All I Want Is Forever by Lynn Emery Page B

I had back in Washington.”
    â€œYou take on a lot because you enjoy the fast pace.”
    â€œYou and your boss got me into this whole sentencing issue,” Talia replied with a raised eyebrow.
    â€œIf I’m the reason you’re back home, then I won’t complain.” His deep voice issued a sultry invitation.
    Talia breathed hard as they stared into each other’s eyes. The gray cotton sweater she wore seemed too hot suddenly. She squirmed in her chair as a tickle of lust surged up the insides of her thighs.
    â€œI’ll be gone in about three weeks.” She looked out at the levee.
    â€œSo you keep reminding me. We have dinner, and you mention it. We go see a play, and you mention it.” Derrick heaved a deep sigh. “I think I’ve got it, Talia.”
    â€œSorry.” She felt a stab of guilt at the sadness in his tone. “I didn’t mean to beat a dead horse.”
    â€œMaybe you’re trying to convince yourself?”
    Talia toyed with a paper napkin. “I don’t understand why you got hooked up in crime fighting after all we’ve been through,” she said quietly.
    â€œYou mean avoid the kinds of people and places we grew up with, right?” Derrick shrugged. “I want to make a difference.”
    â€œDon’t you get sick of the criminals, the lies, the sordid stories? We lived it.” Talia grimaced at the memories.
    â€œI’m not sure I can explain it.” Derrick shook his head slowly. “I think we need to be involved in the criminal justice system. I guess because it had such a big impact on my life.”
    â€œC’mon, there are thousands of careers.” Talia gazed at him.
    â€œI’m not a desk job guy. I like being on the move and in the thick of things.” Derrick smiled. “That paralegal course while I was at the community college got me hooked.”
    â€œYou could have been a lawyer. With your brains you’d make a truckload of money.” Talia leaned toward him. “My friend Jarrod—”
    â€œI don’t want to wear a suit and do lunch. I’m not into being upwardly mobile.”
    â€œThere is nothing wrong with the good life,” Talia shot back.
    â€œYou want a guy who can give you a luxury town house and theater trips to New York. I got ya.” Derrick sat back in his chair and gazed past her to the river.
    â€œSo I’m superficial, is that it?” Talia ground her back teeth together. “Well, excuse me. I had my fill of living in the ’hood.”
    â€œI want to work to make sure that when the bad guys go to jail, it sticks,” Derrick said, lowering his voice.
    Talia looked at him through narrowed eyes. “You’ve just sublimated your addiction to adrenaline into fighting crime. I knew you when, Derrick. Well, who died and appointed you Batman?”
    â€œI can’t believe this!” Derrick waved a hand in the air.
    â€œMama Rose told me all about how you helped catch some dangerous thugs. Your mother must worry herself sick.” Talia pushed the ceramic mug aside.
    â€œMama understands my work.”
    â€œOf course that’s what she’s going to tell you.” Talia rubbed her forehead. “It’s so inconsiderate. Who the hell wants to sit up nights wondering if you’re dead?”
    He reached out and took her hand down from herface. “I’m not in that much danger. You wouldn’t have to worry.”
    â€œRun around jumping in front of bullets if you want. I’ll take my nice boring office job and my nice boring life, thank you very much.” Talia tried not to answer the silent call into a tender moment from his touch. She avoided meeting his gaze.
    â€œNothing is going to happen to me. I promise,” Derrick whispered.
    â€œYou don’t know the future, so why take chances?” Talia tried to pull her hand away, but he held on tight. “And then there’s my dear