"He was serious before," Alex informs me.
"Uh-huh. Just like that Derrick Pierce goes from manwhore to monogamous? Give me a break." I say it and it breaks my heart because as much as I want it to be true, I don't think he's built that way.
"You're making a mistake," Alex replies.
"Maybe. But I've got to get some sleep and prepare for tomorrow. I'll get the Consensual Relationship document written up for tomorrow morning."
"Audra," Alex says.
I need time. I need time away from Derrick. I need time away from Derrick to think about Derrick… and me… and what it is and isn't. I need to keep my heart out of the game—and that's just what this is. A game. These three, the 007 Trio, don't play fairly and I need to remember that.
I hear Shannon's car and open the patio doors off the bedroom.
"What's going on?" Derrick asks from the doorway, looking as confused as I am.
"Shannon's here. I need to go."
"I thought you were staying today?" he asks.
"I'm going to catch up on my sleep and get prepared for tomorrow," I tell him. He steps into the room and stalks toward me.
"Audra."
I shake my head. "I'm fine. I'll talk to you tomorrow." I kiss him quickly on the lips and pull out of his hold.
My heels click against the bricks of the patio and when I make my way down the stairs, I feel both relief and panic when I see Shannon's car. I should stay and talk this out, but right now I'm feeling too much of everything.
I get in the car.
"Whoa. You look all kinds of fucked up," she informs me.
I nod. "Thanks."
"I need some space from Derrick because earlier this morning I was ready to say the L word, then Mark and Alex come over and I'm reminded of why my doing anything other than fucking Derrick Pierce is a bad idea," I admit.
"Why's that again?" she asks.
"He doesn't do monogamy. He's a player. He'll get bored with me sooner rather than later and I need to stay prepared. I need to keep my heart protected so he doesn't break it."
"Honey, I think you're breaking your own heart right now."
"Maybe, but it'll hurt less than him doing it."
"What if he wants the real thing with you?" she asks.
I scoff. "You really believe that's possible?"
She shrugs. "Crazier things have happened."
"I'll never be able to think clearly with him so close."
Now Shannon sighs. "You won't be able to think clearly with him so far either."
A shower and two episodes of Criminal Minds later and damn it if she isn't right.
I pull out my laptop and go to the gossip sites. I don't know why I do this to myself. Yes, I do. To remind myself Derrick isn't the committing kind.
He's always on these sites with some beautiful woman with fake boobs on his arm. Usually at a club. Sometimes at a function.
I gasp when I see me standing in front of Derrick in front of the restaurant Friday night. Oh God.
Can it be? Derrick Pierce, Mr. 007, on a date? I swallow hard.
Whoever the mystery woman is Derrick Pierce is with must be someone special to get him to take her out on an actual date, and to *, the most exclusive restaurant in the city.
