The next day, Livvie sat with Veronica for six hours and the day after that for ten. She had signed the contract Veronica left for her to read, but she wouldn’t accept it unless Livvie personally delivered it to her at the castle. So far, Livvie hadn’t found the courage. In the early mornings, she’d wake up and take a walk in the vineyard, but she tried to walk in areas where Drake wouldn’t be. And it had worked out pretty well, so far. She hadn’t seen him. In fact, except for the first day, he hadn’t even come to her cottage to see her. Veronica said he was stubborn and not to give up hope. But that was the reason she had come here in the first place, to see if the hope she stored in her heart was real or just an illusion. But at least he hadn’t kicked her out.

She loved working on Veronica’s book. As Veronica gave details about her life as a young wife and mother, Livvie formed a better understanding of why Drake was the way he was. His mom had gone through some really dark days. Being married to a workaholic and living so far from her family had been rough on her and therefore, rough on Drake. And then once she’d returned to the United States, she had to reinvent herself. Being a single mother hadn’t been easy. Even though her family was happy to see her, they judged her for getting divorced. And that was a struggle for her, too. But Livvie loved the way Veronica told her stories. They laughed and drank tea. If Livvie and Drake didn’t get together, she would really miss his mother.

Last night when Veronica left, Livvie had sat on her bed, took out her laptop, and had written the first three chapters. She had been jotting down notes the last few days, but she hadn’t started to write until last night.

Staying up all night writing had been exhausting but also exhilarating. Writing was her passion, her true love. No matter what happened with Drake, the completeness she felt all night from writing was a reminder that she was alive and satisfied in a different way. And she was grateful that she was being paid for doing what she loved. She also couldn’t wait to show the chapters to Veronica. When Livvie had tried Veronica’s cellphone earlier, she didn’t answer. An hour later, Livvie still couldn’t get in touch with her. She really wanted Veronica to see them.

And that’s when a thought occurred to Livvie. The time had come.

Feeling courageous once again, she showered and put on a sundress that showed a good amount of cleavage. The dress was all white and came together slightly at the waist, making her chest look bigger. It fell to above her knees, and there were small pink bows along the bottom, which made her feel pretty and feminine.

If Veronica weren’t coming today, then Livvie would have no choice but to go to her. And if she happened to see Drake, then so be it. His mom was paying her good money to write her book, and it was her job to deliver.

As she walked up to Drake’s house, she felt different than she had when she’d stayed here as the raffle winner. Before, she’d been an unemployed television writer, but now she was an employed novel writer, and it felt incredible. She was living her dream, and she owed it all to Carly. If Carly hadn’t forced Livvie to go to the black-tie charity event, she never would have won that raffle ticket. And therefore, she never would have met Veronica. Carly believed there were no coincidences in life, and there was a reason for everything. Maybe she was right. And if Livvie had never won that raffle ticket, Carly never would have met Mitch. Carly had finally confessed to fucking him that night. But Livvie practically had to drag the information out of her, and being so closed-mouthed about her sexual escapades really wasn’t like Carly. She had been acting so weird since that night. In fact, Livvie had barely seen her friend. And when she asked about Mitch, Carly stopped speaking.

Livvie had felt as if she had to do life on her own since Drake had left. And she missed her best friend. She would never tell Drake about them, though. He had threatened to never hire Mitch again. But knowing Drake, he probably already knew.

When she reached the back door, an intense feeling of fear washed over her. She wasn’t sure if she was feeling impending doom or if the butterflies causing havoc in her stomach were because she may see Drake. Whatever it was, she couldn’t turn back now. Holding the chapters and the contract closer to her heart, she opened the door.

The second she walked into the house, Mr. Birkshire was there to greet her. How had he known she was here? And then she remembered. Drake had installed security cameras all around the place. Did that mean Drake had seen her, too?

“Ms. Collins, it’s wonderful to see you here. I see that your baggage is gone.” He winked at her but still without a smile.

She didn’t care. She understood what he meant, and she was elated that he saw the difference in her.

She smiled wide. “Thank you. I tried.”

“And you succeeded. Now how can I help you?”

“Is Veronica here?” Maybe Mr. Birkshire would get Veronica for Livvie, and she could leave without seeing Drake. But was that what she really wanted?

Mr. Birkshire nodded. “Come, follow me. I’ll tell her that you’re here.”

Livvie followed him to the entrance hall and then froze when she heard a man’s voice—the deep, dark voice she longed to hear day and night. Swallowing hard, she looked up at the top of the stairs, where the voice was coming from.

“Did you not hear me?” Drake yelled.

She’d heard him ranting and raving, but she wasn’t sure what he had said.

“Excuse me?” Livvie asked with as much courage as she could muster.

“What are you doing here?” He emphasized each word as if she was an idiot.

Mr. Birkshire nodded at her and then left her alone without any protective shield. And she needed one. The last time she’d seen Drake, he’d left her standing alone naked.

“I’m here for Veronica. I have some pages of her book that I want her to see.”

“And you couldn’t email them to her?” Drake said as he walked down the stairs toward where she stood trembling.

She wished she didn’t always feel so on edge around him.

“No, she likes to physically have the pages in her hands, so she can write notes on them. And these are the first three chapters.”

“I see,” was all he said, standing only a few feet away from her.

“You do?” she asked.

“Yes, you needed a reason to see me.” Drake raised an eyebrow, daring her to challenge him.

“You’re wrong. I came here to see Veronica.”

Drake smirked. “Oh, I think that’s part of it. But it’s not your style to admit you came here because you’ve been craving me day and night since I saw you at my cottage. Especially since I left you wet and aroused.”

Trying to remain calm, Livvie looked down at the pages, but Drake wouldn’t have it. He yanked the pages out of her hand.

“Drake. Give those back!”

“Not until you answer my question.”

Livvie’s heartbeat was thudding while she waited to hear what he wanted to know. “What’s your question?” The faster she got the pages back the faster she could return to the cottage.

“Were you more turned on when I was staring at you naked or afterward, remembering it?”

Livvie gasped. “Drake,” she said. “Why are you acting like an asshole? And why did you have to bring that up, especially in the entrance hall where anyone could hear?”

“Answer me, or you don’t get these pages back.” He held the pages in his hands as if he was going to rip them apart.

She didn’t think he would really do that, but she also didn’t want him to read them. That wasn’t fair to Veronica. She also didn’t want him to read her contract. “After,” she answered softly.

“And later that night when you were in bed, were you remembering and touching yourself?”

“Yes,” she said a little stronger. She watched Drake’s eyes turn a darker shade of green.

“And did you change the scenario and add me throwing you down and licking you afterward?”

Livvie groaned. “No.” She was using her full voice now.

“No?”

“No, I was imagining us doing other things.”

“Say it,” he demanded.

Livvie shook her head. There was no way she would tell him what she had imagined when she’d masturbated. She wouldn’t give him the satisfaction. If he ripped up the pages, then so be it. She refused to tell him intimate details when he was acting like a dick.

Drake’s eyes became more intense. More dangerous. “Olivia, you had the courage to come up here yet you don’t have the courage to tell me how you touched yourself?”

Livvie’s heartbeat sped up even more.

He stepped closer to her and gently touched her hair and then her cheek.

Livvie stood completely still. “Because you’re acting like an asshole,” she whispered.

“Am I?”

Gracefully, his hand slid down her body, and Livvie remained immobilized.

“What are you so afraid of?” he whispered as he slid his hand under her dress and moved her panties aside.

“I’m not afraid. I’m mad at you.”

Drake chuckled, while moving his finger inside her vagina. Her body couldn’t resist him. All of her most intimate, sensitive spots were craving his attention. She was soaking wet. She knew it, and now, so did he. Her secret was out of the bag.

When Drake removed his fingers, he didn’t say anything. Without words, he placed his fingers that had been deep inside her into his mouth and sinfully licked and sucked them clean.

Livvie clenched her vagina. She felt exposed, too exposed, and at the same time, she was more frustrated than ever. “Drake.”

He smirked. “Yes, princess?”

She felt so on edge that she couldn’t speak. Why did this man have to drive her so crazy? She hated that she couldn’t get him out of her system. And she hated that she wanted him so much, and she didn’t know how to tell him without making her look like one of his floozy women. Maybe she hadn’t learned her lesson yet.

“Why are you so afraid to tell me what you want? What you need, like a drug?”

Drake knew what she needed. But as much as she wanted him, this felt wrong. She wasn’t feeling any love from him. When he came to the cottage, he had admitted he missed her. But she wanted more. She would always want more from this stubborn, infuriating man.

“I’m surprised that such a talented writer is having trouble putting words together,” Drake said with a twinkle in his eye.

“I can speak,” she said quietly.

“I know you can speak, but instead of telling me what you want right this minute, you’re choosing to hide your words.”

“It doesn’t matter how I feel,” Livvie said. Her body was still pulsing, but she had to get herself together and be in control again.

“Look at you. Your eyes are dilated. Your body is trembling. Your heartbeat is so loud that I’m sure everyone in my castle can hear it. Your skin is flushed. Your nipples are hard. And I’m sure your pussy is still dripping wet. Yet you can’t, or rather you won’t, tell me how badly you want me.” Drake paused. “But I can tell you. I want you all day and all night. I think about your sinful lips, those same sinful lips that sucked my cock so beautifully. I think about your delicious pussy that tastes better than anything my cook and baker combined can make. I think about your breathtaking blue eyes looking at me as if I’m the most incredible man in the world. I think about caressing your long, dark hair and pulling it hard, causing you to moan, which is the most intoxicating sound I’ve ever heard. But that’s not all I think about. I think about your laugh that makes me want to laugh. I think about your smile that lights up the room. I think about all of our conversations we’ve ever had, especially out in my vineyard and on the rooftop. I think about how I like to give you orders, and how much I love watching you obey them. But mainly, I think about how extraordinary you are, and I question if I have it in me to love such an extraordinary woman.” Drake stared at her for a moment and then handed her back the pages.

Livvie stood there, still speechless. This was what she had wanted to hear. This was what she’d been dying to hear. Almost. He still hadn’t told her he loved her.

From the look in his eyes, he was waiting for her to respond, but she had no idea what to say.

Drake stared at her for a moment, nodded, and then walked away.

“Drake!” she yelled.

He didn’t say he loved her, but he still used the word. That had to mean something. Drake turned around and looked at her with those beautiful eyes.

“Am I a challenge to you, Olivia?”

“What? No,” she whispered. “Why would you think that?”

“Because of your past,” he said. “Every night for the last six weeks, I’d lie in bed, wondering why you want to be with me. I’ve never promised you anything. I’ve never offered you the life you want. And then it hit me. I’m a challenge to you.”

“Drake, that’s not true.”

“Isn’t it? Your two biggest relationships ended because they had cheated. I think you want me because the others have left you.”

“That’s not why I want you.” Livvie had no idea where this was coming from.

“Hear me out. Liam and Zach taught you not to trust men. Therefore, you don’t trust me.”

“You haven’t given me any reason to,” she cried.

“Haven’t I? When you stayed here that week, I didn’t make love to you until you wanted it. I flew down to Los Angeles when I thought Zach was harming you. I got the pictures and video of us off the Internet. I did that for you, Olivia. I was there for you when you spoke about Liam,” he continued. “If you trusted me, you would have had the decency to call me and tell me you were writing my mother’s book. And if you asked me if you could stay here, of course, I would have said yes.”

“You don’t want to commit to me. You left me in Los Angeles.” A tear slid down Livvie’s face.

Drake sighed. “I wanted to stay. You have no idea how hard that was for me. Every single night since I left I imagined another man touching you. A man who wasn’t me. Do you know how crazy that’s made me? I left you because my vineyard needed me more than you did. I was giving you time to heal, but not only from me. Zach said some pretty harsh words to you. I thought I’d give you space to write and get back to yourself. I planned on seeing you again, but not like this. I’m afraid to commit, but you want a guarantee. You want me to take a leap of faith and then you want to lock me into a future.”

Livvie threw her hands up in the air. “What do you want me to do? What do you want from me?”

“I wanted you to let me know you were coming here,” he said. “What do I want from you now? I want you to trust me as a friend and as a lover. Only then would I consider taking a leap of faith with you.” Drake didn’t say any more. He turned and walked out of the entrance hall.

Livvie stood there alone again. She didn’t trust him, because he wouldn’t commit to her. But what if Drake was right? What if she couldn’t trust any man? If she started dating someone else, would she always worry he’d leave her? Probably. Maybe she was hopeless. Or maybe she should take baby steps. It sounded as if Drake had done just that. Maybe if she put his commitment issues aside and trusted him the way she trusted Carly or her parents, their future would work itself out its own. However it was meant to be. Or maybe she should have written Veronica’s book somewhere else and never have come to Drake’s home in the first place.

Livvie put the chapters and contract on the table. Then she walked out of Drake’s house and back to the cottage. She had some serious soul-searching to do.