Only You Ch. 05

Tegan smiled at the little angel who buried her face shyly into her uncle blue t-shirt. "Hello Isabella. It's very nice to meet you."

Bella flashed Tegan an adorable kid smile.

"You're pretty," she finally said.

The adults erupted in laughter. "Well so are you, cutie" Tegan responded.

They had a lovely lunch, dining on grilled chicken sandwiches and spinach salad. Tegan couldn't get over how down to earth Dex and Roxie were. They were completely laid back. Dex didn't even seem to be like an actual celebrity. He and Derek were hysterical, the way they made fun of each other made Tegan long for that special connection only siblings seem to share. And Bella was too cute. She spent the entire time perched on Derek's lap, stealing food from his plate and gobbling it up. Every so often she would glance at Tegan and smile shyly. When Tegan started making faces at her, she would shout with glee and beg for more.

Lunch was perfect, and now she was sitting at the table, sipping white wine with Roxie and they watched Derek and Dex chase Bella around the yard. Tegan watched as Derek grabbed his niece before tossing her wildly into the air. She cringed for a moment, thinking the play too rough but Bella shrieked madly, enjoying the roughhousing.

"You have such a beautiful home," she said to Roxie.

Roxie smiled. "Thank you. I've definitely worked hard for it."

"Yeah, Derek told me you're a writer. I think I read one of your books a while back."

"I mostly do it for hobby now although lately I've been shopping my stuff around publishers. Who knows, maybe I'll get a bite."

"Is it tough, being the wife of a hot movie star?"

"Not as tough as people think. We have the same issues other marriages have. And our initial meeting definitely wasn't conventional."

Tegan laughed. "I don't think many people can say they drunkenly married a movie star in Vegas."

Roxie laughed as well. "I see you read the papers."

"It was hard to avoid. You were major news back in the City. How do you get used to your life being public speculation?"

Roxie was thoughtful for a moment. "This may sound weird, but after awhile, you don't even notice it. Plus Dex and I try to create a stable environment for our daughter. She's rarely seen in magazines." She looked at Tegan. "Your turn now. How did you and Derek meet?"

"Um, I was DJing at the same club where he celebrated his birthday."

"You're a DJ?"

Tegan nodded. "And a photographer."

"That's pretty cool. How old are you?"

"I'll be twenty-four in October."

Roxie smiled. "You know you're the same age I was when I met Dex."

"Really? That's cool. He's so amazing."

"He is," she nodded. "And so is Derek."

"Oh I know," Tegan said. "He's so unlike any guy I've ever met."

"How so?"

A slight frown crossed her face. "Well, because he noticed me. I mean, most guys used to just pass me by. I was the other friend, the fat girl." She smiled when she thought of Derek. "But with Derek, he really took the time to get to know me. And the way he looks at me sometimes, like I'm the only girl he sees. And when he holds me..." Tegan felt her face flush as Roxie laughed heartily.

"Don't worry girl I know exactly what you're talking about. Those Ryan men are very blessed. They definitely know how to put it down."

Tegan smiled. She liked Roxie.

"I can see why he likes you."

"You think?"

Roxie nodded. "Definitely. You've got spunk. And you're the first girl he's ever brought to meet us."

"Wow. So you don't think we're moving too fast? Everyone else in my life seems to feel that way."

"Tegan, at the end of the day, it's not about what other people think. People thought the same things about me and Dex. They said I was marrying him to be famous, blah, blah, blah. But people didn't know the man I knew. The one who listened to me, who understood who I was from the get-go. Who's to say what's too fast? There are couples who've known each other for years and still don't have that connection. Who's to say two complete strangers can't meet in a bar and fall for each other? After awhile, you gotta stop listening to other people and do you, you know?"

Tegan nodded, Roxie's words sitting heavy on her conscience. It was plain to see how much in love she was with her husband and her life. Tegan hoped one day to have something like that. Maybe with Derek, her brain taunted. "I guess I'm still a little concerned that I don't know much about him."

"Well all you have to do is ask. Unfortunately you don't have my luck. Everything I needed to know about Dex I could just pick up any magazine and find out."

Tegan laughed. "But what if I don't like what I find?"

"That is a possibility. But you'll always be wondering 'what if' if you never ask."

********

It was after seven PM when they left Dex and Roxie's house. Tegan was jazzed. Dex and Roxie were amazing. She was still reeling from Dex's words when they leaving. He gathered her in a warm hug and kissed her cheek. "It was lovely to meet you Tegan," he had said. "Be careful." She had looked quizzically at him, but he just smiled back at her. She had seen Dex whispering to his brother earlier in the evening, but wasn't sure what to make of it. And then she decided to take Roxie's advice. All she had to do was ask.

When they arrived back at the Jardin, Derek checked in on Matt and Jake who already knew about the party at Simon's house that night. When he returned to the hotel room, he found Tegan sitting at the table next to the window. Smiling, he wrapped his arms around her shoulders before giving her a chaste kiss on the cheek. "See, I told you it wouldn't be so bad."

Tegan gave him a small smile. "We need to talk," she said.

Derek sat down at the chair adjacent to hers. "Uh-oh, so this can't be good. What's on your mind?"

"Well, I've just been thinking about a couple of things. These past few weeks with you have been amazing, more like a dream than reality. But I'm not sure where things are supposed to go after this point. I don't want to be the one who pushes you into something you don't want to do. God knows I don't want to be that girl. But I need to know something, Derek. What do you want?"

He watched the guarded emotion hidden (not so well) behind her light eyes. She was giving him an in. All he had to do was be perfectly clear about his intentions. But would she like everything he had to say. "Tegan, I honestly can't answer that question with the answer you want. I want you, I really do. And I want us to enjoy the time we have now. Can't that be enough for the time being?"

She had to know how he felt about her. The way he looked at her, touched her.

She had to know that he was crazy about her.

"I don't know if that's enough for me, Derek. I feel like I've been in this daze since I met you and I'm going to wake up any second and realize it's all been a dream. You never were here and I'm still alone. And that saddens me." The tears stung behind her eyes, but she willed herself not to cry. Taking a deep breath, she continued. "I guess I'm concerned because there's still so much about you I still don't know."

Derek took her hand in his, stroking the smooth brown skin. "Ask me anything Tegan," he said. "Whatever you want, baby and I will tell you the honest truth."

Tegan stared into his blue eyes and she knew at once he'd be straight up with her. Now's the time, she thought. "Carrie," she whispered.

Derek nodded. "Yes, ages ago. It first happened the night Ange and Connor were married."

"The last time?"

"Over six months ago."

"Why did you do it?"

"Because I was lonely. And Carrie and I have a lot more in common than people think."

"Did you love her?"

"I did, but not in the way that you think. I wasn't in love with her, no. But I understood her. The insecurities, the mistrust, the self-doubt. Carrie and I needed each other at that time in our lives, but not after that. We hooked up, had sex, and that was it. I made it clear that I didn't want a real relationship."

His words stung a little. "So, you used her?"

"No, baby I didn't use her. Well, maybe a little. Carrie knew what the deal was before we ever got involved. And because she agreed to it, I thought things were fine. I never realized how much she cared about me until after things were said and done."

"What happened with you and Drea the night at the bar?"

That question caught him off guard. "What?"

"When you came back from the bathroom, you looked upset and so did she. What happened?"

Derek sighed. "Drea and Teddy saw me earlier at Rio's with Carrie. She thought things were getting too close again."

"And were they?" He noticed there was a bit of an edge in her voice.

"No," he said, shaking his head. "She was apologizing for being so rude to you and trying to hurt me."

"Hurt you? Why would she do that?"

"Because she saw how much I cared for you. It was in the way I never cared for her and that was a serious blow to her heart."

The tears did start to fall now, and he wiped one away with his thumb. "What did you say?" she whispered.

"You heard me," he said.

"Say it again."

"I care for you, Tegan. A lot."

Her eyes closed and she let out a small moan. "Say it again" she said quietly.

He half-smiled and kissed her cheek. "I care for you, Tegan James."

Her head was spinning, and it felt like she was going to throw up, but definitely in a good way. So he did care. But she needed to know one more things. "Am I the only one?" Her light eyes opened once more, the million dollar question written all over them.

Derek smiled once more. "There are no others, luv. Only you." His lips descended on hers,

"How much time do we have before Simon's thing?" her breathing was becoming more labored with each light kiss.

"Plenty. Why?"

She rose from the chair, lifting her black tank top over her head and tossing it at him. Tegan unbuttoned her jeans and slid them off her hips and onto the floor. "I'm going to take a shower," she said softly. She walked in the direction of the bathroom, giving him a lovely view of her panty-clad bottom.

Derek groaned watching her, his mouth watering for every single inch of her.

Tegan glanced at him over her shoulder, his fingers digging into his knees. "Aren't you coming?" she asked innocently, an almost wicked gleam in her honey eyes.

He grinned. "Don't have to tell me twice." Stripping off his shirt, he followed her into the bathroom.

********

Simon Slade snapped his phone shut. Everything was ready for the party tonight. A thrill of excitement ran through his spine. By tonight, he was hoping to secure the deal between with Slade Enterprises and NerdsUnite!. He definitely believed this was the best thing for the company; it would double their profits and make the boys very wealthy.

He truly believed that the new ideas for the company would make it a hit with the public. Jake was already on board, and Matt would eventually do whatever Derek did. It was Derek who he needed to convince that this was a good idea.

It was a little surprising when he had received the phone call that tipped him off about NerdsUnite!. The person said the boys were definitely interested in selling the company and that Slade Enterprises would definitely like what they saw. They called NerdsUnite! a sure thing.

But he heard the surprise in Matt's voice when he made the call to them in New York. He sounded blindsided, as did the rest of the Trifecta. The sound of his tiny cell phone ringing brought Simon out of his thoughts.

"Slade here."

"Mr. Slade." The voice on the other end was cool.

"I take it everything is set for tonight?"

"Absolutely. Derek, Matt, and Jake will be here by nine so we can discuss the particulars of the business venture."

"Excellent. I'll be sure to be on time."

"Wonderful. I'm sure the guys will love to see you, Derek especially."

A light chuckle. "I'm sure he'll just die of shock. 'Til then, Simon."

The phone snapped shut as a slight sneer cross the slender face. "Damn you Derek." The voice came out in an angry hiss.

She checked herself out in the mirror, admiring the dress she bought just for the occasion. She was trying to picture his face when he would notice her, the anger that would ensue when he discovered she'd been the one behind the whole buyout deal.

"Let's see you run to that cow after that, luv."

She could feel herself becoming angry once more, and counted slowly to ten to soothe her anger. When her eyes slowly opened once more, the look of anger was gone. In its place was a cool veneer of venom.

No one dumped Lottie Winchester like yesterday's rubbish and got away with it.