All I Want Is Forever Read Online Free PDF Page B

her. “Name one time I lied.”
    She lowered her hand. “You’re right. It’s just…” Her voice trailed off and she took a sip of wine.
    â€œYou think I’m trying to mess up your well-ordered world.” Derrick shook his head slowly. “I only want thebest for you. I tried to protect you back then and—”
    â€œYou don’t have to say it.” Talia drew in a shaky breath.
    At that moment the confident, bold woman dissolved. Talia closed her eyes briefly, then opened them and took another sip of wine. Her smooth skin seemed pale with dread as though a ghost had sat down next to her. In a way that was exactly what he represented, a haunting reminder of something she’d buried long ago. Talia put down the wineglass and clasped her hands together. She seemed to pull inward to protect herself. He ached to take her in his arms, to caress away the fear.
    â€œNo one will hurt you if I can help it. That includes me, Talia. I wouldn’t have come under other circumstances.” Derrick clenched one hand to dull the pain. “I know how you feel.”
    Talia didn’t speak for several seconds. Her expression softened when she looked at him again. “Sorry. Guess I haven’t dealt with my issues very well.”
    Derrick smiled. “Hey, we go back a long way. Don’t worry about speaking your mind to me. You never did.”
    â€œMy mouth used to get me in all kinds of trouble.” Her full lips lifted, a tantalizing hint of a smile.
    His heart turned over at the sight. Derrick leaned close to her. “Got you out of a lot of trouble, too. Remember that time I almost got caught stealing Mr. Boudreaux’s figs? He came out with that old gun loaded with buckshot.”
    â€œOh yeah,” Talia said. She tilted her head to one side. “You and that undesirable element you hung around with almost got shot that day.”
    Derrick grinned at her. “Poor old guy went crazy trying to keep us out of his fig trees. You popped out from the bushes with that wide-eyed innocent expression and charmed his socks off. Amazing the way he just swallowed that tale you told.”
    â€œYou mean about the swarm of squirrels? Mr. Boudreaux’s lightbulb was short a few watts, you know.”
    Derrick threw back his head and laughed hard. Talia laughed with him after a second. They were wiping their eyes by the time the waitress appeared with their food. The tension between them vanished. As they ate, they shared other funny stories of childhood exploits.
    â€œMan, I never realized how bad we were until now,” Derrick said. “We were always into something.”
    â€œForget that ‘we’ stuff. You were always into something, Derrick Guillory.” Talia poked his arm.
    â€œNow that brings back painful memories. Mama would call my full name when I was in big trouble.” He winced.
    â€œHow is your mama?” Talia’s voice dropped to a gentle timbre.
    â€œPretty good. She’s in one of those subsidized housing developments. She seems to really like it.” Derrick stared at his plate without seeing the food on it.
    â€œYou’ve taken good care of her.” Talia leaned across the table to make her point.
    Derrick took her hand. “Thanks.”
    â€œFor what?” Talia looked uneasy, yet she didn’t pull away.
    â€œYou always stuck by me when things got tough. Actually we stuck by each other.” Derrick searched her face.
    Talia removed her hand and picked up her wineglass. “Who else was going to save your butt?” Her tone was light as she looked away.
    â€œMost people said I’d end up in prison like my father. But not you.”
    â€œI know what it’s like to be judged based on your parents,” Talia said softly. “Even more reason that I owe you an apology.”
    â€œI should have given you warning that I was in town instead of showing up like