Beauty & the Brit —Chapter 22 **PATRONS ONLY! ** (Patreon)

WE'RE ALMOST TO THE END OF THIS STORY'S RESIDENCY ON PATREON! This is one of the last chapters that will be posted to Patreon before I keep the rest of the novel a secret until its publication as a whole!

So, enjoy my lovely Patrons and please leave some feedback!

Love, Britt xoxo

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO: A TURNED PAGE

Was last night real? It was truly hard to tell. Had last night been the most magical night of her life? Paige couldn’t tell.

It wasn’t until she finally saw Derick that she tried to confirm silently in her mind the truth.

“Good morning,” he gushed, hesitating for a fraction of a second afterward and seeming shy enough in his delivery that Paige had to conclude: yes it all had been real.

“Good morning,” she blushed, smiling back at him as they stood together posed at the bottom of the staircase.

It was then that Derick went for it, and kissed her cheek. She felt her heart screaming and leaping around in her chest in happy excitement so much so that she barely heard the question, “How’d you sleep?”

“Good. Great. Yeah,” she stammered, “You?”

“Eh yeah, well, no,” he stuttered back, “Honestly I felt like...like… my brain was awake and my body was alive and I… That sounds daft,” he laughed nervously.

“I understand, don’t worry,” she reassured and he visibly relaxed.

“Shall we? Breakfast?” He hesitated again then held out his arm and she laughed softly and took it, being led to breakfast by her gentleman host.

The air seemed electric between them at breakfast as both were so giddy and happy over finally crossing that line of friendship to a new intimacy last night by kissing and spending the evening of the gala in each other’s arms. They couldn’t now seem to figure out what to do with themselves. It was like watching two shy, lovesick teenagers and it was heartwarming to behold.

Both Paige and Derick’s former chemistry was still there but now tinged with more laughter, more hesitation and a bit of teasing and poking fun. Once they both realized they were really trying not to be so excited and nervous, things seemed to settle and they became more relaxed with one another again.

With a kiss to her hand and Paige’s keeping his in hers for the last part of their meal, there was an unspoken acceptance and comfort now in their newly advanced camaraderie. Their seemingly natural friendship was slipping easily into romance and both of them felt peaceful with that now that the nerves had dissipated away from not wanting to be too eager about it in front of the other.

“So what’s on the agenda today?” she asked curiously, sipping her apple juice without letting go of Derick’s hand in her own.

The man shrugged. “Well I have no more galas or events until next Thursday I think so we’ve got a few days to just…” She saw his cheeks blushed as his mind no doubt went through possibilities with her that were not on the proverbial table before.

Before this could make her nervous he seemed to speak his mind—probably because he knew she could see the heat of his blush, “To just get used to this hand-holding and… perhaps stealing a kiss here or there. M-maybe a date, if...if this is something… If you’ll let me,” he exhaled, voice quavering from his bashfulness.

The fact that he was nervous about asking her out properly even though they’d shared what she considered a bit of a date last night because they had kissed made Paige feel quite relieved. Derick wasn’t desensitized to asking someone out. He wasn’t confident or cocky (not like someone else she was happy to forget from back home) and instead he seemed so shy and nervous that he almost seemed inexperienced. It was endearing but it was also a relief. She too wasn’t used to being asked out or dating.

So to have such a dreamy guy who she still couldn’t believe she had even a chance of forming a friendship with never mind a romantic relationship with be nervous to ask her out despite already kissing her made Paige all the more in love with Derick DeBurgh and feel less self-conscious about what she perceived as her own inadequacies.

“I’d love a date,” she found herself whispering and his face lit up like a Christmas tree.

“Great! Brilliant! Uh… Well, I don’t want to rush into— Sorry I don’t want to seem so keen but… I’m glad the idea appeals to you,” he concluded with measured elation. She had to smile back. “Well where should we go? And when?”

“You’re asking me!?” she laughed, “I only know what you’ve shown me so far.”

“Sorry. Well, I don’t know whether there’s a place you’d… If there is anywhere you’d like to go… have dreamt to go…”

“Even if I had something in mind I trust your judgement,” Paige told him, “I think with your track record so far of showing me around I’m going to enjoy myself no matter what and no matter where we go.” I feel safe in your hands she kept unspoken.

He looked shy for a fraction of a second at her compliment before he blurted, “London Dungeon it is!” and then laughed nervously at his awful joke which made Paige burst out into amused laughter, easing Derick immensely.

“That gives opportunity for hand-holding and close contact,” she pointed out gently, “I think you know what you’re doing, suggesting that place under the guise of a joke. No doubt anticipating me to be cowering in your arms and you given the opportunity to be my valiant saviour!” she teased.

“You’ve sniffed me out,” he joked back. “Question is if you will allow it knowing what you do.”

“I’m tempted,” she mused —though the idea made her heart thud faster in excitement and anticipation. Being in Derick’s embrace was certainly not low on her list of things she desired now, especially because it was a real possibility after what had occurred last night.

Their kiss had made way for all the things they might now do as a budding couple and she was nervously looking forward to it.

He was too.

No longer did they have to hide their flirtation, no longer did they have to hesitate about any physical contact or closeness. Or, at least in Derick’s mind he was now free to ask to engage such contact without feeling as though he were crossing some line because they had been only friends. Last night had shown that she felt an inkling of the same thing back towards him; he wasn’t alone in fancying her —she fancied him back. They both quietly considered themselves lucky.

“Oh I do admit I have work commitments this week,” Derick announced ruefully. “As much as it pains me to say, you’ll have to be a bit on your own for a couple of days or half-days this week.”

“Oh gosh don’t worry about it!” Paige dismissed, “There is plenty for me to do, as you well know,” she exclaimed and he smiled with relief of her excitement and understanding.

“I’ll be happy to recommend anything or go with you before I get dropped off or come back to The Manor with you at the end of the day. O-or meet up with you if need be,” he added on, thinking of their possible dates and dinner dates that he’d wanted to arrange.

Paige was chuckling softly, “As per usual Derick you are overly accommodating. I appreciate that! We’ll play it day-by-day then,” she agreed, giving his hand in hers a squeeze. He squeezed back.

“Well then what should we get up to today?” he queried.

The young woman shrugged. “Probably Skyping with Rae so that she can properly interrogate you now that you and I might be an item going forward,” she managed to say without breaking a serious face.

This put Derick into a state of alarm. “O-oh! Right, yes of c-course. I didn’t even think—” he stammered but Paige squeezed his hand again and apologized,

“Gosh no Derick! We wouldn’t do that to you! Or, I wouldn’t. Rae might want to insist but I promise I won’t let her!”

He breathed out a nervous breath and shaky laughter issued. “Oh good. N-Not that I have anything to hide or to...to… Well I’m just afraid of not measuring up to Rae’s standards for her best friend, that’s all. I respect her and I respect her opinion both highly. I worry that I would fall short of those rightful expectations.”

Paige’s face fell and she rubbed his hand in what she hoped was a soothing gesture. “Oh Derick! You measure up, and then some! I promise!” As if to punctuate her response, she kissed his cheek and sat back down still holding his hand in both of hers.

“I appreciate you saying so,” he replied quietly, his cheeks flushed a little but his smile though shy was accepting.

Paige was glad they seemed to get over that hurdle. She would have never imagined Derick with self-doubt and a fear of not measuring up. How on God’s green earth was he not good enough? Had he not been enough in the past for other lovers? Lovers who, perhaps, had expected even more than what Derick had already done and was doing for her in such a warm, kind way that only seemed natural to him? Were there people out there who had expected and asked more of him? Probably women rich or famous or both Paige surmised with a start, her heart then pounding something fierce.

If anything now, she felt inadequate for him. She always secretly had, to some degree. But something about the comfortable and natural way things had gone between them last night had erased that from her mind. And now it all came reeling back to her with an intensity.

“Wot’s wrong?” he asked, breaking her from her thoughts.

“I…” She chose then to be honest with him, “I just had a barrage of thoughts that if anything, it’s me who doesn’t measure up. Or,” she began quickly seeing him about to protest, “at least perhaps am quite different to the women you’re used to.”

“You certainly are,” he assured in a soft tone and brought now his free hand to embrace hers atop his other, “but that is why you are so wonderful. You are kind, appreciative, passionate, honest, friendly and humble. I could go on. But there’s no way you’re not ever ‘good enough’ Paige. You are more than enough for anything.” He kissed her hands both and a pact between them was settled.

They were both enough. They both adored one another. They needn’t question it. And, they didn’t again.