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“It’s my grandmother’s setting, but I updated the diamond,” Derrick said, “and the stones around it,” he pointed to the small circle of diamonds around the major stone flashing at Taylor, “these are from our mothers’ diamond earrings,” he finished quietly.
Taylor sagged onto the couch. This time Derrick couldn’t keep her up, especially now that he was holding up the ring. She was slack-jawed; she couldn’t believe this.
“Taylor, you have always been my best friend. You have always known me better than anybody. And, like I told you, I want to return the favor. I want to take care of you. I want to make you happy. I want to marry you.”
Taylor shook her head. “No, Derrick, you don’t.”
Derrick frowned. “Taylor, I—”
“Derrick, a marriage is based on love, on passion, on more than childhood friendship. The right ones are at least. You deserve better than that.”
“Taylor, I love you,” Derrick said, still on his knees. “I have loved you since we were kids, and I have gone on loving you even though I pushed you away. I want to marry you. You make me happy just having you near.”
“I can’t do this,” Taylor whispered, dropping her head in her hands, ripping her gaze off the beautiful ring.
“Taylor,” Derrick whispered, but her head stayed down. “I really do want to be there for you and help you.”
Taylor looked up in complete disbelief, “By forcing me to marry you?” She was completely appalled.
“I won’t force you. You have to run your own life, remember?” he assured her. “But I want to help you, and you need to be married to be in accordance with the decree.” Derrick held a finger to Taylor’s mouth before she could interject. “You made a deal to be engaged, and I will take what I can get. Nothing will make me happier than to see this ring, the ring that represents the most important women in my life, on your finger, as a symbol that we are joined—however slight an arrangement it may be.”
He sure was smooth, and he had a point. She had told Simon they could be engaged. And he wanted to be her friend, and she could really use one. One who understood the whole backstory and could reel her back in and support her.
Derrick seemed to notice the change in her thinking.
“Taylor Elizabeth Scotts Preston, will you be engaged to me?”
Taylor felt like she was in a fog. She looked at the man before her and at the ring. It didn’t have to mean marriage, but it would appease her promise to Simon. Taylor decided this was what needed to happen, this was what she needed to do for Preston Corp. She slid her hand down her leg and let Derrick place the massive ring on her finger. She looked at the ring and then at him.
Derrick was no longer looking at her like a friend. There was something else there, and he was leaning in slowly. It just didn’t feel wrong; there was no red flag or panic, so Taylor closed her eyes and let it happen. But it was her call, her decision.
Chapter Five
Derrick couldn’t believeshe was going to let him kiss her. It took everything he had not to jump on her.
The sound of the elevator coming up and opening into his entry stopped him.
Fuck.
There was only one other person who had the code.
And she did not belong here, not now.
Shit.
“Fuck,” this time he uttered it out loud. Taylor opened her eyes.
“Be right back,” he said and got up quickly, heading to the foyer, where the new visitor would be deposited.
* * *
What the hell just happened?
Taylor was left staring at empty space.
And then she heard voices, one was Derrick’s and the other was …
Oh, no way. A woman! He had been shooting his mouth off about all thatbeing there for herbullshit, professing his love, and now this?