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“Try me.”
Derrick leaned back in his chair, relaxing his head against the back and looking Taylor in the eye. “I don’t think people are taking me seriously. I feel like they are moving slowly on purpose because they are waiting for me to fuck up and lose the company.”
Taylor pursed her lips and thought about what he was saying. “Why would they do that?”
“I don’t know,” he said. “But all day everyone has been running out of my way, avoiding me, and getting nothing done. None of the damn reports I asked for have been submitted. Nobody had answers for me about the new construction project—”
“Well, based on your tone I can’t imagine why everyone wasn’t eager and jumping to help you, darling,” Taylor replied sarcastically.
Derrick heaved a deep breath in and out then pinched the bridge of his nose. “I’ve been a dick all day, haven’t I?”
“Sounds like,” Taylor confirmed. She felt so bad for him; he just wanted to do it right, to keep everything going. She understood the pressure. “You know, Derrick, these people are hurting too. They are hurting for your dad, and for you, and with you being, uh, tense they probably weren’t sure how to take you.”
“Oh God,” Derrick said, putting his head back in his hands.
“It’s okay,” Taylor said, patting his back. “Derrick, you are allowed to be upset.”
“But I am not allowed to be a dick.”
“Well, no,” Taylor agreed. “Just be you, and work it out tomorrow.”
Derrick peeked back up at Taylor from his hands. “Now I get why you were so stressed. I mean, I was taking on more and more stuff, but now it’s all on me, just me.” He rubbed his face. “And it sucks.”
Taylor crouched in front of Derrick and lifted up his chin. “Remember all those times you told me I knew what I was doing and not to overthink it? You need to take your own advice.”
Derrick blew out a breath then leaned in and kissed Taylor and gave her a small smile. “Thanks,” he said. “I’m glad you’re here to snap me back to reality.”
“No problem,” Taylor smiled back. She wanted to do something. She had been thinking about it for a while, but she didn’t want to do it wrong. She was thinking right now would be the time to test it out.
Taylor gently pushed Derrick back in his office chair. “Let me help you relax,” she offered, trailing her hand and eyes down his shirt buttons and landing at his belt. Taylor bit her lip to concentrate and used her thumb to free Derrick’s belt end from its closure. When he grabbed her hand, stopping it from moving and holding it in place, Taylor’s eyes flew up to his.
He gave her a look of warning and desperation, the combination sparkled within them, but he said nothing.
“Why are you stopping me?” Taylor asked, concerned. She must have done something wrong, hit some button, but he didn’t answer her or loosen his grip. “Derrick? Did I do something wrong?”
He shook his head.
Taylor looked away from him and at the ground. She really did not know where to go from here. It had taken a lot of courage to sit herself in front of Derrick, and now she was being rejected. Should she leave? Should she get mad? Should she—
Suddenly Derrick let go of her hand, letting it fall back against his zipper. He leaned back in his chair, pushing something hard against Taylor’s resting hand.
Green light.
Her courage surged when she felt Derrick straining against his pants under her hand, and she went back to her experiment. She made quick work of undoing his belt, button, and zipper, and getting to his Calvin’s. Taylor took a moment to appreciate the solid length in front of her.
Yes, she and Derrick had consummated their marriage, a lot, but Taylor had never been up close and personal with his, um, anatomy until that moment. And though she had nothing to compare it to, she was impressed.
Taylor slid her hand gently over the fabric covering him. Derrick took a sharp breath in and leaned his head back, watching Taylor through lidded eyes. Taylor repeated the motion, up and down, several more times. On the final upswing, she grabbed the waist of his boxers and tugged them down to expose him.
Derrick’s erection came out eagerly to Taylor’s waiting hand. It was hot and smooth, and as soon as Taylor put her hand to it, Derrick hissed, groaned, and thrust his hips forward. Taylor slowly stroked him, gaining encouragement from his responses. She hastened the pace, opened and closed her grip, and was rewarded with Derrick’s continued responses of pleasure.
But Taylor wanted to try more.
She licked her lips and bent her head and again Derrick stopped her.
“Tay, I, uh, I’m really close,” he wheezed out to her. Taylor looked up to him. “I might … I’m going to …”
“What?” she asked, stroking him lightly.