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I was mortified.
I made it to the elevator but he was right there beside me, his hand on my arm.
"Kate," he said, stopping me when the elevator doors opened. "You arrived."
I turned to him, completely flustered. "I arrived?"
"Yes," he said and let go of my arm. "I was expecting you."
I got on the elevator and he followed me, closing the door and pressing the close button before anyone else could get on like he wanted to be alone with me. Then he cornered me, his arm on the elevator wall, his body so close to mine I could smell a hint of coconut, as if he'd put on some sunscreen recently. I avoided his eyes, unsure if I could control my emotions.
"Was this all a set-up?"
He said nothing, so I glanced up at his face. He was smiling softly.
"You could call it that."
"You and my father?"
"Me and your father. He thought it might be a good idea for us to get away from it all, work through this 'difficulty' we're facing, I think he said. I agreed."
I frowned, something building in me, feeling like it would explode any moment. "What did you tell him?"
"Oh, I made something up about how you were concerned about my schedule, and how busy I was, thinking I wouldn't have time for you. That kind of thing. He bought it completely." He moved a bit closer, running his fingers over my cheeks. "You're a bit burnt. Your skin is so fair..."
"I told you we can't be together."
He leaned down and caught my eye. "You said you were doing this for my own good. I have to know what you mean by that or else I can't accept it. I'm the one who should decide what's for my own good."
"Drake this can't happen."
"Shh. When I told your father about a conference I had to attend and that I was not looking forward to it because I was worried about you, he offered to bring you here for a bit of a getaway. Of course, I thought it was a spectacular idea…"
When the elevator door opened, he stepped away and I made a beeline to my suite, using the keycard to open the door. I went inside and he followed me, coming to stand beside me as I watched out the window.
"Kate…" he said, taking my shoulders in his hands, turning me to face him. "Come here."
"Who was that woman you were with?"
He frowned, then grinned. "Her? That's Doctor Laurisse Marchand, from Quebec. She does the same work I do and we've collaborated on a paper we're presenting. She's very happily married with kids and is a few years older than me. She also has a very dominant personality, like me. In other words, not my type so don't even let your mind go there."
Of course, I flushed even more deeply at that, if it was even possible. Just being alone with Drake was enough to make my knees weak.
"Nothing can happen between us, Drake."
He took my hand and pulled me over to the couch. He sat in the middle, and like that first night, he pulled me down onto his lap so that my face was just inches from his.
He tilted his head. "You look absolutely ravishing. I want to ravish you."
"I'm serious. We have to end this. For your own good."
"Tell me how ending this would be for my own good."
"You have to trust me. Someone knows about you. Your kink. They threatened to expose you if we kept seeing each other."
"What?" he said, frowning. "Who?"
I shook my head. "I can't say."
