Page 50 of Inevitable Secrets

“What bothers you about that?”

Taylor pondered for a minute. “It doesn’t match what I know about Cedric,” she said finally. Taylor licked her lips then chewed her bottom one as she held deliberations in her mind. “He was a monster,” she told Derrick, “so him just sending someone to watch me, to not tell him, well, it makes him sound like he was trying to protect me, and,” she swallowed, “and—”

“And that was not Cedric,” Derrick finished for her, and Taylor looked at him and nodded. This was what she didn’t get, and probably what bothered her the most. Cedric doing anything even remotely humane to Taylor threw her world into question.

“We don’t know everything now, Taylor, but Henry will find the missing pieces,” he said. “Don’t stress about what may or may not be true, please.”

“I just feel like I can’t do anything to get the answers and I need them,” she said in distress.

“You can try and coyly ask about Cedric’s business dealings tomorrow,” Derrick said. “That’s why you need to rest,” he encouraged gently.

Taylor smiled at him and rolled her eyes. “Subtle,” she said.

“You know what,” Derrick said rising, “I am going to give you something to help you sleep.”

“No, you’re not,” Taylor said.

“Oh yeah, I am,” he said looking down at Taylor.

“What exactly are you going to give me?”

He bent and quickly scooped her up, causing a slight stretching sensation in his chest. “An orgasm.”

Taylor protested, “Derrick put me down, I am too heavy!”

“Please,” Derrick scoffed, and threw Taylor down on the bed. “Now be quiet, I have work to do,” he said and crushed his mouth to Taylor’s, hearing her contented sigh. Maybe this night hadn’t turned out so bad after all.

Sixteen

Taylor groanedas her alarm wailed loudly.

“Make it stop,” Derrick whined as he hid his head under his pillow.

Taylor opened one eye and reached out an arm, slapping wildly until she finally made contact with her phone and stopped the noise. She dragged her body up and rolled her head trying to wake up some part of herself. Finally she took a deep breath and bit the bullet, forcing herself to the shower.

Once she was showered, dressed, and had some makeup on, Taylor felt sort of like a normal human. She did a final check of herself in the full-length bedroom mirror. She felt confident but butterflies still filled her stomach. She was eager to get back to the office, but leaving Derrick behind didn’t feel right.

“You look gorgeous,” Derrick said from the bed behind her, and Taylor looked back at him. She licked her lips at the sight—her devastatingly handsome husband with perfect bedhead, shirtless amongst the stark white sheets.

Taylor suddenly needed a nap.

Derrick wagged a finger at her, “Oh no you don’t. You stop looking at me like that right now or you are not going to work.”

“Staying home with you seems like a wonderful idea,” Taylor admitted, taking an unconscious step towards the bed.

Derrick popped quickly out of bed. “No way, Mrs. Fletcher,” he said, “this shop is closed until you bring home some bacon.”

“I can not believe you are turning me down,” Taylor scoffed with mock hurt.

“It’s what you get for keeping me up so late,” Derrick sassed.

A knock at the door had them both turning in the same direction. “Mrs. Preston-Fletcher, your security team is ready when you are.”

Taylor looked back at Derrick. “I think that’s a sign,” she said.

Derrick sauntered over to his wife, kissing her on the lips. “Have a great day. I can’t wait to see you later and reward your hard work,” he said giving her another kiss.

Taylor wrapped her arms around her husband and gave him a squeeze. “Take it easy today, okay?”

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