58. Stella arrives home, Drake picks her up.
1310 Words
Ash hugged his twin. His eyes were red. He had been crying.
" Mom." was all he had said.
Storm felt sick from the news. Gwen Palmer was a very special woman.
Stella clung to Ash. " I'm sorry, what can I do?" She was crying now.
Ash said, " Hold me Stella."
She did. She stroked his curls and told him she was there.
The boys chartered a plane to get them to Florida as soon as possible to be with their father Hall Palmer.
Stella would continue on to the summer house to stay with Kira.
It was late at night when Stella finally arrived in California.
She was greeted by Drake.
" Hey, I'm your ride. You doing ok?" He asked looking her up and down.
She lay her head on his shoulder.
" Hold me a moment please."
He smelled her perfume and felt her soft long hair against his arm.
She was thinner, but curvy. He squeezed her to his body.
Sounds weird, but hugging him felt like coming home, she thought and touched his chisled chin.
" You are like one of my brothers." She said.
" I'm not your brother, I'm your lover." He corrected her.
Stella held his hand as they walked to the car.
He put her bags in and shut her door for her.
Stella asked about Sam and Cash.
" Are they okay, I mean Cash was holding it together, but I could tell he was anxious." She said.
" Well, it's not easy, they have a very good mother. My aunt Gwen is very special." He said sadly.
" I'm heading down there once I drop you off." He said.
She rubbed his arm. "You are a good cousin."
He leaned over and kissed her lips before driving off towards home.
She wiped her mouth.
" We are not together, I don't think we should be kissing." She said.
" Well, I just needed to show you that I still want you Stella. I haven't had s*x in months."
" Why not?" She was astonished.
" My therapist has an idea that I might have had a problem with committing to a woman. I'm celibate...for you. To show you that I am changing."
She held his hand.
" Don't change for me, do it for you dear Drake."
He pulled over for gas and ran inside. He had purchased a bag of chips and a soda for her.
She ripped the bag open, she was starving.
He smiled as she devoured those chips.
" We better stop for dinner." He smiled.
She said,"What's open at this hour?"
He saw a sign that said open 24 hours a day.
He swung into the empty lot.
Stella read the name of the place.
Gentleman Pete's.
She was wearing a pink hoody and some black skinny jeans.
She looked around the room. There were women scantily clad sitting around talking.
A very busty blond approached.
"Can I get you two started on drinks?" She asked Drake only.
He looked at Stella. She nodded.
"Rum and coke with a lime please." She had to show her fake ID to the waitress.
Drake said," wiskey sour."
She left two menus on the table.
A pair of brunettes dressed in green and orange bikinis approach.
" Interested in a lap dance?"
Drake shook his head and looked down.
Stella placed two hundred dollars in the green bikini girls bra.
She pointed to Drake and put her finger to her mouth to indicate to the woman not to tell Drake she bought him a dance.
She needed to test his fortitude.
The woman sat on Drake's lap dancing, facing away from him.
She was grinding against him.
He looked bored.
She flipped around and removed her top, giving him a full view of her attributes.
He looked at Stella. "You did this didn't you?" He smiled.
He pulled out his wallet and gave the woman $500. to go away.
She kissed his cheek. "That's good..save yourself for your wife there."
She rubbed his jeans.
Stella grinned, her eyes sparkled.
" You should have seen your face!" She laughed.
He put another bill down and stood up.
" This is not the right place for a man abstaining from sex."
She said," My drink?"
He took her to the Jack in the box drive through. She smiled as he ordered enough food for 10 people.
" Drake, I don't eat meat. Remember?"
" Well shoot. I forgot about that." He frowned.
" French fries?"
She nodded. " Sure."
Drake drove as she ate.
She placed a french fry into his mouth as he drove.
" When we get there, you will have my room. Kira is in the big room. She's comfortable there." He said.
" Stella, she is quite clingy on me, Cash as well. I just want to warn you, so you don't get jealous or think the wrong thing."
She nodded. " You are a very good cuddler."
He intertwined his hand with hers.
Stella liked his attention. She didn't trust him, but she knew him so well, like an old family friend that she had once loved.
He parked and grabbed her bags it was very late.
Stella went straight to see Marshmellow.
He knew she would. He put a bed roll down there for her, just in case.
Stella gingerly approached the horses. Hercules saw her first. He danced around and snorted.
She smiled and pet him.
Marshmellow was prancing excitedly too. She had grown into a fine mare.
Stella gave her some alfalfa. She saw the bedroll and a bottle of water. Someone knew she would want to sleep down here tonight.
Drake came down to say goodnight. She was laying on her stomach.
He got a good glimpse of her leg scar. It looked healed but deformed her leg pretty good.
He was compelled to be with her.
" I tried to give you space, to greet the horses. I..I want to lay with you for a while, we can talk." He smiled.
She pat her bed. " Sit with me old friend." She said to his dismay.
" Stella... I'm going to sound foolish, I'm sorry." He warned her.
"When I saw you walk toward me, getting off the plane...I felt like you were coming home just to me. Like you were my girl. It felt so good." He smiled and rubbed her knee.
" Drake, I'm not." She said.
He put a stray piece of her hair behind her ear.
" I know. Can you pretend for one night. I'm leaving tomorrow." He said.
" Come lay with me friend." She said.
He lay in her open arms.
She rubbed his back.
" Can we kiss a little?" He asked.
" Old friends like us, we don't kiss." She grinned.
"You are killing me." He said.
" Drake, let's just be friends, I mean you are family to my men." She scooted away from him.
" I can't, I was kind of mean to you before, you even called me a rapist at one time. I regret all of that."
" I was being dramatic." She said.
"I never want to hurt you again.
I just need you in my life, any way you want.
I will be here for you, but let's be clear... I want all of you, your body, your brain, your heart."
Stella sat up. " Drake. I've been hurt by you before. It's hard for me to actually trust you like this. I will tell you what...you can kiss me goodnight."
He leaned in and pulled her to his chest.
He didn't kiss her right away, he held his lips a few inches from her mouth.
Then very slowly, he lowered his mouth.
Stella sighed. " Mmmm"...she moaned. Drake took his time.
- Writer
