Just For You, Sir (Doms of Decadence) (11 page)

***

Derrick watched as the doctor examined Jacey. The nurse had already taken her vitals,
and changed her into a hideous hospital gown. He’d lied and told them he was her fiancé. Although they’d given her ring less finger a glance, they hadn’t questioned him.

People normally didn’t.

“Well?” he asked impatiently as the doctor pulled his stethoscope back and the nurse helped Jacey lie back on the bed.

“Sounds like bronchitis, but we’ll need to get an x-ray to rule out pneumonia.”

“No…no x-ray,” Jacey said quietly, opening her eyes.

“Jacey, it’s okay.” Derrick grabbed her hand, wanting to reassure her.

“No x-ray, it’s not safe for the baby.”

The doctor looked up from where he was writing on a clipboard.

“You’re pregnant?” He looked to Derrick for confirmation. Derrick scrambled to keep the shock from his face. Being pregnant was something he should know… as her fiancé.

“Yes,” he said. “She’s pregnant.”

“In that case, x-rays are out. How far along are you?”

“Umm, nearly 12 weeks,” she replied.

The doctor wrote it down. “I think we better keep you in for observation, just overnight.”

“Whatever you think necessary, doctor
,” Derrick answered.

Jacey half-listened as the nurse went through
her prescriptions, as well as some instructions for her care. Derrick appeared to be hanging onto every word.

Everything leading up to her being here
was still a bit of a blur. How had Derrick found her? Was it just a coincidence? Jacey looked around her. How had she ended up in a private room? She barely had enough money to cover the prescriptions, let alone the hospital bill.

“
You need a lot of rest and care, Ms Reynolds. The doctor is worried about how underweight you are, getting your body weight up is important and you both need to discuss this with your own doctor and obstetrician.”

“Don’t worry, we will,” Derrick said grimly.

Jacey turned to look at him. He hadn’t said a word about her pregnancy. In fact, he hadn’t said much at all. Derrick had insisted on staying with her the night, but Jacey had been so exhausted that she’d fallen asleep before she could question him.

This morning, the nurse had helped her get ready, while Derrick went to get some breakfast. What was he thinking? Why had he stayed with her? Why had he told them that he was her
fiancé?

Derrick had taken care of everything, including filling
out the paperwork. She wondered how he knew the last name she’d been using. Reynolds was her mother’s maiden name. She hadn’t told him that, had she? Then she remembered giving it to the policeman at the scene of Cece’s accident. He must have overheard her. That was twice her name had appeared on paperwork. Not that Stephan would be looking for a Jacey Reynolds.

She was safe. She had to be.

“All right, then. Get these prescriptions filled and I hope your pregnancy goes well. I’ll get an orderly up here to wheel you out.”

Derrick took the paperwork and Jacey smiled at the nurse as she bustled off.

“How are you doing, baby? Tired?”

“A bit,” she replied. “Derrick, what are you doing here?”

He gazed at her for a long moment. “What do you mean?”

“Well.” She glanced down at her hands, feeling embarrassed. “I mean, why did you bring me to the hospital? Why did you stay the night? Why did you tell them I was your fiancée?”

He took her hand, running his thumb over her bare ring finger. “I told them that because I knew they wouldn’t let me stay unless they thought I had a relationship with you.”

“But we don’t have a relationship. I
t was a one-night stand. I don’t understand why you’re here.”

She coughed and he reached for a glass of water, holding it up so she could take a few sips.

She leaned back against the raised bed, catching her breath. Derrick leaned forward, his gaze intently.

“Listen to me carefully, Jacey. You were not a one-night stand. I’m sorry that I d
idn’t make that more clear. I made a connection with you and I know you felt the same.”

“Yes
, but that doesn’t mean we can take things further. I’m not good for you, Derrick.”

“Stop that. You are perfect for me. I couldn’t stop thinking about you while I was away, worrying about you. I only wish that I had gotten you to stay at my place, maybe then you wouldn’t have been wandering the streets,
burning up with fever.”

“I wasn’t wandering the streets.
I was searching for a job.”

“I know, baby.” He ran a cool hand over her forehead. “But you don’t have to worry about that anymore. I’m here. I’m
going to take care of you.”

Although she knew she should protest, right now it sounded like absolute bliss just to lie back and let someone else take all the worry and stress from her shoulders.

“I’m going to look after you, Jacey. All you need to do is concentrate on getting well and taking care of this baby.”

He laid his hand on her stomach, his touch so gentle it brought tears to her eyes. What would it be like to have this man as the father of her baby? She knew that he would do anything to protect and take care of them.

“You haven’t asked me who the father is,” she said.

“Your ex?” he questioned.

“Yes.”

“
He’s definitely out of your life?”

“I never want to see him again,” she told him
fervently.

Tension drifted from his shoulders. “Then it doesn’t matter.”

***

Jacey stared up at Derrick’s house as he pulled
the car up to the front door. She let out a small sigh as he jumped out of the car. Undoing her belt, she reached her for her door handle. She’d tried to protest, but he’d brushed her arguments aside, telling her to sit back and rest.

To her chagrin, she’d done just that. It was just so easy to let Derrick take over. She knew it wasn’t right. She had so many secrets, so many reasons why she couldn’t get involved with him. But right now those reasons had flown out the window.

She just needed to catch her breath. She didn’t want to take advantage of Derrick. As soon as she felt better, she’d leave. But she was seriously worried that she would be jeopardizing the health of her baby if she were to go back out on the streets at the moment.

Derrick opened her door and reaching in, scooped her up into his arms.

“Derrick! I can walk.” She blushed.

“Save your lungs, love. Besides, I like carrying you. You wouldn’t deny me that pleasure, would you?”

Robert approached them as Derrick headed toward the front door. “Let me get the door for you.”

“Thanks
, Robert. Jacey, do you remember Robert?”

She nodded at the older man who smiled down at her.

“I’m going to take Jacey upstairs. She needs to rest. There are a few prescriptions sitting in the car, could you go get them filled for me? I’ll be working from home for at least the rest of the week.”

“Certainly. Hope you feel better soon, miss.”

“Please, call me Jacey,” she said with a smile.

Robert
closed the door behind them and Derrick carried her toward the staircase.

“Derrick, you don’t have to rearrange your life for me,” she said in protest. “I’ll be perfectly fine here on my own.”

“Baby, the best thing about being the boss is that I can do whatever suits me. And right now, what suits me best is to work from home so I can keep an eye on you.”

He strode into his bedroom and Jacey gave up arguing. Truth be told, she ju
st didn’t have the energy. Derrick sat her on the side of the bed and Jacey looked around as he walked over to a chest of drawers.

“My backpack!” she said
with relief. Derrick turned.

“Yes, you were wearing it when I found you. I brought it back here with me. I haven’t opened it. I can unpack it if you like.”

“No, that’s okay,” she told him, not wanting him to see that she carried her whole life in that bag.

She stood, swaying slightly as spots danced in front of her eyes. “Sit down before you fall down,”
his deep voice growled, pressing on her shoulders. Then her head was being pushed between her knees, a firm hand surrounded her nape as Derrick murmured to her soothingly.

“That’s it, take another breath.”

“I’m okay now,” she said, coughing as he helped her sit up. Derrick reached over and poured a glass of water from the pitcher on the nightstand and held it up to her lips. Jacey sipped from it.

“You can unpack your backpack later, after you’ve rested,” he said, his stern voice stirring her in ways it shouldn’t have. What was
it with her and take-charge men? Why couldn’t she fall for an easy-going guy who would do what she said?

“
Raise your arms.”

“What?”

He held out some pajamas. They were silky and a deep crimson color. “I got Jenny, my housekeeper, to do some shopping. Hold your arms up and I’ll help you get changed.”

She blushed bright red. Seeing her naked during sex was one thing, but seeing her naked like this was a whole different ball
game. Sex, she could deal with. When had anyone taken care of her like this? Only her nanny when she was sick as a child. Her parents had never shown any interest and Stephan had always expected her to wait on him. Whether she was feeling up to it or not.

Derrick’s behavior confused her.

“Jacey? What are you thinking?”

“Nothing,” she replied automatically.

Derrick raised her face, his hand gentle but firm beneath her chin. “We’re going to have to work on that, aren’t we?”

“What?”

“On getting you to open up. When I ask a question, I’m not expecting a brush off or to hear what you think I want to hear. I really want to know what you’re thinking.”

Jacey tried to move her head away, feeling uncomfortable. But Derrick tightened his hold. Not to the point of pain, but she knew he wasn’t budging.

“I’m not used to doing that.”

He chuckled. “I can tell. Would you like me to help you?”

She raised her gaze to his. Letting him into her head was dangerous, it opened the way for her secrets to spill out. But as she looked up into his gaze and saw the concern, she wanted to open up to him.

“Yes,” she whispered. “But I’m not sure I should. I can’t…there are things…” she trailed off and he sat beside her, pulling her onto his lap.

“Let’s just take this slow. At the moment you’re not well and my main goal is to get you feeling better. Let’s concentrate on that for now and we’ll slowly work on getting you to open up and trust me.”

She grabbed his hand. “I trust you more than anyone else I know.”

He grinned, a smile that turned his face from handsome to breath-taking. Leaning in, he kissed her gently.

“Thank you, baby. Let’s get you into bed, okay?
You look knackered.”

She smiled. Most of the time he sounded so American, then every so often his accent would become obvious or he’d say a word like knackered and his English heritage would slip through. It was sexy as hell.

Ignoring her protests that she could do it herself, he soon had her stripped and dressed in amazingly comfortable pajamas.

“You didn’t have to buy me anything, Derrick.”

“Well, I wasn’t sure what you had. There are more clothes in the dresser for when you’re feeling better. Do you need to go to the bathroom?”

“Yes, but I can—Derrick!”

He swept her up, striding for the bathroom. Setting her down on her feet, he reached for her pajama bottoms. Jacey quickly slammed her hands down on his.

“Uh-uh, no way.”

“Jacey—”

“No,” she said firmly, before bending over as a cough wracked her body. Derrick held her close as she shook, running his hand up and down her back
.

“Better?” he asked as she calmed.

She nodded her head, feeling exhausted. She leaned her head against his chest.

“I really need to go to the bathroom.
Alone.”

Derrick kissed her forehead. “Okay, I’ll wait outside the door. Call me when you’re finished and I’ll carry you back to bed.”

Jacey used the toilet then washed her hands, glancing at herself in the mirror. She was pale, her cheeks overly pronounced with dark circles marring the skin beneath her eyes.

There was a knock on the door. “Jacey?”

“Ready,” she called out.

Derrick opened the door, moving in to collect her up into his arms.

“You can’t keep carrying me everywhere, Derrick,” she told him, much as she enjoyed being in his arms.

He shrugged. “I can try.”

The covers on the bed had been thrown back and he tucked her in, pulling them back up and tuckering them around her.

“And what about when I need to go to the bathroom while you’re downstairs
?”

He frowned, thinking. Then the lines on his face lightened and he stood up, striding from the room.

What was he up to?

When he returned he had something in his hands. Was that? No, it couldn’t be.

“A baby monitor? Are you serious?” She gaped at him.

“I’ve been doing up a nursery for Holly’s baby. Just got this the other day. I was thinking of how I could move my study up here, but that might disturb you. This is much better.”

“Derrick! You are not using a baby monitor to keep an eye on me.”

“Why not?”

He placed the monitor base on the nightstand and plugged it in. He held the receiver in his other hand.

“Ahh, maybe because I’m not a baby
? What do you think I’m going to do? Cry when I want to go to the bathroom? Why don’t you just put a diaper on me and stick me in a crib?”

“Not my kink, love.”

She gaped at him, taking in his words.

“Just call out when you need something and I’ll here you downstairs.” He held up the
receiver.