Total pages in book: 97
Estimated words: 92180 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 461(@200wpm)___ 369(@250wpm)___ 307(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 92180 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 461(@200wpm)___ 369(@250wpm)___ 307(@300wpm)
“Get this on camera,” Eddie snarls at Deebo.
“Drake,” I whisper as he drops his helmet and stick. “They’re filming.”
“Don’t you know me by now?” he says gruffly, pulling off his gloves. “I have zero fucks to give.”
His hands come to my face. They’re sweaty… he’s sweaty… but I don’t care. I’m hypnotized. He bends closer to peer at me. “The only fuck I have is for you right now. I am so sorry about how I handled things. I don’t want to lose you, and I’ll do whatever I need to do to fix this. I’ll be whatever you need me to be.”
Vaguely, I hear Callum cough as he mumbles, “I’m just… going to… I’m going.”
“Stupid fucking in love with you,” Drake repeats the same words he gave the reporter, which will be bleeped out when that goes on the air. “I want you to forgive me, tell me you love me, too, and then let’s figure out how to do life together, okay?”
I’m entranced, and my heart feels like it’s about to burst. All I can do is nod.
Drake grins and bends the rest of the way to press his mouth to mine. My hands lock around his wrists, and I hang on, his kiss deep and claiming, with zero fucks to give that we’re being recorded.
Lifting his head, he stares at me. “I need the words, Bri.”
“I love you,” I whisper.
“That’s good. I need the other words too.”
“I forgive you.”
“That’s what I needed,” he murmurs and kisses me again.
But it’s not just a kiss… it’s a dialogue. It’s the deeper conversation that we should have, condensed into a mating of lips and tongue. It’s reaffirmation of love and hope and a future together.
So much to figure out, but all the time in the world to do it.
“Drake… are you and Ms. Norcross seeing each other?”
Drake lifts his head and swivels it slightly toward the reporter whose microphone is angled at us. “You seem like a smart guy. You just got all that on tape. You heard every word I said. Think you can figure out the truth in that story and report it accurately, yeah?”
The reporter nods.
“Good. Now turn off the camera and get out of my way so I can kiss her again.”
CHAPTER 33
CHAPTER 34
Drake
“Let’s go,” I say as I hold open the back door of the Tahoe. “Move it, move it, move it. We’re late.”
All three boys scramble from the back seat and go running up to the front door of Brienne’s house.
If it’s a testament at all to just how comfortable they’ve become with her these last few weeks—and vice versa—they crash through the door without so much as a knock or press of the doorbell.
Shaking my head, I move to the back and open the tailgate, pulling out the grocery bag. I walk up the wide porch steps and make a mental note to chastise the boys for leaving the door open.
I find Brienne in the kitchen, and she is a sight to behold. She stands behind the island holding Colby on her hip, her head pulled back so she can see the toy cowboy Kiera got him at the dollar store, a favorite place of theirs. I learned long ago to let them each have a toy in the car to keep them entertained and not fighting.
A lot of things about this woman turn me on, but seeing her connect with my son practically undoes me.
Jake and Tanner jabber up at her, each holding their own toy. She lets Colby slide down to his feet and takes Jake’s hockey puck to examine.
“This is cool,” she says before handing it back to him. “You’re stopping these left and right in your hockey league, huh?”
“Daddy got it for me. It says Pittsburgh Titans on it.”
“So I see,” she says, tousling his hair. Turning to Tanner, she asks, “And what do you have?”
Almost shyly, he offers a piece of paper. “I drew you a picture.”
“Oh, wow,” Brienne says, cutting a quick look to me before taking it from his little hand. I have no clue what he drew, but when Brienne opens it, her hand presses against her chest. “Oh, Tanner… it’s beautiful.”
“You said you liked daisies, so I drew daisies,” he says.
Damn if my heart doesn’t twinge over the thoughtfulness. Brienne squats and hugs Tanner, then one for Jake. “Okay, rug rats… TV’s on in the den and cued up to Disney+. Get out of my hair so I can finish cooking.”
The kids run out, sounding like a herd of little elephants, which leaves me a wide-open opportunity to pounce. I round the island and pull Brienne into my arms.
“I got a present for you,” I murmur seductively, tipping my head to kiss her jaw.
She shivers but pushes me back. “Yes, I know exactly what type of present you got for me.”