Page 17 of Cupcak
“Oh yeah?”
I nod. “I happen to have it on very good authority that that mouth of yours cankissrather well.”
“Is that all you crave?” he asks, his fingers on my back, drawing tiny circles that have my nipples reacting. I love having his hands on me.
“Well, I don’t know if you noticed, but something rather special happened to me today in your office.”
“Oh, I noticed,” he says, his eyes lowering then lingering at the dip in my neckline. I don’t own a lot of date-worthy dresses. But I did have this one dress in my closet. It’s soft and flowing, fitted in the bodice and flared at the waist. The bodice has short capped sleeves and is black velvet, and the skirt is a deep emerald in color that falls just above my knees. But the neckline is cut daringly low. For someone with my curves and cup-size, let’s just say that quite a bit of boobage is on display. “And I’m really struggling not to take advantage of that dress and go for a repeat performance right here,” he growls, and God help me, my stomach and other parts down south, clench as anticipation curls my belly.
“O-OK,” I stammer, grabbing my water glass and taking a long gulp, something to keep me from throwing myself at him. That thing that happened to my body in his office is the very first time something like that has happened to me. And I don’t care where we are, it was so good, I would happily let him do it again.
“OK? Well, aren’t you just a naughty little thing?” He flashes me a smile that has my panties catching fire, and unhelpfully, our food arrives.
“Thank you,” I say as the waiter places our plates in front of us. It looks and smells fantastic, with a thick rectangle of pork sat on a bed of puréed potato and thinly cut carrots and beans on the side.
“Don’t look so disappointed,” Drake whispers in my ear. “I thought we could take dessert to go. Then I can make you come as many times as you like at my place.”
“Cracked pepper?” the waiter asks suddenly, and I gasp.
“Yes, please,” I say, although my eyes are on Drake because Ireallywant dessert to go. And I really,reallywant to go back to his place.
“Enjoy your meal.” The waiter nods politely then disappears.
I give Drake a secret smile as I lick my lips then cut into my meat. “Oh, I plan to.”
A soft chuckle rumbles out of his chest as he presses a soft kiss to the skin on my shoulder. “Then eat up, cupcake. You’ll need your energy.”
There’s hunger in his eyes as I slide the first mouthful of pork past my lips, and I don’t think it’s there for the food. But I delight in the way he watches me chew and takes joy in my reaction to eating such delicious food.
“Oh, my god. This is amazing. Good choice, sir.” His eyes shoot me a look of warning, and I giggle. “Drake.”
“Better.” He cuts a piece of his steak and brings it to his mouth. “And I’m glad it’s something you enjoy.”
“Definitely,” I say, hungrily cutting off another slice. I love the way the pork is so juicy and the crackling is thin and crisp. It’s a texture explosion in my mouth. “What were your parents like before… Oh, you don’t have to answer. It’s probably hard to talk about.”
“It is. But I want you to know me, Emmy. And they were…great. I’m an only child, so a lot of their focus was on me. I wanted for very little, and while we had your normal issues over chores and rule following while I was growing up, I really can’t fault them. They loved me deeply, and I loved them. Then I was away at baseball camp during the summer of senior year, and then they were gone. Poof. Just like that.” He opens his fingers for emphasis. “I left them in a rush to get on the bus. I was seventeen at the time, so I was more interested in talking to my teammates than hanging with my parents, and just as I was about to climb those stairs my dad called out to me. I remember standing there, one foot in the bus, one hand on the rail as I turned back to the sound. He and Mom just yelled out, ‘We love you. Have fun and don’t forget to call.’” A beautiful yet melancholic smile coats his face as he reminisces. “I laughed and gave them a wave before I pulled my cap over my eyes and got on the bus to the tune of my teammates ribbing me and making kissy sounds. Mom was taking photos with one of those old snap and dial cameras the whole time, waving at me through the window until the bus was out of sight. I was embarrassed, but I wasn’t angry or annoyed. I was just laughing and shaking my head at them because they were being such big dorks. But I knew I was loved. And I guess that if you have to lose your parents in a drunk-driving accident, then you want your last memory of them to be something like that.” He takes a breath and shifts his focus back to me. “Still, I’d rather have them alive, being dorks and taking photos.”
“They sound like they were wonderful people.” I smile at him, wondering if he realizes that his hands are toying with the ends of my hair, curling and coiling it around his finger absently.
“They were. I was a mess after. But they gave me a good start in life, and I made my way through. What about you? I imagine there’s a bit of a story behind those big pretty eyes of yours, or you wouldn’t be the sole carer for your grandfather at nineteen.”
I flash him a tight grin. “Caught that one, huh? Mine is a tale as old as time. My dad was never in the picture, and Mom had dreams too big to have a kid around. So when I was eleven, she dropped me off at my grandparents and that’s the last any of us have seen of her.” I twirl my fork through my potato for something to focus on so I don’t have to see his expression when he realizes my own mother didn’t want me.
“She didn’t come back for your gran’s funeral?” he asks. I look up to find his expression has grown darker.
“No. We tried to find her when Gran fell sick. She needed round the clock care, and I was still in school, and Pop needs care too, but…” I shrug, leaving the rest unsaid. “I just dropped out of school to care for her myself instead. Pop was livid, but I promised him I’d still get my GED, so we came to an agreement. And you know, I wasn't really in a place to go through with the whole high school experience anyway. I’ve always been grateful for that one final year I had with thebothof them before Gran passed away.” His hand now grips mine in a tight hold. “They did so much for me, taking me in like they did, I was glad I’d been there to help with Gran, and now I’m happy to keep helping Pop. He’s all I have.”
“You have me now too,” he whispers as he takes my hand and lifts it to his mouth, placing a kiss in the center of my palm. A warm wave of giddy pleasure surges through me, completely replacing the sorrow of our stories with a sense of belonging. “I don’t understand how anyone could abandon someone as sweet and wonderful as you.”
“Maybe I’m not as sweet and wonderful as you think,” I say, closing my eyes as he draws me in and presses his lips against my forehead. I feel so warm and safe with him.
“You’re forgetting that I know how to read people, cupcake. I knew as soon as I saw you that your heart is pure and good. From your first blush, all I wanted to do was take you in my arms and take care of you. You’ve very quickly become everything to me.”
“Oh, Drake,” I whisper, lifting my eyes to meet his.
“Emmy.” His hand slips into my hair and he holds me in place, bringing his lips to mine and kissing me deeply. His tongue sweeps into my mouth and caresses mine. I can taste the freshness of the lemon in his water and smell the spicy sweetness of his cologne mixed with our fragrant meal.
“Don’t ever stop kissing me like that,” I whisper when our lips part.
