“Okay.” He dropped a light kiss to my lips.
“The last one to the bottom makes dinner,” Kyra called out, zipping away with Rayden and Tamara on her tail.
I laughed. With their grandmother away, meals now fell to our shoulders. Something I looked forward to. A couple of minutes later, I slipped the goggles into my jacket pocket, hoisted the skis over my shoulder, and headed for the ski lift. Once seated, I took out my phone to check messages from Ruvash. He promised he’d call when reception was good. I couldn’t wait to offload my drama on someone I knew would understand.
“Not attempting the slopes, are we?”
I shifted my gaze as a guy around my age climbed into the seat next to me. “One too many attempts and I’m now the Olympic champion for the epic number of falls in skiing.” He laughed as I scrolled through Ruvash’s photos.
“We’re all not perfect in everything.”
My head snapped up at the deep voice. Drake stood at the guy’s side and gestured for him to take the next ride.
“What are you doing here?” I asked, panicking as he took the seat, the guy vacated.
“Joining you.” His smile was serene, nothing like my jumbled nerves.
Before I could make a move to jump off, the lift jerked forward. Unconsciously, I grabbed his forearm. Both our gazes dropped to my fingers wrapped tightly around his jacket. When I tried to move my hand, he covered mine, his firm grip keeping it in place.
This was going to be a long ass ride.
He shifted slightly, bringing his body closer and pressed tight against mine. I gulped, feeling every inch of him from shoulder to knee. There was no room to move away, and even if I did, it would make me appear childish. “You didn’t have to come, you know? I’m quite capable of riding by myself,” I finally managed.
His husky laugh filled my body with a warmth I didn’t know I craved until this moment. “How long did you think you were going to avoid me, Sia?” He looked at me, gray eyes assessing, penetrating my very soul. “Why did you leave that morning without saying goodbye?”
I shifted my gaze, eyeing the beautiful mountain landscape, monotonous in white, green, and stone, yet stunning in its entirety. I drew in a deep breath, relishing the cold air as it passed through my lungs, almost like a cleansing. I tipped my head back to look at him. “What did you expect, Prin—Drake?”
He noticed my quick change with a cocked brow. “I love it when you call me Prince.” He leaned closer, his gaze locked on mine, unblinking. “Do you have any idea how difficult it is to sit here wanting desperately to kiss you and knowing I can’t?”
My eyes flared for just a moment when he rolled a thumb over my bottom lip. I kept my expression neutral but couldn’t stop how my heart raced or the way I breathed harder to draw more oxygen into my lungs, bordering on panting.
“I’ve dreamt of these lips, of this face.” He palmed my cheek. “For so long, I feared I’d never get over you.” His gaze held mine. “I never did.” He let out a soft groan. “Is it wrong that I’m jealous of my son? That a little part of me hates him for taking what I’ve wanted for so long?”
“Drake, I—” Suddenly, words defeated me. What could I say that would ease the unexpected hum his words ignited through my body? Every hair, every cell, every inch of me was tuned into the wavelengths his touch emitted. Was it wrong that I wanted him to kiss me, to appease the ache between my thighs, to run those strong hands over my curves, gripping me tight as he slid his hard cock into me? Swallowing at the image, I turned away.
“You feel it too, don’t you?” he asked softly, cupping my chin. He turned my face back to him. “I had no right kissing you in the observatory, and I’m sorry, but I don’t know if I can stay away from you, Sia.” I lifted my gaze to meet his, not sure if I wanted him to. He stared for a long moment, his eyes searching as if his intense appraisal would give him the answers he wanted to hear. My breath caught in my throat. “Why did you leave that morning?” I heard the regret in his tone.
“We belonged to two different worlds, Drake. I was a nobody, and you were a somebody.” I shrugged.
“Jesus. Did you actually believe you were a nobody?” his tone clipped, he dropped his hand and sat back. He remained silent for a couple of minutes. “You were mine first.” Although he sounded wistful, he didn’t look at me.
“It was a one-night—”
“It wasn’t just sex, for me, Princess.” He cut me off, turning a deep frown on me. “You were different.” He paused, his eyes roaming my face. “Are different, and I fucked up.” He glanced away, studying the scenery, his features tense. I wasn’t sure what to make of his words. What did I say? I’d never been this confused about anything in my life before. He began speaking again, “Right now, if you could feel my heartbeat, you’d understand. It’s racing, clocking velocities that would give Maclaren a run for his money. You do that to me. Every time I’m with you or see you.” His eyes met mine, and at the look there, something stuck in my throat, trapping the air. What was it telling me? “I will crash, Sia, because, for the first time in my life, I have no fucking idea how to step on the brake or cut the engine. And the worst part. I don’t want to.” He pulled in a long, ragged sigh. “If you stayed, I would’ve—” The noisy clunk of metal as the seat glided to a halt cut him off. He climbed out then turned to help me. We descended the stair, our steps slow as though we both wanted to prolong the moment.
“You would’ve what—”
“Dad?” Rayden’s surprised call interrupted me. “Did you come down with Sianna?” I caught the puzzled look on his face before he slid an arm around my waist.
Drake nodded. “Didn’t seem right for the entire family to ditch our guest.” Did I imagine the chastising tone?
“My bad.” Rayden offered me a sheepish smile. “Thanks, dad.”
As Tamara and Kyra joined us, my gaze met Drake’s. I had no idea what to read in that look, yet a part of me wanted desperately to find out. To also know what he was about to say before we stopped.
Back at the house, I excused myself to go for a walk. Rayden stopped me as I stepped out of the SUV. “Don’t you want to come horse-riding with me?”
“No.”
