(A/N) Thank you so much for all the reviews, favorites and follows. They make my day. I am so glad that you have come back to read my story. I hope you are enjoying. Thanks again!
Disclaimer: I do not own smash!
Derek's lips were like soft pillows of cashmere brushing against Karen's and sending shivers down her spine. In that spilt second she felt every emotion transferring from Derek to her. She felt passion, caring, and maybe even love. The kiss was far more than anything she expected from Derek. The kiss was not at all lustful which was a pleasant surprise for the fragile young woman. On that very moment she felt everything that she had ever longed to feel. Every emotion that she could handle. And suddenly it was over. Derek pulled away and searched her eyes. She was at a lost for words.
"What was that for?" She said trying to mask all the feelings elicited by his kiss.
"I thought I saw sugar, on you lips." Derek chuckled, he was relaxed around Karen.
"Sugar? I haven't even used sugar." she smiled at his corny attempt at a joke.
"Well your lips tasted sweet. Nevertheless I am going to get out of this kitchen before I get in anymore trouble." Derek shook his head. Still holding Karen's waist and staring at her lovingly.
"I thought we were cooking" she said motioning between the two of them.
" Well love, that was before you told me to get out of your kitchen. " He smiled slyly and walked across his apartment to his living room.
"Ugh. That is very typical of a Director, boss people around but never do the hard work" Karen smiled as she yelled across the room trying to arouse a response from him.
"Just like a star to neglect to realize how much work it takes to direct someone" He just laughed back as the expression of confusion and defeat that ran across her face.
Her mind was racing as started to cook the food. Derek had kissed her! She didn't know if she should rejoice or head for the hills. Derek had been so charming and a complete gentleman. But she couldn't understand why. Was this truly how he wooed all of his stars. Was this the reason they fell so seamlessly for his charms. Karen tried to recall the behavior he exhibited with Ivy. He was endearing at times, and he kissed her on the cheeks. But that was really the only thing kind he did for her. They weren't seen frolicking in the halls, nor eating lunch together. And Ivy would have bragged all around town if he would have took her on a date. So could his interactions with Karen being a display of genuine feelings. And if they were, how would this changed the dynamic of their relationship. Derek was a serious older man, who might not enjoy the free spirited, fun-loving woman as much as he did Ivy. But then again she wasn't in a competition with Ivy. Ivy always made it seem that way, but they were too talented and beautiful woman. Their paths had crossed, and there was nothing they could do about it in this small world of Broadway, but that didn't meant they had to hate each other. Even though Ivy so clearly hated Karen. She looked over at Derek and was surprised to see him laughing at some video on his laptop. She thought for sure he would be buried up to his chin in notes about the production. However he was just relaxing, legs propped up on the table, laughing.
Within that hour Karen prepared a dinner for Derek. She poured her soul into that meal. Cooking was one of the one skills that she felt comfortable portraying to others. She sautéed a medley of vegetables in olive oil. She plated them along with the strip steaks and a serving a garlic mashed potatoes. She smiled at the two plates sitting on the table. She was so impressed with her spread that she took out her phone and snapped a picture.
"It really does look lovely." He whispered as he reached past her and grabbed a string bean out of the pan.
"Excuse you" she said swating at his hand .
"What? I thought you were cooking for taste, not for show" he dodged her second attempt to slap his wrist while grabbing another vegetable out of the pan.
"If you want to wash your hands we can eat." Karen was starving herself. She couldn't remember the last time she ate anything substantial. She hadn't been able to after Dev.
They began to eat their meal in a silence that was fairly akward. There was so much to be said, and Karen didn't know where to start.
"This is really good! You are an amazing cook." Derek had mumbled with a mouthful.
"Thanks, those are my talents cooking, and singing." she said delighted at the compliment.
"I'm sure those aren't your only talents love. We'll have plenty of time to discover the rest of them" he didn't realize how much his words implied until they feel from his lips.
"So why did you leave Boston?" The question was direct coming from Karen. "Why are you here Mr. Wills?" she said lacksidasically licking the potatoes from her fork.
"I could ask you the same love" Derek continued. "I was looking for my Marilyn." he laughed half lying. Him being away from the production had nothing to do with Marilyn or Bombshell.
"Oh," she replied meekly.
"So Ms. Cartwright, are you going to tell me why you fled the scene?" Derek was trying to pry an answer out of her. he spoke softly.
"I just needed to take care of a few things" she was speaking evasively.
"Karen," he paused staring deep into her eyes "I want you to trust me." he stated simply, more afraid that she would shut down.
"I...I do." Karen replied turning away from his gaze and staring at her plate.
"Well then, what's going on with you love?" he touched her hand to give her reassurance.
"The other day when we got back to the hotel, my room was completely trashed. And I was really freaked out. I started to leave, but I saw Dev's jacket on the table. I thought he was trying to apologize for his behavior, but he" her words started to trail off, her body was shaking.
"He took his life." Derek stated with a knowing look gracing his features.
"Yes, and he left me a suicide note saying that I had ruined his life. That my Broadway career and my feelings for you were ultimately his deciding factor." Karen was crying as she recalled the intimate details of that letter.
"Bloody Hell. What a prick, I can't believe he would do that to you." Derek was flushed and angry. If he could travel to the after life just to bring Dev back and kill him again he would. He took a moment to wipe her tears.
"He wasn't mean in the letter, he was very loving actually." she turned her head to the side and gazed at Derek taking in all of his emotions. "It's okay" she tried to break the tension.
"No it's not Karen. You don't get it do you? He left you with one last selfish act. You will have to live the rest of your life with that heartbreak, with that vision. And he wanted it that way." he was monotone as he spoke trying to conceal his growing outrage.
"I didn't think of it that way. That's a sick thing to do."
"Damn right it is. He killed himself in your hotel room, leaving you to clean up the mess. When is the last time your were able to get a nights sleep?" his eyebrows raised, although he was pretty sure he knew the answer.
"I haven't" she exclaimed as realization dawned upon her.
"Exactly. He didn't want you to. That was his plan." Derek paused for a moment and softened his tone as he noticed the tears streaming steadily from her eyes. "Darling, I am so sorry." He kissed her cheek and helped her wipe her tears away.
Karen suddenly felt guilty about feeling so deeply for Derek. She looked at him and spoke directly. "Why are you being so nice to me Derek?" She asked intently.
" I like you" he simply stated,"but I think I have made that clear." he smiled, a wide and happy smile showcasing his beautifully white teeth.
"Why Derek, you don't know me. What makes me different than Ivy or Rebecca, or any of the women before them?" Karen shocked herself with her outburst of questioning.
He ran his hand through his head and exhaled with slight annoyance. "Oh bloody hell Karen! Wait, I deserve that. I have been quite promiscuous in my day. " he shot a glare towards Karen to see her reaction.
"but I have always been honest. And I am going to be honest with you Karen. I like you. I am not sure why, it coud be your beautiful smile, your incredible voice, your crazy sex appeal, or your silly personality. I can't put a finger on what it is...It's just you I guess. I can stop if you'd like, or at least I'll try. " he chuckled satisfied that he put a smile on the young womans face.
"Thanks. I really like you too. I just don't want to be hurt again." Karen was nervous and confident all in the same sentence.
"You will be darling. But that is the beauty of life. The bad days make the good ones that much better."
'Do you have any idea how not good you can be at convincing me?" Karen chuckled.
"Well love, I am a director, once you have reached me, I don't have to convince you, simply, direct." he fired his words as a retort to her comment earlier.
There was a brief moment of silence as Karen still rambled through thoughts in her head. She thought to ask Derek about Ivy. ABout his relationship with her, and how that might affect them. She didn't want to trigger an outrageous director spat. She also didn't want him to see her as a naive little girl. That is the last thing she wanted him to see her as. Karen chose to see the best in people. She believed people should behave in a certain way. That didn't make her dumb to the world. She thought about her brother's death and how she had a brief battle with depression. She didn't want to go through that again, which is why she remained so positive. Maybe she wouldn't ask Derek about Ivy.
"You want to know about my relationship with Ivy?" Derek's words cut through the silence.
"Only if you want to talk about it." Karen's mind danced trying to recall if she had said something out loud.
"Darling, I don't think you will be happy until we do. But, I don't want this to become a recurring topic of discussion." he was serious. " So what do you want to know?" he said crossing his arms over his chest as if to block himself from the ego blow he would receive.
"Are you still seeing her?" Karen had to asked.
"No." his answer was less than satisfactory for Karen.
"No, that's it? Why aren't you seeing her? And don't say 'it's because of you love' that would be so cliché" Karen gave a small smirk, but was serious about the context of her words.
"Karen, do you think I'd really say something that horrible? I work in the theater you know? Although that line may have worked. How bout it, its because of you love." he chuckled as she tried to stab his hand with her fork.
"Derek!" she rolled her eyes at him.
"Ok, here we go." sighing once again he looked out the corner of his eye. "I told you, it was strictly professional. When I want to see a woman, she'll know." his tone hinted towards his slight annoyance.
"I was just asking. I thought I should be aware if she had another reason to hate me." she stood up collecting both of their empty plates and took them to the sink.
"Someone is always going to hate you. That's the business we're in. You will never be able to stop someone from hating you, so why worry about it?" he met her at the sink.
"But Ivy-" she started.
"Ivy doesn't matter Karen. She will always be around, is that going to stop you from being Karen? No... Now would you like to talk about where you are taking me on our second date?" his eyes softened at the end of his sentence.
"When was our first date. And what gives you the impression that i will be taking you on the second? " she was elated as she sat on his counter.
"I kissed you, which makes this a date." he cocked his head to the side and continued "Do you sit on every kitchen counter you come in contact with?"
"No, but you acknowledged that this was my kitchen. So I will sent on any counter I want. Anyways, I am old fashioned."
"So I'll have to wait three dates until sex?" he couldn't help but grin.
"No silly. It means you should take me on a real date. And you will have to wait a ot longer than that...That is if you make it that long." she winked at him as she hoped down to finish cleaning up the mess in the kitchen.
"Oh I think I will. Thanks for dinner, I'll take care of desert." he sled his hand across the small of her back and strutted to the living room.
Karens palms started to sweat. She was nervous, and rightfully so. Being in her director's house after dark wasn't exactly professional. She watched as Derek made his way out of the kitchen, and onto his phone in the living room. Karen eyed him, his long, toned body and his brilliantly placed facial features. He was definitely a catch. She couldn't help but wonder what it felt like to be with him. She wanted to be taken down by Derek, but she didn't want to be considered slutty. She didn't want to be another notch in his belt. What a belt that must be. He must have explored the inner most parts of hundreds of women. What would make her any different. She'd known how to work her hips, tongue and other utensils of arousal, but what if she couldn't please him. Then she shook her head as if she could knock the thought right out of her ear, but it didn't work. She couldn't help think about the times they shared in the rehearsal studio dancing and touching. He's always said she was afraid. But the reality was she was attracted to him. Each touch made her tingle, and the sensation of the breath against her neck drove her crazy, so she avoided him. But now there was nothing in the way. There were no boyfriends, girlfriends, ,or studios full of people, just them.
"Karen are you coming in here?" he yelled across the room shattering her thought.
She walked over to the living and sat in the love seat nest to the couch.
"You can move closer love, I promise I wont jump your bones." he was so good at reading her thoughts it was scary. "Now about that dessert." he looked up at her eyes hungry. He reached into his pocket, and Karen felt her heart stop for a moment. She didn't know if he was being presumptuous and pulling out a condom. But she was shocked to see he pulled out two jolly ranchers. "here you go love." he smiled a devilish smile.
"This is your idea of dessert?" she snatched the jolly rancher out of his hand. "I like it!" she said expression changing to that of content.
"So what exactly is the plan going forward? I suppose you'd like to stay away from Boston." his speculation was accurate.
"I guess i just want to focus on getting an apartment. I could barely afford my half of the rent in my old apartment. Which is why I went back to the cafe." Karen's eye contact began to dwindle to a mere glance or two.
"Well I guess we will have to figure that out tomorrow morning, but I don't want you going back to some slum motel. You will sleep here tonight." Derek's tone held authority, Karen knew she couldn't deny him .
"but-" she tried to interject.
"You can sleep in my guess room. You'll be safe there." he yawned as he spoke.
"Better hit the hay, we'll be busy in the morning." Derek said as he leaned in and kissed Karen on the cheek. She shuddered at his touch.
she followed him up the stairs and towards the guest.
"Goodnight Derek" she whispered.
'Ms. Cartwright" he turned and vanished down the hall.
Karen was amazed by the guest bedroom, it was nothing like the rest of the house. Surely someone else had to design it. It was actually feminine. The covers were white with purple lilies and the room smelled of lavender. The bed was plush and had an abundance of different pillows covering the head of the bed. Karen dove into the bed and laughed.
After getting settled, Karen realized how lonely the room was. She didn't want to be alone. She wondered if Derek had ventured back down stairs to do work. Why didn't he want to stay up with her longer. They had so many things they could talk about. So many things Karen wanted to know. She decided to get up and tip toed through the hallway searching for Derek's room. he had a large apartment, which was odd because he was a bachelor. Karen stumbled in the dark down the hall when she ran right into his chest. It seemed that Derek was planted in the hallway. It startled Karen, and she let out a gasp.
"You scared the crap out of me." She said trying to gather her breath.
"I hope it's not on my carpet." he teased.
"Shut up Derek!" she pushed his shoulder and watched as he pretended to be hurt.
"I was coming to see if you wanted to sleep with me" they said in unison.
"No fair, I asked first." Karen said as she blushed. She was happy the dark hallway hid her cheeks.
"My bed is bigger, and I don't want you to be tempted." Derek said as he led her down the
hall towards his room.
Karen got into her directors bed, and laughed at the irony.
"Whats so funny Ms. Cartwright?" he inquired seriously .
"Nothing. It's just a few months ago you were dying to get me into your bed. And now here I am" she tucked herself under his blanket.
"Well then I guess the rules are right." Derek said as he slipped off his shirt. Karen felt her cheeks begin to heat up. His chest was covered in hair, and his body was screaming a manly and robust language calling for Karen to explore. She resisted.
"What rules?" she stated through a yawn.
"The rule says I win" Derek laid down in the bed careful not to touch Karen. She wanted him to.
"That's good I am going to have to use that." she said yawning again. The nights of not sleeping were catching up with her.
"But the rule says I win." he exclaimed.
"I know, I win." she said as she unexpectedly snuggled against her chest.
"Darling, what am I going to do with you?" he ran his fingers through her soft chestnut hair.
Derek's hand felt so good running through her hair. She felt so secure with him. There was a short silence and before she knew it she was sleep.
I realize that most of my chapters in with Karen sleeping, sorry. it's the only way I can stop my self from writing more dialect because I love these characters.
But as always please review and follow my story if you are so inclined. Constructive criticism is welcome and much appreciated!