comfortable life. She didn't have a cent to her name when she married Papa, and he hadn't given a damn.
Derrick's opinion hadn't changed much as he'd grown older. Love was love, and when you found your soul mate, you held on tight to them and gave everything you could to the relationship. It didn't matter who they were or where they came from. That was something he'd learned from his parents, and it was a philosophy he'd adopted early in life. As an adult, he now understood concepts like "gold digger" and "social climber." As a lawyer especially, he knew not everyone married for love. He'd seen money, cultural issues, and difference in opinions tear families apart, and the rose-tinted glasses had definitely fallen from his eyes. But he still believed commitment could move mountains. He still believed the only thing that really mattered was love.
This was why it never occurred to him to do a reality check when he first set his sights on Roman Bradford. The man was gorgeous, courteous, and smart, among a thousand other wonderful attributes, and his mere presence made Derrick's stomach do back-flips and somersaults. That Roman was rich was as inconsequential as the fact that he wore glasses. Derrick never even considered Roman out of his league.
"I would've felt the same way about Roman had he been a mailing clerk at ABC instead of a managing partner," he told Lumière, "but he isn't out of my league. I mean, you don't think he is, do you?"
Lumière stared at him for a few seconds before yawning and turning his attention back to the TV.
"You're no help, buddy," Derrick complained. "Can't you at least pretend to agree with me?"
"Meowww…"
"I know Roman's social status is important, and a lot of men would be impressed, but I really don't care. It doesn't matter to me whether he's rich or poor."
"Meowww."
"He's my boss, though," Derrick continued, petting his tabby's side. "I can't pretend that's a small detail."
"Meowww…"
"Fuck," Derrick groaned. "Why does his social position have to be so meaningless and relevant at the same time?"
"Meowww."
"This sucks," Derrick lamented. "It's the kind of suck that leaves teeth marks and doesn't make you come."
Fooling around with his employees was never a good thing for a boss, especially at a place like ABC. Then again, Derrick wasn't interested in fooling around. He wanted bona fide dating. He wanted to be Roman's boyfriend. He wanted to meet his parents and get invited to dinner at their house. Maybe if they were official, the grapevine would finally lay off of Derrick's future husband. He hoped that was the case because rumors spread through the firm faster than chlamydia at a bareback orgy, and the last thing he wanted was for Roman to have a bad reputation in any way. Derrick didn't want anyone saying Roman was exhibiting unethical behavior, or that Derrick had started a sexual harassment lawsuit against him.
"Not that the grapevine hasn't gone there already," he mumbled. "Fuckers."
According to Jesse Bayard from Human Resources, Roman had already been sued for accosting someone in the bathroom twice. Derrick didn't believe for a second Roman would disrespect himself or anyone else in such a way.
Being kept at arm's length by Roman meant Derrick couldn't ask him if he was aware of the gossip, or if he planned on doing something to put an end to it. Listening to his colleagues debate whether Roman was capable of abusing his power to that extent made his heart ache. He couldn't listen to it. He'd be damned if he entertained so much trash talk, and even though he and Roman weren't a couple, Derrick considered it his personal duty to dissipate the rumors as best he could.
Roman was his prince charming come to life, but for a minute there Derrick had lost hope they'd get to explore their feelings, and, ultimately, a relationship. As desperate as he was to learn every detail about Roman, and eager to please him in every possible way, the fact remained it was hard to woo a
Derrick's opinion hadn't changed much as he'd grown older. Love was love, and when you found your soul mate, you held on tight to them and gave everything you could to the relationship. It didn't matter who they were or where they came from. That was something he'd learned from his parents, and it was a philosophy he'd adopted early in life. As an adult, he now understood concepts like "gold digger" and "social climber." As a lawyer especially, he knew not everyone married for love. He'd seen money, cultural issues, and difference in opinions tear families apart, and the rose-tinted glasses had definitely fallen from his eyes. But he still believed commitment could move mountains. He still believed the only thing that really mattered was love.
This was why it never occurred to him to do a reality check when he first set his sights on Roman Bradford. The man was gorgeous, courteous, and smart, among a thousand other wonderful attributes, and his mere presence made Derrick's stomach do back-flips and somersaults. That Roman was rich was as inconsequential as the fact that he wore glasses. Derrick never even considered Roman out of his league.
"I would've felt the same way about Roman had he been a mailing clerk at ABC instead of a managing partner," he told Lumière, "but he isn't out of my league. I mean, you don't think he is, do you?"
Lumière stared at him for a few seconds before yawning and turning his attention back to the TV.
"You're no help, buddy," Derrick complained. "Can't you at least pretend to agree with me?"
"Meowww…"
"I know Roman's social status is important, and a lot of men would be impressed, but I really don't care. It doesn't matter to me whether he's rich or poor."
"Meowww."
"He's my boss, though," Derrick continued, petting his tabby's side. "I can't pretend that's a small detail."
"Meowww…"
"Fuck," Derrick groaned. "Why does his social position have to be so meaningless and relevant at the same time?"
"Meowww."
"This sucks," Derrick lamented. "It's the kind of suck that leaves teeth marks and doesn't make you come."
Fooling around with his employees was never a good thing for a boss, especially at a place like ABC. Then again, Derrick wasn't interested in fooling around. He wanted bona fide dating. He wanted to be Roman's boyfriend. He wanted to meet his parents and get invited to dinner at their house. Maybe if they were official, the grapevine would finally lay off of Derrick's future husband. He hoped that was the case because rumors spread through the firm faster than chlamydia at a bareback orgy, and the last thing he wanted was for Roman to have a bad reputation in any way. Derrick didn't want anyone saying Roman was exhibiting unethical behavior, or that Derrick had started a sexual harassment lawsuit against him.
"Not that the grapevine hasn't gone there already," he mumbled. "Fuckers."
According to Jesse Bayard from Human Resources, Roman had already been sued for accosting someone in the bathroom twice. Derrick didn't believe for a second Roman would disrespect himself or anyone else in such a way.
Being kept at arm's length by Roman meant Derrick couldn't ask him if he was aware of the gossip, or if he planned on doing something to put an end to it. Listening to his colleagues debate whether Roman was capable of abusing his power to that extent made his heart ache. He couldn't listen to it. He'd be damned if he entertained so much trash talk, and even though he and Roman weren't a couple, Derrick considered it his personal duty to dissipate the rumors as best he could.
Roman was his prince charming come to life, but for a minute there Derrick had lost hope they'd get to explore their feelings, and, ultimately, a relationship. As desperate as he was to learn every detail about Roman, and eager to please him in every possible way, the fact remained it was hard to woo a
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