Only You Ch. 05

"I'm not scared," she breathed. "I just don't like to fly. Now don't talk to me until we've stopped fully."

Derek stared at her, his eyes wide with amusement as she went back to singing under her breath. As the plane skidded to a stop, he couldn't help the excitement rippling through his body. He was planning to take Tegan to see his brother. It was a big step, he knew, but he was going to see how things would play out.

Tegan opened her eyes, a long breath escaping her mouth. "Finally," she said happily.

Derek smiled. "So, Tegan J. doesn't to fly. Next time I'll have to keep you busy with other things." His hands traveled from the armrest, landing on a chestnut colored thigh, left exposed by her dark khaki shorts. His fingers danced idly on the silken surface, moving ever closer to the treasure nestled at her apex.

"Derek," she warned. He was like an over-sexed schoolboy.

"What?" he asked, his blue eyes feigning innocence. "We've got a few minutes left to join the Mile-High Club." His pink tongue darted out to lick his lips and her eyes followed the motion.

"Later," she whispered. Her thighs squeezed together, trapping his hand for the briefest of moments before unclenching. She stood up and smiled demurely at him. "Ready to go, baby?"

Derek rose, careful to adjust his stiffening cock. "Ready," he replied tightly. It was going to be a long ass trip, he thought as they exited the plane.

By the time they got off and picked up their baggage, Matt and Jake were already waiting for them in the lobby.

"Damn, what took you guys so long?" Jake grumbled. He was in a spectacular mood, Derek thought.

"Derek was being a big baby," Tegan replied genially. She got the distinct feeling Jake didn't like her for some reason. He was the biggest of the three, built like an American football player with a baby-face, greenish blue eyes, ruddy cheeks, and closely cropped blond hair.

He was a fairly nice looking guy when he wasn't scowling. She decided if he wasn't going to be nice to her, she was gonna kill him with kindness. "Anyway, thanks guys for letting me come with you. I know this is supposed to be just a Trifecta thing and I appreciate you excusing my unfortunate luck of being a girl in your Boys Only club. I promise to keep outta your hair."

Matt smiled genuinely at her. "Bollocks, DJ Girl. You know you're welcome. Plus we all know how much D likes having you around."

Tegan grinned back. "Cool. Well, let's go boys! The sunshine waits for no man." She walked towards the front door, swinging them open boldly. Derek watched her amble away, her hips swaying softly as her rounded ass bounced with each step, the movement heightened by the short but still modest khaki shorts.

"Whoa." Matt whistled lowly. "DJ Girl."

Derek looked up to see Matt's eyes following Tegan's form. Even Jake was sneaking a peek.

"Hey, knock off you twats!"

Matt grinned sheepishly. "Sorry mate. But damn."

"Uh yeah, I know" Derek said. "But eyes up top."

"The top's even better." He protested loudly when Derek slugged him playfully.

"Watch it, that's my girl."

"I know man, I know. But damn, even Jake's looking. What's wrong, Jake? Feeling like going for the meat on her bones-type?"

Derek and Matt laughed as Jake scowled. "Shut up, Matt. Let's go, guys. We've got money waiting for us."

They walked outside to find Tegan chatting with a man in a driver's suit. She waved them over.

"Guys, this is Gianni," she said, pointing to the man who was flashing Tegan a friendly grin. A little too friendly, Derek thought. He took in the man's huge bulk concealed in a classy and lightweight black suit. He had a handsome olive-colored complexion and warm brown eyes.

The man turned his smile to Derek. "Nice to meet you, Mr. Ryan. Mr. Slade sent me to escort you and Mr. Cornwall and Mr. Dunning to where you'll be staying. I will also be your personal driver during your stay in Los Angeles."

Derek nodded. "Nice to meet you Gianni. I see you've already met Tegan."

Gianni smiled. "Ahh, yes I noticed Ms. Tegan right away. You should not let such a beautiful woman roam the streets unattended, Mr. Ryan. Someone else might swoop in and save her."

Derek barely stopped his eyes from rolling as Tegan stifled a giggle. "Right then," he said curtly, glaring at Matt who was shaking with silent laughter. Even Jake was cracking a rare smile. "Let's get going."

"Right away, Mr. Ryan." Gianni opened the door and stepped aside, allowing entry. Tegan climbed in, followed closely by Derek and the boys. Gianni placed their bags in the trunk before jogging back to the driver's seat. "Welcome to Los Angeles!" he called happily.

********

Nearly a half hour later, they arrived at their destination. Slade Enterprises was in the heart of downtown L.A. Derek found the building rather ostentatious from the outside, with its large stone lions in the front of the glass skyscraper.

As they walked inside, it definitely got worse. A huge Japanese garden pond was in the center of the first floor. It was certainly beautiful, with lush plants and large koi fish swimming in the serene waters. Derek thought it just added to the overall attitude of trying way too hard.

Standing in front of the large secretary's desk was a tall woman. She was definitely beautiful. Her glossy brown hair shone and her blue eyes were big and bright. Thin and slender, she was wearing a crisp white shirt and white linen pants. She flashed a genuine smile as she walked to meet them.

"You must be the creators from NerdsUnite!," she said in a breathy voice. "Welcome to Slade Enterprises. I'm Jade Stone, Mr. Slade's personal assistant. And yes, that is my real name." she chuckled softly.

Derek smiled. Maybe this won't be so bad. "Nice to meet you Jade. This is Matt Cornwall, Jake Dunning, and I'm..."

"Oh of course we know who you are, Derek Ryan." She flashed another smile. "Right then, shall we go see Mr. Slade?"

Jade led them to a set of elevators. As they got in, she pressed the button for the top floor. The ride was brief and they were out in a flash. The top floor was less garish than the first, decorated in muted hues of blue and gray. Jade walked to a set of doors and knocked sharply.

"Come in!" a voice boomed.

Pushing the door open, she ushered the group into the large office. There was a panel of tinted glass windows on one wall. The others were sparse with the exception of an occasional painting or photo. Two large flat televisions hung side by side on one wall and in the middle of the space was a large grey desk. Simon Slade was perched on the end of it, Bluetooth in his ear, chatting away, and looking every bit the part of a slick L.A. businessman.

Derek could feel that irritated feeling coming back when Tegan grasped his hand gently in hers. She gave him a reassuring squeeze and he felt an overwhelming sense of gratitude wash over him, thankful to have her there.

Simon Slade was a considered a young hotshot, thirty-nine and already head of the company he inherited from his father. He had the looks of a model, with his slate grey eyes and sandy blonde hair, but underneath the GQ persona lay a ruthless business. What Simon wanted, Simon got. By any means necessary, was his motto. He definitely lived up to his nickname, Simon the Shark.

They waited barely a minute after watching him bark orders to whoever was on the phone. He flung down the headset and smiled. "Well, look who it is. My new best friends."

He held out his hand and shook Matt's hand. "Mr. Cornwall, pleasure to meet you."

Matt's eyes widened in surprise. "Mine, I'm sure. I didn't realize you really knew who we were."

Simon laughed easily. "Mr. Cornwall first rule of any good business is know your client. But I'm sure you know all about that, am I right Mr. Dunning?" he asked, extending his hand to Jake.

Jake smiled. "Definitely. Nice to meet you, Mr. Slade."

"Call me Simon," he replied. "And you must be Derek. It's definitely good to meet you." Derek's nod was tight. He could see that Simon was slicker than an oil rig. "We'll see," he said warily.

Simon picked up on his hesitance. "Yes, we shall. And who is this?" he asked, looking at Tegan who had been quiet through the introductions.

"This is Tegan James, a friend of ours" Matt replied.

Simon's eyes roamed her body before extending his hand once more. "Well, hello Ms. James. Any friend of the Trifecta is a friend of mine."

"Likewise," Tegan said, returning the handshake.

"Well boys, let's get down to brass taxes. I'll plan it plain enough for you. I want your company. It's hip, refreshing, and just the thing Slade Enterprises is looking for."

Derek nodded. "I agree. It is definitely fresh. How do you plan to keep it that way?"

Simon's smile lit up his handsome face. "Well, we're going to hire a staff of the best writers when it comes to reviews and the like. Maybe have a section where fans can submit their graphic art, a brand new message board solely designed for live action role play. We're trying to take NerdsUnite! into the same hemisphere as MySpace and Facebook, making it the supreme spot for all things comic books and video games."

Derek glanced at Matt and Jake, who were listening intently to Slade's word. He had to admit, the new live action role play feature was pretty creative. But he just wasn't sold. Something was up. "You sound like you've got some really interesting ideas. I anticipate hearing more about them."

Simon grinned. "Excellent. Now Jade will show you out to the limo downstairs which will take you to one of the swankiest hotels in the entire city. Rest up, because tonight we're having a party in your honor." And with a wave of his hand, he was back on his Bluetooth, the snarl in his voice returning with a vengeance.

Jade escorted them out and onto the elevator. "That went really well," she remarked. "Usually Simon spends half a minute and practically chucks the person out the door. But you got a full three minutes." She smiled.

Derek chuckled. "I suppose we should feel lucky then?"

Jade shrugged. "Depends on if you thought it went well." The elevator opened once more at the first floor. "Okay, Gianni is waiting outside to take you to the Jardin. It's a new hotel, but one of the hottest. You guys have all day to do whatever, but make sure to be back by ten. That's when the real fun starts." Her smile was still plastered on her face and Derek began to wonder what the hell everyone was so jazzed about.

"Alright, guys. See you tonight. Great to meet everyone." She walked away brusquely.

"Wow," Tegan said. "And I thought things moved fast in New York. Why does everyone here act like they're on speed?"

Matt shook his head. "No clue. Must be a West Coast thing."

********

The Jardin Hotel was located in the in the extremely trendy part of L.A., although Derek wasn't sure of the difference between that and the other trying way too hard sections. It was nice enough, with modern furniture, crisps colors, and a hot, young staff eager to please.

When they were checking in, Derek noticed the price from the angle of the computer at the front desk and nearly keeled over. One night in this overpriced pleasure palace was the equivalent of a whole month's rent at his flat back in London. Simon Slade was definitely shelling out the big bucks for them.

The group parted ways, eager to explore their respective rooms. Jake muttered something about jet lag but Derek and Matt knew he was going to call his crazy wife Shanna, something that usually required about two solid hours of talk time. Matt wanted to check out the spa and the girls, and all Tegan wanted to do was sleep.

Their hotel room was spectacular, with a lovely view of the L.A. skyline. It was decorated in blues, Derek's favorite color. A large Jacuzzi-style hot tub in the marble bathroom and a four-poster bed fit for a king had Derek anticipating the festivities to come.

Tegan was overwhelmed. The place was gorgeous. She still couldn't believe she was actually in California with Derek. Things seemed like a dream. She knew he was stressed about the deal and promised herself to do everything in her power to make him feel at ease. Tegan flopped back onto the large bed as Derek tipped the bellboy for their bags. "Wow," she breathed. "I could totally use a nap."

She felt the bed sink in as he climbed up, his body resting on hers. "Really? I had other plans in mind." His blue eyes winked at her, an act that made her stomach jump in anticipation.

"Derek..." she started, but was cut off by his lips crushing against hers. Tegan moaned into the kiss, arching her body closer to his as her arms automatically wrapped around his neck. "Babe..." she whispered against his lips.

"Hmm?" his fingers were already working to undo the button on her pants. His body was practically screaming for her touch.

"Aren't you tired?" She moaned when his fingers dipped into her panties to slowly circle around her wet clit.

"I am," he said tightly. "But I want you more." When he slipped a finger into her tight channel, she grabbed his hair hard.

"Fuck," she whimpered. "Derek...sleep."

He glanced up at her, eyes half-lidded from sleep or pleasure. She looked positively exhausted. A loud sigh escaped him as he climbed off her and flopped on his back on the bed. Kicking off his shoes, he groaned heavily and tried not to think about the cock throbbing in his pants. Tegan snuggled up to him. "I'll make it up to you tonight, cutie." She yawned loudly as sleep overtook her. "I promise."

Derek grunted softly. He was definitely holding her to that.

********

Hours later, they were at the ultra-hip club The Rooftop partying it up with the young and elite of Los Angeles. Derek was astounded by how many people were at the event, which boasted a guest list of nearly two hundred. He was sure over half the people in there had no clue what NerdsUnite! even was.

He tried to put on a positive face and act like he was having a good time, but he was frustrated. He didn't want to be in the lame scene party and he was still horny as hell from before. To make matters worse, Tegan was looking so good tonight it was taking all his willpower not to find a dark corner somewhere and spread her legs against a wall.

Shoving his hands into the pockets of his black pants, he sighed. He just wanted to be back in Tegan's New York loft, playing video games and fucking her senseless. But he had to be here and it was time that he started to enjoy himself.

Everyone around him seemed to be. Derek watched as Matt chatted up a sexy raven-haired girl while Jake practically dominated the XBOX which was hooked up to a large projector screen.

The Rooftop was the latest in L.A. club trend. The large space was designed to look like a lavish party on the rooftop without the added benefit of actually being outside. The walls were painted to resemble the night skyline, complete with lit buildings and the occasional helicopter. The dance floor was painted as well, looking like concrete and brick. The VIP lounge in the back was an urban garden, complete with lush foliage and the latest Top 40 music.

Derek found the whole Rooftop concept a bit ridiculous, but he reminded himself of the promise he made to stay positive. He smiled when he saw Tegan heading towards him, drink in hand. "Hey baby," he said. "Did I tell you how great you look tonight?" She was wearing a simple black dress with spaghetti straps and a v-neckline that showcased her large breasts. Her dark bangs were pinned back, showing off her lovely round face.

He loved the fact that she was so low-maintenance. She was wearing the bare minimum of makeup, just a touch of black liner and some punch-flavored lip gloss. Still, she practically smoldered.

Tegan grinned. "Thanks. You don't look so bad yourself." That was an understatement. After she woke up from her nap, he had been in the shower. Just picturing the water running down the strong and muscular frame had her biting her lip to resist the temptation to strip down and join him.

When he emerged into the room a few minutes later, she was pretending to still be asleep, leaving her free to enjoy the show. She felt like a voyeur watching him get dressed.

Everything about him screamed sex, from the curve of his tight ass as he stepped into his boxer briefs, from the way his black dress shirt fit him like a glove. And now he was standing in front of her in his deep red tie and black and white Converses looking so delicious she nearly cursed herself for being so tired earlier. Tegan took a sip of her drink to calm herself down.

Yes, she was going to make it up to him tonight. All night if she had to.

She held out her glass to him. "Want some?"

He nodded, pushing the glass aside. "Don't mind if I do," he whispered. His tongue ran lightly across her lips before dipping in to taste.

"Mmm," he moaned. "I love the taste of rum, especially on you." He stole her gasp, taking it as his own when his tongue licked the roof of her mouth.

"Derek," she moaned.

"Am I interrupting something?" a woman's voice called out. They separated to see Jade Stone staring curiously at them, a small smile playing on her lips.

"Ahh, Ms. Stone..."

"Please, call me Jade." Her eyes went to Tegan.

"You're the girl from earlier today. I don't believe we were introduced."

"Oh I'm sorry," Derek said. "This is Tegan James."

Jade extended her hand. "Lovely to meet you, Tegan."

Tegan grinned sheepishly. "Regretfully in such a manner."

"Not at all," Jade replied, a hint of laughter in her voice. "I guarantee I'd be doing the same thing if I had a hot guy on my arm. Alas, I'm kind of stuck with Simon."

Derek glanced around. "Where is Simon, by the way?"

"Oh, he'll be here any minute. I'm supposed to be doing some recon, spying on you guys to make sure you were enjoying yourselves."

"Ahh, and what'll you be telling the boss?"

Her blue eyes stared into his, and he suddenly became slightly uncomfortable. "Oh, nothing but good news." She smiled once more. "Well, I guess I'd better finish making my rounds. Nice to meet you, Tegan." And she turned on her designer heels, walking in that effortless way only a former model possessed.

"Hmm," Tegan said.

"What's wrong?"

"There's something...off about her. She smiles way too much."

Derek laughed. "Is something wrong with that?"

"Technically, no. But it doesn't seem sincere. And then there's the other thing."

"What other thing?"

She casually sipped her drink. "Oh you know, that look she gave you, like she knew what you looked like without your underwear on."

"Ahh you saw that too, huh?"

"Definitely."

"Why Tegan J," he cooed, his arm snaking around her waist. "Do I detect a hint of jealousy in your voice?"

She elbowed him in the rib. "You'd like that, wouldn't you? Two chicks fighting over you."

"Only if there was some oil and heavy, heavy petting involved."

"God, you are such a boy."

"You love it, don't deny it."

"Whatever. I'm going to get another drink."

"Not too much. I want you clear-headed for tonight's festivities."

She glared at him before heading to the bar. So he had noticed the looks Jade was throwing at him. Sipping her new drink, Tegan shook out her shoulders. She wished Drea was here to drop a bit of advice, although she knew what she'd say. "T, fuck her. You got him. Now go show him why."

But do I really have him? Or am I just borrowing him for a little bit? She couldn't help those thoughts from forming every time she thought about Carrie or him leaving after his business was over. Fuck, things were already getting too damn complicated. They were just avoiding talking, glossing over things as if they didn't matter. But the real world was fast approaching and sooner or later they'd have to face up to the truth that things weren't and couldn't last this way.