Covered In Paint: Book Five of the Art Of Love Series (21 page)

Brooke chuckled. “Drake’s good…but if he ever turns into Michael…I’m done.”

“So I take it you're back with him? Michael said he had no idea how it was going.”

Brooke nodded at the question and sighed. “Yes. Sort of. I guess you could say we’re on again.”

“Well, don’t overthink being involved with an artist. Their responses to life will never fit any sort of logic. Just ride the wave and all the fun that comes with it. That’s my best advice for you,” Carrie teased.

Brooke chuckled. “I didn’t say Drake wasn’t fun.”

Carrie grinned as she walked Brooke to the door. “I suspected as much, but wasn’t sure. Your mother never bought his stuffy act for one moment. She should really write a book one day. When it comes to men, Jessica is an amazing judge of character.”

Laughing at the idea of her mother writing about the men in her life, Brooke walked out of the gallery with a smile. Her mother’s dating saga had ended with a marriage to the Larson patriarch. No wonder she’d needed drugs to make it through the wedding.

Brooke thought about walking down a church aisle to Drake. Butterflies danced at the thought and had her rubbing her stomach.

“I’m as bad as my mother when it comes to commitment issues. Talk about the apple not falling far from the tree,” she said, laughing at her reaction.

Chapter 16

“Thanks for bringing dinner,” Brooke said, kissing her mother’s cheek. “It was nice to have dinner with just the two of us. We haven’t done this in a while.”

Jessica hugged her daughter. “Yes. This was nice. And I wish it had only been for fun. Do you want Will and I to give you a ride in the morning?”

“No. I want to drive myself—to have some time to think. Someone can drive me home afterward.”

“Okay. We can do that. Michael and Shane are insisting on being there. I wasn’t able to talk them out of it.”

“Fine,” Brooke said. “If they harass my doctor, I’m going to kill them after I come out of the anesthesia.”

Another hug or two and her mother was finally off. Brooke cleared the table and cleaned the kitchen, mostly ignoring the slight tremble in her hands. It had started earlier that day and there didn’t seem to be much she could do about it.

The doorbell rang and she sighed. She said a silent prayer that it wasn’t Michael or Shane coming to brood over her early. It was nice that they cared, but they had no idea that it was painful to endure her suffering and theirs.

She looked through the portal and smiled before opening the door.

“Where are my apology flowers?”

Drake snorted. “You’re spoiled.”

She crossed her arms. “If I am, it’s your fault.”

Drake pretended to think about it. “Okay…I guess that’s fair. You can have flowers tomorrow.”

“Get-well bouquets aren’t the same as the sexy I-want-to-sleep-with-you kind.”

“Point noted, Dr. Daniels. Are you going to invite me in or are we going to have our entire conversation in the hall?”

Brooke grinned and swept inward with a grand outstretched arm movement any game show hostess would have envied. She grinned more when Drake entered laughing.

“God…you always smell so good. I don’t know what it is you wear, but never stop wearing it…except on days when you have naked twenty-year-old models in your classes.”

“Then I might as well give it up altogether. I’m going to be teaching one section of that class every day next semester. The grad students don’t inherit the classes until after midterms. On the upside, the models only come to about a third of the classes.”

Brooke rolled her eyes and headed back to finish the kitchen. “You still don’t get it, do you?”

Drake sighed and followed her. He kept his hands in his pockets to keep them to himself for just a bit longer. “No, I don’t get it, but I like knowing you’re jealous. I find it very reassuring.”

The snort Brooke let fly was louder than the water running in the sink. “Men.”

“No…just man…as in singular. Me…to be precise. I’m not proud.”

Giggling, Brooke turned off the water and hung the towels to dry. She was stalling. She glanced back at Drake. He probably was too. Their conversations were frequently inane when they were tiptoeing around each other. How was this a basis for a real relationship?

“I stopped myself from coming over here a dozen times today. Finally, I couldn’t stand not seeing you anymore. How are you? I’ll take the truth with your answer please…no matter what you need to say. I don’t want to hear what you said to your mother to keep her from worrying. Jessica was leaving just as I got here.”

Brooke sighed and blew out a breath. Apparently the poet was now a mind reader. “I never lied to my mother. I just never told her how scared I was. I had my last meal and it’s still early. I’m not supposed to drink water after midnight. I’m following all the rules. It looks like tomorrow is happening whether I want it to or not.”

Drake shuffled a little closer, moving in slowly. “I figured you’d be like this and need a distraction. That’s why I came tonight.”

Brooke smiled. “With the mood I’m in, even the best of the distractions might not work.”

Finally close enough, Drake put his arms slowly around her until Brooke melted into them, leaning against his front. His heart rose to his throat. “I love you, Brooke. That’s not going to change after tomorrow. I just wanted you to know. Don’t say anything back. I don’t need to hear it yet. I just need to say it.”

“Barrymore…you sure know how to distract a woman,” Brooke said against his shoulder.

“No…that’s not the distraction. Let me show you what I brought.”

Brooke let him push her away gently. Drake slipped off his coat and drew something from the pocket before tossing it aside. He turned to her and let something black and silky fall until it dangled from his fingertips.

One eyebrow rose as she laughed at it. “Really? A blindfold?”

Drake nodded. “Yes. But it’s more than just a blindfold.”

“Are you intending to show me your kinky side, Dr. Barrymore? This might not be a good time.”

Drake shook his head, smiling at the mild concern in her gaze. His plan was already working. She was thinking about him and the blindfold instead of tomorrow.

“Sorry to disappoint you, Dr. Daniels…and for the record nothing is off the table between us…but the blindfold I brought is unfortunately not your intro to kink.”

She folded her arms. “Really? What is it then?”

Drake stepped in close, one arm coming around her waist to hoist her against him, folded arms and all. “It is a lesson in trust…and our first step to navatantra. A baby step…but still a step…if you’re willing. I promise it will be a painless experience. Mostly it will be a distraction…for both of us.”

Brooke uncrossed her arms and linked them around Drake’s waist. She rose on her toes until her mouth lined up with his. The kiss she gave him was reciprocated in the most thorough of ways, his mouth sliding across hers with precision. A hand in her curls had her sighing in bliss.

She could let herself go with the man who held her and be perfectly safe with him. There would be pleasure and there would be Drake. Life didn’t get any better…too bad it had taken her so long to figure it out.

“What if I don’t like being blindfolded? Are you going to give me safe word?”

Drake snickered. “What kind of games have you been playing with the other boys before me?”

Brooke blushed as she pulled away. “None like you’re thinking…but I read. It’s not like safe words are a secret these days.”

Laughing, Drake swooped down to hungrily take her mouth. His head was spinning before he lifted it. Brooke’s groan as his lips came to hers again moved things along much faster than he’d hoped. He pulled away reluctantly, pushing her hair back so he could see her face. He kissed every inch revealed and both her eyes until they closed.

“No safe words needed between us. You can take it off or leave it on. I’m not into that kind of control.”

Brooke giggled. “Liar…you hold my wrists all the time. And you know I like it. So stop acting like you don’t.”

“That’s for leverage, darling. It beats my hands slipping on sheets while I’m thrusting. It’s a guy thing.”

Brooke drew in a breath and hummed as she let it out. “Mmm…thrusting. Now that’s a distraction I can get behind…I mean—
under
. Behind would be okay too, though. We’ve never done it that way. I think I’d like that with you. You’re very proficient.”

“Enough sexy talk without action. Can I take you to bed now?”

Brooke giggled again. “Actually, I need a shower. But I won’t be long. I just want to smell as good as you do.”

Drake sighed. “Okay. I’ll sit on your uncomfortable couch and wait impatiently.”

“I promise I won’t be long. And you can wait for me in bed. Prep the blindfold and think lots of dirty thoughts.”

Drake laughed. “Go. Hurry. I’d offer to join you, but that shower of yours isn’t big enough for the two of us. How in the hell did Shane ever use it?”

Laughing, Brooke shrugged and hurried off.

***

“Nice teddy. Black lace suits you.”

“I thought it matched your kinky accessory. You can put it on me now.”

Drake grinned at Brooke’s excitement. He was still dressed in his shirt, but had ditched his slacks. He grabbed the blindfold from the nightstand and fitted it over her eyes. It was a total blackout kind because he didn’t want her to see what he was doing to her tonight.

“By the way, I was wearing this same lace teddy the night I came to your house for dinner. See what you missed with your brooding? That will teach you.”

Drake’s hands paused as he was tying the string in the back. He grinned at her smirk. “Why did you not let me go home with you that night? You know I wanted to. I asked you at least twice.”

Brooke bit her lip before sighing. “Okay—you’re right—I did. I admit it. I didn’t take you home with me because I was afraid of how much I wanted you back.”

Drake sighed and bent to kiss a nearly naked shoulder. He ran one finger under the thin strap of what she wore. It was tempting to break it, tempting to ravage. Part of him was clamoring to take what he could, while he could, but that was just his own fears about tomorrow. He would not let his worry rule him tonight—not when he had something so important to do.

“Kinky accessory is in place, and you’re all tied up now. How do you feel?”

“I guess I’m a little nervous about not being able to see.”

“Perfect. I’m going to paint you tonight. You’re not allowed to see my work until I’m done.”

“Paint me?” Brooke told herself not to over-react. “I thought we were going to learn about Tantric sex, not make a
Brooke In Bondage
portrait. Which, by the way, if you ever show a picture of me in a blindfold to anyone, you will be a dead man with no accessories.”

Drake laughed. “I’m not going to paint a portrait of you—at least not in the normal way. Your body is going to be my canvas. I’m
literally
going to paint
on you
.”

“Like finger paints? You’re kidding.” Brooke touched her blindfold, tempted to rip it off so she could make sure he didn’t do anything awful. When Drake belly laughed, her hand dropped. “You
are
kidding, and you’re laughing at me for my reaction.”

“Actually, I’m not kidding at all, but I love seeing you so nervous. The paint won’t hurt your body. Plus, I promise not to draw any obscene pictures.”

“Is this the trust part?”

Drake grinned and crossed his fingers behind his back. “And you’ll be able to wash it off tomorrow morning—unless you want to have some fun embarrassing the hospital staff who’ll be working on you. Totally your call…”

Brooke chewed her bottom lip. “I don’t know, Drake.”

“What are you afraid of, Brooke? Trust is about not being afraid. It’s knowing you’re safe. And you are safe with me…safer than you have ever been.”

Instead of ripping off the blindfold, Brooke rubbed her hands down her thighs as she knelt.

“Keep rubbing yourself and this is going to be over before it gets started. You have incredibly sexy legs. I’m planning to bury my face in your lap and wrap those around me as soon as I can.”

“Drake…
stop
.”

“Why?”

Brooke bit her lip again at his question, and then she giggled. “I don’t know. You’re making me nervous—like
really
nervous. It’s difficult to listen to you talk that way and know it’s about me.”

“Lust will turn a guy into a blabbering poet, especially when the woman looks as great as you do,” Drake said succinctly, leaning forward to take her mouth. Two drugging kisses later he pulled away. “Before I forget what I came here to do, let me get my paint pens out of my jacket and finish undressing. I’ll be right back.”

Brooke sighed at his words and rolled off her knees. It took all her willpower to leave the blindfold in place. Not being able to see was nerve-racking. She felt the bed give as Drake slid back on it.

“I’m going to ask you one serious question, and then we are not thinking about tomorrow again until it gets here. Which breast has the lump? You never told me.”

Brooke covered the problem breast with her hand and circled the lace with fingers spread. “Right here,” she whispered, pointing to the exact spot.

“My God you’re sexy as hell when you touch yourself. I’m trying like hell not to take advantage of your vulnerability.”

“Take advantage of me…and don’t bother with the condom…unless you want to. My birth control is working and fully functional.”

“Well, hell. Now I know I’m not going to get this right. You’re too beautiful and I’m too needy. All I want to do is be inside you.
Navatantra
may have to wait a bit longer.”

Drake set his arts supplies on the nightstand. He cupped her rib cage and bent his mouth to the top of her breasts. He ran a tongue under the edge of the lace until she arched. Closing his mouth around the turgid nipple saluting him, lace and all, he drew hard on it as he slid his body between her legs. He finally dragged his mouth from the wet lace when her thighs flexed around his hips. Her face was flushed with arousal and her hands were nowhere near the blindfold…instead they were on him.