“Hey! What are you doing?” I asked.

“Doesn’t do me much good if you have my phone number but I don’t have yours. I don’t know that I can trust you to call me yet.” Drake handed my phone back to me. I glanced at the screen and saw that he’d added himself to my contacts as ‘Drake aka My Boyfriend.’

I couldn’t help the giggle that escaped my lips before I changed the contact information to just his name. “Really? So you’re my boyfriend now? After one sorta date at your parents’ house?”

Drake shrugged his shoulders. “I’ll take whatever edge I can get. Thought that subliminal messaging just might work on you.”

“Subliminal messaging, huh?”

“A guy’s gotta do what a guy’s gotta do. You’re not exactly making this easy on me.”

“I only met you two nights ago and we’ve already kissed, been on a date, and met each other’s parents. That doesn’t exactly scream ‘hard to get’ to me.”

Drake reached out and stroked my cheek. “True, but I’ve wanted you since I saw you weeks ago. Most other girls would’ve been in and out of my bed by now.”

I snapped my head away from him. “Geesh, Drake. Talking about other girls isn’t going to help you with me.”

“It’s not like I’m sharing details here. Just pointing out that you should never think of yourself as an easy conquest. I don’t think of you that way at all. Now, are you and your dad ready to head back to campus?”

Arms crossed, I glared at Drake. I was a little irritated with him for putting the thought of him with other girls into my head. “Yes, we can leave whenever you want to go.”

“Alexa, stop. I didn’t say that to make you angry with me. We have lots to learn about each other, and we both have pasts. But that’s all it is—the past. I’m not interested in having anyone else in my bed or in my life but you. I’m not the kind of guy who will blow smoke up your ass. You can trust me to tell you like it is, whether you want to hear something or not.”

I shook my head in response. “I don’t know you well enough to throw around the word trust about anything.”

“But you will, babe. You’ll know me better than anyone else. And I’m gonna know you, inside and out. In every way possible.”

I could feel the heat rising as I blushed in response to the images his words evoked of our bodies entwined. “Down, boy. I thought you said you were okay with the wait.”

“I did, but I never said that I’d pussyfoot around with you. That’s not my style. But I hear what you’re saying. Let me know if I’m pushing too hard. Yeah?”

“Consider yourself warned that you’re pushing then,” I responded.

Drake raised his hands up in the air. “Gotcha. Backing off here.”

The trip back to campus was uneventful. We rode to the airport in the same limousine, with Drake and my dad talking about sports again. Male bonding time, I guessed. At least it gave me time to rest before the flight since I was tired from my restless night. I curled up on the seat and leaned my head back so I could take a little nap. When we got to the airport, I awoke, disoriented, with my head on Drake’s shoulder and his arm wrapped around my shoulders. My dad sat across from us and smiled indulgently at me as I stretched.

“You sure you’re alert enough to co-pilot? You seem awfully tired, Alexa,” he asked.

“Yeah, Dad. I’m fine. I had a little trouble settling down to sleep last night. That catnap helped a lot though,” I answered.

“Alexa’s welcome to rest with me in the cabin if she wants,” Drake offered.

I was tempted to skip out on co-piloting, but I could easily imagine the temptation Drake would provide for me instead of resting while we were alone. “No, thanks. I need more hours logged in the Lear, Drake.”

I jumped out of the car as soon as it rolled to a stop. I needed a moment away from Drake so I could pull myself together. My defenses were down, and I wasn’t ready to move forward so quickly with him.

“Alexa, you okay?” I heard Drake ask from behind me as his hand skated up my spine.

I turned and smiled at Drake. “Yup, everything’s okay. I’m just excited to get back in the cockpit.”

Drake chuckled and said huskily, “I’d love to hear you say cock in a totally different setting, babe.”

I punched him on the shoulder and shushed him. “Drake, my dad is right over there!”

He held up his hands in mock surrender. “Got it, babe. I’ll save it for later when we’re alone. Go do what you need to do to get ready for the flight. I’ll see you when we land.”