Damon and Drew worked at moving the calves from the corral out to a small pasture adjacent to the barn. Behind him, Drake could hear Alex’s supplies clinking into a bucket. Turning, he watched her meticulously sort through the vaccination bottles. Gorgeous. She wiped the sweat from her brow with her forearm. The tank top she wore was soaked with perspiration. Each time she bent over, her cleavage greeted him. Such perfect round breasts, he smiled. He daydreamed of holding them in his hands earlier, dreamt of bringing her nipples to peaks with his fingers. Her cute pink lips called to him, begging to be kissed and nipped. If she would let down her ice barrier, he could show her all the other uses for her nimble hands and slender fingers. Her lips could also be better suited to wrap around his cock rather than having the words “city boy” being formed by them. Ah, yes, what a fine thought.
“You’re staring at my chest again, city boy,” Alex remarked but didn’t look up from her task.
Drake strolled over, standing inches away from her. “I can’t help it.”
“You forgot to add that you were blinded by my beauty.” She glanced up and smirked at him.
“Oh, you like pickup lines.” He chuckled, flashing her a grin.
“I’ve heard plenty. Try me.” She raised a brow and crossed her arms around her chest, daring him to humor her.
“What has a hundred and forty-two teeth and can hold back the Incredible Hulk?” He mimicked her stance.
Alex laughed. “Your zipper. Yeah, I’ve heard that one plenty of times.”
Oh, she laughs. “Okay, let me dig deeper into my bag of tricks.” He wetted his lips. “Do you believe in love at first sight, or shall I walk by again?”
“Heard it.” She laughed again, shook her head, and continued to work, ignoring the close proximity of their bodies.
He stepped closer. “Did you have Lucky Charms for breakfast?”
Alex stopped and looked at him. Apparently she hadn’t heard this one and looked confused. “No, why?”
“Because you look magically delicious.” He pulled her roughly against his body, his lips meeting hers, demanding entrance. She moaned softly, opening, allowing his tongue to sweep through her mouth. Her hands wrapped around his neck, her tongue tangling with his in perfect unison.
There was want and desire behind her kiss. He also sensed a degree of urgency and need. Nipping her lip, she groaned, running her fingers through his hair and squeezing locks of it tight, pulling him closer against her mouth. Their tongues teased before their lips met again, locking together.
Drake poured all his energy into his kiss, letting her know the desire he held for her. Pressing his erection against her belly, she squealed into his mouth and deepened her kiss once more. Seconds ticked by, and neither could get enough of one another. His breaths were fast and heated, and he wanted nothing more than to take her right there in the barn. His hands eased around her waist, working up and feeling the taut muscles underneath. A purr vibrated against his lips when he squeezed her breasts, his thumbs fanning over her nipples. Her back arched, pushing into his hands. He cursed her bra, wanting to feel her nipples rise from his touch…and then it was over.
She pushed away, taking a ragged breath when she did. “We can’t—” she gasped with a worried expression on her face.
“Of course not here,” he joked.
“I mean ever.” She gave him a disapproving look before walking away.
Drake stood dumbfounded and took a long breath. He watched silently as Alex walked toward the house. Her perfect ass swayed with her ponytail bouncing with authority. The crackle of her feet hitting the gravel drive with her boots seemed to echo into his ears until she was gone.
* * * *
Alex stood in the mudroom washing her hands when Regan came in with a load of laundry. “Oh, hey, sweetie. How did it go?”
“Oh, fine. Wow, it’s hot out today.” Alex dried her hands. The sun wasn’t what made her hot, it was Drake, but she wasn’t about to say so. Honestly, she needed a friend, someone to confide in, someone to help her sort out her raging hormones and emotions. She fidgeted with her hands, watching Regan load the washer. Drake was bad news, but why was he so appealing to her?
“Something’s up. Do you want to talk about it?” Regan poured the soap in and closed the lid.
“How did you know? You can’t even see me.”
“I can see your nervous shadow.” Regan laughed and pointed at the wall.
“Oh.” Alex laughed when she noticed.
“Come on, I’ll get us a glass of tea and we can go sit on the front porch.”
They made their way out the front door. Reporters were still lingering by the front gate some distance away. Their view was interrupted by the abundance of large shade trees. A warm breeze kicked up, caressing Alex’s wet skin and cooling her off. Regan sat on the porch swing and patted the seat next to her. “Come on. Have a seat and tell me all about it.”
Alex sat down, nervous about talking about the feelings that were making her fingers and toes tingle. Her hand trembled as she wiped the sweat off her glass. If the guy didn’t reek of some sort of heady pheromone that lured her in, or look so damn hot in nothing but a towel, she might be able to resist him. Then there was his charm. He had a natural, charismatic smile. It won her over immediately, but she’d never admit it. Sitting for a spell, she took a long sip of tea, working up the courage to speak.
“Hmm, that bad huh?” Regan teased.
“Yeah.” She chuckled and turned her gaze away, her cheeks heating up with embarrassment. “Why does he have to be so good-looking, so charming?”
“I see, Drake,” Regan replied. “I don’t know what it is about Radcliff men. Honestly I don’t. I’ve also wondered about the water here on the ranch.” Her lips quirked up into an amused grin as she patted Alex on the leg.
Alex elbowed Regan in the side and began to giggle. “That wasn’t much help.”
“I know.” Regan snorted, making the both of them laugh. “Generally I joke about being the love guru, and today I got nothing.” Regan shrugged and sobered somewhat.
Alex shook her head. “You kind of suck at your job.”
Regan smiled, and her green eyes twinkled in return. “Yeah, generally I can read people well, but with Drake”—she sighed—“he’s complex.”
“Drew says he hates him,” Alex admitted.
“Well, their first meeting didn’t go well, at all.” Regan gave her a wry grin.
Alex became confused. They were brothers after all. “First meeting?”
“Oh, right. I’ve left you in the dark. They all just met a couple months back. In fact, right before you came here,” Regan confessed and sipped her tea.
“Oh.” Alex began to understand. “It all makes so much more sense now.” No wonder the tension was so high. Alarms sounded inside her head. How they all played it off amazed her.
Regan nodded thoughtfully. “Damon wasn’t very nice either, but we’ve talked about it. He’s really come around.” She turned to face Alex. “A lot of people have been hurt deeply by Eugene. Damon and Drew knew nothing about the affair he had been having or Drake until right before Drake showed up here. I mean, like, as in the day before they met him.”
Alex’s eyes grew wide. “Are you serious?”
“Yep.”
“Wow, that really explains so much.” Alex leaned back and allowed her gaze to roam across the front pasture toward the vehicles and reporters parked down at the front gate.
“Drew and Drake are so much alike. It’s crazy. Not long ago, I watched Drew heading down a path of pain and sorrow. At one time, I even thought he was a lost cause. But look at him now, in love with Liv, and they’re happy.” Regan smiled fondly, like she was thinking about the couple. “My love guru skills helped in that situation.”
They sat quietly for a few minutes, both lost in their own thoughts. Alex felt terribly for everyone involved and thought about what her dad had said. “Those Radcliffs aren’t good people.” Gosh, how he was s
o wrong. As far as she could tell, one person caused the entire mess, but after watching him during the press conference earlier, she felt differently toward him now. There were no bad feelings, just sorrow. How the man ever dealt with two separate families while keeping the lie secret all these years, wow, just wow. She was sure he ate a healthy dose of antacids daily.
“My advice to you, Alex, is to start by being his friend. Just get to know him and see what’s underneath. Find out if he is worthy of your time.”
“Just curious, but what did you think of Damon when you first met him?” Alex couldn’t help but ask.
Regan laughed. “I thought he was a jerk with too much confidence.”
“Anything else?”
Regan sighed. “Yeah, I knew right away that I wanted him.”
* * * *
Drake sat on a bench in the barn that evening, already privy to the stocked refrigerator of beer. What was it about Alex exactly that made his heart hammer in his chest? Sure, he’d had plenty of women that could inspire an erection, but not one held his fascination and curiosity quite like she did. Was it because she flat out told him no? He cracked open his beer, thinking about the past, all the women and encounters. Most women he knew were shallow. Well, to be more precise, they were exactly like him, living to have fun without regret.
Sipping his beer, he leaned back and let out a sarcastic chuckle, realizing what he was up against. Alex worked hard to get where she currently was. As for him, he dropped his classes to live his life to the fullest, he thought at the time. All of a sudden, he was starting to realize that it was all done in an attempt to escape reality. When his mother got sick, it consumed him, ate at him. Shucking responsibility somehow distanced him from the pain. All the adventures, loose women with loose morals, were nothing more than a way to cover up a situation he had no control over.
The sound of a can crunching in his hand was the only noise breaking the silence and disturbing his thoughts. He looked up as Drew strolled into the barn. Muscles in Drake’s stomach bunched up, not looking forward to exchanging any more heart-to-heart words with the guy.
“Well, Drake, I guess I can’t get the hell away from you, not even in my own damn barn.” Drew jerked open the refrigerator and pulled out a beer.
Drake gave a dry chuckle. “I apologize, Drew. I know how it must suck for you. Just know that it isn’t a barrel of fucking laughs for me either.”
“At least we understand each other.” Drew looked toward the door at the front of the barn.
“Hey, dinner is almost ready,” Liv announced as she bounded in and abruptly stopped after seeing both of them together. She looked worried as she began to slowly walk on in, her eyes darting from one brother to the other. “We aren’t having a pissing contest are we?”
Drake chuckled and looked at Drew with a raised brow.
“No, we were just having a beer. Weren’t we, Drake?” Drew answered and turned to look at him.
“Yep.” Drake smiled at Liv and stood up. “Liv, it’s so nice to see you again.”
Drew shot him a look that in many states may be considered a death threat. Touchy about his woman. Right, he’d do well to remember that. One part of him wanted to work the guy over by flirting shamelessly with Liv, while the other part cautioned him. Damon’s words flooded his mind. “Don’t give him any ammunition.” Backing off his charm, Drake simply nodded politely and headed for the door.
During dinner, Drake couldn’t help but watch Alex. When she caught him looking, she would glance away. Deep down, he hated the man he’d become. He hated even more that a situation beyond his control made him look even worse. He was sure of one thing, she wanted him as much as he did her, but his apparent bad reputation was in the way.
Chapter 5
Drake awoke to the sound of boots clunking across the wood floor of the guest bedroom he was staying in. He turned over just as Damon clicked on the bedside lamp.
“Get up and get dressed. Our father just had a heart attack and is being rushed to the hospital as we speak.”
“What?” Drake rose, blinking his eyes in confusion. “Heart attack?”
“Yeah,” Damon responded with a solemn expression.
“He’s going to be okay. Isn’t he?” Drake slid out of the bed. He was tired, and his muscles protested as he stood.
“I don’t know, man. I’ll see you downstairs.” Damon turned and exited his room, leaving him alone.
Drake reached for his jeans, unsure of how he felt, and it bothered him. Maybe his mind was numb from all the stress. Pushing his feet into his loafers, he blinked the sleepiness from his eyes. He sincerely hoped his father would be all right. He’d definitely hate to lose both of his parents just months apart.
When his mother died, a part of him died as well. She was not only his mother, but she was also his best friend. His father, on the other hand, was completely different. There was not much of a bonded relationship between them. Sporadic visits and a few dinners a month never quite allowed him to really know the man. For him, it was always a “yes sir, no sir” sort of relationship. There were no ball games together and no playing catch in the yard or camping trips. In essence, his father was more or less a father figure and not at all a dad. So it didn’t surprise him that he felt indifferent and numb at this point.
After putting on a shirt, he hurried downstairs to meet up with Damon. “I can drive if you’d like,” he announced as he entered the dining room.
“No need. We can take mine. Drew and Liv have already headed toward the hospital.” Damon grabbed his keys and put his arm around Regan.
The drive to the hospital was quiet. No one had words to express how they felt. Underneath Drake’s solemn attitude, he began to feel guilty. If his mother hadn’t made the information known, his father may not have had the heart attack to begin with. The stress wasn’t easy on anyone, and more so for his father. He still thought it took a great deal of balls to stand up and admit his faults in front of a large audience.
When they reached the hospital waiting room, Drew and Liv stood with Evelyn, Damon and Drew’s mother. His heart went out to her. With eyes reddened by tears, she hugged Drew and dabbed her eyes with a tissue. Out of all the people involved in this whole mess, he hated it most for her. What he couldn’t understand was how she lived knowing about him and his mother all these years, yet said nothing.
Drake felt out of place among the close circle of family and his father’s staff. Hesitantly, he continued to walk on in, wanting nothing more than to crawl under a rock. Evelyn let go of Drew’s hand and began to walk toward him. Drake’s throat seized up, nervous about what she planned to say to him. Honestly, he wouldn’t blame her if she hated him. If the roles were reversed, he might not be so friendly either.
“Drake,” Evelyn greeted him while trying to smile as she wiped another tear from her cheek. She wrapped her arms around his neck and hugged him tight.
“Mrs. Radcliff,” he whispered, surprised that she would hug him. “I’m so very sorry.”
“Not Mrs. Radcliff. Evelyn, please.” She leaned back to look at him. “Don’t ever feel like any of this is your fault. Do you hear me?” She held his shoulders while looking directly into his eyes.
“Yes, ma’am.” Drake nodded, blinking the tears from his eyes. He wasn’t sure what had come over him, but his emotions were getting the better of him.
“There’s no denying you, is there?” She gave him a warm smile while studying him. “You look exactly like my sons.” She shook her head with amazement in her gaze.
* * * *
Alex finished up the morning chores on the ranch and looked at her watch again. The news of the senator’s emergency trip to the hospital had already been leaked to the media. It was strange to be alone on the ranch. She recalled dinner the night before and how Drake kept his eyes fixated on her. It felt wonderful to hold his attention, but it also bothered her. She was positive there was one word he wasn’t accustomed to hearing, and that was no.
; After a considerable amount of research the night before into her father’s accusations, she found out that yes indeed, Drake came from a very powerful and wealthy line. His grandmother, Patrice Chandler, was born Patrice Louisa Drake, the only child of Henry and Martha Drake, one of the largest oil and landholders in the state of Texas in the 1920’s. Since that time, the demand and eventual bust of the US oil market pushed them to explore other avenues. Today, Drake Enterprises held enormous stock and sway within the fiber optic and technology market. Yeah, rich didn’t cover it.
Alex grew up middle class on a small ranch. Although she didn’t want for anything, she wasn’t exactly spoiled either. She grew up happy, with an older brother and both her parents, who after twenty-eight years were still somewhat in love. Her father wasn’t the easiest person to be around. At times, he was a little overbearing and very overprotective of his little girl. It was sweet to have the concern, but at twenty-four, she wished he’d just allow her to live her life as she wanted.
She walked into the barn and stopped at the refrigerator for a bottle of water. Sitting down on the small bench she thought about the moment she shared with Drake the day before. It was hot and full of potential. Her body begged for his touch. His hands on her skin and breasts had her humming with delight. And the kiss? Wow, it made her panties wet and quivers shake her to her little pinky toe. She hadn’t recalled ever being kissed so passionately, nor by a man that could command her body to sing with pleasure quite like Drake had. To say she wanted him didn’t cover the intense desire that swirled inside. His soft lips set off a spark of intense yearning. She fanned herself thinking about all the places she wanted to experience his lips, his strong tongue. Her lips parted, and the cool water flowed into her mouth. Dribbles escaped and ran down her chin, neck, and further down between her breasts.
Drake [The Texas Senator's Sons 3] (Siren Publishing Classic) Page 5
