Page 34 of Sweet Heat at Bayside
“Breathe, Serena. What do you see?”
“Hold on.”
He listened to her hasty breathing through the phone, the frantic slide of the locks and chain, and then she was punching his chest, crying.
“You scared me! You jerk! Why…?”
He dropped his bag inside the door and gathered her trembling body into his arms, closing the door behind him. He held her tight, kissing her tears away as she clung to him, gasping for air.
“I’m sorry, sweetheart. I’m sorry. You asked what we were doing, and I had to say this to your face.” He drew back, cradling her face between his hands, her warm tears colliding with his thumbs like accusations. He’d driven like a madman to get there, and he was glad he had.
“Whatarewe doing?” she demanded.
“What we should have done ages ago.” He lowered his lips to hers, and she smiled and cried against them, breaking his heart and then healing it again with the eagerness of her kisses.
He lifted her into his arms and opened his eyes long enough to navigate to the small bedroom. “I found your card this evening. It had slid behind the door. Thank you for never letting us go.” As he lowered her to the bed, he said, “Everyone needs one person they can count on. Someone who isn’t a lover or a parent. Someone who can watch out for them with nothing clouding their vision. I wanted to be that person for you.”
“Maybe I’m not like everyone else,” she said sweetly,confidently. “Because I want you, and you are that person for me.”
He kissed her again, slow and deep, feeling all the chained-up pieces of himself unshackling. “I was never a selfish man, but with you, I’m shamefully selfish,” he whispered, pressing tender kisses to her chin and cheek.
“Be selfish with me, Drake. I can handle it. Iwantto handle it.” Her gaze turned fierce, and she said, “But if you ever scare me like that again, I willnotforgive you.”
He couldn’t suppress a chuckle. “Says the girl who was sleeping inmyfavorite beach shirt. When did you steal that?”
“If you’regood, maybe I’ll tell you,” she said lustily, and lifted the bottom of his shirt. “Off, please.”
He tugged his shirt over his head and tossed it to the floor. She reached for him, and he knew every moment of his life, every decision he’d ever made on their behalf, had been the right one at the time, just likethis.
“Do you know how many years I’ve dreamed of this?” he asked as he lifted her shirt over her head. Every second of his life had led to her, all right. They were made for each other. “You’re a goddess.”
She nipped at his lips. “What took you so long to notice?”
“Baby, I’ve known you were my kryptonite forever.”
He lifted her into the cradle of his arms, kissing her as their bodies became one. Nothing could have prepared him for the surge of emotions engulfing him or the intensity of their connection. They both came away breathless. There were so many things he’d thought he’d say at this incredible, important moment. He’d profess his love for her, promise not to hurt her, to support everything she wanted in her career. But as he gazed into her trusting, loving eyes, he saw that she already knew all those things. Instead, he said what perhaps she didn’t yet know.
“I’m yours, Serena. I’ve been yours since you set your mesmerizing eyes on me and nervously fumbled your way through asking if I’d sing a duet with you. I wanted you desperately then, and I regretted holding back, but it brought us to this magical place and time, and I will not let you down again.”
Sometime later, as they lay tangled together, Serena drifted off to sleep and Drake wondered how they’d managed to give each other so much for all those years without ever giving each otherthis.
Chapter Ten
THE MORNING SUN snuck into Serena’s loft as slow and sweet as a cove kissed the shore, bringing the most glorious morning of her life into focus. She lay nestled in Drake’s warmth, his strong arms holding her tight even as he slept. He smelled heavenly and manly, like all the good things in her life wrapped up in one. She wanted to turn around so she could see his face as he slept peacefully beside her, feel his breath on her cheeks. But at the same time, she didn’t want to move and break the spell they’d fallen under. What if things changed between them? What if it became awkward?
What if they changed for the better?
The urge to know was too strong to ignore. She turned within the confines of his arms and found him awake, smiling sleepily.
“Hey, Supergirl.” He pressed a kiss to her lips.
Her heart somersaulted at the emotions in his voice. Gone was the underlying restraint, the pretense of being only friends, and she liked thismuchbetter.
“Did I wake you?”
He shook his head. “I’ve been awake for a while, wondering how long I had to wait before I could make love to you again without you thinking I was a letch.”
“What if I like your lechery? We have years to catch up on, and wearegoing to be apart until next weekend. That leaves a lot of time for my body to forget how good you feel.”
