19. Emma

It's been an hour. I took a very long walk to burn off all the feelings that are raging through me right now. I find myself right back in front of Drake's office.

He's sitting at his desk, the sleeves of his blue pinstripe dress shirt are rolled up, the top few buttons are undone. He looks stressed.

"Hey," I murmur from the doorway.

The rink is practically empty except for the few straggler players who are getting last minute workouts in. It's late and there's no game today. But here this man still is, burning the midnight oil.

"Hey," he repeats with a tired smile. "Are you okay?"

I nod, cross my arms in front of my chest as I lean against the door.

"How was Chasity?"

"Pissed, she'll get over it."

"She … she has every right to be pissed at me. To hate me."

Drake stands up from his desk and crosses over to me. He tugs me into his arms and holds me for a few minutes, rubbing my back and making me feel safe.

"We'll figure it out."

I nod and rest my head on his chest. "I'm sorry to add even more stress to your plate."

"It's my plate. You're not adding anything to it, I'm responsible for that," he says as he pulls away.

He tips my chin up and I nod. His eyes bore into mine and I can see a plethora of unspoken words. There are so many feelings there, but the hunger and passion are louder than everything else.

He leans forward and covers my mouth with his. I melt into him, his body presses against mine and we can"t get close enough to each other. He moves to shut and lock his office door, while still locked in our embrace.

His hands go up to my face before his fingers find the hem of my shirt and he tugs it over my head.

We stumble backward, our lips never parting, navigating the cramped space of his office. The air thickens with raw desire as the sound of our racing hearts drowns out the world outside. I feel a mix of anticipation and vulnerability coursing through my veins, electrifying every inch of my exposed skin.

A mischievous glint flashes in his eyes. He traces a trail of kisses along my jawline, his warm breath sending shivers down my spine. With nimble fingers, he unclasps my bra, and it falls to the floor, forgotten. Every touch is deliberate and intoxicatingly tender. As his hands explore the curves of my body, I give in to a wave of euphoria, forgetting about everything else in that moment.

He removes my pants, while I struggle to unbutton his. He takes pity on me with a chuckle and steps back. He removes his shirt and pants quickly while his eyes caress my body. The heat of his stare makes me wet, it makes me feel powerful and sexy.

"You are so beautiful," he breathes.

My heart melts and I blush at the same time.

How did I ever get so lucky to find this man again?

With a gentle sweep of his hand, he guides me toward his desk, and I find myself sitting on its edge. The cool surface against my bare back contrasts with the searing heat radiating from our entwined bodies. His fingers trace delicate patterns across my skin, igniting sparks of electricity wherever they touch.

His hands roam freely, mapping every curve and contour, igniting sparks of pleasure that shoot through my veins.

I arch my back in response to his touch, craving more of him. His lips trail down my neck, leaving a trail of fire in their wake. A soft moan escapes my lips as his teeth gently graze my skin. His hands continue their exploration, caressing my hips and sliding around to my front. My breath catches in my throat as he cups my breasts, his fingers teasing and tugging my nipples, sending a shock of sensation to my core.

"You make me feel so alive," he whispers, his eyes never leaving mine.

I grip his shoulders, my nails digging into his skin, matching his intensity. "I need you," I plea, my voice trembling.

Slowly, he lowers himself onto his knees, his gaze never wavering. He reaches for my legs, spreading them wide for him. The room spins as the anticipation builds, but he keeps his cool. His eyes locked onto mine, he traces the inside of my thigh with his tongue, making me shiver in his grip.

"You taste like heaven," he murmurs, his voice thick with passion.

I can"t help but let out a small whimper as his tongue continues its tantalizing exploration, his touch sending waves of pleasure coursing through my body. I close my eyes, unable to bear the intensity of his gaze any longer. But just as I do, I feel his lips make contact with the most sensitive part of me, gentle at first before becoming more insistent.

My body responds to his touch, arching off the desk as waves of pleasure wash over me. I grip his shoulders tighter, my nails digging in as I ride the wave of ecstasy. He knows exactly what he"s doing, every touch, every move, designed to bring me to the edge and keep me there.

With each stroke of his tongue, my breath hitches higher and higher. I can feel the fire building deep within me, threatening to consume me completely. And then, just as I"m on the verge of losing myself, he slows down, teasing me with his expert touch.

"Please, please, please!" I beg, my voice barely a whisper.

He grins devilishly at my desperation, his eyes locked onto mine. "I know just how to make you come, my love." And with that promise, he dips his head and drives his tongue deep inside me, hitting just the right spot.

My body explodes like a volcano, the pleasure so intense that I"m sure I"m screaming, though I can barely hear myself over the roar in my ears. My muscles tense and relax, over and over again, as wave after wave of ecstasy crashes over me.

Before I have time to fully come down, he guides himself inside me, filling me completely. I gasp and moan at the same time.

He moves slowly at first, setting a pace that sends shivers down my spine. His eyes never leave mine, and I can see the desire and passion reflected in them. He starts to pick up the pace, each thrust sending electricity through my body.

I wrap my legs around him, pulling him closer, wanting more of him.

He picks up the pace, his hips moving faster and harder. My breath hitches, my moans growing louder. I can feel my body responding, tension building, the anticipation growing. Finally, I can"t take it anymore, and I explode, crying out in pleasure as waves of ecstasy wash over me.

He continues to move within me, his thrusts harder and faster. I can feel him growing closer to his own release, and I hold onto him tightly, wanting to feel his body shake with the same intensity I"ve just experienced.

Finally, he groans, and I feel him shudder, his release filling me completely. He collapses on top of me, our bodies still entwined, our hearts beating as one.

We lay there for a moment, basking in the afterglow of our passion. I run my fingers through his hair, still thick and full, and he nuzzles into my palm, his breath warm and steady against my skin.

"I needed that," I giggle breathlessly.

"Me too," he chuckles. "Let"s get dressed and grab something to eat."

"I"m starving."

We get dressed and leave the rink a few minutes later. As we walk toward my dad's restaurant Drake laces his fingers through mine.

We walk into the restaurant. Aunt Susie grins widely as she looks down at our adjoined hands.

"Let me get you to a table," she says as she leans in to hug us both.

"Drake Baron," a voice drawls behind us. "I never thought I'd see the day."

I turn around to see a gorgeous, voluptuous redhead grinning back at us. She's dressed in all designer clothes, a tight black dress and expensive jewelry. My eyes flit to Drake's.

"Jada," he chuckles. "What can I say, I'm in love."

In love? What did he just say out loud to the entire restaurant?

"Well, I couldn't be happier for you. I didn't think I'd ever see that happen. You must be a special woman," the redhead gushes. She extends her hand to me. "I'm Jada, Drake and I dated many moons ago."

Dated? He dated this woman?

"Emma."

"Oh, I know who you are. Everyone knows who you are. I'm a big fan of your career. Although, you're the talk of the town for settling this big-hearted man down."

"Did you just say you're in love with her?" Zane asks angrily behind us.

"I did," Drake answers as he grins goofily back at me.

"What a joke."

Zane storms off and goes directly to the bar. I watch as he orders a shot and then tells the bartender to leave the bottle in front of him.

"He'll be fine," Jada purrs behind us.

My aunt gestures for us to follow her to a table. I'm distracted with Zane, this Jada woman, and Drake's declaration.

Do I love this man?

What does being in love with Drake Baron even mean? What does life with him look like? Is that what I want?

Why didn't I ask myself any of these questions before I even got here?

"You okay?" Drake asks twenty minutes later.

"Zane," I sigh. "I never wanted to hurt him. I …"

"His actions are not your fault. You can't save him. He's only doing this because he knows it hurts you, because he wants to ruin your night and make you come over to him. He wants you to take care of him."

I exhale and shake my head. "How pathetic am I?"

"You're not pathetic at all. It's just because you have a giant heart. You love hard and freely. There's nothing wrong with that. You do need to know who is taking advantage of it and who is not though."

I nod slowly, my eyes flitting to Zane's. He's getting belligerent and some of our high school friends are now ushering him out of the restaurant.

"He was drunk before he got here and he's been here since practice got out," Aunt Susie explains. "He's got a lot of anger and hurt in him for some reason and it has nothing to do with either of you."

Drake reaches over and takes my hand in his. I pull away. I can feel myself slipping away. I need to get through this dinner and then retreat to my apartment to figure it all out.

The rest of dinner is fairly uneventful, Drake tries to break through to me but I'm beyond spacey as I wrestle with the guilt and the need to break my bad habits in the moment.

I cannot go to Zane. I cannot keep doing the same things I've always done. I can't keep trying to fix or rescue others.

A symphony of noises start going off and some of the volunteer firefighters who are in the restaurant eating are being toned out.

Chief Kallas flags Susie down.

"There's a bad motor vehicle accident, head-on collision," he explains as he pulls out his wallet.

"Go, I know you all are good for it!" she explains as she gestures him away.

He nods and scurries out of the restaurant. Three other men follow quickly. Everyone glances around the building that's suddenly fallen quiet.

A head-on collision could very well mean that someone we've known our whole lives was involved. It's not long before you can hear the sirens piercing through the night as the first responders arrive on the scene.

"It's not far away," Drake murmurs.

Ten minutes later, Drake is paying for our meal when his phone begins vibrating incessantly. Chief Kallas is calling him. Drake's eyes dart to mine before he answers the phone.

"I'm on my way," he says a minute later.

He hangs up the phone and pierces me with a worried look.

"What's wrong?"

"Zane hit another vehicle head on. They're taking him to the hospital now."

Tears sting at my eyes as I nod. I'm on autopilot as I stand and follow him through the kitchen and out the back door.

"Let's take my car, it's closer," I murmur as I hand him my keys.

"Keep us posted," Susie calls after us.

I nod as we climb into the car and head to the hospital.

This is all my fault.