Lily's Mistake (22 page)

“How does it feel to be back home?” I ask as we enter his foyer.

Skull comes out running to greet his owner. He’s been under the care of Drake’s housekeeper who was kind enough to stay with him for the last two weeks.

“Hey, Buddy! Did you miss me?” Drake scratches the dog’s neck.

“Are you tired? You should rest. If you’re hungry, I can cook up something,” I ask when we are going up the stairs, heading towards his bedroom.

“I think I’m going to crash for a bit. I’m exhausted.”

I’m shocked to find his room has had a major transformation. The décor, the bed and everything else is different.

Seeing my expression, Drake explains, “I hired an interior decorator to strip everything off. The bathrooms, the closets and the rest of the guestrooms are all newly decorated. After Shannon, I thought it was best to change everything to make you feel comfortable.”

Could he be any sweeter?

“Thank you. This means so much to me, Drake.” I stride towards where he stands and give him a kiss.

“Stay with me in bed. I want you close.” Drake looks tired. If he wants me next to him, then I’ll be right there.

Once we are all in bed, Skull included, I ask, “Why do you always want me close to you? Each time you ask it, your voice changes. It’s weird.”

“I had a dream… I died in it. When you learned of the news, you were so devastated; you wouldn’t stop crying. Then my dreams flashed forward and you were with Jared with my child growing in your belly.”

“I’m not going to leave you for him. You know that, don’t you?”

“I do, but when I’m reminded of how helpless I was in my dream, how badly I wanted to be that man for you and I couldn’t because I was dead, I feel raw, and you being close gives me a reality check; that you’re here with me and that I’m still alive. I don’t want to ever feel that kind of pain, Lil. It scares me to think that it could easily happen.” Drake sounds vulnerable, gutted.

I snuggle close to him, resting my head on his arm since I can’t put my head on his chest, yet. “That will never happen because I’m not capable of loving another man. The last eight years taught me that.” It wasn’t because of my luck of trying. I did try, very hard, but it was impossible when I’d given my heart away already.

“It was always you in my heart, Lil. I’m happy that you’re here, still giving me another chance after how I treated you. For loving me as I am.”

We hold hands as we both fall asleep; the strain of the past couple of weeks finally catching up with me.

27

I wake the next morning feeling refreshed and upbeat. Drake is still asleep when I get out of bed and hunt down something to change into.

His closet is completely new. The thought of it makes me smile. He really did think of me. I didn’t even have to tell him that the feeling of Shannon was all over the house, making me feel uncomfortable. He had just known. I choose his Columbia shirt and go inside the bathroom to shower. I completely forgot to pack a bag before I left my house yesterday.

The new fitted bathroom is made of black marble and a lot of glass and mirrors. The total opposite of the all-white and chrome theme he had before.

After my quick shower, I wear his shirt over my naked body. When I get out and stride past the bed, Drake is still asleep.

I head downstairs and make breakfast. I’m flipping pancakes when Drake appears in the kitchen. Fresh out of the shower, bandage gone, and wearing a black shirt with navy blue sweats.

My stupid body reacts to him instantly. “Did the doctor say it was okay to take the bandage off?” I ask, trying to distract myself while I start to make coffee.

“He did.” Drake comes over and hugs me from behind. “Good morning,” he whispers, sniffing my neck. “You look good in my shirt.”

“I forgot to bring my clothes,” I mumble, my body weak against him.

“I don’t mind. You look sexy. I don’t mind seeing you wearing my shirt every day.” Drake slowly spins me around to face him.

With a finger, he slowly lifts my chin to meet his metallic gaze. He looks unreadable.

His eyes probe inside me, reaching until it holds something.

My soul. My heart.

“Marry me.”

I press my lips together as his words settle in. “Are you sure? You’re not doing this because of that dream, right? I’m not going anywhere. You don’t have to propose marriage to make sure I’m going to stick around.”

His eyes never leave mine. They are serious, bold and undaunted. “That, too, but I’ve wanted to ask you for a long time. I wanted to ask you that first night you spent here, but the thought of you rejecting me was something I couldn’t deal with then. I’m asking you now because the thought of spending even a day without you seems too much. I love you… but I would give anything to love you as my wife.”

Ah, hell. My tears start flowing again. I’m laughing and crying at the same time. He starts to laugh with me as he wipes the tears away. “Damn it, Drake. How the hell do you expect me to decline a proposal like that? Yes, yes, yes! I will marry you.”         

“Yeah? Are you sure?” Drake asks as he gently kisses me.

“Like you would give me a chance to decline you.” My arms circle around his neck.

“Damn right, woman. I will hound you on a daily basis if I have to. You will never be free of me.”

I pull back a little, just enough for us to gaze into each other’s eyes. Drake… I have always loved you… always… “I promise to give you kisses and share my Reese’s peanut buttercups once a week for forever and ever until I die.”

He opens his mouth and laughs. “God, Babe, after all these years, you remembered.”

Blushing, I lovingly kiss his cheek. “You bet your ass, I remember. It was my wedding day. I cherished it. Don’t you remember it? Any of it?”

Drake looks serious all of a sudden. “I remember. It’s not something I could forget, either. Instead of telling you, however… I want to show you instead.”

“But your doctor…” I trail off as his hand cups my womanhood.

“Good God. You were planning to eat breakfast with me like this? Are you trying to kill me?” I moan his name as he starts to rub me. “Always so wet for me, aren’t you?”

“Yes, but you have to stop.” As much as I’m tempted to make love to him, I’m not sure if it’s safe to do so.

“Not in this lifetime, my wife. Not in this motherfucking lifetime.”

My wife.

I can’t argue much about that as Drake sticks a finger inside me and both of our hunger grows out of control.

Epilogue

DRAKE

Three months later

“How are you feeling tonight, married and all?” I murmur, stroking Lily’s hair. I hear her blissfully sigh against my chest.

We are wrapped in each other’s arms as we look towards the sky, loving the soft breeze of the Caribbean Sea.

We went back to where it all began. I was persistent that we spend our honeymoon here. I didn’t want to go anywhere else. This place meant something to me. It was the place where I realized that I was very much in love with the woman in my arms. But most importantly, this place also evoked painful memories for her. I wanted to change that because from here on out, I was hell-bent on giving her good, beautiful memories. Although, I’m not deluded that there will be challenges along the way, but I truly believe that with her by my side, we can overcome anything life throws at us.

Only five hours ago, we said our vows amongst our friends and family in a small Chapel in Santa Monica. I belonged with Lily, and she with me. Each time I remember how it felt to lose her the second time, I admit, it still gripped me with a great sense of loss of death. It really felt that way when she wouldn’t take me back. There was no room for another colossal mistake. I was given another chance at life, and I was going to spend the rest of it showing and loving the woman who had me from the start.

“I love being married to you,” Lily says as she kisses the healing scar on my chest.

“You have no idea how much I love being your husband, woman.” I roll her onto her back and hover above her, gazing down at the most beautiful woman who held my heart captive. She simply gives me a smile. A smile that shows me her unconditional love.

I know the accident brought everything into perspective. Though it was a scary situation to be that close at the death’s door, I couldn’t help but feel grateful that it happened because it brought us together. I love Lily with everything that I am and all that I could ever be, as a man, a lover, a husband, and hopefully a father, later on.

During our flight, we agreed and decided that it was best to wait a year or two before we try to have a baby. To this day, each time we brought up the subject about our lost child, it still brought a violent ache in my chest. We both still feel the massive loss, but we take comfort at the thought that we will make one down the line. Since we are both an only child, I want four children.

Does she agree? I suppose you could say that a man needs to hone his negotiating skills more when it comes to his new wife. But right now, I am more than happy to settle and just enjoy us together. It seems that we are both eager to spend more time getting to know each other again. And let me just say that, it has been the best months of my life.

I roll to my side and start to kiss the swell of her breasts. She moans my name as I brush my hungry lips against her sensitive ear. “Stars, Babe. I want you to see those fucking stars.” I was not going to let up until she was bursting with millions of them when I take her through waves after waves of orgasms.

Married life, I was definitely driven to make ours perfect.

The End

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