Page 28 of Inevitable Secrets

“Office?” he said raising his brow. “See, and here I thought this was the dining room.”

“Things change,” Taylor said. “Go get some rest,” she said, tilting her head to the door.

Derrick shook his head, “I don’t want to rest,” he said, “I want to work.”

“Well you can’t,” Taylor said.

“I can’t?” Derrick asked, baffled. He hated being told no. “Says who?” he challenged a little louder.

Taylor’s eyes flared at his tone. She turned back to the people behind her. The ones who were all pretending to work and not stare at the showdown between Derrick and Taylor. “Hey everyone,” she called out, “I think the breakfast station should be set up by now. Would you all please go and get yourself something? It should be in the foyer,” she announced in a saccharin-sweet tone and people scattered.

When the room was clear, Taylor turned back to Derrick. “Says me, Derrick Fletcher, says me.”

Derrick felt his jaw stiffen and he moved it side to side to try and loosen it but it didn’t help. “Taylor,” he started slowly, “I appreciate—”

“The fuck you say that to me, Derrick Simon Allen Fletcher,” Taylor retorted. “You what? Huh? You appreciate me worrying about you? Oh, how sweet,” she said, fake smiling at him. “You can save that horse shit for someone else. I am yourwife. I am the one who is supposed to care and worry and demand that you care for yourself. And I will be damned if you are going to try and pat me on the head and send me away like a well-behaved schnauzer.”

Derrick rolled his eyes. “Taylor, I am not pushing you off, but I am a grown damn man,” Derrick seethed. “I can take care of—”

“No,” Taylor said, her voice becoming thicker. “No, we are a team,” she said as a tear slid out of her left eye, “and I am not going to let you push yourself past what is healthy.”

“Taylor.”

“I almost lost you,” she choked out, punching her balled fists into her leg as she said the words to him. “I know I sound like a broken record, but god damn it, Derrick, I almost lost you and I was so fucking scared.”

Derrick pulled Taylor to him quickly and inhaled the fragrance of her hair. He hated her being so upset. He wanted nothing for her but sunshine and rainbows and it seemed like all she was getting was gunshots and nightmares. He felt her shake against him for a second before she pulled back, putting her hands on either side of his face. “I almost lost you and I would have never been able to tell you that I loved you. That I do love you. That I have always loved you. That I will love you each day for the rest of my life with every fiber of my being.

“I get it now,” she went on, intently staring into his chocolate gaze. “I get all those times you didn’t want me to go out or do something. All the times you worked and begged to keep me safe. I get the fear and the pain it caused. The constant worry. I get it because I feel it now,” she pleaded with a sob.

“I’m sorry, Taylor,” Derrick murmured, as he wiped the tears from her cheeks.

“You can’t be sorry, Derrick. You saved my life,” she said. “I love you so much,” she choked out again as another series of tears came sliding down her cheek. “Now please, let me take care of you.”

Derrick felt his heart strings pull as Taylor asked to care for him. He had been yearning for the day when Taylor would tell him these things. He was surprised by how it wasn’t as much fun as he thought it would be, mostly since she was telling him no. Again.

But he did accept defeat.

“Okay,” he agreed, “I will take it easy.”

“Thank you,” Taylor said, wiping her eyes. “And I promise that I won’t work here all day. I just wanted to get a few things settled,” she explained.

“It’s okay,” he said, “I’m just being a grouch.”

“Well, maybe you need some more rest,” Taylor said taking his hand. “Let’s get you back to bed.”

As much as he hated to admit it, Derrick did feel tired. He wasn’t used to it. He would have gladly pushed through to do something productive, but right that minute a nap did not sound like such a bad idea. His discomfort had subsided. And so he grumbled his agreement and followed Taylor to their room.

She opened the door and motioned him inside and Derrick could feel the weariness slowing him even more. He was likely more relaxed since taking the Motrin for his discomfort and he could truly rest now. Fatigue set in as he walked towards the bed and climbed in.

But when he turned back to Taylor, he saw she was completely nude.

And suddenly he was wide awake. “Uh, what are you up to?”

“Well, I thought maybe I could put you in a better mood,” she offered, sauntering to the bed.

Derrick felt himself instantly harden under the blankets, and he went to move, but Taylor pushed him back down gently from the side of the bed. “No, no,” she said, “you need to just relax,” she said. “Doctor’s orders.” Taylor crawled up on the bed, straddled Derrick, and leaned over and kissed him.

Derrick shoved his fingers into Taylor’s hair and pulled her face closer to him, sliding his tongue through Taylor’s lips and groaning at the contact. It had been way too long since Derrick had been able to kiss her like this. He was starving for her.

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