When Stephan left, Livvie ran up to her room, stopping momentarily when she saw Drake’s bedroom door. She placed her hand on the doorknob as if she was touching Drake. Her heart felt like it was aching, as sadness consumed her. Drake touched this doorknob every day and slept behind this very door. Then she touched his wooden door and closed her eyes. When the week had started, she didn’t think she’d be this torn about leaving and never seeing him again. But with only three days left she was a complete emotional mess. Maybe she should have chosen Plan A. Maybe then he wouldn’t have felt the need to be with Kayla. Maybe if Livvie slept with him, she’d get him out of her system. She wished she were one of those women who could sleep with a man and stay detached.

Livvie pressed her head against the door and took a deep breath. She was dying to go inside. So fucking badly. She wanted to touch the bed he slept in and run her hands through his clothes. She knew that was inappropriate. But then suddenly, she thought, what the hell? Who cared what Drake thought of her? Who cared if she was invading his private space? He’d done far worse to her when he’d kissed her.

With surprisingly steady hands, she turned the knob, but the door was locked. Livvie groaned, but deep down she knew she would be better off not going in there. He probably had cameras all over the place. Instead, she opened her own bedroom door. She closed the door, leaned against it, and closed her eyes. She was finally safe. Safe from having to watch Drake with Kayla, and safe from having to pretend she was happy in front of a group of strangers.

Livvie walked to her bed and grabbed her purse. She rummaged through it until she found her cellphone. She needed to hear Carly’s voice. But then Livvie stopped herself again. What would she say? That she had fallen for the most beautiful man who ever lived, a man who had been pursuing her until Kayla Brenson, of Kayla Brenson Cosmetics, came to lunch? And how did Livvie expect Carly to respond? No, this was something Livvie would have to handle herself. Maybe Livvie would fess up once she was back in Los Angeles.

Livvie placed the cellphone back in her purse, peeled off her clothes, and climbed into bed naked. She loved sleeping naked, but she rarely did. Living in Los Angles, she went to bed each night, knowing there was always the chance of being awakened by an earthquake. Running out of her house naked while debris fell down all around her didn’t sound like a great idea. But she didn’t care if there was an earthquake tonight. She felt buzzed from the wine, depressed, and exhausted. She glanced at the clock on her night table. 4:00 p.m. She would probably wake up in an hour, shower, and then write. She definitely wouldn’t leave the sanctuary of her room and chance running into Drake. Or worse yet, Drake and Kayla. If he brought that woman to his bedroom, and Livvie heard them having sex, she would be devastated. So she did the only thing she knew to do. She pulled the blankets around her and went to sleep.

 

* * * * *

 

When Livvie next opened her eyes, it was dark. She must have slept for a long time. She felt warm, so she pushed her blanket off and stretched. Much better.

“Mmmmmmm, so beautiful.”

Livvie screamed, sat up, grabbed the blanket around her, and turned on the lamp on her night table. Her heart was beating out of control, but she knew that voice. And then she remembered him and Kayla.

“What are you doing in here?” she whispered.

Drake was sitting on the couch opposite the bed, leaning back with a glass of wine in his hand. He looked relaxed…and drunk.

“I was wondering if Stephan was here.”

“Really?” Livvie said. Of all things for him to say, especially after what he had put her through—the man had nerve. Where was Kayla? And why did Livvie feel as if he had cheated on her? She recognized this feeling all too well.

“Yes, really. You two seemed to have gotten along great at my lunch, and from the way he was looking at you, I thought you’d both be up here fucking.”

Livvie’s eyes widened. “You thought because of the way he was looking at me we would be up here fucking?” she said through clenched teeth.

“Why are you repeating my words?” Drake took another sip of his wine.

Livvie sighed. Even drunk he was sexy.

“Where’s Kayla?”

“Where Kayla should be.”

Livvie swallowed. “And where’s that?”

Drake sipped more wine. “Jealous, my little raffle winner?”

Livvie wasn’t sure how to answer. She ran her hands through her hair in frustration then nodded. “Yes. Were you jealous of Stephan?”

Drake took another sip of his wine and then another and another. The silence was killing her. She had been honest, which was hard to do. Why couldn’t he be honest, too? Livvie pulled the blanket tighter around her. She hated that she was naked underneath. She hated feeling this vulnerable. And she hated that he was sitting there all cocky and fully clothed.

“No.”

“No?”

“That’s what I said.” Drake took another sip of wine.

If Livvie had clothes on, she would take the glass and pour it over his head.

“Okay. Then why are you here? And why would you care if Stephan was in here, and we were fucking?” If he didn’t care that a man could be in her bed, then he didn’t care about her. At all.

“Kayla wanted to go home, and he drove her here in his rental car.”

Livvie placed her head in her hands and took a deep breath.

“Stephan isn’t here, Drake, so you can leave now.” Livvie’s voice sounded strong and steady.

Drake remained sitting and sipping his wine, as if he had all the time in the world. But he didn’t. If he didn’t admit he was jealous, his time was running out.

“I don’t want to leave. I’m enjoying the view.”

Livvie felt the tension rise in the room. Her mind was trying to downplay what he had just said, but her body burned for him. She still wanted him even though he could have just been with Kayla.

“Kayla has the same thing,” she said.

“You’re wrong.”

They were both silent, and Livvie didn’t know what to do.

“Take the blanket off all the way,” Drake said in a quiet but stern voice.

“Were you with Kayla?” If he had been, his seductive talk and behavior was going to stop right now. And if he hadn’t? Livvie couldn’t answer that.

Drake continued to sip his wine.

“Were you?” Livvie demanded.

They stared at each other as if fire was coming out of their eyes. But Livvie refused to budge. This topic was too important to her. Drake having been with another woman was definitely a deal breaker. She swallowed and pulled the blanket farther up her body, clinging to it as if it could add another layer of protection around her heart. Then she looked down at her lap. He wasn’t going to tell her, and she wasn’t going to give in. It wasn’t his fault, really. He had no idea that two of her ex-lovers had cheated on her.

“No,” he responded in a strong tone.

“No?” she whispered again.

“I wasn’t with Kayla.” He took another sip of his wine, not once breaking her stare.

“But I saw her,” Livvie said louder, finding her voice once again.

“You saw her touch my cock over my pants.”

“And you seemed more than happy with her attention.”

“And what about you and Stephan?”

Livvie’s heart sank. “What about us?”

Drake raised an eyebrow. “So there is an us?”

“What? No,” Livvie responded.

“Yet you seemed more than happy with him touching your knee.”

How does he know? “I hated every moment of it, and if you hadn’t noticed I pushed his hand away,” Livvie responded honestly.

“But you still allowed him to touch you?”

“Maybe for one second, because he was the only one at the table at the time who was being nice to me.”

“My mother was being nice to you.”

Livvie groaned. “But she was sitting on the other side of the table, next to you. Why do I have to explain myself? Stephan may have been touching my knee, but Kayla was touching your cock. Big difference, Drake.”

The room was once again silent. But there was something Livvie had to know. It would make the difference between her staying for the remainder of the week or leaving shortly.

“Drake?” Livvie paused.

He took another sip of wine. “Yes?”

She inhaled deeply. “Did you fuck Kayla?”

“You asked me that already.”

Livvie sighed. “Yes, but after she touched your cock, what happened?”

Drake didn’t say anything right away, and the sick feeling inside her intensified.

“I subtly removed her hand, and then the moment you left, I took everyone outside to my vineyard, except for Stephan. Because at that point, he conveniently disappeared.”

“I wasn’t with him, Drake, I swear. He came to talk with me, and that’s it.” Livvie sensed that Drake was telling the truth, so she needed him to understand that Stephan wasn’t with her either.

Drake resumed drinking. Without any further response from him she felt uncomfortable. But feeling as if she was no longer being attacked, she loosened her grip on the blanket.

Mid sip, Drake paused, and the intensity in his eyes grew.

“I lied.” Drake paused.

Livvie waited with baited breath for him to proceed.

“I hated watching Stephan touch you and flirt with you.”

Livvie swallowed, feeling relieved. “And I hated watching Kayla doing the same thing with you.”

“She means nothing to me, except she’s a good customer.”

Livvie smiled softly. “Ditto, except for the customer part.”

Drake chuckled. After another few seconds of silence, he said, “Drop the blanket, Olivia.”

Livvie swallowed and shifted slightly. Should she succumb to Drake’s charms? Her heart thudded like crazy. Either way, she would leave here devastated. Livvie looked around the room, avoiding his gaze, trying to find her answer.

“Look at me,” Drake ordered.

Livvie did as Drake instructed. The moment their eyes met, she dropped the blanket she had been holding on to for dear life. She reminded herself it was only sex, and she needed it badly.

The blanket fell into her lap, keeping her most intimate spot hidden. But her breasts with hardened nipples were revealed to Drake’s intense green eyes. And then they became even more intense, darker, and dangerous.

His reaction should have calmed her and made her feel powerful. Instead, it made her crazy. She couldn’t think straight, she couldn’t breathe, and her entire body was experiencing an unending yearning.

“Shh, it’s okay, Olivia.”

“No, it isn’t.”

“Yes, it is.”

“No. I chose Plan B.”

Drake raised an eyebrow. “And you chose wrong. Now slide the blanket all the way off.”

Livvie didn’t move. She couldn’t.

“Olivia, if you don’t want to do this, you can tell me to leave. But your entire body is on edge with unfulfilled desires. And I’m the only one who can fulfill it.”

“But you’ve been drinking,” Livvie stated.

Drake sighed loudly and put down his drink. “That’s it, I’m leaving.” He stood.

Feeling panicked, Livvie jumped off the bed and ran toward him, not caring that she was completely naked. She was tired of craving him. If he was drunk, the sex could be bad and not how she envisioned. But right now, bad sex was better than no sex. She needed to get laid. Period. Once she left here, she had no idea when she’d have another opportunity. There had been so much sexual tension between them this week; her vibrator at home wouldn’t cut it.

“Please don’t leave,” she said.

Drake looked at her, but he wasn’t touching her. “Only if you give up control, Olivia. You want this. You want me to tell you what to do. You don’t want to think. Whatever assholes you chose to be with in your past caused you to second guess everything. I’m taking that away from you. Let me. At least for tonight.”

She did what she’d been longing to do with all her heart since she’d first laid eyes on him… She agreed to sleep with him.

“Lie back down on the bed.” Drake walked over to the bed and swiftly removed all the blankets.

Livvie did as he instructed. She passed Drake on her way, but they didn’t touch. It was killing her, but she knew that if she listened to him, eventually, they would. She was grateful she didn’t have to think about the why, the how, and the “what if…?” All she had to do was lie down naked on the bed. So that’s exactly what she did.

“On your back.”

As the mattress hit her back, she felt incredibly sensitive. Part of it was cold, but the part where she had recently sat was warm.

Drake sat back down on the couch and picked up his wineglass.

“Open your legs,” he said in that deep, dominant voice she loved. “Wide. I want to see all of you. I want to see your entire pussy and your hole, where my cock will be soon.”

As if in a trance, Livvie spread her legs open wide. She felt herself becoming wet, and she didn’t care. There was no going back now.

“Wider.”

She spread them even wider.

“Now tell me why you didn’t fuck Stephan.”

She hadn’t expected that question, so she closed her legs.

“Don’t. You. Dare.”

Livvie immediately reopened her legs. Drake had revealed that he was jealous and a little bit possessive. So she answered honestly.

“I didn’t want him.”

“Why?”

Livvie inhaled deeply.

“Because I wanted you.”

She couldn’t see Drake from her current position, but she was dying to know his expression.

“Wanted?”

It took a second for Livvie to understand what he was asking her.

“Want,” she whispered.

“I see.” Drake paused. “Even though I go from woman to woman, never making a commitment?”

Livvie’s body trembled. “Yes.”

She could hear Drake taking another sip of wine.

“Please,” Livvie begged.

Drake took another sip. How much is left in that fucking wineglass, thought Livvie.

“Spread your pussy lips. Let me see how wet you are.”

Without hesitating, Livvie spread the lips of her pussy wide. She felt her clitoris swell and then pulse. If he didn’t hurry up and touch her, she would truly die.

Drake put his glass on the coffee table and stood. He slowly walked toward her. When he was standing right next to the bed his finger delved inside her pussy and then he glided it up to her clitoris.

“You’re dripping wet, my little raffle winner.” He lifted his finger to his mouth and sucked it dry. “Delicious.”

He then stuck a second finger inside her, thrusting it so hard it felt as if he was touching every sensitive area down there at the same time.

“Drake?” Livvie had never experienced a feeling like that.

He then stuck a third finger inside, and then a fourth.

She moaned and raised her pelvis off the bed.

Seconds later, Drake kneeled down and replaced her fingers that were keeping her vagina lips wide with his, spreading her pussy even wider. Without warning, he leaned over and placed his mouth directly on her clit. He sucked her clit and licked downward to the place where Livvie craved his cock. He licked his way back to her clit and then circled gently at first and then hard.

“Have you touched yourself while thinking about me in this bed?”

“Yes,” she answered breathlessly.

“And have you come in this bed, in my guestroom, in my house?”

“Yes,” she said, catching her breath.

“You will come for me now, Olivia,” he demanded.

But Livvie shook her head back and forth. She couldn’t come with Drake watching her; she’d feel too self-conscious.

“You will if I demand it. But don’t worry; I’ll make you come. Get out of your head, Olivia.”

Drake resumed licking her clit with an intensity he didn’t have earlier. He used one hand to grab her nipple and gently pull and massage. Livvie moaned louder as he continued. And then he found the sensitive place by her clit that always drove her crazy when she touched herself. How did he know? While he was licking, he pinched her nipple hard. She felt the orgasmic wave start, but she wasn’t sure if it would continue. It never had in front of a man. But then with his other hand he thrust three fingers inside her and rubbed about an inch upward. The orgasm hit her so hard; she lifted her pelvis high in the air and screamed. She had never felt the wave this intense, and her vagina muscles clenched his fingers tightly, causing another mini orgasm. When her orgasm finally died down, and Drake stopped licking and touching her, she sat up slightly. He was gazing at her, and his eyes had grown even darker.

She looked at him then stared at his cock, hoping he’d get the hint.

Finally, he started taking off his clothes. God, he has a beautiful body. But before she had a chance to stare at each part, he pulled her down farther on the bed. Drake held her legs by his sides and moved his penis so it was right against her vagina but not yet inside. She leaned over to look. His cock was a work of art. Maybe one day she’d write about it.

“Olivia, I’ve seen your medical records, but if you’d like, I can show you mine.”

Livvie understood what he was saying. She was grateful that he was clean, and she was not surprised he had seen her medical records. Apparently, he was asking her if she wanted to have sex without a condom. Was she ready to feel him without any barrier? Was she ready for the feelings that would invoke? So after a much-needed deep breath, she looked at him straight in the eye and nodded.

She heard Drake’s exhale, and then he thrust powerfully inside her. It felt so fucking good that she moaned loudly. Slowly, he pulled out and then thrust back in. Out and then back in.

“You’re so fucking wet, Olivia,” Drake said through clenched teeth.

“You make me that way,” she responded softly.

“Let’s see how wet you are when I fuck you harder.”

Without warning Drake pulled back and then thrust so hard that Livvie’s entire body moved slightly up on the bed. He thrust again and again in the same rough way. And with each hard thrust Livvie’s mind stopped analyzing and obsessing.

“You feel so fucking good.”

Livvie’s response was a moan. He was being all dominant, all alpha male—all Drake. And she thrived on his essence. When Drake’s cock hit that particularly sensitive spot that no man had ever touched, she came hard. And it felt so good to ride the orgasmic wave in the same way that a surfer rides the ocean.

Not even a second later, Drake made a groaning sound, and she felt the wetness from his cum overtake her womb.

“Olivia, your pussy felt so tight around me,” he said while catching his breath.

Her vagina clenched in response to his words. Will I ever not want this man? Stupid question. She knew the answer.

Drake groaned, and then he pulled out of her. The second he was no longer inside, Livvie’s brain once again took over. The sex was the best she had ever experienced, but she hadn’t even touched him or kissed him. Why? And would they do this again? Looking at the clock on the night table, she saw that it was past midnight. With only two more days remaining what would happen?

Drake collapsed next to her. “Get out of your head, Olivia.” Then he did something she didn’t expect from someone who had a phobia when it came to commitment. He pulled her into his arms and held her tightly, with her head against his chest. How could she analyze when he did something like that? Instead, she closed her eyes and drifted to sleep.

Sometime later, she opened her eyes and found the blanket wrapped around her and Drake still holding her. She wished there was a class she could take on How to Figure Out Drake Morganthal.

 

* * * * *

 

The next morning, Livvie woke up with a pounding headache. Partly from all the wine she had consumed at lunch yesterday. And partly from waking up alone. She’d been so spent after they’d had sex that she’d only awakened once throughout the night. And he had been there.

She glanced at the clock on the nightstand. 9:00 a.m.

“Fuck.”

She had overslept, and Drake was probably already working in the vineyard. She wished he had woken her up. Now she was stressing that he’d be all after sex weird on her. And she hated that. Seeing his wineglass still sitting on her coffee table brought back memories from last night.

She sat up a little too quickly and closed her eyes, trying to steady herself. God, she was a mess. Livvie stared at the wineglass for a little longer. Drake had placed his lips on the glass over and over again. What she would do to have his lips on hers one more time. And when he’d ordered her to spread her legs and had stared at her vagina, it was one of the hottest things she had ever experienced. Thinking about it made her pussy wet.

She hoped to be with him at least once more before she left. There was no need to deny herself any longer. She had done the deed, so why stop now? She thought she’d wake up feeling bad about herself, but she didn’t. All she had to do was change her mindset. This was only sex. Obviously, she had feelings for him, but if she kept that separate, she could have sex with him and then leave. Without regretting a thing. Then when she returned to Los Angeles, she’d find a man who was the opposite of an alpha-male and date him. Her only concern was if he’d be as good in bed as Drake was.

While she sat there obsessing over Drake, someone slid a note under her door. Good morning, reality, thought Livvie. Then her heart stopped, and panic set in. Was it from Drake? Was he giving her walking papers? Did he not have the courage to tell her goodbye to her face?

Livvie forced herself to walk over and pick up the note. With trembling hands, she turned it over and saw it was from Veronica.

Livvie,

I’m sorry we didn’t get a chance to say goodbye. I had to leave to meet up with an architect. I’ve been debating about whether to redo my house. Maybe the hot architect will convince me? I also wanted to tell you I’m really sorry for how my son behaved at lunch. I know he hurt you, and I hated to watch it, especially as his mother. I want you to know I’ve never seen my son so enamored with another woman as he is with you. I know you’ve only known each other for a few days, but falling in love is instant. I know you feel it, too. My son doesn’t flirt. He doesn’t need to. Women fall at his feet, but when I saw him flirting with Kayla, I understood. He was trying to make you jealous. I have never seen him so troubled, as he was when he was watching you and Stephan talk. It drove him crazy, so if that was your intention, it worked! Brilliant, my dear.

Please don’t give up on my son. You make him different—a better man. Please, Livvie, I know I’m asking a lot, but please fight for him. Fight for the both of you. Here is my phone number. I expect you to use it whether you need my help or to talk. I live in Marin County, so I also expect you to visit.

Until we meet again…and we will.

XO,

Veronica

And then she had written her phone number at the bottom, beneath her signature. Livvie inhaled and stared at the note. How was she supposed to fight for a man who didn’t want to commit to a woman? How was she supposed to protect herself? Livvie didn’t have the answers, but she had her journal. So after a quick shower, she began to write. She may not be able to figure out her life, but at least when she wrote, she didn’t have to stress over falling in love with a man who had given her an expiration date, from the very first day they met.