by Laura Ann
She blinked rapidly, her thoughts were scrambling to come to terms with all that had happened in the last couple of hours. Lifting up her head she looked directly into Derrick’s golden orbs. “Is it really over?” She whispered.
“Yes,” he said without hesitation.
Ruby whipped around as a sudden bustling around them brought her back to the scene in her house. Several emergency workers were loading Grams into a stretcher and the sight caused Ruby to cry out. She tried to stand, but Derrick held her back.
Pulling her back to his chest, he spoke right into her ear. “Let them help her. You’ll only get in the way. She’s going to be just fine.”
Ruby nodded, recognizing the truth in his words as tears began to pour down her face. Her adrenaline was finally starting to wane, the shock wearing off and the emotions she had held back were surfacing. Turning her head, she buried her face in Derrick’s neck and poured out everything; the fear, the stress, the anxiety, and the relief that it was all over.
Derrick held her, his rumbling voice tethering her through the storm as he let her purge herself from the experience. When the tears dried up, Ruby felt drained and limp.
“Are you ready to give a statement?” Derrick whispered.
With a deep breath, Ruby sat up. “Okay,” she said. “I just want to get this over with.”
“Fair enough.” Derrick agreed. “When you’re done, I’ll drive us to the hospital to check on Grams.”
Ruby bit her lip and nodded. When a police officer came over with a notebook in his hands, Ruby turned and prepared to slide off Derrick’s lap, but he held on tight. Ruby glanced back at him, a question in her eyes.
A blush crept up his cheeks and a sheepish grin crossed his face. “I’m not ready to let you go yet,” he said for her ears only.
Ruby smiled and settled back against his strong chest, drawing strength from his warmth.
CHAPTER 15
Derrick had to keep himself from reliving the moments where he entered Ruby’s house over and over again. Every time he let down his guard, he could see Braedon holding onto Ruby. He could see the fear in her eyes and the cruel sound of Braedon’s voice. Sometimes his mind replayed the scream Derrick had heard over the phone before Braedon came on and taunted him.
Grams had been kept overnight at the hospital flushed whatever drug had been given to her out of her system. Ruby and Derrick had slept in the chairs at the hospital and now Derrick had a roaring headache, making it difficult to keep fighting his demons.
Derrick now sat on Ruby’s couch, having brought Ruby and Grams home that very morning. He should probably go home and shower, but he couldn’t seem to make himself leave quite yet.
It had taken every ounce of self-control to not just snap the creep’s neck. When he found the front door open and could see Ruby and Braedon inside, his heart had just about stopped in his chest. Only the knowledge that Ruby needed him had kept him going. He had been so proud of Ruby when she had distracted Braedon long enough for Derrick to get a handle on the situation and figure out how to subdue the Perv.
As Derrick stretched his tight neck, he clenched his teeth to push back the tremors going through him at the thoughts of what Braedon would have done to Ruby if Derrick hadn’t arrived. That moment would forever be defined in his mind as the moment he knew he loved Ruby more than life itself. The thought of ever losing her gave him nightmares he didn’t want to revisit.
A soft, silky hand landed on the back of his neck and started to squeeze and rub. Derrick’s breath hitched before it all flooded out of him in one great whoosh. Relaxing under the tender touch of Ruby’s fingers, Derrick felt her start to work out some of the tension that he had been holding onto for the last twelve hours.
“Take it easy, big guy. I’m here. I’m okay, thanks to you,” Ruby whispered lovingly in his ear. “I’m so grateful you came. Thank you.” Leaning in, she left a light kiss on his earlobe. “Just relax, everything is going to be okay.”
Derrick grunted. “Shouldn’t I be saying that to you?” Derrick leaned forward, putting his elbows on his knees and let his head hang down, allowing Ruby better access to his neck.
“You did. Last night you helped me, now it’s my turn to help you.” This time Ruby kissed right under Derrick’s ear and he could take no more. If she was going to tease and distract him, he was going to take her up on the offer.
With a playful growl, he twisted and pulled her around into his arms. He leaned down to kiss her, stopping only millimeters from her lips. “I was so afraid I would be too late,” he admitted in a pained voice.
Ruby reached up and ran her fingers through his hair. “But you weren’t. You are my hero Mr. Lumberjack. Are you sure your leg is okay?”
Derrick nodded, then closed his eyes and enjoyed the electric sensation of her touch. “I love you, Ruby.” He opened his eyes at her gasp. “I have for a while, but I held it back. Things have moved so fast with us, but I just can’t help it. I’ve never felt anything so right before. I don’t want to wait to move forward just because everyone else says to. I love you. With all my heart.”
Ruby’s eyes filled with tears and she bit that ever tempting lip. “I love you too,” she whispered back. “And you’re right. This is our relationship and no one else’s. I love your strength, your wit and how protected you make me feel.”
Derrick snorted, but Ruby shushed him with a finger on his lips.
“I love how you tease and joke with me. I love how you get along with Grams and take care of her just as much as you take care of me. And I love how you want to help kids who have a rough home life, just like you did.” Ruby stopped talking and bit her lip as if to stop from saying more.
Derrick was in awe of all that Ruby described. Never in a million years would he have thought a woman as wonderful as she would feel the same way about him. With a grin, he reached up and pulled her lip out of her teeth. “You’re going to damage it. I have big plans for that lip and it wouldn’t be good for it to be injured.”
“Oh reall—”
Derrick didn’t let Ruby’s flirtatious comeback stop him. He closed the small distance between them and proceeded to show her all the ways he loved her back.
CHAPTER 16
Ruby was stretching when Derrick pulled into the driveway a month later. Even though Braedon had been put in a mental hospital and was locked away for good, they had taken to running together at least once a week.
At first, it had simply helped Ruby overcome residual fears from her encounter, but several weeks later, it was simply a time they enjoyed together. They were set to run their first race together the next weekend.
It might only be a 5K, but hey. It’s a start. Derrick mused as he got out of the car, he was grateful how the running had continued to help his thigh heal and he had hope it would eventually stop hurting all together. Walking over to his girlfriend, he admired the sleek line of her long legs and the way her ponytail swung as she moved from side to side; stretching first one leg then the other.
When amused blue eyes met his, he felt a blush creeping up his cheeks and looked away, clearing his throat. “So, uh, you got some new shoes?”
Brand new, cherry red running shoes were being proudly displayed on Ruby’s feet. She twisted to show them off before answering.
“Sort of. They were a gift from Mrs. Merryweather, the secretary at my school?” She glanced at him to make sure he understood who she was talking about. “She special ordered them. Something about the color helping me to not get lost in the woods again. I’ll admit that I love them, might have to make them my signature look.” Ruby looked up and smirked. “But I think she must have been mixing us up.”
Derrick assumed his intimidation stance. He folded his arms over his chest, knowing it caused his biceps to bulge, then spread his legs and threw back his shoulders. “Oh yeah?” He loved when Ruby flirted with him, but he had learned not to give her an inch, or she would take a yard. “Why would you think that?”
Ruby
sauntered over until she was right in front of him. Her lips were in full pout mode and Derrick was completely mesmerized. When she took two fingers and began walking them up his chest, he knew he was going to have to taste her soon. Each little touch sent a shock wave through his system. Dang woman knows what she’s doing too. He held off from touching her back just to prove he could.
When Ruby’s fingers came up his neck and then tapped his lip, she leaned in close. “Because I think they’re more for you to still be able to see me when I leave you in the dust.”
With a playful growl, Derrick reached for her waist, but Ruby had expected the move and she twisted quickly, taking off towards the trails. “See ya sucka! Catch me if you can!” With a laugh, she broke into a full sprint and left him behind.
“Oh, it’s on now,” Derrick muttered before taking off himself. I’ll let her run for a bit before I catch her, just so she doesn’t feel too bad. He smirked at the thought.
I’LL RUN FOR A BIT before I let him catch me, just so he doesn’t feel too bad. Ruby thought as she let her feet fly down the trail.
Soon she could hear his heavier footsteps behind her and she felt a thrill at the anticipation of his arms around her. She squealed when he grabbed her by the waist and pulled her close.
“Whatcha gonna do now?” He panted in her ear, before nipping her earlobe.
“Hey now, none of that, we’re supposed to be running,” Ruby said with a sigh, then leaned her head the other way to give him better access.
“Mm, hmm.” He hummed against her neck as he continued to toy with her. “You taste so good, like salt.”
Ruby laughed, before trying to wiggle out of his arms. “That’s so gross, you’re tasting my sweat.”
“Hey, don’t knock it ‘til you’ve tried it.” He spun her so she faced him. “Here, you give it a try.” Derrick stuck his neck towards her while she continued to laugh and tried to pull away.
“Gross! Let me go, ya big lug!” Although Ruby put on a good show, she knew she would never get out of his arms unless he let her go, but she loved to try.
Suddenly Derrick’s playful demeanor dropped. Coming nose to nose with Ruby he said, “Never.”
Ruby felt the air around them shift. The playfulness was gone and in its place was the hum of love and desire. Putting her arms around his neck she pulled herself closer. “Thank heavens,” she whispered against his lips.
Derrick gave her a short kiss before pulling back. “Marry me, Ruby. Make it so I truly never have to let you go.”
Shocked, Ruby felt her eyes go wide and her jaw go slack. We’ve only been dating a couple months! What will people think?
“I can see your mind going a hundred miles an hour, but don’t listen to it. I love you. I love everything about you, your feistiness, independence, kindness. I know you love me too. We have had something special from the first moment we met. It doesn’t matter what anyone else thinks or says or does, this is about us and only us.” His golden eyes looked vulnerable and his voice sounded unsure as if he were afraid of her answer.
Ruby let his words sink in. She knew he was right, but it was still hard to reconcile the amount of time they had known each other to making a lifetime commitment. But as she stood in his arms, knowing she never wanted him to let go, she shoved aside the logical voice and listened to her heart instead.
“Yes,” she whispered, leaning her forehead against his. “Yes!”
With a whoop, Derrick picked her up and spun her around. When he stopped, her feet came back to the ground, but her spirit soared. Derrick closed the distance between them and sealed their commitment with the best possible action.
This. This was worth waiting for. Ruby sighed as she leaned into him, giving herself over to the man she loved.
THE END
Thank you for reading “Running from the Wolf”
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Interested in the rest of the Middleton Prep Series?
Find the series order below:
Prequel: A Home for the Ugly Duckling
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Book #1: The Librarian and Her Beast
(Piper and Nash)
Book #2: Ms. Cinder’s Prince
(Charlotte and Christian)
Book #3: Waking Ms. Briar
(Rory and Stephen)
Book #4: A Date for the Goose Girl
(Lucy and Mateo)
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
I’m the mother of five brilliant children,
And the wife to one fantastic husband.
They are the most supportive crew a gal
Could ask for. Music and books have become
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Curious about what happened in Lucy’s story?
Read on for a sample of
“A Date for the Goose Girl”
PROLOGUE
Valentine’s Day
Lucy Gosling sat still as stone while her finger hovered over the ‘submit’ button on her keyboard. Her heart raced, her breathing was shallow and she felt sweat forming at her temples.
Come on Luce, you can do this.
For the last several months, Lucy had watched her best friends slowly pair off, each finding their own happy ever after, leaving Lucy behind. Since Piper, Charlotte and Rory had all found their men at the school all of them taught at, it left Lucy feeling even more like a third wheel.
The breaking point had come when Piper, who was like a sister to Lucy, had been proposed to in the staff lunch room today. Although Lucy was happy for her friend, she was lonely.
Grading papers and managing school dances just doesn’t cut it anymore.
She wanted love. She wanted companionship. She wanted what everyone else seemed to be finding ... except her.
A fellow teacher, Ruby, had told Lucy about an internet dating site that she, herself, was using. FindYourFairyTale.com No pictures or names were exchanged in order to help people find a deeper connection. Plus they matched you with people as close as possible to your local area, so no one had to work out a long distance relationship.
Am I really this desperate? Ugh! She banged her head on the desk she was sitting at. Yes, Lucy. Yes you are. Just do it! With a quick jab, she hit the key and sent off her dating resume.
It’s going to be okay Luce. It’s going to be okay. This could be the start of something really awesome! Her pep talk didn’t work and Lucy found tears filling her eyes. Why can’t I just meet someone kind and intelligent at work? I’m at a school for heaven’s sake! It seems like it shouldn’t be that hard! She wiped at the tears dribbling down her cheeks. Probably because all the good ones are taken. Lucy sighed and pushed back from the computer, refusing to dwell on the situation.
A WEEK LATER, LUCY scrolled through her emails, only to stop in shock. An email from FindYourFairyTale.com lay in her inbox. ‘You’ve got a response!’, glowed at her from the subject line. Nerves and excitement fought for dominance in her system as she slowly moved the cursor to open the email.
L.G.,
I read your profile thing and thought we might fit good.
It’s a good thing you have a job, cause I
Prefer to stay home. To tell you—
“You’ve got to be kidding.” Lucy stopped reading and immediately pressed the delete button. “Nope, nope, nope aaaaannnd nope.” Shaking her head she went back to cleaning up her inbox.
L.G.,
Howdy! I know that’s not how all you city folk—
Delete.
L.G.,
As far as I can tell, you and I are complete
Opposites, but you know what they say...
Opposites attract, right?
Delete.
L.G.,
I hope you don’t like animals because I suffer from—
Delete. Delete. Delete.
“Are there no NORMAL men left in this world?” Lucy yelled at the computer screen. Over the last month she had deleted over two dozen men. Not a single one sounded like what she was looking for. “Why is this so hard? One. All I’m asking is ONE good man!”
Lucy thought of Ruby, who was also doing the internet thing. Just within the last week, Ruby had met someone she thought might work. They had an actual date scheduled soon and Lucy felt happy for her friend but jealous at the same time.
“Maybe it’s me. Maybe it’s not that I can’t find a good guy, it’s that something about me draws in the wrong guys?” Lucy felt a sinking feeling in her stomach. “Arrgh!” She growled. “This is so stupid.”
Just as she was ready to slam down the top of her laptop, another email notification sprang onto the screen. Lucy closed her eyes and her shoulders slumped. She moved the cursor to the delete button, too upset to even bother reading the note, but the eternal flicker of hope that beats in every woman’s breast won out.
With a sigh she opened the email and began to read.
Dear L.G.,
I realize these types of emails are extremely
Awkward and I wish I knew how to fix that. Alas,
Pretty words and eloquent phrases are not my
Specialty. In fact, internet dating in general
Is not my specialty. I’m new to this digital world,
And often feel like I’m fighting a losing battle.