Page 135 of Scandalous

I wrap my arm around her, pulling her into my side. She cuddles into me.

“It’s that dock down there?” She indicates to the dock several hundred yards away.

“Yep.”

She pushes off me. “Last one there has to suck Liam’s dick.”

I laugh, taking off after her. “That’s not much of a threat. I love his dick.”

It only takes me a couple of strides to reach her, picking her up and tossing her over my shoulder as I run farther down.

“Drake.” She smacks my back.

I laugh but let her down.

“You okay, Beauty?”

She smiles up at me brighter. “I’m perfect. I wanted to tell you something though.”

I smirk at her. “That you wanted to lose, so you got to be the one to suck Liam’s dick? I already got that when you didn’t struggle too hard.”

She rolls her eyes, her hands coming to my face so I’ll meet her eyes.

“You are one of a kind, Drake. I love you.”

My heart stops.

“Don’t say anything right now. I just thought you should know that I feel it. I think it’s important to make your feelings known.”

I nod numbly.

She grabs my hand, pulling me the rest of the way to the dock.

Aurora loves me.

I mean, I know Liam loves me and the guys love me in their way, but after being told I’d never amount to anything so many times, I never thought I would ever find a woman to love me.

My father told me time and time again that I was a disappointment and that any woman who chose me would be disappointed too.

Then Aurora came along. She makes me feel alive.

Will I be enough for her? Sure, she has the other guys, but can she truly love me the way I am now?

“What’s going on in that big head of yours?” Liam whispers as he pulls me into his arms.

I watch as Santi and Aurora untie the boat, pushing off.

“Aurora told me she loves me.”

Liam’s eyes widen. “All right. How do you feel about that?”

I swallow hard. “I’m not sure I deserve it. What about me makes something that beautiful and pure want to love me?”

“You don’t see yourself the way we see you. You’ve always had a hard time accepting love. That’s okay. There’s nothing wrong with that. You are a strong, caring man. You put everyone else in your life before you. I think that’s why you and Ezra get along so well. You understand one another. Both of you would rather give up your heart than see someone you love lose theirs. Not to mention you are smart as hell. The smartest person I know. You have so much to offer. I’m glad that Aurora sees that.”

I lean my head on his shoulder, watching as Santi pulls her to the front of the boat.

“You really think this will all work out? I feel like every time I finally get something good, something comes along trying to ruin it.”

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