Page 77 of Almost Paradise

We eat dinner together as a family at night. Ray invited us over on Wednesday. Drake ignored Audrey who looked daggers at him all evening. Other than that, it went well. The boys harassed Drake until he got Wyatt on FaceTime for them. Audrey huffed while they discussed the difference between alligators and crocodiles.

All week I’ve been nervously anticipating tonight. All week, Drake’s been a great father to Carter. He plays with him. Reads to him and bathes him. He’s never tired of Carter’s nonstop chatter or ridiculous questions. He doesn’t even get annoyed when Carter FaceTimes with Kyle and Mason and gives him the phone to say hi to his cousins. Every day he brings home a toy or new book for Carter.

Now, it’s Friday. Not only that, but it’s also Friday evening. Carter is away until Sunday night, leaving me alone with Drake for the first time in years. If we didn’t have this truce, I would pack a bag and check into a five-star hotel for the weekend, all on his dime, of course. I’d turn off my phone and order room service and expensive champagne.

Now, he’s on his way home and I don’t know how to deal or how to act. The penthouse is eerily quiet. Delores was given the day off, so I walk around the empty kitchen and run my hand along the island. I decide to pour myself a glass of white wine, and just as I pull out the bottle, the elevator door opens.

It can only be him. No one else other than my family and his mother have been here. His heavy footsteps hit the hardwood floor. It’s as if he knows where I am. Our eyes lock when he steps into the kitchen. I look away, pour a second glass of wine and hand it to him.

“I thought we could go out to dinner,” he says. He holds up his glass, and I clink mine with his. I thought he’d want to go right to bed. I know I do. That’s all I thought about all week. It’s been a while since I’ve been with a man, and I’ve never been with a man who is a better lover than Drake. Not before we met or after we ended. There might have only been one guy since we broke up, but he didn’t come close.

“Dinner sounds good.” I haven’t eaten since lunch, and I barely ate that. “How dressed up do I need to get.”

“You are perfect just as you are.” I’m in blue jeans and a blue and white striped button-up shirt. It’s as far from perfection as possible.

“I have room for improvement.”

“You’re flawless.”

Forty-five minutes later, I’m sitting beside him in one of his sports cars. He said there would be no staff this weekend. I was relieved. It’s a big adjustment getting used to all the hired help that comes and goes. He never had anyone in the penthouse back then. At least not while I was there. Now, they treat me like the lady of the house, and I don’t always know how to react to that.

“Where are we going?” I ask.

“Your favorite place,” he says.

“Legal’s Seafood.” I clap my hands in excitement. “But you hate it there. I know it’s not fancy enough for you.”

“I don’t hate it,” he says. He puts a hand on my lap. I decided to wear a short skirt, black knee-high boots, and I have a tight red top underneath my black leather jacket. He caresses my knee, and I’m transported back in time four years. We never stopped touching each other back then. I’m dying to put my hand on top of his, but I don’t dare go there. “And even if I did, you like it, and I always have a good time with you.”

“You think the last few weeks have beengoodwith me? You did get a lobotomy.” He lets out a hearty laugh, and I do the same. I laugh so hard, I snort, which makes us laugh harder.

“You did promise to make my life miserable,” he reminds me. “It was still better than all those years without you.”

My smile drops, and I look out the window, unsure of how to answer. I’m not sure I’m ready to reply to something like that.

“No wall,” he says. “You promised.” He squeezes my thigh. I close my eyes and exhale. I’ve missed his hands so much. I rest mine on top of his.

“Yeah, but I didn’t pinky promise.” The tension disappears. “God, we were so corny, weren’t we?”

“Hardly.” We arrive at the mall, and he finds a spot close to the restaurant entrance.

“I’m so full,” I tell him the instant we step back inside the penthouse. Drake ordered several decadent entrees for us to share. We shared a bottle of wine too. It was like going back to four years ago. Just two people having dinner and enjoying each other’s company. There was never any limit to what we could buy. All I had to do was utter a want or a desire, and he’d fulfill it.

He follows me to the living room and pulls me into his arms. This is the first time since Sunday that he’s gotten so close. At least while we’re both awake. I’ve woken up several times this week with his arms wrapped around me.

“I had fun tonight,” he whispers close to my ear. I feel a shiver go through my body. “It always amazes me how much bread and butter you can eat.”

I giggle at that. “It always amazes me how impeccable your table manners are.” I pretend to drink from an imaginary mug and hold up my pinky finger. Then I bow dramatically.

“A gentleman in the streets, but a beast in the sheets,” he says in my ear. His hands glide down my side and rest on my hips. I can feel the heat oozing off him. His hands feel like a thousand degrees.

“Come upstairs in ten minutes. Bring me a glass of bubbly.” He presses his lips to mine and moans, but before he deepens the kiss, I push at his chest and step away. “On second thought, bring an entire bottle.”

Chapter 42

Drake

It takes me fifteen minutes to finally go upstairs. I’ve been thinking about this all week. Hell, I’ve been wanting her for the past four years. I’ve never had anything close to what we’ve shared with anyone else. Not before or after her. It was difficult to be with Scarlett in the beginning because I felt like I was cheating on Nia.

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