Drake’s head snapped up when I mentioned the end of my relationship with Brad. “Is there a reason he should feel responsible for you ending things with your boyfriend?”
“No! That’s not what I said at all. Things got messy, and Jackson had to step into the middle of it for me. End of story.” There’s no way I was going to share everything with Drake now. If he managed to dig himself out of the hole he’d put himself in and things progressed between us, then I’d think about sharing more. Maybe.
“I’ll accept that. For now. But I don’t want any secrets between us. You got a problem or a question, I want you to come to me. I get that Jackson’s been there for you in the past, but I’m gonna be the one there for you in the future.”
I held my hand up in protest. “Whoa. Slow down there, buddy.”
He reached up and tweaked my nose. “I get it. I’m jumping ahead of myself. No pressure. We’ve got plenty of time because I’m not going anywhere. Now that we’ve got all that past us, we’d better hit my mom’s party. I’m sure she’s wondering where we’re at by now.”
Drake’s parents seemed nice and were happy to have me join them. Drea was serious about introducing me to everyone and stole me away from Drake the minute we joined the party. She dragged me around the room, flitting from group to group, and refused to listen when I told her I wasn’t Drake’s girlfriend. Drake certainly didn’t help at all as he followed after us laughing.
He kept his word and didn’t even give me so much as a peck on the cheek when he walked me back to the pool house at the end of the night. I tried to tell myself this was a good thing as I needed the time to wrap my head around our conversation from earlier. Yet I couldn’t stop myself from wishing that he’d given me a goodnight kiss. I already craved the feel of his lips on mine.
I tossed and turned through the night, torn by my fears of jumping into a relationship with Drake and my desires. I dreamed of us together, bodies entwined. The feel of his hard body crushed against me, his lips devouring mine. The whisper of his strong fingers gliding down my body, teasing me to the point of frenzy. My legs writhing together as my body clenched in anticipation. I awoke, drenched in sweat, my heart beating thunderously. I gasped for breath when my body pulsed as a climax rolled over me.
Holy crap! Even in my dreams, the attraction between us was insanely hot! I actually came because of a dream of Drake. Just a dream. I didn’t know if I wanted to find him right this minute so I could jump his bones or stay as far away from him as I possibly could. After everything that had happened with Brad, I hadn’t so much as noticed another guy in a sexual way. Drake was another story altogether. I couldn’t stop myself from thinking about him. Great timing for my hormones to jump back to life.
Luckily, the morning flew by. I’d jumped in the shower and had a quick breakfast with my dad before we were to head to the airport. Drake had stopped by while I was in the shower to see if I wanted to eat with him. Dad had already been working on a batch of pancakes with yummy maple syrup and fresh strawberries. It was my favorite breakfast, and Dad wanted to surprise me. Drake couldn’t join us since his parents had expected him to share breakfast with them, so I’d had a reprieve from seeing him for a little bit.
When we met outside at the car, Drake wrapped me into a deep hug that seemed to last forever. He huffed as he let me go. “Missed you this morning, babe.”
I pushed myself away from him. “Drake, please stop.”
He raised a brow at me as I stepped away. “Not gonna happen. My dad raised me to go after what I want, and I want you. Thought I’d made that clear last night.”
I shook my head at him in frustration. “Yes, you made your intentions crystal clear. But I still need time to decide what I want to do about them.”
“Just don’t push me away. I can handle the wait, but I want you to give me a chance. Spend time with me. Let us get to know each other better, babe. You know you want to say yes.”
“Fine! We can see each other when we get back on campus and see what happens. Okay?” I huffed in exasperation.
Drake’s eyes beamed at me as he grinned. “Better than okay. Give me your cell. I need to make sure you can reach me.”
I handed him my phone without really thinking about it. Before I knew it, his cell was ringing in his front pocket. My eyes followed his hand as he reached inside to pull his cell out. The phone snagged on his shirt and lifted it up to reveal his six-pack abs. He pulled the phone away and chuckled when he realized I was staring.