There he was . . . in her house . . . underneath the sink and she was feeling herself get hot all of a sudden, and it was not a hot day.
He was laid on his back, with both hands above him, working underneath the sink. She tried to keep her eyes focused on what he was doing, but she couldn't help but notice his abs . . . How perfect they were, making it obvious that he worked out. When he came in, he quickly took off his jacket leaving a tight dark blue t-shirt underneath.
Because he had been working under her sink for a few minutes now, his shirt had ridden up a little to reveal the perfect stomach with a perfect amount of hair, not too much, not too little. He had also taken off his tool belt and laid it beside him to work and easily access his tools. She quickly took her eyes back up to his hands . . . his strong hands that held tools. His arms were strong, showing his muscles—one more thing that proved he definitely worked out on a regular basis.
Her eyes couldn't help but travel down to where his boxer briefs were showing . . . where his jeans had ridden downwards on his hips. She took a deep breath when she saw the trail of hair . . . that started at the spot his shirt had ridden up to down to where his boxers were on his lower stomach. She felt herself become even hotter thinking about where that trail lead to. . .
"Meredith, can you grab the socket wrench?" He asked while keeping his hands in place.
"Oh . . . um . . . what did you say?" She said, startled.
He looked up at her from underneath the sink and smiled at her, "Was the view distracting to you?"
"No. . . There is no view . . . not a view to look at – I don't know what you are talking about." She said rambling a little.
Derek immediately noticed she looked a little flushed and wondered why, "Meredith. . .Your sink is being torn into shreds . . . are you distracted by all of the parts lying out? I will be able to put them back together."
"Oh . . . um . . . yeah. . . you better be able to put it back together. What is it you needed?" She asked curiously, sighing relief that he thought she was talking about the parts to her sink all over.
"Actually I could use a screwdriver right now." He said.
She thought about this a second, a little confused, "You want a drink while you are fixing my sink?" Knowing she could use a drink herself.
He again peaked back up at her form underneath the sink, smiling widely and then it hits her . . . before he says anything she says, "Oh, that type of screwdriver. . . I guess, I am . . . well, I am a bit of a drinker or was a bit of a drinker, not so much anymore . . . so, anything that remotely sounds like a drink, that is my first thought. I guess that and I could use a drink right now. And now I am rambling and someone should just tell me to shut up." She took a deep breath, she knew she had to stop rambling, "Do you need a flat head or philip's screwdriver?"
He just looked at her, mesmerized by her. He couldn't get over how cute she was and the rambling . . . it was even cuter, "Philip's head . . . you know, the one that looks like a cross."
"I know what a Philip's head screwdriver is . . . do you think I am an idiot? You know, I have learned a thing or two since fixing up a house like this." She asked, trying to look annoyed while handing him the screwdriver.
"You are the one that thought I wanted a drink . . . that is all I am saying." He said laughing, but, abruptly stopping when he grabbed the screwdriver and accidentally grabbed her hand as well . . . they both stopped for a split second, both of them feeling the electric current that was flowing through each of their bodies.
Meredith quickly forced her hand away . . . while Derek took a deep breath trying to go back to doing his work quickly realizing he needed the socket wrench, "Thank you for the, um. . . screwdriver, but now, do you think you could get me that socket wrench?"
She wasn't sure if he really needed the tool or if he was just testing her to see if she knew her tools, but she was going to show him . . . She went over and picked up the socket wrench to give to him, "Anything else?"
From under the sink, he just shook his head and said, "Not right now, thank you."
She watched him skillfully take her sink apart, "I am going to get water, yeah . . . water . . . water would be good. Would you like a glass?" She was feeling herself getting warmer and warmer, unsure why. . .
"Water would be perfect, just perfect." Derek said, working away.
She fixed them water and sat Derek's down beside him, knowing he would drink some when he could. He finished getting the sink apart and got to the garbage disposal, taking it apart . . . out from underneath the kitchen counter. He was still sitting on the floor, because this could get messy.
It was now time for Meredith to have some fun with Derek, "Now that you have my sink lying all over my kitchen floor, do you know how to put that thing back together?"
He tried not to laugh because as he was taking her sink apart, it dawned on him he had never really fixed a garbage disposal or anything having to do with the sink. He had only helped his father with it once. . . He sighed . . . he had the garbage disposal apart and realized the motor was blown. . . "Meredith, you are going to need a new garbage disposal."
Meredith sighed, "Crap, I thought you were going to say that. I mean . . . it wouldn't even turn on. Guess this means another trip to Spencer's Hardware Store."
"Well, I hate to say it, but you know Spencer's is closed for the night." Derek reminded her, while standing up for the first time in an hour.
Meredith looked at her watch, seeing it was 5:15pm, "Damn, you are right. Small town . . . the town shuts down at 5:00." She said looking at the mess on her kitchen floor. She was used to a town that never shut down. She was starting to really like the small town of Laramie.
"I guess I will have to come back tomorrow to finish this." He said smiling, excited he would get to spend time again with her tomorrow, but not trying to let his excitement show through.
Meredith looked into his eyes, finding herself drawn to the idea of seeing him again tomorrow, "Oh . . . yeah. . . I guess so."
They stood looking at each other for a few seconds until Meredith broke the stare, "So, grilled cheese . . . I think I was promised some grill cheese sandwiches. I brought the soup and some cheesecake." Derek said smiling.
"Ummm. . . how did you know to get cheesecake?" Meredith said looking into the bag until Derek slapped her hand away.
"No, you have to eat first . . . this is the reward for the clean plate award." Derek said smiling.
"Then, maybe I should start the grilled cheese. . . I like desert." Meredith said raising her eyebrows, smiling, not even thinking about the hidden meaning of what she said.
Derek's mouth opened up in complete shock causing Meredith's smile to drop as quickly as it formed. They stood in an uncomfortable silence for what seemed like an eternity, but in reality was no more than 15 seconds.
Not breaking the intense look on their face, "Grilled Cheese, I should start . . . that."
"Yeah. . ." Derek said smiling at her knowing he wanted to close the distance between them and sweep her up for a kiss . . . but, fought every urge in his body knowing it wouldn't end well.
Meredith reluctantly broke the stare to gather the materials she needed, almost forgetting exactly where to start after staring at Derek . . . something she wasn't sure about.
Meredith started to butter the bread to get them ready and Derek followed suite without any directions . . . it was like he knew exactly what to do to help her. Once she got them on and cooking, she looked over to him, "Soup, you had soup. Would you like to warm it up?"
"Yeah." He said seeing Meredith already moving to get what he needed to warm it up . . . knowing exactly what to do without communicating it. They understood each other, having a conversation with each other without any words, like they had been doing this for years.
"This will be the best grilled cheese you have ever tasted." Meredith said as they sat down to eat.
"So, you keep telling me. I can't wait to try it." He said smiling at her, sitting across from her at the small, round kitchen table.
He took a bite as she watched him. He closed his eyes, surprised at how good it really was, "Meredith, this is great and not like the traditional white or wheat bread and American cheese."
"I told you . . . it is really the only thing I cook. Well, I guess you could say, I experimented since it was about all I cooked and found this to be the best . . . sourdough bread with pepper jack cheese." She said, getting a bite of her own sandwich.
"So, Meredith, tell me something about you." He stated, dipping his sandwich in the soup before taking the next bite.
Meredith shook her head, "Me, there is nothing to tell." She looked down to take a bite of her grilled cheese.
"Come on, Dr.Grey, there has to be something. . . Where did you grow up? What is your favorite color? You know the basics."
" Boston. . . I grew up in Boston, the home of the Red Sox and Lavender, I like lavender. It is my favorite color and scent. I love to sleep in on Sunday mornings and then, get up and do the crossword puzzle in the paper in my comfy chair, looking out of the window. My drink of choice . . . tequila, straight up . . . not any of the wussy stuff. Degree was from Dartmouth. Happy? That is all you get for now." She said surprised she gave him this much information.
He smiled . . . just knowing a few things about her made him want to get to know her more and more, "The Red Sox . . . you must be a baseball fan."
"A Red Sox Fan . . . is there any other type of fan anyone from Boston is a Red Sox fan?" She said causing both of them to laugh.
He didn't know how, but he had to find a way to spend more time with her. . . he could sit and talk to her for hours, she was easy to talk to. He also remembers the things his father told him the day before the scariest day of Derek's life, to be patient. . . "So, we need to get you a new garbage disposal, would you like me to come by tomorrow morning and pick you up so we can go to Spencer's to get you a new one?"
Meredith looked up at him. . . "No. . . I don't . . . I can't . . . we can't . . . no. You don't have to go shopping with me. . . I can do it. I am capable . . . without a man. . . I don't need . . ."
Derek looked at her a little shocked. He knew she was scared of something, he could see it in her eyes, but he wasn't quite sure what he had said to cause her mood to shift so quickly. He just wanted to help her, "Ok, Meredith. . . I just was . . . trying to help. If I went home and told my dad I left your kitchen like this and didn't go to get a new garbage disposal, he would kill me. . . you wouldn't want that would you?" He said tender, with a hint of playfulness, trying to ease the moment a little, but still concerned.
Meredith looked at him and sighed. She knew he was trying to help, but she wanted to do this . . . know she could do things on her own. She also knew William Shepherd would kill him. She looked at him and smiled, "Your dad would kill you wouldn't he and we wouldn't want that . . . I just. . . Derek, I . . . there are things . . . that are hard for me sometimes . . . you will have to bear with me, I am working hard to do things for myself and that is hard, but I am . . . trying . . . thank you for . . . helping. What time do you want to go in the morning?" Meredith said thinking the entire time in her head that is all he is doing, is helping a woman in need and that is all he is to her. . . a man to help her with this one project.
But, she couldn't help but think about the way she felt. . . when she saw him at the Shepherd dinner . . . last night at the grocery story . . . when she opened her door a few hours earlier . . . and how her body electrified just by a simple touch of his hand.