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"Train my dragon?" he said and laughed. "That sounds awfully hard for an old non-technical guy like me."
"Nonsense," I said and tucked his blanket in around his knees. The cold weather had arrived with a vengeance and the old apartment, while completely upgraded, still had an old steam boiler system and it was often drafty. "I'll bring Sophie over for a visit and we can work on it while she plays on the rug."
"Sounds like a plan," my father said and smiled softly. "What did I do to deserve such a good daughter?"
"You were such a good father," I said plainly.
"You didn't always think that," he said with a chuckle. "I recall there were years, when you were a teenager, that you thought I was an old curmudgeon. I know what you and Heath whispered about me. The 'Hangin Judge…"
"You allowed us to dissent," I said. "I didn't realize it at the time."
"I tried," he said. "This stroke gave me a chance to look at my life and appreciate what I have had. I've been one of the luckiest men of my generation. Probably of any generation, when you think about it."
I nodded. "We've been very lucky as a family, even with the heartbreak," I said and thought of my mother
and how she passed in so much pain. "That reminds me," I said and remembered that the concert on Veteran's Day that was coming up – the anniversary of my first real date with Drake. "Do you think you're up for a concert?"
He looked at me with narrowed eyes. "Is it that sad music you and your mother loved so much?"
I shook my head. "I wish it was, but no. It's only Mozart and Ravel."
"That's a special day for you two."
"It was Drake’s and my first date," I replied, remembering the night with nostalgia "You invited him to sit with us and I was so mad at the time…"
"The boy was in love with you," my father said. "Is in love with you. You can't know how happy I was that the two of you got together. I only wish Liam were here to see you both. And little Sophie."
"And little Liam, too."
I thought of the picture of Liam and my father that Drake treasured so much. I wished I could have met Liam before he died. He sounded like such a gallant man, even if he was a very distant father for Drake.
"You two lovebirds will have to go alone," my father said, shaking his head sadly. "I'm not up to much yet. Maybe next year."
I sighed and leaned over to kiss him on the cheek. "Next year sounds good."
"Are you excited about tonight?" Drake asked me as I stood at the vanity in the master bathroom and finished applying my makeup.
"I am," I said, butterflies in my stomach. I glanced at Drake. He was already dressed in his dark blue suit and white shirt, and was tying his tie. As usual, he looked like a billion dollars. Although the news coverage of his past had been a real source of stress, he still seemed to be able to rise above it and was almost perpetually cheerful.
"This is our first real date since Sophie was born," Drake said, meeting my eyes in the mirror. "I wish we could go to The Russian Tea Room first, but maybe after, we can stop and get some blini and drink some Anisovaya."
"Maybe," I said and put on my diamond earrings and diamond choker. "I don't want to be out too late. We don't want to take advantage of Karen.
"She said she'd be happy to stay until midnight, so we'll have time."
I nodded and watched as Drake ran a comb through his hair and smoothed an errant wave. He turned to me and smiled.
"How do I look?" He held out his arms and turned in a circle.
I laughed. "You look mahvellous, dahling. Mahvellous."
He came up to me from behind and put his arms around my waist.
"You look good enough to eat," he said, murmuring against the skin of my neck. "In fact, I think I will eat you when we come back and once Sophie's back to sleep after you feed her."
I smiled and tried to finish fixing my hair, but Drake was insistent, his hands squeezing my breast over top of my black velvet dress, the other sliding down over my belly to my groin, his fingers pressing against my clit. I closed my eyes and moaned softly. He knew right where to touch and what to do to instantly arouse me.
Downstairs, Karen was looking after Sophie, getting her ready for a feed before putting her down to sleep.
