“Alex has some work thing out there and …was, erm… he was picked to represent the firm at some event, so he decided to surprise me and make it a holiday.” I said trying really sodding hard to keep my voice even but I cracked half way through when I felt the air crackle with Draven at its centre. I wish I could say I was brave enough to look his way but I totally chickened out with that one.
It wasn’t hard to catch the look Sophia shot her brother before continuing with her Spanish inquisition…Monty Python would have been proud!
“And when is it you are being whisked away?”
“In a couple of days.” I said murmuring the answer over the rim of my glass.
“Where in Italy?” This question came directly from the brooding man to my left and I suddenly wanted the building to cave in on itself just to get away from being everyone’s centre of attention.
“Uh…I’m not actually sure, he wanted to keep it as a surprise.”
“Of course he did.” Draven replied severely and I winced before finding my back bone.
“And what is that supposed to mean exactl…?”
“I am sure you can understand our worry and concern Keira, after all, what do you really know about this Alexander Cain?” Sophia interjected quickly. I folded my arms across my chest and snapped,
“Yes well, you weren’t exactly forthcoming yourselves when I met you all, now were you?”
“Point well made.” Sophia replied taking a sip of her own drink.
“Look, I know this is…awkward. But it is what it is. I am with Alex now and what happened is in the past, where I think you can all understand I would like it to stay. I am just trying to take this one step at a time and keep you all in my life as much as I can. So all I am asking is simple…please don’t make this any harder than it has to be.” I ended my plea by turning to the main culprit in all this and Draven looked less than happy as he gritted his teeth.
No one responded to my outburst and I sighed feeling my heart grow heavy.
“I’d better just go.” I said putting down my glass and getting ready to heave myself from the cushioned floor.
“Don’t.” Draven’s voice sounded like a soft command but his restraining hand on my arm was anything but. He didn’t hurt me but it was firm enough for me to know that I couldn’t pull away, even if I wanted to. I first looked down at his hand on my arm and then looked back over my shoulder at him ready to give him a glare. However, I didn’t expect the hint of vulnerability I found there and it was enough to get me to soften my expression.
“Yeah, come on Kaz, don’t go yet… it’s still early.” Sophia said jumping on the guilt inflicting bandwagon.
“I guess I could stay for a little while longer.” I said quietly and Draven let go of my arm only to reach across me to reclaim my glass for me. The feel of half his hard body leaning over me was too much of a temptation to pass up on and I inhaled a lung full of his incredible scent to a point that I almost felt light headed.
“Or you could just stay.” I would have thought this idea would have come first from the prettiest member of the Draven clan but I was wrong. Draven had said this whilst looking down at me and holding out my glass for me to take.
“I…I…couldn’t/” I said hearing for myself the disbelief in my breathy response.
“And why not? I think we have the room, Keira” Sophia added laughing. I bit my lip and as I looked up at Draven some of the shorter parts of my hair fell across my left eye thankfully hiding some of my blushing skin. It was all down to that heated look he kept giving me and when the telling ring of purple pulsated through the black I knew what it meant.
“You have nothing to fear being here, Keira.” He said as he gently caught my fallen hair between his fingers and pushed it back behind my ear, proving just how wrong his statement had been.
“I will have to text Libby so she won’t worry.”
“Excellent!” Sophia shouted, clapping her hands together once as if she knew I would be unable to resist. And if you’re gonna add a Draven to the mix then God wasn’t that the truth!
Not long after I had stupidly agreed to stay the night Draven seemed to relax on a greater level, as did everyone else, including Vincent who also joined us shortly after. I on the other hand was still at the point where I wanted to smack myself for being suckered into doing something as foolish as sleeping under the same roof as Draven. What the Hell had I been thinking? Could I even do something like this? What was I saying…? If I could be lounging around on a day bed/couch with Draven by my side, touching me at every chance he got, then sleeping in a spare room under this immense fortress should be a piece of cake. Yeah right!