Possession(19)

He laughs again. “Of course. I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t. What’s brought this on?”

I shrug my shoulders. “I don’t know. It’s just… I would have thought you would be more interested in spending time with my mum and dad, but it feels like you spend more time with me.”

I see a little bit of panic in his eyes. “Do you not want to spend time with me?”

Jumping up straighter, I shake my head. “Oh, no, no… That’s not what I meant. I love spending time with you. In fact, I think I would be really sad if you stopped coming to visit me.”

“Really?” he asks. “So, you wouldn’t like it if I left?”

Now it’s my turn to panic. “You’re not leaving, are you?”

He laughs. “Never. Wild horses couldn’t keep me away from you if that’s what you wanted.”

“So, you’ll promise me you’ll never leave me? You promise I will always be close to you?”

Taking my hand, he squeezes it a little. “Of course I promise. Anything for you, Evelyn.”

“So, you like me then?”

Shaking his head, he frowns. “You’re full of questions today, aren’t you? Why do you ask?”

I look away, embarrassed. “Because I’m so young. I worry you’ll get bored of me.”

Grabbing my chin, he gently pulls me to look at him. “You could never bore me. Besides, you won’t be this young forever.”

“So, you’ll marry me when I turn eighteen?” He starts laughing—a full belly laugh that turns my insides out. It hurts me that he finds this so amusing. “I’m glad you find this so funny.” I turn my head away in both embarrassment and anger. Why did I have to say something so stupid? It just slipped right out.

“Evelyn, I didn’t mean—” I turn away more and hear him laugh again.

“Evelyn, look at me.” When I don’t turn, he unbuckles my seat belt and pulls me into his lap. He cuddles me, and I hate to say it, but he feels warm and nice. He also smells incredible too. “Okay, I’ll make you a deal. If you promise me that you’ll call me day or night if those men come over again, then I’ll marry you when you’re eighteen. Deal?”

With a bright smile he can’t see, I nod my head. “Deal.”

He squeezes me one last time and then places me back on the seat. “Good,” he says, strapping me back in. “We’re almost there.”

I feel a certain rejection when he pushes me away from him so suddenly, but when he mentions that we’ll be there soon and I will see my surprise, all my fears melt away. I seem to want acceptance from this man all the time, and I don’t know why. I guess it’s because he’s the only person I have who cares for me.

“Ah. We’re here now.”

I see the gates to his house open. “The surprise is in your house?”

He turns with a gleam in his eyes. “Well, not exactly in my house, but close to it.”

I frown, wondering what he means, but I find out soon enough once I’m out the car and being led to the back of his house. I see in the distance that something new has been built. “You have stables?” I ask excitedly.

Drake nods his head. “Yes, but that’s not the best part.” He motions for me to take his hand, and we go running across towards the stables. I can’t help giggling as we run.

Once we reach the stables, he takes me round to the booths where two horses are being kept. One is dark brown and huge, and the other is not as big but is white with a brown patch on its nose. “They look beautiful.”

He motions towards the dark brown one. “This one’s Max. He’s my horse.” He strokes Max’s nose, and Max seems to like it. He sniffs around his hand and nibbles a little on his palm. It makes me giggle.

“And this,” he says, walking in front of the white horse, “is a three-year-old female who hasn’t gotten a name yet.”

Smiling, I stroke her, loving the way she feels when I do. “Why not?” I ask, running my hand across her neck.

“Because the person who owns her should name her.” When he doesn’t say anything more, I look at him. “So, what are you going to call her?”

I shriek, making him laugh. “You bought me a horse?” He nods his head, and I go running into his arms. He starts laughing as I wrap my legs around him and spray kisses all over his face.

“I take that to mean you like my present?”

I keep my arms locked around his neck. “Like it?! I love it. Thank you.” Caught up in the moment, I bend down and kiss him on the lips. Immediately, he drops me to the floor, the moment lost.