The Drake Restrained Collection: Part 1 and 2 (The Drake Series Book 3) (22 page)

I dithered, unable to get my wording correct, not wanting to include anything too frightening to Kate that she’d reject it out of hand, but not wanting to appear too easy to sway either. I considered including a few clauses that I knew she’d reject just so she could cross them off the list and feel some degree of control over the contents, but they couldn’t be too extreme. When I checked my watch, I had only a short time to get to work and scrub in for my first surgery so I sent her an email. 

From:                 Morgan, D. L.

Sent:                     November 08, 5:31 

To:                        McDermott, Katherine M.

Subject:              The Agreement

Attachments:  The Agreement.doc (50 KB)

Katherine, I received your agreement and will read it over. We can discuss when we meet.

Drake

All week, I kept busy with work, waiting for Kate to contact me so we could do her interviews. On Friday while I was dictating notes after a surgery, I received a text from her:

Why don't you send me your schedule so we can set up some dates to meet next week and discuss the lifestyle. We can discuss the agreement at that time.  I'm pretty free for the next couple of weeks with the exception of Monday and so I'd like to get started with the interviews.

I texted her back right away, wondering what she was doing on Monday. I had Wednesday off and Friday and had a practice session with the band on Monday, but I was curious. What could she be doing on a Monday night?

I'm pretty busy all week with my surgical slate and personal commitments… What are you doing on Monday night? What time are you done? I could make a late meal at a restaurant, if you're free after 10 PM.

She texted me right back.

I'm going to Carnegie Hall with my father and his wife.

I quickly Googled Carnegie Hall’s schedule and saw it was a special Veteran’s Day performance. I had to take her. I’d rearrange my schedule, tell the guys we had to change our practice session to Tuesday instead.

I want to take you.

There was a very pregnant pause and I tapped my foot, waiting for her response. I was that close…

We could meet after. I don't know if I'm ready to start the whole 'dating' ruse yet…

What difference would it make to meet after the concert? A date for coffee was still a date but I wanted to go with her. I wanted to see how she responded to music, and share something that was important to both our fathers. She didn’t want it to be an official date, but there were ways around that.

We could meet there by accident during intermission. I could invite you out for a late meal. I'm sure your father would be pleased. We could start the whole interview process.

When she didn’t respond right away, I sent another text in the hopes of assuaging any concerns she had and prevent her from outright declining.

I'll have you home by midnight as I have surgery early in the morning. No funny business. Scout's Honor…

Finally, after a few minutes of delay, she texted me back.

I'll go for coffee and dessert with you but this is a special family event. We always have a family dinner before the concert.

Then I had a brilliant idea – I’d take her out for dinner to my favorite restaurant after the performance. Coffee and dessert was nice but I wanted to pull out all the stops with her. If we went to the Russian Tea Room, she’d be on my turf, in my comfort zone while she’d be in unfamiliar territory. I would be in complete control, thus beginning my seduction of her as my submissive. 

Can you hold off eating and join me at The Russian Tea Room? I feel like some Pelmeni and blini. Have you been and tried their blini? To die for. I would love company.

Quite a few moments passed and I waited to see if she would agree. If she did, it was game over for the delightfully reticent Ms. Bennet. She’d be mine if I could get her to go out for a late meal with me. I’d ply her with vodka and hand-feed her rich food. I’d sit close to her and look deeply into her eyes, treating her like a princess. She’d be eating out of my hand, literally and figuratively. Getting her to invite me back to her apartment would be all the easier if I could feed her. I’d know at the first forkful of food I scooped into her mouth.

Finally, she texted back.

My father is very rigid about these things but I told him you invited me to go for a meal after the concert and he said I could miss our usual family dinner. Boy, does he like you… If he only knew…

I texted right back, wanting to keep the momentum of her acceptance going before she gathered enough courage to stop me.

He doesn’t know and I want things to stay that way. I don't want him finding out about my… pastimes. Just keep that in mind when you worry that I'll push your boundaries. I won't.

She was fast to respond:

I'll hold you to that. Good afternoon.

Success.

Adrenaline surged through me at that and I couldn’t resist.

I'll meet you in the lobby during intermission. Until then, Ms. Bennet…

She was falling, and it was only a matter of time before she was tied up to the headboard of my bed, crying out my name.

CHAPTER FOUR

On Thursday, I was at the club working out when I ran into Ethan once more. The fact we both were members had been a godsend with Kate.

“There you are, my boy,” he said in his gravelly voice. “I hope Katherine invited you to sit with us in our box seats.”

I smiled at Ethan and to myself, for imagine my surprise to learn Ethan asked her to invite me to sit with them for the entire performance. The better angels of my nature told me to be good and ‘find’ her at intermission. The lesser angels won out easily. I was only too happy to accept Ethan’s gracious invitation and would especially enjoy Kate’s face when she saw me walk up and sit right beside her.

“I was planning on joining you at intermission, but I was able to rearrange my practice session with Mersey until another day so I’m free.”

It was a lie, but that could be easily made true. I’d call Ken later and ask if we could practice on Tuesday instead. It would be no problem as we occasionally changed dates depending on people’s schedules.

Ethan clapped his hand on my back and we said our goodbyes. Monday evening couldn’t come fast enough.

My weekend went slowly, especially now that Kate was going out with me on Monday. Despite being busy with the band, and having a monthly general meeting of the local chapter of Doctors Without Borders to attend on Sunday afternoon, time seemed to drag. I was eager to see Kate and so my usual weekend pursuits seemed tedious. They were events to get through, not to enjoy.

I was sitting with my fellow band members after Sunday dinner with the O’Riley’s when the subject of my love life – or lack thereof – came up as it usually did.

The pub closed early on Sunday and each week, we were all invited for dinner. Everyone, from the cooks to the waitresses and waiters, as well as our band members, had a standing invitation and for a few hours, the pub was taken over for a sit-down meal. I didn’t always attend, but I needed a distraction. After we finished eating, I sat with the other band members enjoying a drink in the deserted bar, when Mrs. O’Riley leaned on the back of her son’s chair and peered at me pointedly.

 “So when are you going to settle down, Drake?” she said, patting her son on the shoulder. “My other boys are always bringing their wives and children here for Sunday dinner, but you’re always alone. If
anyone
should be married, it should be you. Don’t tell me you’re afraid to walk down the aisle again?”

I smiled. With Mrs. O, the talk usually turned to my bachelorhood. She couldn’t stand the thought that one of her ‘boys’ was single – especially not a doctor. She saw it as an affront to the female species.

“Once bitten, twice shy?” I said, finishing my beer so I could escape any further grilling.

“You? Shy?” she said, scoffing. “You’re the great brain surgeon. Handsome. Rich. Accomplished. I’m surprised some society gal hasn’t snapped you up. What’s wrong with you?”

She said it only half in jest. I knew she worried about me, but frankly, I wasn’t used to having women concerned with my well-being. My mother abandoned me. My wife left me.

Only my submissives seemed to actually want me.

“I don’t know what’s wrong with me, Mrs. O,” I said and shrugged. “No one has captured my heart yet.” I placed my hand over my heart and made a face of sorrow.

The guys all laughed at that.

“He has too many women to choose from. Why only have one?” Ken said, punching me lightly on the shoulder. “He dates college girls who only want to party. But Drake’s getting old. Soon, he won’t be able to keep up.”

“Someone will catch you,” Mrs. O said, nodding as if she’d made a decision. “Take it from me, Drake. Life’s awfully lonely when you’re single and old. You can only fill your day up so full with work and the band.” She had only recently lost her husband of thirty years to a heart attack, so she must have been feeling her widowhood particularly hard that night.

“I have a busy practice. I have the company,” I said, forcing a smile. “I have the Foundation. The band. I keep really busy. I’m not lonely, so don’t worry about me.”

Mrs. O pointed at me and squinted. “You find someone. Don’t die alone.”

She walked off, and the other guys all glanced at me for my response. I stayed steadfast in my silence.

“No new girlfriend?” Johnny asked. “You and your last girl broke up. Nothing new on the horizon?”

 “As a matter of fact, I’m seeing someone new.” I didn’t say anything more, but I couldn’t keep a huge smile off my face.

“Uh, oh,” Ken said, grinning like a mad man, cuffing the back of my head. “That smile betrays you, my single but soon-to-be attached friend. Tell us all about her.”

 “It’s not really a date,” I said, trying to downplay it, but my gut told me I was more excited about seeing Kate than I let on. “I’m meeting her and her parents at Carnegie Hall for a concert tomorrow.”

“Holy crap – her
parents?
Why haven’t we heard about her?” Ken said, making a face of mock anger. “That’s huge!”

I shook my head. “It’s nothing serious. Just the daughter of a family friend.” I took a drink and avoided Ken’s eyes, not wanting to see the huge grin on his mug.

“What’s her name?” Cliff asked, leaning forward expectantly.

“Kate,” I said, putting my empty beer glass down. “And that’s all I’m telling you bastards.”

“Come
on
,” he added. “How old is she?”

“Is she pretty?” Johnny chimed in. “What color is her hair?”

“What does she do for a living?” Ken added.

I laughed at their exuberance. “Twenty-four, beautiful, chestnut brown, journalism grad student, nice rack.” I stood up, trying to escape the inevitable twenty-questions. “And that’s
really
all I’m saying.

They all laughed and protested when I started to walk away.

“Have you nailed her yet?” Cliff asked, his face poker straight.