“Me too,” Suz said through her tears as she put her arms around their father and held on tight. Harry came around on their father’s other side and clasped a hand on his shoulder.
Only Alec stayed apart, his face an unreadable mask as he slid his chair back from the table, then walked out of the house without a word.
*
Drake caught his brother in the driveway getting into his car.
“I’m happy for you,” Alec said before Drake could say anything, “but I’m not going to pretend to play happy family with William now that he’s suddenly ready to be a father.”
Drake understood that, as the oldest, Alec’s experience of their mother’s leaving had been different. Of the four of them, he’d not only spent the most time with her, but he’d also been old enough to understand that she wasn’t ever coming back.
Knowing he had to tread carefully, Drake said, “I know we haven’t solved everything. Not even close. But tonight was a step in the right direction. To finally get honest answers to the questions none of us have ever felt we could ask.”
“Mom was just like he said—she barely touched the ground. It almost seemed as if she might just float away sometimes.” Alec looked toward the cottage where their father stored the paintings of their mother, then shook his head as if he didn’t want to think about any of it anymore. “I need to head back to the city. Let me know if Rosa needs my help with anything. I’m happy to lend her one of my personal planes if she needs to go somewhere in stealth mode.”
There was no point in reminding his brother that he’d said he’d spend the night in the Adirondacks. Not now that Alec had locked down. So instead of talking more about their father, Drake said, “Something tells me Rosa’s done with stealth mode. But thanks for being on her side. Mine too.” Alec was shutting his door when Drake said, “I’ll hold on to your paintings until you want them.”
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Drake was still standing in the driveway watching the dust from Alec’s tires settle when Rosa slid her hand into his. She didn’t ask if he was okay, just let him lead them silently through the woods to a private cove. Far enough from his father’s house that no one could see or hear them. And dark enough that they were barely shadows as he drew her out of the trees and toward the water.
“I need you,” he said as he began to strip away her clothes. “Here. Now.”
“I need you too.” She put her hands on his face. “I love you.”
The words of love from her lips—and the love he could feel in her kiss—sent him reeling even faster, even harder, than tonight’s dinner discussion had.
“I love you so much.” She rained kisses over his face. “I should have told you before, but I was scared. I’m still scared of plenty of things, but not of what I feel for you. I’ll never be scared of that again.”
“Mine.” He crushed her mouth, her body, against his. “I want you to be mine. Forever.”
“Good, because I’m not going to let you go, no matter what people say. No matter what they think.”
He knew exactly how strong she was—how strong she’d always been—but hearing her say the words was huge. “I love you, Rosa. That’s never going to change. No matter what.”
The moon was shrouded by clouds, but even in the pitch darkness, he knew her expressions, her body, by heart. He loved her little gasps of pleasure as he slowly lowered her bra straps from each shoulder and pressed kisses all along the skin he’d just bared. She gripped his shoulders as if to hold herself steady, her breath coming faster and faster the closer he got to her breasts, his tongue sliding in damp circles along the soft flesh. Finally, he found one taut tip, her breath going as he drew it between his lips and suckled.
Greed took over as he cupped her breasts to take both into his mouth at once. She rocked her hips against his as he ran his tongue over her. Threading her hands into his hair, she pulled his mouth back up to hers, kissing him with fierce passion.
“Take me, Drake.” She dropped her hands to his shirt and nearly tore it off in her need to get him naked. “Here.” He’d only just pulled a condom out of his back pocket when she yanked the button and zipper of his jeans open and shoved them down. “Now.”
Their hands met on her waistband, both of them working to get rid of the last barrier between them. As soon as they’d slid protection on his throbbing length, he lifted her up into his arms. When she wrapped her legs around him, he cupped her luscious hips in his hands and brought her even closer.
Drake wanted to start clean with everyone and everything tonight. He’d always been drawn to water—not only painting it, but diving in, going deep, and coming up feeling renewed. Thankfully, there was enough moonlight now to safely take them down the sandy path to the hidden cove.
Holding on tight with her strong arms around his neck, Rosa nuzzled him as he carried her into the water, making him even crazier for her as she ran her nose, her lips, her tongue, over him.