Driftwood: sometimes following you dreams means breaking your heart (The Driftwood series Book 1) by Claire Gough (20)

Because the outfit he picked out for our date was perfect, I let Mitch choose my outfit for the gig tonight, as well. I look down at the same black dress I wore on Thursday. I tried to tell him that everyone already saw me in it, but he put up a good argument, saying he loved the dress because I wore it when he didn’t expect to see me there. Plus, I looked sexy in it.

So here I am, all dressed and ready to go. I fiddle with the huge gemstones on the high collar of the dress as I look at myself in the mirror. The fairy lights make the moisture in my eyes sparkle.

“Okay, here are your options.” Mitch appears in the doorway behind me. He's in black jeans…and nothing else. It makes my mouth go dry. “This one…” He holds up a navy blue polo shirt, which I remember he wore when I took him to Lytham. “Or this one.” He holds up a black button-up shirt. I definitely remember him in that. He wore it clubbing Friday night. If I had my way, I’d go with that one. I loved him in that shirt.

“Can you even drum properly in this?” I ask, stepping forward and taking the black shirt between my fingers.

He shrugs. “Yeah. I mean, it’s not the most comfortable, but I also remember your face when you saw me in it Friday.” He smirks

“I did love it.”

“Then it’s decided.”

He slides the black shirt off the hanger and pushes his arms into it, then starts to button it up. I watch him roll up his sleeves. I don’t know which is sexier—Mitch topless or Mitch in this shirt. He looks sophisticated, yet mischievous. I think the stubble and the rolled-up sleeves give him that edge. I cock my head to the side as I watch him tuck the shirt into his black jeans. I take in every detail. I’m going to miss these moments the most.

“What do you think?” he asks, putting his arms out to his sides and turning around for me to inspect.

“Perfect.” I smile and move to my mirror to add the finishing touches to my makeup.

I don’t know what sort of deal Mitch has struck with the guys, but we’re somehow left to walk to the pub on our own. The rest have gone to set up without him. He must have a lot of respect for them to let them set up his drum kit.

Mitch opens the door to the bar and holds it for me. The warmth seeps out as I walk inside. He places his hand on the small of my back as we move through the crowded pub. I see the stage straight ahead, the bar to the left. The familiar drum kit sits on stage already, the words “The Dukes” on them. It makes me smile.

“Alex!” I hear a familiar scream from the bar.

“I’ll be back in a moment. I just want to check my kit,” Mitch says into my ear. He kisses my cheek and walks off to the stage.

“Alex!” Bee squeals happily as she runs up to me and hugs me tightly. I breathe in her familiar perfume and smile. I’ve missed her. She lets go of me and grins, then gasps. “You’ve slept with him!”

My face drops. “What?” How the hell does she do that? “No, Bee. Really. I—”

“Oh, come on, Alex. This is me you’re talking to. There’s no point in denying it.”

I frown at her. How is she so sure of herself? I feel strange, not like myself. I would normally argue that she was wrong just so I wouldn’t have to hear her say “I told you so”. She knew I’d break my rules. Usually, being right would be so important to me, but it’s just not right now.

“Two mornings in a row, Brad’s gotten back to their room, but Fin hasn’t been there, so I’m guessing he was with you.”

I bite my lip and try not to grin. “Yes, he was with me.”

Bee squeals. I have never seen somebody so happy to hear their friend got laid. She throws her arms around my neck, hugging me with so much force, I’m sure she’s about to snap my neck.

“He really cares about you, Alex,” she says, stepping back and rubbing her hands up and down my arms. I frown. The only way she would know that is from Brad, so what the hell has Mitch said to him?

“Everyone keeps telling me that!”

“Um, maybe because it’s true, dumb ass. Come on. You need a drink.” She links our arms together and drags me to the bar.

“What can I get you ladies?” the barman asks, looking at me.

“Don’t drink,” a voice whispers into my ear. I shiver as Mitch’s hand lands on my back.

“What?” I turn toward him slightly.

“Don’t drink.” He shrugs. “Have a Coke or something.”

I frown. Bee and the barman stare at me, waiting.

“White wine, please,” I order Bee’s drink, still trying to work out what Mitch is up to.

He leans toward my ear. “Remember what I said Friday night on the stairs when we got in?”

I think back, remembering the conversation.

“If anything were going to happen between us, do you really think I’d want it to happen when you’re drunk? I’d want you to remember every single second of it.”

I lean on the bar for support. Mitch is planning something for tonight…because it might be our last night together.

“Anything else?” the barman asks, setting the wine in front of me.

“Diet Coke, please.”

I feel Mitch’s lips on my neck. “Thank you,” he whispers.

I follow Mitch over to their table and take my seat, scooting my chair even closer to him. He slides his hand under the table and grasps mine, a bolt of electricity shooting through me. He laughs at something Cole just said, but I missed it. He turns to look at me briefly, the smile still in place. I know he felt that same jolt I did. He squeezes my hand tighter.

“Looks like we’re up,” Cole says, taking a swig of beer. He puts the green bottle down and stands, walking over to the guy near the stage. Mitch turns to look at me.

“Are you nervous?” I ask. I know I get butterflies every time I watch him go up on stage.

“Actually, I am a little bit tonight.” He rubs his thumb over the back of my hand before standing and sliding out of his jacket. He tips my chin up, touching his lips to mine. He pulls away and smiles at me, keeping my chin in his hand.

“Have fun,” I breathe out. He nods and heads to the stage.

I don’t think I could ever get bored of seeing Mitch perform. He looks so carefree and natural. The smile on his face right now is much like the one I’ve seen in my room the past couple nights. He seems at peace, like being behind that drum kit calms everything in his mind for those few minutes. I’m glad he has that in his life.

Cole steps up to the mic. “Hello, everyone. We are The Dukes. Thank you so much for having us here tonight. We plan on keeping you entertained for a while, so sing along, tap your feet, even dance if the mood takes you. Most of all, we hope you enjoy it.”

Cole smiles as Fin starts the first beats of the song “Jailbreak” by Thin Lizzy. I bounce in my seat, while Bee moves around the table to sit in the chair next to me. People start singing along or bopping their heads.

I try to take in every single detail of the night because this is probably the last time I’ll get to see them play live. I take in the smell of the room, the people, the volume of the music, the feel of the velvet seat under my thighs, the glasses and bottles on our table, everything.

I look back at the stage. I wonder if it’s hard for him to drum in that shirt I picked out. If it is, nobody could tell. I watch his arms as he plays. God, he's stunning.

I watch Brad playing guitar. He bites his bottom lip as he concentrates on every chord. It’s weird to see this side of him. He’s usually the goofy one who's always grinning, but on stage, he's completely different—more mature, more serious. I look at Bee, who’s also studying him. I wonder if she’s going to miss him or if he’s just another conquest. She’s a pro at saying goodbye to tourists, but I wonder if there’s more of a connection this time. Or maybe I’m hoping there is so I won’t be the only heartbroken one tomorrow.

Jay stands on the left side of the stage, bopping his head as he casually strums his bass. He actually looks happy for once. It’s the happiest he's seemed all week.

Cole, guitar slung around his neck, sings into the mic, gripping the stand with both hands. He’ll sometimes play the guitar, but it doesn’t look like he needs to for this song. He pushes one hand through his hair, then takes hold of the mic stand once more.

I move my gaze back to Mitch. His eyes meet mine briefly and he smiles. I feel my heart melt and break at the same time. That grin has gotten me into so much trouble since the day I laid eyes on it, but now it means everything to me. It’s odd how much can change in a week.

Once the song finishes, everyone claps.

“Thank you.” Cole beams. The other guys reach for drinks. Fin looks at me, just to make sure I’m still watching, his crooked grin spread across his face when he realises I am.

Brad starts playing the first few cords of what I recognise as Guns N’ Roses “Welcome to the Jungle”.

Before Mitch walked through the door of the B&B, I had an average life. I worked hard, saving every penny I earned to put into my savings for my own B&B. My idea of fun was to stay in with a book, or going to see Bee, who would tell me everything she had been up to, which was always more exciting than what I did. Now it feels like it’s all changed. I now know what it feels like to have a real connection with someone. I don’t know if I can move on from that. I think I could have gone my whole life and not cared about guys at all, as long as I had my work and Bee, but now… Now I’m not so sure.

I was right when I thought Mitch would be trouble. He really has been…in more ways than one. I stare at him beating the hell out of the drums, a carefree smile on his face. I wouldn’t change one single second of our time together. From the first moment I saw him in the store with that boob hat in hand, to him punching the jerk in the face Friday night, to telling me his name, me breaking my rules with him, and crying on his shoulder about my parents.

Tears fill my eyes as I remember probably the best week I’ve had since my parents’ deaths. I am so glad I made the decision to give him a chance. It’s going to hurt like hell when he leaves, but not experiencing this whole week with him is unthinkable now. Bee squeezes my arm excitedly. I smile at her the best I can as she rests her head on my shoulder.

The guys start singing their original songs, and I listen intently. I am an emotional wreck right now! I can now connect the lyrics to bits of Mitch's past. There’s such anger in some of the words. I watch as he mouths along, still smiling. Music really is his escape from everything he keeps inside.

When they finish the fourth of their own songs, everyone claps. I look around, smiling. I can’t even imagine how that must feel to Mitch. To have everyone appreciating the lyrics he wrote.

Cole steps up to the mic, waiting for the applause to die down. “Thanks, everyone. This next song is a new, rather important one. It’s for Alex, a very special friend of the band who’s sitting over there.” Cole points toward me.

I rest my hand over my heart, feeling it hammering against my chest, as I frown up at the stage.

“Alex, this is for you. It was written by...” He smirks. “Well, I think you know who wrote it. It’s called ‘Electricity’.”

I stare at Fin, who's nervously scratching the back of his head, the drumstick still in his hands. I bite my lip, tears filling my eyes yet again.

The guys start to play. It’s quite upbeat. Brad plays a few cords, then Fin starts on the drums. Bee squeezes my hand, making me look at her. She’s grinning excitedly. Something tells me she knew this was going to happen.

Tears slowly spill out of the corners of my eyes as Cole sings Fin's words. Words he wrote about me. I look at Fin, who’s smiling, mouthing along. That makes it all real for me. He really did write this. These are his words.

I listen to Cole tell the story of me and Fin. It’s our whole week together in a song, from how I denied this connection we have to the jealousy he felt when he punched that guy in the face. He’s even managed to put in lyrics about how he told me the biggest secret he has—his name. I smile through my tears.

God, Mitchell Finnley. How have you done this to me?

The guys move on to a couple more of their own songs, but to be honest, it’s all a blur to me after hearing my song. I do know they finish their set with “Livin’ on a Prayer” by Bon Jovi. My tears have dried, but the swell of my heart is very much still there.

Cole steps up to the mic again. “Thank you, everyone, and good night!”

I watch Mitch stand from behind the drums as everyone in the room starts talking amongst themselves. He walks over to Cole and shakes his hand, saying something before moving to speak to Jay. He then moves to Brad and rests his hand on his shoulder. Brad nods. When Fin leaves the stage, his eyes lock on mine. He looks a little apprehensive, so I stand and meet him halfway. He looks down at me as I stop in front of him. I slide my hands up his chest and around his neck, kissing him softly. I feel his arms wrap around me and hold my body to his. The heat coming off him right now is scorching. I pull away slowly.

“Thank you,” I whisper. I grasp his hand and start to pull him toward our table. Mitch stays standing, so I do to the same, frowning.

He leans toward my ear. “I made a deal with the guys. They are packing my kit for me so we can leave early.” He steps back to read my face.

“We’re leaving now?” I ask, looking up at him.

He smiles sweetly. “Yeah, now…if that’s okay.”

I smirk at him. I’m not going to argue. I pick up his leather jacket

and hand it to him, then grab my own jacket and my bag.

“I guess we’re leaving,” I inform Bee. She gives me a knowing smile. “I’ll text you later.” I kiss her on the cheek before following Fin into the cold night air.

“So…,” I say, my voice breaking as we walk hand in hand.

“So…”

“The guys have done you a few favours tonight,” I point out.

He laughs. “Yeah. Cole definitely owed me a couple.”

“Fin… When did you write that song?” I bite my lip.

“I started it Monday night as I sat in the window seat, waiting for you.” He laughs. “I finished it Friday. When I talked to Cole on Saturday, we spent about twenty minutes sorting out our differences. Afterward, I asked the guys for help putting music to my words. They all helped get the song ready for tonight. That’s why we had practice yesterday, so we could hear how it sounded.”

“I can’t believe you did that for me.”

“I’d do more if I could. You mean a lot to me, Lexi. I knew you wouldn’t let me say it, so I thought I’d let Cole sing it instead.” He grins, seemingly happy with himself.

He's right. I’m scared if either of us puts words to how we feel, it will break me even more when he leaves.

“So… Did you like your song?” he asks, sounding nervous. I think my opinion actually means something to him, especially on this subject.

“I loved it, Mitch.” I squeeze his hand and snuggle into his arm as we walk.

“It just proved to me this thing I feel when I’m around you isn’t one-sided. You feel it, too, and electricity is exactly the word I’ve been calling it in my head.”

I look up and see him grinning down at me. “The song is amazing.”

“Cole’s going to have a word with a guy at the pub about maybe doing another gig Wednesday.”

I look at him, trying not to get my hopes up. At the end of the day, we've already been thrown one lifeline. To expect another might be too much.

“That sounds great,” I say, trying not to sound too hopeful. I’ll give anything to keep him with me just a few more minutes, let alone a whole day.

I walk into my bedroom. I feel nervous, excited, anxious, and on edge. This could possibly be my last night with Mitch. I do what I usually do when I’m in here—turn on all the fairy lights.

Mitch stands by the door, his face serious. I think he also realises this might be our last night together. I place my bag on the bedside table and sit on the bed to take off my boots. Fin sits next to me to take off his shoes. I watch him the whole time. He doesn’t seem like himself. He stands up and walks over to my dresser. He has his phone in one hand, the other running through his hair.

“Are you okay?” I ask in a small voice. I stand and slide off my leather jacket, placing it on top of his on the back of the chair.

He blows out a breath. “Yeah, I guess. I’m just realising this might be our last night together.”

The pain in his eyes knocks me back a bit. He presses a button on his phone and places it on my dresser. I give a small smile when I recognise the track. “Where I Belong”. This is why he didn’t want me drinking tonight. He wanted me to remember every second of our last night together.

“My Lexi,” he whispers, wrapping my arms around his neck. I just stare up at him, unable to speak, unable to breathe properly. His hands glide around me, holding me tightly. He starts to sway to the music. I look into his eyes. Dark brown. I need to make them my golden colour. As if reading my mind, he bends down, touching his lips to mine. The electricity shoots through my chest. His lips are so soft and gentle on mine, as if I might break under the pressure. His tongue enters my mouth, massaging mine. I moan, making him deepen it.

He slowly pulls away as we sway. I smile. There it is. Golden brown. When he pulls my body closer, I trail my hands down to the top of his shirt. He watches my every move as I slowly start undoing the buttons, then glide my hands up his bare chest to his shoulders, leaving a trail of goosebumps on his skin. I push his shirt off, making it puddle on the floor behind him.

I wrap my arms around his neck once more, his hands taking their place back on my hips. I feel the heat coming from him. He leans down his lips grazing mine gently, then moves to my neck. He grasps the zip on the back of dress, pulling it down, making me shiver. He looks at me as he pushes the dress down my shoulders and to the floor. I keep my eyes on his as I step out of it. He grasps my waist again. I trail my fingertips over his chest, down his stomach, his breath catching under my light touch. When I reach the waistband of his jeans, I watch my hands as I undo the button, then look up at him under heavy lashes. He smiles slightly and leans down for another kiss. His tongue gently parts my lips, making me groan. If there was any doubt in my mind that I am his, that noise confirms it. I hook my thumbs into the waistband of his jeans and push them down. Mitch steps out of them and kicks them to the side, then pulls me to back him.

He tangles one hand in my hair and tugs on it. His lips and tongue gliding over my skin, down my neck, then to my shoulder. I am completely intoxicated by him and his lips. I hold my breath, concentrating on the feeling of his warm lips on my skin. My hands grip his back just to keep me standing. His reaches for my bra, his fingers working the clasp effortlessly. I feel it come free. He takes a step back and gently slips the straps down my arms.

When it falls to the floor, Mitch pulls me back to him, his lips connecting with mine. My hands rest on his arms, the ones that make me feel so safe and protected, wanted.

“Alex…,” he breathes against my lips. I open my eyes to look at him. “Wrap your arms around my neck.” I frown up at him with a smile on my lips. I slowly wrap my arms around his neck.

He scoops me into his arms, making me laugh and squeal at the same time.

“Shush… You’ll wake your aunt,” he scolds with a chuckle.

“Sorry,” I whisper loudly, still giggling as he carries me to my bed and lays me down, the song continuing to play on repeat.

“Mitch, what are you up to?” I ask, biting my lip. He climbs onto the bed and kneels over me.

“Well, it occurred to me…”

I gasp as his fingers grasp the top of my underwear. He smirks. Slowly, he starts gliding them down as my heart speeds up.

“If this is the last night we get to spend together, I should appreciate every single part of you.” He slips my underwear off, throwing it to the floor.

“You have no idea how incredibly beautiful you are, Lexi. I just want to make sure I have appreciated every single part of your body, committing it to memory.” His words make my temperature rise. I’m sure he can feel the heat rolling off me.

“And how do you plan on doing that?” I ask as his body covers mine and his lips instantly start to trail down my neck.

“Well, for starters, I plan on kissing you all over.”

I close my eyes. His voice is deep and sexy. I think I’m sinking into it. He takes my hand in his and gently puts my fingertips to his lips, then my palm. It’s such a sensual feeling. He gently glides his lips up my forearm. I feel each little kiss all over my body. I bite my lip and close my eyes.

He moves to my shoulder, my chin, then my lips once more. I return the kiss, wrapping my arms around his neck. I feel him smile against my mouth, then he pulls away. He unwraps my arms from his neck softly placing his lips all down my other arm.

His lips briefly return to mine, then move down my chin to my chest. He gently caresses around my nipple before taking it into his mouth. I groan at the sensation. He bites down gently, making me gasp.

He takes my other nipple into his mouth, giving it the same attention. He’s driving me crazy. I want him so badly. He’s teasing me so bad right now, and he knows it…and is loving every minute of it.

My eyes closed, I savour each and every sensation. I feel him shift and grasp my leg, his lips trailing up the inside of my thigh. I moan at the sensation as my back arches a little. My breathing getting faster as his lips move further up my thigh, until I hold my breath, waiting to feel where his kiss lands next. I feel his warm breath on my core as he pulls my legs farther apart, his lips landing on my clit, his tongue moving in slow, sensual circles.

“My god, Mitch…”

My hand slides along his shoulders and into his hair, grasping it, keeping his head there. His tongue working softly and slowly. He grips my thighs tighter as his tongue moves faster.

“Jesus, Mitchell!” I grip tighter his hair as he teases me repeatedly with his tongue.

“Lexi, you’re making it so hard. I still have your other leg to kiss yet.” He chuckles, but I am a panting mess. I feel him turn to the other leg, kissing the inside of my knee.

My hands fall to the mattress heavily. He kisses the inside of my other knee and slowly moves up my thigh again. I don’t know how he's going so slowly right now. He obviously has more willpower than I do.

He smirks as reaches my inner thigh again, his tongue gliding up my skin, his lips landing between my legs. My hands grasp his hair as his tongue slowly glides along my clit again.

“Shit,” I gasp.

Suddenly, I feel Mitch move off the bed. I open my eyes, seeing him slide out of his boxers.

My god, he is incredible.

Climbing back onto the bed, he smiles and puts his hand on my legs, pulling them apart as he crawls up my body. I lace my fingers in his hair and pull his lips to mine. He moans into my mouth. I feel his hand slide down the outside of my leg. He grips it, then wraps it around his waist. When I gasp, he pulls away, his eyes searching mine. His gaze moves to the bedside table and he reaches out to the drawer. I grab his arm.

“Mitch, I’m on the pill,” I blurt out. I didn’t feel the need to tell him before because I didn’t think it was any of his business, but now?

He studies me for a long second. “Lexi, I—”

I shake my head, cutting him off. I know he's about to give me the regret speech again, but I don’t want to hear it. I’m sure I will never regret anything when it comes to him. I lift my head off the bed, pushing my lips to his shoulder. His eyes close under the soft touch. I grasp his hair and pull his head to the side, moving my lips roughly up the side of his neck to his chin.

He turns his head back to face me and kisses me forcefully. I know he's still deciding whether to reach for the drawer. I wrap my other leg around him and hold him to me, hoping this convinces him. He rests his left elbow next to my head, his other hand gripping the outside of my thigh tightly as his lips still move fiercely on mine. With no more hesitation or warning he enters me.

“Jesus, Mitchell,” I gasp. The feeling of him inside me is intoxicating.

He rests his forehead on mine as his hips move slowly. His grip on my thigh tightens. I slide my hands down his back, I can feel the muscles tensing and relaxing. It’s such a turn-on to feel his amazing body working mine like this.

He eyes lock with mine. “You are amazing, Lexi Duke,” he breathes out, then starts kissing my neck.

My hands slide up his back and hook over his shoulders. I am committing this moment to memory—the feeling of his lips on my neck, his breath along my ear, the delicious feeling of him moving inside me. This moment is the most perfect thing I have ever experienced, and I don’t want to forget one second of it.

“God, Lexi…”

My body arches as he groans my name, his voice barely audible. He grips my thigh, keeping me in place as he flexes his hips. I slide my hands down his back, feeling every thrust. He releases my thigh, but I keep it around him. I don’t want to risk changing how this feels right now.

“Mitch,” I practically squeal, my fingers clamping onto his back as the sensations become too much.

His breathing changes as he moves faster, thrusting harder inside me. His lips crash into mine as I feel the delicious tremors start to build. My body arches as it falls over the edge.

“Mitchell...,” I groan.

I feel him tense, moaning, sexy tremors rippling through him. He rests his forehead on mine, panting. We both lie there and try to get our breathing under control. The only other sound in the room is his phone still playing on the dresser.

“Lexi…” He shakes his head a little, looking like he wants to say something else.

I close my eyes. “Yeah, I know,” I whisper, running my fingers up and down his hot skin. He grasps my hands and holds them next to my head. We both lie like this for a few moments, soaking in each other.