Free Drake Restrained: A Novella in the Unrestrained Series (The Drake Restrained Series) by S. E. Lund

such respect for Katherine that I couldn't do it despite how much I desired her at that moment.
    I hated myself for being so principled and for once in my life, I wished I were more like Dave Mills, lacking any scruples when it came to women.
    If I were, I wouldn’t let her out of my sight.
    But I wasn’t like Dave and so for the next half-hour, I tagged along behind Dave as he made his way around the room, glad-handing the other big rollers who were here from Wall Street, thoughts of the delicious Ms. Bennet in her stockings and garters plaguing me. When I next saw her, she was standing surrounded by a herd of men who were all eagerly listening to her talk. I kept to the periphery of the group to see what they were discussing.
    "So, I read your article last month in the newsletter on the need for direct action, and civil disobedience on the famine in West Africa," one of the Wall Street suits said.
    She nodded, totally absorbed in the issue, unaware that most of her audience were barely listening, too busy imagining her naked, her limbs restrained with soft leather ties, her body in various lewd poses, an expression of pure ecstasy on her pretty face.
    Or maybe that was just me.
     
    Ethan was late arriving at the fundraiser, showing up just a few moments before it was over. I was getting ready to leave, having agreed to give Dave a ride home, when Ethan came over to me, pulling Katherine behind him.
    "Drake, did you get a chance to meet my daughter, Katherine? I don't believe the two of you have met."
    I held out my hand and Ethan and I shook as we usually did.
    "Judge McDermott," I said. "Glad to see you. Yes, I did meet Katherine. Finally . You've kept her pretty well-hidden."
    Katherine turned to Ethan. "Dr. Morgan used his medical skills on me, father. I fell in the alley and he patched me up." She pointed to her knees and Ethan made a show of inspecting her wounds. He turned and smiled at me.
    "Well, that's just great," he said and shook my hand once more. "I knew you’d come in handy one day. Thank you for looking after my very tomboyish daughter, Drake. She has a tendency to take a bigger bite out of life than she can always chew." Ethan winked at Katherine. "Can't call her timid, at least. Maybe foolishly brave."
    Katherine frowned. "How am I foolishly brave, Daddy?"
    "All your life, you've been trying to keep up with the older kids, like your brother. Going to Africa with Nigel and staying in one of the camps is a perfect example. How many of your friends can say that?"
    She shrugged. "Lots of us volunteer, Dad. We have to in order to stand out on college applications and for scholarships. Dawn went to India."
    Ethan nodded. "Still, you have to admit it was pretty brave." Ethan turned to me. "Thanks for looking after my baby girl," he said to me.
    "No, my pleasure," I said, happy that Ethan was finally willing to introduce me to his daughter. "Thank you for inviting me. I was pleased to finally meet the mysterious Katherine you’ve spoken so much about but kept well-hidden."  I smiled at her.
    "Not hidden," Ethan said. "Katherine's been very busy with school and the student paper, haven’t you, sweetheart?" Katherine smiled, flushing a bit as if embarrassed at the attention.
    "Of course," I said.
    Ethan left with Peter and Dave, Katherine and I were alone by the front closet where our coats were hung. Katherine took her coat out and was just about to put it on when I stopped her.
    "Here," I said. "Let me get that."
    I took the coat and held it up for her.
    "I can do that," she said, trying to take it from me as if she didn’t want any help.
    "Please, allow me."
    I helped her on with the coat, and when she pulled her hair out from underneath the collar, I leaned forward and inhaled, enjoying the scent of shampoo and her perfume. I adjusted her collar and the shoulders. She turned around and smiled at me, a quizzical expression on her face.
    "Thank you," she said and gathered up her bag before limping to where