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CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

SWAN

D rake and I walked towards our bedrooms in the mansion. My mind buzzed while I kept stealing glances down at our joined hands. His thumb brushed over my skin, making my body react where the need rose inside me.

Heightening my desire-filled state was how attentive he’d been at the club following my confession. After he’d kissed me silly and left me panting, Drake stood with me in his arms and placed me on my feet, which wobbled a little. We’d then headed downstairs.

We’d danced.

Together.

No matter what song played, we just swayed slowly together. Kissing and touching. No one around us in our group seemed shocked by the change. Then again, we had made out before disappearing upstairs.

Later, we all went back up together to have a drink. I’d sat close to Drake, who’d wrapped his arm around my shoulders as he talked to Vicious, and I’d listened to Wolf ask Rommy if she was interested in men or women.

Even now her reply made me smile wider.

She’d cocked her head to the side and said, “I’m interested in love and lust and desire. It doesn’t matter who or what gender the person is. I’ve already slept with all types who have made my heart pitter-patter. That’s the best feeling in the world.”

I loved her outlook on love and life.

It’d been soon after that I’d quickly become distracted when Drake leaned in to kiss my temple and ask me if I wanted another drink. He had glided his hand over my skin every chance he could. At the shoulder, the arm, the face, and he’d even tucked his hand between my crossed legs.

“Where’s your head at, Birdy?”

He pulled me to a stop in front of my door. My heart slowly beat its way up my throat from nerves. I had to swallow it down.

“It was nice tonight.”

The corner of his lips tugged up. “Yeah?”

I nodded. I’d loved tonight, and I didn’t want to call an end to it, but I also wasn’t ready for everything to happen in a house that wasn’t his or mine. My house was also out since I still lived with my parents. It would be mortifying to walk out of my room the next morning with Drake to see Mum, Dad, and Nicky sitting at the table with knowing looks.

“Gonna suggest somethin’, Birdy, and want you to be honest with me, yeah?”

“Of course.”

He reached up and pinched my chin gently between his fingers. “I ain’t askin’ for anythin’, but I’d fuckin’ love it if you’d let me sleep beside you.”

Yes.

Please.

“Um, that would be okay.”

He grinned, dipped in, and kissed me with just a brush of his lips to mine. “Fuckin’ ace, Birdy. Go get in your PJs, and I’ll be in shortly.”

With a tingle in my stomach, I rushed into my room, closing the door after me. There was a firework going off under my skin knowing that Drake hadn’t wanted to call an end to the night either.

I rushed to the bathroom, where I’d left my sleepwear. Picking up the ratty old tee and mini shorts I’d brought, I wished I had something sweeter or sexier. Then again, it was probably best I didn’t. I knew Drake wouldn’t pressure me into anything or try to take my clothes off, but I was more worried about my restraint.

Drake seemed to bring out this fiercer want and desire in me.

I quickly did my bathroom routine and got dressed. By the time I walked back into the bedroom, Drake was opening the door, and I swallowed my tongue.

He only wore a pair of fitted black boxers. But that wasn’t what had me gasping. My heart thundered in my chest, and tears pooled in my eyes. “Drake,” I whispered.

He was half turned from closing the door and had dropped his head but turned his face my way as he moved his arm away from what I wanted to stare at.

What I thought I’d seen actually was what I had seen.

I sniffed, bringing my hands up to clasp them in front of my chest. Could I be wrong about the meaning to his tattoo? No, I didn’t think I was, and knowing that made me weak in the knees.

I blinked, and tears fell, but I couldn’t look away from the beautiful black swan.

Its tail was at his hip, its beak stopped up near his ribs, and its wings spanned to his stomach and back.

It was the most stunning image of a swan I had ever seen.

“Birdy.” Drake groaned before he started towards me. He swept me up into his arms before he sat on the bed with me on his thighs.

“I-I don’t want to read into it, but… for me?” I whispered.

His hand ran down my spine, and I turned to have his eyes. He nodded.

“When?”

“Can we talk about that another day?”

“Why?”

“I ain’t ready to reveal it yet. I will. And soon. Just not yet.”

He was asking me to wait for answers I was dying to have. Drake Marcus had a tattoo of a swan on his skin for me. A tattoo that would be there forever. A tattoo that had been there a while, since it looked all healed.

Something invisible gripped my heart before it felt cradled in something soft and sweet. “Okay,” I said quietly. I could wait for answers. I would.

He cupped my cheek and smiled. Leaning in, he pressed his lips to mine, once, twice. “Thank you.” I released a gasp when he stood and planted me on my feet again. “Let’s climb into bed.”

My face flushed from his words, but I went to the side and slipped under the covers while I watched Drake stride to the other side and climb in.

We rolled to our sides and faced each other.

“It’s beautiful,” I told him. “Did you design it?”

“Yeah, I did. Glad you like it.”

Why did you get it done?

When did you get it done?

My hand shook as I reached out to hold his. He brought it up to his lips and kissed each of my fingers.

I love this man. I really do.

He’d always been a spotlight in my life, warming me with his words, kindness, and attention. Now, he was so much more, and I was having trouble holding back from telling him exactly what he meant to me.

You loved Lockland, too, and look where that got you.

I clenched my jaw and refused to listen to that voice inside me. Not when I was where I wanted to be.

“How is it possible that this doesn’t feel strange?” I asked.

His teeth grazed over my knuckle before he licked there. My pussy clenched, and he smirked. The man knew I was a goner for him.

“Are you talkin’ about it not bein’ strange that I’m in your bed or that we’re datin’?”

Dating.

We were a couple.

A couple .

Drake was mine, and I was his. He would kiss me, hug me, and make love to me. My whole body warmed.

He groaned and pulled our joined hands up to press against his face. “Birdy, don’t look at me like that.”

“L-Like what?”

“Like you need me to devour you.”

Would he? Maybe if I begged.

But I couldn’t.

Not here.

“Sorry,” I said, blushing.

He chuckled and let go of my hand to rest on his elbow and hover over me. “Never apologise for that. I love the way you look at me.” He traced a finger from my temple down to my chin. “Somethin’ shifted in your gaze tonight, and I’m finally seein’, in these stunning dark eyes, the interest you have for me.” He dipped and pressed a kiss to the corner of my lips. “Lookin’ forward to seein’ it more, my little birdy.” He placed another kiss to the other corner of my lips, leaving me in a puddle of goo.

I cleared my throat, eyes glued to his lips and the slight stubble surrounding them.

“Birdy?”

“Hmm?”

He chuckled low. It sent a pleasant tingle through me.

“Fuck, Birdy.” He bent and kissed me. I moaned into his mouth as his tongue slipped out to tangle with mine in a slow, teasing, and hot kiss.

Wrapping my arms around his neck, I moved into him, rolling to curl a leg over his. I wanted this man. Needed him.

He was mine.

But I really didn’t want our first time to be in someone else’s place. For a reason I couldn’t quite work out other than it being important to me, I didn’t want to lose my virginity here. But hell, it was hard to resist. And I was sure Drake was having the same problem.

He tore his mouth away, leaving us breathless. I still had him wrapped up, and I was sure I could feel the outline of his hard cock at my hip, but he was keeping himself still.

Releasing my grip, I rolled to my back. Immediately, I squealed when I got picked up to lay over Drake, who was on his back. He had an arm under my head and curled over my back. The other held my thigh that was up over his hips and hardness.

His lips brushed over my forehead. “Let’s sleep.”

I nodded and accidently pressed my leg onto him more.

“Just ignore it and it’ll go away.”

Knowing he was aroused for me had my body humming. I snorted and covered my mouth quickly, but then he chuckled.

“Yeah, it’s hard to ignore,” he joked.

Another snort escaped before I started giggling.

Drake laughed with me, and he dropped his hold on my leg. His laughter died when I brushed my leg down his erection to remove it from him.

Neither of us would sleep if I had to feel that all night. I wanted to touch it. I’d felt one before, but that was the only experience I’d had.

I cleared my throat and looked up at him. “Will you be okay if we don’t…?”

His warm gaze wandered over my face, and he smiled. “Yeah, Birdy. I’ll be just fine since I’ve finally got you in my arms.”

Butterflies swept through my belly.

“Okay,” I whispered, face heating.

He kissed my forehead again. “We ain’t rushin’ anythin’. Night, Swan.”

I pressed my lips to his chest quickly, shyly, and wrapped my arm over his stomach. “Goodnight.”