Homeless Heart (11 page)

She reached deep inside herself, yanking out her strength, strength she knew was in there but had been caressed away by luxury, something Kelly couldn’t think about right now. She needed to get her head out of fantasyland and back into the groove of survival.

It’d been an incredible night.
All good things must end.

“Last week. I was hoping you wouldn’t have to use it, but it doesn’t look like I can convince you to stay with me,” Drake told her, his voice laced with frustration. “I’m not giving up, though. I’ll be back for you in two days.”

Kelly glanced up at him, surprised.

“That’s right.” Drake nodded. “I want you to come with me to a benefit dinner…”

“I…no!” Kelly turned away from him, ready to open the car door and abandon ship. Drake’s fingers gripped her upper arm. His pricy cologne wafted in her face. His grip loosened once he’d gotten her attention.

“Listen, you can be as stubborn as you want. This weekend was amazing, and you can think what you want, but it wasn’t a one-time thing for me. I will persevere. I will get what I want,” he said, his gaze hardening.

“What am I gonna wear?” Kelly huffed.

“I’ll take care of it all. I’ll text you with more details tomorrow. Now shut up so I can make out with you for a few minutes before I have to give you back to these damn woods,” he said, his smile warming. Kelly laughed, hearing a man as refined as Drake speak like a back-alley thug.

Chapter Twenty

“
Theeee
Drake Larson,” Steve said through strained laughter. “You know how to pick them.” He gawked at her, his eyes wide and unblinking.

“I didn’t know you knew him.” Kelly returned her attention back to the ring of stones, poking at the fire, playing it all down. If she thought about it all too hard, her brain ached.

Flames shot up into the night sky. Steve had gotten his hands on some lighter fluid which enabled her to spark some life back into the wood that’d gone damp during her absence. The air was cold, holding a frigidness that Kelly hadn’t really felt until tonight.
It’s only going to get colder.

“Oh, I don’t know him personally.” Steve’s glowing eyes held hers. “I only know
of
him. So, tell me about this benefit dinner. I think that warrants another trip to the truck stop,” he told her, giving her a knowing look.

They spent the evening catching up. Steve admitted to missing her, saying he had no one to fuss over while she was gone. They roasted hot dogs that he’d gotten from the food bank. When Steve shoved a ten-dollar bill into Kelly’s hand, she felt her jaw drop. He was the second man to push money on her. Drake had tried to hide a wad of twenty-dollar bills in the new duffle bag which Kelly had vehemently refused to accept.

“Where’d you get this?” she asked, not having held this much paper money in months.

“Recyclables were abundant the day before last. There must’ve been some sort of party over at Cooper’s Field because their trashcans were stuffed to the brim.” Cooper’s Field was where all the town’s sporting leagues played.

“They sure lock up that concession stand tight,” he said, frowning. “But, man, the bottles and cans.” It grew quiet for a moment. The fire snapped and crackled between them. They both stared into the flames. Steve’s calm voice reached for her.

“That man isn’t going to let your stubbornness deter him, you know that, right?” His gaze lifted, staring her down over the flames.

“I can’t think about it too much, it’s so screwed up…him wanting me,” Kelly told him, her voice cracking.

“I think…”

“Don’t, please,” she hissed. Steve lifted his hands, answering her plea.

“Okay, okay.” He smiled weakly, rising to his feet. “I’m going to head out. I figured if you wanted to tell me about the mind-blowing sex, you would have by now.” His brow waggled.

Kelly buried her head in her hands. Her own internal heat met that of the fire. Her cheeks burned. She looked up, seeing Steve’s naughty grin. He shrugged, battling a little bit of his own color.

“Come on, Kel! Throw me a bone here,” Steve said, exasperated. Steve’s teeth nipped at his lower lip. Kelly let the air expel out of her lungs. She stood and circled the fire pit. Steve’s eyes glowed like a rabid animal. She licked her lips.

“It was the best night of my friggin’ life. Everything from the food, to the sex, not to mention the bathtub we both soaked in…”

Steve groaned, his lids growing heavy.

“Fuck,” he whispered, his jaw twitching. The urge she’d felt the night before was mirrored in Steve’s eyes.

“And that we did,” Kelly whispered.

* * * *

Drake rocked back in his chair. He stared out the window, aimlessly sipping his brandy. The town below twinkled. Thoughts of Kelly alone in her tent had his teeth grinding together.
How could any man leave her out there!
He shook his head, downing the rest of his nightcap. He let the burn settle in his stomach. She just needed more time. He needed to convince Kelly that there was better, that she deserved better.

Drake was in tune with what Kelly was thinking without even voicing it. She’d had a gambling problem. She’d been careless and now she thought this was what she deserved, her punishment. He would work tirelessly in attempts to turn her thought process around.

Chapter Twenty-One

“Do you know what color you’re wearing?” Steve asked, twisting her hair into a classy chignon. Their eyes caught in the mirror’s reflection. They were back at the truck stop, getting her primped for her second date with Drake.

“He said he’d take care of it,” Kelly told him, turning her head to the side. Steve had twisted the wheat-colored strands of her hair elegantly. Wisps escaped the pins, grazing her neck. “Thank you,” she beamed. “I love it.”

They gathered their things and left the shady confines of the public restroom. It was a raw day, the sky a chilly gray. The air was dry and cold. Steve spoke her thoughts, notions that’d been haunting her.

“Smells like snow, but it’s really too early.” His head tipped to the sky. They parted ways in town. Steve assured her that he’d stop by for a full briefing.

* * * *

The sun sank behind a horizon that glowed with a faint, dusty pink, shadowed by charcoal clouds. Kelly stood at the edge of the woods, seeing Drake’s car approaching. Her stomach was a braided mass of tangled nerves. Tonight was an entirely different ball of wax.

Drake would have an unfamiliar woman on his arm, one his friends and colleagues had never seen. Would they ask questions? Would the gossip fly around his office tomorrow morning at record speed? What would everyone think if they knew the truth? She swallowed hard, her insides about to erupt.
Isn’t he even worried about it?

The Lexus pulled in, the engine humming smoothly. Kelly motioned for Drake to stay where he was. He was so polite, always eager to serve. She opened the door, bombarded by heat. Kelly sank into the plush seat, pulling the door closed. Before she could speak, his hands were on her face, guiding her lips to his.

His lips were hot and moist, pressing against her mouth. His tongue probed, needing for her to open for him. As soon as he entered her mouth, the excited tingle he’d provoked during their previous encounter ignited in her belly. Drake held her head, piloting the kiss. He tilted his head, plundering deeper, his need evident through his actions. A soft whimper sounded in her chest. She tasted his mouth, quenching a thirst she’d had since he’d dropped her off. Their breaths huffed between their faces. Drake pulled back slightly, speaking softly against her parted lips.

“I’m not going to break this up,” he told her, his lips curving into a smile over hers. “You’re going to have to pull away first.”

Kelly cupped his warm, smooth cheek. She traced his teeth with her tongue before sitting back into her seat, dazed again. His dark-brown eyes seized her, mirrored with hunger. He traced her brow with the tip of his finger.

“I’ve missed you,” he whispered.

She shook her head. “I just don’t want to cause any problems for you,” Kelly said, her words stuck in a tight throat.

Drake sat back, his gaze narrowed, his lips a tight, flat line. “What is that supposed to mean?” Kelly voiced her concerns about the potential damage her presence could do. “I know you’re a—”

Her confession was quickly smothered by Drake’s words, his statement fired off like a machine gun.

“I’m the damn boss, not to mention the owner. No one will say a goddamn thing. They know better. If I share, they’re allowed to comment. If I don’t, then they’ll just smile, drink and talk about the latest stock market gains. That’s the way these things go. Honestly.” Drake’s brows knitted across his forehead. “It’s all pretentious bullshit.” He rolled his eyes. “You’ll see. You’ll see why I loathe most of them.”

“Yes, but”—she felt her eyes burn—“I don’t know a thing about the stock market.” Her body went rigid with apprehension.
This is a mistake.
Drake’s agitated breaths filled the silent gap that was growing fast. His next words extinguished her reserve.

“I don’t give a shit, Kelly!” Drake said briskly. “You’re all I care about. Right here, right now.” He started the car, gunning the gas.

Kelly took in the scenic drive, quickly drawing the conclusion that Drake’s other residence was in the swanky area of Cypress Hill. The gates of Berkley Ridge opened as Drake drove into the gated community.

Wide roads wove through the elaborate clusters of condominiums. Expensive cars and elegantly manicured lawns passed in the dark corners of her periphery.

Drake swiftly swung the car into his short driveway. The garage door slowly rose. Darkness coated her eyes as he pulled in and silenced the engine, the door descending behind them. He shifted in his seat, his gaze direct.

“I wish we could just stay here, have a few drinks, and go to bed,” he said, his voice gruff with need.

Anxious laughter rose into her throat. The flames that simmered between them while they were apart were being fanned by his suggestiveness.

“I’m sorry…I guess,” Kelly said, smiling.

“Come on. The earlier we get there, the earlier we can escape.” He opened the car door, their faces flooded with light.

Drake held her hand and led her into a small breezeway that took them inside. Her breath caught at yet another structure that screamed with affluence.

Chapter Twenty-Two

The condo reflected another facet of Drake’s style. It was contemporary, decorated in a trendier flair, creating a different air.

Entering from the garage brought them into the kitchen, the walls and cabinets a blinding white. The floor gleamed, the black-and-white checkered tiling bold. Black, granite countertops and stainless-steel appliances gave everything a modern, finished look. Drake’s voice broke through her stunned state.

“The kitchen, of course,” Drake said, waving a hand. He took her hand and guided her through the surrounding rooms that greeted them with wide, arched doorways. The walls were a soft, chateau brown, accented with a vibrant red. The furniture was leather, bold and masculine, similar to what she’d seen in the house on Blue Mountain. A short hallway took them into his bedroom, the walls a lighter shade of camel beige.

Heavy maple chests of drawers lined one wall of the large space. Two Queen Anne chairs, their upholstery a sapphire blue, dominated a small sitting area in the opposite corner. Kelly wiped her damp palms down the front of her jeans. Various terms rolled around in her mind:
elegant, luxurious, decadent, sophisticated.

Drake shook her arm, his fingers squeezing hers. “I’m assuming you’ve showered, because it’s taking every ounce of reasoning for me to keep from laying you down on this bed and taking you, right here, right now,” he told her, his tone hard with warning.

Kelly tried to shake it all off. “Yes, I guess I just need to get dressed…I see that you already are.” She gestured to his sleek, dark-gray suit and red, silk tie.

Drake’s brows arched. “You’re going to love the dress I got you. Next time you can come to the boutique with me, it’s just that this time there was no time,” he admitted. His mouth curved into a seductive grin as he lifted her fingers to his mouth, kissing them lightly.

Drake steered her toward an immense walk-in closet. He removed a hanger from a long line of garments. Kelly felt her jaw drop.

“Oh my God,” she whispered. She ran her hand down the black silk sheath, adorned with pearls around a plunging neckline. It was a halter style, the back open and trimmed with more tiny pearls. Drake held it up. It twinkled in the light as he turned the garment around.

“You like?” His eyes blazed.

“This is going to be the most beautiful thing I’ve ever worn,” she confessed, her words quivering. Drake hung it up over the door and faced her. He held her face in his hands.

“You go do what you need to.” He kissed her cheek. “I can’t wait to see you in it.” With that he turned and left the room.