The Daughter In the Corner

Caress

Jenny groaned under Amara’s weight as they waited for the elevator door to open. “Girl, you got to go on a diet,” she muttered.

“Can I help you?”

Jenny turned towards the voice and found Derrick smiling down at her with his hands outstretched.

Jenny gasped a sigh of relief. “Yes please!”

Derrick stooped down and picked Amara up bridal style. “I’ll follow you,” he said with a gentle smile.

Jenny didn’t respond. Instead, she rolled her shoulders and started massaging her arms as they waited for the elevator.

The door opened and they both stepped in.

***

Hunter increased his speed as he made his way to the ballroom doors.

“Did you get diarrhea or something? What’s the rush?” Dillon raced after him.

Hunter sighed in exasperation. “Can’t you go to the bathroom on your own time? Why do you have to tag along?”

Dillon raised his brows and shrugged. “I had something I wanted to do but I didn’t want Peter to know.”

Hunter asked absently, not really interested in the answer, “What are you going to do?”

“Follow someone.”

Hunter frowned. “You too?”

Dillon raised an eyebrow and confirmed, “You’re not going to the bathroom either?”

Hunter held his tongue.

Dillon snorted under his breath. “Whatever, who am I to judge? I’m following uh… my sister. Who are you following?”

“A book fairy.”

Hunter laughed. “No way! Your childhood crush came today too?! What a small world!”

As they rounded the corner they saw the waiting area in front of the elevator was empty.

Hunter gnashed his teeth. “s**t! Where did they go?”

Dillon sighed and patted his friend on the back before he hit the elevator call button. “That’s too bad. You can come with me if you have nowhere to go. You remember that girl I’ve been telling you about? The one that used to visit our house all the time? I haven’t seen her in over ten years. If she’s not wasted, I’ll introduce you. She left with my sister earlier.”

Hunter frowned, feeling something was off. “Her name isn’t Amara, is it?”

Dillon froze and turned to his friend. “How…did you know?”

Hunter remained silent.

Dillon turned away and stared at the elevator doors with a look of shock on his face; his hands unwittingly clenched into tight fists when he realized they both had their eyes on the same girl.

***

Once Derrick deposited Amara on the bed he covered her gently with the bedcover before walking back to Jenny.

Jenny stood near the doorway of the bedroom, watching Derrick silently.

Derrick smiled at Jenny. “Well then, let’s go back. I’ll escort you.”

Jenny nodded and turned to walk away but her heels snagged onto the carpet and she stumbled.

“Whoa!” Derrick lept forward and caught Jenny before she banged her head on the doorframe. “Careful there,” he cooed.

Jenny got a whiff of Derrick’s musky cologne and blushed in his strong arms. “Thanks for catching me. I can manage on my own now.” She pushed against his chiseled chest and rocked out of his hold.

Derrick let her go reluctantly but Jenny stumbled once again; her shoe still caught.

“Hold on,” Derrick chuckled and bent down to release her shoe. He wrapped a warm hand around her ankle resting the side of his palm on the top of her foot and worked on releasing the heel with his other hand. Jenny trembled slightly under his touch.

When he finally wiggled her shoe loose he remained on the floor. Raising his head slowly, he gazed into her panicking eyes. His one hand was still holding her ankle while the other brushed up sensually against her skin trailing up her calf to the back of her knee.

Jenny felt her breath hitch and her eyes grew hazy with desire. Perhaps she had one too many glasses of champagne or she was still needy from her earlier daydreaming but at the moment, her body was aching to give in to Derrick’s advances. Derrick desired her and was wildly handsome. More importantly, he was caressing her, something she wanted Nathan to do.

Nathan!

Jenny jolted back to reality and stepped back, pulling her leg out of Derrick’s hold.

She cleared her throat, “Thank you for helping me. I’ll be heading down now.” She whirled around and walked quickly out of the room.

Derrick remained on the floor for a second longer, his eyes trained on her burning red ears. His lips curled into a small smile as he rose to follow.

She’s only engaged, not married and it looks like I still have a chance.

***

As Jenny rushed out of the room, she bumped into Dillon’s chest.

“Ack!”

Dillon shot out an arm and caught his sister around her waist. “Geez! Look where you’re going, sis!”

Jenny huffed and gave him a heavy smack across his chest. “You brat! What are you doing up here?” Still, she was grateful for his presence, it calmed her down to think rationally once more.

Dillon peered behind her into the open room. “Is Amara okay? I came to check on her.”

Jenny scowled and noticed another young man behind her brother. “She’s fine, just sleeping. It’s not appropriate for young men like you two to be near a sleeping woman so come down with me.”

Just as she spoke, Derrick emerged and walked up behind her.

Dillon and Hunter looked at him in shock. Derrick smiled offhandedly and gave a causal wave.

“Hey, guys. Don’t mind me. I’m just the porter.”

Dillon looked at his sister and jerked his head towards Derrick. “Who’s that?”

Hunter pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose. “That’s my brother, Derrick. If Amara is fine, then we’ll just go down and rejoin the party.” Without a second word, he turned on his heels and walked back to the elevator.

Jenny watched as Dillon hurried after Hunter and her eyes narrowed slightly.

Why would Dillon come to see Amara? Don’t tell me…

She turned her head to glance back in the room but her line of sight was blocked by Derrick’s broad chest.

“Do you want to continue where we left off?” he purred, his deep voice rumbling in his chest. Paired with his handsome face, it was his signature move to get under a woman’s dress. During his youth he was called the “Virgin Killer“ and his university days were no less exciting. He was the epitome of a casanova and he had never met a woman he couldn’t woo.

That was until today.

“No. Thank you for your help earlier but please come out so I can lock the door.”

Jenny waited until Derrick was in the hallway before she pulled the door shut and tried the handle to ensure it was locked. Without another glance in his direction, she walked to the elevator leaving a dazed Derrick in her wake.

Derrick grinned broadly and his eyes twinkled at the prospect of a good chase.

“Wait for me!” He called out and hurried after Jenny.

No one noticed the set of eyes watching them from around the corner.