Page 39 of One Hot Deal

That person knocks again."Diana?Are you in there?"

Bugger me.It's Derek.If I say nothing, maybe he will go away.Now I'm acting like a schoolgirl.That man drives me insane.But I refuse to behave like a spoiled child, so I march up to door and pull it open.

"There you are," he says."Avery told me you came inside.Are you feeling okay?"

"Yes.Why wouldn't I be?"

"Avery also said you guzzled an entire glass of something called a rhubarb cordial."

"It's non-alcoholic."

He leans against the jamb."Good.Then we can finish that conversation now, since you aren't hammered."

"Not here."

"Why not?"

I have no reasonable response to that query.We've had sex, which means I shouldn't be embarrassed to invite him into my room.Derek is too much of a gentleman to seduce me after our argument earlier.

"Come in," I say, as I step aside to let him pass.Then I shut the door again."Sit wherever you like."

This bedroom is large and has two chairs as well as a small sofa, not to mention a sizable bed.

Derek takes one of the chairs.

I perch on the bed's edge, at the foot.

"What happened earlier…" He trails off as he rubs his hands on his thighs."I'm sorry I got annoyed about what you said.It won't happen again."

"You should be annoyed.I said things I wish I hadn't."I wince."Such as the suggestion that we should use a turkey baster."

"I wasn't offended by that."He leans back in his chair, his posture more relaxed."But it's a lot more fun to make a donation my way."

"Yes, it is."

"Did you just agree with me?"

I fold my arms over my chest."We both agreed to do this your way.Of course I concur with what you said."

He looks down at the floor and scratches his jaw."I should explain why I reacted that way.Getting annoyed, I mean."

"You owe me no explanations."

"But you need to understand."He pushes up out of the chair and stands at the window, gazing out at the sky or perhaps the lawn."You see, I feel—"

A series of crisp knocks rattle the door."Pippa wants you on the lawn, Diana."

That is Rupert's voice.

I hurry to the door and yank it open."Is Pippa injured?"

"No, nothing like that.She wants you to be there for her first attempt at playing cricket."

"Oh, I see."I glance back at Derek."Would you care to join us?"

He sighs."Sure."

As the three of us head out to the lawn, I wonder what Derek had been about to tell me."I feel," he'd said.But Rupert interrupted whatever else he might have spoken if he had the chance.Even while I watch Pippa learn to play cricket, I can't stop wondering.

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