Page 20 of Mountain Impact

She paused for a moment before shaking her head no. Drake had expected her to say no, so that small hesitation thrilled him. She wasn’t entirely unaffected.

He drove slowly, delaying the inevitable moment when they’d arrive at her place, but Chamonix was a small town. Less than ten minutes after leaving the office, he parked outside her apartment building.

“I’m not going to ask how you know where I live,” she said.

“I’m not stalking you, I promise,” he said. The thought that she might be scared of him burned a hole into his heart. Isolde seemed to understand. She reached over and placed her smaller palm over his hand as it clenched over the steering wheel. “I would never hurt you.”

“I wasn’t worried. I know you would never hurt anyone who wasn’t a danger to others.”

He nodded, relaxing. That seemed like a very fair way of phrasing it.

Isolde picked up her handbag and opened the car door. He didn’t want her to step out of the car, but couldn’t think of anything to say to keep her there longer. He waited as she got out and turned back towards him.

“Thanks for the lift, Drake,” she said tightly.

This is where she says goodnight and you drive away.

“I’ll see you around, Isolde,” he said, but still couldn’t get his finger to press the ignition button.

Isolde’s teeth worried her bottom lip―his cock jumped at the sight. He wanted to be the one between those beautiful lips.

She’s going to ask why you’re still here.

“Do you want to come upstairs?”

Drake’s mouth dropped open in surprise. For a second, he thought he might have misunderstood her.

“Do you want to come up?” she repeated, and while he was glad she’d said it again, so he could stop wondering if he was going crazy, he didn’t like the way her voice sounded more hesitant this time.

“Uh …”

“I’m not looking for a relationship,” she said. “But if you want to come upstairs, I’d like that.”

He was out of the car before he could question either his sanity or hers.

“You did hear what I said, right? All of it? Also the part where I said I’m not in the market for a boyfriend.”

Drake nodded. He’d take any and all her conditions, just to spend five more minutes in her presence.

They rode the elevator in silence to her third-floor apartment. She unlocked the door and pushed it open, walking left towards her kitchen, where she took off her shoes. He followed her example and went back out into the living room in his socked feet.

He decided then and there that he wasn’t going to take Isolde to his place. Not that there was anything wrong with his apartment, but it was clearly little more than a place to sleep and shower. Hers was―a home.

From the floating shelves in the living room to the luxurious sofa, everything in her apartment was soft, light and airy. Drake knew immediately that she hadn’t hired an interior decorator to achieve this look―no, this was all her, and that’s what made it a real home.

“I know you don’t drink alcohol, but I’m afraid all I have is tap water or skim milk,” she said in a halting voice.

He shook his head, bemused.

Maybe she’s more nervous than she looks.

“Water’s fine.”

He heard the cabinets open and close, then the tap turn on. While he waited, he walked over to the balcony where she’d set up her home office. He could easily imagine her working here.

When she joined him in the living room, Drake took the glass she offered but grabbed on to Isolde’s wrist with his other hand. He kept his touch loose and gentle, so she could easily move away if she wanted to.

She didn’t. She took one step forward until they were standing inches away from each other. Since she’d taken off her heels, she was now a full head shorter than him. Isolde went on tiptoes, raising her face towards him, and still he waited―until she reached up to touch the back of his neck, pulling him down towards her.