Savior

Chapter 80

-xx-

"Oh my god," Jamie exclaimed as she took Cate's hand in hers. "This is beautiful!" Cate blushed as the blonde examined her engagement ring.

After arriving in Chicago and retrieving their rental car, Cate and Derek met up with Brendan and Jamie for a late dinner. Cate stretched in her chair and adjusted her slouchy cardigan as it slipped off of her shoulder. "It is pretty amazing," she answered.

"D, I'm shocked," Jamie said as she looked across the table at her husband's best friend. She let Cate pull her hand back across the table.

"That he picked something that nice or that he actually proposed?" Brendan added with a laugh.

The table broke out into laughter. Cate grinned as Derek placed a comforting hand to her thigh. "When you meet the right woman, you just know when it's time to settle down."

Cate grinned as Derek turned towards her. His wink caused her to nibble on the inside of her lip. "I know what you mean, man," Brendan added as he picked up his glass of wine to cheers with the others at the table. Jamie grinned from behind the straw of her ginger ale. "We have gotten pretty lucky with these two, Derek."

Cate watched as the man next to her nodded. "Extremely lucky," Derek agreed.

"I can't believe you guys are just about a month away from your wedding," Jamie said as she placed her glass back to the table. "It's going to be here before you know it!"

"That's what I'm worried about," Cate said with a soft laugh. "My mother and sister have been amazing at helping, though."

Jamie smiled and nodded. "I loved having a small wedding," Jamie commented. "We had fifty people, and it was just so nice and relaxing."

"Nothing like this weekend," Brendan added. "Does your sister know what she's getting into?"

Derek chuckled. "Collin's a good guy," he answered. "And he treats my sister like gold."

Jamie pursed her lips into a smile. "And that's all that really matters," she said softly. "It doesn't matter that he comes from money."

Cate felt Derek squeeze her thigh softly under the table. She placed her hand on top of his and laced her fingers around his. "Desiree is very happy," Derek said, not able to keep his smile hidden. "That's what matters to me."

"I'm so glad you two were able to fly out early. We've really missed you."

Cate grinned at Jamie's words. "We figured there was no point at flying out Friday morning. Derek had already requested the weekend off, and I can work from my phone." The brunette shrugged. "But I'm so happy we could get together tonight."

"I can always get D to agree when it comes to this place," Brendan said with a chuckle.

"He'll always say yes when food is involved," Jamie interrupted. "But this is our regular dinner when he comes home to visit."

Derek nodded. "They make a mean filet," he said as he turned in the direction of the kitchen. "And speaking of, here comes our food."

Cate grinned; she was starving.

-xx-

"Shh," Derek shushed as he unlocked the front door to his mother's house. Cate placed a finger against her lips but giggled at her own actions. "You're going to wake my mother."

Cate could not contain her giggles as Derek placed a hand to her back to escort her into the house. After not really drinking for a few weeks, the two glasses of wine Cate had at dinner had hit her on the way home. "I'm being quiet," she whispered harshly.

Derek rolled his eyes as he stopped to close the door behind. "Sure you are," he answered as he helped Cate up the stairs. "Let's get you upstairs so I can go grab our bags."

She turned on the stair and lifted an eyebrow in his direction. Derek picked her up in one quick motion and muffled her yelp in his shoulder. He easily carried the brunette up the stairs and into the guest bedroom where they stayed last time they were in town.

He groaned as her purse smacked him in the shoulder when he placed her feet back to the floor. "Stay," he whispered in her direction as he started out of the bedroom.

Cate laughed to herself as she pulled her cell phone and charger from her purse. She dug around in her purse for a moment and waited for Derek to come back into the room.

Moments later, she could hear the door close and lock downstairs. She slipped off her sandals and placed them next to the bedside table. Derek pushed through the door with their bags in tow and put them down in front of the dresser.

"Hey," Cate said, trying to get his attention. "Do you think I need these anymore?"

He turned to see her pull her birth control container out of her purse. Her lip was tucked between her teeth as she dangled the green box between her fingers. Derek's eyes lit up at her words. "Catie," he began as he stepped over towards the bed.

She pursed her lips together as he hovered over her. Her breath caught in her throat at the expression on his face. "Is that a yes? I should toss them out?" she asked with a lifted eyebrow.

"If you don't want to take them any more, I won't argue." She rolled her eyes; he was always the voice of reason.

Cate grinned. "I've been thinking about it a lot lately," she answered honestly. She adjusted herself on the bed to kneel in front of him on the mattress. "I'm serious, D," she added.

"I know you are, Catie," he said softly. His hand slid through her hair to the base of her neck. "It's a hell of a time for you to tell me you've been thinking of this."

The brunette shrugged. "I was watching Brendan and Jamie tonight," she admitted. "And I know that's what I want," she said, leaving the words hanging.

"I want that more than you know, Cate." His answer caused her heart to swell. "If you're ready, baby, I'm ready, too."

She swallowed the growing lump in her throat. "It won't be overnight," she replied. "So just don't knock me up before our wedding, and my mother won't kill me."

The shrug she gave caused him to laugh as he pulled her closer to him to capture her lips with his. "I think we can make it one more month," he muttered against her lips.

When the two pulled apart, Cate grinned up at him. "So these go in the trash tomorrow morning."

"Why wait?" Derek asked excitedly as he took the container out of Cate's hand. He stepped out of the bedroom and down the hall towards the bathroom. Cate covered her mouth to hold in her laughter as she heard them hit the bottom of the empty trash barrel.

When he stepped back into the room, he kicked the door shut behind him and started towards the bed. He picked Cate up and laid her back down on the mattress and hovered over her. "What? Are you trying now?" she asked with a laugh.

"Practicing, baby," he answered with a wink. "It's all about the practice."

-xx-