Who the fuck says that, Derek? Comfortable, really?
She blinked, and a small smile tugged at her lips.
“Hungry?” I offered quickly, hoping I didn’t sound as insane as I felt.
“Starving,” she said moving closer and eyeing the pan. “What are you making?”
“Grilled cheese. And Donna left chicken parm that should be ready in a few minutes.” I shifted Lily, who had resumed her attempts to nurse through my shirt. “Fair warning though, your daughter thinks I’m you and keeps trying to eat me.”
Paige laughed, the sound soft, making my heart beat a little faster. “She must be hungry,” she said, reaching for Lily. “I’ll feed her before bed.”
She took the baby, settling her against her hip with practiced ease, and I tried not to watch too obviously as she adjusted the t-shirt. The hem rode up when she moved, revealing a sliver of soft skin that I wanted to touch more than I wanted air.
Control. Yourself.
I forced myself to focus on not burning the sandwiches.
“This is really nice of you, Derek,” Paige whispered. “Letting us stay here. Making food. I don’t know how I’m going to?—”
My phone lit up on the kitchen island, vibrating insistently. Jack’s name flashed across the screen.
Paige’s expression shuttered instantly. Her whole body tensed, and I watched her retreat into that shell she had built around herself.
I didn’t answer. Just let it ring until it went to voicemail.
“Paige,” I said, swallowing the lump in my throat and turning to face her fully. I met her eyes, which looked fragile, and knew exactly what I had to do to tear her away from him forever.
“We should get engaged.”
4
YOU LOOK PERFECT
DEREK
Fuck. Did I have to ruin things so soon?
I moved too damn fast.
Paige blinked at me. Once. Twice. Her mouth opened, then closed. Lily chose that moment to grab a fistful of her hair, but Paige didn’t seem to notice.
“What?”
“Engaged,” I repeated the word, my heart hammering against my ribs. This isn’t how I had planned to say it. I hadn’t really planned it at all, but watching Jack’s name appear on my screen, seeing the way it hurt her, made me realize I was done waiting.
Done watching and done pretending I didn’t want this.
Her.
“You and me. Us. We should get engaged.”
She stared at me as if I had lost my mind. Which, to be fair, I probably had. But I’d also never been more certain of anything in my life.
“Derek, you can’t just—I mean, we’re not…” she trailed off, struggling for words as her face cycled through confusion and disbelief. “Why did you even suggest that?”
I turned off the stove and moved closer. Close enough that I could see the gold flecks in her hazel eyes, the way her pulse jumped at her throat.
“Because I’m not letting you go back to him,” I said, my voice firm. “Because you and Lily deserve better than what he has given you. And because…” I paused and took a deep breath. “Because he’d never think you’d get engaged to me, his friend, his best-man. Plus, it’d be the perfect revenge.”
