Page 31 of The Naughty List

Drake licks the seam of my lips and I part them, moaning when his tongue meets mine. His hand on my cheek moves to the back of my head, his fingers tangling in my hair as he angles me just right.

He kisses me deeper, harder like he can't get enough. My lower stomach tightens and I feel a shiver of arousal take over my body before dripping out of my pussy. I slide my hands up his chest and wrap them around his neck, encouraging him to continue.

The hand at the small of my back slides down and around to my front until he's kneading and stroking my inner thigh. God, it feels sogood. I've never been this turned on.

I'm about to crawl into his lap when someone clears their throat.

I twist out of his embrace and bury my face in my hands. I can't believe I did that. I can't believe I made out with the sexiest man alive right here in a freaking booth in a freaking bakery in freaking public.

"Can I get you two lovebirds anything?"

Without opening my eyes, I know it's Mrs. Marin, the owner of Holly Jolly Bakery. She doesn't sound upset that we were being indecent in her store. In fact, it sounds like she's more amused than anything else.

"Oh, my God," I whisper under my breath.

Drake chuckles and wraps his arm around me, tucking me into his side.

"We're good, thanks. We'll head out of here soon."

Mrs.Marin just laughs softly, and then steps away, seemingly satisfied.

"I can't believe that happened," I groan.

"I can't believe I waited so long to do that," Drake responds.

"What do you mean, you waited so long? We barely know each other!"

Drake tips my chin up so I have to look him in the eye. "That's not true, now is it, angel?"

"No," I whisper. It's not true. Idoknow him. And now he knows things about me no one else does. He rewards me with a smile and a chaste kiss before helping me out of the booth.

We walk out to the parking lot hand in hand. He looks over his shoulder and tenses at something, then pulls me into his side, picking up the pace. Maybe he just wants to be closer to me? It's kind of weird, but I shrug it off.

Once again, Drake helps me into the car. This time, he does put my seatbelt on. I open my mouth to tell him I'm fully capable of buckling my seatbelt, but he kisses the words right out of my mouth.

"I know you're strong and independent. But I'm showing you I'll always keep you safe. I want to take care of you in every way," he whispers before kissing my forehead. I can't do anything but nod. I could get used to his care and attention. In fact, I plan on doing just that.

CHAPTER FOUR

DRAKE

It killed me to drop Melissa off at her car on Saturday, especially since I spotted that same shady dude from the grocery store parking lot. I wasn't a hundred percent sure it was him, but he looked sketchy and like he'd been lurking around the parking lot for a while. I didn't want to scare Melissa or draw attention to it, however.

It was already a big day for her, and I didn't want to push her too far by inviting her back to my place. In a perfect world, she'd call Indie and tell her to take Carson for the night so I could wrap her up in a blanket and hold her in my lap to reassure both of us that she's here, I'm here, and we're both safe. I'd also like to lay her out naked on my bed so I could feast on every inch of her.

Then again, in a perfect world, her fucking ex wouldn't have treated her like shit and laid his hands on her. The pen I'm holding snaps when I clench my fists. Jesus, it took everything in me not to roar out in anger and demand she tell me his name and address.

How dare he break her heart? How dare he make her feel like anything less than the goddess she is? Frigid? Fuck that. She's the hottest little thing I've ever laid my eyes on. How could anyone run around behind her back? I sure as hell will never have enough of her.

All of that already secured a future appointment between my fists and his face, but knowing he touched her in anger? Gave her bruises? Hell no. Just. No. I can't just do nothing. It goes against everything I am and everything I was raised to believe to let that shit slide. I'm even more motivated to teach him a lesson since it's my woman he hurt.

I know it will take time to undo all of the lies she's let herself believe over the years, but the fact that she trusted me enough to let me see her tender, tattered heart means the world to me. It gives me a place to start when it comes to showing her how much I love her.

I knew I loved her the moment I saw her burst into tears in the parking lot of the daycare. It took a few days to let that truth take hold in my heart, but now that I have a word for the intense, possessive feelings I have for both her and Carson, I feel like I can breathe again.

Ink starts trickling down the palm of my hand, reminding me I broke a pen. I toss the thing in the trash can and wash my hands, then change into a clean shirt.

It's Wednesday, the first of my three days off. We're on a forty-eight-hour rotation at the fire station—two days on, two off, etc., etc. Every once in a while, the schedule works out so I get three days off. I hope to spend them all with Melissa and Carson. Well, and possibly some alone time with Melissa. I won't pressure her to do anything she's not ready for. God knows what all she endured in her past. If all we did was cuddle and fall asleep in each other's arms, I wouldn't complain one bit.

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