Chapter 22
KIMBERLY
The next few weeks went by in a whirlwind.
As soon as Reese and Travis gave the green light for Aspen, I had my hands full.
Since I was the business development director, it was up to me to see the project through.
The general manager was mostly in charge of approving the course I was setting.
Of course, that meant I spent a lot of time around a certain hottie, but I didn't mind. Not at all.
"Kimberly, I've heard through the grapevine that you have your hands full," Thomas said. "You're going to check the inventory too?"
"Tom, we argue about this every month. And I win every time,” I replied. "You know I like to be on top of things."
"You like to micromanage," Drake's voice boomed through the room.
I chuckled, turning around on my bar stool.
"I'm taking care of this," I informed him.
I had to work on my facial expression because I suspected that every time Drake stepped into the same room with me, I had a moony smile on my face, and that wouldn't do.
Thomas was more than a coworker. He was more of a father figure after having been so involved in my dating life. But still, I felt uncomfortable broadcasting to the team that Drake and I were seeing each other.
Luckily, we were on the same page… mostly. At the present moment, the man shamelessly undressed me with his gaze. Luckily, Thomas was busy unloading the dishwasher and probably couldn't pick up on the vibes.
"Hi, team." That was Jonathan, one of our best in the sales department. I glanced at him as Thomas straightened up.
"Hey. Looks like I don't need your help after all. Drake and Kimberly showed up."
"Jonathan," I said, "just the person I was hoping to see."
He jerked his head back. "Why?"
"Thomas here says you're being very helpful with all sorts of things that are not part of your job description."
He slid behind the bar. "So? Plenty of people here do things that aren't part of their tasks."
"I know, but you really don't have to." I put both palms on the counter, leaning slightly forward. Jonathan smiled. Good. He was relaxing. He'd seemed to be on the defensive minutes before. "I just don't want you to be overworked or overwhelmed."
Next to me, I heard Drake inhale. Oh, I knew this was blasphemy for him. If he had it his way, everyone would work around the clock.
But he wasn't having it his way.
"I'm going in the back," Thomas announced. "I need to unpack our newest gin delivery."
"Is that from the new supplier?" Drake asked.
"Yes."
"I'll come with you. I want to check if they included all the promised extras."
Oh yeah, he and I were definitely two peas in a pod.
Once we were alone, Jonathan asked, "Want me to help with the inventory?"
"No, I’ve got it." I looked at him a moment, then said, "Jonathan, I just don’t want you to get burned out doing too much. I feel like we’re taking advantage of you."
He glanced over his shoulder before leaning forward. "Not at all. Look, I'm not doing this just because I want to help. I feel like Tom needs the company.”
He did. He’d confided in me soon after we met that his wife left after they retired, so he needed to keep busy.
“As for me," Jonathan continued, "I come early in the morning to beat the traffic, and I get a lot of my tasks done that way."
I beamed widely. "You're a good guy, Jonathan."
"Thank you, boss.”
“Thomas was right about you.”
Something flickered in his eyes. "I hope I'm not being forward, but would you like to grab dinner somewhere outside of work?"
I nearly fell off my chair. I hadn't realized that was where this was going.
"Jonathan…." Why was I always so capable of telling someone no when it came to business, but when it came to turning down someone in my personal life, I couldn't find my words?
"Look, I appreciate you asking, and you're a good guy.
But I'm not in the right headspace to date.
" There. That sounded like it was a me problem, right?
"It can just be a drink. Or are you seeing someone?"
"Yes, she fucking is."
I blinked, looking behind Jonathan. Drake was standing in the doorway to the supply room.
What the hell is he doing? We'd agreed we wouldn't tell anyone about us yet.
Jonathan looked like he was seriously considering running out of the room.
"She's dating me." Drake came next to me, putting a hand at my lower back. Usually, that made me simmer. Right now, it had the opposite effect.
I sat up straighter, staring at him. He cocked his head sideways, probably feeling the anger radiating off me. I realized he was angry as well.
"I’m sorry. I totally misread this. I didn't know about you two," Jonathan quickly said.
I cleared my throat, looking at Jonathan. The guy truly seemed like he was about to pee his pants. "That's because we haven't told everyone. We’re keeping it under wraps, so to speak."
"Okay. Well… I think Thomas is good with you two helping. Will you tell him I've gone back to my office?"
"Sure," I said, pressing my lips together. He practically ran out of the bar.
I turned around, looking up at Drake. He was towering over me; I had to lean my head back to still maintain eye contact.
"What was that?"
"He was asking you out." Anger dripped from every word.
"I know, and I turned him down."
"He didn't seem to take the hint."
"I was going to drill the point home eventually."
"Really? Like you did that first evening with that loser? Or would you just end up going on a date with him?”
I pushed my chair back, getting up to glare at Drake eye to eye. "I don't have to listen to this. I don't know what's gotten into you, but it was obvious I was turning him down. We'd agreed that we would maintain a united front at work, a professional one. This was not professional."
"Kimberly—"
"Don't 'Kimberly' me. You don't get to make a fool of me in front of employees and think you can get away with it."
"That's not what I'm doing."
"Whatever it is you are doing, I don’t like it," I sneered. "I'm going back to help Thomas. Do me a favor and don't follow me."
“I already checked the cases they delivered. It's all there as promised."
"I'm helping him with the rest."
Without another word, I went to the back, closing the door behind me and taking in a deep breath.
Thomas was at the end of the second room in the back.
I didn't think he heard anything. I breathed in and out, trying to rein in all my emotions, but I couldn't calm down.
I wouldn't if I kept thinking about it, so I just threw myself into work.
Half an hour later, Thomas and I were ready. I'd calmed down somewhat, but I was going to analyze the scene the whole day. I was sure of it.
I took the stairs down, walking with determined strides. Once I was in my office, I closed the door, leaning against it with my eyes closed. The sound of someone clearing their throat startled me.
I knew it was Drake even though he hadn't said one word. I opened my eyes when he got up from my chair.
"What are you doing here?" I asked, trying to keep my voice calm.
"Waiting for you.”
“Why?”
“Kimberly!"
"Don't say it like that. It sounds like you’re admonishing me, and I'm not having it."
He came up to me, looking straight into my eyes.
Don't give in, Kimberly. Stay strong. Even though those green eyes are practically melting your defenses.
"I came to apologize. I didn't handle that well at all."
"No, you didn't." My words didn't have bite in them. I hadn’t expected him to apologize. I thought he'd keep blaming me.
"What I said to you was out of line. I knew you wouldn't go out on a date with him."
"Okay, that's good to hear."
He looked down for a few seconds, as if he was trying to gather his thoughts.
I heard him inhale and exhale slowly, and then he snapped his gaze back up.
"I saw him there asking you out, and I don't know what got into me.
I just didn't want him anywhere near you.
The thought of you being around someone who feels that way about you…
. It unleashed something inside me. I'm not used to it, which is why I didn't know how to handle it. "
"Drake," I murmured. The fight had gone completely from my voice. I tried to put myself in his shoes by thinking about how I’d react if another woman came on to him. I'd probably get into a catfight.
He put three fingers under my jaw, caressing my skin there. My entire body tingled. "You're mine, Kimberly. I want everyone to know it. I need everyone to know it, and I didn't realize that until today."
"Oh." I was at a loss for words. I didn't think he would be so raw and honest about this. "Is it because you’re afraid someone else from work is going to ask me out? That's not going to happen. And if it does, I'll turn them down with more conviction."
"You're mine. I need the whole world to know you're taken, that they can't even think about you. I want to forbid anyone to fantasize about you." His tone had grown harder, his gaze relentless and darker than before.
"Oh, Drake. I don't mind if the world knows I'm yours. I'm not even thinking about anyone else."
"Good. I don't want anyone in your head except me.
" He tapped my temple and then drew his finger down to my jaw again.
Then he kissed me, exploring me so sensually that I melted against his mouth.
I gripped his shoulders, pressing my hips into him.
He groaned, cupping my ass cheeks and keeping me so close that I could feel him turning hard.
I couldn't understand how our bodies were so in sync. He deepened the kiss, exploring me even faster. He bit my lip lightly, and a shudder went through me. I would give in to anything he asked of me now.
As we pulled apart, he said, "That's how I want everyone to see you, with your mouth red from how hard I've kissed you."
I cleared my throat. "That's very…."
“Territorial,” he finished for me. "That's what you do to me, Kimberly. You wipe out any thought. I'm pure neanderthal when it comes to you."
Taking a step back, I smiled widely. "Right. No one's going to see me freshly kissed by you anytime soon, so you can get that out of your mind."
He groaned. "You’re right. But I can’t wait for the team to know.”
I was still a bit uneasy thinking about what would happen if this didn't work between the two of us. Would the team start taking sides?
Oh, Jesus, Kimberly. Stop worrying. You'll take things as they come.
"Okay. But I’ve got to warn you. If we’re going to make this super official, there is no way I can keep you out of the next Maxwell gathering."
He threw his head back with a laugh. "I'm more than ready for that."