Crossing the Line Read Free Page A

watching TV or playing on his cellphone, just waiting patiently, arms slung over the back of the sofa, legs stretched leisurely on the chaise portion. Comfortable. At ease. Good descriptions for Derrick in general, ninety-nine percent of the time.
    When she hugged him from behind, he tipped his head back, making his sexy, chin-length blond hair rumple against the dark-brown cushions. “Hey, beautiful. Come around here and sit with me.”
    She did, happily settling between his parted thighs. But the butterflies remained, especially as she stared at two over-filled wine goblets on the coffee table. She’d never been much of a booze-hound. Even in her college years, she’d been a lightweight. She enjoyed having a cocktail at parties or a glass of wine with a nice dinner. But she didn’t drink for the sake of drinking. It wasn’t her thing and Derrick knew that. He never poured her a drink without asking. Well, almost never…
    The scene in front of her had an uncomfortable familiarity. Three years had passed since that time, but looking at the glasses on the table took her right back to it. The day he’d given her the news about his vasectomy.
    She’d known he didn’t want kids when they got married. Not that he disliked them, but the abuse he’d suffered at the hands of his father had left its mark, deep down. He’d been upfront about his past and his future while they were dating. It had been a serious decision for her, because she’d always pictured herself having children. But her love for Derrick had won out.
    That love hadn’t prevented her from doing something stupid and selfish, though. Biology had kicked her maternal urges into high gear as she inched closer to thirty, and she’d secretly quit taking the Pill. She’d been sure he’d change his mind about having kids if she “accidentally” got pregnant. A bad idea. A lie that had almost destroyed her marriage.
    After having one too many daiquiris at her twenty-eighth birthday party, she’d drunkenly confessed that she’d thrown the contraceptives away.
    Derrick had been devastated by her deception. He’d explained to her—again—how terrified and certain he was that he’d turn out like his father if he had kids. God, the pain in his eyes when he voiced his fear of hurting those potential children. The look on his face when he'd realized that he couldn't even trust his own wife to help him prevent that from happening. He hadn’t said the words outright, but she’d betrayed him.
    Three weeks later, he’d set out two big glasses of wine, much like the ones on the table now, and told her he’d scheduled a vasectomy.
    It’d been rough for a while after that. Worse than rough. There had been anger, disappointment, loss of trust. On both their parts. But when she’d searched her heart, what she wanted more than anything was a life with the man she loved. So she’d stayed. And thank god, Derrick had stayed too.
    Counseling had helped. She had learned to take responsibility for her role in the disaster. No matter how badly she’d wanted a child, deceiving Derrick had not been okay. Their relationship had healed. More than that, it had grown stronger. Ninety percent of the time, she was blissfully happy. Not bad odds for any couple after spending a decade together. And if they could weather that storm, they could get through anything. Including whatever this talk meant.
    “Want your drink?” Derrick asked, reaching around her for a glass.
    “No, I really don’t.” The words came out harsher than she intended. “Sorry, it’s just…the big glasses of wine and needing to talk to me about something, it reminds me of the past. Especially with my birthday on the horizon.”
    “Shit. I’m an ass. I didn’t think.”
    “You know I love you and I’m happy with our life, but…it still hurts sometimes.” She wasn’t the perfect princess everybody pegged her for, her husband included. She made mistakes too.
    “I know. I do. I’m