KATE

I called my father the next day.

"How are you, sweetie? We've missed you this past week or so."

I smiled and rubbed Sophie's head as she played in her chair. "We missed you, too. We're going to be here another two weeks so I hope you two are all right there."

"We're lonely," he said and his voice sounded sad. "We realized how much we rely on you two and Sophie for entertainment. What's going to happen when you move back?"

"You know we're planning to move back?"

"Yes, Drake called me to talk about options."

"He never said anything."

"He knew that this would be one of those hard conversations and even harder decisions. But I think Elaine and I have come to a decision. We think we'd like to move back and maybe spend a couple of months farther south in January and February. Maybe we'll do what Drake suggested and get a better home with wheelchair accessibility, so I can be more mobile and get outside more than I could in the penthouse."

"Oh, Daddy, that makes me so happy." I got actual tears in my eyes at the news. "I've been so torn about all this. You know I really love our place in San Francisco, and I liked the studio but when I got back here, I felt like this was my real home. Plus, if Liam is going to be here living with Brenda, Drake would want to be closer to him. Drake doesn't think he should try for custody until the publicity around the trial dies down and it goes out of people's minds, so that means we'd want to be back in New York for the start of the school year."

"My thoughts exactly. The autumn is the best time of year in Manhattan. I like California, but nothing can compare with Central Park in the autumn. We'd likely stay until the new year and then come out here for a couple of months. You two could visit when you had the time."

"That's exactly what I was thinking. It would be different if Drake got full custody but that's not likely, so..."

"So, moving back to Manhattan makes sense. I thought Elaine and I would be fine out here alone but even ten days feels like a long time without you two and without Sophia. I haven’t seen Heath and his family for a while. My friends are all in Manhattan... I guess I'm not ready yet to give up the ghost."

"We'll stay in San Francisco until Liam is finished with the school year. Drake could go back to finish his Fellowship after Christmas and I could even finish my MA. We'll get a nanny to look after Sophie when I'm on campus. It'll work out."

"It will. You two have to follow your dreams and we old fogies will follow you wherever you go."

"That makes me so happy," I said. "The thought of us moving back and you staying in California was making me feel really sad."

"That's why Drake called. He knew you were upset. We'll find a great place and have big family dinners and celebrate all the holidays together, like we always do. One of Drake's new brothers lives not too far away in Massachusetts, so there's opportunity to invite them down for holidays. I guess I was upset when I lost my ability to walk and felt I wanted to be somewhere I could spend most of my time outside, but home is where the heart is and my heart is with you and with our family."

"Mine, too." I wiped my eyes, my emotions almost overwhelming me at the thought we'd be back in Manhattan and all together instead of spread apart.

We spoke for a few more minutes about the trial and then said goodbye until the weekend when I'd call again.

I ended the call and sat for a moment, wiping my eyes. It was then that Drake arrived back from the store with a bag of bagels and cream cheese from the local deli as well as some fresh oranges for our juice.

He put the groceries onto the island in the kitchen and came over to where I sat with Sophie.

"What're the tears for?" he asked and sat beside me, turning my head to face him.

"I was just talking to my dad," I said and smiled. "He told me that you called him and talked about him moving back and finding a better place to live. Thank you," I said and slipped my arms around his neck. "I love you, Drake."

"I love you," Drake said and kissed me warmly. "I'd do anything for you. Anything."

"I would for you, too."

We kissed again and when our kiss ended, we pressed our foreheads together for a moment and I tried to enjoy the moment.

Of course, at that moment, Sophie decided to bang her toy against her tray as if to get our attention. We both turned to her to watch her for a moment. Drake leaned over and lifted her out of her chair and for the next half an hour, we sat and played with her while we waited for lunchtime, discussing the logistics of our move back and all the preparations we'd need to make to get back into our lives – Drake restarting his Fellowship and me my MA.

I had butterflies in my stomach just thinking about it.

Sophie would be turning a year old, at least in terms of gestational age, rather than birth age. She was sleeping through the night which meant I was getting enough sleep for a change.

I couldn’t wait to get back for good, although I'd miss the beautiful California beaches and weather.

On Tuesday afternoon, Drake grabbed his change of clothes for the set, packed up his gear and went to O'Riley's for his gig.

Karen was coming over at 8:45 P.M. and I'd take an Uber to the O'Rileys to watch his last set. We were going to rent a limo and do the whole role playing of me meeting a hot musician at a concert and going home with him. It would be fun. I'd wear his favorite dress, with no underwear on, and sit alone. He'd drop by between sets and chat me up, and then after the set, I'd wait for him behind the restaurant at the 'stage door' and go home with him.

We'd have sex in the back of the stretch limo.

It would be fun.

I spent the afternoon with Sophia, walking around the streets with her in the stroller, visiting all my favorite neighborhood haunts. I felt good that we'd be moving back for September. It was my favorite time of the year. Our second anniversary would be coming up and it would feel strange not to be celebrating it in Manhattan in Central Park, so I was happy to imagine spending time in the park with all the colors of autumn around us.

We had supper alone, the two of us sitting at the kitchen island, eating leftover pasta from the previous night. When I was finished cleaning up, I gave her a bath and put her in her jammies and then read to her for half an hour. By the time eight came around, she was sleepy and her eyes closed when I laid her in her crib with her bottle. She was asleep soon, her pacifier firmly in her mouth.

On my part, I had a shower and dressed in my little black number that Drake liked so much. I did my best to look as sexy as I could, even wearing more makeup than usual. I wanted to play the part of a groupie, wearing big earrings and high heels and lots of lipstick. I wore my hair in a half-up half-down updo. When I looked in the mirror, I almost decided to take it all off again and go as my usual self, but this was going to be a special night for Drake – his first performance with the band again. He'd be excited and would be looking forward to our 'date'.

Karen arrived precisely at 8:45 p.m. and got set up in front of the sofa with Netflix on to watch the latest episodes of her favorite series.

I said goodbye and went to the street to catch my Uber, which thankfully was right on time. We drove through the streets of the city, and the closer we got to the restaurant, the more the butterflies in my stomach grew.

I arrived at the O'Riley's in time for Drake's final set at 9:30. Because it was a Tuesday, the last set ended at 11:00 P.M. and so we'd have time to say goodbye to everyone and then we'd play out our little musician/groupie fantasy. After I paid my driver, I went inside and said hello to Colin, Ken's brother who tended bar, and then Sarah, his pretty dark-haired sister came by and said hello when I took a seat at a lone table at the back of the bar. Drake told me to sit at the back alone so he could come by and talk to me like I was a stranger.

"Why don't you go sit at the front of the tables beside the stage? That way Drake could see you better."

"No, that's all right," I said and waved her off. "We'll let the customers sit up close. I'm fine here."

"If you're sure, because I can move you if you want..."

"No, that's not necessary," I said and squeezed her hand. "Thanks, but I'm fine here."

"What would you like to drink?"

I bit my bottom lip, trying to think of what I wanted.

"A vodka martini with a twist of lime."

"Coming up," she said and threaded her way through the tables, taking new orders and picking up empty glasses on her way. I sat in the dim room and watched while couples and small groups arrived and left, taking seats and being served. Just before 9:30 P.M., Cliff Walters, one of Drake's band mates, came out on stage and a thrill went through me. Drake would come out soon to tune his guitar and I would get to see him the way other women saw him. As a musician, a hot looking musician, coming out on stage to get ready for the final set.

I glanced around and saw the patrons were busy talking and drinking, but there was a table of young women off to the left of the stage, all dressed up and talking a little more loudly than the other guests. When Drake finally came out from the back of the restaurant to take the stage, the women seemed to perk up and whispered to each other. One wolf-whistled him and my gut clenched, jealousy rising in me in a way that surprised me.

Yeah, he was that good looking...

His dark hair was a bit longish and falling in his eyes in that really sexy way. He wore his black leather pants and a white linen shirt untucked and open a few buttons. If you added a tux jacket, he would have been dressed as his Master D persona and it made me a little breathless to realize he was all mine. Underneath his shirt, when he reached up to adjust the mic, his thick leather belt with the heavy buckle was visible and beneath that, his rather ample package captured behind his leather pants.

Just watching him aroused me.

Drake was gorgeous. He was good looking enough to be a model.

The table of women giggled and laughed to themselves, clearly giving Drake the eye.

One of them called out and at first, I didn’t understand what she said but she repeated it more loudly.

"Hey, Doctor D!"

There was a pause and the three women laughed together, their heads bent closer to each other. Then another spoke up, clearly trying to get Drake's attention.

"Hey, Master D!"

If Drake heard them, he didn't show it. Instead he picked up his bass guitar, slid the strap over his shoulder, plugged it into the amp and then began to tune it, playing scales and chords and adjusting the tuning. He had his head bowed and was listening to the notes, seemingly unaware of the table of women off to the side of the stage clearly ogling him.

Or, maybe he was just outright ignoring them.

I wanted to go over to the table and wipe the ridiculous grins off their faces but of course, I wasn't that kind of person so instead I sat and fumed, sad that they were going to try to ruin Drake's debut back with Mersey.

Whatever those women wanted to achieve with their catcalls, they didn’t succeed. Drake and the band were great. Their set was tight and Drake sounded wonderful. God, he was so hot...

During the break, after the applause died down, one of the women at the table yelled out to Drake.

"Hey, Dr. Dangerous, come over and talk to us!"

Drake put his guitar down, bent closer to Ken, with whom he exchanged a few words. Then, to my utter surprise, Drake actually did go over to the table of women. He went over and knelt beside the woman in red who called out to him, a huge smile on his face. The women were totally shocked and their mouths dropped. He spoke with them and I would have killed to listen in to what he said. Finally, he pointed my way and everyone at the table glanced over to where I sat.

Then Drake stood up, said something else to them all, and left.

The women watched him walk directly over to my table. He had a determined expression on his face. He arrived at my table and took my hand, pulling me up and into his arms. He kissed me, deeply, and when my arms went around his neck, he lifted me up so that my feet weren't touching the ground.

When he put me back down and sat on the chair beside me, he leaned closer and took my hand.

"Drake," I said, trying to catch my breath. "What was all that about?"

"Other than the fact that I love you madly and can't wait to get you home alone tonight so I can drive you mad with pleasure?"

I smiled and fanned myself dramatically. "Other than that, yes."

"I went to the women and said I appreciated their attention, but that I was taken and wasn't interested in any of them. I said that the love of my life, my goddess and the woman who rules my heart, was sitting in the back of the restaurant waiting for me to get off the stage so we could go home together. That seemed to shut them up."

"It sure did shut them up, but they're whispering to each other like crazy," I said and glanced over to the table. One of had taken out a cell and was recording us. "They're recording us."

Drake didn't even look at the table. Instead, he took my hand and kissed my knuckles, smiling at me, his eyes locked on mine.

"I don't give a fuck about them. I only care about you." Then he leaned over and kissed me. "I can't wait for the set to finish so I can take you home in the limo and make you dizzy with lust."

"Me either," I said, grinning, my heart rate increasing. "But you should enjoy the rest of the set. Don't let them stop you from doing what you love. They don't matter."

"No one matters except us."

We kissed again and then Drake smiled. "Now, I have to use the men's room and then have a glass of water before we start back again. Wait for me?"

He stood, but kept my hand in his.

"I'd wait for you forever."

He walked to the back and went through the door to the staff area and I couldn't resist watching the women watch him.

They glanced at me and I couldn't help but smile to myself.

He was mine.

When it came time for the last song of the set, Drake took the microphone and stood at the front of the stage.

"This final song is for Kate, the love of my life, my soul mate and the mother of my beautiful daughter, Sophia. Kate, my life was changed the day you fell and scraped your knees and I looked after your wounds. I didn't realize it at the time but you, and now Sophie, healed me and made me whole. I love you. This song is for you."

I covered my mouth as the song began – the first bars of And I Love Her – and tears filled my eyes. It was my favorite song and Drake sang it so well and with so much emotion. I felt the eyes of those women on me.

I knew what they were thinking. They were thinking what I was thinking: Drake Morgan, MD, neurosurgeon, bass player and philanthropist, was one of the hottest and most desirable men on the planet.

He was mine.

After the set was over, and the applause died down, I did what I was supposed to do – I left the restaurant and went out the back to wait at the rear exist into the back alley. When I arrived, I saw a stretch limo idling, the driver standing beside the passenger door, waiting, smoking a cigarette. When he saw me, he dropped it and crushed it under his boot.

I stood at the back door and waited, my heart beating just a little bit faster at the prospect of seeing Drake come out the door. When the door opened and I saw him, his dark black hair shining in the light from the overhead lamp, I got a surge of desire that went from my chest right to my core.

We were going to play this out. I tried hard not to smile too widely when our eyes met. Instead, I put on a sultry expression, my eyes half-lidded. I leaned against the brick wall and put one hand on my hip, trying my best to look slutty. As he walked down the stairs to the alley, I flipped my hair and licked my lips.

"Dr. Morgan," I said, trying to make my voice sound all breathy. "I've been waiting."

"You have?" he said and stood in front of me, his eyes moving over my body from head to foot and back. "What were you waiting for?"

"For you."

"And who are you?"

"My name is Katherine."

"And what did you have in mind, Katherine?" he asked, his hand resting on the wall beside my head.

I knew that the use of my name like that meant I was supposed to fall into submissive mode.

"Whatever you want," I replied. "Sir. Anything."

"Oh, yeah? Anything?"

I licked my lips again. "Yes, sir. Anything."

"Hmm," he said and took a lock of my hair in his fingers, sliding down the length until he reached my breast. He let his fingers fall onto the exposed skin, stroking lightly. "That gives me a lot of ideas. Kinky ideas."

"Those are the best ideas, Sir," I said, fighting not to smile.

"I see that smile," he said and I could see him fight his own smile. He frowned. "I might have to punish you for impertinence if you keep smiling like that."

"Really?" I replied, biting my bottom lip. "What did you have in mind, Sir?"

"That's for me to know and you to be quiet, Katherine, and let me lead. Now, be quiet because I'm going to take you home in that limo and I'm going to shut up that saucy mouth of yours with my cock."

A surge of desire filled me at the tone of his voice and the leer in his eyes. Then, he leaned closer and kissed me, one hand slipping behind my head, his fingers tangling in my hair.

When he pulled back, he grabbed my hand and pulled me over to the limo. The driver had the back door open and was waiting for us to get inside. He closed the door once we were and Drake didn't waste any time. As we drove off, Drake pressed me back, lying on top of me, his weight a comfort, one of his hands sliding up my body from my hip to one breast, which he squeezed.

He kissed me deeply and ground himself against me so that I could feel his erection. He was aroused by our little role playing game. I was as well, my body swelling in response to his touch and to his tongue on mine as he kissed me deeply. When he pulled back, he tugged at my sweater.

"Take that off. I want to see your breasts."

I did as he commanded, slipping the sweater off my shoulders and pulling down my top to expose my breasts, my nipples hardening in the cool night air. He nuzzled me, sucking my nipples, squeezing my breasts like he couldn't get enough.

The car drove through the streets of Manhattan while Drake and I played our little groupie-rock star game and it was only because there was a dark glass partition between us and the driver that I felt able to let myself go and enjoy what he was doing to me.

"Get on your knees," he said in a hoarse voice. I complied, sliding over him so that I was on my knees between his thighs. I unfastened his belt and unzipped his leather pants, pulling him out of confinement, his cock thick and so hard. I paused for a moment, his shaft in my hand and glanced up to meet his eyes. I slowly licked my lips, wanting to tease him a bit before I took him in my mouth.

"You're a saucy one," he said, gruffly. "If you don't take me into your mouth soon, I might have to punish you."

So I did, licking the head of his cock slowly, running my tongue around the rim before sucking the head into my mouth.

"Oh, that's good, Katherine," he said, his voice a little strained. "That's very good. Keep it up."

I did, stroking his shaft while I sucked the head. He slipped one hand behind my head, urging me to take more of him into my mouth and I complied, swallowing as much of him as I could manage before gagging.

"Now, I want you to sit on me," he said, pulling me off his cock. I licked my lips and nodded. I crawled up onto his lap, already so aroused from the build up to that moment that I knew I wouldn't need much to orgasm the first time. "I want you to fuck me until you come."

"Yes, Sir," I said, breathless, my heart pounding.

I got into position, my hands on his shoulders, and lowered myself down onto him while he held himself in place. I was already so wet that I slid onto his cock, the pressure from his girth making me shiver.

His fingers found my clit and when I started to move up and down on his cock, he stroked me deftly, knowing exactly what I needed.

"Fuck me, Katherine. Come on my cock."

"Yes, Sir," I managed, my eyes closed as I moved on him. He kissed my throat, stroking me with one hand while squeezing my breast with the other.

Soon, I felt the pleasure build in my core and I knew it wouldn't take long for me to orgasm.

"I'm going to..." I said with a gasp as my pleasure crested.

Drake said nothing but he sucked one nipple, squeezing my breast and that sent a jolt of pleasure right through my body to my clit and sent me over.

"Oh, God," I cried, exhaling as my body tensed and my orgasm started.

I stopped my motions while my body convulsed, unable to keep moving. When I was finished, I stopped moving completely, my face beside Drake's.

Then Drake lifted me up and turned me over so that I laid on my back on the bench seat.

"Wrap your legs around me," he said, his voice needful.

I complied, barely able to think, and he began to thrust, hard and fast. I met him with each thrust, and soon, he was breathing hard and I knew he was close.

"Oh, fuck," he groaned and rammed into me, his eyes rolling up in his head. He thrust slowly through his orgasm, and I enjoyed watching his face as he came, his neck strained, his teeth gritted.

He collapsed on top of me, his face beside mine. I smiled to myself as he caught his breath, my arms wrapped around him, his cock still hard and inside of me. I felt such incredible love for him at that moment, my eyes filled with tears. They were tears of happiness.

Everything seemed right in my world again – for the first time in a long time.

We'd be moving back to Manhattan. My father and Elaine would return as well, only leaving for short periods to head south in the coldest part of the winter. We'd be back in my beloved Manhattan, close to where Liam would be going to school.

Most of all, Drake and I were madly in love, with each other and with our lives together.

Drake pulled back and looked in my eyes. When he saw my tears, a dark expression passed over his face.

"What are these for?" he asked, and wiped tears off my cheek.

"Tears of happiness," I replied. "I'm just so happy."

He kissed me, tenderly.

"I love you, Kate," he said, his voice filled with emotion.

"I love you, Drake. So much."

We lay together like that for a few long moments, enjoying each other as our bodies remained joined.

Finally, I felt him slip out of my body and we quickly sat up Drake cleaned me up with a tissue from his pocket.

"You came prepared," I said because of course we didn't have to use a condom.

"Always," he said with a grin. "I'm always prepared for you, Ms. Bennet."

Once we were rearranged, our clothes back in place and we were sitting primly in our seats with our seatbelts on, Drake pressed the button and spoke to the driver.

"Take us home, please," he said, humor in his voice.

Drake took my hand and kissed my knuckles as we drove through the streets of Manhattan back to our home on 8^th Avenue.

It had been a memorable night – one I wouldn't forget for a long long time...