Flesh: Part Seven (The Flesh Series Book 7) Read Online Free Page A

at my desk and turn my computer on. As soon
as I log in to my email, I see a message from Lucian asking me to
come over tonight. Inwardly, I sigh. It's always so hard to face him,
even when I have good resolve to stay away. There's little doubt in
my mind that he'll advance on me again. I should probably spend the
day mentally preparing myself for it.
    Derrick must be
super embarrassed about what happened over the weekend because he
doesn't even speak to me until lunch. I get the feeling that if we
didn't regularly eat together, he might have avoided me for the
entire day. The thought kind of hurts, but at the same time, I
understand. His confession was pretty brazen. And that kiss...
    "Hey, sugar
lips." His eyes fall to my lips as he greets me, but there's a
strange emptiness behind them.
    "Hey, studly,"
I tease, then realize that probably wasn't the best thing to say. I
don't want to make him feel any more awkward than I'm sure he already
does. "Are we going out to eat today or staying in?"
    "I brought my
lunch." He holds up a brown paper bag. "Want to eat in my
car?"
    It's a strange
request. We usually either eat in the small lunch room provided at
Environ Design or at one of our desks.
    "Why don't we
just eat here?" I move some papers off of my desk so that we'll
have room.
    "I'd kind of
like to talk to you." His eyes shift towards Tyra's office.
    "Alright,"
I hesitate, figuring that he remembers what he did and wants to
apologize for it. There's no need for that though. Carefully, I reach
out to take his hand, smiling at him softly. "We don't need to
talk about things, Derrick. It's alright. I understand."
    "No, you
don't." He shakes his head and pulls his hand away from me to
rake it through his hair. Stress is apparent on his face, and it's
starting to make my worry.
    "We can go out
to your car then." I nod before gathering my lunch and bottled
water and following him out the door.
    The inside of his
car is cozy, and it smells like his cologne. I sink into the seat and
immediately begin unwrapping the sandwich I brought for lunch. In the
small space, there doesn't seem to be much air, but I know that's
only the tension between us starting to get to me.
    "I think we
should talk." Derrick stares straight forward. His voice is all
seriousness.
    "Okay. Talk."
    He turns to me,
commanding my attention. What he says next is entirely unexpected,
and it takes my breath away. "I love you, Amy Underwood. I'm in
love with you. I think I've loved you for a very long time."
    My cheeks
immediately flush bright pink, and my appetite fades away from the
conviction in his words. I don't know how to respond.
    His gaze falls to
the space between us, and he chews his bottom lip for a moment. "Are
you going to see Reddick today?"
    "Mhm," I
squeak.
    "I want to come
with you."
    "You can't."
I shake my head. The thought of him demanding to come with me sends
my heart into a fluttered panic, and I don't know why. "As long
as Lucian is still under contract, I want to try to keep things cool
with him."
    "I don't want
you to be alone with him again." Derrick looks back up at me,
his tone firm.
    I sigh, trying to
find some way to explain myself without offending him. "This is
bigger than both of us, Derrick. Keeping Lucian Reddick as a client
is important for the entire company. We could really make a lot of
money if he stays on until the end."
    "I don't care."
His shoulders slump a bit. "I don't care about Lucian Reddick. I
don't care about the money. All I care about is you. I don't want you
to have to suffer through what he puts you through, and I damn sure
don't want him advancing on you again. Just the thought of it makes
me..." He turns his face away from me.
    "Angry?" I
duck down a bit, trying to catch his gaze.
    "Jealous,"
he corrects me. "I know you're attracted to him, and I can't
blame you for that. But he's hurt you. He's hurting you. I want that
to stop. I want to make it better."
    My chest floods with
warmth from his words. He wants to