Read Online Closing the Deal by Marie Harte - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Marie Harte
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“Hear me out. This is a peace offering. I’m sorry I called you and left messages. I know we’re just friends, I promise.”
“Oh right. Casual acquaintances who just had sex a few hours ago.”
“Right.”
She leaned back and saw his lips quirk. An answering smile lit her mouth, and a chuckle worked through her. “Exactly.”
He started laughing. She joined him.
They watched the match, her in his lap, as he explained the rules. Not long after, they devoured the pizza, which had her favorite toppings—pepperoni, mushrooms and black olives—and she found the beer to be just as good with the pizza as her wine.
But what shocked her most about the night was waking up the following morning in her bed, fully dressed, next to Derrick. They hadn’t had sex. The night had been one of the best she’d had in ages. And she knew to her toes there was nothing remotely casual about her feelings for this man.
Damn, damn, damn.
Chapter Six
The past week had been sheer hell. Somehow Sydney and Derrick had gotten their clichéd roles reversed. She wanted sex, and he had a constant headache. Tonight made their eighth night together in a row. A solid week of being together, and to her shock, she loved spending time with the man. The celibacy she could have done without, but his company actually made the trouble of seducing him worth it.
She only had herself to blame, though. She’d insisted on a casual relationship. Just friends. Without benefits, apparently. Who knew the man would be so literal? He called her just to talk during lunch, and they’d resumed their discussions about any and everything.
Eight days of seeing, laughing with, and being with Derrick, with no sex.
They walked around the fairgrounds, the lights of the carnival rides giving the night a special glow. Together, they watched families laughing, children playing and teenagers daring each other to ride everything from the speedy Himalaya to the vomit-inducing Vortex.
He’d won her a stuffed kitten. She’d beaten him ringing the bell at the strongman booth, which she found hilarious. He’d taken her ribbing with good humor, which didn’t surprise her. Derrick Warren was an easy man to like. He had a great sense of humor and a gracious heart. When a small boy bumped into him and dropped his ice cream on Derrick’s shoe, Derrick bought him a new one. Not one complaint about swirly strawberry all over his boots, or that the kid had barreled into him, not the other way around.
“Cotton candy?” Derrick nodded to a booth in front of them. “You’ve been eyeing the pink stuff all night.”
Actually, she’d imagined rolling Derrick in the stuff and licking it off bit by bit.
She must have given him a look because he practically ran toward the booth. She rolled her eyes and followed. Her secret weapons seemed to be working. The form-fitting jeans and low-neck peach sweater she wore had garnered her breasts and ass more lingering attention from Derrick than she’d had all week.
“Hey honey.” She turned. A large man sitting at a picnic table with his friends waved at her. “Need a friend?”
“She’s got one,” Derrick answered from over her shoulder.
“Bummer.” The guy shrugged and turned back to his friends.
She let him steer her away and accepted the stick of cotton candy, thrilled at his possessiveness despite her resolve to keep things casual. Though she’d insisted they not hold hands, hug or do any of those other relationship things, she allowed him to grab onto her hand just this once. She liked his large, warm grip. The feel of calluses reminded her he worked for a living. Those muscles in his arms, chest and thighs weren’t just from a gym.
“Mmm,” she moaned and licked at the confection, pleased when his gaze locked on her mouth. His eyes darkened and his breathing grew raspy. Was it evil to seduce him? No. Not when the man hadn’t said yes all friggin’ week.
There had been a few kisses, some heavy petting, that
“Oh right. Casual acquaintances who just had sex a few hours ago.”
“Right.”
She leaned back and saw his lips quirk. An answering smile lit her mouth, and a chuckle worked through her. “Exactly.”
He started laughing. She joined him.
They watched the match, her in his lap, as he explained the rules. Not long after, they devoured the pizza, which had her favorite toppings—pepperoni, mushrooms and black olives—and she found the beer to be just as good with the pizza as her wine.
But what shocked her most about the night was waking up the following morning in her bed, fully dressed, next to Derrick. They hadn’t had sex. The night had been one of the best she’d had in ages. And she knew to her toes there was nothing remotely casual about her feelings for this man.
Damn, damn, damn.
Chapter Six
The past week had been sheer hell. Somehow Sydney and Derrick had gotten their clichéd roles reversed. She wanted sex, and he had a constant headache. Tonight made their eighth night together in a row. A solid week of being together, and to her shock, she loved spending time with the man. The celibacy she could have done without, but his company actually made the trouble of seducing him worth it.
She only had herself to blame, though. She’d insisted on a casual relationship. Just friends. Without benefits, apparently. Who knew the man would be so literal? He called her just to talk during lunch, and they’d resumed their discussions about any and everything.
Eight days of seeing, laughing with, and being with Derrick, with no sex.
They walked around the fairgrounds, the lights of the carnival rides giving the night a special glow. Together, they watched families laughing, children playing and teenagers daring each other to ride everything from the speedy Himalaya to the vomit-inducing Vortex.
He’d won her a stuffed kitten. She’d beaten him ringing the bell at the strongman booth, which she found hilarious. He’d taken her ribbing with good humor, which didn’t surprise her. Derrick Warren was an easy man to like. He had a great sense of humor and a gracious heart. When a small boy bumped into him and dropped his ice cream on Derrick’s shoe, Derrick bought him a new one. Not one complaint about swirly strawberry all over his boots, or that the kid had barreled into him, not the other way around.
“Cotton candy?” Derrick nodded to a booth in front of them. “You’ve been eyeing the pink stuff all night.”
Actually, she’d imagined rolling Derrick in the stuff and licking it off bit by bit.
She must have given him a look because he practically ran toward the booth. She rolled her eyes and followed. Her secret weapons seemed to be working. The form-fitting jeans and low-neck peach sweater she wore had garnered her breasts and ass more lingering attention from Derrick than she’d had all week.
“Hey honey.” She turned. A large man sitting at a picnic table with his friends waved at her. “Need a friend?”
“She’s got one,” Derrick answered from over her shoulder.
“Bummer.” The guy shrugged and turned back to his friends.
She let him steer her away and accepted the stick of cotton candy, thrilled at his possessiveness despite her resolve to keep things casual. Though she’d insisted they not hold hands, hug or do any of those other relationship things, she allowed him to grab onto her hand just this once. She liked his large, warm grip. The feel of calluses reminded her he worked for a living. Those muscles in his arms, chest and thighs weren’t just from a gym.
“Mmm,” she moaned and licked at the confection, pleased when his gaze locked on her mouth. His eyes darkened and his breathing grew raspy. Was it evil to seduce him? No. Not when the man hadn’t said yes all friggin’ week.
There had been a few kisses, some heavy petting, that
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