride, having the kiss that left the five greatest kisses of history behind.

When he pulled back, he looked as punch drunk as I felt. His eyes glazed over even as they stared at my mouth. "Wow."

Needing one more taste, I kissed him once more, softly. "Yeah. Wow. Thank you for this. Everything about tonight has been perfect. You have been perfect."

Derek brushed my pink hair out of my face and cupped my cheek. "Believe me, Marley, it's been my pleasure."

With my arm hooked in his, I leaned my head against his shoulder as he led me back to his car. My heart and head were all floaty in the bliss of a perfect night and an incredible kiss. Derek opened the door for me, but held my hand before I got in. He tugged me close to kiss me again. Not the same long, gravity-defying kiss as before, but a sweet one with just enough pressure to feel like he was claiming me as his. And I was here for it, ready to be claimed, owned, worshiped, whatever the man wanted.

Once we were driving, Derek reached across the center console and held his hand out. I placed mine in his and it felt so right. I let out a happy sigh.

"Are you alright?" Derek asked.

"Yes. Just really happy."

His fingers squeezed my hand. "Good. I am, too. So what do we do from here?"

"You take me home and give me a goodnight kiss that will keep me thinking about you until I see you again."

"I like that plan."

"I will see you again, right? This isn't just a one-time thing?" The thought of having a history-making kiss and then never experiencing it again made my floaty heart sink.

"I don't want it to be, but I'm not sure how to do this. As I said, my schedule."

I turned slightly so I could face him. "We'll figure it out."

Another squeeze of my hand. "Okay."

Looking out the window, watching the city go by, I thought of how wonderful it would be to have someone like Derek all the time. To have him all the time. Okay, maybe all the time wasn't realistic, but I'd be happy to have whatever time we could carve out together.

Two round lights flashed on the side of the road, making me gasp. "Derek! Stop!"