The Drake Unwound Complete Collection Book 9 (15 page)

"Don't put yourself down like that," I said and frowned, noting a tendency in Kate to diminish her own abilities. "You're talented. You've just chosen a different path. Which you could always change, if that made you happier."

She sighed. "I might deviate from that path for a while, now that I'm on leave from grad school. I want to get back into art, since I have the time."

"So, who is this rich kid from Texas and talented artist friend of yours? I need to know if I should be jealous…"

"Drake!" she said and stepped closer to me as I wrapped a warm scarf around my neck. "He's two years younger than me, is a pothead, has tattoos and piercings. The last time I saw him, he had a bright blue streak in his long blond hair. At first I thought it was paint, but no. It was blue hair color."

I laughed at the image she painted of her friend. "Still, artists are pretty sensual people," I said, wagging my eyebrows, fighting the jealous part of me but losing spectacularly.

She wrapped her arms around my neck. "You have no cause for jealousy. He's one of those free spirits who flits from lover to lover like a butterfly from flower to flower."

That made me think immediately of him tasting Kate of course and I felt an intense possessiveness towards her that I hadn’t felt for a very long time—if ever. “Has he sampled any of your nectar?"

"
No
," she said and gave my shoulder a playful tap.

"Maybe I should come with you, take a look at this
studio,
" I said, wanting to see this guy and the space she would be sharing with him.

She nodded. "If you want. I'd love to show it to you, but you are
not
allowed to see my painting until I feel it's ready. I've just done a few sketches at this point, so it will be a while before it's finished."

"When do you want to go?" I kept my voice light, not wanting to make her feel smothered.

"I thought you'd be busy all morning so I asked him if I could come by…"

"I could make some time after I speak with the hematologist." I stood still for a moment and just looked at her.

"Call me and let me know when you're done,” she replied and nodded. “I'll text Nathaniel and let him know we'll be by."

"Sounds like a plan."

I kissed her, deeply, wanting to ensure she knew I wanted her, that I was her Dominant and her lover. I wanted to leave her breathless so she couldn’t wait for me to return. I told myself I didn’t have to worry about potboy, but I’d still do everything I could to make sure of it.

I spent my morning at the hospital. After meeting with the hematologist on Liam’s case to discuss the procedure through which they would extract my stem cells, I spent time on the wards checking with the nurses about Liam. I made sure not to run into Maureen but I did sneak by Liam’s room when Maureen was out getting coffee. Just a quick peek through the window. He was there with Chris, and looked so frail and small that it made my gut clench.

I went back to my office and sat quietly, reading over the latest research for a paper I was writing. Then I met a fellow neurosurgeon to go over the research we were collaborating on. I kept busy, which I needed so I wouldn’t dwell on the worst case scenarios that I knew could happen. Even with me being a perfect match, there were still a lot of potential problems that could arise. Liam wasn’t out of the woods by a long shot.

He wouldn’t ever be out of the woods completely. Children who survive leukemia often have other cancers later in life due to the effects of the chemotherapy on their bodies and the radiation used to destroy their bone marrow.

I knew it would be a difficult few months for Liam, Maureen and Chris. I would do everything I could to help and to keep out of their lives. I knew I was the interloper—the outsider. I’d do my part and not expect anything in return except news on how Liam was doing.

It was while I was in my office after my meeting that I received a text from Kate.

Drake, I spoke with Nathaniel and he’s agreed to let me use the studio to work on a canvas. I can go before lunch. Also, my father called and wanted to meet us at Katz’s Deli for lunch. I’d like to go if you’re able.

I texted her back right away:

Katz's sounds good. Haven't been for a while. I can pick you up at around eleven to go to the studio. Will you be ready?

She agreed and so I picked her up at about 10:45, texting her that I was on the street waiting. She emerged with her sketchbook and backpack, sliding into the passenger seat and leaning over to kiss me.

"So, where is this artist's hideaway?" I said while she buckled her seatbelt. "Where do young artist-type pot-smoking hipsters hang out now? When I was in college, it was in Soho, but it's really expensive there now."

"In an old commercial building on West 36
^th
and 7
^th
Avenue. It's not too far from your place in Chelsea."

"That's some pretty expensive real estate."

"His dad is like Rockefeller-rich in the oil business and could probably afford to buy a whole city block in Chelsea," Kate said.

I parked the car in a park & lock that was near the building. There was no security system, so we went right in and up the elevator to the top floor. Before we even reached the floor, I could hear music blaring from the studio. As we went into the studio, I stopped and took it in. Large tables, full-length windows, sinks splashed with multicolored paint, the walls splattered with bright colors, canvases lined up against the walls. Power tools, easels, work benches. Art work hung on the walls.

The studio was a totally different environment than any I had been in. It was crazy, mayhem, chaos, and I wondered if Kate liked this kind of life. It was such a sharp contrast to my own studious past, the labs, the science, the precision required in surgery.

For a moment, I felt like such a stranger.

Some guy with long blond hair was bent over a table. Kate went up behind him and I followed her, eager to meet the man she’d be spending time with. Alone. She tapped him on the shoulder and he turned around, made a face of recognition. Thankfully, he turned the music down so we could hear ourselves think.

"Hey,
sug
," Nathaniel said. Then he checked me out, and gave Kate a hug.

I didn’t like him touching her, although I couldn’t imagine that she could prefer a man like him over me. The toque he wore had a marijuana plant emblazoned on it, and a row of tiny silver hoops pierced his eyebrow. He wore Jamaican colors and sported a Bob Marley t-shirt. Sleeve tattoos covered each arm, and his faded jeans were torn. To top it all off, he was tall and skinny.

"This is Drake," Kate said and pointed to me. I did my best to smile, but I felt like an alien in this world.

"
Dude
," Nathaniel said and waved his hand. "Come in, I don't bite unless I'm asked."

I went over to where they stood.

Nathaniel turned to Kate, his eyes moving over her. "You look as sweet as ever, Katie. I heard you won the thesis prize. Way to go."

Kate smiled and glanced at me quickly. "I'm taking some time off to go live in Africa for a while in March."

"Africa?
Cool
," Nathaniel said, eyeing Kate up and down. "So you’re going to get back into art? I've got lots of wood for frames, and tons of canvas. There's gesso and all the tools. If you need any help, let me know. We'll whip up a couple of canvases in no time."

"Sounds great. When can I come by?"

"If you want, you can stay now and we can get started. I need a break. The schedule's over on the counter by the sink," he said and pointed to the kitchen. Kate smiled and went over to the schedule on the wall. I followed her, wanting to see for myself when he would be working.

Kate turned to me and smiled. "I can't wait."

I returned her smile and ran my fingers over her cheek. "I'm glad you'll be able to work on your art." I bent down and kissed her, wanting pot-head-boy to know she was mine and to lay off.

"Who are the other two guys?" I asked, when I saw names on the schedule, trying to sound nonchalant.

"I don't know—a couple of Nathaniel's friends.

"So you'll all work together here?"

"We'll each have our own rooms."

I sniffed the air. "Smells like he smokes pot here, too. Are you okay with that?"

Kate shrugged. "He's a big boy. I'm not interested in getting high on anything but human endorphins. I'll be here to paint. I might get high off the paint thinner, but that'll be accidental." She grinned up at me. "Drake Morgan, are you jealous?"

I laughed and took her by the arms. "Always. Totally. Completely. I may have to come by and see these other characters before I approve."

"
Drake
…" she said, frowning. "You don't get to approve."

"Just kidding," I said, although I wasn’t. "Of course, you're free to do what you want outside of our agreement. I'm just curious to know the competition."

"There's no competition so don't even go there."

"I'm a man, Kate. I go there without even thinking."

"I love you," she whispered and pulled me down for a kiss. I kissed her back, the kiss deep, my hand cupping her face.

"I love you," I whispered back, wanting her to know it without any doubt. I didn’t want to ever give her any reason to turn to another man.

"Do you have something to do for an hour? I'd like to start making a canvas while I'm here. You could pick me up at 12:15 so we can get to Katz's by 12:30."

"Sure,” I said, although I was hoping to take her home for a quickie before going to Katz’s for lunch, but I didn’t want to deny her the chance to start working on her art. “I can pop by the Foundation. I'll text you when I'm back."

She walked me to the door and kissed me once more. I held onto the door for a moment and watched her walk back to Nathaniel. She waved at me and finally I closed the door and left. It wasn’t that I thought Kate would cheat on me. She would only turn to someone else if I gave her good reason. I was determined not to do that.

I wouldn’t be my father.

I went to the Foundation and sat in my office, at a loss for something to do. My admin, Nancy, had nothing pressing on her desk for me to look over and Dave was at an outside meeting so I sat and surfed the internet on the laptop in my office.

When my hour of killing time was up, I drove back to the studio in Chelsea and sat outside in the car.

I took out my cell and texted Kate to let her know I was there.

Your carriage awaits, my Lady…

She texted me back.

I'll be right down.

I got out of the car and stood beside it, waiting for her. When she came out of the building, I bent down to kiss her before she could open the car door.

"Hey," I said. "You've got sawdust in your hair."

Kate ran her hand through her hair, shaking out the bits of wood.

"We cut wood for the frame and then we had to miter the corners and make dados."

"Sounds complicated," I said and opened the passenger door.

"No, it's pretty straight forward once you have your dimensions. My canvas is pretty big so we had to do a lot of bracing so the canvas would be strong enough. I didn't even get a chance to stretch the canvas yet. I'll do that tomorrow."

She smiled at me and got in. I closed the door and came around the other side.

"You didn’t have any time on the sheet tomorrow."

She nodded. "Nathaniel said I could come in and work in the main studio."

"How nice of him," I said, deadpan, as we drove off. I couldn’t be jealous of him, but I was. I was jealous that he was a part of Kate’s life that I could never really share.

 If Kate caught the jealousy in my voice she didn’t say anything in rebuke. Finally, she reached out and took my hand.

"You know the first time we met outside of class, Nathaniel was stoned and called me
'dude
.'"

I laughed at that, glancing at her. "Well, he must have been really stoned because there is no way any man in his right mind would call you
dude
."

"He's
harmless
, Drake."

I shook my head. That was incredibly naïve of Kate but I relished it in her. "No man is harmless, unless you're going to tell me he's really gay, and even then, they've been known to change teams."

She laughed. "No, he's just a manslut. He'll gladly sleep with any pretty thing that will have him. No steady girlfriends. He's not my type in the least.
You
are."

"I am, Ms. Bennet," I said and touched the collar around her neck to remind her of its existence. "And you're mine."

We drove up to the deli and I dropped Kate off outside while I went in search of parking. The streets were busy and the parking a bitch, so I wanted Kate to go in and find her parents, and get her order.

I drove a several block radius around Katz’s Deli until a spot came open and then I walked back to the restaurant. I searched in the window and saw Kate and her parents, then I wound my way through the line until I was able to make it inside the restaurant. I smiled when I saw Ethan and Elaine, and we shook hands as per our usual routine.

"Congratulations, young man," Ethan said to me, pumping my hand. "Katherine's told us the news. You must be so relieved."

"Ethan, you don't know how relieved."

"We're so happy for you, Drake." Elaine kissed me on the cheek when I bent down to her.

I decided to go right to the counter to place my order, not wanting to delay any longer since they had already been waited on. I stood at the counter and ordered a pastrami Reuben with fries. As I waited, I glanced around at the room with its crowed rows of tables filled with hungry customers. Once I had my order, I put my tray down on our table and everyone admired the food while I removed my coat, hanging it on the back of my chair.