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Derek stops dead in his tracks. His face turns red and I can tell he is getting angry. “What the hell do you mean by that?”
I shake my head and paste on a bitchy smile. “Well, I’ve heard that you’re not one to stay the night after you get off, so I assumed your ass would be long gone by now.”
“Rylie, stop this shit. Right now!”He angrily growls to me.
He’s not going togive, so I am just going to have to lay it out. “Derek, you need to leave. Maybe I heard wrong. You might stick around, but I like my fuck buddies to disappear after I’m done.”
He stalks toward me with his fists clenched. “I don’t know what thehell is wrong with you, but I’m not going anywhere.” Derek’s entire body is shaking in anger. I obviously didn’t think this all the way through. Derek is a big guy and could hurt me as bad as Caleb ever did.
When he reaches the bed, I know what is coming. My arms fly to my face, and I pull my legs up to protect my stomach. I wait for the pain, but it never comes. “Rylie.” I hear himcarefully whisper my name.
I slowly lower my arms and look up at him. The anger is gone, but in its place is hurt. I start to say that I am sorry, but he stops me. He sits beside me and pulls me onto his lap. He places his lips against my hair. “I will never hurt you, baby. I swear on my life that the last thing I would ever do is hurt you.”
“Derek, I-“
“No Rylie, I get you’re scared. What that fucker did to you though, is not normal relationship stuff. Not even close. It will be so good between us. You’ll see.”
“Can we take it slow?” I ask timidly.
He grins. “Hell no, I’ve been taking it slow with you for months now, doing that friendship bullshit when we should have been together from the start. We’re going warp speed.”
I don’t get a chance to say anythingin retort, because he tosses me on top of the bed and starts kissing me. “Gonna make love to you now, baby.”
Chapter 20
Rylie
Derek never leftafter that morning. In fact, he has spent every night with me since, and he leaves stuff at my house, almost as if he’s ingraining himself into my world. There isn’t a room in my house that hasn’t been touched by Derek. His toothbrush is hanging beside mine. His cologne and things are in my medicine cabinet. He even has a few shirts hanging in the closet. I know that he wants to move in, but I’m not ready for that, so I just pretend that I don’t notice his things. For all I know, we could be fifty before I am ready to live together, because the last time I lived with a guy, my life turned to shit.
But as time goes on, I get more and more comfortable with Derek around. I might have been fighting against it at first, but now, I find myself just enjoying it.
Today is Derek’s parents’ anniversary. I figured they would have a big party, but they didn’t want it. Instead, Derek and I are taking them out to dinner. We are just walking into the restaurant, when I spot Elizabeth and William sitting near the back of the restaurant. I know instantly that something is wrong. Elizabeth looks mad as hell, and William looks frustrated. I look up to Derek. “Maybe this was a bad idea.”
He looks down. “What are you talking about?”
“It looks like your parents are fighting.” I explain, motioning towards them.
He looks to them then back to meas a huge smile forms on his face. “They do this shit all the time. It’s probably something stupid.”
We walk over to the table and sit down. I’m so nervous that I think I might be sick. I really like William, and I don’t want to see him get angry with Elizabeth. If he hurts her, I will have tosay something.
Elizabeth looks up. “Rylie, can you please explain to my husband the importance of new flooring in the sitting room. The Berber is starting to show wear, and I think it should be replaced.”
Before I get the chance to respond, William starts talking. “I have told you a thousand times, I don’t care if you change the damn carpet, but I don’t want tile. The shit clinks when you walk on it. If you want tile, you are going to have to give up your heels. It’s your choice?”
Are they really fighting over carpet?
“I want tile. It lasts longer.” Elizabeth says.
“Well, then get rid of the heels.” William responds.
“I am not getting rid of my shoes. I cannot wear flats. They make my backside look frumpy.” Elizabeth says, with a pout.
William shouts out with laughter. “Baby, there is nothing that you could do to make your ass look frumpy. It’s the finest ass I have ever seen. I’ve been looking at it for over thirty years, so I would know.”
Elizabeth’s face lights up. “Really? Even better than Monica Campbell’s?”
William pulls Elizabeth to him and kisses her in way that should not be done in public. “Her ass is shit. Couldn’t even hold aflame to yours.”
