Page 103 of A Spinster's Sinful Temptation

“I came to see you.” Derrick started towards her, only to stop after a couple of steps. “I… I know I said I would give you a few days, but I couldn’t help it. I had to see you.”

“For what?”

“To apologise.” Derrick hesitated. “To ask you to forgive me. To come back with me to Northampton.”

“And how do I know that this isn’t going to happen again?” Ellie demanded. “How do I know that Catherine Saxton is going to leave us alone?”

“We’ll make sure she does.”

“That doesn’t make me feel better, Derrick.”

“Then how about this?”

He crossed the room, and Ellie knew what he was going to do. But she couldn’t move away as he approached. She didn’t fight or pull back when Derrick took her in his arms and kissed her. Instead, Ellie found herself relaxing into his arms and clinging to him tightly, sure that she was digging her nails into his back. She could feel tears behind her eyelids, leaking through her lashes as she kissed her husband.

“I love you, Ellie,” Derrick gasped as they broke apart.

Ellie opened her eyes. “What?”

“I said that I love you. I would never do what Catherine suggested. Never would I even contemplate it.” Derrick’s eyes widened and he brushed his thumbs across her cheeks. “You’re crying. I didn’t mean to make you cry.”

“I… I hadn’t noticed.” Ellie swallowed hard, swiping at her face herself. “Do you really mean that?”

“Of course I do. I know we came into this marriage as an arrangement of more friendship than anything else, but I found myself falling for you instead.” Derrick rested his forehead against hers. “I love you, Ellie, and that’s not going to change because some fool is messing around with our marriage.”

Ellie let the words sink in. It felt good hearing that. It was something she never expected to hear. She wrapped her arms around his waist.

“I didn’t want to run away like that, but with… that woman… being in close proximity, things were just going to get worse. I had to get out of there.”

“You just had to say the word, and I would have taken you away to wherever you wanted to go.”

“I didn’t want to be around you, either.” Ellie winced and drew back. “While I was aware that she was making things up to bother me, hearing that and then being so close to you shortly after was not helping. My head was a mess, and I needed to get away. It was only when I got here and had my space that I was able to think clearly.”

“I understand. If the roles had been reversed, I would have done the same thing.” Derrick kissed her forehead. “But Catherine isn’t someone you have to worry about anymore. We’re going to make sure she never comes near you again.”

“Do you promise?”

“I promise.” Derrick tilted her head up by her chin, pressing a gentle kiss on her mouth. “God help me, I promise. I never want to go through this again. It’s only been a day, but I missed you. The loneliness I felt was horrible, and I don’t want to go through that again.”

“I don’t want to go through it, either,” Ellie said dryly. “It’s a very long journey to Kent from Northampton.”

Derrick chuckled. “I won’t argue with that. But in the future, do you think we can actually sit down and talk about it instead? Preferably without you slapping me.”

Ellie smiled. “I’ll do my best.”

“So, will you come back with me? Will you accept my love even if you don’t love me in return?”

“Who said I didn’t?” Ellie kissed him. “I love you, too.”

For a moment, neither of them said anything. Then, Derrick wrapped her in a crushing hug, almost squashing her against his chest.

“Thank God,” he growled, kissing her head. “I thought you would never say it.”

“Just like I thought you wouldn’t.” Ellie managed to lift her head. “Where did it all change for us? What happened?”

“I’m not sure, but I’m not about to argue.” Derrick kissed her quickly before releasing her to take her hand. “Do you want to talk now? Or do you want to do it in the morning? Because I’m exhausted from travelling, and all I can think about is holding you in my arms as I sleep.”

That sounded nice, but Ellie didn’t want to put this off. She led him over to the settee.

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