“Don’t do anything I wouldn’t with it,” Michael ordered.
“What wouldn’t you do?” Drake asked.
Michael laughed loudly as he tossed up a hand and turned to leave.
Drake was busy pondering what he might dare and barely remembered to wave back as Michael walked out.
***
That evening Drake was still pondering, but he was doing it with a triple dozen bouquet of roses in hand and Michael’s lost key burning a hole in his pocket. He stood in the hallway a good ten minutes without acting at all. Finally saying to hell with his concerns over using it, he was inserting the key into her lock when a man ten years younger than him came striding up to look directly at Brooke’s apartment number.
“Hello. Sorry. First date. I must have written the apartment number down wrong.”
Drake sighed. What would Michael do? Probably much worse than anything he would ever dare. He could only think of one way to play this scene out.
“No—you probably have the right place. I told Brooke I wasn’t really into having a threesome, but since you’re here, I guess you can come in if you want. It’s our anniversary. Frankly, I was hoping to have her all to myself tonight.”
He held up the bouquet of flowers to show the man, glad he’d sprung for the effusive display of floral intention. It backed up his anniversary story in a way few other things would have.
The guy laughed and held up his hands. “Dude—no thanks. Sharing is not for me. Tell Brooke I pass.”
Drake shrugged and held back his sigh of relief as the younger guy turned on his heel and walked away at a fast clip. Brooke was going to be pissed about his lie, but he wasn’t in the mood to deal with competition and correcting her weird-ass thinking.
But the guy showing up had certainly cemented his resolve.
Turning back to Brooke’s door, he turned the key until it opened. Stepping inside, the first thing he heard was the shower running in the bathroom. Sticking one hand in his pocket, he walked around the small living area and finally selected a chair where he could sit and wait. The sound of a blow-dryer rapidly followed the shower finishing.
He grinned as he imagined a naked Brooke rushing to avoid her missing her date with the man he’d chased away. Any lingering guilt he felt using the key fled as he imagined that same naked Brooke slipping into sexy date clothes.
Still…catching him sitting in her living room probably wasn’t going to help put her in the mood to listen to his defense of what he did for a living.
Sighing about what his true purpose was for coming here, Drake got up, grabbed the roses, and quietly went back out into her hallway. He could already hear Michael laughing his ass off and prayed the elder Larson brother would never find out about his cowardice.
Telling himself it was for a greater good, Drake used the key to lock the door behind him before pocketing it again.
Then he waited a few minutes, giving Brooke time to finish dressing, before ringing the doorbell.
***
Brooke hastily shoved her feet into her heels when the doorbell rang for a second time. She hustled to the living room, halting when she got a whiff of cologne. It smelled like…Drake?
Shocked at her instant and very visceral reaction, she sniffed again. Yes. Definitely Drake.
Feeling guilty now that the man at the door wasn’t the one she was wishing for based on smell alone, she shook her head in denial of those feelings as the doorbell sounded for a third time.
With one hand on her stomach to quiet her nerves, she opened the door with the other. She was speechless when she saw who was standing there.
“Drake?”
Unable to speak, all Drake could do was stare at her…and at what she was wearing. He had seen her in teacher clothes, and the sexy outfit she’d worn to the gallery opening, but she’d never dressed like this for any of their dates. Tonight she wore a short black dress and tall heels, both definitely made the most of her long bare legs. The woman was dressed to impress, seduce, or both.
Still speechless and unsure of how much time he’d spent looking at her, he held out the triple bunch of roses. “Here. These are for you.”
Brooke was breathing nervously, trying to figure out what to do about the fact that Drake was there when he shouldn’t be. She took the enormous bunch of flowers just to get them out of the way.
“Thank you. They’re beautiful. I would invite you in but actually I’m…expecting someone. I have a date tonight.”
Drake rubbed a hand across his face. “He was here already…but he left. I don’t think he’s coming back.”
“Why? What did you say to him?” Brooke demanded, her glare bouncing off Drake’s obvious pride in the statement.
Drake ignored the question and stepped across Brooke’s threshold without an invitation. “You probably want to put those flowers in water soon. Roses don’t last long otherwise. I’ll wait while you take care of it.”
“Wait? Wait for what?” Brooke demanded, closing the door harder than she intended. When she turned around, Drake had stepped close. She backed up, but the door stopped her retreat from him.
“I’m going to wait because we need to talk,” Drake said softly. “Even if talking is not really what I want to do right now.”
“We don’t need to talk. We have nothing to discuss,” Brooke denied, using the floral shield to keep him at a safe distance.
Drake considered his options and discarded all but one. He couldn’t out debate Brooke. Her mind was too sharp. All he could do was give her more to think about.
“Maybe we can find something to talk about after we do this,” he declared. Drake grabbed and tossed the expensive bouquet across the room and into a chair.
“Hey…” Brooke complained, as the flowers left her grasp.
Not willing to give her any real chance to talk him out of acting as irrationally as he’d decided to act, Drake stepped into Brooke’s body, his mouth hot and demanding as their well-matched forms. Because of her heels, their bodies lined up perfectly.
Hard slid against soft better than he’d ever imagined it doing. The end result was just as powerful as it had been the first time he’d kissed her in her mother’s kitchen.
In contrast to his demanding mouth, Drake slipped his slightly trembling hands around Brooke’s waist slowly, letting her feel the gentle forward slide of his fingers before they slid low and pulled her hips tight against his. His erection revealed the truth of his intentions to both of them as he surged and pressed her into the door while she groaned and arched against him.
He broke off the kiss reluctantly, dragging his mouth from hers only when he needed air. “No one else is coming. I ran off your date. And yes…I did it on purpose,” he whispered.
“Why? I don’t understand.”
Drake snorted. “Of you course you understand. You’re just afraid of dealing with it. I can’t bear the thought of you with other men. If you have any other relationships—sexual or otherwise—damn it, end them.”
Brooke shivered at his command. “Why should I?”
The zipper on the back of her dress slid down swiftly as his mouth covered hers again. Tongues mating, Drake kissed her until she melted enough to let him pull the dress off her shoulders. Air hitting the front of her raised a bit of panic and had her hands pressing against his arms in alarm.
“Drake…why are you doing this?” The question was a whispered plea as his fingers played exploring games over the back her sexy undies, tracing her curves.
“For about a thousand reasons, but we’ll start with one of the biggest ones,” Drake answered, enjoying Brooke’s ragged sigh.
Thrilled by her rising excitement, Drake pulled the front of the dress to her waist and used it to trap her wrists at her sides. The nearly nothing black lace bra she wore offered the tops of her breasts to his gaze. His mouth lowered until he could pay proper homage to them with lips and tongue. When Brooke groaned loudly, he pressed his erection hard against her again, then bit one hard
nipple pushing at the fragile lace, sucking hard.
“Drake,” Brooke choked out, his name nearly a scream.
Drake’s wild gaze came back to Brooke’s glazed one. “No more waiting. No more dancing around and hoping. This is happening and it’s happening tonight,” he warned, contemplating whether or not to release her wrists.
“Nod if you’re hearing me, Brooke.”
Saying nothing, she blinked at him, obviously still stunned. Polar opposite, he was finally sure about what needed to happen and more determined than ever to get inside her.
Drake moved a leg between her bare thighs under her short dress. He narrowed his gaze as he angled his steely erection against the heat he found there. When Brooke didn’t comment about that either, he repeated the upward thrust until she let go another of those ragged sighs he was now addicted to hearing.
Brooke bit her lip. “Drake—please. You’re torturing me.”
He pulled back and looked at her lust-filled gaze, feeling gratified by her reactions.
“Do you understand that I have to have you—all of you—everything? Kissing is not enough tonight. You don’t have to admit you want me back if it's too damn hard—just nod that you know what’s going to happen. I want your consent.”
Drake snickered when Brooke bobbed her head rapidly. Damn the woman. He grew impossibly harder. It had been awhile, and he’d forgotten how difficult it could be to walk in his current condition. He eased away, letting go of Brooke’s dress to release her wrists. When her hands were free, he took one and tugged her toward the room where he’d heard the shower earlier.
Two steps inside and he smiled when he saw the giant bed. Stopping at the edge of it, he tugged the dress over her hips until it fell in a swish of fabric that pooled at her sexy feet. Underneath was more black lace and acres of milky, white skin just begging to be explored by his lips.
“God, you are beautiful—which makes this even more dangerous. I haven’t been with a woman in almost a year. This means you’re going to let me do what I want to get you there first, and then we’ll get me there. I brought my own condoms. Do you have any other concerns? Talk fast, woman.”
“No.” Brooke shook her head. “Other than I don’t know why I’m letting you get away with your Svengali act.”
“Am I going to have to explain this again? You know why,” Drake whispered.
He pulled her closer by tugging the front of her bra with one finger hooked inside the vee between her breasts.
“I’ve known this was going to happen since I met you. I’ve known why, since I ran away after the first time I kissed you and felt you shake in my arms. Even you knew how it was going to be once it got this far or you wouldn’t have been so hell-bent on trying to use other men to keep from dealing with it.”
Brooke snorted at his explanation…until Drake dropped to his knees and took her underwear off in a single swipe with his experienced and confident hands down her legs. There was no hesitation as his mouth roamed her thighs before kissing a trail across her hips. His tongue swept a low path across her pelvis and just the promise of what he intended to do made her knees buckle.
“Easy, Baby. Don’t stagger in those heels.”
Rising to his feet, Drake caught the sagging Brooke and pushed her back on the bed, following her down still fully clothed. His erection fell in the perfect spot as he spread her legs. Her heels were still on the floor. The erotic image of her nearly broke his control.
“If I thought I would last more than sixty seconds, I would be inside you as deeply I could be right now. But that’s not going to work…maybe next time...maybe later. I want more already, and we haven’t even started—damn it lady. It’s been a long time since I wanted a woman this much.”
Falling to his knees again, his tongue sailed over her pelvis until it could venture inside. He heard her moan as pleasure lifted Brooke from the bed. Her legs quaked against his shoulders. Groaning, Drake stopped what he doing and kissed both thighs.
“Enough of this torture,” Drake said roughly. “God, the reality of you is even more thrilling than any fantasy I had.”
He kissed her thighs a final time and used his shoulders to keep them open as he slipped two fingers inside her heat. Swearing at her louder groaning, he moved slowly, but saw Brooke walked the edge already. He bent and kissed her pleasure point before pressing his tongue against it for a taste. When that coaxed an even louder moan from her throat, he gently took the point between his teeth, until he could tug on it with teeth and tongue.
“Drake…ah….”
Seconds after calling his name again, Brooke found release. It took him thirty of the longest seconds of his entire life to drop his pants and sheath himself. Then he fell on her.
“I can’t stand waiting anymore. Let me inside you—please,” Drake begged, lifting and shoving Brooke farther into the bed.
When she bent her knees to help, Drake surged inside as far as he could. Her tightness drew a fierce swear word from his lips. Then he withdrew and repeated the process until he’d claimed his full welcome.
Once sure of her response, he lifted her hips in his hands, angling her to receive the serious thrusts he needed to make. Brooke arched her back, letting him have her, letting him take what he needed. It was as perfect a moment as he could ever remember having with a woman.
Drake lasted longer than he thought he would, given how little practice he’d had in the last few years. But when he’d reached the end of his endurance, Brooke tightened around him and tensed. Satisfied beyond any expectation he’d allowed himself, he stilled inside her and pressed home hard. It was an old habit practiced with other lovers, but a useful one to pleasure the woman beneath him. He enjoyed letting Brooke’s squirming contractions finish things off for both of them.
His mouth closed over hers in gratitude after he’d calmed, his tongue as demanding as ever, even though Brooke still sobbed in passionate relief. The first time with her had been more awesome than he’d anticipated, but not nearly enough to quench the ravenous thirst he had to be with her. He wondered what the chances were of Brooke letting him stay over.
“Damn it. I can’t believe I did this with you,” Brooke exclaimed, wiping the moisture from her eyes.
“Do what, Brooke? What is it? What’s wrong?” Drake looked down in shock at his now weeping lover.
“Damn it, Drake. You were every bit as good as I imagined you would be,” Brooke said sadly. “But I think you need to leave now. I need to be alone…and think about…things. Please. I…please…just go.”
Not knowing what else to do, Drake reluctantly did what she asked. He slipped out of Brooke’s body and slid off the bed. Looking down, he was surprised to see he still wore his dress shirt, and it was completely buttoned. Slipping the well-used condom off, he tossed it in a nearby trash can before pulling on his pants.
“Are you okay?” he asked, tucking himself as quickly as he could back into his pants.
Brooke snorted. “Am I okay? Yes, I’m fine. I just can’t believe I slept with you like five seconds after you crossed my threshold. I usually have way more self-control where men are concerned. I don’t do…this.” She motioned between them with her hand.
“This…what? What are you talking about?” Drake repeated, stunned.
“Despite what you might think, I don’t let every man in my life seduce me.”
Drake snorted and ran a hand through his hair.
“Well, that’s just great. Thanks for ruining a moment I’ve been anxiously waiting for since I met you, by reminding me I am just one of your many men. That sharp tongue of yours is indeed a powerful weapon, Dr. Daniels. Sorry my passionate nature is such a trial for your logical mind. I guess I’ll just take my romantic interest in you and head the hell home.”
“Drake—don’t be so melodramatic. That’s not what I meant…I’m just…” Brooke gave up, sighed, and put an arm over her eyes as she listened to Drake stomp through the apartment and slam out the door.
Appa
rently mind-blowing sex brought out his inner drama queen, which she had accidentally provoked more by voicing aloud her embarrassed reaction to letting him…fucking hell…ravish her. There was no other description for what he’d done, even though it sounded ridiculous.
After more than a decade of calling the shots when it came to her sex life, letting Drake have his way so completely had been a shock. She typically slept with men on her terms…and when she wanted…not when they ordered her to.
She certainly didn’t let them strip her half naked at her front door, bind her wrists with her own clothes, and tell her what the hell to do next. No man should have so much power, no matter how freaking good he was.
Why did even thinking about the sex they’d just had make her head hurt?
“There is no swear word sufficient to describe how deep I stepped in it this time,” Brooke told the walls.
Fifteen minutes later, she was still staring at the ceiling while also grudgingly admitting how physically relaxed she was for the first time in as long as she could remember. As a lover, Drake was thorough, knowledgeable, and hell…just as seasoned as her mother had proclaimed he probably was. Brooke could practically hear “I told you so” being whispered in her ear.
Now the seasoned man was upset, and she felt like five kinds of shit for sending him off with such a lousy thank you. Why though? Why did she care how he felt?
She hadn’t even gotten to talk to him about the whole naked model issue. Her feelings about that had the ability to make her cringe, more now that he’d seen her nearly naked breasts.
Okay. Maybe she could have done a better job at keeping her thoughts to herself after the deed was done. Maybe she could have fixed him a drink or two or three. Then when he was mildly inebriated, she could have told Drake it would never work out because she couldn’t stand the idea of being physically compared to other women.
But why the hell did she care that he might be hurt by her feelings? That was…completely illogical. He was the one who pushed through the door and seduced her.
Covered In Paint: Book Five of the Art Of Love Series Page 7
