Page 50 of One Hot Deal

He virtually drags me across the lawn, not slowing down until we've reached the front steps of Sommerleigh House.Hugh has just pulled Callum into a boisterous hug, and Kate is giving Avery a calmer version of that greeting.

Avery grins and waves when she sees us approaching.

I get dragged into a hug from the bride, while Derek joins the other men.Once the greetings are over, Hugh eyes the large black motorcycle askance.

"Did you ride that thing all the way from Scotland?"he asks."You must have sore bums.I'm surprised you can still walk, actually."

Callum chuckles."No, yecacan, we didn't ride the Harley from Loch Fairbairn to Sommerleigh.We brought it with us on Evan's jet."

"Are you having me on?A Harley on a jet?That's ridiculous."

Kate sidles up to her husband."Callum isn't teasing you.We really did bring the Harley onto the jet.Callum thought you guys should take a ride together before the wedding."

"Oh yes, please," Hugh says with great sarcasm."I do love a good arse-rattling trip on the back of a snarling monster.It's so bloody relaxing."

Callum trots over to the motorcycle and retrieves a bottle from the rear compartment.He returns to us and holds the bottle out to Hugh."Your wedding gift, from me and Kate."

"Scottish whisky?"Hugh makes a derisive noise, but it's clearly more sarcasm."If you want to be rid of me, just run me over with your motorcycle and have done with it.No need to kill me slowly with Scottish booze."

The teasing continues, and Derek and I are invited to go into the drawing room with Hugh, Avery, Callum, and Kate.But I tell them that Derek and I need to take care of a few things.The vagueness convinces them all that we mean to do naughty things, naturally.

Derek lets me lead him into the garden, where we sit down on a concrete bench.

"What's up?"he asks."You look like you want to tell me something."

"I do."

"Go on.I'm listening."

Suddenly, I can't think of any words to speak.This is bollocks.I've given presentations to audiences that numbered in the thousands, yet I can't tell one man how I feel.Perhaps the problem is that the only other man to whom I suggested this turned out to be a bastard.But Derek is nothing like Lyle.

Derek picks up my hand and threads his fingers with mine."I'll go first.Diana, I care about you a lot.You're more than a client, more than a friend.You are the most incredible woman I've ever met, and I don't want to walk away from you as soon that stick turns blue."

"What stick?"

He smiles."The pregnancy test stick."

"Oh, that."A nervous laugh bursts out of me."I've never taken that sort of test, so I had no idea what color the sticks turns.How do you know?"

"A girl I dated once thought she was pregnant, but the home test didn't turn blue, so we knew it was a false alarm."

I study his face, while he simply gazes at me with affection."You would have married that girl if she had been pregnant, wouldn't you?Even if you didn't love her."

"Yes, I would have."His expression becomes pained, and though he keeps hold of my hand, he avoids my gaze."I agreed to your terms for our deal, but I realize now that I can't do it.I can't walk away from my own child."

The time has come to tell him the truth, the one that I've denied since the moment I pushed him into that deal."I don't want you to walk away either.In fact, I want us to have a real relationship, the romantic sort.What do you want?"

Chapter Nineteen

Derek

What do I want?Is she kidding?The truth of what I want should have been completely obvious.But I guess I've done a better job of hiding my feelings than I thought.Diana seems unaware of what I really want, which means it's my job to tell her.But I seem to have developed a sudden case of laryngitis.When I try to speak, all that comes out is a croaking sound.

Man up, you moron, and tell her.

"I want what you want, Diana."I lift her hand to my lips and kiss each knuckle."I want you, period.And I want our baby."

"We don't have a baby yet.Not even a glimmer of one."

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