Page 49 of One Hot Deal

"Chelsea," I say, "I'm Diana Sangster.It's lovely to meet you."

"Thank you.It's nice to meet you too."She glances around the room, then bites down on her bottom lip."I didn't realize how big this wedding would be.I don't recognize most of these people."

"Neither did I until they arrived for the wedding and Hugh introduced them."

"Really?I assumed I was the only one here who isn't already friends with everybody else."

"Well, I was already friends with Hugh and Avery, and her brother Derek.But the others were strangers."I sweep my gaze over the crowded room."There are a great many people here for Lord Sommerleigh's wedding.Have you met Hugh before?"

"Yes, I have.The first time we met, he told me I could call him Lord Steamy if I wanted to.But he was joking.Hugh is quite a character."

"Wait until you meet his Scottish friends."

She laughs."Oh yeah, Dom warned me about them."

Derek turns away from talking to his sister, apparently having overheard what Chelsea and I were discussing.He grins."Oh-ho yeah.The MacTaggarts are a wild and crazy bunch.They'll liven up the wedding week for sure."

"I've only met a few of them," I say."Callum is a sweet man, and I adore his wife Kate."

"But Magnus is your favorite MacTaggart.You couldn't stop staring at his tattoos."Derek turns his attention to Chelsea."I'm Derek Hahn, by the way.The bride is my sister."

"Glad I'm not the only American here, besides the bride."

"Didn't Dominic tell you?Most of the men in this room married American women.Quite a few of the Scots married Americans too."

Chelsea glances from Derek to me and back again."So, are you two…"

"Not dating," I say.

For the rest of breakfast, we don't discuss whether Derek and I are a couple, or whether Dominic and Chelsea are a couple.But when I had emphatically told Chelsea that I am not dating Derek, I'd felt an odd twinge of…disappointment.

After breakfast, everyone breaks up into smaller groups to go their separate ways for a while.Derek and I wind up sitting on chaises on the lawn beside Dominic and Chelsea.The cricket pitch is still set up, ready for a match.Pippa and Sally are practicing with cricket bats, but Pippa occasionally waves to me and smiles.

I've been half listening to the conversation going on at either side of me, but Chelsea says something that piques my interest.

"Did Dominic tell you what his teammates used to call him?"she asks Derek."Back when he was a pro cricketer they gave him a nickname.He didn't like it at first, but then he decided to roll with it."

"What did they call him?"Derek asks.

"The Dom.Isn't that a great nickname?They said he dominated the pitch, so he was the Dom."

Dominic groans."Honestly, Chelsea.That's a bloody stupid nickname.Makes me sound like I have a secret room in my basement where I tie women up."

Chelsea slants toward him."But the Dom sounds damn sexy."

One side of his mouth kinks upward."Well, maybe I don't hate it after all."

If these two aren't dating, they're doing a bang-on impression of a romantic couple.I suppose Derek and I have done that too.Do I want to go on pretending?

A tingle rushes over my skin, bringing with it a revelation.I no longer want to pretend that all I need from Derek is his body.Should I tell him that right now?I've always been the sort who doesn't shy away from speaking my mind, but I've done just that with Derek.After our intimate conversation yesterday, I know I need to tell him the truth about my feelings for him.

The growling of a powerful engine starts up in the distance, growing louder as the vehicle races up the driveway.By the time the motorcycle breaks out of the woods, the engine is snarling like a beast from hell.Two people sit astride the monstrosity, a man and a woman.

Derek leaps off his chaise."Hugh!Get your ass out here!The best man has arrived."

The lawn, where we are, lies around the side of the house from the drive.I could see the motorcycle until it rounded the circular section, heading for the front of the house.Now, I can't see a thing.But I hear Hugh laughing and shouting to his best mate.Avery's voice joins Hugh's, and two less familiar voices chime in as well.That would be Callum and Kate.

Derek seizes my hand."Come on, Diana.We should get in on the meet and greet."

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