Lily's Mistake(8)

She stands instantly up in rage and slaps Drake on his cheek, leaving a  red spot. "You, son of a bitch! You're not going to get away with this."  Shannon threatens before she scampers out of the restaurant in furious  haste.

I gasp and stare at Drake while he rubs his cheek. "So, that was Shannon, huh?"

Drake's eyes twinkle. "You find this funny, don't you? Just as well. That woman was becoming a nightmare."

Interesting. Wasn't he planning to marry her? "Um, so I guess there's no wedding then?"

Drake sighs and looks away. His eyes seem distant as he watches the  beach. He looks sad. If Shannon meant so much to him …  then why break up  with her?

"I never wanted to get married …  well not right away, and especially, not with her," Drake says, breaking the silence.

He waits until the waiter is done placing our food on the table before  starting again. "Four months ago, Shannon was pregnant. I know it's not  enough reason to marry someone, but I want to offer my child the same  childhood I had, with two loving parents. My parents didn't know that  she was pregnant. I was going to tell them, eventually, but there was  never a right time, you know? Shannon miscarried during her sixteenth  week. I was going to tell her that the wedding was not going to happen,  but each time I tried, she would go into a crazy meltdown. She almost  killed herself once. After that incident, I was complacent and told  myself that I will wait for a few more months before I break it off with  her. I wanted her to seek professional help, but she insisted that she  was fine. Anyway, that's the story behind Shannon and me." Drake takes a  lengthy sip of his water and starts to eat his meal.

I stare at him in astonishment. How could he just eat after the shocking  information he just bombarded me with? "What if she tries to kill  herself again, what are you going to do?"

"That's her family's problem now. Her parents know how their daughter  is, but they just brush it off. If they can do that, so can I. Shannon  used her pregnancy and miscarriage for far too long. I am well over it."

"I'm sorry about the baby," I murmur.

He shrugs. "Yeah, but it was for the best. I don't honestly think she  and I would've been any good as parents anyway. I can always be grateful  for that, I suppose."

I'm still reeling from all the insane information. I can barely even  manage to put the food in my mouth, let alone swallow it. Drake, a  father …  it's the most bizarre thought. He's never been keen on kids. I  mean he finds them cute, but he stays away from them like they were  diseased or something. I guess that was the old Drake. The new one might  actually love to have babies. I suppose I really don't know this man  anymore.         

     



 

After that eventful lunch, Drake hands me a spare key for his house and  gives me some other important details that are essential for me to know,  like where he gets his dry cleaning done and so forth.





When the clock hits five pm, I get up and gather my belongings. I glance towards the door when I hear a knock.

It's Drake.

"There's an event tomorrow night. I will send a car at six to get you."

Um, you mention this now? "Do I have to be there? I don't think I'll be  necessary." I don't want to be an idiot accessory, either.

"It's work related. You will meet a lot of our contacts and it's good  for you to know who they are." Sigh. Of course he brings up work.

Shit.

I nod. "Okay, six tomorrow night." I get up, sort out my things, and  shove whatever it is that I need in my tote purse. When I hear him clear  his throat, I'm a little startled. He didn't leave yet? I thought he  left already.

"Yes?" I ask, not glancing in his direction.

"I won't be here tomorrow, so I will see you at the event. Mindy will  have all the information on your desk tomorrow morning. She already  picked up the dry cleaning, so you don't have to do it any longer."

Thank God for Mindy. I totally forgot about his other demands. He also added that Skull was already taken care of. Okay.

"So, I guess I will see you tomorrow night?" He lingers longer.

Does he plan to leave any second now?

"Yes, Drake, I will be there tomorrow night." I gather up my things and  stride towards the door. I frustratingly halt when he blocks my passage.

I groan. "What now?"

"Do you need a ride home?" he whispers sultrily at me. His eyes focus on my lips.

I need to get out of here, NOW! "I drove here. I have to go. I have  things to do. Will you move out of my way, Drake?" I try not to look at  him directly. I simply can't. I don't have it in me to do so.

"You have plans tonight? A date with that boyfriend of yours, perhaps?"

"What is this, twenty questions? You already know that I do. Drop it,  will you? You're starting to get on my nerves!" I exclaim with passion,  but the man is being infuriatingly dense.

"I was just curious, Lil. I haven't seen you in almost a decade. I  suppose you can say that I miss making you blush. You're blushing now  and I must say I like this look better on you." A devilish grin suddenly  emerges as he eyes me closer as if in inspection, again.

Not today, Drake, or ever AGAIN will I succumb to you. Once was lesson enough.

Without blinking, I speak with utmost certainty. "I am not interested,  Drake. So, please, do us both a favor and drop the Mr. Seduction act  because it will never work on me."

Drake moves closer, our chests touching. I instantly try to pull away,  but he has my shoulders on lockdown. "Why do you tense up when I'm close  to you, Lil?" Drake painstakingly brushes my cheek and I look away and  try to avoid his touch. "Or why does your breathing become shallow … "  Drake whispers as he draws himself closer. All air leaves me when I feel  his hot breath against my ear. "You still want me, but you're fighting  it."

Fine, maybe I still do, but that doesn't mean I'll act on it.

"Dream on, Drake." I forcefully push him aside and stride out of my  office. It doesn't take him long to catch up with me as I wait for the  elevator.

The man is beyond exasperating! He makes me want to commit bloody murder.

I don't acknowledge him when he jumps next to me inside the elevator.

"Do you want to go out for dinner?" Drake annoyingly asks.

For the love of God! Leave me alone! I want to scream, yet, I hold  myself in check. I can't lose my temper on my first day of work.  Although, I'm tempted …  oh, so tempted.

"Nope, I'm going out with Jared. Remember?" I almost feel triumphant when I don't hear a smart comeback. It only lasts briefly.

"Is Jared staying over at your place, too?" he finally speaks, his voice low, but succinct.

I glare at him. With both of my hands on my hips, I tell him off. "My  sex life is none of your business. Who I fuck and don't fuck is  irrelevant. This interrogation ends now."

"For now," Drake states in a matter-of-fact tone, but I completely ignore him.

I don't even bother to respond because the elevator doors open. I  hurriedly scramble out and into the lobby and race towards the parking  structure.

Once I'm in traffic, I begin to fume some more. "Fuck you, Drake Tatum."  I swear. Drake is royally screwing with my head and I hate it.         

     



 





8

The fundraiser event for independent films is held at The Beverly Hills  Hotel in The Crystal Ballroom. It's illuminated with subtle  pinkish-lavender lighting and each table is decorated with white  orchids. The ambiance is dreamy and the soft jazz eases some of my  tension.

I'm sipping my champagne when I feel a zinging sensation on the back of  my neck all the way down my spine. There is only one man who can make me  feel like a fucking magnet and that is Drake. Knowing he's close by, I  don't even bother to look for him. Instead, I opt to savor the beautiful  surroundings and the beautiful ambiance.

"Lily."

Guess that didn't last long. I spin around and greet him, bitingly,  "Drake." I briefly assess him, looking handsomely dapper as ever, but I  force my eyes to drag away from his striking features. I am not going to  dwell about this man, I repeat many times in my head.

"You look gorgeous. Gold suits you. It brings out your eyes," he  compliments as his eyes gingerly rove over my body. Admiration clearly  stated in those metallic orbs.

Well, heck, I didn't plan to look like crap even though it crossed my  mind, once. Or twice. Instead, I wore a tight-fitted, body-hugging, gold  sheath dress that exposes my entire back with a slit up one leg. My  hair is stylishly piled on top of the crown of my head.

"Did you need something?" I go back to my old pose, trying to block out his handsome face.

He comes closer. Drake stands behind me, brushing my butt softly against  his thigh. "You can't expect to ask me that question and not get hard. I  always need you, it seems." His lips caress the tip of my ear.

I simply shudder and try to ignore the tell-tale signs of my own  arousal. "Stop being a twit and start thinking with your head, Drake.  And I mean the head up there and not down south, nestled in between your  legs." I bring the point home by poking my finger at his topmost head.