married? The angles assaulted her as she watched Drake lace up his boots.
The rain had stopped. Murky clouds moved across the night sky.
Drake leaned into the tent, his mouth finding hers again. That tongue of his. It was wet and hot, brushing her mouth in seductive strokes that turned her bones into water.
“I’ll call or text you before I come,” he said, breathless. “Good night, stay safe.” His gaze was intimate, making her insides tip with awareness.
Kelly was numb. She propped herself up on her elbows, her chin in her palms, and took in the view as Drake disappeared into the woods. Her mind began to scramble . I’ve got to go to the truck stop tomorrow to shower. Would Steve have a spare razor? She had her new clothes and makeup from the consignment store, courtesy of Amy. Thank God.
Kelly snuggled deep under the covers, zipping her tent closed. She needed to prepare herself for tomorrow, because Steve was going to let her have it. She laughed out loud, her body too wound up to sleep.
Chapter Fifteen
“Emily, would you please take a trip out to the house on Blue Mountain?” Drake asked, rifling through his briefcase, cradling the phone against his jaw.
He’d decided to take Kelly up to the house instead. It was more rustic and relaxed. Drake was afraid all the posh glass and lacquered surfaces of the contemporary condo might spook her. Much of the polished veneer crap was Nina’s. He needed to remedy that after his respite with Kelly.
“Of course, Mr. Larson. Will there be anything else?” Emily’s voice carried over the line. He could always count on her. Emily was a single mom who’d been ditched by some penis-swinging bastard. Drake rewarded Emily well for her loyal and trustworthy service.
“Yes. I don’t ask this of you often, but could you make something, use your good judgment, something for two?” Emily rattled off a few suggestions. Drake chose the seared scallops over linguini. Pleased with himself, he flipped his phone closed.
They would spend the evening together at Blue Mountain. Kelly would be all his, for one spectacular night. Drake laced his fingers behind his neck and gazed out the window. An iridescent blue sky filled his eyes with a squinting ache, but for once, it was a good ache.
* * * *
“I have everything you need, don’t worry,” Steve assured her. His smile stretched from ear to ear. “You’re gone, girl, gone to higher ground,” Steve said, his tone insistent. “Hey”—his voice lowered—“I couldn’t be happier.”
Kelly shook her head. “I’m not going anywhere. I’ll turn back into a pumpkin, believe me.” Her statement was laced with sarcasm. Kelly jammed all her things into her backpack as she and Steve prepared to take their ritualistic walk to the truck stop.
“Yeah, we’ll see. So far, I’ve been right on the mark. Now let’s go, we’ve got work to do and only about six hours to do it,” Steve said, hurrying her along.
They walked in silence. The morning rush hour raced around them as they directed their footsteps toward the truck stop. An autumn horizon bled out in reds, oranges, and yellows. When they reached the restrooms, Steve jutted his chin toward the door.
“Take your time. I’m going in for coffee, and I think I’ll take a look at a newspaper. It’s been awhile,” he said, smiling. He waggled his brows. “Go make yourself pretty.”
Kelly rolled her eyes and walked into the ladies’ room. As she unpacked her toiletries, something vibrated into her hip. Startled at first, forgetting about the luxury of having a cell phone, she yanked it out of her pocket. Seeing the screen lit up, her mouth curled into a smile. It was her first text from Drake.
I’m coming for you at five. Make sure your tent is put away. See you then… can’t wait
Her fingers gripped the phone. Make sure my tent is put away. Kelly set her backpack down and got busy with her agenda of a shower and shampoo. She lathered up her
The rain had stopped. Murky clouds moved across the night sky.
Drake leaned into the tent, his mouth finding hers again. That tongue of his. It was wet and hot, brushing her mouth in seductive strokes that turned her bones into water.
“I’ll call or text you before I come,” he said, breathless. “Good night, stay safe.” His gaze was intimate, making her insides tip with awareness.
Kelly was numb. She propped herself up on her elbows, her chin in her palms, and took in the view as Drake disappeared into the woods. Her mind began to scramble . I’ve got to go to the truck stop tomorrow to shower. Would Steve have a spare razor? She had her new clothes and makeup from the consignment store, courtesy of Amy. Thank God.
Kelly snuggled deep under the covers, zipping her tent closed. She needed to prepare herself for tomorrow, because Steve was going to let her have it. She laughed out loud, her body too wound up to sleep.
Chapter Fifteen
“Emily, would you please take a trip out to the house on Blue Mountain?” Drake asked, rifling through his briefcase, cradling the phone against his jaw.
He’d decided to take Kelly up to the house instead. It was more rustic and relaxed. Drake was afraid all the posh glass and lacquered surfaces of the contemporary condo might spook her. Much of the polished veneer crap was Nina’s. He needed to remedy that after his respite with Kelly.
“Of course, Mr. Larson. Will there be anything else?” Emily’s voice carried over the line. He could always count on her. Emily was a single mom who’d been ditched by some penis-swinging bastard. Drake rewarded Emily well for her loyal and trustworthy service.
“Yes. I don’t ask this of you often, but could you make something, use your good judgment, something for two?” Emily rattled off a few suggestions. Drake chose the seared scallops over linguini. Pleased with himself, he flipped his phone closed.
They would spend the evening together at Blue Mountain. Kelly would be all his, for one spectacular night. Drake laced his fingers behind his neck and gazed out the window. An iridescent blue sky filled his eyes with a squinting ache, but for once, it was a good ache.
* * * *
“I have everything you need, don’t worry,” Steve assured her. His smile stretched from ear to ear. “You’re gone, girl, gone to higher ground,” Steve said, his tone insistent. “Hey”—his voice lowered—“I couldn’t be happier.”
Kelly shook her head. “I’m not going anywhere. I’ll turn back into a pumpkin, believe me.” Her statement was laced with sarcasm. Kelly jammed all her things into her backpack as she and Steve prepared to take their ritualistic walk to the truck stop.
“Yeah, we’ll see. So far, I’ve been right on the mark. Now let’s go, we’ve got work to do and only about six hours to do it,” Steve said, hurrying her along.
They walked in silence. The morning rush hour raced around them as they directed their footsteps toward the truck stop. An autumn horizon bled out in reds, oranges, and yellows. When they reached the restrooms, Steve jutted his chin toward the door.
“Take your time. I’m going in for coffee, and I think I’ll take a look at a newspaper. It’s been awhile,” he said, smiling. He waggled his brows. “Go make yourself pretty.”
Kelly rolled her eyes and walked into the ladies’ room. As she unpacked her toiletries, something vibrated into her hip. Startled at first, forgetting about the luxury of having a cell phone, she yanked it out of her pocket. Seeing the screen lit up, her mouth curled into a smile. It was her first text from Drake.
I’m coming for you at five. Make sure your tent is put away. See you then… can’t wait
Her fingers gripped the phone. Make sure my tent is put away. Kelly set her backpack down and got busy with her agenda of a shower and shampoo. She lathered up her
Similar Books
