Her Druid Desire (The Amber Druid Series)

by Trish F Leger

  She was just about to crack one eye open in pure curiosity when a very large, very warm, very male arm pulled her back against an equally very large male body. For a second Nadia was shocked, then the night before rushed back at her so fast that she became dizzy. Surprise held her immobile for a brief moment as she recalled in her mind the things Drake had done to her, what they had done to each other, and then with a small secret smile she closed her eyes once more, settling deeper against the heated circle of his body.

  Maybe an hour later she stirred again. The rain continued to fall outside and while she knew from a glance at the large clock on the wall that it was past nine in the morning it was still very dark outside the massive windows. The warmth of Drake’s body was like a cushioned furnace that was safe enough for bed use. She might have to keep him around strictly for that reason. She had always been a cold natured person.

  Minutes passed as she savored the ultimate indulgence of being in his arms. The hair along her nape prickled and seconds later his slow Texas drawl rumbled to life.

  “What is your favorite color?”

  The question was so off the wall that she found herself smiling into the pillow. “I love yellow. It’s so vibrant and alive, so obviously different from me.” She told him honestly, not holding anything back.

  A slight shift of his massive body, and then, “It suits you. I remember seeing the color on you before and noticing how it complemented your tone.” Then his strong hand wove under the soft cotton of the sheet and Nadia remembered, a little too late, her apparent nudity. She sucked in a breath, but didn’t speak as he settled his fingers against her soft stomach. She held back the urge to suck in her stomach.

  “What is your favorite food?” His deep voice was so gravelly in the morning. He sounded like a grumpy tiger.

  She smiled as she realized just how personal he was getting with his questions. He wanted to know more about her, her. Nadia Morales had apparently grabbed the attention of the one man in the world that mattered to her. Her heart sputtered then picked up speed.

  His hand clenched on her stomach. “Believe me when I tell you that I am just as excited to have you in my bed as you are right now.”

  Nadia’s cheeks flamed with color and heat. Just the idea that he could read her body signals well enough to know when she was excited was amazing. She ignored that last statement and answered his question. “Fried chicken.”

  His chuckle was like gravel being poured into satin, but even so it still fired up every part of her body, especially when it rumbled through her back when he spoke.

  “What’s yours?” She countered, insanely curious to know.

  “Baked apple pie,” he said it with such reverence in his voice that she smiled again.

  “What is your favorite color?”

  “Anything that you are wearing.” This too was said with such soul bearing honesty that immediately Nadia stilled.

  His fingers began to rub her stomach and once again she bit back the urge to suck it in. There was nothing inherently sexual in his touch. It was more like he couldn’t stop himself from giving into the urge to run his fingers along her skin. That thought settled her nerves a bit. Even after the erotic things they had done, without giving into sex, she still had a horrible case of anxiousness where he was concerned. More than likely, it was because she had thought him so far out of her range so long ago that she had ultimately given up hope on even being so near to him.

  “I love to listen to music. It calms me, soothes my Druid side sometimes when urges tend to overrule common sense.” Another stroke of that devilish finger, “Being near you obviously does the same thing. I’ve found out in the past two days that I haven’t felt the urge to beat a couple of holes in the wall over business, like I usually do.”

  She thought about that and smiled again, liking the fact that she calmed him somewhat. Biting her lip, she grabbed the bull by the horns and said what she wanted to say, damn the consequences. “You should keep me around then. You never know what other effects I might have on you.”

  Damn, her heart was really pounding now. That was as close as she had ever come to acknowledging how deep her feelings for him ran. Nervousness caused her stomach to heave.

  He nuzzled the hair at her nape, Nadia clearly heard him inhale her smell, and then he growled against her body. “I just might have to do that.”

  Every particle of air in her body evaporated. It wasn’t an outpouring of love, and she wasn’t really expecting that either, but it was enough to tell her that he wanted her with him at this moment. Wasn’t that all that mattered?

  They lay there, together, wrapped up beside each other in his huge bed for at least another hour or two. Nadia didn’t want to move and neither did Drake. She came to understand that even though he appeared closed off and arrogant sometimes, maybe he was just as misunderstood as she was. Settling deeper into his mattress, listening to him breathe against her, feeling his fingers on her body caused her to drift in and out of consciousness. At one point she thought she heard him whisper words in her ear, but she dismissed that because of the rain pouring outside the windows. Letting her body be lulled by his heat and the protected feeling he gave her, she dozed in the arms of the man she loved.

  Chapter 17

  A sharp wolf whistle greeted Nadia when she walked into work on Monday morning. With a smile she turned and caught the sly look on Renee’s face. She had known that Renee would have something smart to say after knowing, courtesy of a late night call last night, the slightly condensed version of what happened over the weekend.

  “Honey, whatever Mr. Thompson does for you, he needs to keep doing it. I have never seen a smile on your face that big or that bright,” Renee told her with a hug. Nadia was immensely glad there was no one else in the office with them at the moment.

  “I told you enough last night. There is nothing else left to say,” Nadia said as she placed her purse in her desk drawer and pulled up her computer for the day.

  “There is always something left out and I can guarantee that there is still something you haven’t shared.” Nadia couldn’t help but smile again. Renee caught it immediately. “See, I told you. But that’s okay, because whatever else happened should stay between you and him.” Renee stepped up in front of the desk and grabbed Nadia’s hand, looking at her with huge blue eyes. “This is your moment. You need to savor it.”

  Nadia nodded, not sure if she had any response to that or not. But she did know Renee was right. It was about damn time she got her chance with the man she loved. Renee moved away, ending the moment and getting back to business, which was just what Nadia needed to get her mind off of Drake and onto work. But that was easier said then done.

  Thoughts of Drake kept popping up all day long. When she went to grab a bite to eat, she was reminded of sitting at his island in his kitchen, eating sandwiches and a salad while they spoke of his abilities. When she met with Andy, the head of photography and design for THE TREND, she was reminded of Drake’s luscious colored eyes, when she glimpsed a man with similar eyes as they poured over images to use for their new spread. At the store, as she was grabbing stuff to bring home, Nadia overheard some cowboys talking in the aisle next to her and with their deep, smoky drawls she was instantly reminded of Drake’s deep tenor when he had spoke to her yesterday morning while they were in bed.

  Her mind, body, and soul were flooded with remnants of him. She couldn’t get away even if she tried, not that she would want to. The one man she had dreamed of for years was now at her fingertips. What woman wouldn’t be thrilled with that idea?

  All day long she’d had daydreams about what she should have done instead of basically falling asleep in his lap. She should have finally scoured over every inch of his body like she had wanted to do for years now. She should have touched every delicious part of him, his tattoo that she hadn’t known about until recently, his leanly sculpted chest which was roped with muscles and tendons, begging her fingers to reach out and test his strength. Th
e yearning deep inside of her had multiplied to an overwhelming want that screamed at her to do something about it.

  She wanted sex. Wild, rough and unadulterated sex, with Drake Thompson.

  She wanted him sliding deep inside her body with every molecule of breath she had inside of herself. The complacence he had shown her triggered something inside of her, something that told her he would never turn her down, would never tell her no, so why not go for it, why not take what she wanted so badly? Because even though she would finally have him, she still wasn’t sure if he wouldn’t leave her afterwards.

  So why couldn’t she just have sex with him, satisfy herself and him, and then go on about business as usual?

  It wouldn’t happen because once she tasted him, once he had buried himself deeply inside of her, she would want him to want her forever. She would never be able to be just casual sex to him. It was a hopeless cause and she knew it.

  She wanted the romantic ideal. She wanted forever. There was no reason why she shouldn’t have it either. Determined wasn’t even close, when it came to describing something that she knew was almost within her grasp. She would dodge bullets for him. She would give up her wealth, notoriety, and position in society for him. Nothing else mattered except what she felt for Drake.

  Aren’t you tired of wanting and never getting? Aren’t you sick of watching other women have their chance with him while you stood off on the sidelines biding your time away with a handful of scarce glances and rare crooked smiles?

  Hell yes, she was. This past weekend flashed through her mind and she remembered every moment when he had held her close, kissed her, touched her, and made her feel so very important and loved. She wanted this man and she wanted the rest of her life to be spent with him. It was worth it to prove to him that she was willing to fight for their relationship.

  Would she be happy with just a scarce fifty or so years with him? But why should she settle for that? He could ‘gift’ her over, make her one of his kind, couldn’t he? From what he’d said the other night, as long as she admitted to him what she wanted and accepted his gift he could change her. Was she willing to do that, to give up a normal life for the man she loved?

  Nadia stared into her bathroom mirror when she got home that afternoon. She looked at the very small fine lines expanding out from the corners of her eyes. She would age slowly and live an indeterminate amount of time, but she would have him by her side for that period. She would be able to make up for almost ten years of loving him blindly, and Lord did she have a lot of making up to do.

  Yes, determined was too sedate a word for what she felt right now.

  ***

  The day had been a bitch.

  After heading into work Drake had found out about an important meeting that had somehow been pushed away and basically forgotten about. He had to haul ass to make his way into Louisiana for the meeting and now it was just after seven and he was finally pulling up at home.

  All day long he had thought about nothing but Nadia. The phone had been in his hand numerous times, but he had opted not to call and bug her. Although he knew deep down that he wouldn’t be bothering her, he still hesitated. He would much rather surprise her instead by showing up at her house later on after he got home and had a shower.

  The emotions that pulled at his insides when he thought about her were enough to set off flames. He had felt many things for many women, including love for his two wives, but after spending time with Nadia and getting to know her he felt certain, more certain than ever before, that this was something special.

  After changing over in 1809 and going through a period where he thought he was the baddest thing on the face of the planet, Drake had more time to learn his faults and perfect his knowledge than any other man. He had charmed, seduced, and bedded plenty of women, but he could say in all earnestness that he now realized what the burn of unfulfillment was, and it wasn’t all that bad. It only made the future consummation of their relationship all the sweeter.

  He wasn’t a fool. He knew she was innocent and more than likely a virgin, although he still didn’t understand how it was possible. But he wasn’t turning down that specific gift. The knowledge that he had been the one to basically introduce her to certain things, and things that were yet to come, was a heady thought. Still, it was more than just sex. It was being with her, feeling her trust in him, feeling the way she looked at him, so earnestly, so full of passion and promise.

  His body responded by standing up and saluting, but he ignored it. Soon he would be close enough to touch her, hold her, kiss her, but right now he headed for the shower, planning to make record time before heading out to remind Nadia that their new relationship was something he wanted to take to the next level.

  ***

  The night air was warm, but the wind had picked up, bringing in a slight breeze.

  The breeze kicked up the edges of Nadia’s short trench coat. The cooler air ruffled the very small amount of clothes she had on underneath. The bravado that had been pumping her up for an hour and a half now, had suddenly disappeared, leaving behind nothing but nerves and a weak stomach. But she would see this through. Drake had turned out to be more gentlemanly than she knew him to be. If she waited for him to go all the way with her, she just might be waiting forever. She hadn’t ever thought she would be reduced to becoming the seducer, especially since she hardly knew how to seduce in the first place.

  She had Love to guide her. That was all she needed. She could muster through anything with that at her back.

  Grasping her iphone, she scrolled and searched for Drake’s number. Time to put her plan into action.

  Seconds later his deep voice slid over the line.

  “Hello?”

  “Hey you, am I disturbing anything?” She hoped she sounded more put together than she felt.

  “Well aren’t you the little mind reader?” She could practically see the smile that she knew was on his face. “I have been thinking about you all day long. It’s so good to hear your voice, angel.”

  A warm thrill shot through her as she maneuvered through the darkness and stopped at the edge of the deck. “It’s good to hear yours too. I almost called, but I knew your Monday’s were always hectic, so I’ve been a good, patient woman, although it was hard as heck not to pick up the phone.”

  He chuckled over the line, “Well, you weren’t the only one who had trouble with trying to stay off of the phone. I thought about calling you every hour, but stopped myself. I was going to surprise you instead.”

  A firestorm of sensation erupted inside Nadia as she glanced through the wooden railing on the deck, seeing the tall floor to ceiling windows that allowed her to look into his kitchen. Seconds later she turned her eyes to his bedroom window and the small amount of light allowed her to see him emerging from the bathroom, with nothing on but a towel. Her stomach and nerves heaved as she watched him walk out of his room and into the darkness of his house beyond.

  “Just how were you going to surprise me?” Her breathless voice slid over the line. She stopped at the steps to his deck, not taking the chance that he might find out her hiding place before she wanted him to notice her. She couldn’t believe she could actually sneak up on him anyway.

  There was a faint rustling, and then, “I can’t give you all the answers, darlin’, just know that you are going to have a good end to a boring Monday because you are going to see me very soon.”

  “Really,” she murmured, sliding her keys in deep in her trench pocket and willing her heart to stop racing, “how do you know that I’m not about to make your night even better?” She asked him as she let herself place one foot on his deck steps.

  Silence greeted her question. Never before had she thought she could make Drake speechless.

  She went for all the marbles. “Why don’t you step out on your deck and see your surprise for the night?” The last part of her question came out wobbly and hesitant, but she congratulated herself for speaking the words at all, especially since her sto
mach had caved to her toes, her throat was as dry as dust, her heels were pinching her toes and the clingy silk slip she had on was leaving most of her body under the coat, bare to the night air. Thank God there were no mosquitoes tonight.

  The click of a lock pierced the night. Her eyes swung to the handles, as they turned and Drake opened the door from the inside. Nadia slid her phone into her coat pocket and braced herself as her fingers went to the knot holding her coat closed.

  ***

  There had been many things in his life that had made his heart beat faster, but Drake knew this experience tonight would top them all.

  Nadia was standing on the edge of his deck, where his steps led downward looking for the entire world like an innocent young woman heading to the gallows. Deep within her green eyes was hardness, a certain wild light that Drake had never seen before. Her aura was deep with want, throbbing with lights of sexual awareness, and it called to him in the basest, most deviant way possible. The lines of excitement were so wavy around her that they pulsated with the beat of her heart, which was pounding harshly.

  Drake knew this was hard for her, but that stern light in her eyes was driving her to do this, not to mention whatever her body was making her feel. But he also knew she felt something so utterly wordless and unexplainable that he was seeing her do something totally out of character because of her feelings for him.

  Her long black hair was down and her body was covered from neck to knees in an oversized trench coat. He was a fool to believe that she was fully clothed underneath. She had the look of a woman out to get what she wanted, and Drake knew that her new role of seducer was all for him.

  Her fingers shook as she fiddled with the knot on the coat as Drake stopped about a foot away from her. What spirit she had! Her eyes held his when she finally let the knot fall away. Drake took a deep breath as his eyes slid downward and the coat slipped from her shoulders. His fingers twitched as his eyes took in enormous amounts of her translucent skin. “Ah, angel...”