The flame on the candle flickered blue briefly before settling into a warm yellow glow. Derek moved quickly to light the next tea light on the table, and then blew out the match. The scent of the sulfur from the match temporarily overwhelmed the aroma of the chicken marsala cooking inside, but he didn't mind. He liked the smell of matches. They reminded him of cookouts and camping and the many other outdoor activities that he loved. And now they reminded him of Meredith and candlelight dinners and bubble baths and the possibility of all the other things they could do in candlelight.
He expected her to arrive in any minute, and he surveyed the trailer looking for any last minute adjustments that needed to be made in anticipation of her homecoming. He had slept most of the day after returning to the trailer, and it had been a good sleep – a relaxed sleep that replenished all of the energy that seemed to evaporate in the previous weeks. He felt like his life was getting back on track, and that motivated him to spend his remaining day off doing all things domestic. He thoroughly cleaned the trailer, inside and out. He then went grocery shopping after realizing that Meredith probably wouldn't want Muesli and scotch for dinner, or breakfast, for that matter. He tried to remember all of her favorite foods and bought nearly a month's worth of groceries in the process. He also stopped off at a flower market for a bouquet of rich red roses mixed with white calla lilies. It was the first time that he had actually bought her flowers, and he hoped she would like them. He certainly enjoyed trying to spoil her, and today he would spare no expense.
Satisfied with his table-setting skills on the back porch, Derek returned to the kitchen to check on his simmering culinary masterpiece. It had been years since he'd really had a reason to go all out with cooking, but his time spent as an apprentice chef to his mother came back to him quickly as he floured the chicken tenders and sautéed them in butter and marsala wine. He knew Meredith would be surprised to learn that he knew how to cook more than oatmeal and trout.
The sound of Meredith's SUV tires rolling over gravel interrupted Derek's thoughts. He turned the stove settings down to low, and walked outside to meet her.
He watched as Meredith smiled at him from within her vehicle, and it made his heart race a little. He hadn't realized how much he had missed spending the day with her, and he tried to contain his nervous excitement as much as possible as he stepped off the porch toward her. She quickly parked and climbed out, a tote bag of clothes and a bottle of wine in tow.
"Hi," he greeted as he finally reached her. He took the tote bag from her hand and wrapped his arms around her, inhaling the scent of lavender as he buried his head in her hair. She was completely casual in blue jeans and a light blue button-down shirt, but she still looked exceptionally warm and inviting to him.
"Oh, I thought I'd never make it," Meredith sighed, relaxing into his embrace with relief. She ran her fingers through his hair before sliding them down the back of his black cashmere sweater.
"Rough day?" he asked. He used his empty hand to grasp hers and lead her towards the trailer.
"Yeah, kinda. Cristina's just being sorta impossible right now…" Meredith started as they walked into the trailer. "Wait a second…are you cooking something?"
Derek's eyes twinkled a little as he raised his eyebrows at the accusation.
"Yeah," he nodded. "You like marsala, right?"
"Um…yeah, of course…but you don't cook…" Meredith argued, confused.
"Correction – I haven't cooked for you. It doesn't mean that I can't. As you will see, this is yet another area that I am quite accomplished in. I just haven't had occasion to demonstrate my skills," he replied cockily before leaning in to deliver a long and lusty kiss to Meredith's lips.
She licked her lips anxiously, trying to catch her breath as he pulled away from her. He liked to leave her wanting more.
"What other skills have you been hiding from me?" she asked, arching her eyebrows as she eyed him quizzically.
"Be patient, Meredith, and I promise I will reveal many, many more skills that you can benefit from," he teased seductively before dropping her tote bag off on his bedroom dresser and returning to the stove.
A grin spread across Meredith's face as she watched him move through the confines of the trailer. His efforts to clean hadn't been lost on her, and she appreciated this new side of him. Derek, the brilliant, sexy neurosurgeon, and now, accomplished chef and all…hers…
She exhaled loudly, announcing the end of her daydreaming, before turning to chill the wine in the refrigerator.
"Geez, Derek," she laughed as she surveyed the contents of his typically empty fridge. "Did you leave anything in stock at the grocery store?" She worked at rearranging items to make room for her bottle of chardonnay.
"Yeah, I maybe went a little overboard," he acknowledged. "I just…didn't know how long you'd want to stay," he continued cautiously.
"Really?" she questioned, a little surprised. She gently closed the refrigerator door and walked up behind him. Her arms slid easily under his to hold him tightly as she rested her head against his back.
He leaned back against her, tilting his head slightly as he closed his eyes and inhaled with relief. He hadn't scared her away yet.
"Oh, Mere…" he whispered in long, drawn out syllables that sounded like a prayer leaving his lips.
"I love you," she sighed into his sweater, not letting him say anything else before she pulled away from him.
"I love you, too," he said, smiling. "You should go relax on the back porch. Dinner's pretty much ready. I'll bring it out, and then you can tell me about your day."
"Are you sure you don't need any help?" Meredith asked, wanting to linger with him a little longer.
"Go," he urged. "Tonight is about wining and dining you. I think I can handle bringing you food, even if it takes me a couple trips."
Feeling as though she needed to give him this opportunity to further demonstrate his domestic talents, Meredith retreated to the back porch.
It was dusk, and the sky swirled with pinks and blues and the faintest hints of stars. Crickets chirped in the yard, and the occasional breeze stirred up ripples on the lake. As Meredith collapsed into the patio chair's cushions, she was instantly reminded of all the reasons Derek loved this land. Despite being close to a major city, she felt like she was worlds away from Seattle, lingering in a small piece of paradise. Rather than the bright lights of skyscrapers and Space Needles, they had candles and fireflies and sunsets.
And flowers. Apparently, they had flowers.
Meredith studied the romantic table setting, taking in the careful placement of each item. The table was small and square, but large enough to fit the two of them comfortably. Several tea lights flickered in clear votive holders, and the flower arrangement sat neatly to the side of the table so their view of each other wouldn't be obstructed. The diligent planning that Derek must have taken impressed her, and she wondered why they hadn't had more dates like this.
She stood back up to lean into the lilies and roses, inhaling their fragrance.
"Do you like them?" Derek asked, startling Meredith a little since she hadn't heard him come out. He held two plates billowing with steam in his hands while a bottle of wine was pinched under his arm. A corkscrew angled out of the pocket of his blue jeans.
"They're beautiful," Meredith sighed, catching her breath. She smiled as she watched him set the swell of food in front of her.
"I'm glad," he said, returning her smile. "I didn't know if you'd like flowers or not. Sometimes they remind me a little of being back at the hospital, but I tried to find the most un-hospital-like arrangement I could."
"Thank you," she glowed, reaching out her hand to squeeze his. "They're perfect."
She sensed that he was slightly nervous about the evening – that they were heading into somewhat unfamiliar territory now that they had said so much to each other and made their intentions more clear. She didn't want him to feel like he was walking on egg shells around her, and she decided she would make a conscious effort to alleviate his fears.
Derek smiled and nodded, pleased that he had succeeded with the flower purchase. He then began uncorking the wine and pouring each of them a glass, watching the cool, blonde-colored chardonnay swirl the edges of the round stemware before settling to the bottom. He placed the remains of the bottle on the table next to the flowers and eased into his chair across from Meredith.
"What would you like to drink to?" he asked, picking up his wine glass.
"Hmmm…" Meredith grumbled as she reached for her own glass. She rolled her teeth over her lower lip a few times as she looked up in thought, searching her brain for just the right toast. "Let's drink to…" she began cautiously, a smile suddenly sweeping across her features as if she finally decided. "Let's drink to your many hidden talents…and the longest one night stand of my life…and fireflies. How cool are fireflies?"
Derek laughed, wondering if she even realized that she had been vocalizing those ideas.
"You realize that I only poured one glass for each of us. That's a lot to toast to," Derek teased as Meredith's face turned slightly pink.
"I know," she replied a little defensively. "It's just…I have a lot that I'm happy about tonight…lots to toast…"
"Me too," he confirmed. "To everything you said, and…to us," Derek announced, clinking his glass against Meredith's before taking a large sip.
Meredith followed, and then carefully picked up her knife and fork to sample her dinner. The steam wasn't as heavy as before, so she could easily see the pieces of sauce-covered chicken and mushrooms resting on a bed of linguine. A garlic roll and steamed broccoli sat on the periphery of her plate, glistening with a small amount of butter. It all looked and smelled so good, she wasn't sure where to start.
"So, what happened with Cristina today?" Derek asked, remembering the beginnings of their earlier conversation.
"Oh yeah, Cristina…" Meredith started, mouth full with food. "She's being difficult about apartments," Meredith continued, still chewing, "and this…," she swallowed, "…is the best marsala I've ever tasted. Wow! You cook. Who knew? Izzie will be so jealous when she finds out that she has competition for top chef. Seriously…" she rambled, tearing off another piece of chicken.
"Thanks," Derek replied, pleased with her reaction. He paused for a moment to watch her devour her food. "I'd ask you to tell me more, but I don't want you to choke," he teased.
Meredith looked up, realizing that her food was already half gone while his plate was barely touched. An embarrassed grin crept across her face as she set her utensils down and reached for her wine glass, letting the flavor linger in her mouth a moment before swallowing.
"Sorry," she shrugged.
"No, I take it as a compliment!" he reassured, laughing.
"So, Cristina…" she continued. "We went to dozens of apartments today, trying to find one that would work for her, and she hated all of them!"
Derek pursed his lips together in a frown and nodded, unsurprised. While he respected Cristina, he had never been terribly fond of her. She had a way of interfering in his relationship with Meredith that unnerved him, and this seemed to be her latest, more subtle effort.
"I love her, but I can't handle sharing a room with her much longer. She's taking over all of my stuff, and she's messy…really, really messy… and if she doesn't find a place soon, I don't know what I'm going to do," Meredith groaned, picking her fork back up to stab a spear of broccoli.
"So, stay here until she finds a place," Derek suggested casually. He regarded her carefully as he waited for her reply.
"I guess, but that's not ideal either," she replied, watching him slink back with disappointment. "I mean, I want us to stay together, but the trailer is small. You don't want me to bring all of my stuff here to make it more cramped. And the commute is longer. That's no good with the hours that I have to work," she argued. "Plus, who knows how long it will take Cris to find a place if I'm not there to nag her. She might just get a little too comfortable if she thinks I'm moving out here."
Derek nodded, slightly disappointed by the reasonableness of her response. The trailer was small. It was perfect when it was just him, but the experience of sharing it with Addison had made him realize that he would need to get a bigger place if cohabitation ever became a long term reality. The few times he and Meredith had tried staying at the trailer before hadn't been so bad since it was just a couple of nights here and there. Most of the time, they stayed at Meredith's. But he knew that if she was actually living with him, she would bring much more than a tote bag. He also knew that he would likely try to take the ferry with her everyday so they could spend their commuting time together, and that would mean more hours at the hospital for him. He would essentially have to settle into a resident's schedule instead of an attending's.
There was no doubt that the proposal was filled with downsides, but he couldn't help but remain a little hopeful.
"Well, you are welcome to stay here whenever you like and for however long you want," he concluded, trying not to come across as pouting too much.
"Thanks," Meredith replied, feeling slightly guilty. She definitely wanted to stay with him, but she appreciated all of the animosity that Addison had felt towards the trailer. It was charming in small doses, but claustrophobia-inducing over long stints. "We'll see how tonight goes before making any final decisions," she encouraged mischievously, hoping that he understood that her hesitation had everything to do with location and nothing to do with him.
"Am I at least off to a good start?" Derek asked, hopeful.
"Very," Meredith assured. She kicked her shoe off and slid her foot across to Derek's leg, stroking it playfully. An impish grin lit up her face as she resumed eating, knowing that they'd both be going out of their way to make each other happy this evening.
Meredith consumed another serving and a half of the chicken marsala and several more glasses of wine before surrendering to a self-described "food coma." Eventually the cool night air seeped beneath her skin, motivating her to return inside. She blew out the candles as Derek collected the dishes, and she followed him through the trailer door.
"That…was…so…good…" Meredith groaned. She was a little drunk from all of the wine, a fact she didn't realize until she stood up.
"I'm glad you liked it. I thought there would be enough left over to take in for lunch tomorrow, but I guess not," he teased.
"Yeah, I guess it's a good thing you have enough food in your place to feed a small army," Meredith shot back.
She began filling the sink with hot water and dish soap in an attempt to clean up the remaining dishes. There weren't many left to wash since Derek had already done several while he cooked.
"I can get this later, Mere. Just relax," he encouraged, brushing away her hair to expose the nape of her neck. He leaned in and feathered it with soft kisses that gave her goosebumps.
"It's okay," she swooned. "There aren't that many."
"Suit yourself," he said, pulling back abruptly.
Meredith groaned, already missing his touch as she worked her way through the dishes. Derek cycled through the trailer, cleaning up various items that had been pulled out for dinner before picking up a towel to help dry.
"Thank you," Meredith whispered, reaching for the sauté pan and a scrub pad.
"For what? Drying dishes?" Derek asked, slightly confused.
"No, for…for everything. For this – tonight, and last night, and putting up with me long enough for me to figure out how much I want this." Meredith's eyes brimmed slightly with tears as she looked up at him, gauging his reaction.
Derek finished toweling a plate before setting it down and reaching for Meredith's face. He gently tangled his fingers in her hair.
"I love you," he said, kissing her softly on the forehead. "There is nothing that I wouldn't do to make you happy, and you…"
He kissed her again, moving his lips lower to her cheek.
"…are…"
Another kiss along her jawline.
"well…worth…the…wait…"
The trail of kisses continued until he found her lips and met them passionately, allowing his tongue to plunge inside her mouth hungrily.
She dropped the pan in the sink and reached her arms around him, not even noticing that her hands were dripping with suds as they slid into the back pockets of his jeans. She grabbed him firmly and pulled his body towards her, cementing their bodies together.
"I think the dishes can wait a while," he insisted, pulling away from her lips briefly before moving them down her neck.
"Yeah, I guess so," she agreed, tilting her head back as she shuffled her feet backwards toward his bed, dragging him along with her. Her eyes were closed and the room was spinning a little from the wine, so she didn't even notice when she reached the bed. Instead, she stumbled and fell back onto it, surprising both of them as she pulled him on top of her.
Derek grunted a little in amusement, and then resumed kissing her collarbone. His skilled hands worked their way down the buttons of her shirt, carefully undoing each one with the quick precision that only a neurosurgeon could execute. His lips followed the trail to explore the newly exposed territories of her body.
Meredith moaned anxiously and arched her body towards him, hoping to feel more. She slid her hands around to the front of his pants, frantically trying to undo his button-fly jeans so she could touch him…taste him…feel…him…
"These jeans are so hard to get off of you!" Meredith pouted, wishing that the buttons could be replaced by a standard up-down zipper. Frustrated that she couldn't get a good enough angle to finish undoing his pants, Meredith pushed him off of her and sat up, leaving him wide-eyed in her wake.
"What are you…" Derek growled, intensely following her movements with his indigo-colored eyes.
Meredith stood up and walked to the foot of the bed, pulling Derek down towards her so that his legs dangled over the edge. She then reached for the two remaining buttons, undoing them quickly, before pulling his jeans and boxers off his body to leave him exposed to her.
"Mere, let me…" He sat up, reaching for her, but she pushed him back down, a little aggressively.
"No. It's my turn to do something for you," she insisted. She finished taking her shirt off and hovered over him in her jeans and bra.
"Okay," he agreed. She slowly traced her fingertips over the insides of his thighs, teasing him as she knelt down at the foot of the bed in front of him. She kissed his thighs, dancing patterns on it with her tongue as she allowed her hands to slide up his hip bone.
Derek hissed a little as her hands continued working their way north, under his shirt, without touching the part of him that wanted to be touched most.
She tugged gently on his shirt, signaling that she wanted him to take it off.
He quickly sat up and complied, throwing the sweater and white undershirt to a far corner of the room. He leaned forward and ran his fingers through her hair, hoping to nudge her head in the right direction.
She batted his hands away playfully.
"I said no…lean back, or I'll stop completely!"
Derek obliged, whimpering slightly as he collapsed back into a pile of pillows.
"Now, where was I…" Meredith placed both hands on his hips and slowly, slowly, slowly dragged her tongue along his shaft before circling its head and working her way back down.
Derek gasped at the thrill of her attention, straining a little as he ached to be touched more.
Meredith continued caressing him with her tongue while teasing the underside of his balls with her fingertips. She cupped them in her hand, tugging gently as he moaned. She used her other hand to grip the base of his erection, and pulled on it with firm strokes that ran the length of him.
"Oh, god, Mere…don't…stop…" he growled.
"I won't," she said, licking her lips. She hovered over him, making eye contact briefly, before taking him in her mouth. Her jaw strained a little as she worked to fit him inside, but she enjoyed the challenge. She moved her entire body in a slow and steady rhythm, bobbing her head up and down on him.
Derek clutched the blanket he was laying on with both hands, piling it into his fists as he fought to maintain some semblance of control over his body. His hips bucked up into her mouth involuntarily, and his eyes rolled back as he enjoyed the sensations Meredith sent rippling through every inch of his body.
Meredith relaxed a little more and picked up her pace slightly. She used her hands to touch the places her mouth couldn't reach, and she felt herself getting wetter as she anticipated how he would reciprocate.
"No…don't…I…not yet…" he panted, forcing his body to settle as he pushed Meredith away. He was dangerously close to coming, and he wasn't ready for it to end.
Meredith pulled back, wiping away a small bit of saliva that had dribbled from her mouth. "Do you want to finish inside me?" she asked, eyes blazing with desire.
"Yes," he pleaded desperately.
Meredith stood up and stripped off her remaining clothes while Derek slid back towards the headboard, never taking his eyes off her. Her body was flushed and warm, and as she removed her bra he could see that her nipples were fully erect.
She crawled onto the bed, slithering her limber body up against him as she leaned towards his lips. She smiled at him mischievously before kissing him passionately – a momentary distraction from the leg she swung over his body to straddle him. Without warning, she lowered her body on top of him, enveloping his throbbing cock in one swift movement.
Derek's eyes opened in surprise, and a startled moan escaped his lips.
"Shhh…" Meredith urged, gently lifting a finger to his lips as their bodies moved against each other. "I want to make you happy," she sighed, breathing into his ear as her whole body pressed against him.
"You…do…" he murmured. His hands slid down her body, pausing temporarily on her breasts, before working down to her hips. He gripped them nimbly in his strong hands and began raising and lowering her against his own frantically bucking hips.
Meredith moaned with pleasure as she repositioned herself to be sitting upright. She tilted her head back, and her long brown hair danced down her back as she maintained their rhythm.
Derek delighted in the full view of Meredith's body and watched as her breasts bounced heavily in front of him. He slid one hand lower down her leg, placing his thumb against her clit to coax her to pound against him harder.
"Ohhhh…" she yelled at the extra stimulation. She quickened her pace, grinding and gripping him inside her until neither could stand it anymore.
Derek grunted anxiously as Meredith constricted her muscles on him, pushing him over the edge. He emitted one long groan as he pulsed inside her, quivering with spasms that overtook his entire body. The sensation of it all caused Meredith to climax almost simultaneously, and she screamed wildly before collapsing on top of him.
The two laid still and silent, fighting to steady their heartbeats and catch their breath. Eventually, Meredith rolled off of him, no longer able to handle the warmth of his body.
"Mere, that was…" Derek started.
"…intense…" Meredith finished. She gazed up at the skylight over their bed. She hadn't noticed until now that it was raining outside, and the water created a steady cadence against the roof of the trailer.
"I love you," he whispered, turning towards her. He gently swept a few stray hairs away from her face as he watched her linger in her post-orgasmic glow. She met his eyes and smiled at him.
"I'll never get tired of hearing that," she murmured, somewhat in awe.
"And I'll never get tired of saying it," he replied softly. He leaned over to kiss her one last lingering time, and then turned out the light.