Page 34 of Drake Eternal

It would help him recover and that was everything to me.

I couldn’t bear the thought of going away to Kenya if he was slowly slipping away here in New York.

We spent a quiet evening on the patio watching the sun set and the stars blink on one by one. Sophie had her game in hand and was sitting in my lap when I checked my watch and saw that it was time for her to go to bed.

“Say goodnight to Grandpa and Grandma,” I said to Sophie. She leaned her head back and yawned, then turned to my dad and Elaine.

“Good night,” she said, slipping off my lap and going to hug and kiss them both in turn.

“Good night, Sweetheart. Sleep tight. Don’t let the bedbugs bite. If they bite, squeeze them tight and they won’t bite another night.”

Sophie made a face of disgust and then laughed. “Ewww! You don’t have bedbugs!”

“No, we don’t,” Elaine said, poking my father in the arm playfully. “Your grandad just likes that silly little rhyme. He should know better than to put ideas into a child’s head at this time of night.”

“Sorry, Kiddo. No bedbugs in our house. Your Grandma is too good of a housekeeper for that.”

I rolled my eyes at my father and smiled as I left the patio with Sophie. He mouthed ’Sorry’ to me as I passed by.

I squeezed his shoulder, because it was something he used to say to me when I was a child, so it was something I remembered with affection.

After assuring Sophie that there were no bedbugs to bite her, and tucking her in, I went back to sit with my father and Elaine until it was our own time for bed.

It was peaceful at the beach house on the patio. The shore was a couple of dozen yards away — close enough that the house qualified as beach front property but far enough away so that it wasn’t too loud. The soft lap of waves on the shore was comforting, not threatening.

“I’ll speak with my physician tomorrow to make sure he thinks I’m healthy enough for the trip,” my father said as we watched the stars and drank some decaf coffee.

“That’s good, Daddy. I would love you to come, but if your doctor thinks it would be too much, maybe we have to postpone it until you are better.”

“I’m feeling much better these last few days, so hopefully I’m fully on the mend. I’d hate to miss out seeing Liam’s grave once before I kick off.”

When it was finally time for bed, I kissed him goodnight and then went to check on Sophie before going to my own room, which was next to hers.

After my nightly routine, I changed into my nightgown and stood at the window looking out at the dark ocean beyond. Tomorrow, we’d be on our way to Nairobi. I’d be back in Drake’s arms, and happy for it. We made a promise to never be separated again, but of course, real life ignores such arrogant promises.

We wouldn’t be separated for long. At least I could feel good about that.

I laid in bed and saw that it was almost six in the morning in Nairobi. Drake would be waking soon, so I took a photo of myself lying in bed on top of the sheets, my nightgown on and one hand behind my head on the pillow.

KATE: Wishing you were here, or I was there. Soon. Kisses and love. XOXOX

Then, I closed my phone and turned off the light. I had a leisurely day ahead of me and wanted to relax in the sun, so I’d be in shape when it came time to pack up and leave for the airport for our night flight to Nairobi on Monday.

CHAPTER 12

Iwoke at around seven in the morning and the first thing I did was check my cell.

There, as I expected, was one of Kate’s nightly texts with a pic of her in her nightgown, delicious lips spread, eyes half lidded, the top of her breasts peeking out under the lacy fabric.

The look on her face sent a jolt of lust right to my cock.

I smiled and took in a deep breath.

DRAKE: How do you expect me to concentrate on getting ready for a busy day at the hospital when you send me such delicious and erotic images each night???

On my part, I went directly to the shower and got lathered up, relieving myself of a morning erection with the image of Kate in my mind’s eye. Once I was done, I grabbed my cell and took a photo of myself, including my face, chest and groin area, with my hips covered by a towel, of course…

Discretion being the better part of valor, or so the saying went.

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