She's Mine (5 page)

“Dad just let it happen?”

“No, of course not. He wouldn’t allow anyone to be mean to me. I never told him because I didn’t want him to think for a second that I was a crybaby who couldn’t handle it.”

“What happened when he found out?” she asked.

“Oh, he showed them all. He went to every single house with the women, and he called them out. It was like a moment out of a bad horror film, but it worked. People stopped pointing and staring, and even went out of their way to be nice to me. Of course it made me love your father even more, and that’s what made you, honey.”

Even though she should probably be grossed out, Raven couldn’t help but smile. “Dad will give Drew a hard time, won’t he?”

“It’s his right as your father. All daughters’ fathers have the right to make the men who want to date them, uncomfortable. It will determine if your man is worth getting hurt over. If Drew can’t handle your father, he’s not worth it. Your grandfather told me that when I begged him not to be too hard on him. Of course Clark wasn’t one to back down. I doubt Drew is either. I’ve heard a lot of things about that boy. Some good, some not so good.”

“He’s a nice man.”

“Yeah, well with what I’ve been hearing he’s claimed you. Kind of reminds me of the tale they told me about his own father and Doreen. He claimed her, told the men in town to back the fuck off or else they’d be fighting with him.” Her mother sighed. “Thinking about it makes me flutter. Poor man. He had Drew too late, and died for Drew too young, if you ask me.”

“He’s not spoken much about it.”

“Died in Drew’s arms. It’s why Doreen won’t let him take care of her. He already held his dying father while the damn ambulance got lost on its way there. She’s not going to allow her boy to go through that.”

“It’s awful.”

“Yeah, life is awful. I still go and visit Doreen. We have a nice long chat. I’m going to have to tell her about you and Drew.”

“You sound really happy, Mom.”

“Of course I’m happy. My baby girl is home, she’s finding a man—why can’t I be happy?”

“It’s okay. Of course you can be happy. You’ve got lots to be happy about.”

“I know. So he’s coming around tonight for dinner?”

“Yeah, how did you know?”

“Cathy told me.”

“Do you know everything?” Raven asked.

“Of course. You know me, I love my gossip. Did you also know that Francine Luderman is not going on a honeymoon? That’s no way to start a marriage. No honeymoon. Every couple should have one.”

“No, I hadn’t.” Francine was one of the women who thought she was too good to sleep with Drew, which of course meant that she already had.

“A couple of days of marriage, and as far as I’m concerned there is already trouble in paradise. I doubt there’s any love in that relationship. It’s all about the money.”

“Of course it is. Money, money, money.”

“Don’t ever marry for money, Raven.”

“I won’t.” Sometimes her mother liked to go off on a tangent. Tonight it seemed to be one of those nights.

Entering the kitchen, resting the phone between her ear and shoulder, she pulled the bubbling lasagna out of the oven and placed it on the stove to rest. She really did love this dish.

“Are you coming home for Sunday lunch? I have a nice big pork roast with your name on it. Key lime pie for dessert.”

“Yeah, I’ve love to.”

“You do know that tomorrow is Sunday, right?”

“Yeah, I know.”

“Just making sure. If Drew wants to come, he’s more than welcome to.”

“Are you sure? Don’t you think that’s rushing it a bit?”

“Nope. Get that boy down here, and your father will stop his complaining. I tell you, all that man does is complain.”

“Okay.” Her doorbell rang. “I’ve got to go.”

“You take care.”

“Get him to bag it!” Her father shouted out the warning in the distance.

“Damn it, Dad, enough. I’ve got to go, Mom. Love you, bye.” She hung up and opened the door.

Chapter Five

Raven looked beautiful and frazzled. Drew held three red roses, and her eyes took them in, and him.

“Are those for me?”

“You got it, baby.”

“They’re beautiful.”

“I’m afraid they were all they had.”

“You don’t need to spend loads of money on me. This is beautiful, and perfect. I only have single-stemmed glasses, look.” She left the door open, and he closed it, locking it. He followed her into the kitchen. The food smelled amazing, and his mouth was watering.

No woman had ever cooked for him.

Raven was reaching into a cupboard, and he saw her take out three long stepped vases. They would only fit a single rose, and she placed them in each one, putting a little water in the bottom.

“Beautiful,” she said, placing them on the table.

“I believe it was custom for a man to bring a gift.”

“Not for me, it’s not. You just come in, and the pleasure of your company for me is gift enough. I don’t know what you’re used to. The roses were a beautiful thought, but I don’t want you out of pocket.”

“I can take care of you, Raven. I’m not flat-out broke.”

She took his jacket and gripped his face, startling him. “I don’t care about your money, Drew Reynolds. I couldn’t care less what you earned or didn’t earn. The roses were a nice gift. You don’t have to bring me something for every date. I am expecting plenty of dates, and if you kept bringing roses, you’d soon be out of pocket.” She went on her toes and kissed him. “Gift me by bending down so that I can kiss those lips.”

Feeling like a total asshole, he wrapped his arms around her, and pulled her down toward him. Slamming his lips down on hers, he slid his tongue across her bottom lip, and she moaned, opening up and letting him enter.

The women he had fucked had all told him it was a nice gesture to give a woman some flowers, chocolates, or jewelry. He’d never gotten them anything because to him, gifts meant something. Raven meant something to him, and he’d wanted to give her something back.

“I’m sorry,” he said.

“It would seem those women have gotten in your head, making you think something. Don’t give them that kind of power. You’re better than that.”

He smiled. “I can see you’re not going to be afraid to put me in my place.”

“Someone should put you in your place so you know to stay there.”

Drew slid his hands down, cupping her ass. “I missed you.”

“Did you? It has only been a couple of hours since you last saw me. There’s no way you could have missed me in that time.”

“Guess again, baby, I missed you.”

He took possession of her lips, only for his stomach to interrupt as it started to growl. This time, she pulled away, giggling.

“I’m being told to do something, so I better listen to your good stomach.” She patted his side and went to the stove. The table was already set, so he took a seat. It was a small two-person table, very small, very quaint.

“You looked a little frazzled when you opened the door. What’s up?” he asked.

“I was on the phone with my parents, and in their quest to be modern, I find their talk a little disturbing. Did you know my father, Clark Howard, was supposed to be some kind of bad boy in the day?”

“Ah, they know about me?”

“Yeah. They know. I hope you don’t mind.”

“I don’t mind. Besides, it’s not like you told them.”

“I didn’t deny it either. Now I’m wondering if I was supposed to deny it.” She cut into the lasagna and put a large piece on his plate. Raven served herself next, and instead of sitting, she put the lasagna back on the stove top, and came back with a large bowl. “You’ve got to eat salad.”

Instead of arguing, he took the salad and placed some besides his lasagna. He never usually had the fancy shit like salads and green stuff. There was a time and place for that, and it wasn’t on his plate.

“You don’t have to deny anything. I meant what I said, and I wasn’t trying to embarrass you.”

“Don’t worry. Compared to my parents, you’re nothing. They know how to embarrass me without even trying. They like doing it, I’m sure of it.”

He chuckled.

“So, did you know about my father being the town bad boy or something?”

“I knew that he had a reputation with the ladies. My dad did as well when he was younger. They were both charmers.”

“I never knew that.”

“I believe your dad earned the top charmer award as he went around calling out the women he’d screwed or something like that. He humiliated and embarrassed them so that no one would talk shit about your mom.”

Raven smiled. “It’s kind of romantic. Don’t you think?”

“My mom used to think so as well. My father also. He liked Clark.”

“My mom is going to visit yours, tell her about us.”

“It’s what I expected, to be honest. I was going to head over to the care home tomorrow, but she’s got some bridge game, and asked if I went to see her in the week. She takes her bridge very seriously,” Drew said.

She cleared her throat, and he watched as she swallowed her beer.

“Actually, there’s something I want to ask you about tomorrow. You can say no. Of course you can say no.”

“What is it?” he asked.

“Mom invited you to dinner tomorrow. It’s pork roast, and she’s one hell of a cook. She’d have probably done what I did, gone traveling if it wasn’t for my father. You know, her falling in love, and all that.”

“I’d love to go.”

“Are you sure? My dad’s going to be there, and he’s promised that he’s going to be a huge pain in the ass. You can turn it down.”

“Raven, do you want me to go or not?”

“I want you to do what you feel comfortable.”

He took a bite of his lasagna, and he closed his eyes as the pleasure from one bite was so damn good. She was the best cook, ever. He was so damn lucky she belonged to him.

“My father told me that loving a woman meant you had to love her family. If you weren’t willing to butt heads with the father or the mother, then you didn’t love her enough.”

“Wow, do you think we’re related?” she asked.

“Not a chance. I think we both come from really good families. Hard working, loyal, and loving families. My father believed that if you wanted something enough, you’d be willing to stand and fight for it, even if you got beat down.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. Really. You want something enough that you’re going to hurt, then you stay, and keep it.”

“You’re going to fight my father?” she asked.

“Not in a battle of fists. I’ll take whatever he’s got to say. I’m not going to back down with this, Raven. I want you. I wasn’t joking around, or pretending when I claimed you.”

He watched as she took a deep breath.

“Are you nervous?” he asked.

“No, I’m not nervous. That’s a lie. I am a little nervous.” She gave a chuckle. “I imagine come Monday there’s going to be a lot of talk about us.”

“Let them talk. This is so damn good.”

“Thank you. It’s my mom’s recipe.”

He was happy to change the subject. The rest of the town could wait until Monday. After dinner, Drew wasn’t ready to leave.

“I’ll just do the dishes.”

“I’ll help.”

“You don’t have to. You were at work all day.”

“So were you. My dad helped with the dishes all the time, and he was convinced it helped the relationship in the long run,” he said, carrying their used plates.

“How so?”

“Mom could never shout at him for not doing housework. He did his fair share. He helped with the dishes, took the trash out, and even mowed the lawn.”

“Sounds like a keeper.”

“He was, and guess what?” he said.

“What?”

She turned to face him, and he put his hands on the counter, locking her between his body and the counter. “I’m exactly like him. So you’re in for having a keeper as well.”

****

“Are you trying to charm me?” she asked.

Drew was doing that thing again where he invaded her space and made it difficult for her to think.

“That depends,” he said.

“On what?”

“Is it working?”

“A little.”

He chuckled, stepping up close to her, and giving her no choice but to tilt her head back to look at him. “My parents had a happy marriage, and I intend to have the same kind of marriage as them.”

“You do?”

“Yes.” His hand touched her hip, and his breath fanned her face. “I can imagine you swollen with my kid. Coming home to you, to having some good food, and to being close to you.”

“Do you expect me to wait for you at home?”

“No, but did I mention I think about you being heavily pregnant? If you are then I don’t want you working. Also, I don’t want us to have kids right away.”

“You don’t?”

“No. You’ve been away from me for seven years. I want to make up for lost time so every room in my home and your apartment is going to have us fucking.”

“Fucking?”

“Yeah.”

“Mister, I haven’t even said you can be inside me.”

He gave her that wicked grin that made her want to drop her panties for him.

“I can wait.”

“Ugh!”

The hand on her hip moved down to cup her between her thighs. “I think you’re keeping something from me.”

“I’m not keeping anything.”

“You’re not?” he asked. “I’m sure you’re keeping a nice warm pussy to yourself.”

Before she could say anything, not that she wanted to, his hands were down the front of her skirt, touching her. Her panties gave away the evidence of her arousal.

“I’m not even touching you yet, and I can see how much you want me.”

“This is not fair.”

“I’m not going to fuck you. I gave you my word, and I wouldn’t pressure you to do something you didn’t want to do. It doesn’t mean we can’t do a whole lot of other stuff.”

He had her curious now.

Staring up at him, she tilted her head back, giving him her full attention. “Like what?”

Drew stroked her pussy through the fabric, and yet it didn’t feel like enough. When she was with him, nothing ever felt like it was enough.

“I could tell you, but I think it’s best I show you.” His hand was gone. “Right after we’ve done these dishes.”

She growled. “You’re driving me crazy.”

“Good. You don’t think you’re doing the same thing to me?” He took her hand, and pressed it against his rock hard cock. Raven gasped. “That’s what you do to me all the time.”

She couldn’t believe it. “Does it hurt?”

“Not right now. I’m wearing some loose jeans. If they were tighter I’d be in for a lot of hurt. Let’s do those dishes so we can take this into that comfortable-looking sitting room.”

She turned to the sink, grabbing some rubber gloves. “Cathy already had it fully furnished for me. I thought it was a bargain.”

“I bet. I like Cathy. She and Brice have been doing this thing they do for a few years now.”

“Sounds kind of sad.”

She was trying to think of something else other than the burning of her pussy. The urge to get naked and demand he finish what he started was strong. She was good though, and did the dishes. The leftover lasagna she left to cool on the stove. After they finished the dishes, they went to the sitting room.

“I can see why your parents had a good marriage. It was fun doing the dishes with you.”

“You see, I’ve got all of these secrets trapped up in here, and they’re just begging to come out, to be put to good use.”

Raven screamed as he suddenly lifted her up, and straddled his waist.

“What are you doing?”

“Proving that I’m a damn good thing to keep around.” His hands went to her ass, cupping her tightly, moving up her back, and into her hair. He held her close, and she couldn’t help but moan. “I bet you’ve got nice fat, juicy tits,” he said.

“What are you doing to me?” she asked, rubbing herself against his crotch, and wishing neither of them had any clothes between them.

He released his hold on her to pull her shirt up. She made him pause, grabbing his hands, and holding him still.

“What are you doing?” she asked.

“I want to see you. My dick’s not getting inside you. Like I said, I’m going to show you what else we can have between us.”

Raven lowered her hands and quickly lifted them up as he tugged her shirt from her body, throwing it to the floor. Next, he had her bra off, and he started to moan. “That’s what I’m talking about. Nice full tits.” He cupped them in his hands, and Raven couldn’t believe she was straddling his lap, naked from the waist up. “They’re better than I imagined, with nice big, red nipples.”

She stared down at him, gasping as he took one of her nipples into his mouth.