Chapter 5

Addison's POV

"Hello, Addison?" His voice was hesitant and strong at the same time, and I felt as if time had stood still. My fingers gripped the phone and my face grew warm as I realized that Derek was on the other end of the line.

I looked at Amelia and mouthed, "Oh my God, oh my God" to her several times.

"Addison?" he repeated, and I shook my head, trying to get over my shock.

"Yes," I said in a prim voice, sounding like some Victorian matron from an old black-and-white movie.

"It's Derek," he said in a husky voice, and I swear to God that I would have started jumping up and down if Link hadn't been sitting in the same room as me, looking very bemused.

"Who?" I said childishly, and I saw Link rolling his eyes.

"Derek Shepherd, Amelia's brother."

"Oh, hi, Derek. How are you?" I said stiffly as I grinned at Amelia who was grinning back at me. Link was looking back and forth at our expressions with an even more bemused look, and I knew he was thinking to himself that it didn't take much to make us happy.

"I'm good." Derek cleared his throat. "I was just calling to see if Amelia is okay?"

"Amy?" I said stiffly. Huh? What was he talking about?

"Yeah, I tried texting her a couple of days ago, and she hasn't responded, so I figured I would check with you."

"She's fine," I said and put my finger up to my lips as I looked at Amelia. "Hold one second, please," I said quickly and pressed mute. "It's Derek. He said he's tried contacting you and you haven't answered," I whispered to Amelia and she frowned.

"Uh, no." She shook her head. "What is he talking about? I just spoke to him this morning."

"Oh." I shrugged my shoulders. "So, he's lying? Should I tell him you're here with me now?"

"Yeah." Amelia nodded. "Tell him that I'm here and that I said I spoke to him this morning."

"Okay." I was about to unmute when Link shook his head and sighed.

"Do you two have absolutely no clue?" He stood up and walked toward me. "That's still on mute?"

"Yes." I nodded.

"Good." He stopped in front of me and his eyes pierced mine. "Listen to me carefully. Do not tell Derek that you know that he's lying. He used that as an excuse to call you. You should be thanking your lucky stars, not accusing him of lying." He shook his head and looked back at Amelia.

"I have no idea where you are getting your advice from." He turned back to look at me. "Get back on the phone and ask him something. Be nice. Be sweet. Be happy to hear from him. Don't accuse him of lying. Don't have an attitude. Don't talk about kissing Mark or seducing him when you were sixteen. Stick to topics that are safe for now. Do you hear me?"

"Yes." I nodded meekly.

"I don't know why he's calling you," he said with a serious face. "Maybe he got hit in the head and likes you."

"Babe!" Amelia screeched.

"I'm sorry." He laughed and looked at her "But really, I think I got hit in the head as well."

"Who's that?" She frowned.

"Cause I'm dating you." He grinned at her, and she just shook her head and mumbled something. "But you know I love you. That's why I'm letting you move in with me."

"What?" I froze and looked at Link and then Amelia's pink face. "You're moving in with him?"

"Oh, boy." He bit his lower lip and stepped back. "You didn't tell her?" He looked at Amelia and she glared at him.

"I'm sorry, Addison. I was going to tell you. And it's not for—"

"We'll talk later." I made a face at her and then unmuted the phone. "Sorry about that," I sang into the phone, my heart racing as I thought about Amelia moving out.

"That's okay," Derek said stiffly. "Where did you go?"

"I had another call," I lied. "I just got asked out on a date."

"Oh?"

"Yeah, this guy I met last weekend. His name is Jake," I said and I could see Link rolling his eyes as if he couldn't believe I was going down the lying road again.

"Jake Reilly?" Derek asked and I laughed.

"I didn't say that you called me."

"That's good."

"Oh?"

"Yeah." He laughed. "He might not like you getting calls from guys, even if they're just friends."

"Oh yeah," I said, suddenly deflated. "That's true."

"Anyway, I also just wanted to see if you were okay."

"Okay?"

"After our Facebook chat the other day," he said kindly. "I wasn't sure if I'd upset you."

"Why would I be upset?" I squeaked out.

"I realize we've never really spoken about that night," he said awkwardly. "And I wanted to apologize for what happened."

"You wanted to apologize to me?" I said stiffly. The moment felt surreal, and then the room started to spin. How was it that he was calling to talk about that night just when I was talking about that night as well?

"I should have known better." He sighed. "I shouldn't have let it continue once I knew."

"Once you knew what?" I said softly, my face burning in shame.

"Once I knew it was you in my bed."

"You knew?" My jaw dropped. "Before the morning?" Excitement and hope ran through my veins at his words.

"Of course, I knew, Addison." His voice was husky. "How could I not have known?"

"But ..." My voice trailed off "I didn't know you knew before the morning."

"I wasn't proud of myself." He sighed. "But yes, I knew." He cleared his throat. "I knew as soon as you got into the bed and wrapped your arms around my chest. I knew as soon as you walked into the bedroom. I could smell your strawberry fragrance hanging in the air as soon as the door opened."

"I, uh—I don't know what to say," I squeaked out. I loved that strawberry spray and the matching strawberry lotion. I'd worn them both so much that my mom had asked me if I wanted to move to a strawberry patch.

"I shouldn't have brought it up. I just wanted to make sure you were okay," he said softly. "I know we're older now and we had some awkwardness recently, but I wanted to reach out and let you know that I consider you a part of the family, Addison, and I hope you know that."

"Thanks," I said softly, my head spinning. I was so confused. Why was he calling me? Did he like me or not? And what did he think about that night we'd spent together? Did he ever think about it? And did he ever think about me? Did he wish that he could have another night with me? Or did he wish that he could have many more nights with me?

"Anyway, I should go now," he said cheerfully. "Tell Amy to text me back or call me when you see her. I hope to see you soon."

"Where are you going?" I said, knowing I sounded pitiful, but I didn't want the conversation to end.

"I have a date," he said. "I'm taking her to an exhibit." He groaned. "Don't I sound boring?"

"No," I said lightly as my heart lurched.

"You're too sweet, Addie," he said, his voice sounding sexy as hell. "I just hope Meredith enjoys it."

"Meredith Grey?" I said, unable to stop myself.

"Yes, how did you know?" He sounded surprised.

"Good guess," I said and then sighed. "But I have to go. Talk to you soon."

"Oh, okay. Bye, Addie," he said softly, and I hung up. I looked at Amelia and Link and I knew that I looked like a sad case because that was how I felt—really sad and sorry for myself.

"What's wrong?" Amelia jumped up and ran toward me. "What did my stupid brother say? God help me, but I'll kill him if he was a jerk."

"He has a date," I said softly, my voice cracking.

"You did just tell him another guy had called you," Link said and closed his mouth as Amelia glared at him.

"Oh, no." She rubbed my shoulder.

"And he knew it was me that night." I rubbed my forehead and then sank into the couch. "He knew it was me before the next morning," I said again in a daze. "I can't believe it." I shook my head and my mind went back to that night six years ago, the night that had been both the best and worst in my life.

The night that I was determined to experience again. Only this time I was a woman and I sure wasn't going to sneak out of the room the next morning with anything other than a grin and a well-loved body.

"So, what are you going to do?" Amelia said, her eyes wide with shock.

"I don't know," I groaned. And I wasn't sure. "I guess I'll start by joining the flag football team."

"Hold that thought, I'm going to get us some drinks." Amelia jumped up and hurried out of the living room. I nodded at her and sat back and closed my eyes, my heart still thudding from my call with Derek.

"So, I need to talk to you." Link moved closer to me on the couch as Amy left the room. My heart raced as his voice lowered, and I felt him next to me. What was he doing? Was he going to make a move on me? What sort of woman did he think I was? Did he think I was going to let him come on to me when he was dating my best friend?

"About?" I looked up at him warily, and his green eyes looked amused as he gazed at me. Oh God, please don't tell me you want me to experience your miracle tongue as well, please do not make me have to slap you.

"What are you thinking, Addison?" he said softly, a small smile on his face as I glared at him.

"Amy is my best friend, and I will tell her if you do anything inappropriate." I made a face at him and then took a deep breath. "And then she'll leave you, and you'll—"

"Addison." He cut me off as he rolled his eyes. He looked as if he wanted to laugh at me. "I need to tell you something, and I don't want Amelia to hear. Not because I'm trying to hit on you, but because I don't want to make her uncomfortable."

"Uncomfortable how?" I asked him suspiciously.

"It's about Derek."

"What about Derek?" I frowned and leaned forward as my heart raced. What did he have to tell me about Derek that he couldn't say in front of Amelia?

"I think Derek is a Dom."

"Say what?" My eyes widened as he spoke.

"I think Derek Shepherd is a Dominant."

"What?" I screeched as I stared at him. My face was reddening as I thought about Derek with a whip in his hand and me lying across his lap. Wait, could that even work? And would I even want him to use a whip? I chewed on my lower lip as my mind raced. Maybe I'd just be on his lap and he could use his hand. Yes, that was preferable to a whip.

"A Dominant is someone who takes a superior position in the bedroom and—" Link interrupted my thoughts, and I blushed as a dart of embarrassed heat spread through my body.

"I know what a Dom is." My face reddened. "I've been around town, you know." Well, I've kind of been around town. I've never been with a guy that was into much experimental play, not that I haven't tried, but, well, it's just never worked out for me.

"Okay, Addison," Link answered me smugly.

"Why do you think he's a Dom?" I asked him curiously, my heart racing quickly again, this time in excitement. Had Derek told Link that he wanted me to be his submissive? I wasn't sure what I'd say to that. I'm not exactly the submissive type. I think I talk too much and I don't take orders well. I like to order men around. Especially in the bedroom; I like to let a man know what I want very clearly.

"Shh." Yifan shook his head. "Keep your voice down. I don't want Amelia to know."

"Why not?"

"Would you want to know if your brother was a Dom?"

"I don't have a brother." I shrugged.

"Would you want to know if Amy was a Dom or a sub?"

"She would tell me." I shrugged again and then grinned at him. "We share all of that information."

"Hmmm." He frowned for a second and then shook his head. "Well, I don't think that this is something Amelia wants to think about her brother doing."

"What?" I laughed. "Spanking women?" I winked, and I was almost positive that I'd made Link blush. I had said spanking on purpose, of course. Amelia had told me that Link had a penchant for giving her a quick spank before doing doggy style, though I wasn't going to tell him I knew that. Not in an even more obvious way, anyway. I wasn't sure that he'd be happy knowing I knew intimate details about their sex lives. At least not if the frown on his face was any indication.

"I don't know what he does exactly." Link grinned. "But it seems like you would be into that, huh?"

"Into what?" I frowned and looked down, not wanting him to see the eagerness on my face.

"The kinky stuff," he said with a light in his eyes. "Maybe that's a way for you to entice him," he said tenderly. "Let him know you're down for experimenting."

"Ooh." I nodded thoughtfully. Maybe Link had a point. Maybe Derek was being wary because he didn't know if I'd be interested in getting down and dirty in all sorts of different ways. Maybe I needed to show him I could be a sub. Not that I'd make a great one, but I could try. And maybe I could be a great one. It was great, after all. And I had skills. Though, I didn't know if the skills I had were the sorts of skills I needed to be a sub.

I wondered what I would have to wear as a sub. Would he have me in leather chaps? Would he expect me to wear nipple clamps? I cringed as I thought about the pain, I'd feel wearing nipple clamps. The sex had better be good if I was going to wear nipple clamps. I'd have to look them up online or maybe even go to a sex store.

I'd convince Amelia to go with me. Maybe I could pick up a sexy outfit or some toys that I'd casually let Derek see the next time I saw him. I could let some handcuffs fall out of my bag the next time I saw him or something.

"Addison, you, okay?" Link's voice sounded concerned, and I looked up at him with an apologetic smile.

"Sorry, I spaced out a little bit." I shook my head to clear my thoughts. I was getting carried away already. Even if it was only in my mind. I couldn't wait to speak to Amelia about what Link had told me.

Though I wouldn't tell him that I was going to tell her. I'm not sure what Link was thinking, but how could he possibly think I wasn't going to tell Amelia? We told each other everything. There was no way I was keeping this to myself. I was going to let Derek see that I could be the best sub he could ask for, and Amelia was going to help me.

"That's okay." He looked at me uncertainly "I hope I didn't shock you with the news."

"Oh, not at all." I smiled sweetly, my mind racing. Link hadn't shocked me at all. He'd just given me the perfect idea to try and get Derek once and for all.