“No, you go ahead. I’ll wait for you.” She knew he was disappointed, and she was being a bit of an ass. Why couldn’t she find the courage to tell him how she really felt? Tell him how this weekend had been the most incredible weekend of her entire life. That she was falling fast and hard for him, and more than anything she had ever wanted, she wanted to see him again. What’s wrong with me?
Drake’s head hung low, and he quickly disappeared in to the bathroom. He worried about Meg’s reaction and thought maybe he was moving too quickly. He wasn’t even sure himself how long he would be in Japan this time. He had full intentions of concluding any business he had left there before returning this time. He didn’t want to go back and leave her behind again. He sure as hell knew what he wanted. He wanted her, heart and soul, and he wanted forever. Fuck that, I’m not giving up. Once the deal in Japan was finalized, he had full intentions of slowing down. There would be a lot less traveling required, and he could easily run things from his corporate office in New York. He himself was taken aback by his asking her to wait. But he didn’t hesitate before he said it. Never once had he told a woman he wanted her to wait for him. But it felt right and he wasn’t planning to give up on her.
* * * *
What Meg felt for Drake was real. So real, in fact, that she didn’t want to think past Monday and the emptiness that awaited her. She feared losing what had quickly become the biggest part of her. If he didn’t return to her or call, she knew she would have a hard time getting over the same man twice.
With a towel wrapped low around his waist, he approached the bed. He looked around the room for his cell, and after locating it on the floor, he plugged it in. He pulled the towel off and let it fall to the floor and gloriously naked, he lay down next to her. He pulled the covers over them and wrapped his arm around the curve of Meg’s waist. His hand moved up to cup her bare breast and he tweaked her nipple into a hard point. After pulling her hair back and to the side and away from her face, he kissed her gently on the neck where he trailed kisses slowly upward to her jaw. He turned Meg so she was laying flat on her back and he possessed her mouth. He kissed her hard. Everything he felt was poured into that kiss and she reciprocated. Passion and desire quickly turned to fire, and he owned her. After they made love, no words were spoken between them. He moved back to his side of the bed, rolled over to the nightstand, and turned the lights out. “Good night, Meggie,” he murmured softly in her ear as he wrapped himself around her.
Meg was encased in complete darkness and her world went into absolute despair; fear took over, and suddenly, she found it difficult to breathe. Her chest grew heavy from the weight she recalled pinning her body to the bed that one horrible night. She wanted to yell to scream for help but tried her best to remain silent.
There was nothing more than blackness surrounding her, and despite the fact that the one man she knew she was safe with lay next to her, holding her close to him, she still couldn’t breathe. Only the sound of Drake’s light and steady breathing could be heard just before anxiety took over and the sound of blood echoed and gushed rapidly through her ears.
Drake felt her body tense up, he held her tightly, but even snug against his chest, he could feel her tremble and shake in his grasp. A light sweat covered her entire body, and he knew something was wrong.
Memories flashed through her head painfully pulling her back into that dark night eight years ago. A large hand covered her lips, the taste of blood was evident, and heavy tape kept her from opening her mouth. She gasped for air when a low whimper escaped her throat,
“Meggie, you’re shaking. Are you okay?” Drake’s hands wandered over her body; she was shaking uncontrollably, and he heard the sound that escaped her a moment ago. “Are you cold?” His voice was etched in concern, and he tucked the comforter around her. She was still shaking. She didn’t respond. He kissed her shoulder gently and then rolled over to the lamp on his side of the bed. A dim light filled the room and the darkness disappeared. Meg sat upright in bed and gulped for air. She shook off her fears. She was safe here with him, in his arms. She caught her breath and took a moment to gather herself together.
“What is it, Meggie? Are you okay? Did I say something earlier to upset you? If I’m moving too fast, just say so. You don’t need to tell me how you feel right now. I can wait,” he assured her, his voice was soft and pleading.
Meg was quite shaken up, but she had to get through this without telling him she was afraid of the dark. “No, Drake,” her voice came out shaky. She rolled over to face him. God, he is so incredibly beautiful. She cupped his face in her unsteady hands, “I just want to see you and watch you while you sleep. I want to see your face,” she assured him.
He pulled her close and kissed her forehead before he laid his head back on the pillow. One arm extended up and over his head. He looked comfortable. His other hand made its way behind Meg’s neck and she moved to place her head on his shoulder and she watched him. She explored the beauty of his features; she could never get tired of looking at him. His hair was disheveled from their love making, and she took in every detail of his profile.
* * * *
It was quiet, and Meg could hear his steady breath relax into a deep sleep. “Drake, are you still awake?” she whispered a few moments later.
He kept his eyes closed and responded. “Yes, Meggie, I’m still awake.”
He sounded tired and part of her wanted to let him sleep. But she needed to get this out there and off her chest. “When you leave on Monday, will you call me or text me, you know, to keep in touch?”
“Meggie, I will text you every day, every hour if that’s what it takes. I hate the thought of being away from you for so long. Especially now when everything is so new between us,” he replied. Meg sensed his concern. She could tell by the seriousness in his tone that he meant every word. She decided it was time she took a chance on him. He was worth waiting for, and she trusted him. She felt safe in his arms.
“Me, too, I don’t know what I’m going to do with you so far away, but I want you to come back. I want to see you again, be with you exactly like this.” She lifted her head from his shoulder to get a better view. “You know, I’ve never felt this way about anyone before, not like this. And I have to admit, I’m scared. It all feels too good to be true you know, as if I’m in some sort of wonderful dream and what if I wake up tomorrow and it all comes to an end? I’m falling for you, Drake Noble. If you leave here and I don’t hear from you again, I want you to know this meant something to me.”
His smile was glorious and lit up his entire face, exposing perfect straight white teeth. He lifted Meg so that she was lying on top of him. He stilled her with his hands and cupped her face. “Meggie, do you have any idea how much I needed to hear that from you? I had no idea how you felt. I know we have chemistry, but I want so much more with you. Knowing that you feel something is growing between us the same way I do, just hearing you say it, you’ve just made me the happiest man in the world.”
He leaned up and brushed his chiseled lips gently over hers, she took him into a deep kiss followed by a nibble on his lower lip and gently bit down on the fullness before she slipped her tongue inside and possessed his mouth. Her hands explored very inch of his chest, gliding appreciatively over his pectorals, travelling slowly downward over those big strong muscled arms before settling back on his chest again. His hands moved down to grasp her hips, holding her in place where he aligned the apex of her sex with his full erection. His fingers dug in just a little before she broke away from his mouth and stared back into those blue eyes of his.
They made love again that night and took their time, exploring, touching, and holding one another closely. The lamp stayed on and Meg watched as he fell into a deep sleep. She simply watched him and absorbed all that was shared between them this past weekend before she finally drifted off to sleep with her head on his chest.
Chapter 7
Meg couldn’t believe how quickly the last two days had flown by and S
unday reared its ugly head. Both of them were painfully aware that tomorrow would bring their weekend to an end, and they would be forced to let go. For how long she wondered, as she stood looking out the window of the suite. Tall buildings stood across the way. The sky was grey, and her heart was breaking into pieces as the time drew closer for them to part ways once again.
Drake cleared his throat. “Meggie, I want you to drive with me to the office in the morning. Are you okay with that?”
“Yes, but I think it would be best if Matt dropped me off at the coffee shop. It’s less than one block away from the office. No one knows what’s going on at work, and I don’t want to raise any eyebrows with the two of us walking in together.”
“I understand. What about Frank, are you going to tell him?”
“No, he doesn’t need to know about us.” She walked over to where he stood in low rise jeans, the top button undone, and his chest was bare. She stood in front of him and wrapped her arms around his broad shoulders, enjoying the feel of him. “You need to focus on the purpose of your meeting with him; adding us into that conversation is not necessary, and I prefer Frank didn’t know what’s developed between us just yet. The office is not the time or the place for that conversation.”
The corners of his mouth drew up into a smile, and he looked sexier than hell. “I don’t mind if you tell him. I have nothing to hide. In fact, once tomorrow’s meeting is over, I wouldn’t mind thanking him for sending you my way. If it weren’t for his getting you involved, we might not have met.”
“Frank and I have a business relationship, nothing more. We don’t trade secrets. He intends to move on with his life and so do I. I’m not sure if I’ll tell him. We’re as close as two people can be in the office. We don’t share all that much about our personal lives. In fact, until Ana came into his life, he never spoke about anything personal. Maybe one day, if we run into one another again, and if we’re still seeing one another, I might be more inclined to tell him.”
“I think I need to work on those doubts of yours. We’ll be together. If I have to spend the rest of my life chasing you, I will.” He kissed her hard. Relief washed over Meg in hearing him say that.
“Alright, listen, when I leave the office tomorrow, I’ll be gone for a while. I know I told you that already, but I don’t want you to feel as though I just left without saying good-bye.” He brushed his lips gently over her temple and whispered softly, “I am so going to miss this, you and me, alone, touching you, kissing you, making love to you.”
He lifted her chin to meet his gaze, and Meg could see the regret. She could hear it in his sweet voice. She pulled him closer, moved her arms lower, and wrapped them snugly around his waist and she laid her head against the solidness of his chest and breathed in his scent. She loved the smell of him, fresh, manly. His cologne was one she wasn’t familiar with, but she could tell it was expensive. She held on to him, not wanting to let go.
“I understand,” she whispered, trying her best to compose herself and to hide the emotions welling up in her chest at the thought of not seeing him for so long or worse than that, she feared losing him. What they had was so new and he could easily find another woman while he was away.
He dropped his head and nuzzled her hair playfully with his nose. “What will you do at night or in your spare time when I’m not around?” he asked, his voice already sounding lonely.
“I have kick-boxing classes, not to mention I’m falling behind on my book. So much has happened over the past few weeks, you’ve given me a lot to write about.”
“I’ll be in your book?”
“Absolutely. It’s fiction so I can add the parts that we shared and turn it into the character’s story,” she added, smiling up at him.
“When do I get to read this story of yours?” he asked hugging her tightly, his hands wandered around gently over her hips and lower back before he lowered his reach and cupped her ass firmly, pushing his erection into her abdomen.
“When I’m done,” she assured him. But she hesitated in answering, he caught it. Which of course made him suspect the book was in fact about her. What are you hiding, baby?
How will I ever let you read my story, Drake? My every thought and emotion has been written in those pages and having you, or anyone for that matter, read it, will expose me to my very soul.
“Has anyone read it yet?”
“No, no one has read it. It’s still not completed, and I’ll need some time to edit it afterwards.”
“Can I be the first to read it?” he asked and stood back to stare down at her.
Wow, what do I say to that? “I would love for you to be the first to read it, but that can only happen if you come back to me,” she whispered. Meg anticipated a come to Jesus moment one day, she knew it would be unavoidable once she let someone into her life completely. It was important to prove to her lover that she was in control and capable of carrying on a meaningful relationship. Despite what happened, she wanted Drake to know she felt safe in his arms. She wanted a normal relationship, one where there was no room for hesitation when it came to being intimate. The last thing she wanted, was for the person she loved the most in the world, to think she was afraid of him. She didn’t want Drake to hold back, afraid to touch her in a way that she needed.
“I promise you, Meggie, I will be back for you. Just promise you’ll wait for me.”
“Make love to me, Drake. I want you to hold me. I want to feel every part if you on my skin. I need you,” she whispered.
* * * *
The following morning was quiet. Drake packed his bags; their eyes connected every once in a while, a heavy sadness hung in the air between them. They both felt heavy-hearted and knew today would be difficult. Yet they rejoiced in the fact that they had gotten to spend the weekend together. It was wonderful, and although they were sad, they both felt on top of the world after being in one another’s presence for the last few days.
Silence remained between them on the ride to the office. With their hands intertwined, they stared out the window and once in a while shared a kiss, touched, and smiled sadly at one another. Matt dropped Meg off in front of the coffee shop a block down the street as she had suggested, and it was pure hell kissing Drake for the last time. Who knew how long it would be before she would see him again, if ever? In less than ten minutes, Meg found herself sitting at her desk, nervously waiting for Drake to appear at any moment. They planned it so that she would walk into the office first. She heard his familiar voice come through the hallway from the reception area and her heart stilled. The land line on her desk rang, bringing her out of her lonely thoughts.
“Meg, there’s a gentleman here, Mr. Noble,” Diane whispered into the receiver. “He’s asking for you.”
Meg quickly smoothed her hands down the front of her shirt, the shirt Drake had purchased for her. She made her way out to the reception area and the moment she saw him standing there, her breath hitched at the sight of him. Meg absorbed his full height, the fitted suit he was wearing, his broad shoulders, and that perfect narrow waist. His presence was powerful. Although she had seen him less than fifteen minutes ago, she couldn’t help but appreciate his charming good looks and charisma. She wanted more than anything to touch him. Her hands ached to feel his hard muscled form. She wanted to climb his body and never let go. She coughed in to her hand to get his attention. He turned and looked her over before walking in her direction. She wondered if she had the same effect on him as he did her. He stood tall and confident, but there was no mistaking the look in his eyes. His eyes were dark and filled with hunger. He missed her too, she could see it, and more importantly, she could feel it. He enveloped her small hand in his and Meg could see Diane from the corner of her eye, mouth wide open and her attention drawn to this very dominant man. “Ms. Malone, what a pleasure it is to see you again. How have you been?” he asked, trying to make the conversation light and not draw too much attention from Diane.
“I’m fine, thank you for asking. It’s n
ice to see you as well, Mr. Noble. I’m afraid Frank is running a little late, but I can assure you he is on his way. Why don’t you follow me and I’ll show you in to his office,” Meg offered.
Meg could feel Drake’s eyes on her as she escorted him past the elevators and through the large cherry wood double doors leading in to the office. She stopped at her cubicle and leaned over to retrieve the key to Frank’s office. When she did, Drake pressed his hardness against her and he held her hips in a firm hold. Oh God, I am going to melt. She hesitated but knew they couldn’t take things any further. It would be a matter of minutes before her boss walked through the door. She turned and smiled up at him, he winked back and his lips turned upward. Meg let out a shaky breath of air just before wrapping her fingers around his forearm. “Don’t look at me like that. I can’t do this here. I can’t think when you’re this close.” She stood on her tip-toes and kissed him quickly on the mouth. “Can I get you anything, a glass of water, orange juice, or coffee, Mr. Noble?” she asked still breathless.
“Can you say my name again, Ms. Malone? I like the way it rolls off your tongue.”
Meg cleared her throat, “Mr. Noble, can I get you something to drink?”
“Mmm, no one has ever said my name the way you do. It sounds so sensual coming from your mouth, makes me want to fuck that perfect mouth of yours. Coffee would be great. Thank you, Ms. Malone.” He patted her ass firmly.
Meg’s eyes grew wide. What the hell is he doing? I can barely think around him and then when he talks to me that way and spanks me? Christ Almighty, I just want to throw myself in his arms and let him have his wicked way with me all over again. Meg was exasperated, her panties were drenched, and her nipples stood at full attention.
Felisha Goulding's Stolen Innocence Series Page 33