The Promise (51 page)

At
this very moment, my life is perfect.

“I could stay here like this
with you forever,” I whisper.

“Me too
, Babysaurus,” she says as she bites gently down on my neck. I chuckle at the endearment while turning to gaze into those gorgeous green eyes of hers. She holds my gaze steady for a moment before raising her fingers, brushing them over the side of my face lovingly as she places a sweet kiss on my lips.

She’s
really is perfect.

I know
that within a few days’ time she’ll be trying to head back over to her apartment. The thought of her being away from me for even a few hours longer than necessary is driving me insane. I don’t ever want to be away from her again.

E
ver.

“So let’s do it
, Baby,” I say, my words earning me a look of curiosity from her as she turns to look at me. “Don’t go back to your apartment. Move in with me, Sophie.”

Drake

I roll over to find Analise still sleeping soundly next to me in her apartment while the morning light pushes its way through her bedroom curtains.

It
’s early. I can tell by how dim it still is that the sun is still rising. I always wake early and today is no exception. I remain motionless for a few minutes, letting her sleep as long as I can before I start to gently rub the soft skin of her bare stomach and nuzzle into the crook of her neck where I know it would drive her wild.

We need
to get a move on if we’re making another long drive out to the beach today. I can’t wait until we didn’t need to do this anymore and we can just wake up at home every morning. I feel her starting to stir beneath me as I kiss her neck, rubbing my day old stubble over her skin as she starts to smile.

“Analise,” I whisper, running kisses over her skin, waking h
er fully. “Wake up and love me Baby.” She laughs at my teasing and stretches her hands above her head.

“I just loved you a couple of hours ago, you insatiable freak,” she smile
s, letting out a long yawn.

“Hmm, I know. I
t’s been hours, my love,” I tap her knee and meet her eyes. “Open, Baby,” I order and she complies immediately. I position myself between her thighs and she drops her arms to rest on my shoulders. I press my lips to hers and run my tongue against her bottom lip gently, waiting for entry.

She parts
her lips for me and I deepen the kiss at the same time I push myself into her already wet opening, causing her to gasp in surprise. I love how responsive she is to me; how quickly she’s always ready for me to take her. I kiss her harder, running my mouth over her nipples while she writhed in pleasure beneath me. I sit up on my knees and grab her hips, pushing into her with force and causing her to moan loudly in satisfaction. “Baby, be quiet,” I order and she immediately clamps her lips shut to hold in the sounds she wants so desperately to make. “Hold on to the headboard and don’t let go until I tell you,” I tell her and immediately she moves her hands to the metal bars of the headboard, gripping tightly.

I smile wickedly at her submission and beg
in driving into her without mercy, letting out a deep moan of pleasure through my clenched teeth. I use my grip on her waist to push into her as deeply as I can as I lift her ass slightly from the bed and throw my hips into her. She’s grinding back in response and when I smile and bite down onto my lip, I could already feel her tightening around me. It’s a good thing because although I pride myself on stamina, the way my own body is reacting to her this morning will be an exception to that rule. “You want it Baby?” I tease and she nods wildly, keeping silent. “You can use one of your hands to touch yourself,” I grind out. “Leave the other one up there, Analise.”

I watch her release one hand from the bars and after pushing it into her mouth for lubrication, she reache
s down to find her clit and begins rubbing herself gently while I watch and continue to pound into her.

Seeing her like this, open for me and pleasuring herself while I ha
ve my way with her is quickly sending me over the edge. The smug grin she had on her face tells me she knows it. I release one hip and quickly grab the hand she’s using to touch herself and bring it to my mouth, sucking it clean with a low moan and sending her into an all out frenzy.

She groans loudly
at my aroused reaction to her taste and I bite down gently on her finger. “Analise, be a good girl or I won’t let you come,” I warn and she immediately silences herself. I release her finger, giving her a quick kiss on the inside of her wrist, making her give me a small, warm smile. I replace her hand in between her legs and watch her rub herself furiously until we’re both teetering on the edge and as always, locked on each other’s gazes. “Take what you need, Baby. Let me hear you scream for me,” I order softly and she does, calling out my name wildly. She falls over the edge with me, both of us moaning loudly in pleasure and riding the waves until we come back down to Earth slowly. I lean onto my arms over her to keep my weight off of her small frame and kiss her gently on the mouth and neck. “I love you.”

“Hmm,” she hums
back in satisfaction. “I love you too, Baby.”

We lie
in bed like that for awhile before I finally lift myself from her and pull her up by the arms. “Come on,” I say taking her hand. “Let’s get our shower.” I lead her into the bathroom and start the water as both of us step in.

We wash
each other quickly, getting out and helping each other dry off before we make our way into the kitchen where we make our coffee before walking out to the porch to cuddle up on the seat.

We s
it in silence drinking the coffee in to alert our senses so we can get on the road. It’s only an hour drive, but I still look forward to not having to make it every day when she moves in. I play with her damp hair as she sits leaning against my side, her head on my shoulder. I

’
ve already finished my coffee and she isn’t far behind but she always savors hers a little while longer. I kiss her on the top of her head as she takes in the last sip and sits the cup onto the table in front of us. “I guess we better get dressed,” I say looking down at our still towel clad bodies and smiling at the defiant groan that leaves her lips. “I know Love. I’ll be happy when we don’t have to make this drive over and over too.” She sits up and glances over at me confused before she speaks.

“What are you talking about?” She yawn
s and I watch her rise from the seat and walk back inside. I stand to follow her, dropping the mugs into the sink before joining her in the bedroom to get dressed. I reach into the section of the closet she’s cleared for my things and grab a pair of jeans. Dropping my towel, I pull them up my legs lazily, smirking at her when I catch her watching me.

“I’m talking about when you move in it will be nice to not have to drive
back and forth so much,” I say. I don’t really know what the confused look on her face is about, we’ve talked about this. “Aren’t you sick of all this driving, too?” I look up at her from the edge of the bed where I’ve settled after pulling a plain white t-shirt on over my head and start pulling socks onto my feet. She’s standing still in front of me with her arms folded in front her beautiful bare breasts.

“When did we decide I
was moving to Corpus?” she asks astonished.

“
That’s always been the plan. Why are you acting so surprised?” I ask and watch her mouth fall open in shock, forming a small “o” before she throws her hands up in frustration.

“Who’s plan?” She
raises her voice in annoyance as she pulls a grey tank top on. “And really Drake? Why am I acting surprised? Maybe because you decided I was moving to Corpus and never filled me in? Maybe because instead of asking me, you just assumed I wanted to move? Maybe because you are under the impression that this was all in some plan but I knew nothing of it until just now. Maybe because you’re looking at me like I’m nuts because I, for very good reason, have no idea what the hell you’re talking about? I don’t know, Baby take your pick! Which works for you? Why am I acting so surprised?”

“Analise,” I say,
running my hand through my hair and standing. “We
have
talked about this, Baby. All those times we’ve talked about being together and the future, this is all part of that. What did you think we were talking about? Did you really think we’d just do this driving back and forth bullshit forever?”

“No but I didn’t think you’d make all the decisions for me,” she sa
ys. “What makes you assume we’d move there and not stay here in Rockport?”

“I just assumed that the company and home I own pretty much made that decision for us,” I told her. “Did you think I’d sell those things to come live at y
our apartment?” Her eyes narrow instantly and she walks over to me, thrusting her finger into my face.

“Don’t,” she warns
, her voice calm but her eyes dancing with fury like I’ve never seen in her. “Don’t be a dick to me. I know I don’t own a fucking company but if you think for one second I’ll let you talk down to me for it you’ve lost your fucking mind.”

“That’s not what I meant,” I sa
y immediately and close my eyes, kicking myself as I began pinching the bridge of my nose before looking directly into her eyes. “I’m sorry, Baby. That came out wrong. I didn’t mean to sound like a dick. I just meant that because of my business I can’t move here and I thought you knew that.” She starts to calm but I can tell she’s still worked up.

I c
an’t blame her. I just sounded like a total asshole when I said that.

I ru
n my hands up her arms slowly and tilt her chin up to look at me. “I just thought that the natural progression for us would be that you’d move out to Corpus with me and I assumed you were on board with that. All those times we talked about the future I assumed we were on the same page. Maybe that was wrong of me to assume, but can you at least understand why I did?” She looks into my eyes and I see her waging a war with herself there.

“Yes,” she admits
quietly. “I
do
understand but I can’t just pick up and move from here, Drake. I have responsibilities here that I can’t turn my back on, either.” I look at her with a question in my eyes and she releases a deep breath. I know she has responsibilities but honestly, I didn’t see any of them keeping her tied to Rockport. “My job, this apartment, I can’t just leave Sophie on her own here without any notice, Drake. I pay half of the bills and it’s not right to leave her here with all of that, especially considering moving here was my idea. I can’t be so selfish to her.”

“Well, you know you don’t have to work if you don’t want to but if working is what you want
you can find another job, Baby. I know you like it at the bar but I’m sure there are a ton of places you’d love on the beach. If it’s the fact that you don’t want to put too much financial strain on Sophie that you’re worried about, don’t be. We’ll just pay your half of everything until she either finds another roommate or moves in with Chase,” I tell her but she’s already shaking her head.

“Listen, I agree with you on the job thing,” she sa
ys. “I like it at the bar but I can find something else but with Sophie it’s not just about the money, Drake,” she says.

“What are you saying, Analise? You’ll never move into another place without her?” I scoff
thinking she’s surely kidding but when she shrugs, I remove my hands from her arms and take a step back. “Is that what you’re seriously telling me? We can only move in together if she lives with us?”

“No, of course not,” she start
s. “But I won’t leave her here alone. She hasn’t mentioned moving in with Chase at all and has nobody else here. If things don’t work out with him she’ll be completely alone here and I won’t do that to her.” I’m already shaking my head in frustration. “You don’t get it. I guess that’s understandable but I can’t do it. I promised I wouldn’t.” She’d told me all about the promise she and Sophie had made her brother Jack. To be honest, I was lucky enough that I didn’t really understand it but I respected it and will never ask her to go against it. This isn’t what’s bothering me. “I think it’s really unfair for you to be so upset with me about this Drake.”

“Baby, it’s not the promise you’re keeping to your brother that I have a proble
m with,” I start and look down at her. “I respect that you’ve kept your promise to him, I do. The reason I’m upset is I feel like you’re telling me that this is all we’ll ever have together. I can’t do that, Analise. I’m in love with you. I want to share my life with you more than anything but this hold Sophie has on you is coming between us moving forward in our relationship. Can’t you see that?”

She stares
up at me, stunned at my words and says nothing. “If you told me that you needed time, I could deal with that. I’d wait for you until the last breath left my body, Baby. That’s not what you’re telling me though, is it?” I release her hand and walk over to find my bag and throw the things I’ll need immediately into it. Walking away from her will kill me. I know that but I can’t accept the scraps of her heart. I want all of it.

“Drake,” her
voice cracks. I look over at her and see the tears she’s fighting threatening to spill over. All I want is to rush to her and comfort her. Tell her I’m sorry for everything I said but I know I can’t. I’ve been honest with my desires since day one; no bullshit, all or nothing.

I’ve
given myself to her completely and until Sophie is sorted Analise will always hold a piece of herself back. I know that now. “I didn’t even know you didn’t like her until now,” I start shaking my head immediately but she keeps talking. “And now you’re asking me to choose between the two of you?”

“You don’t get it, Baby. This has nothing to do with how I feel about Sophie. I actually like her a lot. If you’d agreed to come to Corpus with me and things didn’t work out with Chase
, Sophie would be more than welcome in our home for as long as she needed a place. You already know that. This has everything to do with the fact that you’re refusing to allow our relationship to progress and you’re blaming it on your friendship with her. I’ve given you everything I have inside me but our relationship is taking backseat to your fear and your friendship it on Sophie,” I say quietly. “I understand the promise you made. I understand she’s a priority and I would never ask you to choose between us. You love her and she makes you happy and your happiness is all that matters to me. Of course I want her in your life but I love you too much to watch you put our happiness on hold for someone else. I’m not going to let our relationship be based off of other people no matter who they are. Is that really what you want?”