Page 57 of The Claiming Series: Collection 1
“I should call her. Check in on her,” I say, worrying my bottom lip with my teeth.
“Already done,” Drayton reassures me. “Jessica, my secretary, called her this morning while you were sleeping, and she’s fine. Hungover, but fine. She can’t go anywhere because the town is snowed in. It’ll be a few days before it thaws enough to open up the businesses again. In the meantime, you’re staying here. With me.”
I don’t have it in me to argue, even if I wanted to. Staying here with Drayton feels like my very own version of heaven.
My eyes roam over him in his boxers. He’s huge, but there’s not an ounce of fat on him. He looks like a man accustomed to the physical activity his job provides rather than a man who pumps iron in the gym. My gaze lingers on his wide shoulders and broad chest with its feathering of hairleading a happy trail down his defined abs. My eyes move lower, taking in his muscular thighs, and I frown as I see the terrible damage the bomb blast did to his left leg. I can only imagine the excruciating pain it must have caused, not to mention the psychological damage.
“Not pretty, is it?” he asks roughly, seeing my troubled gaze.
“No, it’s not,” I reply truthfully. “And I don’t mean the scar itself. I couldn’t care less about physical imperfections. It’s what it represents. What you’ve suffered. The ugliness of war.”
Drayton blows out a heavy breath, his eyes shadowed with terrible memories. “People told me I was the lucky one because I survived. But reliving their deaths on a daily basis isn’t lucky. It’s fucking torture.”
I stand and go to him, forgetting to be self-conscious in my bra and panties. The need to hold him is far greater than any embarrassment I might feel at my near nakedness.
I reach up to cup his cheek, smoothing my thumb across his beard as I look into ocean-blue eyes that have become so familiar in such a short time. His arms come around my waist, pulling me againsthim, and we hold each other. It’s the most poignant moment of my life, this connection with this amazing man I didn’t even know existed twenty-four hours ago. I’ve never been a big believer in fate, that life is predestined, but now it doesn’t seem so ridiculous.
But my stomach doesn’t appreciate the poignancy of the moment and growls loudly.
Drayton chuckles. “Come on, sweet thing. You need to eat.”
Chapter Eight
Drayton
“Oh, my God, that was amazing. Thank you,” Daisy says, rubbing her belly as she sits on the stool at the breakfast bar.
“My pleasure,” I grin, draining the last of the coffee from my mug.
“I can’t remember the last time I had the full works for breakfast. Eggs, bacon, hash browns, sausage. You’re spoiling me,” she sighs, a sound of pure contentment that makes my heart swell.
“If anyone deserves to be spoilt, it’s you,” I reply, my eyes wandering over her in my gray t-shirt. It’s vast, covering her from throat to mid-thigh, but goddamn, it looks fucking sexy on her.
She belongs to me now.
The thought crashes through my mind. She makes me feel alive again. I’ve been living in a state of numbness, and she’s brought me back to life. Watching her come undone in my arms was like nothing I’ve ever experienced before. My only focus was to make her feel good, to have her become so addicted to me she’ll never want to leave.
Sensing my deep thoughts, Daisy gets to her feet, moving to stand in front of me. Her hands go to my chest, her fingers digging into my shirt, and for once, I wish I wasn’t wearing it. Not that my scars seemed to faze her—if anything, she looked at my body with something close to wonder.
She tilts her head to look at me, her eyes like molten honey. “Drayton, I don’t know what this is between us, but I want to see where it goes. I—I wantyou,” she says, her words almost a whisper.
My cock leaks cum at those soft words. I’ve been hard since I first clapped eyes on her yesterday, and watching her orgasm for me earlier hasn’t helped any.
I haven’t been interested in sex since before Yemen. My few experiences from years ago weren’t memorable—maybe because I was waiting for this beautiful woman in my arms. I haven’t even jerked off because it felt like those parts of me were dead, likethe soldiers I left behind. My focus has been on this town, cleaning up the mess the last sheriff left behind and making sure my dad is okay.
But Daisy brings me a peace I’ve never felt before. We’ve both experienced the darkness the world has to offer, and we deserve to move into the light. Together.
“Do you—do you still want me?” Daisy asks uncertainly, mistaking my silence for hesitancy.
“More than my next breath,” I rasp, my hands clenching on her waist. “I never want you to question how much I want you. You’ll never find yourself out in the cold all alone again. Not as long as I’m breathing.”
“Even knowing what you do about my mother?”
I growl, and her eyes widen. “Only made it clearer you need someone to look after you. You need someone to stand with you, support you, help you fight any battles life throws at you. I'm going to be that someone. I want you, Daisy. I want you more than I’ve ever wanted anything.”
Her mouth parts a little. “I feel that way, too.”
I smile at her. God, she’s so fucking beautiful. Earth-shaking beauty mixed with a sweet innocence.
