Page 30 of The Substitute
It takes me about ten minutes to fill an overnight bag, fix my lipstick, and join him in the living room.
“Okay, I think I’m ready.”
“I like this condo,” he says, looking around.
“Thanks. My sister actually owns it. I’m leasing it from her.” Derek takes the overnighter from me, and we walk out of the condo and down to the elevator.
When it opens, Gray and Stella are inside.
“Well.” I glance nervously up at Derek and then at Gray, who immediately frowns. “Should we wait for the next one?”
“Hell, no,” Stella says, pulling me inside. “You’re hot with a capital H. Holy smokes, I love this dress on you. Hi, Derek.”
“Stella,” Derek replies with a half-smile that sends butterflies swarming in my belly. God, I love his smile. “Grayson.”
Gray grunts in reply, and Stella and I both roll our eyes.
“Are you going somewhere delicious?” Stella asks.
“Steak and seafood,” Derek replies. “What are you up to this evening?”
“Party at the cousins’ compound,” Stella replies. “Our parents own two properties side by side near Alki Beach, and some of my cousins live there. We call it the compound.”
“Is that where you were going to be tonight?” Derek asks, turning to me.
I nod as Gray says, “Should be tonight.”
“No way. Seafood and steak sounds like more fun to me,” Stella says with a wink as the doors open, and we all walk out into the garage. “Call me later. Love you.”
“I love you, too,” I reply as she hugs me, and then they’re off toward Stella’s sexy new Porsche, and Derek points to his Mercedes.
“We’re headed to Mercer Island,” he says as he puts the car in reverse and pulls out of the parking space. “I should have asked if you have any food allergies.”
“Nope. None. I’ve never been to Mercer Island.”
He glances my way before taking my hand and kissing my knuckles. All my insides turn to goo.
“I live there, so you’ll be spending all weekend there.”
I grin and look out the window, watching the city go by as he drives us onto the freeway.
It only takes about twenty minutes to get to the restaurant, and we’re shown to our table right away.
A woman walks over. “I’m Jessica, and I’ll be your server.” She smiles and hands us our menus. “Can I start you with anything to drink besides water?”
Derek orders a bottle of wine for the table, and we’re quiet as we read the menu, but it’s a comfortable silence.
I don’t feel awkward at all.
When I set my menu aside, Derek reaches for my hand and rubs his thumb over my knuckles. Suddenly, the man can’t stop touching me, and it’s doing things to my lady parts that will make this dinner feel like it drags.
But that’s okay.
This is a fancy restaurant, so the wine is brought out, opened, and offered to Derek for sniffing and tasting. Upon his approval, the sommelier pours it for us. We both order the lobster, which makes us grin at each other. Finally, when we’re all alone and waiting for our meals, he looks me in the eyes and says, “Thank you.”
“For what?”
“Well, there is a list of things,” he says with that half-smile again. “It goes without saying that you’ve done an excellent job at the office despite our…rocky beginning.”