Derrick laughed. “Nope. Thankfully my parents installed soundproofing in their bedroom, which helped some.”
Kris burst out a laugh. “Oh! I guess, um… that would be awkward, huh?”
“Very,” he agreed.
“So, why are we hiding?” she whispered conspiratorially.
Derrick shrugged. “I just wanted to bring you here, and we do have a few things to discuss.” He inhaled a deep breath and then reached out for her.
Hesitantly, afraid of tipping, she moved to her feet, keeping herself in a crouch. Before she could even attempt to balance herself, he swept her onto his lap. “You’re going to have to start warning me before you sweep me off my feet, Derrick. You keep taking my breath away.”
He pressed his lips to the side of her neck. “Isn’t that what I’m supposed to do?”
Leaning against his chest and into his kiss, she murmured. “Yes.”
“Is it okay if we talk like this,” he asked. “I mean, instead of eye-to-eye. There are a few things I need to tell you, but I’ve been aching to have you in my arms all day.”
She turned her head to look at him. “Can’t we talk later?”
Derrick took her mouth with his and she felt her body melt in response. She’d missed this too. They’d ambled around the property earlier, making chitchat with the family, but the entire time Kris had been thinking the same thing. She had to admit it was an interesting afternoon, though. Surprisingly, the buffet of food Sabrina had set out, didn’t look much different from any other banquet spread. Derrick’s mother had learned how to make their diet pleasing to the eye and palate for creatus and humans.
He released her mouth and sighed. “I love kissing you. It feels so right.”
She burrowed her head between his chin and chest, reveling in the feel of his chest as he breathed in and out, completely content in his embrace. For the first time in her life, she felt safe. Maybe sharing a bed with Derrick would even chase her nightmares away; she could only hope. Reliving her mother’s murder night after night, attempting to rewrite the past unsuccessfully, had nearly driven her to madness. “It feels right for me too,” she confessed. And it did, as nothing in her life had ever felt. She kept teasing him whether he was real; when in fact, her time with Derrick had felt more real than all her previous twenty-two years, as if she were finally home.
Derrick withdrew one of his arms from around her and reached into his pocket. “It’s too beautiful right now to talk, and while you can still see…” He lifted his hand in front of her, holding up another black velvet box. Though he’d said ‘forever’ repeatedly, she gasped in a mouthful of air, hoping this time it was what she thought it was. Using his thumb and forefinger, he flipped open the tiny case. “I know what I said, and it’s still true, but… I do have a traditional human mother, and I know how much it excited her when my father proposed.” He stopped and pressed his hand to her cheek, turning her head, so he could see her face. “Kristina, will you marry me? Officially.”
Tears poured down her cheek, and she hoped he didn’t get the wrong impression as she tried to find her voice. She gulped them away the best she could and gasped out, “Yes! Without a second’s hesitation, yes!” She kissed him quickly as he lifted her hand and slipped the ring onto her left ring finger. The vintage-style ring had a beautiful center diamond, but as large as it was, it didn’t look gaudy. The band had a crisscross of diamond paves, shanking the center diamond. It was simply breathtaking; she’d never seen anything like it. Though she’d never been one to peruse bridal magazines, she’d listened to Beth enough to appreciate this masterpiece. “Oh my, Derrick. It’s so beautiful. When did you—”
“I ordered it online and had my mother pick it up.”
“So they knew?”
“My mother did… she’s always known.”
A chill traveled the length of Kris’s spine. Sabrina had been so kind to her today, but she’d assumed she was just comforting her after Victoria’s rude comment. “I don’t know what to say.”
He pulled her tighter against him. “You already said it. ‘Yes’, was all I needed to know.”
“But you already knew that,” she teased, resting her head against his shoulder, luxuriating in the feeling of his broad chest as he breathed in and out, the refuge that just his closeness provided.
He trailed his fingertips down the side of her face, twisting a strand of her hair around his hand when he reached her neck. “You’re human; I’m sure you could break the spell if you so desired. If something repulsed you enough. Like the way Vic reacted. I’m sure that must have frightened you.”
“A bit.” She crossed her arms over his and tilted her head back to him. “But, I don’t scare easily. I’ve been through worse.”
He exhaled a breath. “Yes, you have. About that. Not to ruin the mood, but we really need to talk.”
“If you insist,” she said on a sigh, not wanting to ruin the beautiful evening.
“It’s about the calls. We never finished the conversation.”
She shrugged under his embrace. “I trust you, Derrick.”
“Well, I’m not proud about this, but I deleted several messages from your phone. I won’t do it again. I just thought you needed a moment to digest everything without throwing several barbs at once.”
She squirmed under his arms. “Okay… I’ll forgive you this time, but you promised to delete all the tracking devices. I don’t want to feel like a hostage in a relationship.”
Kris felt Derrick nod his head. “Of course, and I said you were free to come and go as you please, but there’s been a new development, so please don’t be upset if I’m extra careful.”
This time she turned in his arms so she was facing him. Seeing what she was doing, he pulled her sideways on his lap. He lowered his head to her ear. “I came out here for a reason. As I mentioned, away from prying ears.” She nodded in understanding. “When you were eight, you told the police officer on the scene that a dark angel had rescued you.”
Her eyes bulged. “I did? How did you know?”
He nodded again. “I never left you unprotected. I waited until the police came. I couldn’t leave you alone in that alley. I would have killed anyone who approached you, though.”
“I’m sorry. And here I thought I’d never told anyone.”
Derrick touched her cheek. “It’s okay. You were in shock. And the police officer chalked it up to a child’s fantasy. The murderer had already jumped up by the time they came, and as much as I wanted to follow him, I couldn’t leave you. Instead, he got away with murdering Janelle.”
She shook her head, trying to make sense of his comment. “I’m confused. You think the family will be upset at me now? For something I did when I was eight?”
“The officer’s name is Murphy O’Brian. He’s a detective now. Homicide. He got the call about your jump, and he’s been trying to reach you to make sure you’re okay, since they never found your body.”
Kris clasped her hand over her mouth, a wave of nausea washing through her. Dampness spread over her skin, and for the first time in days, she wanted a drink to calm her nerves.
“Are you okay?” Derrick’s words came out in a rush.
“No. I think I’m going to be sick.”
Derrick picked her up and set her on the opposite side of the canoe. Within seconds, they were on the shore. He lifted her from the boat and set her on a weathered bench. “I’m sorry. What can I do?”
She moved her head back and forth sluggishly, unable to speak, attempting to restrain the bile in her throat. What was wrong with her?
“You’re having withdrawal symptoms again, Kristina,” Derrick answered her unspoken question. “Just breathe through it—slowly. And if you have to get sick, do it. I’ve seen it all before so it doesn’t bother me.”
Her mouth filled with saliva, and she nodded, in fear that if she tried to speak, she’d puke right in front of him. How romantic would that be? She concentrated on short shallow breaths, willing the clammy wetness on her skin and the queasiness in her stomach to subside. She shook the coat off, appreciating the coolness of the evening.
Since the sun had set, the temperature had dropped by at least ten degrees, which she would normally hate, but right now the brisk air soothed her skin.
Derrick sat down beside her. “Better? Your color has returned. You were pale white a minute ago.”
