"So do you, Rosa. So do you."
He took her mouth again before finally stripping away her sweatshirt, finding her bare and so beautiful it nearly stopped his heart just to look at her. He had to put his hands on her, his mouth following barely a beat behind as she arched closer so that he could lave both breasts at once with his tongue.
"You're so damned soft. Everywhere I touch." The way she rocked into his hips hardened him to near bursting beneath the zipper of his jeans. "Everywhere I taste."
"Touch more," she urged. "Taste more."
Every time, he promised himself he'd go slowly, be gentle with her. But it was the one promise he could never manage to keep, especially when he yanked her sweats down and found her bare.
"Rosa." He groaned her name into her mouth as he found her wet and hot at her center. "Come for me." He stroked over her, plunged into her with his fingers. "Let go for me."
Her eyes went wide, her pupils so dark he swore he could see inside her soul for a split second before she shuddered through the orgasm beginning to whip through her. Hard and fast and, judging by her moans, damned good.
"I can't get enough of you," she panted before she'd even come down all the way from her release. "Every time I think it can't get any better, it does."
She was the one tearing at his clothes now, and he paused only long enough to grab a condom from his pocket before helping her get his shirt and jeans off. The second that protection was in place, she was lowering herself onto him, his heart hammering harder and harder with every inch he slid. Until they were finally, completely, perfectly connected.
Emotion rippled from every part of her as she stared into his eyes. "If I could stay here forever with you..."
Instead of finishing her sentence, she pressed her mouth to his and gave him a kiss so sweet that the three little words he'd been trying to hold back awhile longer nearly slipped out. But Drake knew there was only so much she could be expected to handle in one day. So even if he wanted much more--even if he wanted everything--it was enough for today that she'd at least agreed to talk to Smith. And that she'd done it with Drake at her side, rather than continuing to believe their relationship needed to stay hidden forever from everyone.
Still, if he couldn't yet say the words aloud, he needed to say them any other way he could. And he would make damned sure Rosa knew what she meant to him in every single moment--especially this one, where they were two halves of a whole.
He reached up to put his hands on her cheeks, and their kiss spiraled hotter and hotter. Sweeter too, even as she held on to his shoulders for leverage as she rode him.
His brain went dark enough to see stars as she took him deeper with each stroke. Moving his hands to her hips, he gripped tightly and thrust high, then again, and again, until she was sobbing his name against his mouth and spinning them both off into endless, perfect pleasure.
*
They were both still panting and holding tightly to each other when she asked, "Do you still want to paint me?"
"Always." He was surprised she even had to ask when he'd never held back just how much she inspired him.
"Then paint me like this. Just the way I am now."
He couldn't be hearing her right. He forced himself to pull back enough to say, "I meant it when I said I don't want you to sit for me if you don't want to."
"Maybe it doesn't make any sense, but if you paint me without my clothes on, what you see will replace the other pictures I have in my head. The ones I'm so damned tired of seeing every time I close my eyes."
Of course he understood why she would want to reclaim her nudity--to make her body her own again. And he was dying to paint her like this, her smooth, soft skin flushed from their lovemaking.
"I'll burn them," he told her, even though earlier he'd told her he wouldn't even consider it. "After you've taken the mental pictures you need. So that you don't have to doubt that anyone else will ever see them."
"Don't you dare." She looked over her shoulder at the paintings all around the room. "Your art deserves to live on forever, not to turn to ashes because I'm afraid someone might see them one day. I'm not even sure you should hide them anymore."
"Getting to paint you at all is already more than I could have hoped for." He wanted to leap at everything she was offering him, but he also didn't want her to regret anything she did or said during this roller coaster of a week. At the same time, his fingers were literally itching to paint her. Just like this.
"Go," she said as she moved to let him up and off the chair, then repositioned herself so that her legs were tucked up beneath her bare hips and her head was tilted against the back of the seat. "Start painting before you burst."
He pulled on his jeans, and as he picked up his brush, he realized the best part of painting her like this wasn't having her gorgeous curves on full display. It was the sated, happy smile on her face as she looked into his eyes.
A smile that he wanted to see every day for the rest of his life.
Chapter Twenty-One
A scratching sound woke Rosa the next morning. She was surprised to realize daylight was coming in through the drapes in Drake's bedroom. Between his painting, her stitching, and all the crazy hot sex, she wasn't sure what time it had been when they'd finally dropped into bed and slept.
But just because they were living on a crazy non-schedule didn't mean that Oscar was. And as the scratching continued, she realized the dog obviously needed to take care of business outside.
Not wanting to wake Drake--he'd never made up any of that sleep he'd lost during his twenty-four-hour painting frenzy, and Lord knew he'd expended plenty of energy making her come again and again and again--she silently slipped from his arms. Pulling on his flannel shirt that was flecked with a rainbow of paint splatters, she buried her nose in it and smiled at having his scent all over her as she headed into the living room to let Oscar out.
The big furball was waiting by the front door, his tail thumping as she walked toward him. "Aren't you a patient boy," she praised in a soft voice, giving him a quick stroke over his back before letting him out.
For the first time in what felt like forever, the sun was out and shining, and though she was barefoot, she followed Oscar through the trees toward a patch of warmth. As she closed her eyes and lifted her face toward it while the surf crashed onto the rocks just beyond the forest, she felt good. Really good.
Less than a week ago, she hadn't thought this kind of happiness could ever be hers.
She'd come to Montauk for a respite from her life and to figure out her next step. She'd expected things to stay rocky, but the more time she spent with Drake--one of the calmest, most confident, yet humble people she'd ever met--the more she thought that maybe she was strong enough to deal with the fallout both from the nude pictures and from her desire to leave the show.
Yes, her new strength still felt more than a little tentative and shaky, but she figured it was a start. Just as she was starting to believe that maybe she and Drake could find a way to make things work beyond their cabin refuge. After all, Smith had not only been really nice to her on the call yesterday, she also hadn't sensed any judgment of Drake for hooking up with her.
Just then, however, a cloud blew in front of the sun. And where she'd felt so warm just moments before, the cold suddenly seeped in beneath the flannel shirt and made her shiver.
"Oscar," she called out, "time to go back in."
But it was a woman who appeared from between the trees, instead of Oscar. A pretty blonde who was probably a couple of years older than Rosa. She was carrying a pie.
"Hi, Oscar," the woman said as he came over to say a quick hello to the newcomer. He thumped his tail against the woman's leg a couple of times before loping off to chase a squirrel in his lazy way. The woman smiled after Oscar as she said, "I didn't realize anyone was here with Drake. My grandmother hasn't seen him in the store for a couple of days, so she thought it might be nice if I dropped by with this pie before they're all gone. You must
be his sister."
If only Rosa could get away with saying she was Drake's sister, she thought, as the scene played out in what felt like slow motion. But there was no way she could hide her face, no way she could run from the scene barefoot, wearing only Drake's shirt and nothing else. She could hear the clock ticking down on the horrible situation with each and every hard thud of her heart.
Ten.
Nine.
Eight.
Seven.
Si--
"Oh my God." The woman's eyes went wide with shock. "You're Rosalind Bouchard. What are you doing here?"
Rosa needed to say something. Anything to try to fix this. But both her brain and her tongue were so tied up with blooming panic that she couldn't figure out how to get a proper thought through either one.
For the past few days, Drake's property had felt like a perfect, private cocoon. But she'd known it couldn't last forever, hadn't she? Stupid Rosa, to think that she could be the one to decide when it was time to go. Even stupider to believe that her tentative, fragile happiness could withstand being faced with her past as Rosalind Bouchard, reality TV's bad girl.
"I thought you were in Miami with your family, dealing with the nude photo scandal. Especially now that all those new pictures have come out."
"New pictures?" Rosa finally came unstuck, if only to echo the two horrible words. Bile rose in her throat at the thought of new pictures circulating.
All those new pictures.
Her knees wanted to buckle. She wanted to sink right into the leaves and let them bury her.
Only, as she watched the stranger take in her knotted sex-hair, kiss-bruised lips, and Drake's half-buttoned flannel shirt, Rosa knew she didn't have the luxury of falling apart. Not yet.
Not when there was so much damage control to be done first on Drake's behalf.
No doubt, if Rosa left things like this, the stranger would get on her phone and social media apps the second she turned around and walked away. And if she came inside and saw the paintings--especially now that there were several of Rosa in the nude--she wouldn't have a chance of persuading the woman that she and Drake weren't an item. But if there was even the barest chance that she could pull this off, she had to try.
"I'm just a family friend," she said, trying with all her might to sound normal, though it wasn't easy with blood rushing like a flash flood into her head. "I was in the neighborhood, so I thought I'd drop in to say hello." Her legs felt as shaky as a newborn deer's as she walked toward the stranger. "It's really nice of you to bring pie. So Mona is your grandmother?"
"You know her name?"
Rosa hoped her smile didn't look as pasted on as it felt. "She's a lovely woman." Rosa took the pie from the woman's hands, somehow managing to keep her own from shaking. "Really sweet. And wow, this smells great."
Keep talking, she silently coached herself. Use what you've learned from all the interviews you've done over the years to turn things where you need them to go.
"I'm sure Drake is going to love eating this pie when he gets back. I'll be sure to leave a note for him so that he knows it's from you."
"Where did he go?"
Rosa shook her head as if she had no idea. "Probably out painting some incredible vista."
She crossed a million mental fingers that he wouldn't wake up and walk outside right then. Rosa hated lying, but she would do whatever it took to keep him as safe as he'd made her feel.
"He's always been like a brother to me." The lies tasted like sawdust on Rosa's tongue, especially when she had to deliver them in such an easy tone. No man had ever been less like a brother. "Thanks again for bringing the pie. Oscar, time to head back in now to get your breakfast!"
Thank God, he trotted right up to her as if he'd merely been biding his time playing around with squirrels while he waited for her to call him.
"I'm sorry," Rosa said to the woman, giving her another smile, "I didn't get your name."
"I'm Trinity. And I still can't believe you're standing right here in front of me when I've been watching you on TV for years."
So far, Rosa had managed not to answer any questions. Knowing her luck wouldn't hold out forever, she headed for the quick close. "It's been really great to meet you, Trinity. And thanks for watching the show." She put her hand on Oscar's ruff and, brilliant dog that he was, he started to lead her back to the house. "Have a great day." She gave the woman one last smile over her shoulder, then opened the cabin door and walked inside.
Closing it behind her, she leaned against it and looked around the room at Drake's easels and paintings. He was so brilliant. So sweet. So good.
"Rosa, there you are."
As he came out of the bedroom with a big, sexy grin on and nothing else, her heart skipped a beat in her chest.
She wouldn't cry. Wouldn't let herself fall apart again the way she had the first time out on his cliffs. She thought, I'm falling in love with you, and the very last thing in the world I want is to leave you.
But what she made herself say was, "It's time for me to go."
Chapter Twenty-Two
No.
It was the only word Drake could think. The only thing he knew to be true.
If Rosa truly didn't want to be with him any longer, he would never hold her here against her will. But if she was leaving for any other reason--and he figured there could be dozens of possible options to choose from right about now--he wouldn't let her run again.
Not without him at her side.
He didn't trust himself to say anything at first, simply put his hands on her face and kissed her. And when he finally made himself draw back, he said, "I love you."
Joy flickered in her eyes, but a split second later, that joy was gone. "You can't." She tried to push him away. "You don't."
"I can." He lowered his mouth to hers again. "I do."
Right here, right now, whether she liked it or not, he was making his vows to her. Vows that he wouldn't let her feel hopeless, afraid, or alone ever again.
"What happened while I was sleeping? What's brought the panic back into your eyes?"
"Oscar needed to go out and it was so sunny and bright. I felt..." She closed her eyes. "I felt hopeful. Like maybe I could get through this. Maybe I could figure things out." When she opened her eyes, they were bleak. And full of the cynicism he hated to see. "There was a woman outside. A pretty one, with pie. Mona's granddaughter."
At last, the scene began to take shape for Drake. "She recognized you."
"Of course she did. And there I was, wearing nothing but your shirt. She had to know what we'd been doing even though I lied. I told her we were just family friends. That you're like a brother to me."
He laughed. He couldn't help it, when nothing had ever been more preposterous.
"It's not funny."
He brushed a lock of hair from her eyes. "She's going to find out the truth of what we are to each other soon enough, Rosa. Everyone will." Because he wasn't going to let her run from him like she'd tried to run from everyone and everything else.
"There are more pictures! New ones!" She finally managed to duck out from beneath his arm. "You can't be with me."
Rage at hearing of more pictures hitting the Internet rose so fast it choked him, but he needed to hold it at bay. For now. "I'm with you now. And we'll deal with the pictures together."
"I can't drag you into this with me. Not like this. Not when the scandal has just got even bigger. I need to leave right away. Before Trinity thinks of a reason to come back and finds us here together. Before she sees me on all these canvases, and pictures of your paintings end up on the Internet too." With every word, he could hear and feel her panic growing more and more out of control. "I should never have come here. I should have found somewhere more remote, looked for a better place to hide out."
There were so many things he wanted to say to her, but only one truly mattered right now. "I love you," he said again, wanting to make sure she didn't ever forget it.
For the past
few days, he'd watched her begin to believe more and more in her strength. Yesterday had seemed like such a big turning point on so many levels.
Now, however, her belief seemed to have been stripped away again.
He knew it was the shock of learning about more pictures--and being surprised by a fan in the woods when she thought she was safely hidden from that world--that had done it. But he also knew Rosa was more than strong enough to deal with all of it.
Right at this moment, however, it was clear that he wouldn't have a prayer of convincing her of any of that. So instead of trying, he said, "If you want to hide, really hide, I have just the place for you."
She looked at him as if that were the very last thing she expected him to say. "You do?"
"I do."
Looked like he was going to be paying a visit to his father's cabin at Summer Lake in the Adirondacks, after all.
But he wouldn't let them leave without a reminder of how far they'd come in his little Montauk cabin. He swooped her up into his arms and carried her toward his bedroom.
"Drake, put me down. Didn't you hear anything I just said? We need to leave." She shook her head. "I mean, I need to leave. You should stay here. You should forget about me."
"We'll be leaving together," he informed her, deciding to simply ignore her urging him to forget her since it was so ridiculous. "But it's a long drive to the Adirondacks, and we'll feel better if we clean up first." Better still by reconnecting in the most elemental way possible.
He carried her past the bed and into his bathroom. Already naked himself, he didn't bother stripping her out of his flannel shirt before walking into the shower and turning it on. He could feel how cold she was, and not just because she'd been outside with barely anything on. He might not be able to warm her up all the way just yet, but between his body against hers and the warm water, he could sure as hell try.
Turning her so that her back was to the tiled shower wall, he set her on her feet, then reached for the front of his shirt and ripped it open. A couple of buttons pinged against the wall and floor as she gaped at him in shock.