“We’re keeping it casual. At least, that’s what she and I agreed to do. But we’ve been on several dates, and we haven’t had sex since that quickie in the house down from mine.”
“So you’re both attracted to each other, and you’re spending time together, but neither of you has admitted to wanting a steady relationship with the other. Is that about right?”
Dylan sat across from him in a deep leather chair. Sydney would love it here. All designerish and matching. Dylan’s furniture looked a lot nicer than Derrick’s. No wonder his brother had no problem finding a date. Between his face and this pad, his many boyfriends and girlfriends made sense. Hell, Derrick couldn’t even think about fucking another woman, not if she didn’t have Sydney’s hair, Sydney’s face or Sydney’s body.
“Derrick, focus.”
“Uh, kind of. We’re casual, I guess.” He couldn’t sleep when he wasn’t with her. How fucked up was that?
“You look like shit.”
“Thanks.”
Dylan grinned. “I think it’s time I met her. The Halloween party is tonight, right?”
“Yeah.”
“So let me be you. I’ll feel her out for you.” The sly look on Dylan’s face meant more than Derrick felt comfortable with.
“You touch her and I’ll break both your arms.”
“Sure. You’re casual. Right.” Dylan shook his head. “You’ve hit bottom, brother. Rock bottom. You’re in love with the woman. It’d be terrific news if you weren’t so stupid about it.”
“Fuck off.”
“Please. You came here looking for advice. The fact that you actually used Mom to get closer to Sydney is telling. What we know about your redhead—she has commitment issues. Her mother was never there for her and she goes through men like you go through women.” Dylan’s lips quirked. “Or should I say, how you used to go through women?”
“Don’t be a Dick.” Even though he was right. “How do you know about her mother?”
“Hailey, Mom and I talk about more than Gage and wedding plans.”
“Really?” Derrick narrowed his gaze. “What do you say about me?”
“You really want to know?”
“Yeah.”
Dylan sighed. “You want what Mom and Dad had, but you’re afraid you’ll never find a woman that special. So you go out of your way to find unsuitable prospects like Brittney, the March twins, Gina…shall I go on?”
“Oh sure thing, Dr. Freud. This is fascinating.” And oddly on the money.
“Your dates are all, on the surface, perfect for you. Beautiful, successful and usually wealthy, because you don’t want a woman who desires you for your money. You’re susceptible to the same needs most of us have. You want to be valued for yourself.”
“No shit.”
“But instead of taking a chance on a real woman you can connect with, you settle for tepid sexual relationships you end within weeks, because God forbid you find a woman you might fall in love with. I think Brittney lasted the longest. What, a month and a half?”
Derrick shrugged. At the time of their breakup, he’d actually felt bad. She’d seemed torn-up when he’d ended it, right before she’d called him an asshole and kicked his ass out of her apartment. The next time he’d seen her, she’d been pleasant. Even friendly. A woman like Brittney would find another man easily, so he hadn’t thought twice about her. But after what she’d done to Sydney, he never wanted to see the woman again. “She gave great head, but she got clingy.”
“And she paraded you around like a prize poodle. I hadn’t seen that one coming. She seemed too mature for that.”
“Yeah, well, she wasn’t. Mature, yeah, and self-centered.” Derrick sighed. “For all that we had a few good times, and some great sex, everything came back to Brittney. I’d hoped that might not be the case, but I pegged it. Didn’t I bet you she was too hot to be single when we started dating? That there had to be something wrong with her? I won twenty bucks, remember?”
“Right. Never bet against you. I should know by now you never lose. Unless we’re talking about one woman in particular, because you have no idea what you’re doing with Sydney.”
“Up yours.” Derrick shot Dylan the finger.
His brother grinned and shot it right back.
