Sworn to Be His ( The Archer Family 3)

She raised her eyebrows.

"I already know you love me. I knew it even before you did."

Her soft blue eyes appraised him for a moment, then she nodded. "I do. And you did. But I still want to tell you."

"Don't," he urged her.

"And why not?"

"Because it sounds like you're saying goodbye. I don't need the big declarations. This isn't the end. The doctor says—"

"I know what the doctor says. And I'm not making any big declarations. I'm making a small one. I love you." She squeezed his hand gently, "very, very much."

"Jade, I need you to be with me."

"I'm yours." She grinned and he leaned down to place a kiss on her forehead.

"But Derrick?" Her voice caught his attention, and he reeled back.

"What's that?"

"You have to know that this wasn't your fault."

He frowned at her, not sure what to say. In all the time he'd sat in the waiting room, half of it had been spent blaming himself for the way things had gone, for not keeping a closer eye on her. Of course this was his fault. Of course—

"Not any more than Crystal's death was my fault. Or Will's death was yours," she said, and he knitted his brow, focusing on the way she licked her lips before she continued on.

"I've been thinking about it a lot. We have tough jobs, you and me. If we do this, we have to know that this is part of the deal. We're going to be in danger. But that's what makes it exciting. We can't save the world, though. You can't save the world. Or me."

"I'll always want to," he said.

"And that's why I love you." She squeezed his hand again. "But promise to be easy on yourself."

He waited a moment, turning her words over in his mind, then nodded. "Yeah. Okay. I'll try. For you."

"And for yourself."

He nodded again.

"You promise?"

"Promise."

"Then you know what?"

He shook his head.

"I'm ready for a real kiss."

So he bent down and gave her one.

The End