Summary: After finally confessing the truth to Liam, Drake and MC (Riley Mason) make love for the first time.
The rain had just begun to fall as Riley ran across the grass towards Drake’s cabin, splattering across her bare arms and leaving teardrops on her blue gown. She stumbled as one of her heels caught in the damp earth, just barely catching herself before she felt to her hands and knees. Riley kicked off both shoes, glancing at them for only a moment before she kept running, Cinderella fleeing the ball. Only this time, she wasn’t afraid of turning into a pumpkin. For the first time, Riley felt like she was doing the right thing, like she was finally where she was supposed to be.
She only hoped she wasn’t too late.
“I can’t do this anymore,” Drake said. “I can’t stay at court and watch this.”
“Drake, I’m going to tell him,” Riley said. “I swear I am.”
“I believe you, I just don’t think you should,” Drake said. “I can’t give you anything.” His voice softened as he pushed a strand of hair back from Riley’s face. “Mason, I’m in love with you. But you deserve to be queen. Liam deserves to be with someone like you.”
“What about you?” Riley asked, her voice shaking a little.
“I’m going back to Paris,” he said. “I’ll stay with Savannah for a bit, spend some time with my nephew.”
“But–”
“Riley,” Drake said quietly. “It’s better this way.”
By the time she reached the cabin, the rain was really pouring down, falling in thick sheets that left her soaked. Riley practically launched herself at the front door, banging hard on the wood with the flat of her hand.
“Drake!” she shouted. “Drake, it’s me!” She listened intently, pressing her ear to the door, but she couldn’t hear anything other than the pounding rain. Riley stepped into the empty flowerbeds beside the door, her feet sinking slightly into the mud as she peered into the window. The house was dark.
“No, no, no,” Riley said, desperate tears already standing in her eyes, preparing to mingle with the cold rain on her cheeks. “Drake!” she shouted again, rapping her knuckles on the window pane. Still no answer.
“Liam, I’m so sorry,” Riley said. “I never meant to hurt you.”
“Riley.” Liam looked up at her and she was surprised to see the gentle expression on his face, his corners of his lips upturned in a slight smile. “I appreciate you telling me this, but I already knew. As much as I might have wanted you to, you never looked at me the way you look at Drake.”
Could he be at the marina? The boats were way on the other side of the property, but she had to look. But he wasn’t going to sail to Paris; he probably already left for the airport. Could she get a car? Riley looked around desperately in the rain. Where was Maxwell and that stupid limo when she needed it? Frustrated tears spilled down her cheeks. She couldn’t be too late, she just couldn’t. Riley turned to run back towards the castle when she heard something other than the relentless rain.
“Mason!”
Riley whirled around and saw Drake exiting the front door of the cabin. Without hesitating she ran towards him, just barely keeping her barefooted balance.
“What are you–”
She flung her arms around him and cut off his words with a kiss. For a second she was terrified he wouldn’t return her kiss, but she felt his lips respond against hers, kissing the rain and tears from her mouth.
“I told him,” she said breathlessly, blinking the rain out of her eyes. “I told Liam about us.”
“What?” Drake exclaimed. “Why would you do that?”
“Because I love you,” Riley said, the tears spilling over again. “I thought I was too late, and maybe I still am, but I had to tell you because I want to be with you and maybe you don’t want to be with me anymore, but–”
This time, it was Drake’s turn to silence her with a kiss.
“Let’s go inside,” he said, taking her hand in his. “God, you’re soaked. How long have you been out here?”
“Why didn’t you answer your door?” Riley asked as they hurried back through the rain to the cabin.
“I was asleep,” Drake said. “My flight doesn’t leave until tonight so I was taking a nap because I hate sleeping on planes, and your insane knocking woke me up.”
When they reached the cabin, Riley hesitated in the doorway, glancing down at her muddied feet. Drake noticed her pause and followed her gaze to her feet. Without a word, he swept her up in his arms and carried her through his cabin to the bathroom where he set her gently on the edge of the tub.
“I’ll go get you something to wear in case you want to change out of that,” he said. Riley nodded and watched him leave the bathroom, listening to his footsteps in the adjoining bedroom. He returned shortly, carrying a t-shirt and a pair of flannel pajama pants which he set on the bathroom counter beside the sink. “I’m going to go start a fire,” he said, closing the door behind him.
Riley sat on the edge of the tub, unmoving as she stared at her dirty feet in the clean white tub. He’d kissed her, but he’d still said his flight leaves tonight–was he still going to Paris? What if she put everything out there and he still left?
She stood up carefully and unzipped her dress, stripping the wet fabric from her body until she was naked. She then sat down in the tub and turned on the faucet, the water quickly warming so she could rinse the mud and rain from her feet. Riley splashed water across her face, certain that if there was any makeup left on her face, it was ghoulish and smeared. Finally, when all the water ran clear, she turned off the tub and stood up, reaching for a plush towel. The bathroom was neater than she would’ve expected for a bachelor, but perhaps housekeeping came in and cleaned like they did in the castle. However, there was something about Drake that made Riley doubt he was comfortable with someone else cleaning his home.
Riley climbed out of the bathtub as she toweled off her body, catching a glimpse of herself in the mirror. Most of the makeup was gone, but she used the edge of her finger to clean up the last remnants of eyeliner. Riley stared at her reflection in the mirror, the wet hair plastered to her head, the scrubbed face. She was exposed, physically and emotionally, and although she knew this was where she was supposed to be, she was terrified that she was going to walk out into the other room only to hear Drake tell her he was still going to Paris–alone. Riley took a deep breath, meeting her reflection’s gaze in the mirror. She had to be brave. She’d already wasted too much time not being with him. If she didn’t go for it now, she’d never know.
She dressed in the clothes he’d left for her, inhaling deeply as she pulled the shirt over her head. It smells like Drake she thought, smiling a little at the comforting scent. Riley felt a little like Schrodinger’s Cat: as long as she stayed in the bathroom, Drake both loved her and was leaving her. But she knew she couldn’t stay in there forever. As terrible as the possibility was that he was going to Paris, there was also the very wonderful possibility that he loved her and was staying. She had to know one way or the other.
When Riley padded back into the living room, she found that Drake had started a fire in the fireplace and he was sitting on the couch. She noticed he’d changed his own clothes and was wearing a twin outfit to hers.
“Feel better?” he asked.
“Yes, thanks,” she said. She stood there awkwardly for a moment, unsure of whether or not she should sit down.
“So, I guess we should talk,” he said, gesturing to the empty space on the couch beside him. Riley sat down. She was suddenly aware that she wasn’t wearing a bra and that her nipples formed twin peaks beneath the shirt’s thin fabric. Riley grabbed a pillow and held it to her chest, suddenly shy. Drake didn’t seem to notice.
“Yeah, I guess we should,” she agreed. Neither of them said anything for a while, the silence filled with the crackling white noise of the fireplace. Finally, when Riley couldn’t take it anymore, she said, “Look, I–”
“I have to tell you–” Drake said at the same time. They both stopped, chuckling awkwardly. “You first.”
“Okay,” Riley said, swallowing hard. “Drake, I … are you still going to Paris?”
“That depends,” he said. “Did you … did you really tell Liam?”
She nodded.
“What did he say?” Drake asked.
“He wasn’t surprised,” Riley admitted.
“Is he mad?” Drake asked. Riley shook her head. “And you … you know what you’re giving up by being here?”
“Drake, come on,” Riley said. “I love you, I’m in love with you. I have been for a while now. I can’t just sit here and draw this out anymore. I want to be with you, but if you don’t feel the same way, then just tell me because–”
Drake leaned over and kissed her, cupping her face in his hands.
“I’m sorry,” he murmured. “I had to be sure.”
“Sure about what?” Riley asked.
“Riley, I love you. I’ve been in love with you since that night we met in New York. I never imagined you could ever feel the same way.”
“So you’ll stay?” Riley asked, frustrated by the tears she felt in her eyes again. “Please?”
“As long as you’ll have me, I won’t leave your side,” Drake said, looking deeply into her eyes. Riley kissed him again, dropping the pillow onto the floor. He pulled her onto his lap, his fingers in her still damp hair.
“Promise?” she whispered against his lips.
“I swear,” he said.
Riley stood up and took him by the hand, leading him towards the bedroom. The rain continued to pound the roof, and Riley felt like it was enveloping the cabin to create their own private cocoon, their own world. The bedroom was darkened by the storm clouds outside, cooler than the living room without the fire. Drake cupped her face in his hands and kissed her softly.
“Are you sure?” he asked. “We don’t have to do this yet, if you’re not ready.”
“I’ve waited far too long to be happy,” she said. “I don’t want to wait any longer.”
Riley pulled up the hem of his t-shirt, tugging it up and over his head before dropping it aside. She took in the sight of his bare chest and felt her heart quicken. She’d seen him before, of course, on the beach and at the barn raising, but this was different. Now he was here, just for her.
Drake, in turn, removed her shirt and let it fall to the floor. He inhaled sharply at the sight of her breasts, gently caressing them with his hands, rubbing his thumb over her firm nipples, now exposed. Riley hooked her thumbs in the elastic waistband of his pajama pants and pulled them down. He stepped out of the pants, leaving him in his boxers. She cupped her hand over the bulge there and he sighed a little at her touch. Riley could already feel how firm he was and while she wanted to rip the remaining clothing from his body, she knew she would never have another opportunity to really see him for the first time, so instead she went slowly. She squeezed him gently and he shifted his hips towards her slightly as she did so. He then knelt in front of her and pulled down the pajama pants she wore, revealing nothing but bare skin underneath.
“Christ, Mason,” he murmured as he ran his hands up to her waist, kissing her thighs, her stomach, her breasts as he returned to standing. “Do you know how long I’ve waited to see you like this?”
“Yes.” She knew because she’d been waiting just as long for him. Riley knelt in front of him, settling herself on her knees before she pulled down his boxers, freeing him in front of her. She took him in her hands, running them up and down his length before she kissed the tip, running her tongue along the underside before she took him in her mouth. Drake moaned softly, one hand in her hair, the other hitting the wall with the thump for support. Riley loved the feel of him as she took him inside, loved that she was finally able to physically demonstrate how she felt about him.
Drake pulled away from her before he hoisted her up from the floor, picking her up so that he could lay her down on his rumpled bed. He paused for a moment, staring down at her.
“What?” she asked softly, reaching up to brush the hair back from his face.
“You are the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen,” Drake said, his eyes locked on hers. Riley tugged his shoulders down so she could kiss him, her tongue folding into his. As their kisses grew more desperate, Riley felt Drake’s hand move lower, tracing the swell of her breasts before sliding it down between her legs. He ran his fingertips along her damp, expectant lips and she moved her hips towards his hand, begging him to touch her. He obliged, parting her warm entrance with his fingers before sliding two of them inside. Riley moaned as Drake began to slowly move them in and out of her, twisting them in a way that made her squirm. He started to quicken his pace, grazing her clit with his thumb as he did so. She gasped, unable to keep still under his touch.
Drake moved down the length of her body and replaced his thumb with his tongue, flicking and sucking her clit as he continued to pump his fingers, three of them now, in and out of her, faster and faster.
“Oh, god, Drake,” Riley moaned, her fingers knotted in his hair. She picked up her head and watched him between her legs, his eyes connecting with hers. Riley had fantasized about Drake so many times in this exact position, had brought herself to shuddering climaxes picturing him just like this on nights when she was alone in her room and the idea of truly being loved by Drake was just a fantasy. But now it was real, he was here, and she couldn’t contain herself any longer. The orgasm swelled in her and rolled through her body like thunder as she dropped her head to the blankets, her back arching in pleasure as she cried out his name, her screams overpowering the room. Drake held her close, pushing her climax as far as it would go until the last aftershocks fizzled out in her fingers and toes.
Riley lay back on the bed, panting, as Drake kissed his way up her body, his mouth leaving trails along her flesh until he finally found her lips again.
“I love watching you come,” he murmured in her ear as she wrapped her legs around him, pulling him closer to her. Riley reached down between them, taking his cock in her hands again but this time there was no teasing to be had. She pushed her hips against him, taking him into her. She was through waiting.
“Christ, Riley,” he groaned as she plunged him inside of her. At the sound of her first name, Riley couldn’t respond with words anymore, she was past words as she moaned again. He was larger than she’d expected and she was overcome with how good it felt to have him inside her, filling her, stretching her. Drake moved slowly, taking his time, not wanting the moment to end too soon.
Riley started to wrap her arms around him but Drake caught her hands, pinning them above her head as he continued to thrust into her. Riley harmonized with his rhythm and she could feel the start of another climax building with each push. She pulled a hand free and slid it down between their sweating bodies until her fingers were on her own clit, pulling her closer. Drake pumped into her, faster now, his damp hair falling over his forehead as he leaned down to kiss her, their lips barely catching amidst their frenzied movements.
“I love you so much,” he managed to say, his words broken and hitching with the force of his thrusts.
“I love you, too,” Riley whispered, the tail end of her words growing louder as her release grew closer. When she came, she moaned into his mouth, the pleasure almost too much to bear as Drake pounded into her tightened, overly sensitive body. She felt him come as he groaned into her ear, her name buried in her neck as she held him close to her, his back slick with perspiration.
Drake collapsed beside her, one arm still curled across her torso, holding her to him.
“That was … definitely worth waiting for,” he panted.
“I agree,” Riley said, still trying to catch her own breath. “But I don’t think I can ever wait that long again.” She curled herself around him and he held her close, his fingers caught in her hair. Drake smiled.
“I love you, Mason,” he said. “And for the record, the only way I’m going to Paris now is if you go with me.”
“Hmm,” Riley said. “Instead of going to Paris this time, I think we should stay close to home. And by close to home, I hope you know that means I’m not letting you leave this bedroom for the foreseeable future.”
“Good,” Drake said with a grin, kissing her nose. “I’m glad we’re on the same page.”
