Forever After (Unrestrained 5)

“It hurt like hell for weeks,” I said, remembering all the times I fed Sophie with tears in my eyes. “But once I got it right, it stopped hurting completely.”

He stroked Sophie’s head and then brushed hair off my cheek, smiling as he did.

“My two girls,” he said softly. “I wish my father was alive to see you two.”

I smiled at Drake, a sense of regret filling me that I’d never met the legendary Liam Morgan.

“I wish I’d known him.”

“He would have charmed you,” Drake said. “He was a lady’s man. You would have loved him.”

“Like father like son,” I said with a laugh.

“I am not a lady’s man,” Drake said with a mock-frown. “I’m a committed married man and father of a beautiful daughter.”

Later, when I was finished nursing Sophie, I laid her down on the floor on her blanket for some tummy time. Drake sat beside me, reading the paper.

“Oh, I forgot,” he said and left the room, taking the stairs to the second floor. “Stay right where you are.”

“I’m not going anywhere,” I replied, smiling at the look on his face. I wondered what he was doing, but he came back down quickly and had his hand behind his back.

“I guess you forgot what day it is,” he said as he stood across from me, his hands behind his back.

“What do you mean?” I said and frowned, trying to remember but failed. “I’m drawing a blank…”

“You’ve been preoccupied, so I don’t blame you, but I remember. Here,” he said and knelt in front of me, on one knee. “This is for you.”

He held out a small present, the size of a ring box wrapped in white paper with a big pink ribbon.

“Oh, my God,” I said, finally realizing the fact it was Valentine’s Day. “I forgot all about it. I didn’t even get anything for you. Not even a card…” I glanced at his face, but he was smiling, apparently too excited about me opening his present to care about the fact I’d forgotten to get him anything. “I’m so sorry…”

“Don’t say a word,” he said and held out the box. “This is a small token of my love for you.”

I finally took the little present and gently pulled off the ribbon and paper, to reveal a black velvet ring box as I suspected. When I opened it, my eyes almost bugged out. It was a huge pink diamond cut in a marquise shape set in white gold.

“Drake, you shouldn’t have,” I said and slipped it on my other finger. It fit perfectly, of course.

“I most certainly should have and wanted to,” he said and took my hand, kissing my palm before turning my hand over so he could admire the ring. “It’s a very rare pink diamond that I found when I was looking for something for you.”

I admired the ring. It was beautiful. “Was it very expensive?”

“Not really,” Drake said. “I mean, not compared to some. Colored diamonds are less valuable because they’re flawed. But I thought this would be perfect for you. It’s so pretty.”

I smiled and pulled closer up for a kiss. He leaned over me, his hands on either side of me, his body between my thighs. Of course, in that position, my mind went immediately to what else I’d like that body of his to do and I wrapped my legs around his hips.

“Mmm, Ms. Bennet,” he murmured against the skin of my neck. “This position gives me many ideas…”

“Me, too,” I said and smiled when he began kissing my chin, my throat and nibbling on my ear. “Maybe when Sophie goes to sleep…”

“Count on it,” Drake said. “I’ll run a nice bubble bath with candles and we can indulge.”

“It’s a date.”

We kissed once more and although I would have been happy to make love with Drake right then and there – if Sophia was asleep that is – I let him go and he sat beside me on the sofa, adjusting himself, and picked up the paper once more.

Chapter 21 - Drake

Kate had been on edge ever since Sophie ran the fever.