Summary: Drake crashes Liam’s date with Riley, and the ride back to the palace get’s even more awkward for Riley.
Drake was kind of glad that Riley was gone for the next couple days. It was getting harder and harder to be around her, wanting her, and not being able to do anything about it. He thought there was a chance she felt the same way about him, but it didn’t matter. She liked Liam too. And nobody ever chose Drake over Liam.
Drake tried to go about his business thinking it would be easier to put her out of his mind if she wasn’t there, but that wasn’t the case at all. If anything it was worse. He found himself looking among the group when he passed by the other women in the palace, only to remember he wouldn’t see here there. What was wrong with him? He had known Riley for all of two weeks, and he was a mess without her.
Towards the end of the second day, he had enough of being inside his own head. Before he could talk himself out of it, he decided to go to the Beaumont Estate to see Riley. What he was going to say to her when he got there, he had no clue. But maybe being around her without the whole circus of the other women and the production crew would give him clarity, and maybe even the courage to let Riley respond to Drake’s feelings for her.
Drake walked up to the Beaumont’s door, and stood there momentarily, giving himself one last chance to turn back. For some reason he chose not to run away, and when he knocked on the door, Maxwell answered.
“Drake, buddy! Uh oh, did you come looking for Liam? Come on in, he’s right here.”
Shit, What is Liam doing here? Drake thought. That wasn’t part of the plan. Now what was Drake supposed to say? “Oh, um, yeah. Bastien sent me. He didn’t know where Liam went and thought he might have come here.” It wasn’t very smooth but maybe Liam would buy it.
Liam and Riley both came into view. “Why wouldn’t Bastien just call me and ask?” Liam questioned.
Drake again scrambled for a response.”Well…he didn’t want you to get in trouble with the show or alert anyone else that you were missing.”
Liam furrowed his brows and said, “I guess that makes sense,” but Drake wasn’t 100% certain he bought it. But then again, Liam probably had no idea that Drake had a thing for Riley, so he was probably safe in that regard.
“Do you need to bring him back right away, or can you stay for dinner?” Maxwell asked. “I was just about to make dinner for these two, but the more the merrier”
Drake should have said no. That he would go back to the palace alone and alert only Bastien of Liam’s whereabouts so he could stay and finish dinner with Riley and be escorted back by Bastien. He should have let Liam have his private time with Riley, because he knew they didn’t get much of it. But he didn’t come all this way for nothing. “I suppose if Liam wants to stay, I can stay too and bring him back after dinner.”
Drake wouldn’t get to tell Riley what he came there to say, but Liam wouldn’t get time alone with her either. He only felt a little bad about that last part.
~~~~~
Riley had been pleasantly surprised to see Liam at the Beaumont’s house, and even more surprised to see Drake. Maybe he really only came to find Liam, but his story was a bit odd. Couldn’t someone have called Liam or Maxwell first just to check without raising suspicion? Was she possibly reading too much into it because she wanted Drake to be there to see her?
The dinner conversation was fun, but likely a lot different than if she and Liam were dining alone. Maxwell joined them as well since it was no longer a party of two. It seemed the three of them were competing to tell the most embarrassing stories about each other. Maxwell let it slip that the three of them had been in a singing quartet with Bertrand, and Drake did not looked pleased with this disclosure of information.
“You can’t just tell me that and not sing for me!” Riley exclaimed after she stopped laughing hysterically.
Drake shook his head no emphatically. “I’m not singing. I retired my singing voice long ago.”
“I bet you would never guess things Riley, but but Drake was probably the best singer of all of us,” Liam voiced sincerely.
“No way, I need to hear this to believe it.”
“Sorry Bennett, maybe another time. Liam and I really do need to get back now.”
“Acutally, Maxwell interjected, maybe you could take Riley back tonight. Bertrand and I were going to have to take her back early tomorrow morning, and we really don’t have to be back until the next day for the barn raising. Riley would you mind going back tonight?”
“I guess that’s okay.” At this point it didn’t seem to make a difference to her, but it might mean she could sleep in longer, so she wasn’t going to complain about that. She packed her things, said goodbye to Maxwell and Bertrand, and got into the car. Liam had taken a car service there, so the three of them rode together with Liam sitting in the back next to Riley.
Nobody talked much on the way back other than small talk. Riley felt the silences were awkward, but maybe she was the only one that felt that way. She was wearing a sundress that hit at her mid thighs. Liam put his hand on her knee and walked his fingers up to the hem of her dress. The feeling of his fingers on her bare skin sent small jolts of electricity through her. She smiled at Liam as if to acknowledge that this was okay. He didn’t go further, just rested his hand there, but the anticipation, wondering if he would push it further, excited her.
But then she looked up in the review mirror and saw Drake’s deep brown eyes fixed on her, giving her a look that nearly set her on fire. She didn’t know if that was Drake’s intended result, or if she was just naturally so affected by him that she could barely look him in the eye without blushing. She didn’t know what to make of how she felt, being touched by Liam while Drake was looking at her that way. Thankfully, the angle wouldn’t have allowed for him to see Liam’s hand on her, and Liam wouldn’t have been able to see that the pink in her cheeks was caused by Drake’s intense gaze.
They arrive back at the palace and made sure nobody was around before heading back inside.
“Well, I guess I should go back to my room. It’s getting pretty late.” Riley said, looking in the direction of her room.
“I can walk you there,” Drake said without hesitation.
Drake you don’t have to do that. You aren’t on the clock today. Why don’t you let me,” Liam insisted.
“Its really no problem. I do it all the time, and its not that far.”
“Drake, I really would like to walk Riley to her room if you don’t mind.”
“Of course Liam. Why would I mind? I just thought you might want to head straight to your room. I will see you both tomorrow.” Drake turned and walked quickly in the direction of his room.
“Drake’s been acting a little strange today, don’t you think?” Liam asked.
“Uh, I don’t know…I didn’t really notice. You know him much better than I do.” Riley lied, she had noticed, and she had a feeling it was because of her.
Anyway, shall we? “Liam grabbed her suitcase in one hand and extended his other hand to Riley. She accepted and they walked hand in hand to her room, stopping just outside the door.
“We didn’t get the private dinner I had hoped for, but I had a nice time with you tonight Riley.”
“I had a nice time with you you too,” She responded.
Liam stood there in silence for a moment, as if waiting for Riley to make a move. “So…I could come in for a little while…that is, if you want.”
“Liam, I do want that…but I’m not sure its the right time for that right here and right now. I’m pretty tired, and I’m not technically supposed to be with you now. I would hate for anyone else to see you coming out of my room later and make a big deal out of it. I will definitely take a rain check though.” Riley really had meant the time wasn’t right, but not for the reasons she said. She would have loved to bring someone back to her room tonight, but she was confused about which man left her feeling that way, and a big part of her thought that it wasn’t Liam.
“You are right, Riley. I really should be more careful. I just can’t help myself when I’m around you,” Liam said with a shy smile.
Riley put her arms around Liam’s waist and kissed him sweetly on the lips. “It’s not easy to say no to you either, but for tonight I must.”
“Sweet Dreams Riley. I hope to collect on the rain check sooner rather than later.” Liam gave her one more quick kiss and left towards his room.