Homeless Heart (9 page)

“I hope you like the selections I have,” Drake said, lifting off the covers of three chafing dishes.

“It looks incredible,” Kelly told him, her voice struggling for an audible tone. Her mouth watered at the steaming, scented entree. Drake took the tongs and placed a bed of linguini on her plate, then nestled in several large scallops, adding a slice of lemon. The powerful scent of garlic rose to her nose. Drake was right in sync with her thoughts.

“We’ll both stink or brush our teeth promptly after dinner,” he said, his smile warm. “Why don’t you pour the wine, and I’ll get a fire going.”

It’s already hot in here.

“Sure.” She nodded. Kelly picked up the chilled bottle of a hearty burgundy vintage she couldn’t pronounce if she tried. She filled their glasses halfway, watching the wine paint the inside of the large goblets.

The crackling of the fire pulled her attention to the immense hearth. Drake knelt before the hearth, placing the protective screen in front of the flames. He was in jeans again, but this time the denim was black, accompanied by an icy-gray shirt. He stood and lowered the lighting. The fire’s glow pulsed on the walls. She watched him walk toward her, his strides confident and full of purpose.

Drake was refined, very urban, yet earthy. He was obviously wealthy and educated. The more she tried to figure out his interest in her, the more anxious she became. What ulterior motive could there be? She had nothing to offer him, only her body—but if that was all he was interested in, he would’ve pushed them further that night in the tent. No, Drake wasn’t about force. There was gentleness about him, an easiness.

Kelly supposed if she had his bank account, she’d maybe exhibit some of those traits too, but her stupidity would only throw it all away on the next horse or another game of blackjack. She’d gotten sucked into her reflective vacuum again, not realizing he’d already taken his seat at the island. His velvety voice gently stroked over her, rescuing her.

“Kelly.” He reached for her hand. “Don’t let your food get cold.” His fingers stroked over hers.

“I’m used to cold food,” she replied, her sarcasm a defense mechanism she should’ve left back in the woods with her tent.

Drake’s eyes darkened, his stare direct. “Well, you better get used to a little heat, because I’m going to do whatever it takes to remedy that,” he said, his voice sharp.

They ate a slow, leisurely meal, something Kelly also wasn’t used to. She’d actually had to silently prompt herself to slow down. Life on the streets had put a damper on some basic skills of etiquette.

Drake openly shared more details of his life with her, without Kelly having to ask. He owned a management consulting firm. He spoke about his staff and what he’d seen during his earlier travels while away on business.

“I don’t like to travel anymore. I’m tired of seeing it alone,” he admitted.

Hadn’t there ever been anyone?
The next words spewed from her mouth before Kelly could censor herself, the wine defusing her reserve. “Have you ever been married?” she asked, chewing on the inside of her cheek.

Drake shook his head. “Nope. Almost,” he said, his confession light. Silence crept between them. The hissing of the fire’s flames attacking seasoned wood replaced the words of a conversation that’d stalled.

They finished their meal. Drake waved her back to her seat when she attempted to help with the cleanup. After all their dishes were loaded in the stainless steel dishwasher, Drake suggested that they sit on the couch.

Drake’s arms slid across the back of the leather couch. His fingers threaded through her hair. He removed her glass from her hand and set the stemware on the sturdy coffee table. Kelly found herself leaning into him, craving what he was about to offer.

His dark hair gleamed, gelled back, showing off his angled face. Drake’s fingers traced her jawline, his eyes holding hers. His intentions were mirrored in them, clear and legible. His lips slowly sloped into a seductive smile that had her belly filling with a blossoming heat. His eyes caressed her as he moved closer. His lips were silky and smooth. They brushed over hers. A slight tease of wet heat painted her lower lip before he pulled away. His brows knitted in observation.

“I’m going to go upstairs for a few minutes. When I call for you, I’d like you to come up, okay?” Kelly nodded, licking her lips. Her body was parched, ready to drink in whatever he had on tap for the remainder of the evening. There was no sense trying to reason through it all. She wanted whatever Drake Larson seemed so willing to give.

Chapter Seventeen

“I’m going to go get us some champagne. Why don’t you get settled in and I’ll be back in a moment,” Drake told her. His fingers combed through strands of her hair, fanning it over her shoulder. He turned, leaving her in the midst of a paradise that’d had her off balance since she’d entered the house.

Kelly stood, frozen to the floor, as she gaped at his personal living quarters and adjoining bathroom. An ivory, silk robe lay across the foot of the bed. Her toes dug into the thick-pile carpeting the color of pearls. Kelly stepped closer to the bed. She was afraid to breathe. Every visual frame that filled her eyes was lavish, surreal, and deliciously unfamiliar.

Large windows opened the entire front wall of his bedroom, overlooking a vast landscape that was probably breathtaking during the daylight hours. The sleigh bed was massive, heavy, and puffed with a plush, maroon velvet comforter. Dark oak furniture filled the corners of the room. Brass drawer handles glinted in the dimmed lighting.

Kelly let her fingers skate over the shimmering silk. She picked up the robe, following the sound of running water.

The bathroom was the largest she’d ever seen. Rainforest-green tiles and soft peach colors were the backdrop to a large, sunken circular tub. The suds grew into lustrous peaks. Bubbles slithered over bubbles as if they were alive, the tub nearing its capacity. Kelly quickly leaned in and turned off the copper spigots. Steam coated the tall panes of glass that ensured another gorgeous view.

Kelly felt her brow wrinkle in confusion, unsure of when Drake would return. She fumbled with the zipper on her jeans, her hands shaking. A decadent dinner that’d settled nicely now swirled around in her stomach.

Leaving her clothing draped over a chair that sat on the side of a long, marble vanity, she caught her reflection in the mirror. Her nipples were hard, protruding, and hungry. She stood on the plush bathmat and carefully lifted one leg, stepping into the heated, frothy water. Kelly sat down, feeling the warmth rise around her. Her hair drank in the water like thirsty grass. She tipped her head back, the cool porcelain icing the back of her neck.

“Oh God,” she sobbed. Her outspoken cry echoed through the tiled room. She let her body go loose, relishing the heat and steam. Never again did she think she’d ever feel the contentment that came with luxury such as this.

She’d only had it once. After a devastating night at the tables, she’d treated herself to an executive suite at the casino, only to mourn over the credit card bill that’d come later. Her eyes drooped, anesthetized by the heat. The light behind her lids darkened into a deeper shade. Kelly turned her head, gazing through lowered lashes. Her lips parted on a long sigh at the sight of Drake standing before her, beautifully nude and holding two champagne flutes.

“Are you comfortable?” he asked, his inquiry a hoarsened whisper.

Kelly felt her lips pull into a sedated grin. “How could I not be?” Her words were choked. A flood of feelings overwhelmed her. Awkwardness fought to push through, spoiling the calm that the heat had provided. Drake handed her the fluted glass. Tiny bubbles rose to the surface of the chilled beverage.

“May I join you?” he asked.

Kelly sipped from the elegant champagne flute. Crisp, cold bubbles prickled down her throat, chilling her insides before everything ignited out of her control. Drake was stunningly handsome.

Corded muscles and raised veins ran over his tight flesh. He was art. Curved biceps and sloped thighs only enhanced the decadent gift that was the focal point of any man, nestled below an abdomen that she could bounce a quarter off of.

His cock was at full mast, stretched outward, its ribbed flesh smoothing with energy and strength. Splashes of inky hair sprouted from his skin right where it should be. His nipples were perfect, like the delicious beans of an exotic coffee she wanted to nibble and chew on.

Kelly set her drink down on the wide rim of the tub and scooted out of his way. Drake’s eyes held hers as he gracefully stepped into the tub. He lowered himself into the water and reclined back. Water ran over the rim, slapping the tiled floor, as their bodies shifted. His hands steered her shoulders, pulling her back into his chest. Their heat joined, enveloped by the water. His voice went deeper, reverberating into her back.

“I want you to relax. I feel your joints tightening. That’s not the goal I have in mind,” he said softly, kissing that responsive spot behind her ear. “Easy, let it all go.” His instructions were riding on a sigh.

Kelly sank back into him, acutely aware of his cock. Its hard heat snaked along her spine, teasing her with its intentions.

“That’s it,” Drake said, coaxing her. “You’re so incredibly beautiful.” Wet warmth traced the shell of her ear, his tongue skilled and clever. His legs opened wider for her. His hands smoothed over her body, giving her the hot, wet touches of an experienced masseuse.

The water level rimmed her body, right at her breasts. Her nipples beaded, poking through the foaming suds. Water fluttered against her body when Drake moved his hands. His palms gently covered her breasts, forcing a hissing breath from her lips.

“Oh,” Kelly cried.

“Let me soothe and pleasure you, please,” he said, speaking through a mouth that was busy and attentive. His cock slithered against the small of her back, a gentle reminder of a pending promise.

His touch was electric, recharging her body. As his hands neared her center, her inner core stirred, inflamed with a need that was so great. He was awakening her, resurrecting a body that’d been out of commission for ages. His fingertips were soft. Drake gently spread her legs. His touch slowly slid through the layered tissues of her pussy, finding that nub of nerves that gave such intense gratification.

Drake stroked the edge of his thumb over her clitoris. Kelly closed her eyes, soaking up the feel of his hands on her. His other palm slipped under her knee, pulling her leg back to achieve greater access. When his finger ventured inside her body, all reality was lost.

“Drake,” she whispered, her voice edgy.

“I’m right here, let me touch you so you can feel,” he said, his words slow and hypnotic. Another finger joined the first in a rhythmic thrust and retreat that was turning her body inside out. His free hand returned to her pussy, petting her clit, scoring through her folds, both hands in sync. “I want you to come, say my name through your orgasm, please, Kelly,” he begged. His chest lifted behind her back. Their breaths became unified, now matching and erratic.

Her toes curled. Drake opened her wide. He had her vulnerable and starved for more. Her forehead beaded with either sweat or steam. The air was weighted, thick like a fog after a heavy rain. Kelly lifted her leg, anchoring her heel on the rim of the tub.

“That’s it,” Drake groaned, his chest heaving behind her. His hands worked faster. His fingers plunged in and out of her body while his other hand worked at teasing her clit. Kelly lifted her hips, suddenly wanting to demand that he fill her body with his. It was a barreling rush, seconds of an irrational state that she couldn’t see through. Her ribs caught, stuck and struggling for air.

Chapter Eighteen

Drake shifted her body in the water, her skin hot and slick. He gripped her hips and lifted her, positioning her up on the rim of the tub. Water dripped down her immaculate nakedness, pooling in between her ribs. He needed her breasts, needed to taste her in his mouth. Her cheeks were painted with a pinkish hue, her orgasm hovering. Her mossy, green eyes blinked, her expression sated.

“That’s beautiful, so lovely,” Drake gasped. He ran his hands over her, learning and looking, wanting it all. He licked the suds off her fleshy mound, a breast that was perfect, full and firm with an identical mate he couldn’t wait to devour.

Drake didn’t want her body to lose momentum. He coaxed her legs apart, raising her feet, resting them on the edge of the tub. A strip of honey-colored hair lined her folds. Her pussy spread open for him, her delicate tissues a smoky pink, gleaming with arousal. He touched her clitoris with the tip of one finger. Her eyes lowered into sedated slits. Her breasts rose, riding on her heaving breaths.

“There, this is what I want,” Drake told her, moving closer, nestling his head between her parted thighs. Her scent rose from the heat of her skin. It was heady, spiced, and all her. He kissed her pussy. Kelly whimpered, filling his ears with her feminine chorus of contentment. He licked her, soaking her walls. He pushed the tip of his tongue into her drenched insides, savoring and tasting. Drake felt his eyes rolling beneath their lids, inebriated. He’d been catapulted into a realm he never knew could exist with another. Her hands gripped his head.

“Please, let me have you, take me,” Kelly pleaded between panted breaths.