Chapter 26

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

Lila

"What right did she have to kick me out?" I plop my duffel bag on the gray plank flooring by Drake's front door. My anger pauses as I take in the large, modernly furnished apartment. The dark floor compliments the white wall coloring. The high ceilings make the open floor plan seem more prominent, and the large windows give a rather impressive view of downtown Boston. Remembering why I'm here in the first place, I huff. "I've paid for the entire month. What she did is just wrong."

"Do you really want to be there with her?" Drake asks, wheeling in my suitcases behind him.

"Well, no, but it's the principle of it."

He abandons the luggage by his couch as his feet chew the distance between us. He wraps his arms around my waist and dips his head to meet my gaze. "I know it isn't right. But if you think about it, she did you a favor."

I push my lower lip out and grunt, not wanting to admit defeat. I'm so angry right now, but a part of me can empathize with Miranda. I have been on the receiving end of being dumped by Drake Gunner. It sucks.

"And maybe her kicking you out was more for her benefit than yours," he adds.

"Hmm." I let his words marinate as my anger lessened to a simmer. Maybe she was simply trying to protect herself rather than being malicious. Living in a place that constantly reminded me of my ex was difficult, and it had been years since our break-up. Miranda may not have loved him like I had, but she had big hopes for their relationship. "When did you become a martyr?"

His lips twitch. "I've had an excellent teacher."

My gaze strays to the iron-framed clock on the kitchen wall, and I cringe. "I'll be fine. If you hurry, there's still time to make your game."

"I'm not going anywhere."

"But—"

"But nothing. I prioritized baseball over you once before. I won't make that mistake again."

The hitch in my breath. The clenching of my thighs. They're all the result of the seriousness in his gaze. I'm about to combust from his commitment.

What the fuck is wrong with me?

"Holy cow. What a day. I went from receiving the best news of my life to being homeless." I bury my head against his chest, body deflating.

"You're not homeless." He rests his chin on my head and pulls me tighter against him. His cologne fills my senses, and I want to get lost in him. This sense of security takes me back to the day he saved me from that savaged dog. But reality soon takes hold. He had shattered that trust, and while everything might've been a misunderstanding, and I get where he was coming from, I need to set ground rules.

Shouldn't I?

Letting him see how badly I want to be here would be wrong. How badly I want to fall back on old habits.

How badly I want him.

"This is only temporary," I remind him.

"This is as long as you need it." Drake leans back slightly, his warm, inviting eyes holding mine. "I want you here."

His words hang in the air as the truth sinks in. I am living with Drake Gunner, not casually seeing him, not dating, but living with my ex-boyfriend. How the hell did this even happen?

"This is too soon. Too fast." My chest tightens from the gravity of this decision. The implications it serves. "What am I going to tell Jake?"

Drake's face blanches as if it had just occurred to him that I came as a package. It would have been easier if it had just been me, but Jake and I were a duo. An entire little human needs accounting for, and moving to a new place will certainly affect him.

Drake swallows and offers some reassurance. "No matter what you decide to say, that kid is resilient. He'll adapt."

I smile at that because it's true. Despite losing his mother at such a young age, Jake has persevered. He's an amazing child. But a more selfish thought occurs and has me equally frightened.

"What if this messes up my loan?" My hand goes to my stomach as if that action alone could stop the sudden nausea.

"You're joking, right? Jethro would never deny you that loan." His mouth curves into that cocky grin of his. "He loves me."

"It's Jett." I correct him with an eye roll while snaking my arms around his waist. "But without listing a permanent address, it could seriously harm my business plan."

"You're not homeless." Emotion flicks in his eyes as he reaches up to cup my face. His gaze, piercing and intense, steals my breath. "Quit worrying. Everything will work out."

And I somehow believe him. He has this way of making me feel protected. Wanted. Always has. It's as if he's erased years of heartbreak and filled the space with cardinal need. I don't know how he does it.

"Why is it so easy to fall back in pace with you?" I ask breathlessly.

"Because we're meant to go the distance." His eyes drift down to my necklace, the last gift he ever gave me, as he traces a finger over the silver pendant. "My Forever Girl."

My breath hitches as the whispered words replay in my mind. I wanted nothing more than for those words to be true. Even after he shattered my heart. I was supposed to be his forever, but he was also supposed to be mine.

"I can't believe you still have this." His voice cracks, gaze unfocused.

"I shouldn't have, but I couldn't part with it," I admit, gliding my tongue over my lower lip. "It tethered me to a piece of you I never wanted to lose."

He slams his eyes shut as if my admission caused him physical pain. Those deep, sorrowful eyes hold his struggles when he opens them again. I'm just unsure if their cause is from the loss of what could've been or from me.

"I'm so fucking sorry."

"We can't change the past." I stare directly at him. "So stop living it."

And kiss me.

His body stiffens, a crease forming between his brow as he seems to war with himself. I just don't understand what's concerning him.

Pressed against him, I feel how much he wants me. So, I don't think I'm the issue. Maybe it's timing? He had stopped the kiss earlier, stating he didn't want anyone between us, which I understand. But like earlier, my body hums in anticipation and need. We've lost so much time with each other that I don't want to waste another second.

"I don't know what I did to get this second chance with you."

"There's no one between us anymore." I voice the thought as the observation settles in the space between us.

Drake lets out a shaky breath, but his body relaxes as the tension releases. His fingers trail down my cheek and come to rest on my shoulder. "You're still brave and strong, as I remember, but you're also vulnerable right now." His fingertips sweep small circles across my skin as if he can't help but touch me. "And as much as I want to be buried cock deep inside you with your sexy-ass legs wrapped around me, I don't want to take advantage of you either."

Ah, so it's his honor holding us back.

A wicked grin spreads across my lips. This man, this wild child, has always been my hero. I run my fingertips along the smooth line of his hips, tracing the sturdy fabric of his jeans and then to the front, where I cup the familiar bulge. My thighs clench again from the feel of it throbbing and warm. "What if I want you to?"

"Lila." My name comes out as a warning as he brings his hand on top of mine, but he doesn't move it away.

"Drake." His name a demand.

"We shouldn't."

"But we so should." I squeeze his cock slightly, eliciting a low rumble through his chest.

His broad shoulders heaved as he breathed, and I knew the exact moment he succumbed. "Fuck. I've missed you."

He lowers his head, capturing my lips. The kiss is soft and explorative, a blend of longing and regret that plays my heartstrings like a violin. His hands move to my waist, pulling me flush against him as mine claws up his back. Our bodies meld together like two pieces of a puzzle, finally finding their proper place.

I wish I had changed into something sexier than my business skirt and blouse, but there wasn't time with Miranda kicking me out. I grabbed everything I owned and stuffed it into my suitcases—my entire life was reduced to three travel bags.

Fuck, Drake was right. There still is a third person between us.

Drake breaks away, panting heavily. His eyes search mine as if seeking some sort of confirmation.

My breath mirrors his as I push all thoughts of Miranda aside and shoot him a sly grin. "Why'd ya stop?"

"Mm, trust me. I didn't want to. But I need to make sure you want to do this. There's no rush."

"Don't you want me?" I ask, a slight tease to my voice and knowing full well his erection answers that question.

A dark chuckle escapes his mouth. "Oh, I want you. I want to back you against the wall, hike your skirt above your hips, rip these silk undies off, and bury myself deep inside. But I also want you sprawled on my bed where I can take my time." The tip of his nose drags along my neck as the backs of his knuckles run along the curve of my ass. "To cherish every inch of your delicate flesh."

I'm liquid heat and throbbing anticipation, the ache between my legs intensifying. "You don't have to choose, Drake," I whisper back. It's bold, bolder than I've ever been with him before, but the truth is, I've missed him more than words can express.

His eyes meet mine again, dark and haunted by an inner turmoil I can only begin to comprehend. He's on the edge of a precipice, teetering between the past and the present. "Lila," he begins, his voice barely more than a murmur.

I place a finger against his lips, cutting off whatever protest he's about to make. "Tonight, let's forget everything else. No past mistakes, no future uncertainties … just us."

He looked at me for what felt like an eternity before nodding resolutely. "Just us," he repeated in a hushed tone that reverberated through me like the most beautiful melody.

With a slight nod, I capture his lips again, and our intensity flares up like wildfire. The warmth of his skin against mine. His ragged breaths. The taste of sweet need in our shared kiss. Everything is so visceral, so alive, so real. It's intoxicating.

His hands venture under my shirt, tracing lines of fire on my bare skin. His touch is electric, causing a shiver to ripple through me and lighting me up from within. I let out a soft moan, pulling him closer still. The taste of his tongue dancing with mine is addicting, setting my senses ablaze.

The boy from my past transformed into this man, and wow, does he know what he's doing. I can't seem to get enough, as need pools low in my belly.

With one swift movement, he hoists me up by my ass, and I instinctively wrap my legs around his waist. Our lips stay locked together as we move from the hallway to his bedroom. My arms tighten their hold around his neck as if I'm never letting go.