Everlasting (Unrestrained 6)

It would be fun.

I spent the afternoon with Sophia, walking around the streets with her in the stroller, visiting all my favorite neighborhood haunts. I felt good that we'd be moving back for September. It was my favorite time of the year. Our second anniversary would be coming up and it would feel strange not to be celebrating it in Manhattan in Central Park, so I was happy to imagine spending time in the park with all the colors of autumn around us.

We had supper alone, the two of us sitting at the kitchen island, eating leftover pasta from the previous night. When I was finished cleaning up, I gave her a bath and put her in her jammies and then read to her for half an hour. By the time eight came around, she was sleepy and her eyes closed when I laid her in her crib with her bottle. She was asleep soon, her pacifier firmly in her mouth.

On my part, I had a shower and dressed in my little black number that Drake liked so much. I did my best to look as sexy as I could, even wearing more makeup than usual. I wanted to play the part of a groupie, wearing big earrings and high heels and lots of lipstick. I wore my hair in a half-up half-down updo. When I looked in the mirror, I almost decided to take it all off again and go as my usual self, but this was going to be a special night for Drake – his first performance with the band again. He'd be excited and would be looking forward to our 'date'.

Karen arrived precisely at 8:45 p.m. and got set up in front of the sofa with Netflix on to watch the latest episodes of her favorite series.

I said goodbye and went to the street to catch my Uber, which thankfully was right on time. We drove through the streets of the city, and the closer we got to the restaurant, the more the butterflies in my stomach grew.

I arrived at the O'Riley's in time for Drake's final set at 9:30. Because it was a Tuesday, the last set ended at 11:00 P.M. and so we'd have time to say goodbye to everyone and then we'd play out our little musician/groupie fantasy. After I paid my driver, I went inside and said hello to Colin, Ken's brother who tended bar, and then Sarah, his pretty dark-haired sister came by and said hello when I took a seat at a lone table at the back of the bar. Drake told me to sit at the back alone so he could come by and talk to me like I was a stranger.

"Why don't you go sit at the front of the tables beside the stage? That way Drake could see you better."

"No, that's all right," I said and waved her off. "We'll let the customers sit up close. I'm fine here."

"If you're sure, because I can move you if you want..."

"No, that's not necessary," I said and squeezed her hand. "Thanks, but I'm fine here."

"What would you like to drink?"

I bit my bottom lip, trying to think of what I wanted.

"A vodka martini with a twist of lime."

"Coming up," she said and threaded her way through the tables, taking new orders and picking up empty glasses on her way. I sat in the dim room and watched while couples and small groups arrived and left, taking seats and being served. Just before 9:30 P.M., Cliff Walters, one of Drake's band mates, came out on stage and a thrill went through me. Drake would come out soon to tune his guitar and I would get to see him the way other women saw him. As a musician, a hot looking musician, coming out on stage to get ready for the final set.

I glanced around and saw the patrons were busy talking and drinking, but there was a table of young women off to the left of the stage, all dressed up and talking a little more loudly than the other guests. When Drake finally came out from the back of the restaurant to take the stage, the women seemed to perk up and whispered to each other. One wolf-whistled him and my gut clenched, jealousy rising in me in a way that surprised me.

Yeah, he was that good looking...

His dark hair was a bit longish and falling in his eyes in that really sexy way. He wore his black leather pants and a white linen shirt untucked and open a few buttons. If you added a tux jacket, he would have been dressed as his Master D persona and it made me a little breathless to realize he was all mine. Underneath his shirt, when he reached up to adjust the mic, his thick leather belt with the heavy buckle was visible and beneath that, his rather ample package captured behind his leather pants.

Just watching him aroused me.

Drake was gorgeous. He was good looking enough to be a model.

The table of women giggled and laughed to themselves, clearly giving Drake the eye.

One of them called out and at first, I didn’t understand what she said but she repeated it more loudly.

"Hey, Doctor D!"

There was a pause and the three women laughed together, their heads bent closer to each other. Then another spoke up, clearly trying to get Drake's attention.

"Hey, Master D!"

If Drake heard them, he didn't show it. Instead he picked up his bass guitar, slid the strap over his shoulder, plugged it into the amp and then began to tune it, playing scales and chords and adjusting the tuning. He had his head bowed and was listening to the notes, seemingly unaware of the table of women off to the side of the stage clearly ogling him.

Or, maybe he was just outright ignoring them.

I wanted to go over to the table and wipe the ridiculous grins off their faces but of course, I wasn't that kind of person so instead I sat and fumed, sad that they were going to try to ruin Drake's debut back with Mersey.

Whatever those women wanted to achieve with their catcalls, they didn’t succeed. Drake and the band were great. Their set was tight and Drake sounded wonderful. God,

he was so hot...