Total pages in book: 60
Estimated words: 56651 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 283(@200wpm)___ 227(@250wpm)___ 189(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 56651 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 283(@200wpm)___ 227(@250wpm)___ 189(@300wpm)
Mae blushed and muttered something about silver tongues before telling us to enjoy the first course. It was one big plate with big slices of tomato and mozzarella, fresh basil leaves, olive oil, and a splash of balsamic vinegar. He served me on a smaller plate before helping himself.
“It’s a capresse salad. Mae’s mother was Italian.”
“It looks delicious.”
And it was. As was the entree. Grilled chicken breasts, stuffed with cheese, and roasted eggplant and broccoli rabe on the side. He kept encouraging me to eat, and I did. By the time desert came, I was full.
“No more,” I laughed. “I am stuffed.”
“Oh, but you have to at least try it,” Mae insisted as she set down a plate with a gorgeous slice of tiramisu, covered in a poufy looking ball of whipped cream. “It’s my mother’s recipe. And the cream is homemade.”
“Well, when you put it that way,” I joked, watching as Drake lifted a fork and carefully made me a perfect bite. He lifted the fork to my lips and I took a bite, sighing in pleasure. My eyes were closed in ecstasy.
“That is incredible, Mae.”
Drake took a bite and told her it was the best thing he’d ever had, and that she had done her mama proud. The older woman beamed and took off, flapping her hands with emotion. I may have noticed her use her apron to blot tears from her eyes. Drake chuckled and made me another bite.
“I can feed myself, you know.”
“I know.”
I laughed and let him feed me his cake, alternating between us with every bite. Then we moved on to my plate. He scooted his chair right up beside me, stating dramatically that he ‘had’ to move closer so he could reach the plate. He pressed a kiss to my cheek and his breath fanned my ear.
I nearly swooned. It didn’t matter if he was skilled at the art of seduction. It was working. I was ready to crawl into his lap as we finished the last bit of cake.
He pulled out a remote and turned up the volume on the music that had been softly playing on a blue tooth speaker perched on a chair nearby. It was mostly old jazz standards, with some Bossa nova thrown in. A love song traditionally played at weddings came on. He turned my hand over and kissed the inside of my wrist as ‘At Last’ started to play.
He stood, looking down at me with the barest hint of a smile on his handsome face. He held out his hand. I stared at his big palm before looking up at him.
“Do you want to dance?”
I nodded and stepped into his arms.
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
Drake
Who knew dancing could feel this good?
When the girls had coached me in how to do the basic moves in preparation for tonight, I had never imagined it would feel like this. There was something tender, sweet, and extremely provocative about holding her in my arms this way. I wanted to lay her down and do filthy things to her body. But it wasn’t the time or the place.
It was just enough of a tease to make me go absolutely out of my mind. Dancing with her like this wasn’t just memorable. It was fucking cinematic.
And I wanted to do it every damned night right up to our wedding. Then I wanted to keep doing it. Only in my dream life, I’d get to take her to bed after.
Our bed. In our house.
The house I wanted to build her on Devil’s Lake.
Goddamn, that sounded good. But first, I had to woo her. Convince her I wasn’t a fucking lost cause. I’d already come close to blowing it. Now was my chance.
Tonight I was going to bring my sweet Sunshine home.
“Can I take you to my place tonight? Or do you want to go back to the Aunties?”
She bit her lip.
“I want to come with you, Drake. I want to…” she looked up at me slowly, then leaned up to kiss me. She was so little compared to me that I had to lower my head and meet her halfway, which I was more than happy to do.
I kissed her deeply, then leaned back to stare at her.
“You want to what?”
“I want to pick up where we left off… last time.”
I blinked. Then a smile spread over my face that was so wide it nearly split me in two. It took my brain a minute to catch up but my body reacted her to words instantly. I was hot, bothered, and immediately tongue tied. Because last time, I had been licking her with my tongue… and that was where she wanted to pick things up?
Oh hell yes. I was more than happy to give the lady what she wanted, I was ecstatic.
“Yes, ma’am,” I said, taking her arm and guiding her to the steps. She was laughing in shock as I hustled her to the parking lot, into the car, and fastened her seatbelt. I gave her a quick kiss before sliding into the drivers seat.