The Drake Unwound Complete Collection (The Drake Series Book 9)(78)

"I will."

He kissed Kate on the cheek and turned away, and I could tell Ethan was too emotional to say anything else to me so I took Kate’s hand and pulled her away.



We took a direct flight to Naples, Italy were we would stay for a few days, and then rented a car and drove to a tiny resort village named Ravello. The location was famous for being the inspiration for Wagner's opera Parsifal.


The hotel in Ravello was in the neoclassical style with white stone walls and columns. Each room had a small balcony that looked out onto the Mediterranean, the rocky shore below and cliffs on either side of us.

That first night, without any of my usual rope or leather cuffs, I had to resort to using my tie to restrain her hands to the ornate headboard of the bed and another to blindfold her.

The bedframe was loose and the screws that held it into the frame rusted and when I began thrusting, it creaked like an old washing machine, completely ruining the mood I was shooting for. We ended up collapsing in laughter, the eroticism of the scene I was imagining lost completely in our mutual mirth.

In the end, each time I tried to resume my movements, Kate giggled, leading to me laughing out loud. Finally, I gave up and moved her to the floor in front of the window. We ended up going pretty vanilla, with Kate on her hands and knees, and me holding her hair and pulling her up for a kiss while I f*cked her from behind.



We slept almost through the morning the first day we were there and then spent time walking the narrow streets, enjoying the village's ambience. After a quiet dinner in our room, we sat on the couch and watched the sunset through the open doors of the balcony. I was waiting for the perfect time to give Kate my ring, wanting to propose to her when the mood was right.

"How are you tonight?" I rubbed her back. "Still a bit tired?"

"A bit," she said. "Nothing I can't manage."

I pulled her closer, so that she sat on my lap. "You've made me very happy, Kate."

"I'm happy that you're happy." She kissed me softly and nestled her head on my shoulder.

"I thought for a terrible few hours that day that I'd lost you," I said, tilting her chin up so I could look in her eyes. "I know it was crazy, but in the back of my mind was this fear that I'd helped you overcome your fear of kink and then, you'd go back to Kurt, who was more your age."

"You're more my age," she said. "Besides, I can't imagine being with anyone but you."

"Neither can I."

"I was afraid you'd throw me over as being too much trouble," she said after a long pause.

"Never. You know I enjoy a challenge. You do forget to use the proper form of address now and then, and there are times that I know you want to ask me what my plans are, but overall, I couldn't be happier."

"I'm trying to be a better sub."

"I'm trying as well," I said. "Trying to earn your trust."

"I want to trust you completely," she said. "You've never hurt me on purpose. You proved to me that I can enjoy things I never thought I could. You pushed me when I was reluctant, when I was uncertain."

"When you're uncertain about something, it usually indicates ambivalence. You're attracted and repelled at the same time. When you're uncertain, if I can push you a bit, you may discover you can enjoy things you wrote off."

She nodded and then a wicked grin started on her lips. "So, if I want you to do something, I should pretend I'm uncertain of it? Would that encourage you to push, so that I'd submit in spite of my reluctance?"

I tried my best not to smile, frowning at her in my best Dom mode. "That would be very bad, Katherine. Topping from the bottom and is generally frowned on. Honesty is the best policy."

"I was kidding."

"I'm serious," I said and turned her face to mine. "If you want me to do something, if it brings you pleasure, I'll do it gladly."

She sighed and laid her head on my shoulder.

"There will be a few bumps along the way, Kate. It's inevitable, but as long as we're honest with each other, we'll be happy."

I pulled her more closely into my arms and kissed her, pushing her down onto the couch, my body between her thighs. We lay like that for a while in pleasant silence. Finally, I rose up, making an excuse about using the bathroom, where I had hidden the small box containing the engagement ring I’d purchased earlier in Manhattan. When I returned, Kate stood on the balcony watching the ocean below.

I wrapped my arms around her from behind and kissed the top of her head. Kate leaned back against me.

"What are you doing, Ms. Bennet?"

"Watching the stars. They're amazing here, in such a tiny village."

I held her like that for a moment, enjoying the peace and quiet, the serenity.

"We never did have dessert," I said, and kissed her shoulder.

"Mmm, no we didn't," she said. "What do you fancy, Dr. Delish?"

"Dr. Delish?" I said and laughed.

"That's what the nurses call you."

"I thought it was Dr. D."

"That, too. And Dr. Dangerous."

"Dr. Delish," I said and stroked my hand up her waist to cup a breast while I kissed her neck. "I think I like Dr. Dangerous. Gives me a better ambience, for a Dom."