Riding into Love (15 page)

Chapter 30

D
rew's eyes fluttered. He tried to open them, but they seemed too heavy. After several attempts, he was able to lift his lids just a little. The light in the room assaulted his sight and he squeezed his eyes shut. Pain registered in several parts—his arm, hands, shoulders and leg. His head felt like hammers were being slammed against it in a steady rhythm.

Drew swallowed and cleared his throat, and then he peeled his lips apart. Dry mouth and a sore throat made it difficult to speak. He tried opening his eyes again. Taking his time, he adjusted to the light. He looked at the florescent lighting, pale walls and monitors. Realizing he was in the hospital, he panicked. The tempo on the monitor increased, beeping faster, adding dings and buzzes to the symphony. Drew struggled to sit up, but pain knocked inside his head and ripped through his shoulder. He cautiously laid back and took a deep breath.

Drew licked his dry lips and before he could call out the word
nurse
as loudly as he could, one sprinted into the room.

“Mr. Barrington, I'm right here,” she said in her Spanish accent. She tapped the screen of the monitor, checked the levels of the IV and leaned over to look into his eye with a small flashlight. “It's good to see you awake. Don't try to speak, okay?” The monitors quieted, returning to a singular rhythm.

The nurse left the room and, moments later, Drew heard the sound of additional feet entering. She returned with a young doctor, who spoke with a soothing voice. Her perfect English made him wonder where he was.

The doctor spoke to him the entire time she poked, prodded, checked and examined him.

“My—” Drew cleared his throat “—my family...”

“Yes, your family has arrived. They came to see you this morning, but you were resting. The pain medication and trauma from your accident can make you very drowsy. We will let them know you're up as soon as we're done here. How's your head feeling?”

Drew winced.

“Yes, you have a pretty bad concussion, but you should be thankful. That helmet saved your life. For several weeks, you'll experience headaches, dizziness, sensitivity to light, and you'll find it difficult to focus or concentrate at times, but that will all go away. You also tore your shoulder up so you had to have surgery. When you leave here, you'll need to follow up with your doctor and go to therapy for several weeks.”

Drew huffed. He didn't need the doctor to tell him what that meant for racing. So much would be affected by him missing the rest of the season, but he was alive.

“If you could sit up for me.” The doctor helped him lean forward as she placed a stethoscope against his bare back. “So sorry. It's a little cold,” she said when he winced. “Okay,” she exhaled as she guided him back against the pillow. “You're all set. You should be able to walk out of here in a few days.”

“Thank you,” he managed to say. The raspy voice didn't sound like his own. He cleared his throat and tried again.

“No worries, Mr. Barrington.” She turned to the nurse.
“Agua.”

Drew remembered he was in Spain. Other snatches of memory came to him in flashes. He put enough of the pieces together to recall some of the accident—those few moments when he went airborne before everything turned black.

Drew lay there as time passed, trying not to become too discouraged. Eventually, he fell asleep. Familiar voices emerged in the distance. Initially, he thought he was dreaming. Squeezing his eyes, he realized the voices were outside of his head. He heard Hunter's deep voice and then Blake's. There was a woman. He wanted to flick his eyes open but had to move slowly, knowing the light would hurt. The woman sounded like Cadence. Maybe it was Chey. Then he figured he had to be dreaming because he thought he heard Alana or Jade.

“He's opening his eyes.”

Drew heard the shuffle of several feet.

“Drew! Can you hear us?”

He peeled his eyes open, blinking repeatedly. Several figures came into focus. Drew nodded and swallowed. His throat was dry again.

“Thank goodness!”

That voice made him want to sit up. Squinting, he looked around the bed.
“Ma belle.”

Jade stepped up. “I'm here, Drew.” She cupped his hand in hers.

That wasn't the voice he'd heard a moment ago. “Alana?” he croaked, cleared his throat and called her again. “Where's Alana?” he whispered. Jade dropped his hand.

“I'm over here, Drew.”

Alana came into view. The air suddenly seemed fresh. Drew took a deep breath and then managed a weak smile.
“Ma belle,”
he whispered and puckered his lips. Alana leaned over, kissed him and rested her forehead against his.
“Je t'aime, ma belle.”

Alana laughed and cried simultaneously against his temple.

“I told you I was going to make you love me,” he whispered. “And I love you too.” That was all that mattered.

Chapter 31

“D
rew, you're not helping!” Alana shrieked.

“I'm helping me,” he teased, pressing himself against Alana's backside as she tried to brush her teeth. Drew spun her around to face him, kissed her forehead, cheeks, chin and nose before moving to her lips.

“We're going to be late,” she protested without putting up much resistance.

“So?” He kissed her again.

Alana couldn't help but get lost in the series of tender kisses he planted on her lips.

“You love me?”

“Yes, I love you, Drew.” Alana gave him a quick peck and ducked under his arm. She turned back to the bathroom mirror and finally began brushing.

As terrifying as his accident was, Alana was thankful for what had come of it. While he was still in the hospital, they cleared the air. Drew needed to understand what had made Alana give up on him. She told him how upset she was when Jade answered his phone. Drew was surprised because he hadn't been aware of that. He briefly recalled leaving his phone in the suite while he went to his room to retrieve a folder for a meeting during one of their trips. Jade had never mentioned the fact that Alana had called and Drew had never checked his phone to see that he had missed her call.

Angry at Jade's antics, he got Jade on the phone to confront her, but she hung up when she realized that Alana was right there with him. Jade headed back to the States and they hadn't heard from her since. Alana apologized for being such a difficult girlfriend. Drew apologized to her for making her doubt him. Together they agreed to start fresh.

Drew was strong enough to return home two weeks after his release from the hospital. When he arrived in the States, Alana nursed him back to health. Several months later, they returned to France for a quick vacation before Drew was due to start his new job as a commentator with the sports network.

Drew watched Alana brush her teeth. He was so into her that the simplest gesture could turn him on. “Just one more time.” The sultry look in Drew's eyes accompanied by his naughty grin almost coaxed Alana into giving in. She'd already taken two showers and noon hadn't arrived yet.

They had practically been in each other's arms since they arrived at the chateau a few nights before. Drew woke her up with kisses, making love to her before the sun rose, casting its morning glow through his country home's windows. After their first shower, Alana moisturized her body with a sweet-smelling oil that Drew had picked up in Paris when they first arrived. Knowing that he was watching, Alana sensually rubbed the lotion into her bare skin. By the time she'd reached her feet, Drew had stepped out of his clothes, lifted her in the air and carried her to the bed. He feasted on her before driving them to a quick release. Their appetite for one another was intense, never fully sated. With short breaks, they could go on loving each other for hours.

“Okay, I'll leave you alone. We need to get going.”

“What's the name of the place again?” Alana asked innocently, rinsing her toothbrush.

“I never told you the name and I'm not going to. It's a surprise, remember?”

Alana giggled. She'd been trying to get him to reveal details about his plans for days, but he refused.

Once they were fully dressed, they mounted Jolie, the bike that Drew kept at his home in France. Alana had expected him to avoid bikes after the accident, but once he'd received clearance from his doctor, he returned to his other love but rode with caution. The industry still showed great respect for him and he was asked to become the spokesperson for one of their top helmet manufacturers, making commercials about how the helmet had saved his life. It even featured clips from his accident, which rocked the industry.

Drew and Alana cruised along the countryside, passing lavender blossoms and vineyards. Alana loved the feeling of wind blowing through her hair as they rode. Occasionally, she'd hold her hand out to catch the breeze. She wrapped her arms around Drew's body and rested her head against his back. On flat surfaces, the vibration of the bike soothed her. As they rode over cobbled streets, they would open their mouths saying “Ah!” and listen to how the bumps made their voices tremble, acting like children. Then they would release joyous laughter into the air.

Drew pulled into one of the vineyards and parked the bike. The engine settled as they climbed off.

“Oh, Drew! We're doing the wine tasting today. Yes!” She threw her fist in the air. Alana's excitement bubbled.

Loving Drew was fun, satisfying and sometimes wild. His primary residence was now the penthouse in Manhattan, which was close to her and his fascinating new job at the sports network. He'd also accepted several other opportunities as a commentator. Requests to host shows outside the racing field came consistently.

“Yes, we're going to taste some wine, among other things.” Drew lifted his brow and winked.

“You're so fresh.”

“I actually wasn't trying to be fresh that time, but you'll see.”

They walked into a shop near the entrance of the winery. Drew introduced himself to the woman behind the counter and she instructed him to follow her. Taking Alana by the hand, Drew led the way down a corridor into a gourmet kitchen.

“Your chef will be with you shortly. You can change here.”

“Change? Drew, what are we doing?”

He only smiled.

The chef came and greeted them in French and handed them aprons. Alana proudly responded in French. The online lessons that Drew had purchased worked.

The chef pulled out several ingredients, and when Alana realized they were there to make chocolate, she gasped. “Drew! This is so exciting. How did you think of this?”

“You love chocolate. We both love wine. I figured this would be a perfect combination.”

They spent the next hour indulging in their chocolate-making lesson and smearing the cocoa on each other's lips just to kiss it off. Leaving their chocolate to settle in their molds, they toured the winery, choosing wines to pair with their sweets.

Later, they took their chocolate and two bottles of wine and strapped it down on the back of the bike.

They passed a village with quaint shops and eateries. Drew pulled the bike over, and they walked hand in hand through the streets.

“Let's go in here. I saw something that would look good in the house.”

Alana followed him inside and greeted the gentleman in front with a warm smile. The gallery was narrow but long with large windows that allowed light to pour inside. Alana loved the abstract artwork on display in the first section. She walked toward the rear and halted.

“What?” Alana covered her mouth in shock as she continued toward the large photographs of her and Drew from their impromptu photo shoot on her last visit to France. She'd forgotten all about it. Truthfully, she never expected anything to come out of those pictures, but looking at them now, some were hot, others were fun and a few were downright sexy. She could see herself hanging some in her living room.

“I think I'd like to buy one of these,” Drew joked.

She snaked her arm around his waist and looked up into his sparkling eyes. “You love surprising me, don't you?” she asked. Drew nodded.

“I like the way you look in these pictures, especially that one.” Drew pointed.

Alana looked in that direction and noticed one of the sexy pictures they'd taken that day and smiled. She and Drew straddled the bike, facing each other as Drew leaned toward her with his hands strategically placed across her torso. She loved it.

“You know what, sir? We'll take them all,” Drew announced.

The gentleman joined them at the rear. “Shall we have them shipped to the chateau?” he asked.

It was then that Alana noticed that it was the same photographer who had taken the pictures. He and Drew laughed at her surprised expression when she put it all together. Drew managed to make her feel like a princess.

After a quick sit-down for dessert, Drew and Alana hopped back on the bike and returned to his house. The sun had begun to make a remarkable descent as they reached home—casting variations of orange along the horizon. They carried the two bottles of wine and the chocolates into the kitchen. Drew took Alana by the hand and led her to the enclosed patio out back. Alana switched on the light and screamed.

“Surprise!” their family and friends yelled together.

Bent over with one hand over her heart and one covering her mouth, Alana laughed. Cadence, Blake, Chey, Hunter, Mr. and Mrs. Barrington and her own parents were all there, laughing too. After she hugged everyone, she spun around to scold Drew for almost scaring the life out of her. When she turned, he was down on one knee.

Alana's breath caught and tears rolled down her face. Drew stood with the largest and most beautiful heart-shaped diamond she'd ever seen.

He stared into her glistening eyes. “We've been through so much. I found out what it was like to experience life without you and decided it's better with you by my side. Now that I've made you love me, will you—”

“Yes!” she yelled. “Of course, I'll marry you!”

Alana jumped into his arms. He lifted her, swinging her around. Everyone in the room cheered. Drew put her down and their lips connected. It felt like they were the only ones in the room.

Someone cleared his throat and they finally tore themselves away from each other. Everyone laughed all over again. Drew placed the ring on her finger. Alana admired it, holding her hand high.

“Let me see!” Cadence ran over to look at Alana's ring. Chey was right behind her.

Alana held her hand out, presenting her prized jewel.

“Oh! That. Is. Beautiful,” Chey said.

“Come here, Evelyn. Let's go inspect this thing.” Joyce waved Alana's mother over. The fathers gave each other a quick glance and chuckled.

“Hmm.” Joyce examined the ring first and held Alana's hand toward her mother.

“I see...” Evelyn peered over her glasses, turning Alana's finger from one side to the other. Alana set her other hand on her hip, sniggering at their mothers.

They looked at each other. “He did well,” they said at the same time and burst into laughter.

“Did someone say it was party time?” Blake held up a bottle of champagne.

“That's what I heard,” Hunter added with his hand behind his ear.

For the first time since entering the patio, Alana noticed the table full of food and drinks.

“Blake, put our song on,” Drew yelled over the chatter.

“You've got it, baby brother.”

Seconds later, “
I'm Gonna Make You Love Me
” by the Supremes filled the room. Blake moved the furniture back, creating space for a dance floor. Everyone took their lovers by the hand and danced to Drew and Alana's theme song.

“You won't get away again,” Drew declared.

“I don't plan on going anywhere.” Alana lifted onto her toes. Drew leaned down toward her and they rubbed noses.

Once again, their lips connected in a sweet lock. Alana had finally found her prince.

* * * * *

Keep reading for an excerpt from HIS SOUTHERN SWEETHEART by Carolyn Hector.

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