Just For You, Sir (Doms of Decadence) (6 page)

Didn’t help that she’d cut her caffeine intake down drastically.

Oh, baby, the things I do for you.
She patted her still flat belly with one hand, before slipping on her uniform. She didn’t regret a single thing she had to do to keep her and her baby safe, including hiding from her abusive husband. She hadn’t known she was pregnant when she’d run from Stephan, but she was extremely glad that she had left him. No way would her baby be raised by that bastard.

Pushing Stephan out of her mind, Jacey got to work.

Hours later, she stifled a yawn. There was another hour left of her shift and Derrick had yet to show up today. She forced down the wave of disappointment. It was for the best. Derrick had been at the diner every day that week, trying to convince her to go out on a date with him. So far, she had managed to turn him down. But she was weakening under all that sexy charm.

She couldn’t deny that she looked forward to seeing him each day.
It was crazy, she would be better off chasing him away, not dancing around like a giggling teenager every time she thought of him.

It wasn’t like she was ever going to take him up on his offer. She could never date
him; there were just too many obstacles in her path. Too many lies, like where she lived and who she really was. Oh, and then there was the fact that she had a husband she was on the run from and was ten weeks pregnant with his child.

Yeah, that’s so not
something you can just blurt out over dessert.

She’d tried to give him back the fifty dollars he’d left the first day. He’d taken it, only the next time he’d left one hundred dollars instead. Finally, she’d had to tell him that she
couldn’t be bought. From the look of shock on his face she’d realised that he hadn’t been thinking about her that way, which had eased her indignation. He’d stopped leaving such huge tips, although they were still generous.

No
, it was best if he gave up, no matter how much she enjoyed seeing him.

She placed a
heaping plate of sausages, biscuits and fried eggs in front of one of the regulars before heading over to clean the table of a group that had just left.

Tucking
the small tip into her apron, she cleaned up the mess they’d left. Balancing some plates on her arm, Jacey turned, coming to a stop with a gasp. The plates teetered on her arm. Large hands grasped the plates, before they ended up on the floor, taking them from her arm.

“Derrick, you scared me!”

He gave her a long look. “Sorry, love. I did say your name, but you seemed to be deep in thought.”

“Oh, right. Let me, umm, put these plates in the kitchen and I’ll come back to take your order.”

“Actually, I don’t have time to eat. I just wanted to speak to you for a moment.” He placed the dirty plates on the table and gestured for her to sit. Jacey glanced around; all of her customers seemed to be happy for the moment.

She sat.

Derrick reached across and took her hand, running his thumb over her knuckles. “I have to go away for a few days. I leave early tomorrow morning and I’m not sure when I’ll be back.”

“Oh, well
…ahh, have a good time.” There was that disappointment again. She was getting far too attached to him.

His lips twitche
d. “It’s business, love, not pleasure. Have dinner with me tonight, before I go.”

The temptation was so great. She knew she shouldn’t, but this might be the last time she saw him. She
really should move on. Staying in one place probably wasn’t a wise idea.

“I’m not sure…”

“Please, I’m begging.” He widened his eyes and she giggled. Derrick wasn’t a man who begged well. She figured he’d never had much practice.

“I don’t have anything to wear.”

“We’ll go wherever you like. You choose.”

Okay, maybe she could do this. She enjoyed being with him and she was lonely. A night out could be what she needed.

“I’ll meet you at the place where Cece had her accident. There’s a great Thai place around the corner.” It was cheap and she’d eaten there a couple of times when she couldn’t get into the shelter for a meal.

“I’ll pick you up.” He frowned.

She shook her head. “I’ll meet you or it’s no deal.”

“Okay, love, you drive a hard bargain. Seven tonight it is.”
He kissed her cheek, his lips lingering.

Jacey stood on the street corner, waiting for Derrick. She knew she was early, but each minute she waited, doubt and nerves settled in.

S
he shifted from one foot to another. What had she been thinking, agreeing to this? She had no business going out for dinner with anyone at the moment. She needed to keep her head down and concentrate on herself and the baby.

But Derrick
was hard to resist. She only hoped she wasn’t making the same mistakes all over again.

When she had first met Stephan,
there had been something about his take-charge attitude that had intrigued her. She’d thought him protective, caring, strong.

She had been so wrong.

Was she also wrong about Derrick? Could he be an asshole as well? Maybe all dominant men were? Maybe everything she had read about how protective and loving dominant men could be was really just fiction. Nerves bubbling, she turned to walk away. This was stupid.

“Jacey!”
Derrick called out.

She stopped, unable to ignore the command in his voice. Damn it. Turning, she watched
Derrick stride toward her, her throat dry. She swallowed, trying to find her voice. He was so handsome, he took her breath away.

He stopped in front of her, holding out his hand. Against her better judgment, she let him take her hand in his. Tingles of pleasure raced up her arm, her nipples instantly hardening.
Stephan had never had this effect on her.

“You weren’t leaving, were you?” he asked.

“N-no,” she stuttered.

He stared down at her knowingly. She thought she’d been getting better
at lying, but it seemed Derrick saw straight through her.

Then he smiled and letting go of her hand, held out his arm. She slipped her hand in the crook of his elbow.

“Good,” he said. “I have been looking forward to this all day. I would hate to be deprived of your company.”

“You’ll probably be disappointed. I’m not that interesting.”

“Hey. Look at me.”

Jacey glanced up at him.

“You could never disappoint me.”

Oh, if only he knew. But she gave him a small smile and straightened her shoulders. What was up with all this self-pity? Must be fatigue, she always grew more emotional when
ever she was tired.

“Let’s go eat. I’m starving.”
Derrick patted his stomach and Jacey snorted, leading him around the corner to the restaurant. It didn’t look like much from the outside, and she snuck a glance up at him as she steered him toward it.

Derrick’s e
xpression didn’t change, though. He just reached forward and opened the door.

“Ladies first.”

***

Jacey
chuckled as she and Derrick left the restaurant. She’d spent most of the evening laughing and eating. She felt pleasantly full and happy.

As
she stepped out onto the pavement, reality hit her. Derrick wasn’t hers. This was just a one-time thing.

And now she had to say goodbye.

“I had a really good night,” she said, stopping so she could face him. Who knew he’d have such a good sense of humor?

“T
hat sounds like you’re saying goodbye,” he murmured, cupping her cheek. “Let me drive you to your apartment. I’ll walk you to the door, we can neck for a bit and then once we’re all hot and bothered you can tell me goodbye.”

“Neck?” She giggled. “Nobody says neck anymore. I’m pretty sure that went out in the fifties.”

He shrugged good-naturedly. “I can be a bit old-fashioned.”

“Have long have you lived in the states?
”

She was changing the topic
, but he didn’t seem to mind.

“
Nearly 13 years, long enough for me to lose most of my accent.”

“Do you miss it?” she asked.

He looked off into the distance. “Sometimes.” A sad look crossed his face.

Jacey tugged on his hand. “Take me home with you.” It was incredibly bold. Something the old Jacey would never have done. But it wa
s time to embrace the new her, the Jacey that had escaped her abusive husband, who was trying to carve out a life for her and her baby. She was more determined and stronger than she had ever thought.

She could have refused a ride home with him. Could have
gotten him to drop her off at the same place as she had the other night, but she was lonely. She wanted just one night where she felt safe and happy. Derrick could give her that. She might not know him well, and her instincts about men had never been good, but right at that moment she was willing to throw caution away.

His eyes widened as he stared down at her.

“Are you sure?” he asked.

She nodded. “I’m sure.
Let’s go.”
Before I change my mind.

Thankfully, he
wrapped his arm around her waist and led her down the street to his car.

***

By the time, Derrick pulled up in front of his sprawling two-story home; he could tell that Jacey’s nerves were starting to get the better of her. She’d grown increasingly pale and her hands were clenched together on her lap. That backpack she carried with her everywhere was tightly pressed between her legs. One leg jiggled up and down as she looked nervously up at his house.

It didn’t seem like she had much, her clothes were worn, her backpack scruffy and well-used, so his house was likely
as intimidating as hell to her. Glancing up at it, he wondered if he shouldn’t have gone with something smaller. But he liked plenty of space and hated having neighbors pinning him in.

“Too much?” he asked.

Jacey turned to look at him. “What?”

Good, at least she was focused on him now.

“The house, is it too much? A bit gaudy?”

Her lips twitched. “
Gaudy?”

“What? Another word that went out in the fifties?”

“No.” She shook her head. “I think that one went out well before then.”

“Cheeky b
rat,” he told her with a grin. Reaching out he grabbed her hand. “Jacey, it’s just a house. I promise that nothing is going to happen here that you don’t want to happen. We can just go in and have a nightcap, maybe watch a movie. You can stay in the spare bedroom if you want or I can drive you home. It’s entirely—”

“Derrick,” she interrupted.

“Yes?”

“Shut up and kiss me
.” Leaning over, she grabbed his face between her hands and kissed him. He soon took over the kiss, thrusting his tongue between her lips. He drew her closer wanting to drink her in.

When he finally pulled back, they were both breathing deeply and his cock was pressed against his pants
, demanding release.

Jacey’s cheeks were red, her eyes dazed.

“Wow.”

“Yes,” he agreed
, trying to calm his racing heart. “Let’s take this inside.”

He kept a firm hold on her hand as he led her into his house,
as if he were afraid she might just disappear. She paused in the foyer to remove her shoes.

“Don’t worry about your shoes, love,” he told her.

Shrugging, she pushed them to the side. “Does anyone else live here?”

He shook his head. “I have a housekeeper, but
she lives offsite. Robert, my handyman, lives above the garage. Sometimes Holly stays, but not very often.”

“So this whole house is for you?”

“Yep, house, grounds, pool.”

“Oh
… you have a pool.”

He heard the longing in her voice. “Come,” he commanded
, pulling her through the large living area to the French doors that led out to the pool. Switching on the outdoor lights, he turned to face her.

Jacey’s face was filled with longing as she stared at the crystal waters. It was definitely
a warm enough night for a swim.

“Let’s go for a swim.”
He was already stripping off his shirt.

She shook her head. “I don’t have a bathing suit.”

“You have a bra and panties, same thing.” And she would have to stay here until they dried.

She watched him, seemingly riveted as he stripped down to his underwear. He was gratified by the way her eyes widened, her breathing quickening as she took note of h
is erection pressing against his underwear. Derrick let her look for a long moment before turning and diving into the pool. Maybe the water would help cool his raging libido.