by JC Szot
“Maybe, I don’t know…I’m not sure,” Drake told him, his tone sharp. “I’m sorry, I just—”
Detective Crain interjected, his words rushed with impatience. “I’m going downtown now to get the warrant. I’ll be in touch, Mr. Larson.”
Drake sat idly on the stool, watching Detective Crain through the window walk toward his patrol car.
Drake reached for his coat, retracing his steps into the living room. He stared at all the polished glamour, all the smooth, glossy surfaces. His eyes darted to every trinket Nina had purchased for him while on her travels. The large piece of coral from Australia, an Oriental wall hanging from Japan, and the terracotta ashtrays from Mexico.
Drake walked up to the wall and ripped the wall hanging down, flinging it behind him. He darted around the room, scooping the items up. He spun on his heel, recoiling his arm like a professional pitcher, and hurled each item at the rectangular, gold-trimmed mirror over the bar. One popping blow after another resounded through the room. Shards of glass flew through the air, hitting the hardwood floor, sounding like sleet.
His pulse thundered through his chest, pulsating in his wrists. Drake stood back, taking a deep, cleansing breath. Turning his back on the disorder, he left, slamming the door behind him.
* * * *
Drake couldn’t recall the drive to Union Gas and Propane. His mind had run itself ragged. He didn’t care about anything anymore except Kelly. The way her body felt against his, the feel of her heart beating into his chest, her smile, the smell of her hair.
Whatever he had didn’t mean a fucking thing. He loved her and he was going to voice that tonight. What good is having everything else if you don’t have love? Kelly wasn’t the type of woman who could be led around by objects or money, and he wasn’t the type of man who did that. Whether she knew it or not, they shared the same values. He was going to have to show her that over time—time Drake hoped she’d give him.
Drake had refrained from putting his feelings into words because of the fear of scaring her away. His money and status was already doing that for him, along with the possibility of Nina’s hatred. Nina always despised when someone else had what she wanted. The problem was Nina could usually get whatever she wanted. She wasn’t used to being told no. This one unachievable thing had sent her over the edge.
Drake knew one thing. He knew that Kelly belonged with him, and that he was going to have to get soiled and show her all his grit, and Drake was more than willing.
Chapter Thirty
Kelly sat up, hearing a rustling in the brush. The footsteps were hard, moving closer. Is it Steve? Kelly threw off the blanket, climbing out of her sleeping bag. She poked her head out of the tent. The night dampness permeated her nostrils. The usual, whistled call that Steve used as a warning never came.
A tall shadow weaved through the trees. Her stomach flipped. She reached back, quickly rummaging through her backpack. Steve had given her a small knife to keep in case of an emergency. She gripped the handle and stepped out onto the hard, cold dirt. Her skin pimpled in the frigid air as she stood, still as stone, in her pajama pants, a ratty sweatshirt, and wool socks. Kelly ran the blade of the knife against the back of her thigh, ready to do whatever she had to.
“Kelly.”
Drake’s firm voice cut through the cold, dark night. Kelly turned and threw the knife into the tent, watching the outline of his figure sharpen. A beam of light flicked on, illuminating her face. Her eyes narrowed. Her vision adjusted as he moved closer.
His hair was rumpled, as if being raked away from his face with an aggravated hand. An oversized, black flannel shirt joined a pair of faded jeans that sheathed his tall legs. He was empty-handed, which was unusual. Kelly gasped when her roaming gaze reached his eyes. They were squinted, piercing into her like angry lines of fire. Her fingers curled into her palm, her body flaming at the sight of him.
Silence hovered between them. Drake looked angry, but every bit delicious. He dropped the flashlight on the ground. A cone of yellow light lit a straight path across the wooded trail that she and Steve had traveled many times.
Her heart jumped into her throat as his fingers began to slowly work the buttons of his shirt. She spoke, her voice hindered by a barrage of feelings: excitement, fear, and reluctance.
“What’re you doing here?” she asked, her inquiry edgy. His physical presence had her swaying like a tree battling a hurricane force wind.
Drake’s bare chest greeted her. The lines of his ribcage lifted and moved under his breaths. His shirt fell onto the ground. His eyes bored into hers, holding her in his heated gaze. He’s taking off his boots! When his hands moved to his belt, Kelly heard a tormented whine slip from her mouth. Drake nodded slowly.
“That’s right, hot stuff. You better get ready for me, because I’m not going anywhere. I’m not leaving these fucking woods until you leave with me.” His voice was level. “Is this what you truly want?” Drake asked, waving his hand over her campsite. “You need to decide, and you need to make that choice tonight, here and now.”
He yanked his belt, freeing it from the loops with a snap of his wrist. Drake swung it above his head like a lasso before releasing it into the darkness. Kelly heard it hit the ground behind her. She swallowed hard, her mouth as dry as the leaves beneath her feet. Words spewed from her mouth in a jittery mess.
“This is all I know. Surviving is a full-time job…a distraction. It keeps me from dwelling on how I got here,” she said, attempting to explain. Her words trembled on every syllable. Drake’s hard voice scored through her, a candid reality.
“It’s an escape then?” His question steeped between them for a brief moment. “As long as you stay here, you’ll still be in the same damn, dark hole,” Drake told her, his voice as cold as the air around them. He sat down on the boulder, tearing the denim from his legs, his briefs coming with them. He rose slowly, standing before her, his beautiful nakedness now one with nature. “There’s better. Don’t misunderstand me…nature, trees and fresh air are all wonderful things, but you can have more. You can have more with me. You can be at my side, helping me. There’s a whole world out there that needs participants, and my world needs you. Don’t force me to fight this same fucking battle over and over.”
“What about the fire?” she backpedaled.
“The only fire I care about right now is right here. The one I’m going to start with you. The one that’ll burn forever between us.” Drake’s tone deepened. It was rough and throaty, coated with a sentiment Kelly could see on his face and feel in her bones.
“Oh God,” Kelly whimpered. Drake’s cock was fully extended, beautifully bowed and thick. Kelly licked her lips. The intricate lines of his hard flesh were stunning. Dark hair scantly decorated those succulent areas she’d had the pleasure of tasting with her tongue. Drake’s fingers strummed over his cock. Kelly’s body burned. All the blood rushed to her core, responding to a sight she’d never forget.
“Aren’t you cold?” she asked, her lungs pulling in the cold air. Her head felt light.
Drake slowly shook his head. “I’m hot, hot for you, but I won’t have any sustained warmth without you,” he said, closing in on her. “Are you going to take off your clothes or am I?”
Kelly stared into his eyes, eyes that’d gone dark, coating the soft brown she’d come to know. His hands gripped her waist, pushing up her sweatshirt. In one sweep it was over her head and thrown on the ground, joining the pile. His hands were on her breasts, squeezing, pumping. The fingers of one hand twisted her nipple, making it bead with need. His free hand pawed at the thin elastic of her pajama pants, tugging them down her thighs. Drake lifted his foot, pushing them the rest of the way down her legs.
“Help me, get naked, now!” His tone rose with impatience, echoing through the trees.
Kelly grabbed his shoulder, stabilizing herself as she freed her legs, kicking the pajama pants to the side.
“Socks, too,” Drake ordered. He reached behind her, giving her
ass a piercing pinch.
“Oh.” Kelly’s body flinched. A shaking shiver ran over her flesh.
“It’s only the beginning,” Drake said through a snicker, his laughter conniving. His hands raked over her body. Chilled air shot at her nipples, turning them into tingling, erect points.
“There, now we’re ready,” Drake whispered. He grabbed her ponytail and tugged. Her neck flung back, her eyes darting to his. “I’ve been afraid to use the words and you’ve been afraid of my money,” he said. Drake’s words tunneled into her ear, making all her senses vibrate. “There’s nothing left to do but show you. I’m going to display my unrelenting love for you. Tonight I’m gonna show you just how real and deep it goes. This is an appetizer of what’s yet to come.”
His mouth crushed into hers, pressing. Hot breaths gusted between them. His teeth bit her tongue. Her body shuddered. His hands mangled her. Fingers pressed as nails scraped over her skin. Kelly drank it all in, a potent brew of erotic need.
Drake jammed his knee between her legs, rubbing her pussy, his actions hard yet thrilling her with an urgency that had them aligned. Slickness poured out of her body. His tongue was relentless, darting, stroking, and soaking her mouth with his taste. He shoved her into a nearby tree trunk, the bark tearing at her back. Rumbling growls sounded from his throat.
It was a frantic race of need. He pulled away. Frosty air sliced between their bodies as his teeth sank into the bony flesh of her shoulder.
“Oh, God…Drake,” she whined. He jutted his cock into her navel. Warm wetness smeared over her belly. Drake lifted his head, his heated stare back on her. His hand smoothed down her belly, lowering into a place that hungered for his touch. His fingers searched through her folds, rubbing, and then thrusting up inside her, pushing, undulating like the waves of an angry sea.
“Jesus,” she hissed. Her bones were crumbling, unable to hold her. Drake met her thoughts.
“Need to sit down?” he chuckled wickedly. “On the ground,” he demanded, pushing down on her shoulders. “Don’t tell me you’re cold, not with all this fucking heat.”
Chapter Thirty-One
She was high on him. He was a sensual, male machine, his engine torqued and all for her. His rich scent barreled into her nose, the ritzy smell of his aftershave colliding with the intoxicating aromas of his masculinity that Kelly suddenly couldn’t wait to devour.
Her body became one with the ground. Cold, packed dirt iced her ass. Drake knelt before her, laying her down, his actions slowing for those polite few seconds before his urge mounted again.
Jagged stones that protruded out of the earth jabbed at her spine. The sharp tips of pine needles poked and pricked. His body came over hers. His knee pushed her legs apart. Kelly lifted her hips, unable to refrain.
“That’s it,” Drake said, his voice a raspy gust of air. His hips thrust into her as hard heat knifed through her, filling her. His cock jabbed and probed, slamming her inner walls. She felt him in her throat. Her body seized before relenting, giving in to him again.
The cold, autumn night air became a myth, something she couldn’t feel. Their naked bodies writhed and contorted on the ground. It was invigorating, a decadent freedom.
Kelly dug her heels into his back. Drake’s muscles tensed, rolling beneath her calves. Her legs gripped him like vines. Drake’s hips pounded into hers, pushing her back across the ground.
Drake swiveled his hips, swirling over her clit, taking her to new heights. Kelly spread her legs wider. The sensation expanded, spreading through her.
A serrated groan vibrated into her chest. His mouth lowered. Drake’s teeth clamped around her nipple, searing her breast with a beautiful pain. His pulse raged against her body. As his hips labored over her, his mouth left her chilled. His head was above hers now, his eyes blazing.
Drake’s face was set, lined with an animalistic determination. Brittle twigs cut at her back, marking her with his desire. His hands were like hot steel, burning and branding her his. Drake’s head lolled back on his shoulders. His mouth opened. His breaths escaped in a cloud of mist. Drake released a throaty cry of an accomplished mating. His vocal call echoed through the woods.
Drake abruptly pulled back and out of her body, rapidly flipping her over onto her belly. Kelly felt her eyes go wide, trying to swim through a shadowed darkness that’d gone completely black, the ground tilting. Her breasts pressed into the grainy earth. Drake gripped her hips, pulling her back and onto her knees. Her palms scraped across the hard ground. A sob tore from her throat. His frustration cut deep, her layers scored open. Drake’s hand reached between her legs. His fingers drew lines through the folds of her pussy. His thumb tapped on her clitoris in a torturous rhythm.
Kelly’s body jerked to attention, recoiling when Drake’s steaming breaths gusted against her buttocks. The sensation of a hot, wet tongue licking up the seam of her backside had her suddenly frozen in his hands.
“Drake,” she gasped, her speech lost. Her head tipped, searching the dark treetops. Never before had she been so open and exposed to anyone. Drake groaned, his fingers digging into her flesh, steadying her. He held her open as he rimmed her with his tongue, darting the stiff tip in and out of her puckered opening.
Her fingers clenched into the dirt, grasping for something to hold onto. Her knees throbbed in rebellion. Drake pushed his tongue in and out of that dark, untouched place. The tight ring tensed, taken aback with this type of intimacy. She was unaccustomed to the pleasure it was bringing her. Kelly quickly conceded, arching for him, raising her buttocks. She met Drake’s mouth, her insides flowering open at the soft wet strokes of his tongue. Kelly’s limbs shook. Her body whimpered, crying for release.
There were no boundaries between them now, no more shields. It was brutal, raw, and gritty. He’d taken all her reservations away. There was no doubt, no reasons. Not even the pride she’d used as a defense. Drake had just wiped that all away, replacing it with unbridled passion, love, and acceptance. His tongue slowed, prodding her more gently as his other hand strummed her clit. Her limbs began to shake, her joints stiff.
“Oh, yes!” she screamed, surrendering. Her voice shrilled through the trees as her climax took over, catapulting her into a sphere of exquisite agony.
Chapter Thirty-Two
“I do love you,” Kelly confessed. She blinked, letting Drake see her tears, tears of relief and acceptance. “You were just everything I didn’t think I deserved to have.”
“Thank God for broken-down vehicles and dead cell phone batteries,” he said, his voice heavy. Drake buried his nose into her hair. “I guess you’ve spent your last night here, and what a night it was.” His smile was sleepy.
They’d spent the night in the tent, virtually tearing the stakes right out of the ground.
Kelly leaned up on an elbow. She fluffed his hair with her fingers. Drake’s hand skated over her body, waking up all the delectable urges he provoked. She looked down at him, watching his mouth draw in a nipple.
“I’m still bothered by the fire…I just…”
Drake rolled away and sat up, his face lined with thought. “The police think they have a suspect,” he told her, his voice hushed.
“Who?” Kelly sat up, pulling the blanket to her chest, her pulse quickening.
Drake told her all about his relationship with Nina, information he had chosen previously to never share. Nina would’ve been one more reason for Kelly to pull away from him. Drake shimmied out of the sleeping bag, taking her hands in his.
“I don’t care about anything but you. No one or anything will ever have any power over us. I need for you to understand that. You’re leaving here and that’s it,” he told her firmly. “This life is over for you now,” he said softly, his fingers gripping her chin.
Thoughts of Steve edged into their plans.
“I have a favor, a rather large one.” Kelly reached for her sweatshirt. The heat of the sun pounded on the roof of the tent, the air warming.
“Name it,�
� Drake said, grinning. “It’ll be the first, but certainly not the last.”
“I can’t leave Steve here,” Kelly said. Her admission choked out in strained words. “If it hadn’t been for him who knows what would’ve become of me?” Her eyes burned with the thought. Kelly could give up her home in the woods, but she couldn’t give up Steve.
“Then he comes with us. I have a spare room at the condo, and I’ve already decided to rebuild on Blue Mountain. There’s plenty of property. We’ll just build him his own place, too,” Drake said, running a finger over her jaw. “Don’t worry so much, okay?”
“We better get out of here. If Sam sees your car, I’m screwed,” Kelly told him, unzipping the flap of the tent. Kelly had already told Drake about the arrangement she’d had with Sam.
Drake shrugged a shoulder. “I’m taking a tenant off his hands. He’ll be happy. God knows I’m ecstatic.”
* * * *
“You’re doing exactly what you accused me of doing,” Kelly said, her tone stiff. She gripped Steve’s arm, forcing his weary gaze to hers.
Drake jammed his hands into his pockets and leaned against the fender of his car. Steve seemed like a good guy, very sensitive and loyal. He could use more people like him in his world. He was indebted to Steve where Kelly’s welfare and safety were concerned.
“What are you afraid of?” Kelly asked. Her eyes bolted to the parking lot. Drake had already spoken to Sam, briefing him on Kelly’s departure. Sam’s prying eyes kept darting over to them—Kelly, Drake, and Steve huddled near the trees.
Drivers were pulling in and out, their diesel engines idling as they waited to refill their tanker trucks. Drake stepped in, thinking Steve needed a little male coaxing.
“It’s the change. Change is tough, but it’s time,” Drake told him, nodding. “We’re not leaving you here. Just like I told Kelly, this way of life for you is over now. Besides, I need your expertise,” Drake said, his hands raised.