#(Drake if you're reading this that last bit was a joke please don't go and diss me with a Bowie voice changer)

[ladycharles]

I have to hand it to him, Drake's line "Kendrick just opened his mouth, someone hand him a grammy now!" was actually a read...

(Too bad Drizzy can't bring that clairvoyance to sports betting.)

[sillydg]

Part nine: Italian night. Part one.

Book: The royal romance

Pairing: Drake Walker X F!MC (Riley Herreld)

Rating: 18+

Word count: 5700

Series Summary: Fate interferes when Riley’s supposed to be working on that big Bachelor night. She gets drawn to Cordonia in another way. But what happens when a Workaholic, meets a Walker come together? Will they provide a Christmas miracle and get over their own love skepticism?

One way to find out!

Chapter nine; Italian Night. Part one. Summary: Drake agrees to stay over for some Italian food, but only under one condition.

A/N: I’m sorry that it took me this long to get it out! My life is kind of one hell of a rollercoaster right now, so my head space to write wasn’t there. But I found it back and hopefully it stays with me this time 😉 So once again I’m sorry, and I’m hoping that you’ll enjoy it even though it is a while ago.

A/N: Just a little fresher upper: Drake always wrinkles his nose when he’s joking or being sarcastic.

A/N: For everyone who takes the time to read it, thank you!!

Please let me know if you want to be tagged for this series 

Category: Over the top a bit predictable Christmas fluff.

Warnings: Swearing, Please do not read if you’re under 18.

CHARACTERS BELONG TO PIXELBERRY STUDIOS

A Walker knows, when a Walker knows.

Italian night. Part one.

Still Sunday, five days before Christmas.

“So,” Riley narrows her eyes in suspicion at his smug smile, “why does it feel like this is backfiring?" Drake gently ushers her inside with her hands lingering on her hips, and he kicks the door shut behind them, "Because it kind of is..."

"Really? So what condition are we talking about, Walker?" She lifts her hands to take his jacket off her shoulders, but he stops her at the wrists, “Not so fast, Sparkles.” 

She raises a brow in question when he starts unbuttoning her coat, "Uhh, Drake…What are you doing?"

"I took you home early to relax, Herreld," he finishes the last button, turns her around, and slides both their coats from her shoulder, "So, you're relaxing. Meaning..." 

"Meaning..." She softly repeats, ignoring the sensations running through her body when his fingers brush her collarbones. 

Drake draws in a sharp breath at the revealed sight of her, and there is no way to stop his eyes from unabashedly drifting up and down. Her tight white shirt reveals a curvy hourglass figure, her skinny jeans showing handfuls in the right places, and he has to stop himself from finding out how well her ass will fill up his hands. His fingers find their familiar spot on her hips, and gently usher her into the cozy open kitchen, leaning in to whisper, "Meaning that you're gonna do nothing but watch me cook." 

She closes her eyes at the sensations running through her body when his lips gently brush her ear, at the feeling of his hands on her. He has been touching her all day, but it feels so much more intimate with only a thin piece of fabric between his hands and her skin instead of the thick coat she was wearing earlier. She turns to face him, "But what if I don't agree with this condition, Walker?" 

"Ohh, I'm very sorry, Sparkles!" Drake lifts her with ease, slides her onto the countertop between the stove and the fridge, and lingers between her legs. “But this is not up for discussion. I promised Mable to take care of you! So, if you want to be a stubborn ass and force me into staying for food, I'm going to be a stubborn ass and take care of that stubborn ass of," he boops her nose, "yours."

Riley surrenders, snuggling eagerly into his neck when he wraps his arms around her, "You know what, fine." He gently rubs her back, and she wiggles her body in approval, "Do you think you can keep doing this while cooking, though?" 

"I'm afraid that I have to disappoint you, Herreld." She murmurs something inaudible, and he looks down at her with a warm laugh, "Oh sleepyhead. Are you falling asleep again?"

"Mmh," she nestles even further into Drake’s neck, drawing a soft ‘nngh’ from him when her lips brush his skin, "I'm sorry, Drake. I'm feeling weirdly relaxed around you." 

"Riiight..." Drake whispers in her ear, "You sure this isn't just your subtle way of telling me that I'm deadly boring? " 

Riley chuckles softly, "It appears that you see right through me, Walker! You're extremely boring!” She slowly loses herself in his musky scent mixed with the smell of a campfire and sighs contently. “So boring that I think that you can help people who are struggling with sleeplessness if you ever consider a career change. Two seconds with you, and they're happily sleeping."

He snorts at her teasing, "Well, and if you ever consider a career change, stand-up is definitely not the way to go."

"Hey!" Her head snaps up, feinting to be highly offended, "you're actually looking at the -two years in a row- funniest teacher of the school, mister Walker. My 'why is the math book so unhappy? Because it's full of problems,' joke is a complete sensation, and there is absolutely more where that came from, thank you very much!"

"Oh my God," He drapes his hand over his face in utter horror, "So, that means I can expect a whole lot more of these abominations this week? It isn't just a symptom of your sleep delusion?"

"I'm sorry, but there is no way to sugarcoat this, Walker!" Riley adds some drama to her words by laying a hand on his shoulder combined with an expression on her face that matches one every doctor has, who has to bring bad news to loved ones in a drama series. “People around me suffer from my serious case of incurable, and most of all insufferable horrible sense of humor."

Drake drops his head dramatically onto her shoulder, "Oh God, why?? WHY??"

“I know…” She chuckles softly, scraping her nails gently over his back, "I know, it’s not fair. What a cruel world you live in, that you have to put up with me this week! There, there." 

He snuggles into her hair with a snort, relaxing under her touch, "Mmh, you know what. I'll survive if you just keep doing this, this week!"

"Okay. Fine by me, but can't deny that it's a bit odd request coming from the man who’s already worried about me handling dangerous tools with two hands, and while focusing on one thing at the time..." 

Drake murmurs something inaudible.

"Drake," Riley whispers, and she peeks at the relaxed man on her shoulder. His eyes are closed, a content smile tugging at the corners of his mouth, "Are you falling asleep?"

"Mmh..." He snuggles into her neck, and wraps his arms around her, "Just resting my eyes for a little bit." 

"Do you want to take a nap while I cook?" 

"Nice try, Herreld. I cook," he mumbles contently, "and you will sit, relax and watch." 

She gently runs her fingers through his hair, "Mmh… Very convincing, Walker." 

"Just five minutes, Sparkles... " Drake groans in approval when she softly massages his temples, "Okay, maybe ten."

Riley chuckles softly, moving her fingertips over the contours of his face before running them back through his hair, "Ten minutes it is..." 

Drake suddenly feels his phone buzz, instantly recognizing it as Liam calling. "For fucks sake," he murmurs, followed by some inaudible swear words. He takes his phone out of his pocket, puts it on speaker, and throws it onto the kitchen counter without lifting his head from her shoulder. "You better be looking at a gunpoint, asshole. I was on the brink of taking the best nap of my life." 

"Drake!” Liam’s voice sounds through the speaker, “Lovely to talk to you too bud! I do have a question about you napping at Riley's apartment... The last time you literally slept near a woman was... Let me think…" 

Drake's head snaps up, lunging at his phone, almost throwing it into the air as he tries to take it off speakerphone, but fails miserably in his panic. 

Liam laughs, "Mmh...was it, never? Yeah, I believe it is."

Riley teasingly raises her brows, giving Drake, who’s pinching the bridge of his nose and once again inaudibly swearing, a cheeky grin. "My, My Mister Walker, should I have been the one to ask if I’m boring?"

Liam draws in a sharp breath at her calling him Mister Walker, since he always hates it when people do that, but Drake just brushes over it to his surprise. 

"Oh, no, no, I your absolutely the opposite of boring, Herreld. I can imagine life with you around being anything but dull due to all of your tumbling, twirling, and joking."

Riley smiles, “Drake Walker, is that a compliment?"

Drake snorts, “It's mostly very complicated. But you know what, I'll make you a hamburger feedback card once I figured it out, yeah?"

"Ohh," her eyes sparkle with excitement, "Including small sparkly glitter drawings?"

He scowls, "Now why the hell would I do that?"

She opens her mouth, but he stops her by placing a finger on her lips, "Don't you dare say," he puts up a Riley voice, "Because it's super cute." She pouts and he immediately drapes his hand over her face, "Stop it! I'm asking for practical, logical reasoning here. Not getting swayed over by the most annoyingly cutest pout ever."

They're so occupied with one another that they've completely forgotten about Liam, who tries to process what just came to his ear. His best friend has never, ever, ever called pouting cute. Or anything to begin with.

"Not everything has to be practical or logical, Drake. It would simply put a smile on my face, something like this..." Riley gives him a beautiful bright smile.

Drake stares at her, that drop-dead gorgeous smile instantly weakening his knees, and he knows that there is no way that the word ‘no’ is leaving his mouth after witnessing it. He huffs with folded arms, averting his eyes in annoyance, "Fine whatever. I'll make you those drawings, whatever. No biggie. Just doodling."

Liam blinks. Did Drake just agree to make cute little glitter drawings? Didn't he ask me to banish glitter a few years ago? What's going on there?  

Once again, a flawless smile has been thrown recklessly at Drake's head, and he puts his hand on her mouth to cover her smile, "I already said yes. Jeez. Enough of that."  

Riley bashes her eyelashes innocently at him.

"Yeah, you know what... I'm turning around." He turns, leaning casually with folded arms between her legs against the kitchen counter. "That's better." 

"Uhm, guys, I'm still here!" Liam carefully says, and both Drake and Riley startle at Liam's voice with a shared 'Whoa!'

"Oh, for fuck's sake Liam, I completely forgot you were there," Drake places his hand onto his thundering heart, and Riley takes a few deep breaths to compose herself. 

Liam laughs, "That was clear, bud. But generous as I am, I do accept a small little glitter drawing as a token of an apology."

 Drake pinches the bridge of his nose at his best friend's teasing, and he groans in a clear warning, "I swear to God, Li."

Liam falls silent, and Riley’s not sure why. Drake, however, knows exactly what’s going on and an even lower annoyed groan escapes him, "You're pouting, aren't you, fucking asshole?" 

“Oh absolutely,” Liam laughs, "but I doubt that it looked as annoyingly cute as Riley just did it! Oh, Riles, maybe you can give me a private pout lesson sometimes?"

Drake rolls his eyes. Here we go.  Riley, however, doesn't seem the least impressed. She lays her chin on Drake's shoulder, wrapping her arms around him, "Sorry, Liam. But my schedule is filled with being a pain in Drake's ass this week... No time for private lessons."

He glances in surprise at Riley as he's used to women eagerly taking every opportunity to spend time with his best friend, and he wasn't the only one who didn't expect the answer, as Liam also sounds a little bit startled, "Oh alright. Uhm, I’m calling to tell you that I’m running a little bit late, but I’m almost on my way. I couldn't get a hold of you." 

She sighs deeply and drops her head against Drake's shoulder blade, "Aaand there goes my surprise."

"One moment, Li," Drake puts his phone on mute, and glares over his shoulder back at Riley, "Do I want to know what you're up to, Herreld?"

"Ahhh, well... " Riley rubs her wrinkled forehead, "Liam told me this afternoon that I just have to text if I needed something, and I couldn't let you walk home...So…" 

"So, you ask the fucking King of Cordonia to come to pick me up?" 

She snorts, "It does sound kind of ridiculous if you put it like that... But yeah, that’s pretty much what I did."

"You could've called me a cab," he turns to face her again with a grin, "So what's the alternate motive here, Sparkles?"

"Whaaat? Riley squeaks, placing a hand on her chest feinting to be highly insulted, "Me? Alternate motives? I would never."

Drake stares at her with folded arms, and a look that says 'why don’t we cut the fucking bullshit.' 

"Fiiiiine," she rolls her eyes, before innocently looking up from under her eyelashes, fiddling with his drawcords, "I just wanted to give you the opportunity to tell Liam what you told me tonight. About the whole workaholic situation... You know, since you had a practice run on me."

He tries his best to avoid looking into those big beautiful eyes, and keeps his focus on her fine fingers playing with the drawcords, "And what in the world makes you think I didn't already do that?"

She withdraws her fingers, and his eyes snap up to find her returning the 'cut the fucking bullshit' look he threw her just a few seconds ago. 

“Okay, okay,” he gladly returns her a roll of the eye in response, "but this is slightly different Sparkles. This is the King of Cordonia we're talking about. His workload is bizarre."

"Look," she gently takes his cheeks in her hands, drawing his eyes to hers, "I'm not forcing you to do anything! I just wanted you to have some time with your best friend, okay? And if you do decide to share it with him, it doesn't necessarily mean that it will lead to direct changes, but sometimes it helps to get it off your chest. Just think about it, okay?" 

He sighs, averting his eyes in thought before meeting hers again, "Fine. I'll think about it."

She entwines her fingers behind his neck with a smile, "That's all I ask!"   

"Oh, Herreld, Herreld, Herreld," He shakes his head with a grin, wrapping his arms around her waist. Drake's phone's forgotten on the counter beside them. "Only you could use your one favor from a King for someone else's benefit." 

She snorts, "Don't be overly dramatic now, Walker. I'm pretty sure that I can use my cookies as a trading offer if I need something in the future!"

"Yeah, I guess you’re right," Drake pulls her closer, "Did you know he actually called to ask me, to ask you for cookies?" He narrows his eyes, "What kind of addictive stuff do you use in those pieces of heaven, Sparkles?"

Riley bites her bottom lip with a cheeky grin and pushes her body flush up against his chest until there's no space left between them, "Just a little bit of my addicting Sparkly love, Drake. Nothing more, nothing less."

He brushes his nose briefly against hers, before lowering his lips to merely a breath away from hers, "Sounds dangerously delicious."

Their eyes close, breath enhancing.

She purrs, nails hungrily piercing his sensitive skin, "Really? So, why don't you have a..."

"Guys?"

Drake almost jumps through the ceiling, and Riley smacks her hands in front of her mouth to muffle a loud squeak as they both once again have totally forgotten about Liam. 

"Are you two still there?" Liam's voice sounds through the phone, “Guys?” 

Drake pants hard, leaning with both hands onto the counter, "For fucking Christ's sake."

Riley hides her face in her hands, snorting the adrenaline out of her system. "Oh my God."

"Oh, that bastard! Oh..." Drake's eyes start to glimmer when an idea comes to mind, "First the nap, and now this..." He takes his phone from the counter, and grins, "Miss Herreld, how would you like to mess a little with our beloved King?"

“Mister Walker!” Riley gasps overdramatically with one hand in front of her mouth, and the other decadently on her chest, “What a scandalous proposal! I’m a decent, innocent school teacher. I would never agree to tease our very own King.”

"You? Innocent? For Christ's sake, Herreld," Drake gives her a dimple-forming smirk, “You do realize that it actually takes waaaay less time to just say 'yes' instead of being a drama queen, ha?"

"Now where's the fun in that, Walker?" Riley grins cheekily and pulls him closer towards her at his sweater-vest, before wrapping her legs around him, "Let's turn those tables. You do realize that it takes waaaay less time to just accept my drama queen act, instead of starting a war your destined to lose."

"Ohh," Drake folds his arms, "Don't get cocky now, Herreld. It's a freaking huge mistake to underestimate my stubbornness, and hell no I'm backing down from a good challenge, so..." 

He stops midsentence, breath hatching in his throat when Riley gazes up at him with those big beautiful blues from under her long bashing eyelashes. She wraps his drawcords cheekily around her finger, and his eyes snap instantly down when she bites her bottom lip. "I'm sorry," she purrs in her most sultry voice, "You were saying?"

He murmurs some inaudible swearwords, turning his back towards her between her legs, but makes sure that her legs stay wrapped around him. "Un-be-fucking-lievable. How the hell is this fair? For fucks sake."

Riley drapes herself over his broad shoulders with a victorious grin, and Drake wipes his hand over her face, "Stop that! It's already absurd enough that your kryptonite-filled blues wield this 'overthrow Walker' power, Herreld. No need to rub it in."

"Seriously? Drake? Riley?" Liam's voice squeaks through the speakers.

"You better get that, Captain," she rests her chin on his shoulder with a chuckle, "would be such a shame if we would lose the chance to tease the King, ha?"

Drake groans, but brushes his nose affectionally against her cheek anyway, "You’re excruciating."

"I know, and something tells me that you wouldn't want it any other way!" He sticks out his tongue, and she teasingly places a quick peck on top of his nose.

He wrinkles his nose and unmutes his phone. "Li! We’re still here. Sorry, Herreld here is kind of a distracting pain in the ass. But on another note, it just came to my ear that you're on your way over to pick me up."

"Yes! That's what friends are for, right?"

"And I truly appreciate it! But…" Drake coughs, and the tone of his voice is suddenly sterner than Riley has witnessed the hours before. 

Liam gulps, “But?”

"You do realize that I won’t hesitate to kill you if you show up at Herreld's doorstep without my replacer, right?" 

They can hear Liam freeze, turn, and his footsteps quicken on the gravel, "Of course! Who do you take me for, Walker? You know that I would never be so stupid to leave the palace alone!"

He manages to keep up his stern voice, even when a smile escapes him, “Sooo, you didn’t sneak out by falling from your balcony into the rosebushes as you always did when we were two young idiots trying to get out without permission?" 

Riley glances sideways at Drake, her heart fluttering at the sight of his sparkling hazels at teasing his best friend and recalling the clearly treasured memories. Her hand slides affectionately around his shoulders, snuggling her nose against his cheek, and he naturally leans into her touch.

"Nope, nope, nope," they can hear Liam get out of breath, "that would be utterly stupid, right?"

"Oh, yes! That would be royally fucking stupid, Liam Rys." Drake and Riley stifle a laugh as Liam gulps. "But that means there's no problem to hand the telephone to my idiot replacer, right Li?"

Another gulp. "Uhm, no, no, no, of course not! Just let me..." They can hear a door open, "Just a second, I think he..."

"Liam Rys!" 

Riley draws in a sharp breath at Olivia's sudden ice-cold voice, and Drake puts his phone back on mute with a grin. 

"There you are! WHAT are you doing? I found this idiot wandering the hallways alone!" 

They hear a low men's voice say, "Sir."

"Josh, Hi... I uhh..." Liam stumbles. 

"Oh, for heaven's sake! Were you outside just now? And why are you dressed so..." A silence falls. "Have you been snooping around in Drake's old room?" 

"Uhh..." Liam's clearly lost for words, and Olivia keeps rambling, "Are those leaves from the rosebushes? Wait... is that an actual rose on your sleeve?"

Riley hides her face into the crook of Drake's neck, snorting loudly, "Hahaha, there is no way to talk himself out of this, right?" 

Drake grins sideways at the sight of Riley completely losing it, "Just wait for it, Sparkles. This is mister smooth we're talking about."

"Uh, yes... Yes, my love!" They hear Liam compose himself with a cough. "I was taking a stroll in our beautiful gardens when I tripped and fell head over heels before..." They hear him rip off the rose with a small 'Auch', "this beautiful rose! It reminded me of how hard I fell for you once upon a time, my heart, my love, my rose." 

Silence falls on the other side of the line, and Riley snorts even louder, "Oh my God... Is he serious?" 

Drake raises his brows in surprise at Riley's unexpected 'I’m far from impressed' expression, where expected excessive swooning and at least an 'oh my God, he's so dreamy' response. 

"Okay, okay," she wipes some tears from her cheeks, "I'm stating here and now that I will apply for vice-principal Tuesday if she buys this because that means wonders still exist, and I might have a chance."

"Wait, what?" Drake’s brows knit in confusion, "What do you mean, applying for vice-principal?" 

Riley realizes what she just said and smiles innocently, hoping for Drake to let it go since she's in no mood to go over that subject tonight, "Nothing?"

"Riiight," he looks at her with narrowed eyes in suspicion, but her reaction states clearly her not wanting to talk about it.

She blinks once more, and he rolls his eyes, deciding to let it go for now. "You know what, fine. But of course, he's going to get away with this. It's Liam saying Liam things! How could it not?" 

She shrugs, thankful for Drake letting it go, "That can be, but I'm not feeling those 'Liam words', sorry..."

They can hear excessive kissing, followed by a heavy sigh from Olivia, "Josh, take my place in the conference room..."

"Oh, I don't think I'm qualified, nor hired for that..." 

"Well, you're also not doing where you are hired for... So, let's switch. I'll watch Liam, and you go to my meeting. Any complaints, or shall I fire you on the spot?"

"Understood, my queen."

"Good. Never thought I would say this, but I'm missing that Walker idiot! AND let me be clear, if one of you ever speak of it, I will personally kill you, and very, very slow that is." 

Drake and Riley share a chuckle at the sound of two very loud gulps.

"Now. I suggest you follow me, my King. I'm going to need that silver tongue of you else were."

"Ohh," Riley chuckles, "but she's definitely feeling it."

"Soooo," they hear Liam whisper as he's being pulled away, "I'm not on my way anymore, and I'm running even later than expected."

Riley laughs, and Drake unmutes his phone to scream, "That's fine! Taaakeeee aaaalllll the time you need, bud!"

"Not so lou..."

"Liam, are you on the phone with Drake? I swear to God if he heard about me missing him..." 

They hear Liam gulp for one last time, and the line goes dead. 

Riley lets out a low whistle, lifting her head from his shoulder, "Oof. I might have to call you another ride, Drake. Not sure if we ever see him again..." Drake puts his phone away and turns to face her again with a wonderous look. 

"What?" 

"I just," Drake scratches his head, not sure if he should be scared of or impressed by her apparent Liam immunity, "you felt nothing? It wasn't doing anything for you?" 

"Nope," she shrugs, "nothing."

"Oh! I got it!" He throws her his most prince charming smirk and wiggles his brows, "you must have that you missed his signature, prince charming smoldering look."

"Drake," her eyes flash over his face, her hand on his forehead, "Are you okay? Do you have a fever? Oh my God, do you have a stroke? Should I call an ambulance?"

"Very funny, Herreld," he playfully smacks her hand away from his forehead. 

"Thank you, thank you! I will be here all night!" Riley performs a small, but dramatic bow before coming back up with a self-assured grin on her face, "Still convinced that stand-up isn't the way to go?"

Drake wraps his arms around her shoulders, "The only thing I'm more sure of is that you once upon a time must have fallen on your head, Herreld."

She wraps her arms around his waist with a snort, "Is it really, really, really, that hard to believe that not everyone has a soft spot for a charismatic, handsome prince charming?"

"Yes. Yes, it is." He pulls her closer with a sigh, and her head naturally tips up to meet his warm hazels. “I’ve been standing at his side for years, Herreld. First as his best friend, then as his first protector. Everything revolves around him, it always has, it always will, and if he wasn't so damn likable, I might even resent him for all of it. For God's sake! I’ve seen men and women drop to their knees at so much as his charming smile. How is it not hard to believe?"

"Mmh, okay. Fair. But there's something you seem to be forgotten, Walker!" She gently brushes a few strains of hair out of his face, and he closes his eyes at her gentle touch. "Mmh, and what's that, Sparkles?" She smiles softly and whispers, "That I'm simply not like others, Drake."

He opens his eyes with a teasing snort, "Understatement of the year, ladies and gentlemen."

"Yeah, yeah! Verry funny, Walker," Riley pushes him playfully backward with a roll of the eyes. "Why don't we stop teasing the innocent and extremely hungry teacher and get that..." She taps his butt with her foot to push him in the right direction, "sexy butt of yours behind the stove before I turn you into a pre-course."

Drake grins, "First. You can't say that you're an innocent teacher and tell me that I have a sexy butt and that you want to turn me into a pre-course in the same fucking sentence, miss Herreld." She opens her mouth in protest, but he places a finger on her lips before she can say anything. 

"Which brings me to the second point, that I'm now extremely conflicted about still wanting to cook or not." 

She gives his finger a firm bite, and he pulls his hand back with a grin. He raises a cheeky brow at her unexpected, but certainly not unwelcome move and tries to wave off the pain in his finger. "Just for your information, Herreld. This is not the motivation technique to get me behind the stove. Au contraire."

 She gasps dramatically before playfully smacking him with one of the oven mitts within her reach, “Get your head out of the gutter and that butt behind the stove, Walker.” 

"Okay, smacking, biting… the same category,” he grins, and she rolls her eyes in a miserable attempt to suppress a smile. 

"And last but not least.” Drake continued, “I never said that being different is a bad thing, Herreld.” Riley averts her eyes with a shy smile, but he draws those gorgeous blues back to meet his hazels with a gentle finger under the chin, “Once again. Au contraire.” Silence falls as they stare into each other’s eyes, and he gently drifts his thumb over her lips.

“But,” and the sudden playful smile on Drake’s face indicates a clear warning sign for ‘incoming teasing!’ “I guess you will have to wait for a definitive verdict until you receive that feedback burger at the end of this week." 

"Oh," Riley playfully smacks Drake’s hand away, tapping him once again against the butt towards the stove with her feet. "If you manage to reach the end of the week, Walker! Because you will meet hangry Riley if you keep going like this and let me tell you... she’s not a 'nice' version of me!"

He smirks over his shoulder, making his way through her kitchen as if he never cooked anywhere else in his life. He collects the needed pots, pans, and other needed cooking stuff on basic instincts, without once asking where to find them.

“Oh, God! And I'm once again conflicted. If this so-called 'nice' version of you is obsessed with smacking, biting, and kicking my butt… What will this not so 'nice' version of you do to me?”

She raises one brow, looking pretty smug with herself. There’s something about him that sparks something inside her. He makes her feel sexy and confident, something she didn't know she was capable of. She crosses her legs casually, checking her nails for chips, “You would ever be so lucky to find out, Walker.”

Drake gives her a cheeky glance over. "Innocent my freaking ass.” 

Riley shrugs and takes two beers out of the refrigerator beside her. She opens them, and hands one to Drake with an innocent smirk, “I have no idea where you’re talking about, Captain Walker. I’m innocent as hell.” She taps his beer with hers, and her eyes never leave his as she takes a big swig. 

Drake notices the sudden goddamn sexy, confident sparkle in her eye and can't help but grin. He finds himself in a situation that he’s never been in. She's been a whirlwind to deal with from the first moment they met, but it doesn't bother him. At all. On the contrary. He never felt more comfortable with someone so fast. He never found himself fully clothed in a woman's kitchen for anything else than compromising, meaningless activities after just meeting them, and yet he never felt more naked as those piercing blues peel him off layer by layer with ease. 

She's exposing him, as no one ever did, as no one ever managed to do. Because women tried. They tried hard to break through his gruff shell. To see the man underneath, even though he told them that he doesn't commit. Women tried but always failed. His thick shield always withstood, until this one came along with those kryptonite blues. Hell. He never experienced something so fun, sexy, exciting, and arousing as being here with her tonight, then all the meaningless nights in the past combined.

He has found his match in this stubborn, God damn annoyingly gorgeous pain in the ass. And once again. It doesn't even bother him. At all. 

Or at least, for now, that is. 

Until he understands what it actually means. 

Until he realizes what he already knows. 

“You know,” Drake places his beer on the small kitchen counter behind him, “I almost believe that I will not make it to the end of this week at the sight of that dangerous sparkle in your eyes, Sparkles. Almost.”

Riley folds her arms with a raised brow, "Mmh, and why’s that, Walker?" He pre-heats the oven, lights the stove under the saucepan with leftover sauce, and fills the kettle to boil some water for the pasta. 

"Because..."He's beside her again in less than a second. His hand drifts up over her leg until he reaches her thigh and whispers in a dangerous, low husky voice, "you miss Herreld, are dying to see my very tough, extremely manly glitter drawings that come with that feedback burger at the end of this week." 

"Ohh," she lets out a shaky breath as his hand on her thigh sends electrifying shivers through her whole body. "You don't play fair, Walker." 

He steps back with a grin, and she whimpers lightly at his strong hand leaving her thigh. "That's rich coming from you, miss Bambi blues!" He dives into to refrigerator with a wink and comes up with a case of fresh spaghetti.

"I can't help genetics, Walker!" Riley smiles, pointing her beer bottle in hand at the box filled with fresh spaghetti in his hand, "Oh, and we need two more cases of those, Walker!" 

"Two more?" Drake narrows his eyes in suspicion since he's sure that one is already too much food for the both of them but takes two extra out of the refrigerator, nevertheless. He also grabs a freshly frozen pizza out of the small but expertly stuffed freezer and slides it into the preheated oven. He looks at her while adding the pasta to the boiling water, "So, Sparkles... Just so I know where I'm getting myself into. Are you inviting the whole hallway to join us for dinner?"

"Ha! Oh, no, no, no, Walker!" Riley snorts, "Correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't think you want to spend the next two hours answering questions about when you're planning to propose, our wedding is set, and when you're going to knock me up? I absolutely love these people to the death, but they get way too excited if there's even a whiff of what might be a change in my non-existent love life." She takes a swig of beer, "No, thank you!"

Drake throws her a sly grin while giving the leftover sauce a good stir. "Well, excuse me, Herreld, but I do have to correct you here. We know each other for," he glances down at his watch, "five fucking hours. It's about goddamn time that we have a talk about you when you're going to make an honest man out of me." He laughs at his own joke, but Riley, almost chokes on the sip of beer she just took, and her coughing makes him snap out of it. He looks up to find the horror practically dripping off her face. 

"Jeez, Herreld!" He leaves the sauce, gently pats her back and her coughing slowly fades. "It was just a fucking joke. Easy."

"Oh, thank God, a joke," Riley places in relief a hand on her heart before taking a few deep breaths, "Are you trying to kill me, Walker? Sarcastically joking, and deliberately not wrinkling your nose..." She takes a big sip of her beer to smear her throat and ease her nerves. 

Drake's annoyance caused by her reaction instantly turns into confusion. I didn't wrinkle my nose? 

Thank you so much for reading!

Catch up if you want at the 'A Walker knows, when a Walker knows' --Masterlist--

Nine, Italian nights, part two is coming soon!