27
I wake the next morning feeling refreshed and upbeat. Drake is still asleep when I get out of bed and hunt down something to change into.
His closet is completely new. The thought of it makes me smile. He really did think of me. I didn’t even have to tell him that the feeling of Shannon was all over the house, making me feel uncomfortable. He had just known. I choose his Columbia shirt and go inside the bathroom to shower. I completely forgot to pack a bag before I left my house yesterday.
The new fitted bathroom is made of black marble and a lot of glass and mirrors. The total opposite of the all-white and chrome theme he had before.
After my quick shower, I wear his shirt over my naked body. When I get out and stride past the bed, Drake is still asleep.
I head downstairs and make breakfast. I’m flipping pancakes when Drake appears in the kitchen. Fresh out of the shower, bandage gone, and wearing a black shirt with navy blue sweats.
My stupid body reacts to him instantly. “Did the doctor say it was okay to take the bandage off?” I ask, trying to distract myself while I start to make coffee.
“He did.” Drake comes over and hugs me from behind. “Good morning,” he whispers, sniffing my neck. “You look good in my shirt.”
“I forgot to bring my clothes,” I mumble, my body weak against him.
“I don’t mind. You look sexy. I don’t mind seeing you wearing my shirt every day.” Drake slowly spins me around to face him.
With a finger, he slowly lifts my chin to meet his metallic gaze. He looks unreadable.
His eyes probe inside me, reaching until it holds something.
My soul. My heart.
“Marry me.”
I press my lips together as his words settle in. “Are you sure? You’re not doing this because of that dream, right? I’m not going anywhere. You don’t have to propose marriage to make sure I’m going to stick around.”
His eyes never leave mine. They are serious, bold and undaunted. “That, too, but I’ve wanted to ask you for a long time. I wanted to ask you that first night you spent here, but the thought of you rejecting me was something I couldn’t deal with then. I’m asking you now because the thought of spending even a day without you seems too much. I love you… but I would give anything to love you as my wife.”
Ah, hell. My tears start flowing again. I’m laughing and crying at the same time. He starts to laugh with me as he wipes the tears away. “Damn it, Drake. How the hell do you expect me to decline a proposal like that? Yes, yes, yes! I will marry you.”
“Yeah? Are you sure?” Drake asks as he gently kisses me.
“Like you would give me a chance to decline you.” My arms circle around his neck.
“Damn right, woman. I will hound you on a daily basis if I have to. You will never be free of me.”
I pull back a little, just enough for us to gaze into each other’s eyes. Drake… I have always loved you… always… “I promise to give you kisses and share my Reese’s peanut buttercups once a week for forever and ever until I die.”
He opens his mouth and laughs. “God, Babe, after all these years, you remembered.”
Blushing, I lovingly kiss his cheek. “You bet your ass, I remember. It was my wedding day. I cherished it. Don’t you remember it? Any of it?”
Drake looks serious all of a sudden. “I remember. It’s not something I could forget, either. Instead of telling you, however… I want to show you instead.”
“But your doctor…” I trail off as his hand cups my womanhood.
“Good God. You were planning to eat breakfast with me like this? Are you trying to kill me?” I moan his name as he starts to rub me. “Always so wet for me, aren’t you?”
“Yes, but you have to stop.” As much as I’m tempted to make love to him, I’m not sure if it’s safe to do so.
“Not in this lifetime, my wife. Not in this motherf*cking lifetime.”
My wife.
I can’t argue much about that as Drake sticks a finger inside me and both of our hunger grows out of control.