Free Homeless Heart by JC Szot Page A

before he pulled away. His brows knitted in observation.
    “I’m going to go upstairs for a few minutes. When I call for you, I’d like you to come up, okay?” Kelly nodded, licking her lips. Her body was parched, ready to drink in whatever he had on tap for the remainder of the evening. There was no sense trying to reason through it all. She wanted whatever Drake Larson seemed so willing to give.

Chapter Seventeen
     
    “I’m going to go get us some champagne. Why don’t you get settled in and I’ll be back in a moment,” Drake told her. His fingers combed through strands of her hair, fanning it over her shoulder. He turned, leaving her in the midst of a paradise that’d had her off balance since she’d entered the house.
    Kelly stood, frozen to the floor, as she gaped at his personal living quarters and adjoining bathroom. An ivory, silk robe lay across the foot of the bed. Her toes dug into the thick-pile carpeting the color of pearls. Kelly stepped closer to the bed. She was afraid to breathe. Every visual frame that filled her eyes was lavish, surreal, and deliciously unfamiliar.
    Large windows opened the entire front wall of his bedroom, overlooking a vast landscape that was probably breathtaking during the daylight hours. The sleigh bed was massive, heavy, and puffed with a plush, maroon velvet comforter. Dark oak furniture filled the corners of the room. Brass drawer handles glinted in the dimmed lighting.
    Kelly let her fingers skate over the shimmering silk. She picked up the robe, following the sound of running water.
    The bathroom was the largest she’d ever seen. Rainforest-green tiles and soft peach colors were the backdrop to a large, sunken circular tub. The suds grew into lustrous peaks. Bubbles slithered over bubbles as if they were alive, the tub nearing its capacity. Kelly quickly leaned in and turned off the copper spigots. Steam coated the tall panes of glass that ensured another gorgeous view.
    Kelly felt her brow wrinkle in confusion, unsure of when Drake would return. She fumbled with the zipper on her jeans, her hands shaking. A decadent dinner that’d settled nicely now swirled around in her stomach.
    Leaving her clothing draped over a chair that sat on the side of a long, marble vanity, she caught her reflection in the mirror. Her nipples were hard, protruding, and hungry. She stood on the plush bathmat and carefully lifted one leg, stepping into the heated, frothy water. Kelly sat down, feeling the warmth rise around her. Her hair drank in the water like thirsty grass. She tipped her head back, the cool porcelain icing the back of her neck.
    “Oh God,” she sobbed. Her outspoken cry echoed through the tiled room. She let her body go loose, relishing the heat and steam. Never again did she think she’d ever feel the contentment that came with luxury such as this.
    She’d only had it once. After a devastating night at the tables, she’d treated herself to an executive suite at the casino, only to mourn over the credit card bill that’d come later. Her eyes drooped, anesthetized by the heat. The light behind her lids darkened into a deeper shade. Kelly turned her head, gazing through lowered lashes. Her lips parted on a long sigh at the sight of Drake standing before her, beautifully nude and holding two champagne flutes.
    “Are you comfortable?” he asked, his inquiry a hoarsened whisper.
    Kelly felt her lips pull into a sedated grin. “How could I not be?” Her words were choked. A flood of feelings overwhelmed her. Awkwardness fought to push through, spoiling the calm that the heat had provided. Drake handed her the fluted glass. Tiny bubbles rose to the surface of the chilled beverage.
    “May I join you?” he asked.
    Kelly sipped from the elegant champagne flute. Crisp, cold bubbles prickled down her throat, chilling her insides before everything ignited out of her control. Drake was stunningly handsome.
    Corded muscles and raised veins ran over his tight flesh. He was