Risking Her Heart: A Contemporary Romance Novel Read online

  Something had shifted between them when they were on the rooftop. She wanted it to continue. Her fear was Drake becoming arrogant toward her again.

  “Another?”

  Livvie smiled as she finished swallowing the scone.

  As he broke off another piece, she instinctively opened her mouth once again. The sugar, chocolate, and the fact that he was feeding her was driving her crazy. With both hands, she grabbed onto his arm, desperately trying to center herself again. Once the rest of the scone had been placed in her mouth, he brushed his thumb along her lips. She wondered if he still considered this not intimately touching.

  And she was determined to emphasize the point. The second Livvie swallowed, she circled her tongue around his thumb and moved it back and forth, tasting him. How she wished it was his cock and not his thumb, but she had chosen Plan B. She looked into his gorgeous eyes, and she could read the intensity in them, mirroring hers.

  “Olivia, if you keep this up, I’ll be feeding you more than just scones. And I’m trying desperately to keep my word with you.” Drake paused. “You did come down here for scones. Am I correct?”

  “Well…” Livvie said as flirtatiously as she could. What was she doing? She was playing with fire; that’s what she was doing. “I also came down for some cake.”

  Drake laughed. Livvie loved that sound, and the fact she had caused it made her feel all mushy inside. He pecked her on the lips and then shouted Mr. Birkshire’s name.

  The man appeared through a side door. “You called, sir?”

  “Yes, my lady requests cake. Please have the new baker bring in a piece. A very large piece, Mr. Birkshire.”

  Mr. Birkshire nodded and then left the room. When they were once again alone, Livvie grabbed the sides of Drake’s face.

  “Thank you,” she whispered. She wasn’t used to a man trying to please her. Usually, she was the one trying to please them. And it felt odd. Good, but odd. Especially coming from a man who never wanted a committed relationship.

  To make matters worse, Drake kissed her on the lips in response to her thanking him. A kiss that was far from a peck. He inserted his tongue into her mouth as if he deserved to be there. Her tongue automatically joined his, and they connected in the way that the rest of her body was dying to do. He ran his hands through her hair, and she didn’t even care that his fingers were covered with crumbs and sugar. It felt more natural, being messy. Livvie mirrored his actions and ran her hands through his hair. Instinctively, they both moved closer, while tugging at each other’s hair as their lips performed a dance of ecstasy.

  The kiss would have lasted forever, but Mr. Birkshire cleared his throat. She was super mortified, and her face grew hot. She hated it when her face gave away her emotions. Drake, on the other hand, was cool as usual. He stopped kissing her and nodded at Mr. Birkshire, as if kissing a woman in the dining room with scone crumbs all over his hands was the norm around there. And maybe it was, to Drake. Maybe Mr. Birkshire had seen this hundreds of times. The thought made Livvie cringe inwardly.

  When the cake appeared a second later, Livvie wasn’t sure if it was such a good idea for Drake to feed her again. She wanted him badly. And feeding her food directly from his fingers wasn’t making resisting him any easier. Luckily for her, Mr. Birkshire stayed in the room.

  “Mr. Morganthal, I also have news.”

  Drake didn’t seem at all happy with him still being there. “Yes?” he said quickly.

  “Your mother will be joining your lunch party tomorrow as well.”

  Drake sighed loudly. “Why?”

  “She implied on the telephone that she hasn’t seen you in a while. I figured the easiest way for you to deal with her would be at lunch with others.”

  Drake nodded. “I don’t like it, but you’re right. Thank you.”

  Mr. Birkshire nodded and left the room. Drake handed Livvie a fork, and together they dove into the vanilla buttercream cake with tiny pieces of chocolate in the center. It tasted divine, but after finding out about his mom’s impending visit, Livvie felt uncomfortable.

  “So what kind of lunch are you having tomorrow?” she asked after she had swallowed a big bite of cake.

  “It’s a lunch with some of my loyal customers. They’re flying in from the East Coast.”

  “Just for lunch?” Livvie asked.

  “No, they have business in San Francisco, I believe, so they’re stopping here first.”

  Drake resumed eating the cake, and Livvie felt too awkward to ask more questions. She was dying to know if she was invited, but she couldn’t ask. After all, she was only his raffle winner. Although, she felt like they were becoming good friends. To avoid asking the question, Livvie shoved a mouthful of cake into her mouth.

  Unconsciously, she moaned. From the look on Drake’s face, she guessed he had never heard a woman moan while eating cake. Livvie stared back at him as if she had been caught taking a cookie from the jar. She wanted him to think she was a sophisticated adult like the women he was used to, but unfortunately, her cake obsession gave away that she was really a little girl inside a woman’s body. Livvie inhaled deeply and continued eating the cake, still moaning at odd moments.

  Mr. Birkshire appeared once again, as if he sensed Drake needing him. They had the oddest relationship.

  “Yes?” Mr. Birkshire asked.

  “If Olivia’s recent display is any indication of how good this new baker is, please hire him immediately, and tell him to make the exact same cake for tomorrow.”

  Livvie felt her cheeks flush, while Drake looked at her with a twinkle in his eye and an “I want to fuck you” smile on his face.

  “Yes, sir.” Without batting an eyelid Mr. Birkshire nodded and left the room, once again leaving them alone.

  “As much as I’d love nothing more than to stay and watch you eat this cake, I must prepare for tomorrow,” said Drake.

  Feeling as if she had outstayed her welcome, Livvie grabbed her napkin and dabbed the sides of her mouth as gracefully as she could. She felt like she had buttercream all over her face. But Drake grabbed her hand as she was in the middle of dabbing herself.

  “Please finish the cake without me. Watching you eat this was a huge turn-on. I’d like to picture you finishing it while I’m working away.”

  Livvie’s heart beat faster as his fingers grazed her chin. She stuck her tongue down toward his fingers and began licking them. They still tasted like the scones he’d fed her. She licked them thoroughly, enjoying the taste and feel of him. She gazed into his eyes. She would have been perfectly happy, keeping her eyes closed, but his eyes kept on changing. First he appeared shocked, but then his gaze filled with an intense desire. Judging by the look on his face, he didn’t want her to stop, so she continued licking even faster, wanting to give him a performance to think about while he worked. She licked in circles, making sure she touched every part of his fingers while holding his gaze the entire time. Then he looked at her as if she was the most ravishing woman he had ever seen. His eyes grew in intensity, and he clenched his jaw as if it was taking every bit of control he had not to throw her down on the dining room table.

  Then reality crept in. What was she doing? Playing with fire. That’s what she was doing. With much reluctance Livvie stopped licking and released his fingers. She grabbed the glass of water and began gulping it down, trying desperately to get his taste out of her mouth. Not that she wanted to. She adored his taste, but she had to look out for her fragile heart. There was no way she could sleep with Drake. It would feel as if she were throwing all the work she’d done on herself in the last few months right into the garbage.

  When she looked up at Drake, his eyes were filled with anger.

  “Does my taste repulse you?” Drake wasn’t yelling, necessarily, more like speaking quietly with a force that would scare anyone.

  “No, not all.” Livvie spoke softly, but only because she felt guilty for almost crossing the line.

  “Then why did you stop?” Drake’s tone had
not changed.

  “I didn’t want to stop,” Livvie said quietly.

  “Then what’s the problem?” Drake asked.

  Livvie inhaled. She needed to be honest with him. He was honest with her on the rooftop. “I’m afraid to sleep with you, and I’m afraid not to sleep with you.”

  “Why are you so afraid?”

  “Because you gave us an expiration date,” Livvie blurted out.

  Drake looked at her as if she was one of those emotional, crazy types of women Carly and Livvie always swore they’d never become.

  “Olivia, you would have slept with Andrew for one night and been completely okay with never seeing him again.”

  Okay, he has me there, thought Livvie. And the fact he knew that didn’t make her feel any better.

  “But my heart wasn’t involved with Andrew. And with you it is. What happened to the Drake I spoke with on the rooftop? He told me I deserved more,” Livvie said.

  “We already crossed the line. My dick may not be inside you, but the line was crossed.” He groaned. “Be careful, Olivia. This week cost you one hundred dollars—the price of the raffle ticket. I wouldn’t want it to also cost you your heart.”

  He threw his napkin onto the table and stormed out of the dining room, leaving Livvie alone. She looked at the piece of cake Drake had wanted her to finish without him. Not only was her appetite ruined, she also wanted to throw the cake against the wall. However, it wasn’t the cake that had caused this. Clearly, Drake and she both had issues. He had told her exactly who he was on the rooftop. Should she leave? Livvie considered it for a brief moment. No, that was a cowardly thing to do, and Olivia Collins may be a lot of things, but she was no coward. Drake would have to throw her out, and so far, he hadn’t. That gave her at least a little hope. But Carly had once told Livvie that when it came to men, feeling hopeful could be dangerous.

  Chapter Ten

  Livvie awoke bright and early to her alarm again. She wasn’t sure if Drake would be outside working the vineyard this morning, but she felt as if they needed to clear the air. She also knew his mom and some of his customers were coming for lunch, and he hadn’t invited her, so it was unclear whether she’d get a chance to see him today at all.

  After the cake episode, Livvie had spent the remainder of the day and evening writing in her room. Mr. Birkshire had left her dinner again by her door. She was grateful that he, at least, had thought about her. She felt so exhausted that she had fallen asleep quickly after eating and had no idea what time Drake made it to his bedroom. Maybe she had frustrated him so much yesterday that he went out to find a willing woman to fuck. She was sure that wouldn’t be hard for him. Any woman but her would be more than eager to have sex with him, even if he directly told them it would only be once. Maybe Mr. Birkshire was right, and she should have left her baggage by the door, but that didn’t seem right, either. How was she supposed to let loose if he wasn’t willing to compromise? Besides, she wasn’t asking to be with him forever. All she wanted to know was that they would stay in touch and see what happened. Was that too much to ask?

  Livvie rose from her bed and ran to the window, hoping to spot Drake in his vineyard. She scanned the length of the vineyard and then remembered to look toward the path he had instructed her to take the other day. And she found him. He must have been kneeling by his grapes because he slowly rose from the ground as if he was a God. He looked like one, anyway. Tall and regal as he looked up at the sun, perhaps gauging how the weather would affect his grapes for the day. She couldn’t see exactly what he was wearing from her bedroom window, but she noticed his beautiful arm muscles and his hot-as-hell body. She wanted him so badly. Once she left here, she would only see him on the cover of magazines, in articles about his winery, and maybe even on the news.

  Livvie inhaled deeply and leaned her head against the window. She adored him after only a few days, and there wasn’t anything she could do about it. Olivia Collins, an Ivy League school graduate and unemployed television writer had fallen for a man she’d only known for a few days. And there was no way she could protect her heart. And what was the point anyway? She tried to make intelligent choices, but her heart seemed to lead the way, and she hoped everything would be okay.

  It wasn’t even about his looks. She was getting to know Drake on the inside, and she liked him.

  As hard as it was, Livvie stepped away from her window and opened her closet, having finally unpacked. She decided to wear her blue sundress, which matched her eyes. This dress always made her feel good, with thin straps and a low neck that showed her cleavage. It made her chest look bigger and her hips smaller. She grabbed her white, flat sandals, ready to begin the day. With one more glance out the window, she picked up her journal from her night table and then headed out the door.

  * * * * *

  Livvie crept down the stairs, unsure what mood she’d find Drake in when she finally met up with him. When her ex-boyfriends were in a bad mood, they would usually ignore her or act mean. Maybe he wasn’t like other men when it came to moods. She knew he wasn’t like other men in general, except for the commitment phobic part. Unfortunately, there were a lot of those out there. Drake confessed to having a real fear of commitment. She wished she could change that.

  When she reached the bottom of the stairs, she gripped the banister, as if she might draw some strength from it, find the courage she so desperately needed. She wanted Drake to realize what he’d miss when she left. And the only way to do that was to be her true self—strong, brave, and fearless. She had to remind herself that she was no longer the naïve woman she was when she was engaged to Liam, or the angry woman she was when she got fired and Zach cheated on her.

  Feeling in control once again, Livvie raised her chin a little higher and approached the back doors that led to the vineyard. The vision that awaited her caused her to suddenly stop. Looking out the window, Livvie saw a woman who appeared older than Drake giving him a hug. Livvie studied the woman’s face and her beautiful features. As her hair was the same dark shade as Drake’s, and they shared the same color emerald eyes, Livvie assumed this was his mother, who had seemingly arrived super early. Livvie had hoped to have at least a few more hours alone with Drake before his mother and his other guests arrived. With only a few days remaining, every moment felt precious.

  Maybe this would be better, though. Maybe not being alone with him would stop her from wanting to devour him every chance she got. She had been walking around with wetness between her thighs for days now. Clearly, she needed to calm herself down.

  Pushing those thoughts aside, Livvie inhaled deeply and opened the French door. In the back of her mind, she thought they may want some mother-son time, but his mother must have seen Livvie standing inside the door, so there was nothing she could do but face the introductions. His mother was the last person she would want to meet. After all, any mother can recognize a female lusting after her son. Talk about awkward.

  The second Livvie stepped outside, Drake and his mom stopped talking, which made Livvie feel as if she had made a grave mistake. What was she thinking? She was only a raffle winner. She had no right to assume Drake would want to introduce her to his mother. Plus, she hadn’t been officially invited to join them all at lunch. Maybe Mr. Birkshire and Drake had intended for her to eat by herself in her room.

  Drake pinned her with his gaze and didn’t look away, and despite the presence of his mother, he raked his eyes up and down her body, pausing for a moment in his perusal of her when his gaze hit upon the general area of her hips and breasts.

  Staring back at him, Livvie felt as if she was being sucked into a vortex. Her body reacted to him very differently than her mind. She could control her mind, but her body felt entirely different.

  “Drake, are you going to introduce me to this lovely young lady, or are you both going to continue staring at each other?”

  There’s nothing like another woman telling it like it is, thought Livvie. She’d always appreciated a woman who didn’t hesi
tate to speak her mind. She only hoped his mom was a lot less intimidating than her son.

  “Yes, Mother, I was about to; I’m just surprised to see my little raffle winner out here so early in the morning,” Drake said while grinding his teeth.

  Livvie guessed he was still mad about yesterday. If she were just a “little raffle winner,” why would he even care?

  Livvie stuck her hand out for his mom to shake. “Hi, you must be Drake’s mom. I’m Olivia, but please call me Livvie.”

  Drake’s mom grabbed her hand tightly and returned her smile. Livvie had an urge to run into her arms and cry like a baby, but instead, she inhaled and held back her unshed tears.

  “Please call me Veronica.” She placed both her hands around Livvie’s and squeezed. The action made Livvie feel oddly safe and comforted.

  “So you’re the raffle winner?” Veronica asked with a twinkle in her eye. Up close, the woman was beautiful, just like her son.

  “Yes, I’m the lucky raffle winner,” Livvie said a little too sarcastically.

  Veronica squeezed her hand once more. Livvie held Veronica’s hands for strength in the same way she had held on to the banister earlier.

  “You know, honey, when I heard that my son was allowing a stranger to stay at his sacred castle for the week, I was surprised. But Drake has a good heart, and he’d do whatever it takes for a stranger to have the best care possible.”

  “Mother!” Drake was still grinding his teeth.

  “And to find out that this lucky raffle winner is a woman as beautiful as you are makes me believe that once again the universe knows better than I do.” Veronica was beaming from ear to ear.