Sicily"Tell me how you know Mr. Carrington?" Sicily walked outside with Drake. She glanced around the parking lot looking for his truck, but didn't see it. "Am I driving?""No. I brought the bike. That okay?" He walked to a decked out Harley and pulled a spare helmet off the back, tossing it to her.Sicily caught it as her words escaped her. She had spent a large part of her teenage years riding on the back of motorcycles, her older brother owning several as a mechanic. It had been years since she felt the thrill they provided. The fear that rushed through her was simply over being so close to Drake and nothing to do with the inherent danger of riding on the back of a bike."Yeah. It's fine," she muttered and slipped the helmet on before walking to get on behind him."Just hold on to me tightly and we'll be good. I'll tell you about me and Mike at the restaurant." He started the bike as she slid her hands around his waist.The thick muscles of his abs tensed under her fingers. She ha
SicilyOne Week Later…The rest of the week was filled with trying to keep the shop afloat and searching high and low for someone to help fill in. It just wasn't happening. For some reason everyone in Bar Harbor was employed or too old. Drake had appeared on her doorstep a few times, offering to take her to lunch or asking her to go for a walk. She refused out of necessity to get things done at the shop, but the few times they did get together it was in the comfort of their friends.Sicily hated to watch the fire inside of him dwindle, but whatever he was fighting against, he seemed to be losing. She joined the gym during the week and asked for Violet to help train her, the girl sweet and immediately becoming a much needed force of positivity in Sicily's life.The week had ended, and with Marc coming into town that night, everyone was excited. Being around Lisa, one couldn't help but take on some of the joy that overflowed in the air around the pretty redhead.Sicily walked into the h
SicilyThey hung up and Sicily changed into a pair of sleeping pants and a tank top, not caring at all how she looked. Drake wasn't coming over for a date, but to talk as friends. If they could work on their friendship for a while, she could get in better shape. Once she was healthy and thin maybe things could move into something more. He wouldn't want it before then.The kiss the other night was just him being a horny male with all his friends hooking up but him. Typical.She got a glass of tea and made herself a half of a sandwich while she waited on him. Marc and Lisa were gone from the house, the smell of their cologne and perfume filling the place. Sicily breathed in deeply, letting the sensual aromas roll over her. It would feel so damn good to let Drake have her tonight. Just for one night if he wanted a soft place to land. They could make love and then she would send him home, their friends with benefits thing a one-night deal.The doorbell rang and she spilled her tea on her
SicilySicily jerked up in bed from a nightmare, her skin covered in chill bumps and a light sheen of sweat. She took a shaky breath and pressed her fingers to her eyes, forcing the tears back. How many times would she have to dream of her mother's death only to wake up alone to face the sadness of that one loss all over again?Drake had finished his sandwich and left after another long hug the night before. He wasn't at all the man she thought him to be, which was good and bad. Thinking of him as a total jerk helped keep her emotions in check, seeing that her hormones were running amuck.She glanced at the clock and let out a short scream before propelling herself off the bed. She was late. The alarm didn't go off. Tearing through her closet, she tugged down a pair of white pants and a pink top. She slipped sandals on her feet and she was out the door. Kari stopped her before she ran out, the other girl on the phone, her expression serious."No. I'll tell her. Sure. Be careful, baby.
SicilyKari reached over and patted her hand. "I need to get going. Lisa is showing a house with Marc and I have a shoot at one of the convalescent homes today. Miss Margaret Johnson is turning one hundred."Sicily smiled and wiped her tears away. "Thanks for the talk. I'm sure we'll figure it out.""I think you will too. One more thing and I'll leave you alone." Kari squeezed Sicily's shoulder, the look on her face loving concern."Sure." Sicily reached up and covered her friend’s hand with her own."I would rather love a million times and lose than never to have felt the high that love takes you on. Every minute of that bliss is worth all the pain and suffering that comes when something doesn't work out. Take a risk. I know without a doubt that you'll be pleasantly surprised.""Thanks, Kari." Sicily patted her friend’s hand and turned to rest her arms on the table.She waited until Kari slipped out to pick up the phone and call her brother, Johnny. She hadn't had a chance to talk to
SicilySicily laid around the house for as long as she could, the day turning into afternoon much too slowly. She cleaned every room, including Lisa's, which was a hot mess. Laundry was done and the cabinets in the kitchen were reorganized. She finally resigned herself to going to the gym to waste a few more hours before everyone would be back home. Drake was most likely with Jake wrapping up everything related to the fire and she could just be comfortable in the gym.No holding in her tummy and trying to breathe through her nose and not pant. Why did the only gym in town have to be owned and operated by the hottest guy in her life? The one she wanted above her at night and wrapped around her in the wee hours of the morning?Changing into a pair of tight workout pants and a tank top, she stopped by the bathroom mirror and turned her nose up. Getting in shape was going to take forever seeing that she had started to slip again on her diet."Get it together," she growled at herself and l
DrakeSunday was a day of rest, and happened to be the only day Drake DeMarco had off from his beloved gym. It was a lazy day to watch football and lounge around on the couch, wash a few loads of clothes, and eat his one cheat meal of the week. Rest was the last thing on his mind when he woke, his stomach a torrent of knots as he tried to walk through what went wrong with his latest obsession.Something about the look on Sicily's face the day before at the gym told him that she knew more than he wanted her to about who he was before moving to Maine. She'd changed her tune about going to dinner with him and seemed far more interested in running on the treadmill than giving him another second in her presence."Weird," he grunted and got out of bed. Being a bachelor had been a necessity for a while, the need to ensure that he was safe in Maine had left him lonely. She was the first girl in five years who hadn’t been a planned one night stand in another town over just to release some of t
DrakeThe weather was beyond blissful as Drake drove his bike to the harbor, the wind chilly and refreshing. He parked and locked it up as Jake got out of his old truck."I'm thinking I need to get me one of those." Jake nodded to the motorcycle."Oh yeah? Gets the girls every time." Drake wagged his eyebrows and stood, stretching his arms to the heavens and twisting his torso."I got the girl. It's your turn now." Jake popped him in the back and nodded to the sidewalk that stretched around the string of shops. "Good thing it's Sunday or this wouldn't be possible without having to dodge old ladies and baby strollers."Drake laughed and walked to the sidewalk with Jake. "Jumping over a stack of old ladies holding baby strollers would be easier than getting the girl. She's damn near impossible.""You still have your eye on Sicily?" Jake nodded as they picked up their pace, jogging at an aggressive speed.It would be good to bleed out some of his angst through his sweat glands. Pumping i