Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I don't own anything and sadly I don't own the Chap Stick brand which is one of my favorite things in the world. le sigh.

"What do you mean you'll help me?" Casey asked with a genuine look of confusion on her face.

"You know," he shrugged uncomfortably "help you" he scratched the back of his neck and tried to avoid Casey's eyes. WHY had he suggested that in the first place? It was like an unknown part of him had sprung up from deep inside (and he didn't even think that he had a deep inside) and made him say it. As Derek wondered what had made him want to help her, Casey realized that if she had been anyone else, she would think that he was trying to pick her up. Wait a minute…?

All of the sudden her jaw went slack and she found that she was unable to speak.

"Are you telling me, that you want to help me become better at kissing so that I'll be able to make out with my boyfriend, a guy that you hate, and make fun of me for dating?"

"Well when you put it like that, you make it seem so cheap."

Casey sighed. She still couldn't believe the crap that Derek was spewing to her. This had to be some sort of sick, karmic joke that the universe was playing on her. Either that or Derek REALLY hated her and wanted to make a complete fool out of her. She was tired of feeling so inadequate with the opposite sex and she had told Derek that but now he was throwing it back in her face again. It wasn't fair and frankly, it wasn't nice.

"Look Derek, I understand that 99 percent of the time, I'm a huge joke to you, but I didn't think that I was this amusing to you. So if you don't mind, I would appreciate if you would just leave." This time it was Derek who gaped at Casey who turned her back to him as she resumed doing what he assumed was her homework. How dare she just assume that he was making fun of her when he wasn't? Leave it to Casey to not see the one time that he WASN'T kidding. Why wasn't he kidding anyway? Why did he want to help her so much? And how exactly did he plan to go about helping her? The obvious method was well…obvious…but then again there was the issue of him not being attracted to her and the fact that it was wrong. But as he watched her slouched over her homework completing god knows what assignment days ahead of time, Derek became frustrated with her for choosing to sit in the rut in her life. Leave it to Casey to want to stick to what's safe. And damn her for having the nerve to look really attractive while looking nerdy and keenish.

In that moment, realizing that Casey was choosing "safe" really pissed Derek off. It pissed him off more than he had ever been towards her before. Even the time when she passed the driving test before he did. Though a little voice in the back of his head (that he never understood or listened to) told him that he was being irrational and not really making sense, Derek acted out, and gave Casey the surprise of her life.

He was really starting to bug her. She had turned her back SIGNIFYING that the conversation was over and that he should take the hint and leave, but did he take it? No. It's Derek, so of course he didn't. He just stood like a fool near her bed and breathed heavily like he was congested. Just when Casey was about to turn around and ask him if he needed a tissue or a map to figure his way out of the room, he surprised her by grabbing her under the arms and yanking her to her feet. Before she could speak, he shushed her by saying "just shut up for once and go with the flow" and silenced her with his lips.

For once in her life, Casey complied and just absorbed for a moment. The feel of his lips on hers was new and he seemed to be just as surprised as she until the warmth and taste spread and she felt that she could no longer keep her eyes open. When Derek noticed this change, his heart sped up and he pulled her closer so that the lines of her body molded to his. He was almost worried about the kiss overall until he felt a tiny flutter of movement against his lips. Then he realized, she's kissing back! And decided that it was time to change the tempo of the kiss.

Casey sucked in a breath as she felt Derek shift against her and pull her down onto his lap on her bed. Since when had they moved from her desk? And since when had her arms moved around to grip his shoulders? Though she knew she shouldn't be thinking at all, Casey couldn't help but notice that kissing Derek was completely different from kissing Max or anyone else for that matter. He was gentle and rough at the same time and it was completely fitting of his personality. Then again, if this was truly Derek, then this sweetness of kissing was sure to end badly somehow.

He was really starting to enjoy himself when Casey tugged her kissable lips from his. In that moment, he wanted nothing more than to pout because he really felt like a little kid who had just had candy taken away from him. He wanted his candy back. "Come on Casey, what gives?"

"Derek!" he winced as he heard her familiar screech in close proximity. She was still sitting on his lap and he had neglected to put distance between them as a safety precaution. He decided to settle for staring at her flushed cheeks and cleavage as she yelled at him from his lap. "Are you listening to me? Derek! My eyes are… for the love of God!" she yanked his chin up from where he was contentedly admiring her chest.

"You were saying?" he drawled in typical, lazy Derek fashion. He really didn't see the problem with this like she did. Who knew she was such a good kisser? Who knew that he would unexpectedly think she was so hot? He had always thought that she was somewhat attractive but her ability to annoy the hell out of him had always over powered that feeling… until now. Now she just annoyed him but he knew he could shut her up by kissing her.

"We don't like each other Derek! And we're step siblings with very impressionable siblings down the hall. This just reeks of trouble and more trouble Derek. And did I mention how irresponsible this issmpphmmmm." Derek cut off her last word with his lips and fulfilled the idea that had been buzzing around in his brain. Yep, he could definitely shut her up with his lips now. It was a very good plan.

Casey couldn't think. She was thinking obviously, but she was thinking about how she couldn't think. His lips were so soft. After all of the junk that spewed out of them on a daily basis, he had the softest lips imaginable for a boy. Did he use Chap Stick a lot? Derek groaned then and startled her as he pulled her even closer to him so that he could wrap his arms around her completely. Mmmm this feels good she thought as he pseudo hugged her while nibbling on her lips and begging entrance into her mouth. When Casey didn't comply like anyone else normally would, Derek began to get a little frustrated. Her eyes were half closed and she seemed to be out of it as she let him do whatever and continued to meet his mouth in simple, eager kisses. Then he remembered that this was Casey he was dealing with. The whole reason he started "helping" her was because she wasn't doing such a good job at the whole making out thing with Max. Derek remembered, then groaned, Shit, Max.

"Casey, we need to talk." Casey's eyes snapped opened at Derek's words. Since when did he want to talk? The warm fuzziness that had filled her mind like cotton disappeared and she suddenly felt cold even though their bodies were still closely meshed together. "We need to discuss the terms of this arrangement and the transaction that will occur." Did he really need to make it seem like such a business deal and like something that had to do with money? To make matters worse, in a twisted, humorous sort of way, he made the whole event sound vaguely like a prostitution deal.

"This isn't a prostitution deal, Derek." Casey snorted when Derek's cheeks slightly flushed.

"That's not what I meant. I just meant that we need to have clear guidelines because you have a boyfriend and I have my… well you know. Prospects."

"That's what you call your sluts? You call them your prospects? That's even more degrading than usual for you."

"Can you please stop insulting me for 5 minutes so I can actually talk? I'm trying to actually be responsible in this really twisted situation because up until a half hour ago, I never ever, ever, ever would have dreamed of placing my lips anywhere near yours, much less be offering to help make your "skills" better."

"Oh, that's really sweet coming from the boy who didn't seem to mind making out with me 5 minutes ago."

"Okay, can we not argue? For some crazy reason, I don't mind even though you still have the power to frustrate the hell out of me. But at least now we know we have one thing we can do together that's fun. And plus, you need the practice if you want to actually impress Maxi-Pad." Casey inserted a protest at Derek's name for her boyfriend but let him continue to speak when he covered her mouth with his hand. "Back to the ground rules: Number 1. Nothing about our relationship changes, we still fight, we still hate each other, etc. Number 2. No telling anyone! You cannot tell your little gal pal Emily. I do not want her stalking me even more than she already does."

"Get over yourself Derek, she has Sheldon. And I agree to the rules. Why would I want to break either of them? It's not like I want to get along with you either."

Derek held out his hand awkwardly to seal the deal not knowing what the protocol was in these situations. "Good."

"Good" She shook back. What had she just done? More importantly, what did all of this mean!?

Okay so that was kind of a suck-y update, but that chapter was more of a transition chapter since I now know where I want this story to go exactly. So enjoy and review, review, review! I should have the next update up really soon because I am going to buckle down and start to draft it up now. Hopefully you guys like where this is going so far.

Thanks, Facts vs. Romance 3