Total pages in book: 35
Estimated words: 31579 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 158(@200wpm)___ 126(@250wpm)___ 105(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 31579 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 158(@200wpm)___ 126(@250wpm)___ 105(@300wpm)
As soon as I burst into the bright light outside the theater, I let a breath of relief escape. I didn't think this would go down like this. I knew Drake would be pissed about me coming, but I never would have thought he'd come to find me … never thought he would care so much.
I shake my head and make my way out to the lobby of the conference center, but before I can go anywhere, a hand grabs my arm from behind—not tightly, but just enough to stop me in my tracks. Just from the touch alone and the buzz that shoots through me from it, I know it's Drake.
Slowly, I turn, and Drake is even more delicious looking out here in the light. There's still a sheen of sweat on his skin from the climbing demo, and the animalistic part of my brain wants to lick it off him.
Focus, Ellie. Focus.
To my surprise, when I meet his eyes, he isn't nearly as angry. Instead, there is a possessiveness that is totally new to Drake. And here I thought I've seen every emotion this man can possibly feel.
"That was quite the scene, Drake." I finally break the silence stretching between us.
Drake doesn't say anything for a moment. "Come on," he says finally, and my heart skips a beat. Is he taking me back to the room? Before I can answer, he takes my hand and pulls me to the side of the lobby, where we are alone.
"Are you okay?" he asks gruffly.
I blink, taken off guard. I expected a reprimand, but this…? "Of course I'm okay," I reply. "Why wouldn't I be?"
"Because Claude is a fucking prick, and…" His voice trails off. He looks confused, like he can't decide what he is feeling right now.
"And what?" I ask, genuinely curious.
He just shakes his head. "I don’t fucking know, Ellie, but you look beautiful tonight."
That is the last thing I expect him to say. Stunned, I look down at my dress and smooth out the fabric, blushing. "T-thanks?"
"Please tell me" —he comes forward, closing the space between us— "that you didn't wear it for that fucking asshole Claude."
Before I can think better of it, the truth falls from my lips. "I wore it because I wanted to make you jealous."
Drake's nostrils flare, his pupils dilating. His hand is on my face, pushing back to run his fingers through my curls before cupping the back of my head. "Then I guess it worked," he breathes, "because I am."
I'm breathing fast, like a rabbit running from a wolf. I know he's going to kiss me, but the need for his lips on mine becomes even more urgent when I spot Claude over Drake's shoulder in the distance, clearly looking for me.
Thinking back to when he kissed me to avoid his stalker, I take a page out of Drake’s book. "Turnabout is fair play," I breathe, running my hands down his firm chest before grabbing two handfuls of his shirt. "Kiss me."
I've never seen Drake look so thrown off. There's a flicker of confusion, a hint of amusement, and then his hand tightens on my head and he slams his lips against mine.
It's like a dream. In that first second, he's just holding his lips against mine, the feeling of his warm, firm mouth on mine so achingly familiar. Then his tongue presses against the seam of my lips, demanding entrance. I gasp in surprise, and he's in.
Drake kisses me like he's starving for it, like he needs this more than he needs air. His fingers tangle in my hair, pulling me closer to him, and every hard line of his body presses into mine. He groans, and the sound makes me weak in the knees. He pulls away just long enough to catch a breath, and then he kisses me again, biting my lip.
I moan as his hips press into mine, feeling how hard he is. One of his hands trails down to cup my ass; the other grips my hip hard. I'm dizzy with it all, with his scent, his taste, the way he feels, and I have to pull away to catch my breath. He stares at me, his pupils dilated, his chest rising and falling. I want him. I want him so much.
I only come back to reality when I hear a scoff from behind us and look over Drake's shoulder once again to see Claude storming off. Drake turns to see what has caught my attention, and when he turns back to me, his smile is vicious and victorious all at the same time.
"You, sweet Ellie," —his grip on my hip tightens, pulling me more firmly against him— "drive me so crazy that I don't even care you just used me to get rid of that asshole." He leans in, nose brushing against my wild hair as he whispers, "Do you want to do it again, just for good measure?"