Chapter Twenty-Five
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
DRAVEN
I t’s been a week since McKinsey was treated in the ER.
She says she’s feeling a little better and does seem to be… Mostly. But I don’t miss the way she closes her eyes in pain here and there, or the way she rubs at her temples, trying to relieve some of the lingering ache in her head.
After a month of arguing with me about not wanting to sleep over at the clubhouse, she actually agreed to stay here last night. I was worried her pain has killed a little of the fire she has in her, but it could be that she’s becoming more comfortable being around my brothers.
Which is something I want almost as much as I want her.
“Hey. Come here.” I gently grab onto her as she approaches where I’m perched on the side of my bed, tucking her between my legs. “Do you think you can handle a little fresh air? Maybe a short ride on the bike?”
She looks down at me as she finishes securing her necklace.
“I don’t know. The wind whipping in my face doesn’t really sound like fun right now.”
“What if I promise to go slow?” I thread my fingers through hers, loving the feel of her skin against mine. “I’ll try to minimize any friction from the wind.”
“Sure. Why not?” Shrugging, she gives in easily again, and I almost change my mind. But when she throws her hands around my neck and presses her lips to mine, I lose all conscious thought.
I let her lead, and her lips linger for so long, I want to forget about the ride and throw her into bed. But there’s some place I’d like to take her.
“Okay…” Reluctantly, I pull away from her. “If we don’t leave now, I’ll change my mind and lock us both in this room for the rest of the day.
“Would that really be so bad?” she smirks as I take her by the hand and lead her into the hallway.
Looking back at her, I smile and shake my head before descending the stairs.
Stopping off in the living room before we make our way to the garage, I grab a blanket, tucking it under my arm to bring with us.
“Where are you taking me that we’ll need that?” She arches a brow skeptically.
“Just in case we end up staying for a while and you need a place to sit.”
We run into Crew and Ronin as we pass through the kitchen. We say our hellos, but otherwise, we don’t stop to talk. I don’t want too much chatter to cause any additional discomfort to McKinsey’s head.
The garage is quiet when we get there, the only sounds coming from Toga, who is out here waxing his bike.
“You got the Trans-Am next, right?” I joke around with him as Kins and I approach my bike, and I place the blanket in one of the side carriers.
“Yeah, don’t hold your breath.” Toga smiles, nodding to me before winking at McKinsey. “Hey, Doc.”
Kins waves back at him but remains quiet.
“We’re going for a short ride, in case anyone asks. We won’t be gone too long.”
“Have fun, you two.” With a suggestive eyebrow wiggle, Toga says goodbye.
* * *
“Draven, this is beautiful.”
Kins faces the river that runs through the property my family used to own. I wanted to bring her out here to relax beneath the trees for a while. I’m hoping a little downtime in nature will help calm her enough to rid her of the headache from hell once and for all.
I stand next to her on the riverbank, watching the water flow. The sound of it brings me back to a time that I don’t often allow myself to think about anymore.
“How did you know it was here?” Kins doesn’t take her eyes off the scene before her as she speaks.
“This land used to belong to my family. Before I sold it to afford the care my mom needed. Years ago, I would hop on my four-wheeler and come out here to get away. To cry or scream when I was missing my dad so much I thought I would die.”
I look at McKinsey when silence falls between us. She’s got her eyes closed and her face raised toward the treetops. She appears lost in the beauty of nature, but she’s the most gorgeous part of this scenery.
“I haven’t been out here, or even driven down the road we came in on, in a long time. But this is one of my most favorite places in the world.”
When she finally looks at me, she runs her fingers along mine before squeezing my hand tightly in hers.
“Thank you so much for sharing this with me, Draven.”
I lean in for a kiss before gently pulling her bottom lip between my teeth. She moans, and it causes an ache in my chest. I’d give anything to lay her down on the blanket I have spread out, but that’s not why I brought her here. I don’t think she’s up for it, but if I’m wrong, I’ll leave it to her to take the lead.
Tugging on my hand, she pulls me to the blanket. “This is absolutely perfect.”
She follows me down as I take a seat, leaning back against my chest. Wrapping my arms around her, we enjoy the quiet for a little while.
“Tell me something about you that I don’t already know.” I place a light kiss on her head. “A secret that you’ve never told anyone before.”
“Hmm… Well, Olivia and Marissa know pretty much everything there is to know about me.”
I scoff, meaning for it to come out playfully, but I don’t know that I sold it. Her friends and I—especially Olivia—don’t really see eye-to-eye on … well, anything.
“Oh, come on. There has to be something about you that neither one of them knows.”
After a moment’s thought, she shocks me with what comes out of her mouth. “I don’t think I’m a good therapist.”
“What are you talking about?” I shift her body so her head is flat in my lap, and I can look down into her eyes. “You’re crazy, Doc.”
“I’m serious.” She giggles, but I note the sincerity in her eyes.
“Well, listen. I can’t speak for anyone other than myself, but it just so happens that you have helped me tremendously. A month ago, I never would have had the courage to come back here. You’ve taken me from a depressed drunk in jail to someone who is content. Happy. Hopeful for the future, whatever it may bring.”
She smiles, but she’s either in too much pain to smile too big, or she doesn’t believe what I just told her.
“What’s wrong, Kins? Are you feeling okay? We can go if you want.”
“No, no. I’m okay. I just question whether I’ve actually helped you, or if I’ve just been distracting you.”
“I hate to break it to you, Doc, but you’ve been distracting me since the night we first met.”
She rolls her eyes, wincing at what I assume is a twinge of pain in her head.
“No, but seriously. You have actually helped me. Do you want to know how?”
“Hit me…”
“I was scared of you. The day you picked me up from the police station, I knew you of all people would make me take a look inside myself, and I didn’t want you to see what I saw.”
The skin between her eyes crinkles as she reaches up to cup my cheek.
“Before we met, I thought I was a terrible person. I believed that because of certain paths I’ve taken in my life—certain unspeakable actions I’ve committed—I’d squandered all hope of finding someone I was able to get lost in. I was convinced I didn’t know how to love Eva because I’d proven time and time again that I wasn’t worthy of love. Until I reluctantly sat my ass down on that couch of yours. Where week after week, you pounded it into my thick skull that the only person I truly needed forgiveness from … was me.”
I link my fingers with hers and bring our joined hands down to rest against her chest.
“You’ve taught me that my actions didn’t result in the death of my parents. And for the first time since my father died, I felt a stirring of life inside of me. A warmth in my soul. Feelings I thought I’d lost forever. But now I recognize a hope within me that no one before you has ever been able to unearth.”
Her breath leaves her in a rush, like my honesty has just knocked the wind out of her. For a fleeting moment, I think it may have been too much for her. Until, finally, she speaks.
“You have no idea how much it means to me to know I’ve made such an impact on you, Draven. And it means even more, knowing that just a short month ago I had to pluck your feelings from you, one word at a time.”
Nervously, I fumble at the charm of one of her necklaces.
“Well…” I take a deep breath, knowing that what I’m about to tell her next could go very badly. “I’ve come to realize … that it’s easier bearing your soul … to someone you’re in love with.”
Kins closes her eyes briefly. When they open again, they’re glistening slightly. My heart starts to beat in overdrive, fearful that this is about to go terribly wrong.
But then she sits up and presses her lips to mine as she straddles my legs. I carefully cradle her face in my hands. Squeezing my eyes shut, I can feel the passion in her kiss, so fierce it almost knocks me over.
When she pulls away from me, I moan, missing the feel of her lips on mine. She removes her shirt, and then her lips are right back on mine again. My hands cling to her naked skin, rubbing everywhere I can reach, wanting to memorize every last inch of her body.
“Draven…” There is a whispered hunger in her voice. “I need you.”
Shifting my body, I lay her down just like I wanted to a few minutes ago. Ridding ourselves of the rest of our clothing, I kiss my way down her body and all the way back up again.
Her eyes lock on mine as I push inside of her. In them I can see affection, desire, need…
And as we slowly writhe against one another on the bank of the river, she lets me know in her own way, that she loves me too.