Thirty-seven

DEREK made it home right before dinner and immediately smothered Nikki with care. He made a bubble bath, poured her a glass of wine, and cooked her a homemade meal of his famous chicken-fried steak, cheesy biscuits and gravy, and green beans drenched in butter.

“I do most of the cooking around here because if I eat like this very often, I’d have to either give in and grow large or run a lot more often, and frankly, I don’t want to run more often.”

“It’s good, though, right?” He winked at her.

“Oh, my God. Do you have to ask?” She rolled her eyes and smiled. It was wonderful to have him home. “Do you see anything left on my plate?”

Over dinner they talked about what had happened while he was gone. She found out from him that the reason his notes on the meeting had included a mention of Iwao’s VisionScope was because Derek had been thinking about doing a book on his belief in organic farming and how they go about it at the winery. Alan had suggested talking to Iwao about it, knowing that Inspiritus didn’t do any type of horticulture books.

As the evening wound down, Derek took her hand in his while they plopped down on the sofa together.

She leaned her head against his chest and let out a sigh worthy of the stress she’d endured over the week-now all gone. Almost. There was that thing-the baby thing that the doctor suggested she talk to Derek about.

“You know,” he said, “you really have to stop putting yourself in danger the way you do.” He kissed the top of her head. “If I’d been here, this wouldn’t have happened. I could kill that guy for hurting you. To think I could have lost you. No more troublemaking.” He squeezed her hand. Robinson had pretty much told her the same thing. “Because I’m never leaving you alone again.”

“I don’t go looking for trouble.”

“I know. It somehow finds you.”

They chuckled, knowing it was true.

“I’ll try to avoid it from now on,” she replied. “Really, I will.”

“You will because, like I said, I’m going to be right here with you.”

Ollie sidled up to the couch and nudged her hand. She scratched the top of his head. As soon as she’d stop, he’d nudge again. Now this was perfect.

“Speaking of trouble. I have something for you.” Derek removed his arm from around her shoulders.

“You do?” She lifted her head and smiled. “And why would that remind you of trouble?”

“You’ll see.” He got up and went back into their bedroom and came back with a floral printed gift bag. “For you. I trekked through the cold and snow because a man can’t come home empty-handed to the woman he loves, right?”

She sat up straight, taking the bag and moving the pink tissue aside to pull out an exquisite Tiffany blue negligee complete with panties. It wasn’t lacy or racy, but simple, pretty, and definitely something she could wear to get the two of them into trouble. “It’s beautiful.”

“No. It’s hot. You had me going the other night with visions of you in blue and lace. But I think we’ll have to wait a few days before we can put it to good use.”

She laughed. “Oh, I don’t want to wait.”

“You have no choice. Tonight, you put on those old pajamas of yours and let me hold you. Your body still has some healing to do.”

“That does sound good,” she admitted. She closed her eyes momentarily. Waiting to tell him what she needed to would be foolish and unfair. He should know. The sooner the better. Just in case… “I have to tell you something,” she said. “It’s about what the doctor told me.”

He faced her looking worried and anxious. She relayed to him what the doctor had said. They sat in silence for a minute.

“Perfect timing. I think you missed something.” Derek pointed to the gift bag.

“What? Didn’t you hear what I said? Don’t you have any thoughts? Or feelings about this? I mean, I may not be able to conceive, and if I can, we have to get started now. That is, if you want a baby with me. I don’t how you feel about this. It’s serious.”

“In the bag,” he replied.

“Derek! We need to talk about this.”

He sighed. “You can be so petulant. Look in the damn bag.”

What was he up to? Nikki peered back into the bag and moved the tissue aside again. There it was-that little blue box. She gasped. It was a Tiffany box. Oh wow.

He took it from her, and got down on his knee. “I was going to wait and do this all romantic like, but after the last few days and then you being hurt, I don’t want to wait. I want you. I love you and I want you to be my wife, and I want a family with you. I don’t care how we have a family, and if we need to start now, great. I’m ready. Let’s get you feeling better because it sounds like we might be busy here real soon. I mean, if you say yes.” He winked at her. “I’m going to ask you again, because nothing can come between us. Nikki, will you please do me the honor of being my wife?”

She wiped the tears from her face. “Yes. Definitely. I will marry you.”

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