It's Always Been You
Page 32His words hit her in her gut. Swallowing roughly, she nodded. “I know. But we can’t go back and undo that now. Too much has happened.”
Derrick bowed his head. “I still love you.”
Before Love could respond, a voice came from behind her. “Unfortunately for you, that doesn’t matter now.”
Love whirled around. Drake was standing behind her, a chart in one hand and a cup of coffee in the other. “Drake? Where did you come from?”
He shot her a wary glance, before turning his attention to Derrick. “I know Love has told you to leave her alone. Yet you’re still here. And with flowers this time. Where’s the ring? Ready for a repeat of Vegas? Instead of a door slamming in your face, how about my fist?”
“Drake,” Love croaked. “Stop.”
But Drake wasn’t paying her any attention. He was focused squarely on Derrick, his jaw set in determination and his eyes full of ire.
“I would comment, but I don’t think you want to hear what I have to say,” Derrick said.
“You’re right, I don’t want to hear anything you have to say.”
Love gasped. Did Derrick just take it there? She wedged herself between them. “Hey, please stop this. I’m at work.”
“You heard her, Harper,” Drake taunted. “We’re at work. Go somewhere else, and take those damn flowers and that sorry-ass apology with you.”
Derrick let out a humorless chuckle. “Feeling threatened?”
Drake shrugged. “Nah, man. I know the history between you two. All of it.”
“You know nothing about me. I’m even going to venture to say you don’t really know anything about my relationship with Love. Maybe a few things, but not everything. You forget, I know Love, too. She’s not the type to share everything.”
Drake frowned, caught her gaze for a minute. His eyes softened a bit before he turned a hard glare back toward Derrick. “I know all I need to know, and let me tell you something you may not know. I don’t care about the relationship you and Love had. I just care that you know it’s over.”
“Maybe,” Derrick said simply.
“Definitely,” Drake countered. “At the end of the day, you’re standing here proposing a reconciliation with my wife. And you don’t see the problem with this?”
“Drake,” she muttered under her breath. “We have an audience.”
He peered down at her, a small smile on his lips. “I know,” he said. “I don’t care.”
“I care,” she snapped. “We have to work here.”
His jaw tightened. “Fine. Handle this, then.” He motioned toward Derrick. “Because if you don’t, I will.”
Drake turned to leave, but she gripped his wrist, halting his retreat. “Don’t go. We need to talk.”
“Not here, and not in front of him.”
Sighing, Love glanced at Derrick. “You have to go.”
“Can we meet for coffee later?” he asked.
Love whirled around, her eyes darting about the floor. She knew what that meant. Although Drake was from a wealthy family, he’d been in several fights in high school due to his hot temper. The boys had tended to try him because they’d thought he was a soft rich boy who would take it. “Drake, go in the lounge. I’ll handle this, and we’ll talk.” When he didn’t move, she added, searching his eyes, “Please.”
The kiss that followed caught her off guard. It wasn’t sweet; rather, it was hard and possessive. His tongue pushed past her lips, and his hands were in her hair, holding her to him. She moaned as he devoured her mouth with passion in front of the entire floor. She felt that kiss from the top of her head to the tips of her toes. Electricity sizzled around them and she had no choice but to give in to his demanding mouth. Then it was over and he was walking away from her.
On shaky legs, she looked up at Derrick, handing him the flowers. “I’m sorry, Derrick. You have to go. Drake is my husband, and you need to respect that.”
Pivoting on her heels, she took a steadying breath, and left Derrick standing there.
* * *
Drake paced the lounge area, after kicking everybody out. The last person, one of his colleagues, had just scurried off when Love walked in, locking the door behind her.