Pulling up to the gates of Derek's house I slow down as I come down the driveway after the gate opened.
It felt weird being the only one aside from Derek's seemingly never present parents to be here.
He had told me a few moments earlier when I told him I was a minute out, that they were here.
Getting to the round motor court area outside the front door I neatly parked, and got out before grabbing my overnight bag and walking to the front door now in much more appropriate clothing to be meeting a friend and his parents.
As I got to the door I lifted my hand to knock but the door sprung open and I was met by a blonde woman who seemed awfully happy to see me.
"You must be Scarlett, right?" she says with a smile across her face.
She was pretty, seeming youthful aside from the small amount of wrinkling by her eyes, but aside from that she couldn't be any older then forty.
"Yes" I say not making a move to step inside even though the woman in front of me was of similar statue to myself and there was more then enough room should I decide to.
"Mom, let the poor girl inside" Derek says with a sigh. He was in plain white jeans and a matching T-shirt that made the black ink of his tattoos all the more clear.
I liked his tattoos they were a contrast against the white, and I'd definitely traced them when bored before. Just neither of us pushed anything with the other even if I wanted it.
"Well then, come in dear" she says moving aside so that I could step inside before shutting the door and locking it.
"Scarlett this is my mom Trishanne".
"Just call me Trish, it's faster" Trish says with another one of her welcoming smiles and I am allowed a look at what the house looks like clean, since the last time I was half asleep still.
"This is a lovely house you have" I say looking back at Trish.
"Thank you" she says wandering into the living room where her husband is sitting with his legs crossed with the remote resting in his lap.
"Kieran" the man looks up at Trish. He's thick bearded, though it's neatly trimmed, and crystal blue eyes look out at me and Derek who followed his mom into the living room.
"Derek, is this that girl you couldn't stop talking about" Kieran teases his son, and Derek smiles in embarrassment.
"Maybe" he exhales, and I find it endearing.
"So the bad boy has a soft side" I add to the teasing and he gives me a look that said 'really'.
"And they say stay away from dangerous men" Kieran remarks as what seemed like some sort of war movie played.
"You are one, someone with controlled aggression, it's exactly what most girls want. Unless they like controlling their man which some like on both sides. I'm just not one of them" Trish says as she walked into the kitchen to continue cooking a mean that was filling the house with herbal aromas from the seasoned food in front of her.
Looking at them for a brief moment I was reminded of the Winters siblings parents. Adrian gave off power and confidence, there were also stories that backed this that were public. Olivia was also a protector for her kids but Adrian was often more then willing to risk himself for his friends and family which made him a prime example.
Guess he passed that to Nathan.
I'd seen Nathan fight, and he didn't back down, he accepted what he did, and made short work of making it clear that he meant what he did. He controlled his emotions. Props to Olivia for having the more matured version as a husband and a softened version of how Adrian at Nathan's age for a son.
"I'm not as bad as my wife just made me out to be" Kieran says giving Trish a look like he had expected her to have said what she did.
"You aren't as intimidating as other businessmen who's kids I've met. Not to be impolite, that was supposed to be reassuring" I say in an attempt to save myself once I realized how that likely sounded to a man who I'm sure was in a similar influence sphere to my own family.
"I'm not at all offended. Also an example being... I'm curious now" the bearded man prys, rubbing his jaw in a way that would seem thoughtful, but it struck me as vetting.
"Adrian Winters. Nicholas Harrington, my dad even has a bit of a reputation" I say, and I see curiousity at the first and last examples.
"I won't dig, but I'll just say Adrian and this family have mild history, good history actually. Also who is your dad, I may have business with him?" Kieran asks.
"Kennith Louviere" I answer and he nods slowly before he went to say something but Trish cuts him off.
"You two go off, spend time together that is why you are here. I'll come get you both when food is ready" Trish says, and Derek and I exchange a glance before leaving the room to go upstairs.
"I've never seen them act like that, both welcoming but also slightly worried" Derek says looking at me as we walked down the hallway, out of earshot of his parents.
"Why'd they be worried".
"Maybe your dad and them don't agree on something, or had a quarrel. That kinda seemed like when they looked worried, I don't know for certain" he stresses.
"So you're not the only child that's kept in the dark of their parents dirty, or dark history" I remark.
"Apparently, probably something that will eventually be cleared up through a drink" Derek sighs before opening the door to his room.
Isn't this...
I quickly turn around to see he's smiling and looking plainly amused.
"This is your room?" I ask for confirmation, sucking in a breath as I do so.
"Yes, I didn't want to wake you on the night you fell asleep in here so I slept in one of the guest rooms. One of the one's where someone didn't get fucked in".
I felt embarrassed. He had been nice to me and yet barely into having met him I stole his bedroom because I got trashed.
"I'm sorry" I say as we both stepped into the room, and he just laughs lightly.
"It's fine" he says, "I actually thought it was funny in the moment. Mostly I'm just glad someone else aside from me thought this bed was comfortable".
"I mean I slept good when I was in it" I admit and he gives me a soft warm smile. One that seemed like the sun could be behind it.
He looked like he was debating something and I desperately wanted to know what it was.
"Derek, you're thinking, what is it?" I ask and he meets my eyes.
He then stepped closer to me and the general proximity wasn't what made my heart start racing or my breath catch in my throat it was the tender look he gave me as he gently cupped the side of my face using his forefinger to correct a piece of hair by my ear.
"I would like to kiss you Scarlett, I've wanted to for a while, kinda the reason I invited you over".
"Okay" I say giving him a smile as reassurance because I didn't really know what to say.
He then leaned down slowly, cautiously even which didn't help the speed that my heart was going. Especially since it showed that he was as nervous as I was.
When he got close enough I shut my eyes and leaned up using the back of his neck as support to close the distance between our lips.
His were soft, and passion filled. It was both euphoric but comforting kissing him.
"I'd like you to be my girlfriend Scarlett, I know that's sudden but you don't take shit and don't let people use you. And I definitely don't want you thinking I'm trying to use you".
"Well if you did, I'd kick your ass" I say quasi teasingly and he just shakes his head.
"You're a different kind of girl Scarlett, I'll give you that" he says.
"I haven't answered your question" I say giving him a smile.
"Well don't tease me, now".
"Yes, Derek, I will be your girlfriend. But you have to be my boyfriend in exchange".
"I will be" he says before I lean up and kiss him again.
"Just for good measure".
Derek let's out a laugh, before looking to my bag which he'd been carrying until we got to his room and now it sat by the doorframe.
"I'll let you pick a room" he says walking over to it and picking it up while he led me off down the rest of the hallway to a quaint room. Which I found to be the nicest.
"This one will work" I say looking around at the simple decorations.
"Alright, I'll go check on how food is going" Derek says before leaving me to organize all of my things for the night.
That's today's update tomorrow's will be fun to write because as usual things get complex. Not that it isn't already. Comment, vote, and share. Anyways
Peace✌️