Risking Her Heart: A Contemporary Romance Novel Read online

  Drake held the glass in his hand and looked at her. “No, so we can have a more enjoyable week together.”

  Mr. Birkshire and the others appeared again. They quickly cleared the table and placed lobster tails and mashed potatoes in front of them then left. She was convinced they felt the rising tension in the room.

  They ate in silence. Livvie wasn’t that hungry, but the lobster tail tasted decadent.

  “You know,” Drake said while pushing his plate away. “When I was approached with the idea of allowing a random raffle winner to stay at my home for one full week, I hated the idea.”

  Livvie put down her fork and pushed her plate away as well.

  “I kept thinking some stranger would win who would grate on my nerves. Someone who was so in awe of my fame or someone afraid of it. Worse still, I thought I’d get someone who would manipulate and figure out a way for me to benefit their life according to their needs.”

  Livvie swallowed and looked away.

  “But I agreed to the raffle idea, anyway.”

  “Why?” she asked, glancing back at him.

  “Because it was for a charity very dear to me, and except for some bottles of expensive wine that would mean nothing to most people, I had nothing else of value to offer. I value this charity very much. It was also for a school, and they didn’t think raffling bottles of wines was appropriate. I guess I could have written them a check, but they needed more prizes.”

  Livvie looked away again. He was up to something. In her experience, men never revealed their feelings without a good reason. Somehow, she knew she was tied into the reason.

  “So imagine my surprise when you walked through the door,” Drake continued. “And not only because of your exquisite beauty.”

  A twinkle appeared in Drake’s eyes, and he continued talking. “You see, Olivia, after meeting you, I realized you don’t fit into any of those categories.”

  “I don’t?” Livvie asked.

  Drake leaned back in his chair. “No, you don’t grate on my nerves. You’re not thinking of ways I can benefit you. You’re not in awe of my fame, and you’re not afraid of it, either.” Drake paused. “But you are afraid of me.”

  “I’m not,” Livvie said.

  “Shhhhhh…you are.” Drake paused again. “You see, Olivia—”

  “Please, call me Livvie.”

  “You see, Olivia.”

  Livvie rolled her eyes, and Drake ignored her.

  “The woman who ordered a red rental car, the woman who parked on Main Street and looked up at my castle was a courageous, spontaneous woman who was taking a risk by coming here but was very much up for the challenge.”

  Great, thought Livvie. She should have known a man such as Drake Morganthal would have cameras everywhere.

  She also had a strong feeling she wouldn’t like what he said next. And when Drake grabbed her hand, which she hadn’t noticed was clenched in a tight fist, she felt as if she wanted to run. But she couldn’t. Drake opened her tight fingers and in slow circles with his thumb caressed her palm. Then he continued speaking in an almost trancelike way.

  “But the woman who looked into my eyes for the first time in her life, and the woman who showed up at my dinner table wasn’t afraid of my fame. Instead, she was afraid of me, as a man.”

  Livvie began to speak, but he instantly cut her off.

  “Please, let me finish.”

  It took everything for her not to tell him to fuck off. But she couldn’t with his thumb making hypnotizing circles on her palm.

  “And as a man, imagine my surprise when I saw how beautiful you are. Imagine my surprise when I looked into your alluring blue eyes for the first time, and it took all my willpower to look away. Imagine my surprise when your touch in the guest bedroom set me on edge, making me want to throw you onto the bed and fuck you right there and then. Forget about the handshake. I never knew a handshake could feel so sensual. And imagine my surprise when I watched you sip your wine, and I felt jealous that the wineglass felt your lips before I did.”

  Stunned that they were sharing similar thoughts and fantasies, Livvie tried to move her hand away, but Drake wouldn’t let her. Her heart was beating wildly, but this time it had nothing to do with anxiety. Instead, her body felt as if it was on high alert. Her nipples hardened under her dress, and she had to squeeze her thighs together, afraid of making his dining room chair wet.

  “So you see, we have a problem, Olivia.”

  “We do?” Livvie whispered. She knew what her problem was. She needed to stay away from him.

  “Yes, we do.” Drake continued torturing her with his hand massage. “I want you to be the woman I saw approaching my house. The woman who’s craving freedom and adventure.”

  Livvie licked her bottom lip. She didn’t mean to, but she was so engrossed in his words. And so thrown off kilter by how well he could read her. No man had ever managed that. No man had ever cared enough.

  “What do you suggest?” Livvie whispered again, as her mind was warning her of danger.

  Drake softly smiled. “I’m glad you asked.” He paused. “As a man, I want to help you find that adventure. Help you find the freedom you so badly crave. So I have two ideas.”

  Livvie swallowed, her entire body pulsing.

  “My first idea, which is my preference, is that I fuck you every day and every night for the next week. I’ll make sure you come multiple times, every time. I’ll make sure you’re completely satisfied, and you’ll have the week you crave. But at the end of the week, we’ll be done. I don’t do long-term, committed relationships. And you must know this up front. But I guarantee you’ll have one of the best weeks of your life if not the best week.”

  Livvie could smell her arousal. She prayed Drake couldn’t smell it, too. “Or?”

  Drake was no longer smiling. “Or you could know how badly I want you. How badly I want to do all of these dark and dirty things to you.” Drake paused again. “But I won’t touch you, other than occasionally on your arm or hand. The type of touch a friend would give you. I’ll show you around my vineyard, eat with you, and spend time with you, again as friends would do. And I want you to find freedom in that. Freedom to know I want you as a man wants a beautiful woman, but I give you my word I won’t act on my desires. You’re safe with me, Olivia, to let go. To be the woman who’s inside you.”

  Livvie looked Drake deep in his eyes to see if he was being sincere. And from what she could see, he was. What would it be like to be with a man who had no intention of touching her sexually, all the while, knowing he wanted her? He was right. There was a certain freedom to that. And the fact he was willing to give her this meant something. At the same time, could she go a full week without touching him? Knowing that this beautiful man could do all these kinky things to her, which she craved. Things that would make her feel free but in a different way. Things he had probably done to tons of women before her.

  Before she could make up her mind Drake released her hand. Mr. Birkshire entered with Andrew, and they cleared the table and looked at Drake expectantly.

  “Dessert, Olivia?”

  Drake raised an eyebrow, and Livvie knew he was demanding she make a choice. He hadn’t given her much time to analyze his proposition. But the other men being in the room made her think clearer. Drake had no intention of going further with her than this week. And she was sure her heart could not take it.

  “No, thank you.” She made her choice, and there was no going back now. She liked the feel of his hand massage, but there was no way she would go further. Drake as a friend was one thing. Drake as a lover was another. Not only was she through with alpha-men, there was no way in hell she’d be with one who was also a commitment-phobe. No, thank you.

  Drake looked at Mr. Birkshire and nodded. The other men left the room, leaving Drake and her alone once again. He stood, and Livvie stood with him.

  “I still have work to do. May I walk you back to your room, or do you remember the way?”

  “I know
the way,” she said.

  Drake nodded, and together they walked toward the door on the other end of the dining room. When they reached it, Drake grabbed Livvie and threw her against the wall. With one hand he grabbed both of hers and placed them above her head, so she was unable to move. And with the other he reached under her dress and touched her crotch on the outside of her panties.

  Livvie’s clit began to pulse, as his hand remained firmly against her most intimate area.

  “And as a man, I wanted to make sure the first woman who has rejected me was as affected by him as he was by her.” Swiftly, Drake moved her panties aside and thrust two fingers inside her.

  Livvie couldn’t help but moan. He suddenly stopped, instantly removed his fingers, and released her hands.

  “As I suspected, you’re dripping wet, Olivia.”

  Drake looked into her eyes, and Livvie knew he was giving her another opportunity to change her mind. Of course, she’d love if he fucked her, but it was wrong, unless he proved otherwise.

  He leaned in toward her and inhaled.

  “Vanilla, how appropriate,” Drake whispered in her ear and then straightened up. He looked at her for a moment, nodded, and then he opened the door and left.

  She could have followed him as that was the direction of the stairs, but she didn’t. She needed to compose herself first. This may have been the first time Drake had been rejected, but it was also the first time she hadn’t given in to a man. And even though her body was screaming at her that she had made the wrong choice, she was convinced this was the start of a very interesting week.

  Chapter Four

  Livvie had set her alarm for four-thirty the next morning, making sure she had time for a shower before meeting Drake in his vineyard. At least she assumed she was meeting Drake in his vineyard. When she had arrived at her room the night before, there had been a note under her door from Mr. Birkshire, informing her to be ready by 5:30 a.m. for a vineyard tour. But after choosing Plan B instead of Plan A, she might not be meeting Drake after all.

  Last night had been complete torture. No matter how she looked at it, if she slept with him, she’d never hear from him again after this week, and if she denied herself and didn’t sleep with him, she still wouldn’t hear from him after this week. Both thoughts depressed her terribly. She obsessed over her decision until three in the morning. She had never tossed and turned so much in her entire life.

  What made the situation even worse was that she kept listening for Drake to open his bedroom door. She desperately wanted to call Carly, but Livvie was afraid Carly would tell her that she had made the wrong decision. Because in the grand picture of Livvie’s life, did it really matter? One way or the other, after this week, he’d be out of her life for good.

  She also regretted leaving her vibrator at home. He had gotten her all worked up and then…nothing. When she heard him finally open his bedroom door at around 2:00 a.m., she succumbed to using her finger. She came instantly, thinking about everything that could have happened but didn’t.

  Livvie sighed as she closed her eyes and allowed the hot water from the shower to drip down her body. The water felt good, but Drake’s tongue would have felt much better. Livvie immediately opened her eyes. Where had that thought come from? She couldn’t think that way. It would only lead to her destruction, and hadn’t men already done enough damage? As much as she wanted to let go and have fun with Drake, she couldn’t. Her heart couldn’t take any more. And Drake was obviously a player and a charmer.

  The shower wasn’t helping like she’d hoped it would. Quickly, she washed her hair and body and turned off the water. And as she stepped out of the shower and grabbed one of the enormous, fluffy white towels, she realized what she really feared. What if Drake acted all weird when she saw him? What if he no longer had any intention of seeing her and had one of his employees give her a tour? Men usually acted all weird when they were rejected, and according to Drake, she was the first woman who had ever rejected him. She wished she had that kind of luck when it came to men.

  Holding the towel close to her heart, she sighed. She loved the feel of the cozy cotton against her skin. She would definitely have to ask Mr. Birkshire where they had bought them. The bathroom was beautiful, too. She loved all the white marble, and the crystal chandelier was gorgeous. Maybe if she took a picture, she could try to design this look as closely as possible in her own home. First, though, she needed to find another job, so she could afford it.

  With her towel fully wrapped around her, she opened the bathroom door and was about to walk out when she noticed a sticky post on the door. She read it quickly before holding it to her chest as if the note was sacred. Drake must have come into her room while she was in the shower. She could have sworn she had locked the door last night, but since this was his house, he must have the key. Still, she was surprised he had entered the room without her knowing.

  With trembling fingers Livvie reread the note. It was instructions on how to find him in his vineyard. He said there was a path outside that she needed to follow.

  Looking through her sundresses for the millionth time, she decided on her white one, a cotton dress with short sleeves and a low V in the front, showing some cleavage but not too much. It made her C-cup boobs look a little bigger. But she hoped she wasn’t playing with fire. After last night, she didn’t want him to think she had changed her mind and wanted to go with Plan A. She did, but having sex with him wasn’t coming from a place of intelligence, and Livvie prided herself on being intelligent. The back of the dress had a large black bow, which she quickly tied. Not wanting to be late, she slid on her white sandals and left the room.

  Following his instructions, she found the cobblestone path, which led directly to him. And when she spotted him examining some grapes on the vines, she froze. Luckily, he hadn’t seen her yet, so she could observe him without his knowledge. Livvie was grateful she had these few minutes to stop and stare. Her eyes were more than content, taking in how gorgeous he was in his tight jeans and white polo shirt. His jeans weren’t too tight; they fit perfectly. Even though he looked casual, he still exuded strength and power. She always went for intelligent and ambitious men, but like Drake, they lacked in other ways that mattered. She just had to make sure she didn’t get close enough to smell him.

  “Are you going to stand there all day staring at me, beautiful?” Drake looked up from what he was doing and smiled.

  She smiled back, relieved he didn’t seem angry with her. He looked her up and down, making her feel like the most alluring woman in the world. Then he smiled at her again. She wanted him with every fiber of her being, even though he had devastated her last night by demanding she make a choice. Why wasn’t he willing to compromise? Livvie knew the answer, but it was hard to admit it to herself. Men such as Drake had money and power. They didn’t think they needed to bend. That was the difference between the two of them. She would have compromised. She would have thought of a way that worked for them both. Isn’t that what mature individuals did if they were clearly attracted to each other? But Drake didn’t compromise. And neither did Zach, for that matter.

  “Hi, beautiful.”

  Drake continued to smile, causing Livvie’s heart to thud.

  “So you can call me beautiful, but you can’t kiss me good morning? On the cheek, of course.” Livvie said.

  Drake’s smile faded.

  “Oh, I can kiss you, but I won’t, especially on the cheek.”

  They both stood there in a staring contest, and the sudden tension between them increased.

  Drake inhaled. “Come, I’ll show you my vineyard.”

  With the sun slowly rising, Drake walked over to Livvie and grabbed her hand. She guessed that holding hands was allowed. But feeling his hand in hers again jarred her. The feeling of his bare skin against hers was almost too much. She didn’t experience the electric-like shock feeling she’d felt yesterday. Instead, various sexual images came to mind.

  Be careful, Livvie. You’re tread
ing on dangerous ground.

  As they continued to walk, he slowed their pace and began to explain the vines to her.

  “So I’m hopeful that this year will produce the best wines yet. The weather has been a little dry, but the temperature has been perfect.” Drake’s enthusiasm was contagious.

  Livvie found herself hoping this year would produce the best wines yet, too. This was the year she had met him. Years to come, when she was out of his life, she’d go to the liquor store and see the year on a bottle, and it would be a little secret between her and the bottle of wine.

  Much of what Drake was telling her she already knew from reading Google obsessively before she had arrived, but hearing Drake’s version was nice. He spoke clearly, precisely, and passionately. He truly loved his vineyard, and she was a little jealous of it. He had a long-term, committed relationship with his grapes, and he wouldn’t get rid of them at the end of the week. It was absurd to think such a thing. But her frustration over Drake giving the two of them an expiration date truly pissed her off.

  “It took me a long time to find this piece of land, Olivia.” Drake stopped walking when they reached a part of his vineyard that overlooked the hills.

  Livvie was about to correct him and ask him to call her Livvie, but she stopped herself. At first, she wasn’t thrilled when he called her Olivia. It reminded her of when she used to get in trouble as a child, but when he called her that, it made her feel special, and she liked that, a lot.

  “What made you choose it?” she asked instead.

  Drake looked out over his land as if he cherished it. And once again, Livvie felt a small pang of jealousy.

  “Everyone thinks I worked on Wall Street, and then one day, I woke up and decided to throw all of that away and buy a vineyard.”

  “Well, Google did sort of imply that,” Livvie said while smiling sweetly.

  Her statement was enough to cause Drake to remove his focus from his vineyard and look directly at her. And when Livvie’s eyes met his, her heart fluttered.

  “And how would you know that?”