I Will Follow You Into the Dark

CHAPTER 95

Surprising himself at his ripe "old" age, Derek rebounded quickly and wasted no time in stirring Meredith's passion to meet his again. Later, he would joke about her being a fountain of youth for him. Truthfully, they had always been insanely attracted to each other and craved each other constantly. Now, with so many years without making love to each other to make up for, neither of them would feel truly satisfied for some time.

But try to make up for lost time they did.

The next morning, Derek kissed Meredith deeply to wake her up and sent his hands wandering naughtily to make sure she couldn't keep sleeping. He knew he'd never tire of holding her and exploring the body he longed always to possess.

"Morning, Derek," she said, smiling sleepily as she opened her eyes to see his handsome face grinning lustily down at her.

"Good. I needed you to know that I was the one waking you up," he said softly.

"It's always been you, Derek. It always will be," she said, laying her hand aside his face and gazing up at him with more love than she remembered being able to feel.

"Not helping," Derek said, his voice growing lower and full of desire, "Statements like that are not helping me get up and cook breakfast for you." He kissed her again, and he quickly pulled the covers up over them and rolled atop her, letting his obvious desire for her leave no doubt that he wanted her badly, craved her body.

He took his time, using his skilled hands and his eager mouth to do things to her and for her that left her more than satisfied. Her mind nearly melted from the heat he sent running through her in response to the meticulous work of his mouth and hands over and around and inside her body. Much later, after she'd had her own turn at driving him to the brink of insanity and unparalleled pleasure, he was still at the joyous work of attacking that place on her neck that drove her crazy when the door flew open and Ariella burst into the room, "Mom! Jenna........Oh, God! Nevermind......." The poor girl ran quickly from the room, slamming the door closed behind her.

"Crap! You've gotta go. I'll go talk to them. You have to go," Mer said, moving to get out of bed.

Derek pulled her back down and kissed her tenderly before saying, "No."

"What??!!"

"I'm not leaving."

"But Derek, the girls.......I've got to........"

"Meredith, it's been nearly two years since their father died. They know. And they know me. Jenna's been asking me to be her stepdad for five years. It's going to be OK."

Meredith panicked. She jumped up and started looking for clothes to put on. Derek followed her and kissed her until she started to lose her ability to think. Then he pulled back and looked at her tenderly. "I'm not their stepdad, but I will be--when you're ready, and when they are. So, no. I won't leave. I love you, and I am not leaving your side until tomorrow when we fly back to Seattle."

"But.........," Meredith began. Derek silenced her by placing his index finger across her lips. "Say butt again, and I'll drag yours back to bed and own it.....claim it.......loudly," he said, shooting her a look that let her know he meant it.

"I get the idea," Meredith said, smiling in spite of herself at the thought of the pleasure that would promise.

"I'll......I'll go talk to the girls," she said, looking back at him for reassurance as she threw on the t-shirt over the sweat pants she had donned as they talked.

"I'll go cook breakfast," Derek said cheerfully. He knew he looked fairly ridiculous in just a t-shirt and his tuxedo slacks, but he couldn't bring himself to worry about little details like that. He had his Meredith back. And they'd had lots of hot sex. And they'd be having more hot sex. And the girls would be happy for them........eventually, anyway.........

After knocking, Meredith entered the girls' room uncertain of what to expect. She found Ariella and Jenna sitting on their beds, pretending that they had not just been talking about what Ariella had seen happening in her mother's room. Meredith sat down at the opposite end of Ariella's bed from her and looked at her girls, trying to assess their moods.

Taking a deep breath, she began. "He's not a replacement for your father. Derek knew I loved your father and that I would still be married to him if he were alive." She paused, hoping her words would sink in. "I still miss your father very much. But he's not coming back, and I know that he would want me to find happiness."

"You really think Dad would want you sleeping with Derek in his bed?" Ariella snapped more angrily than she meant to do.

Meredith bit back the retort that sprang to mind. She waited a few minutes and tried to speak calmly. "Your father knew that I loved Derek. I loved........I love them both. It's complicated, and I don't expect you to be happy about this, but I do expect you to respect my decisions. I'm sorry you were shocked that way, Ariella. I'm at least as mortified as you were—probably more. I had hoped to talk to you about this first. But now that it's out in the open, I need to know that you'll be civil to him. Derek will be a part of my life, and I know he wants to be part of yours."

Faced with only silence and deciding that she'd lectured enough, Meredith got up and left the room. As she walked out, she told them to come down for breakfast. The girls began buzzing the minute Meredith left the room.


**********


Their near lunchtime breakfast was delicious, but predictably awkward. Everyone just ate silently--when they weren't sending secret glances toward one party or the other. Finally, Derek had had enough. He clanked his fork down on his plate noisily.

After a glance to see Meredith looking petrified, he turned his gaze to her daughters. They looked equally nervous. So he decided to just be honest. "I love her. I've always loved your mother," he said, looking over at Meredith with an expression that proved his words to be true. "I've loved her forever--before she ever met your dad. I wanted to marry her when she was 21. But I was hurt and lost my memory and lost her. She married your dad."

Realizing that he had their rapt attention, he continued. "I respected your dad and stayed away. But I can't do that any more because I really do love her. And I want to make her happy. I won't hurt her, and I won't try to take your father's place........So just eat and talk or something."

The girls looked at each other and shrugged and began eating and talking. Meredith smiled at the three of them, happier than she could remember being.

A little while later, she said, "Go get ready for your soccer game. We'll leave in an hour." She moved the dishes to the sink and began washing them. After the girls left, Derek ran up behind her and pressed her body up against the sink with his. "I'm so happy, I could die," she said as he ran his mouth all around her neck and her earlobe.

"Horny? Did you say horny? He asked naughtily. "Cause I am. Let's go take a shower and finish what we started upstairs," he whispered before completely destroying her with what he was doing to her ear.

"Derek, I......."

He pulled her chin around toward him and kissed her senseless. "What?" he asked, knowing that she couldn't remember what she'd been saying. Meredith just looked at him, "I........"

"It's our turn. We've waited too long........"

She surprised him by turning and kissing him into silence. "Now," she muttered as she wound her way around his neck and chin in those ways that made him crazy, "is not.......time.....for talking........." Pleased that he had aroused a similar hunger in her, he grunted, "I want you.....naked......NOW!"

"Then get your hot butt upstairs and into the shower," she said as she ran out of the room. He gave her a head start because he knew she'd need one. His desire for her was frightening. And he loved it. He raced upstairs, stopping only to retrieve his duffle bag, and found Meredith still dressed.

"Derek," she began, attempting to reason with him. The distance, any distance from him always made it easier for her to think clearly and be rational. "The girls are here. They're teenagers. We can't....."

He pulled her to him, his hands pressing her hips against his and his lips attacking hers with such force that she couldn't even dream of arguing. He walked her backwards until he was able to lock the door.

"Derek," she pleaded with him, "we can't......" His kiss silenced her again as he turned and walked them into the bathroom. Not taking no for an answer, he started removing their clothing while holding her close and doing everything within his power to drive her mad with desire. "Derek......," she tried one last time.

"We've got two days," he said breathlessly between kisses, "you're lucky I'm letting you out of bed at all. Shut up and make love to me, Mer." Even the mom in her couldn't deny the heat between them any longer. She melted into him as they tried to muffle each other's moans in the shower.

Parental responsibilities not to be ignored helped them make quick but delightful work of their shower. Meredith left the room first and headed downstairs, blushing that her girls might know what she'd been doing across the hall from where they were getting ready. Derek came down a few minutes later, his damp hair looking especially tempting to her. He kissed her quickly in greeting as the girls thundered down the stairs with their gear. As he turned to smile at them, they both rolled their eyes.

"Don't worry," he said cheerfully, "I'll behave at the game. I won't embarrass you by kissing your mother in front of your friends." "Good," all three females said in response. It was Derek's turn to roll his eyes.