“Hold on,” I say, wiggling out of his hands.
“What is it?” He doesn’t let go. Instead he leans in, his lips exploring my neck and venturing down to my chest.
“I just… we have the movie to watch, and this is all moving pretty fast.”
“Come on, you’re kidding me, right?”
The front door opens, and the lights flicker on. “Oh, I’m so sorry,” Mandi says.
I scramble out of his hold and off the couch. “Hey, Mandi. Um… this is Derek.”
Derek glances over his shoulder and gives a halfhearted wave to Mandi.
“Hi, Derek.” Mandi looks at me. “So, Noah is on his way home and we’re going to Glacier Point for the night. Someone gave us a gift certificate, but we have to use it tonight.”
I roll my eyes. “You know who it’s from, right?”
She nods. “The grandmas. I figure Dori’s grandson-in-law owns the resort, so they probably swindled some deal or badgered him until he finally gave in. You know what they’re like.”
All of my siblings are living their happily ever afters. And although I wouldn’t mind having someone to do fun things with and maybe be a regular sex friend, marriage and all that stuff isn’t a priority for me. But there are still those moments when I wouldn’t mind having someone who loves me as much as my siblings’ partners love them. “I hope one day I’m in the position to get all these luxury things.”
Mandi raises an eyebrow. “Luxury things? Chevelle, need I remind you of your bridesmaid’s dress?”
“Babe, I thought we were watching a movie,” Derek says from the couch.
“In a minute.” I hold up a finger.
He blows out an annoyed breath. Mandi glances at him and I see the question in her eyes. Why am I with him? He’s not exactly being nice tonight. But this is a small town and there isn’t a plethora of options for me either.
“You know they’re doing this because they think it will seal the deal,” I say.
Mandi’s forehead wrinkles. “Seal the deal?”
“I know, right? If only they were in the room next door to you guys every night, they’d know how real your relationship is.” The noises that come out of that room every night definitely make me want a permanent fuck buddy. If he could be as tall as Noah, that would make it better.
Mandi drops her bag. “You mean they don’t think Noah and I are really together?” Her face flushes like it does when she’s worried.
I shrug. “Just Dori and Ethel. They kept grilling me at dinner the other night, but I didn’t think you’d want me telling Grandma that your screaming could wake a family of hibernating bears.”
Her face grows redder, which I didn’t think was possible. “Thank you for that.”
The door opens and Noah comes in and spots Derek on the couch. “Who are you?”
Hearing the deep voice, Derek shifts to look behind him. “Who are you?”
Noah stares at Derek as if he’s sizing him up. God, this is so uncomfortable.
“That’s Derek.” Mandi motions between him and me, and Noah nods at him.
“So, let me see this gift certificate,” Noah says. Mandi pulls it from her bag, and he inspects it. “You can thank whoever this is from for your good night’s sleep tonight.” He winks at me.
The three of us laugh.
“Chevelle—movie?” Derek says in a stern voice.
Noah glances at Mandi.
“I said in a minute,” I snipe.
Noah leaves Mandi’s side and sits on the chair adjacent to the couch. “So, you’re seeing Chevelle, huh?”
Derek barely glances in his direction. “Yeah.”
“Are you from Sunrise Bay?”
“No, I’m just passing through.”
Noah’s eyes narrow. “I’m sorry?”
“I’m working on one of the fishing boats.”
Noah nods, probably wondering what I see in Derek. I’m starting to have the same thought.
“Cool. Well, I guess I’ll see you at the wedding.” Noah gets up off the chair.
“Oh, you’re the poor son of a bitch getting hitched, huh?” Derek laughs.
Mandi hits me with a death glare. Hey, marriage isn’t for everyone.
Derek laughs some more. “Totally joking. Congrats, man, that’s awesome.”
Noah looks at Mandi. “Let’s go, Mandi.”
They go upstairs and I head into the kitchen for the cookies and popcorn. Derek follows me.
“I’m only hungry for one thing,” Derek says, putting his fingers in the waistband of my shorts and pulling me toward him.
“They’re still here,” I whisper. I stand between his legs and his hands venture under my shorts and onto my ass cheeks.
“Get them out so I can get inside you,” he whispers, kissing my navel that’s showing with the crop top I’m wearing.
I guess now is as good of a time as any to tell him I won’t be sleeping with him tonight. I open my mouth to speak, but Mandi and Noah come downstairs. Mandi eyes me and Noah acts as though we’re not even here. He’s got both their bags.
“I’ll be in the car. Have a good night, you two.” Noah stops at the door after it’s open. “Just so you’re aware, Chevelle’s dad lives in the house on the hill across the street. And her brother is the sheriff.”
“Noah…” I shake my head.
“Hey, no one else is here to be the protective brother for you. I’m about to be your brother-in-law, so it counts.”
“Technically, stepbrother-in-law.”
Mandi walks over to him, stuffing the gift certificate in her purse. “You know we don’t act like step anything. I’d be more fearful of my mom than Hank though.” She widens her eyes at Derek.
He says nothing and I kind of wish they were staying.
“Bye.” I give them a small wave.
They both stare at us for a beat, then open the door and walk through it, shutting it behind them. I hear Noah’s truck start up, then the engine noise dims as they pull out of the driveway.
My heart rate picks up.
Derek grabs my hand and tugs me onto his lap on the couch. “Finally alone. Where’s your bedroom?”
“Um…” I place my hand on his chest. “I don’t think I’m ready for that. Can we just watch the movie tonight?”
“You’re not ready?” He laughs. “You’re kidding, right?” He eyes my shirt and shorts.
“What? We barely know one another and I’m not ready to sleep with you.”
He scowls. “Then why do you dress like that?”
I refrain from grabbing a blanket off the back of the couch and covering myself. “Because I like these clothes. Because they’re in style. Because I think I look good in them.”
He points at me. “Exactly, you look sexy as hell in them. You’re showing off your body like you wanna get fucked.”
I slide to the other side of the couch. “Well, I don’t want to get fucked, and definitely not by you.”
He huffs and his gaze diverts away from mine before he looks back at me, eyes full of anger. “You’re a cocktease.”
“Why would I be a tease? Did I just give you a hand job and right before you came say, ‘Oh no, I don’t do that’? No. I’ve given you no reason to think I wanted to sleep with you.” I cross my arms. All the looks Mandi was giving me seem justified now. Once again, I chose to see the good in a shitty person.