Tornado Allie(15)
“I wish I could’ve been there for you when you went through it all.”
People said things like that to her all the time, but when Drake said it, she almost believed him. Still, she didn’t want to talk about cancer or missed opportunities. Tonight was about living in the present.
She ran her fingers through his wet hair. “That’s sweet, but it’s all in the past. I’m healthy, and I have my whole life ahead of me now. Thanks to you, I’m well on my way to fulfilling everything on my naughty list.”
He twirled her around to press her back against the pool wall. “We don’t have to do it all tonight. Maybe we could leave a couple items for another time.”
Her throat grew tight. “Drake…Whatever this is between us, it ends tomorrow morning when I get on the airplane.”
He moved back from her. “It doesn’t have to. I really like you, and I know you feel the same.”
“I do, but—”
“Just think about it.”
She nodded, deciding it was better to agree than to spend the rest of their short time together arguing. As much as she had already grown to care about him, she meant what she’d said. There was no future for them. She couldn’t give him anything more.
But when she was in his arms, his mouth on hers, she forgot this was all a fantasy. For one night only.
Chapter Five
After playing and swimming in the water, Drake and Allie threw on their clothes and headed to his room for some much-needed privacy. While he’d enjoyed their outside fun, he couldn’t wait to bury himself balls-deep inside her, and that wasn’t going to happen anywhere but a bed for their first time.
He didn’t believe for a second she didn’t feel the same connection, nor did he buy her reasons for keeping their relationship limited to a single night. What was the truth behind the reluctance to see where things could lead between them?
The door snicked closed behind them, the hum of the air conditioner drowning out the beat of his racing pulse. Twenty-nine years old, and like he was a teenage boy about to get laid for the first time, his fucking palms were sweating. Except he hadn’t had feelings for the girl who’d taken his virginity in the backseat of her daddy’s borrowed car, other than a sense of appreciation for changing him from boy to man.
For Allie? He couldn’t place a name on how he felt for her. Surely not love. He’d met her only five days ago. But it was more than like. That was for damned sure.
She shivered, her teeth chattering, and her arms wrapped around herself. She needed to warm up, and he had some preparations before he helped make one more of her fantasies come true.
He rubbed her arms up and down. “Why don’t you take a hot shower?”
“Will you join me?” The corners of her mouth turned up in a failed attempt of a smile because of the chattering of her teeth.
He walked her to the bathroom and turned on the water. “I’m afraid I’m going to have to pass on this one, but I promise I’ll join you for a shower in the morning. I’m going to get things ready for us.”
Her eyes narrowed. “Should I be worried?”
“Yes.” When her eyes widened, he laughed. “Just kidding. I won’t do anything you don’t want.” The small room filled with steam, and he gave her a quick kiss. “Give me ten minutes.”
She nodded, wariness remaining in her expression. Along with it was passion. Hunger. And maybe he was seeing what he wanted to see, because he also saw adoration.
He closed the bathroom door behind him and hoisted his duffel bag out from the small closet. Rummaging through, he found the items he needed for the bondage portion of the evening.
With the rope in his hands, he walked to the head of the bed and knelt, wrapping and securing it to the metal frame. Then he repeated the process at the foot of the bed. He couldn’t deny his dick got hard at the thought of Allie tied to the bed, helpless and completely at his mercy. She was so trusting of him.
His stomach dropped, and he sat on the edge of the bed to steady himself. He couldn’t lie to her anymore. It wasn’t fair to keep her in the dark. She needed to know that in a month they’d both be working for the same news station.
“Is it okay to come out?” Allie cracked open the bathroom door, the steam and the scent of jasmine pouring into the bedroom.
“Yeah.” His voice cracked, and he coughed to clear the thick layer of foreboding coating his throat. “I’m ready for you.”
With a thin white towel wrapped around her, she stepped into the room. He couldn’t take his gaze off her. Her skin glowed, rosy from the heat of the shower. The towel covered from the upper swell of her tits to an inch below her pussy and knowing what lay underneath had his heart pounding and his dick straining painfully against his shorts. It made what he needed to tell her that much harder.