All I Ask(90)

My eyes widen in shock. “More?”

“We’ve been really busy.”

He walks me through the kitchen, explaining some of the work he wants to do to bring it up to a more modern look. “Do you think that’ll be good?”

“Me?” I ask. He wants my opinion?

“Well, I fully intend for you to live here at some point.”

I’m never getting on that plane. I can’t do it. “Don’t say things like that, please. Not tonight.”

“Why not tonight?”

I sigh and start to pace. “I’m having a hard-enough time even thinking about leaving tomorrow, the idea of knowing that this”—I throw my hands up, waving them around at his gorgeous house—“is what I’m walking away from…I can’t do it.”

“So you love the house and not me?” His voice is full of humor.

“It’s a toss-up.”

Derek wraps his arms around my waist, bringing his lips to mine. “I’ve got one more thing to show you.”

“I’d rather us do this,” I say as I pull his face back to mine. I kiss him, wanting to pour every emotion I can into it. I want him to feel how much I love him and don’t want to leave.

“Baby, I plan to do that in about ten minutes, first let me show you what else we did.”

I pout, lip jutting out, and he chuckles.

We walk toward the other end of the house and I’m seriously impressed. I can’t imagine how they got all the dolls out, let alone had time to scrub, paint, and refinish the trim. There’s a set of double doors with glass planes. Derek pushes them open, his arm extended for me to enter.

“What is this room?”

He walks to the corner and turns the lamp on.

Then, I don’t have to ask.

I don’t breathe.

I don’t move for fear that this will all disappear.

In this room that overlooks the huge oak tree is an easel with a blank canvas in it.

“It’s where you can paint when you come home—to me.”





Chapter Thirty-Nine





Derek




Present



I wait for a reaction, not sure if this was one step too far, but Everly seemed to think it was a great idea.

Come to think of it, the fact that I listened to her is not exactly the smartest thing I’ve done.

Teagan stands there, looking at the easel, and I move so I’m behind her, inhaling her lavender scent and she leans back, just enough so I can feel her. “Is it the wrong easel?”

“No.”

“Is it too much?”

She turns her head, staring at me from over her shoulder. “Yes, but not because of what you think. It’s too much because I can’t do this. I can’t leave you now…I can’t…”

This wasn’t meant to keep her, this was meant to show her that if she flies, she can always come back. This is her home. This is where she belongs, but I never want to tie her down.

Teagan has to do this, and I’m proud of her for taking the risk, even if it means we have to be apart for a while.

I walk over to her, wrapping my arms around her, because in a few hours, I won’t be able to. I don’t know how I survived without her before, but I’m going to have to find a way again.

“No,” I tell her. “You’re going because that’s what you need to do for yourself.”

“What about us?”

“Baby,” I say, looking down into her gorgeous green eyes. “We’re not going anywhere.”

Her hands move up my chest and then around my neck. “Make love to me.”

“Oh, I plan to, but I want to show you one more thing.”

She smiles, her lashes fluttering up and down, making me want her more than anything. I take her hand, leading her upstairs.

I can’t show her too much because though we may have cleared the downstairs of the freaky dolls, I couldn’t get rid of them until next week, so they’re all in one room and I’m talking floor-to-ceiling amounts of these damn dolls.

“I knew this house was special,” she says as she touches the banister.

“Which is why I bought it.”

She sighs. “Yes, you bought my dream house.”

When we make it to what will be the master bedroom, I stop. “I bought our home, Teagan. When I stood here with you that day, I knew that this was going to be ours. I know we have things to work out and I’m not trying to push you.” I tell her so she knows, I can be patient.

“You have no idea how much I want that.”

“Good.” I lean down and kiss her lips.

Then, I open the door for my last surprise. I wanted us to spend the first night here. I worked all day to get the downstairs done with Everly, but came back to do this.

“Derek.” She says my name softly.

I laid out a bunch of blankets, like we would on the beach, and surrounded it with candles.

“Now,” I say as I pull her to the makeshift bed. “I plan to make love to you.”

Teagan grips the hem of her shirt, pulling it over her head. “I’m hoping you have big plans.”

I smirk as I pull my shirt off. “You’re damn right I do.”