Page 19 of Mountain Impact

“I submitted the report today.” Isolde saw Drake’s hands tense on the steering wheel. After a second, they visibly relaxed.

“So, I’m not your patient anymore,” he said quietly.

“No. Though I still think you should see a psychologist if―“

“Could I see you?”

She shook her head hard. “No. Not me. My colleague, when he gets back from holiday. Or I can recommend―”

Drake chuckled. The sound went straight to her stomach, causing it to tighten.

Or maybe somewhere lower.

“Relax, Isolde. I was just kidding.” He shot her a quick look, then his eyes went back to the road.

“Why are you looking at me like that?”

“Like what?” he asked.

“I don’t know. Like you …”

“Like I can’t get you out of my mind? Maybe because that’s exactly what’s happening. Even though I should know better.”

A part of her, the part she knew she should be listening to, understood Drake had just insulted her―the rest of her unfortunately didn’t care.

He still wants me.

He wants me.

She wanted him too. More than she’d ever wanted any man before. It made her realize she’d never stopped wanting him―she’d just convinced herself she had.

“I know you hate me,” she began, carefully.

Drake’s hands tightened on the steering wheel. Isolde sat back in the comfortable car seat and waited. She wasn’t worried that he’d hurt her―that wasn’t the kind of man he was.

“I don’t hate you, Isolde. I was angry, I was hurt. But it was my fault I got my heart broken. Not yours.”

Isolde’s eyes looked at him in alarm.

His heart?

She’d figured the relationship had meant less to him, hence why he’d been able to break it off so easily.

“Let me take you out to dinner, Isolde.”

“You want to go out to dinner? Together?”

He nodded, his eyes still on the road. “Clear the air between us. Just as friends.”

#

Drake

Friends my ass.

He didn’t want to be Isolde’s friend. Or rather, he did, but he wanted to be her friend and wrap himself around those curves of hers at the same time. He wanted to make her come, and learn if she still screamed out her pleasure in bed.

Because as angry as he’d been with her, and as much as he’d tried to stop himself from doing so, he’d never stopped thinking about her. And, despite everything that had happened between them―or maybe because of everything that had happened between them, he wanted nothing more than to get to know her again now.