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“I told your mother we were thinking of having another ceremony, for our families, and . . .”
Rising, he drew Sheree into his arms. “You don’t have to say anything else.”
“She bought me a trousseau, as well. Just wait until you see all my pretty new nightgowns and sexy undies,” Sheree said, waggling her eyebrows. “She took me out to lunch, too. And to the grocery store,” she added as the taxi driver carried several plastic bags into the living room.
“This way,” Mara said, gesturing for the driver to follow her into the kitchen.
“Good evening, wife,” Derek murmured, kissing Sheree’s cheek.
She winked at him, wishing they were alone.
“Soon,” he promised.
Mara paid the driver and sent him on his way. “Well, I guess I’ll be going,” she said. “I’m sure you two would like to be alone.”
“How very perceptive of you,” Derek drawled.
“I shall expect to see the two of you in a few days.”
Derek nodded curtly. “We’ll be there.”
Mara kissed her son’s cheek and gave Sheree a hug. “I ordered you a stove and a refrigerator too. They should be here tomorrow afternoon.”
“Thanks, Ma.”
“You know I hate it when you call me that,” she said, but there was no anger in her voice. “Logan sends his love. Call us if you need us.”
A wave of her hand, and she was gone in a shower of sparkling green motes.
“So, how was your day, really?” Derek asked.
“Wonderful. Your mother’s really fun to be with. And a lot happier about our marriage than my mother.”
“Trouble at home?” Sitting on the sofa, he settled her on his lap.
“She’s upset that we eloped while my father is in the hospital, and that I didn’t marry the man she picked for me, and . . . Oh, I don’t want to talk about her right now.”
“We can go back to Philly so you can visit your father if you want.”
“Are you sure you wouldn’t mind?”
“Of course not. We’ll go tomorrow night. I’d take you tonight, but it might be hard to explain how we got from here to there so fast, unless you want to tell your mother you married a vampire.”
“That’s a secret I think we’d better keep,” Sheree said, kissing him on the cheek. “Thank you for being so understanding.”
“Now that we’ve got that settled, maybe you can model some of that new underwear for me.”
“Maybe,” Sheree said, batting her eyelashes at him. “And maybe you’ll model what I bought for you!”
Sheree’s father was happy to see her. He welcomed Derek to the family, though he expressed his regret at missing the wedding.
“We’re going to have another ceremony,” Sheree said, squeezing his shoulder. “I’ll expect you to be there to walk me down the aisle.”
Brian glanced at his wife. “We wouldn’t miss it, would we, Meredith?”
“Of course not,” her mother replied coolly.
“Dad, when are you going home?” Sheree asked.
“I’m not sure, but it shouldn’t be too long now,” he replied, beaming. “As soon as the Doc springs me, I’ll get my tux pressed and I’ll be ready to give the bride away.”
Sheree and Derek stayed until visiting hours were over, then walked her mother to her car.
Their good nights were strained at best.
“She’ll get over it,” Derek remarked, watching Mrs. Westerbrooke drive away.
“You don’t know her like I do,” Sheree said ruefully. “Come on, let’s go home.”
“Okay by me,” Derek said with a wicked grin. “I can’t wait to see more of that new underwear.”
Chapter Thirty-Six
The next few days and nights passed without incident. The stove and refrigerator Mara had ordered arrived on schedule. Mara came by to take Sheree shopping again, this time for dishes, silverware, pots and pans, and a toaster. She refused to let Sheree pay for anything, insisting it was a wedding gift.
With Derek’s okay, Sheree spent one morning rearranging the furniture in the living room, only to put it all back again the following morning.
Every afternoon, Mara took Sheree to the hospital to see her father so Sheree could spend her nights with Derek. Of course, Sheree had introduced Mara as Derek’s sister, since her parents would never believe Mara was his mother, and, at this point, telling them the truth was not an option. Sheree doubted it ever would be.
She had floundered for an answer when her mother had asked how Derek’s sister happened to be in Philadelphia, but Mara had stepped in, saying she had been on her way to Boston on vacation when Derek told her he and Sheree were in Philadelphia.
“I couldn’t miss a chance to see my brother and his new wife,” she had lied smoothly. “After all, I can go to Boston anytime.”
Meredith remained cool toward her daughter, often leaving the room while Sheree visited with her father.
Sheree was hurt at first, but the hurt soon turned to resentment. It was her life; she had a right to marry whomever she wished, and if her mother didn’t like it . . . well, that was just too bad.
Sheree didn’t mind spending her days with Mara, or even spending time alone, because she knew Derek would be there when night fell. He offered to take her anywhere she wanted to go, but she was content to stay home, as long as he was with her.
They watched TV or played cards or just spent time talking, getting to know each other better. Even though she sometimes felt as if she had known him all her life, she still had a lot to learn. He made love to her every night, sometimes on the floor in front of the hearth, sometimes in bed, once outside on the terrace under the stars.
But time and place didn’t matter as long as she was in his arms, as she was now. Though she tried not to think about it, the full moon was only a few nights away. What if that was all the time they had left? she thought miserably. What if Pearl’s untried serum didn’t work? What if, instead of curing him, it . . .
She banished the thought from her mind. It would work. It had to work.
When his arms tightened around her, she knew he’d been reading her thoughts.
“I have to try it,” he said quietly. “I can’t go on like this.”
Night after night, he had listened while she made plans for their upcoming wedding, all the while wondering if it would ever take place.
He hadn’t told her how difficult it had been, the last few nights, to be near her, or how hard it had been not to kill his prey when he hunted, or how he’d been eating raw meat on the sly for the last four nights. His craving for the stuff grew stronger with every passing day.
