Summary: Now that she’s declared her true feelings, there’s nothing preventing Elizabeth from pledging herself entirely to the man she loves.
Elizabeth shivered in the chilly night breeze as she looked out onto the city of New York from the rooftop of the hotel. After returning from her meeting with Liam, she’d been in such a rush to get there that she neglected to bring a jacket.
She turned in a nervous circle as she looked for him, hoping she wasn’t too late. Unconsciously she slipped her hand in the pocket of her dress, fingers brushing the scrap of hotel stationery. Rubbing her arms against the chill, she leaned on the railing, looking out onto the city she used to call home, a million things whirling on her mind. So many things had happened in the last 24 hours, that she’d barely had time to process it all. Her name being cleared, Liam breaking off his engagement to Madeleine, getting proposed to and now this…
She wasn’t sure what ‘this’ was but from the ominous letter she’d found under her door, she couldn’t help but dread the conversation to come.
Richmond…
Meet me on the hotel balcony tonight.
We need to talk.
Drake.
The sound of footsteps interrupted her thoughts and she felt herself tense involuntarily. A familiar figure stood before her, his dark silhouette contrasting against the vibrant skyline.
‘Hey Richmond.’ Drake Walker wore his usual impassive expression, his hands tucked into his well worn jeans as his denim shirt fluttered in the night air. She watched him take a few tentative steps towards her, acutely aware that she was holding her breath as his intense gaze stayed locked on hers.
‘We need to talk…’ he began. ‘About us…’
Elizabeth’s breath hitched in her throat. Us. A few months earlier he had stubbornly told her, There is no us.
‘Yes we do…’ Her voice was weaker than she intended it to be and she took a deep breath, gathering her courage. ‘Drake… Liam proposed to me tonight.’
‘Oh.‘
She watched his carefully crafted mask crumble, succumbing to the hurt and longing held underneath before gathering into a semblance of a smile.
‘I’m hap-‘ he croaked but she cut him off before he could say more.
‘I said no.’
His eyes widened and his mouth dropped open, surprise etched all over his face. ‘…What?’
Her mouth curved up slightly as she took a step towards him. ‘Drake, I might have come here for Liam but I want to be with you.’ The veracity of her words hit her once she spoke them out loud and her smile grew. Somewhere along this entire whirlwind experience, something had shifted and now she wanted nothing more than the man in front of her.
Hope and disbelief mingled on Drake’s face as he comprehended her words but at the last moment he broke their gaze. When he finally spoke, his hollow tone tugged at her heart strings.
‘What kind of future would that be, Richmond? Liam is a king. I can’t offer you half of what he can.’
Elizabeth shook her head. When would he realise that she didn’t want to be queen? She didn’t need everything. She just needed… him. No diamonds or gold or queenship would ever measure up to what she felt for him now.
‘I didn’t come here looking for a kingdom, Drake.’ It ached her to see that he didn’t realise how amazing he was. ‘I want to be with you.’ She told him firmly, placing emphasis on the last word as she took another step forward. ‘And,’ her voice had dropped to a whisper now. ‘I think you invited me out here because you want that too?’
His intense eyes remained on hers as she watched the silent internal war play out on his face and soon enough, a look of determination won out over the disbelief.
‘I do. But if you…’
Elizabeth could tell that he still didn’t allow himself to believe her. Even after everything she had said and done over the last few weeks, he was still giving her a way out, an escape, a chance to change her mind. She poured every drop of resolve into her voice to convince him that she was absolutely certain about her choice.
‘Drake, I’m sure about this.’
Running a hand through his shaggy hair, he nodded and it was all she could do to stop herself from tangling her fingers in his soft strands. ‘Is this the part where you tell me to stop talking and kiss you?’ Drake couldn’t help the small smile appearing. ‘Because I want to.’
Elizabeth’s own smile broke out ‘Then what are you waiting for Walker? Get your ass over here.’
His gaze wandered for a moment to a rooftop party on a nearby building and for a second her stomach fell at the thought that his ever annoying conscience would get in the way again.
‘Ahh let them look,’ he growled. ‘I’m tired of being careful.’
He pulled her into his arms, capturing her lips in a searing kiss. She moaned with pleasure before kissing him back with the same ferocity, giving in to every urge that had been building up within her for the last few months. His hands were everywhere, on her face, running down her back, around her waist, pressing her tightly against him. She pulled him closer still, hands in his hair, fulfilling the desire she’d been fighting just moments ago. His mouth was soft and warm and as it pressed to hers over and over again, she never wanted to stop, wishing for this moment to be frozen in time forever. When they finally pulled apart, the look of astonished joy on Drake’s face delighted Elizabeth as he gazed at her tenderly.
‘I don’t know what the hell I did to deserve you, Richmond,’ he whispered against her lips before nibbling down her jaw gently. ‘But I’ll never stop trying to be worthy of it.’
‘You, Drake Walker, are the one I was destined to find in Cordonia,’ she told him, fingers gently brushing the back of his neck. ‘ I don’t know how you did it… With your grumpy exterior and sarcastic remarks, rough-around-the-edges manner…’
She felt his chest rumble where it was pressed against hers as he chuckled. ‘I think you’ve made your point.’
‘My point is,’ Elizabeth smiled, leaning back to look him fully in the face, running her fingers across his cheeks. ‘I am completely and utterly yours now. You’ve ruined everyone else for me.’
Drake was a man of few words, they both knew that, but Elizabeth’s declaration took his breath away, sending his mind reeling. So instead of attempting to vocalise what he felt, he grabbed her cheeks, enveloping her in a bruising kiss, passionate and fierce, spilling every bit of pure adoration and joy into it. She returned his every feeling with the same intensity, melting into his arms and tugging him impossibly close, never wanting to be free of his hold. He licked her lower lip and her mouth opened, giving him access as their tongues mingled together. With each touch and kiss, hundreds of unspoken words were shared between them.
Elizabeth broke the kiss this time, gasping for air as her mesmerising eyes locked on him, holding a single request that needed no further interpretation.
‘Please…’
After all they’d been through, after how long they had waited, denying themselves what they so desperately wanted how could he possibly refuse now?
By some miracle, they managed to keep up a charade of normalcy until they reached Elizabeth’s hotel room. She roughly pulled him over the threshold, unable to contain her desire for him any longer, the urges that had developed over the last few months only growing stronger now at the thought of what they were finally about to do. She barely heard him kick door shut as he launched an assault on her neck, her heart rate increasing as he found the sweet spot on her neck.
‘Ohhh…’
Her breathy moan was music to his ears and Drake smirked, biting down gently. Her hips rolled towards his when he did this and he staggered forwards, pinning her against the wall. Elizabeth’s hands roamed the planes of his chest, slipping her fingers under the hem of his t-shirt, brushing the soft skin of his abs. She almost purred, feeling his muscles twitch at her touch, delighting at the effect she had on him. Her hands moved to unbutton his denim shirt, sliding it off his firm shoulders. He pulled away for a second to remove his white t-shirt and she took that moment to marvel at the sight before her.
Sure she’d seen him shirtless before like at the beach party, at the barn raising, in the dim light of a tent in Paris but this was special and intimate, just for her. Her eyes roamed the taut muscles of his chest before making their way down to his abs. She licked her lips at the sight of the v lines disappearing beneath the hem of his jeans and briefly fantasised about nibbling her way downwards.
Drake, however, had other plans for her as his arms snaked around her back, unzipping the navy dress she was wearing, his fingers brushing against the bare skin. Dragging the strap off her shoulder, he pressed a kiss in its place before moving downwards towards her breasts, leaving a searing trail in his wake. He spent extra time in this area, making sure to mark her as his own, encouraged by the gentle tugs of her fingers in his hair. His left hand snaked down her toned stomach until he left the lace of her underwear brush his fingers. Her hips bucked as he increased the pressure of his touch, coating his fingers in the moisture that gathered there because of him.
‘You are so beautiful,’ he marvelled.
Elizabeth’s breath caught in her throat when he bypassed the barrier and slipped two fingers into her, her lips forming the shape of an O. As he kissed his way up to her neck, she adjusted her head to give him better access and he bit down gently on the vein there. Her eyelids tilted shut as she began to rock towards him increasing the friction and her pleasure. Drake picked up speed, thumb brushing over her sensitive nub and was rewarded with moans of pleasure falling from her lips.
‘More… please,’ she mouthed and he readily obliged, adding a third digit. Pleasure sparked across her skin as she matched his rhythm. Her movements grew more desperate and erratic before she croaked through the waves of pleasure.
‘Drake… don’t stop… Please I’m almost there.’
‘Open your eyes, baby,’ he gasped, voice ragged as he drank in the sight of her teetering so close to the edge. ‘I wanna see those beautiful eyes when you come.’ He curled his fingers inside her, nudging her even closer.
As requested, Elizabeth looked deeply into his eyes, keeping hers open as she came crashing down with a high pitched sob.
‘Drake!’
He withdrew his fingers and she panted heavily, trying to gather her mind.
When the world finally came into focus again, Drake was staring at her intently a few steps away, from beneath his dark lashes, breath held to see what she would do next. Even after all that, she realised, he still offering her a way out, a opening to leave if she wished.
Pushing herself off the wall, Elizabeth came to stand before him, ignoring the slight wobble in her step. She pulled him into a mind-numbing kiss before kissing her way down his body, relishing his groans of pleasure. Sinking to her knees, she fulfilled her earlier desire, running her tongue down those glorious v lines of his, being sure to leave a few marks along the way. She smirking at the sound of his strangled sighs before continuing downward still where his arousal was evident through his jeans. As she cupped him through the fabric, she risked a glance up.
Drake’s usual brown eyes were blown so wide at the sight of her they almost looked black, lips parted, panting slightly as she tugged his pants down to the floor. He gasped out her name as she took him inside her mouth.
‘Richmond you don’t have—‘, he started to say.
‘No, baby,’ she soothed, stroking his length. ‘It’s my turn to make you feel good now.’ She swirled her tongue across his tip and he uttered her name through gritted teeth.
‘Elizabeth.’
His hands slipped into her hair, freeing it from its usual braided front, tugging slightly as she continued her movements. He groaned as he hit the back of her throat, her hands continually massaging what her mouth couldn’t cover increasing in speed and intensity until she felt him twitch before emptying himself into her wanton mouth with another groan of her name.
Smirking, she licked her lips as she got to her feet. Drake regarded her for a moment, eyes black with lust before slamming her against the wall. With his intense fiery gaze locked on her, Elizabeth barely felt the impact. He swiftly undid the clasp of her bra.
‘This has to go,’ he growled, removing the last barrier between their bodies. Wrapping her legs around him as he settled his hands under her thighs, she brought her forehead to his.
‘I want you, Drake Walker, I want all of you.’
Her words cut through the cloudiness of the moment as he realised she had cast her entire lot in with him, freeing him from any shred of doubt that still lingered. Now that he had her, he wasn’t about to let her go and by the way she kissed him, he could tell that she was just as gone for him too.
‘Elizabeth.’ Drake’s tone was soft, almost reverent. Gripping her body tightly, he sank into her and Elizabeth’s world swam with pleasure as she threw her head back. His strokes were slow and gentle as he let her adjust to his intrusion but before long she was bucking her hips against his. At first he wanted to take it slow and really savour the feeling of her around him, something he’d desired for months but he was too desperate for her. He took her action as an indicator to speed up and was rewarded as she curled her fingers into his hair.
With each plunge, he went deeper and she cried out his name, dragging her nails across his back as she clung to him, their bodies slick with sweat. The ecstasy splashed across her face as they moved together was enough to render Drake speechless before he realised that she was trying to tell him something.
‘More… Drake… More please… Harder.’
Without breaking their contact, Drake manoeuvred them onto the bed where he was able to hit a deeper angle and Elizabeth arched her back, hands fumbling against him for some stability. Pleasure and pain blended together as she gasped for air, feeling the pressure escalating in her core, increasing to almost breaking point.
‘I’m almost there,’ she panted and he drove into her harder still, determined to send her flying over the edge.
Her blissful moans got higher and higher until suddenly her whole body stiffened and her back arched off the bed. Drake watched as Elizabeth’s cheeks flush, pupils dilating as she dug her nails into his back. Every nerve ending was on fire as she screamed his name over and over until her throat is raw. The sight of her unravelling is enough to bring him crashing down with her, tucking his head into her neck, her name like a prayer on his lips as his vision flashed white. Together they rode out the wave of ecstasy, bringing along a sense of complete satisfaction at having fulfilled what they had both been craving for so long.
He released her body, dropping onto the bed beside her, both of them gasping for air. Drake’s mind struggled to form a coherent thought as Elizabeth turned to him, fixing him with a slightly unfocused gaze. A thousand words floated between them, communicated without a sound as they shared a passionate kiss, clinging onto each other tightly. As she settled her head on his chest, he felt her body mould to his in a way that just felt right.
This is how they were meant to be, he realised, tightening his arm around her. Drake pressed a gentle kiss onto her drowsy head as sleep claimed him. Before he surrendered completely, a single thought lingered in his mind.
I love you.
I love you.
The thought woke her up even before she opened her eyes. It had appeared out of nowhere after a deep and dreamless sleep and now that it had fully formed, it burst to the front of her mind. It was a thought she had been constantly pushing down for so long and now that it had come to fruition, filled up every space, demanding not to be ignored. She felt coarse fingers gently brush her face and she turned in the direction of the touch, smiling in her sleepy state.
‘Elizabeth.’ A deep voice murmured her name. A kiss was pressed to her forehead and she could feel the smile contained in it. She snuggled closer to him, relishing his warm breath on her cheeks, wanting to extend her reverie for just a moment longer.
‘Is this a dream?,’ she whispered delicately, not wanting to break the spell. She sensed rather than saw his smile widen as he let out a low chuckle.
‘Why don’t you open your eyes and see for yourself?’ She lifted her lids to see Drake lying before her in the morning light, smiling affectionately, his dark hair ruffled as she was sure hers was especially the events of the night before. The memory made her cheeks grow warm and she pulled him by the back of his neck into a slow, leisurely kiss, completely different from the raw passion of last night.
‘Good morning,’ she whispered against his lips.
He hummed in delight, kissing her again. ‘I could stand to be woken up every morning like this.’
‘Careful what you wish for Mister,’ Elizabeth purred, planting little kisses along his jaw. ‘It just might come true.’
‘If thats the case, I’ll keep wishing then,’ he answered, reclaiming her lips in another languid kiss.
When they parted, Drake took a moment to drink in how utterly perfect she was. Her dark hair was messier than he had even seen it before, a light smudging of mascara under her eyes but she had never looked more beautiful. The dazzling smile on her face reassured him that there was no place she would rather have been.
Yours now. She had told him and after last night he had finally let himself believe it. One of her many talents was erasing all the barriers he’d built up, releasing every reservation he’d had. As she gazed at him, looking more beautiful in her newly awakened state, something in her mesmerising dark eyes compelled him. Let me in, I want to see all of you, Show me every part of you that you’ve hidden away.
For weeks now, the words that he had been pushing down came to the surface and now that it was finally okay to say it out loud, he found himself almost shaking with anxiety but before he could let it get the better of him, Drake swallowed hard.
‘Elizabeth Richmond…’ he began, his serious tone sparking a look of expectancy on her face.. ’Σε αγαπώ.‘
A light of realisation illuminated Elizabeth’s dark brown irises. The beginnings of a smile appeared on the corners of her lips, slightly hesitant in case she might have been mistaken. Her voice was a silken whisper when she spoke.
‘Does that mean…? Do you…?’
He nodded, unable to keep a grin from breaking out on his face.
‘I love you.’
As soon as the words left his lips, Drake knew they were right. He meant them with every fibre of his being and saying them out loud made him feel drunker than any whiskey ever could. He watched her eyes soften before she broke out into an expression of pure, unbridled joy.
‘Drake Walker,’ she started, eyes beginning to shine with tears as she ran her thumbs over his cheekbones. ‘I love you too.’
Their kiss this time was unique, different from the many others they’d shared before. It was passionate, gentle, intense, meaningful and loving all at the same time, almost threatening to engulf his entire being. It was the final piece for him and he knew his life would never be the same again. She now held his heart and from the way her eyes shined at him when they parted, he knew that he had hers too.
‘Liz,’ he whispered affectionately and she giggled as he pulled her onto his chest, fully intending on an encore of the night before. Their lips had just pressed together in another passionate kiss when-
TRRNG!
His phone buzzed from where it lay on the floor and they sprang apart at the sound.
‘You’d better get that,’ Elizabeth whispered. ‘It could be important,’ she insisted when she saw his reluctance.
He got up to retrieve the device and Elizabeth caught sight of the long red marks running down his broad back, her face heating up at the realisation that she’d put them there. Drake didn’t seem to notice as he settled back down next to her, thumbing through his phone.
‘That was Maxwell,’ he told her, frowning slightly. ‘Apparently there was some issue with the security so our flight to Lisbon has been pushed back to 12pm instead of 10am and we’ll be taking the train from there back to Cordonia.’
Elizabeth raised an eyebrow at his words. ‘That’s strange. I wonder what happened?’
‘Its probably just a precaution.’ He reassured her, stroking her arm affectionately. ‘Bastien’s probably already got it under control. Its 8.30 now so I guess we have a few more hours to kill before we have to leave…’ He trailed off, looking at her meaningfully.
She smirked at him, feigning an air of nonchalance. ‘What are we going to do with all that time…?’
Drake’s brown eyes glinted with mischief. ‘I’m sure I could give you a few ideas,’ he drawled before seizing her in his grip, fingers moving against her sides searching for sensitive tickling spots.
‘Draaake,’ she squealed, writhing in his grasp. He continued for a moment longer, delighting in her shrieks of laughter. A bud of warmth blossomed in his chest, complete and utter happiness. This was love. He’d finally found it in the woman before him and he considered himself the luckiest man alive that she decided she loved him too.
‘So,’ Elizabeth began after he’d released her, propping herself up on her elbow. ‘Did last night live up to it?’
A crease appeared between his eyebrows. ‘To it?’
Elizabeth couldn’t help her cheeks heating slightly. ‘I recall a certain drinking we played where you candidly revealed that you may or may not have had scandalous dreams of the two of us in bed…’
It was Drake’s turn to blush and she smirked, drawing a teasing line down his neck with her index finger. ‘So I have to know,’ her voice dropped to a husky whisper. ‘Did last night live up to it?’
It had been the most incredible mind-blowing sex of his life. His voice had dropped an octave when he answered her. ‘More than you know.’
He enveloped her in a passionate kiss, fully intending to have her screaming his name again before she pulled away abruptly.
‘I’ve got an idea,’ she declared, ignoring his grunt of frustration. ‘Let’s go get breakfast! I’m starving anyways.’
‘Richmond…’ Drake sputtered, not forgetting his earlier intention. ‘How can you be thinking of food at a time like this?!’
Elizabeth flashed him an innocent grin. ‘Because it’s breakfast time and I’m hungry?’
Before he could pull her back to bed, she bounced up and retrieved his denim shirt from the floor, slipping it over her shoulders.
Drake sat up in bed, a grumpy expression hiding the exhilaration he felt at the sight of her in nothing but his clothes. ‘But what about what I want?’
‘We’ll do more of that later,’ she waved him off casually, pulling her hair into a sloppy bun as she walked in the direction of the bathroom. ‘Besides there’s this adorable little cafe that would be perfect for a breakfast date.’
He wasn’t giving up just yet and pulled on his boxers, before sauntering after her retreating figure. Coming up behind her as she stood at the sink, he nuzzled Elizabeth’s neck, pressing little kisses to the skin there. She chuckled, wiggling her ass against him, feeling his hardness through the thin layers of clothing that separated their bodies. In response, Drake nibbled the sweet spot behind her ear and was rewarded as she moaned quietly with pleasure.
Running his hands along her body, he lowered his voice. ‘Now are you sure you don’t want to go back to what we were doing?’
Elizabeth hummed softly on the brink of abandoning all thought of food and giving in to his seductions, something in her reflection caught her eye and she leaned towards the mirror, breaking out of his grasp.
‘Drake Walker! What is the meaning of this?’ She squawked, pointing at the dark purple marks littering her neck and chest. ‘We’re facing the Cordonian press tomorrow and how do you expect me to hide these!’
Drake smirked devilishly at her. ‘Don’t tell me you didn’t enjoy it at the time. Besides, you’re one to talk.’ He gestured at himself, where similar marks were to be found on his torso. ‘And I’m sure if I check my back I’ll find something similar..?’
Elizabeth ignored the warmth rising to her cheeks, determined not to back down. ‘You’re not the one who’s going to have to face the press the moment we step off the train,’ she retorted stubbornly, hands on her hips. He barked out a laugh.
‘Let them look.’ Elizabeth raised an eyebrow, looking at him pointedly.
A moment passed as they stood, locked in a standoff but the stubborn glint in her eyes didnt waver. He got momentarily distracted by how adorable she looked when she frowned, wearing nothing but his shirt.
How did she manage to pull off sexy, cute and defiant all at the same time?
Drake was about to concede defeat when something occurred to him. ‘How about a compromise then?’
Her frown was replaced by an expectant expression. ‘What are you suggesting?’
‘How does room service sound?’
Elizabeth regarded him for a moment, making a show of mulling over the idea before a grin broke out on her face. ‘I supposed I could make do.’
‘Perfect,’ Drake announced before tossing her over his shoulder and heading back in the direction of the bedroom.