bluebayou-

wattpad writer that also posts here | the slowburn queen | if you hate face claims this is not the place for you | 18+

[bluebayousblog]

RUMOR HAS IT (pt. 000)

(Drew Starkey One-shot)

Plot: in which drew and isobel address a false rumor in the most abstract of ways

Setting: When they met…

Disclaimer: Isobel is an OC, 18+, Typos! (Unedited)

TABLE OF CONTENTS:

PART ONE (1)

8 years ago…

Isobel had always been a timid girl, well, from what she could remember in the fourteen years she’d been alive. She liked making friends and even had more than a few, but the act of meeting someone new made her body fill with nerves.

Nervous was an understatement for how she felt walking up to the home of her father’s new business partner with her parents close behind her. Isobel had been informed this meeting would be happening, but it did nothing to help her abate her anxiety on the matter. Her heart still pounded in her chest and mouth still dried out at the thought of having to interact with strangers. In that moment she wondered if she was at an age where it was shameful to hide behind her mother.

For the past year she’d been hearing about the Starkey family seeing that Richard Cooper was investing an immense amount of time getting the business up and running with the head of the family, Charles Starkey. The first time she heard that name she immediately thought how important a name like that sounded—kind of how her dad’s presence made her sit up straight whenever he entered the room.

And when Isobel saw his face as he opened the front door to his home, his appearance somehow matched his name. Then he spoke and the commanding tone of his voice completed the preconceptions she’d formed in her head of the man. Charles greeted her father first with a handshake then stiffly turned to her mother Laura with a slight smile but still offered her just a handshake before finally focusing his attention on Isobel.

Her breathing slowed like it normally did when any adult she wasn’t familiar with made eye contact with her. Her gaze was dodgy, giving away how awkward she felt inside, not being able to hold decent contact with the older man. She’d assumed he would also just want to shake her hands that were pooling with sweat, which only filled her with more dread, but he surprised her when he squatted down so he was eye level with her.

“You must be the princess Richard is always telling me about.” He gave her a soft smile that contradicted everything she’d observed of him leading up to this very moment, “Isobel, right?”

Her face instantly turned red at the nickname her father had obviously shared with his business partner, but the familial smile Charles had given her lessened the embarrassment of the situation. She could only bring herself to nod in response, though he didn’t seem to mind as his smile remained even as he began to stand and gave her a simple nod back. Then the sound of something crashing to the ground in the other room grabbed everyone’s attention, and the smile was gone.

“Drew watch where you’re going!” A woman’s voice echoed against the walls of the large home as the sound of heels and flat footsteps got closer to the foyer. Everyone’s eyes shifted to the direction of the noise while Isobel was internally convincing herself that fourteen was in fact too old to shield herself behind her parents. Something was just telling her whoever was about to enter the room was a force she wasn’t prepared for in the slightest.

Then appeared three people when she was only expecting two—a beautiful woman with blue eyes and blonde hair cascading down her back, a boy that looked to be about nine or ten years old holding her hand who shared her same features, and then an older boy who was no doubt the same age as Isobel who was staring down at his phone as he lagged behind the group. Isobel wasn’t completely sure who the Drew was that was running into things was, but something told her it was the one who hadn’t looked up once from the little screen in his hands.

“Joseph, put the phone away, we have company.” Charles voice stabbed into the silence in the room, and ‘Joseph’ who she thought might have been Drew immediately dropped the device into his pocket before finally looking up for the first time since he’d entered the room. She looked over to the other boy and decided he must’ve been the one who’d made all the ruckus in the other room, although he looked so shy it was hard to believe—but after all she didn’t know these people at all.

Charles stepped away from the Coopers to stand beside his wife and children, giving the woman a smile before looking back towards them, “This is my wife Catherine and my boys Drew and Chandler.”

Her parents swiftly stepped forward to shake hands with Catherine, leaving Isobel standing in place, but she was too confused to feel abandoned. If there was only two of them who was Chandler? She didn’t ask though, the girl was too shy to ever indulge in her own curiosity.

“You are the most beautiful little thing I’ve ever seen.” Catherine said to her pulling her out of her head as she looked up at the taller woman. Isobel’s cheeks instantly warmed and her eyes dropped down to the floor not knowing what to say back. She was used to hearing this, people always commenting on her looks, especially her parents, but she hated being the center of attention.

“Isn’t she?” Her mother agreed with a smile in her voice, walking towards her and placing a hand on her to guide her towards the group, “She doesn’t like to hear it though, says it’s too embarrassing.”

Isobel looked up at Catherine and could see her visibly swoon, “That might be the sweetest thing I’ve ever heard.”


The grownups started conversing amongst themselves, sending the kids to awkwardly sit around in the living room to Isobel’s dismay. She’d never been so interested in the watch she’d gotten for her fourteenth birthday last year as she sat quietly across from the two boys.

Drew was ready for this meet and greet to be over with before it even began. He was missing out on practicing at the batting cage with his friends, just to meet the family of his father’s new colleague. He figured he’d just scroll on his phone that is until he was reprimanded by his father, and quickly put the phone away. It was one thing to annoy his father around family, but another to do in front of guests. With his phone not being able to occupy his time he figured he’d actually try to seem interested in this whole ordeal. He looked up and his eyes found the muscular man known as Richard who insisted he be called just Cooper by the kids, then his wife Laura who looked like she’d won a plethora of pageants in her lifetime, and finally his gaze dropped to the girl and remained glued there for the rest of his time in the foyer.

Their family was small, but even if there were another body standing beside Isobel, he doesn’t think he would’ve cared to even spare them a glance—kind of like when his mother was trying to talk with him while he was occupied with his video games. He had one track mind in that kind of way.

Drew wasn’t that annoyed when his parents sent him, his brother, and the girl that looked to be in his grade to the living area. He was curious and had forgotten whatever activity he once thought was more important earlier today. They sat there for about a minute, he and Chandler facing her on the other couch while she sat alone looking down at her fingers, so Drew watched them too. They were just as pretty and interesting as her the boy thought to himself.

“What’s your name again?” His little brother Chandler spoke before he thought to which kind of irked him, but was mostly eager to hear her voice.

She looked kind of startled at the question like she hadn’t expected them to talk to her, “It’s Isobel.”

Then it went it went quiet again, she didn’t even try to continue the conversation. Drew figured she was nervous, but didn’t understand how a girl who looked like that could ever be nervous. Girls at his high school that looked like they could be models were always obnoxious and thirsting for attention—Isobel, he thought, was different.

He could already tell.

“Well, I’m Chandler if you care.” Chandler offered once again before Drew could utter a word. It was then he realized he was judging her in a way for not speaking much when he was doing the exact same thing. Just as he was about to get into his head about it, she smiled at the youngest Starkey. It was a soft, subtle smile, but a genuine smile nevertheless and it was then he decided he wanted her to do the same for him too.

“I do care, it’s nice to meet you, Chandler.” Her voice was small as she spoke, but the way she said it sort of reminded him of how his mother spoke to his brother when his feelings were hurt, “I, um, actually thought you were Chandler.”

Drew hadn’t been expecting her words to be directed at him as it took him a second to snap out of the daze she currently had the fourteen year old boy in.

He jammed his finger against the center of his chest when he finally choked out a response, “Me? No, I’m Drew.”

He watched closely as her eyebrows furrowed, looking in between the two boys like she was trying to figure something out.

“You know you can ask what you’re thinking, Isobel, we don’t bite.” Drew said, sending his brother into a fit of giggles beside him, probably at the mere thought of biting someone.

He watched as she visibly thought over her words then sort of blurted them out, “Who’s Joseph if you’re Drew and Chandler?”

That within itself had Chandler in a full blown laughing fit, who already thought it was pure comedy whenever his father opted to call Drew by his given name.

“That would also be me, but I go by Drew.”

“Drew.” She whispered as if she was practicing the word, or maybe just trying to remember it.

Whatever it was his brain clung on to the small sound like his life depended on it, like he would be hearing it for the rest of his life and adhering to whatever words followed it just because he wanted to.

Drew wasn’t sure what he was feeling, it wasn’t a crush because he’d had plenty of those and it felt nothing of the sort. He did know that he wanted to be her friend, and that he didn’t mind that she and her family would probably be sticking around for a while. Maybe it was just that exactly.

That he didn’t mind Isobel.

TABLES OF CONTENTS:

PART 1 (1)

[bluebayousblog]

RUMOR HAS IT (pt. 18)

(Drew Starkey one-shot)

Plot: in which drew and isobel address a false rumor in the most abstract of ways

Setting: Christmas Morning

Disclaimer: Isobel is an OC, 18+

TABLE OF CONTENTS:

PART SEVENTEEN

Drew didn’t want to let go of Isobel, and he meant that in so many ways. When he was fourteen he laid eyes on her for the first time, and hadn’t expected to like her as much as he did—his entire family liked her. She was so shy with them all in the beginning, but he still managed to be enamored by the fraction of her she presented to his family within those first few weeks of them meeting. He knew she was special and it was easy for him to want to treat her as such because in his head doing that meant she would stick around, it meant she would open up around them.

When college came around they ended up at the same university, so he never had to consider parting ways with her in that regard, it was when she began dating Grayson that he experienced what it felt like for her to be slipping away from him. He didn’t register the feelings as jealousy, no it was more like a discomfort he felt about her being in a relationship. A discomfort that he chalked up as him being protective because that is what made sense to him at the time. He couldn’t stop her from dating, so he learned to live with it—learned how to share Isobel with another man who didn’t deserve her—until they broke up three years into their relationship. And though she returned to him heartbroken and not quite the same happy girl she was before he’ll always remember the relief he felt.

The last two years of college he spent probably annoying Isobel beyond lengths but that’s how he got his fix. He enjoyed walking her to class when he could, no matter how brief, it was always enough for him to see her face and hear her sweet voice. When weekends came he invited her to his parties because it was an excuse to have her around without having to worry about her wellbeing somewhere else. And at those parties he couldn’t help but give most if not all of his attention to her when he wasn’t entertaining some random girl. How could he not when she was in the same room as him, it was close to impossible for him to ignore Isobel’s presence.

Drew had been with so many women in his life, and never once had he felt that pull he did with Isobel after simply realizing he could be attracted to her. After years of knowing each other he’d kissed her once and had been overcome with the need to have her to all to himself. He’d always felt this way but having her in such an intimate way made it so much clearer. Being with Isobel created a fear within Drew because although he felt for her in the capacity that he did, it didn’t mean she felt the same way for him.

And just because Drew had fallen in love with Isobel didn’t mean she would ever fall in love with him.

Isobel let him hold her in his arms after he told her he loved her, she rolled over and hid her face in his chest instead of running away from his confession. He felt whole with her in his embrace, the way she relaxed with him made him feel like she would never leave him, so it scared him when he had to slip away to the bathroom to clean up and discard the condom. The mere thought of the bed being empty when he returned making him linger in the bathroom a little longer just to brace himself.

He eventually couldn’t help but go back to her, holding his breath as he approached his bed, and when he saw her body still resting there on his side of it, he exhaled.

“You took my spot, Izzy Bear.” Drew stated with a smile as he slipped himself under her body, and he melted when her soft hand ran up his stomach so she could wrap an arm around his torso.

She looked so adorable under him, her long hair framing her face, her soft skin bare, and her brown eyes warm with unspoken emotion that made his grip on her hip tighten, “Your spot was warmer than mine.”

He could only smile in response as their eyes remained locked, it felt completely different than before and they both knew it was because what had just transpired between them. Isobel hadn’t expected having sex with Drew to leave her feeling so needy. She hadn’t thought about what it would be like after, and now she was feeling so many confusing emotions all at once. She felt scared of his feelings—of her own—but she didn’t want to leave him. Isobel had already done that, and it only hurt them both. So she clung to him and silently thought of everything that had happened tonight. The unnecessary fighting followed by intense sex followed by his confession.

“You love me?” Isobel whispered with her lips moving against the arm her cheek was lying on, and she couldn’t ignore the twinge of hopefulness that was buried deep in her tone. Only someone who desperately wanted to hear the emotion could distinguish it beyond all of her layers she put forth, but she had a feeling her body knew Drew was exactly that—desperate for a part of her no matter how minuscule. She wanted to look away before he answered her, not in fear of him not saying yes, but the fear of simply looking him in the eyes as he answered her.

“Yes.”

Her face immediately heated at the short response that despite its conciseness had her heart pounding inside her chest, and despite her internal transgressions her eyes couldn’t help but find his blue ones. It was unbelievable how one or three words could mean so much—could make her feel so much. She’d once felt this way before with someone else, she’d also ran away from this feeling, but it still managed to find her and still knocked the breath out of her. She knew her cheeks were red when he swept his thumb across the warm skin of her face, “When did you realize it?”

It was like Isobel was in front of a mesmerizing flame she shouldn’t touch, but couldn’t help but stick her fingers through. Although, the closer she got to him, to the heat, the fire wasn’t so scary anymore—like it wasn’t even really a fire to begin with.

“Isobel, I think I have always loved you.” Drew settled on an answer after thinking it over. He didn’t want to overwhelm her, but it also felt impossible for him to keep what he was thinking to himself. It was like when she gave herself to him he couldn’t hold in his feelings for her any longer.

And If he was being honest he couldn’t remember not loving Isobel. The time from when they were only family friends to when they hooked up for the first time felt like one convoluted memory of Drew falling for her without knowing it.

Isobel had no idea what to think, someone had fallen in love with her and he’d done it so easily—so effortlessly. And it melted all of her resolve considering the fact that he’d told her on a holiday she held so close to her heart. She was going to remember his devotion to her every Christmas thereafter.

“I don’t know what to say, Drew.” She shyly admitted, now looking away from his gaze. He just sounded so sure from the first ‘I love you’ as he dropped down on the mattress beside her after he rolled off of her, and it was his certitude along with his admission that stole the air from her chest.

She didn’t want to hurt him because of her own reservations, but she also hadn’t come to terms with her own feelings for Drew like he had for her. The last thing she wanted to do was compare what she had with him to her past relationship but her trauma made it hard to distinguish the two. Though, Isobel knew better because the way Drew made her feel wasn’t comparable to the man she had before. Even the way he told her he loved her was different, there was no flood of expectancy—he just wanted her to know but still she couldn’t help but wonder if her silence was disappointing him.

Because despite all of her fears, something that remained consistent for Isobel was that she believed his word.

“I don’t need you to know what to say, Isobel, I’m sorry I couldn’t help it.” Drew swallowed, wanting to do everything he could not to scare her anymore than he already had.

Isobel’s heart melted at his words, he was being so vulnerable and honest and it only made her want to tuck herself further into his arms, “You don’t have to apologize, Bear.”

He looked so handsome staring down at her with that same glimmer she always saw in his blue eyes, but now she knew exactly what he was feeling behind them. She couldn’t help herself as she leaned up to press their lips together in a gentle kiss, hoping it conveyed everything she couldn’t say because though she couldn’t articulate her feelings for Drew, it didn’t mean she didn’t feel anything at all. 
They kissed slowly like time was infinite for them, reveling in the feeling of their lips against each other, and each slow peck eased her nerves. She felt how intentional he was with his kisses like her mouth was made for his own, like he’d found something he’d been always looking for, while Isobel just tightly held on.

Never did she think she’d be in Drew’s bed as he sensually kissed her lips after telling her he loved her on the early hours of Christmas morning. It was unimaginable at one point, but in the moment it made perfect sense. The feeling of his wet lips, the warmth from his body against her own, and the idea of Drew falling in love with her—for the most part.

Isobel suddenly pulled away and looked into his eyes, looking for the answers to the questions she was afraid to ask, the questions she thought may make her look weak in his head. She hated letting her insecurities show, but they would only continue to haunt her if she kept letting them choke her until she was rendered silent. It was easy for Isobel not to be a burden to her friends and family, but what she hadn’t realized was just how silent it made her that she became sort of nonexistent.

And for once she didn’t want to feel that way with Drew.

“You won’t get tired of me?” She quietly asked, forcing herself to keep their eyes connected as she waited for him to speak. Isobel could confidently say that was one of her biggest fears, someone getting tired of you loving them because she’d experienced it first hand. And though it came out like a question, it was more of a plea.

Drew’s eyebrows creased at her question. Not only because the possibility could cross her mind, but at how raw and vulnerable her voice sounded as he listened to her. It was crazy how you could spend an abundance of time with someone and not know how bruised they are, then they let you in and you don’t understand how you couldn’t have seen it all before.

“I could never get tired of you” he stated with emphasis like the thought was rudimentary, he said it with a gentle force like it was truly impossible, and he promised it to her with sincerity because he could never reach that point. He wanted from the depths of his being for her to understand that she had nothing to fear because Drew tiring of Isobel simply could not be.

Drew never thought he could ever be frustrated with Isobel until he fell in love with her. He was frustrated with her for things she couldn’t help, frustrated at things that happened to her, and frustrated that he he’d taken so agonizingly long to realize just how important she was to him that she’d found love in someone else and been burned because of it.

“You promise?” She gave him a gentle smile, but he saw right through it and he knew just how important it was to give her what she needed.

Reassurance.

God, he just wanted to grab her shoulders and shake her entire body until she understood him and all the doubt in her mind was no more when she looked at him, touched him, and simply thought of him. But this was Isobel and while he did want so badly for her to trust what they had, there was also a part of him that wanted to see her slowly heal no matter how long it took because he was coming to find out, to truly know Isobel was to love her for the sides of her she allowed people to see while also loving the hidden parts of her that weren’t invisible—they were just barely on the surface.

“I promise, Izzy Bear.” He whispered and when she smiled, a real smile with her teeth on display just for him to see, the frustration he’d just been feeling felt so insignificant to the warmth currently inhabiting in his chest, “Give me a kiss.”

“I don’t think I heard you, Bear, can you say it a little firmer?” Isobel smirked.

She leaned her body on his chest and brought their mouths so close their lips brushed, barely keeping a slither of space between them. Her smirk grew into a full grin when she felt his arm wrap around her lower back and squeeze her upper thigh in his hand.

“I said give me a kiss, Isobel.” Drew looked unamused as he stared into her eyes while his hand wandered upward to rest on her ass.

Isobel didn’t listen as he repeated himself just as she asked, instead she moved her lips to his neck, running her mouth across the contours of it, his skin salty on her tongue. She couldn’t tell if the increase in his breathing was because her defiance was pissing him off or turning him on, but she didn’t mind either, “Hmmm I don’t think I feel like kissing you right now.”

“You always feel like kissing me.” He gritted through clenched teeth as she laid a full kiss on the center of his throat making her giggle. Isobel knew he was referring to just how pathetic her attempt was to keep things platonic between them for the holidays. How she’d cracked within days, no within minutes and hadn’t been able to keep her mouth off of him since. God, did she love having her lips on Drew.

Isobel chose not to respond as she continued to plant kisses down his neck and chest, every peck deliberate in her wake as she made her descent. She wanted to show Drew that she felt for him just as intensely as he did for her even if she couldn’t put it into words. This was the only way she thought to herself, atleast that’s how it worked for her in the past. Then Drew’s hand found her cheek and she froze before he pulled her back up his body so she was back where she began—chest to chest, nose to nose, and just slightly brushing his lips with her own.

“You don’t have to do that, Baby.” He mumbled as he pressed their foreheads together, staring into her brown eyes as if he was really trying to make sure she understood him, to remind her that he knew her.

Isobel’s eyes widened as she stared back in a sort of disorienting realization at the sincerity in his eyes and how she’d thought she’d loved before when really that hadn’t been what it was at all because what she was seeing in front of her in this moment was incomparable to anything she’d witnessed before.

“I want to kiss you.” She voiced her thoughts, it came out naturally like Drew was meant to know everything she was thinking.

“Then kiss me.” He barely finished before her lips were covering his in a gentle kiss.

One of his hands immediately found her jaw, squeezing her face as he pulled her further against his mouth. He could feel her as she immersed herself in the feeling of them being connected like she was wordlessly giving him another piece of herself that only he could interpret. Drew couldn’t help but release a deep groan at the intensity of it all, at how packed full of emotion this all was. His hands slipped down her jaw onto her throat before sliding to the back of her neck so he could bring her closer, desperate for all she was willing to give to him.

They kissed until they were out of breath, until Isobel was panting for him and desperate for his touch. His tongue massaged carefully into hers as he took his time tasting her. Her lips were starting to feel swollen and bruised but every time he released the pressure on her neck she kissed him deeper so his grip would return. She whined against his mouth when he disconnected their lips and looked up at the ceiling obviously drowning from his own arousal. She didn’t know where to go from here as she stared down at him, his eyes tightly shut and trying to control his breathing. Here she was in bed with a man who didn’t need her to prove herself to him, and she was completely and utterly lost in it all, “You’re making me feel things I don’t think I’ve ever felt before.” Isobel whispered as low as she could and rested her chin on the warm skin of his chest .

His eyes remained closed, but when she felt the rumble of a groan travel up his throat she knew he’d heard her and she smiled.

Isobel then couldn’t help but wonder if he’d let her tell him she loved him with his eyes closed, but she knew that’s not how she would want it, she couldn’t imagine it that way. In her head, when she let herself hope, she would say it when she wasn’t afraid to look him in eyes as she gave him her heart.

But for now she’d whisper it in riddles with his waiting stare hidden behind his resting eyelids.

She fell asleep comfortably in his arms and woke up to Drew staring down at her that Christmas morning. They’d obviously switched positions during the night as she was now tucked into his warm body as his back shielded her body and he leaned on his side, putting all his weight on his right arm, “You always wake up at this exact time on Christmas Day.”

Isobel didn’t have to look at the time on her phone to know it was seven in the morning. Her parents were most likely awake and lounging around in the den downstairs while she was cuddled up with Drew in his bedroom instead of waking up in her own. In just thirty minutes they would be listening for her descent down the stairs because that’s how it went every year they spent Christmas together, but things were changing to her dismay.

“How do you know? You usually don’t wake up until breakfast is ready.” She poked his side and giggled when he jumped at the feeling.

Drew couldn’t help but smile at the years of memories from all their holidays spent together, “For some reason I always wake up the moment you walk past my door to the stairs.”

If she already wasn’t a puddle from how sweet he was to her last night, she would’ve melted further into the mattress.

“You sure you weren’t feeling me two years ago, Bear?” Isobel joked though they’d been spending holidays together in this cabin for far longer than two years. Meaning he’d been feeling for her for so much longer.

He wrapped both of his arms around her body so he could pull her into him, he was getting used to his days starting with Isobel’s, especially on one of her most cherished.

“What did I say to you last night, Is?” He breathed and brushed her bare hips with his hand.

‘Isobel, I think I have always loved you.’

The more she heard him say it the more she wanted to hear it, like a song you didn’t quite understand the first listen but as you absorb the melodies, the words, and meaning you can’t help but want to hear it on repeat.

When Drew saw Isobel bite her bottom lip as her dark eyes glazed over in thought he swore he felt his heart rate drop before it began pounding in his chest. He loved this about her, how her body betrayed her and revealed exactly what she was feeling. Drew just loved when her guard was down with him. His grip tightened on her hips as if it would slow down the thumping in his veins.

“I have to get dressed.” Isobel released her lip and pouted knowing her mom would come check on her if she didn’t come downstairs soon, especially since she played sick yesterday to avoid the man she was under at this very moment.

“Okay.” Drew could only watch in a trance as she slipped from under him. He was mesmerized watching her leave the bed and stand before him with nothing covering her body. His tongue swiftly poked out to wet his lips when she swiped her pajamas off the floor and began to slowly get dressed—knowing his greedy eyes were watching, “Come here Isobel.”

She was working on the first button of her top when he interrupted and she wasted no time before walking over and sitting on the edge of the bed so she was facing him. When his big hands took over what she’d been doing, she let him as he buttoned up the silk pajama top just as slowly as she’d planned on doing. Although, with his fingers grazing and nudging the curve of her breasts as he made his way up to the last button it had a very different outcome.

“I’ll see you down there, baby.” Drew wiped his mouth with his thumb as he darkly glanced at her breasts through the red satin then back up to her pretty eyes. For some reason Isobel couldn’t help but grin in amusement at how boyish he was being, she couldn’t help but wonder if he was always that way in the morning.

“Maybe you should come downstairs a little earlier than usual?” She suggested and cursed to herself for not wearing any slippers when she decided to come here last night. When she got to the door she turned and gave him a soft look before having to go back to reality, a reality she wasn’t sure she wanted to maintain anymore.

“I’ll be right behind you, Isobel.”

[bluebayousblog]

RUMOR HAS IT (pt. 17)

(Drew Starkey one-shot)

Plot: in which drew and isobel address a false rumor in the most abstract of ways

Setting: Christmas Eve night

Disclaimer: Isobel is an OC, 18+

TABLE OF CONTENTS:

PART SIXTEEN

Drew had never been perceptive of his emotions that weren’t obvious and easy to identify, and he was never ready to internalize the big emotions—the ones such as fear or grief—until it was too late to stop the feelings from infiltrating his mind and body. He’d been that way all of his life, and age had done nothing to change that. It was sort of like getting hit with a wall bricks, and not registering until the feeling of the harsh solid is piercing, scratching, and abusing your skin. And the breath is knocked out of you.

Drew reluctantly pulled his lips away from Isobel’s only to suck in one gust of air before reconnecting their lips once more. This kiss was different than the ones before, but this one, just like the others, fueled that foreign feeling he felt deep inside his chest for Isobel. It felt like he was somehow getting closer and in that moment he realized on a tipping scale of how close he could get to Isobel whether it was intimately or emotionally, he’d barely brushed the surface.

They fought for the first time as two people who were intimately involved. It was dramatic and tumultuous and everything he tried to avoid when it came to other women he’d been with before, but he would do it again if the person he was fighting for was Isobel. If having to experience that new found fear of possibly losing her meant he got to have her in his embrace after it all mellowed out. Because like the kiss, just simply having her in his arms again felt better than it ever has before.

Isobel felt so good in his hands he couldn’t help the groans of satisfaction rumbling in his throat from just running them across her thighs and over her silk pajamas that were driving him insane. “Show me your little outfit, baby.” Drew mumbled in her ear while grabbing a handful of her ass causing her mouth to fall agape against his cheek before slipping from under her and tossing her gently onto the center of the bed. Drew stood there as his eyes roam over every inch of her body. He absolutely could not figure out how someone could look so adorable yet sexy all at the same time, “You’re so beautiful.”

“Thank you.” She grinned up at him, baring all of her pretty white teeth and he melted at the sight. That toothy smile alone always knocked the breath out of him, even before that day in her apartment.

He’d been such an asshole earlier in the day to her and now he couldn’t imagine how he could ever say the things he did to the same sweet girl lying before him. It actually made him sick to the think about, so he backed away and twisted away from her. She told him the last thing she wanted was any of their parents finding out about them, and when she reacted like she deserved to he couldn’t handle it.

“Drew what are you doing?” Isobel asked with her eyebrows furrowed in concern. She saw something pass over his blue eyes before he turned around, how whatever it was that dawned on him happened as he was gazing at her.

Isobel and Drew weren’t the same and the mental voice inside of her told her that’s why they were good together. Drew let her walk away from him the previous night for his own reasonings they had yet to discuss. Isobel, on the other had, never let him get away from her without a fight whether it was something as little as him trying to pump the breaks on a heated kiss or something such as this moment where she could tell he was second guessing everything between them.

“You said you couldn’t do this.” Drew motioned his pointer finger between the two of them after he turned back towards her where she was now sitting up, “I need to give you space-”

“I don’t want space, Drew.” She interrupted, her voice was full of varying emotion. She usually hated it—how her voice betrayed her and revealed what she was truly feeling inside—but she didn’t hate it when it came to him. Because it gave opportunity for her to see that Drew really did know her like he said that he did, that he’d been paying attention, and absorbing everything he could about her because he cared that much. She could see it now in the way he flinched at her words as if he didn’t expect them and then in the softening of his twinkling eyes as he interrupted her thoughts through her chocolate orbs.

“-we have to stop making decisions for the both of us and focus on what is happening right now.” She continued on, the conversation with Charlotte still fresh on her mind, “I want you, Drew.”

He began to walk back over and she got up to stand on her knees at the edge of the bed so they were facing each other. His hands slowly found her hips and squeezed so tightly she gasped. Her arms sliding over his shoulders and around his neck and just like that they were practically in the same position as when she first walked in and he pulled her into his lap.

“I want you, Isobel.” He stated while staring deep into her eyes. He said it with generality like he wasn’t saying it just to agree with her, but to convey that he wanted her now and he would continue to want her when she left this room.

Isobel’s hands found either side of his face and rubbed his cheek bones with the pads of her thumbs, her tinted orbs looking up at him through her eyelashes with her teeth piercing her bottom lip. Then in a bat of an eye Drew was leaning in and carefully running his tongue in a linear swipe across her teeth trapping that lip. As soon as she released it, they were kissing once more, tongues immediately involved as they sensually swiped against each other. Isobel’s fingers conservatively scratched the buzzed hair at the nape of his neck while his large hands ate up every inch of her waist and thighs just grabbing and squeezing his favorite parts of her.

Isobel was the one to pull away this time and Drew was about to chase hers until the feeling of her moistened lips under his jaw registered and his eyes wrenched open. Her little kisses felt cold to the touch but it made it feel like his skin was on fire, “You always feel so damn good, Is.”

She just hums and continues to leave sweet pecks with her full lips as she moves on to his throat and eventually his shoulders. Drew watched intently while her hands spread and rubbed his chest, “Fuck.” He grunted when her nails grazed his nipple on their descent down to his stomach.

The girl was obsessed with his body and the energy he gave off around her. He just always felt so manly when they were with each other like this. It was how he was always towering over her, that predatory look he had in his eyes even when he was telling her they needed to stop, and how he was so lean yet stacked with muscle—muscle she wanted sticking to her sweaty skin when he finally gave himself to her. It was absurd how hesitant she was to address her feelings when it came to Drew, but was so willing to be with him in intimacy.

Suddenly, Isobel lowered her body back onto the bed, her gaze unwavering until she slowly twisted her body around and arched her long, slender back so her ass was pressed against the front of his pants. “Drew.” She dragged out in a needy whine, the thin material of her shorts and his thin pajamas doing nothing to prevent the feeling of his arousal from nudging her dampening silk covered cunt.

“You’re so fucking nasty, Isobel.” Drew said through clenched teeth as he harshly ran a hand down his face as if he were in disbelief at what he was seeing.

Desperate for some friction, Isobel shook her ass against him until the fat of it being began to ripple from the sensual motion. When she turned her head to the side to get a glimpse, Drew seemed to be in a trance—God, she loved teasing him. “You like that?”

“You know I like it.” Drew managed to get out before he placed his hands on her mesmerizing backside and watched as his hands moved along with her. He had always preferred a nice ass when it came to women, but Isobel turned that preference into a necessity. After about a minute he moved southward between her legs, his thumbs entering her shorts through the leg holes and rubbing circles into the skin just outside the crotch of her panties. Isobel’s movements stalled and now he could just barely hear little high pitched pants leaving her mouth, “I’m not going to fuck you like this, Izzy.”

Isobel was fully prepared to throw a temper tantrum at this point, all the times Drew had stopped them from going further flashing through her mind and their last time together when she got to get a taste of what he was holding back from her. But when she opened her mouth she could only blubber in protest, “No, Drew please.”

“What is it, baby? You don’t want me to stop?” She heard him asking behind her and his tone of voice, the slight taunting, had her pushing her hips back for more contact as she shook her head in protest. “I’m not gonna stop Isobel, but I’m also not fucking you like this.”

Isobel sucked in a breath when she felt his knee dip into the bed then remove his thumbs from her shorts to grab her hips and flip her over, moving them both up to the top of the bed. Drew placed himself on top of her so that his chest just barely brushed over her breasts and his face was hovering directly above her own.

The smirk on Drew’s face fell before he murmured his next words like some sort of vow, “I’m not going to fuck you in a position where I can’t see your pretty eyes.”

“I want to see you too.” Isobel whispered.

He leaned down and gave her a kiss before disconnecting and leaning in once more just like he always did. Giving her at least three more pecks to the lips before lingering on the last one and finally pulling away with satisfied groan vibrating in his throat. “I haven’t stopped thinking about that night in your room, how good you took my dick.” Drew spoke into her ear as he somehow made it even more unbearably hot in the room.

Isobel was dying from his teasing, her legs squeezing together as an attempt to release some of the tension. And she was about to complain like a brat until his pointer and middle fingers founds her top lip, tracing it then doing the same to the bottom. They were both silent, Drew seemingly calm while she was panting from anticipation. All the while their eyes remained on each other and he slipped his fingers between her lips. It was so quiet in the room that they both could hear the saliva in her mouth as he tried to fit his long fingers in there. When he spread them and closed them on her tongue and she gagged around him, she swore she felt his dick twitch against her hip.

Isobel’s eyes were already watering from his fingers just simply sitting on her tongue but she began to suck the flesh, twisting her tongue all around and between them, and grabbing his wrist to push them further into her mouth making herself retch again. Drew’s eyes screwed shut for a few seconds as he cursed to himself before returning her gaze and slid his fingers from her lips. “I love doing that for you.” Isobel told him.

“Sucking off my fingers?” He asked with a squint in his eyes.

Isobel giggled at the question and pulled him down to kiss him quickly before pulling away to speak, “No, Drew, just you in my mouth in general.”

She could visibly see his eyes darken to a deeper blue just as the sea does when the moon replaces the sun. They both remained quiet even when he began running the same fingers he had in her mouth down her stomach until he reached the top of her shorts where he rubbed the skin there in a horizontal motion for a few moments.

“Lift the waistband of your shorts for me.” He directed and watched carefully when she reached down to do as told, his eyes falling on the red underwear he knew was probably barely covering anything.

Using the opening she was making for him, Drew slid his hand inside of her shorts then slipped them under her panties. When his fingers traveled deeper and found the pool of arousal soaking her cunt she was instantly a moaning mess. That was the first time since she’d entered his room that she remembered there were other people in the house with them, but it did nothing to shut her up not with his fingers teasingly rubbing and prodding her slit.

“You gotta quiet down just a little, Izzy.” He warned and she listened for the most part. She laid there holding her shorts out of the way while he played with her pussy. Her moans were quiet and mainly in his ears then suddenly he was sliding a finger inside of her. When he began pumping into her she tucked her face into his neck knowing she wasn’t going to be able to keep it down.

“So damn tight.” He sighed to himself.

She knew there was probably a smirk on his lips as she whined into his skin, but she couldn’t bring herself to look up and glare at him. She just continued hiding her face while he picked up speed inside of her and eventually he added another finger—slowly easing in and giving a few experimental thrusts before fucking her with them just like he did in his truck weeks ago. “Drew.” She sounded like she was sobbing when really she was just breathless and turned on which made for uncontrollably loud cries to leave her lips.

She’d let go of her shorts by then and was using both of her hands to blindly grasp on to his arms, desperate to find something to anchor herself to. When her moans were back to a dangerous octave he didn’t stop, he just moved her face from his neck with his free hand and place his mouth on hers.

His kisses and the lewd swipes of his tongue distracted her from how deep he was inside of her until he created a scissor motion hitting that sensitive spot and erasing all the progress they’d made keeping her quiet. Her mouth was now agape, though still pressed against his lips as he repeatedly brushed over the spot until she was gasping from the feeling of it. Now, he was pulling away, shaking his head in amusement at her incompetency, “How am I supposed to eat it if you can’t stay quiet, baby?”

Isobel squeezed her legs together at his words, which still has his hands between them, making his eyebrows to raise in mirth. The thought of having his tongue on her and inside her made her entire body convulse. This was new territory, he’d never been able to touch her like this because they never had the opportunity. And now wasn’t the best opportunity seeing as their entire families were probably fast asleep and completely unaware of their actions.

Still, Isobel gave Drew an innocent look and moved to wrap her legs around his waist, “I’ll be good.”

“You promise?” He was looking at her with eager eyes as if her agreeing would dictate his next move, but she could also see how captivated he was and knew he would have her regardless. She nodded her head with their eyes locked, and that was all it took have him dragging his lips down her body.

Isobel had been with one other person who showed her how bad they wanted her, he swept her off her feet and made her think she was the best thing he’d ever had. It took a lot of trust and naivety to believe that someone can think so fondly of you, and just as quickly as she’d given away her trust he stamped on it, on her hands, on everything she’d given in love until she remained like a child who’d put those hands somewhere they weren’t supposed to.

Drew made her feel the same way, making it easy to trust that he really wanted her as bad as he made it seem. And it scared her to see a man be so infatuated with her again. It would be different if Drew didn’t always look at her with so much emotion, if this was what it was supposed to be, just two people hooking up—but it wasn’t. They both knew it, it was obvious in their gazes, in the way they disagreed, and most importantly the way they risked it all to be together despite their families.

There was so much history between them that they could ruin, yet they proceeded despite it. Isobel had loved blindly before, but with Drew it was like getting on the same rollercoaster they’d been on together since they were barely teenagers—that had been stagnantly moving for close to a decade in a route they’d grown accustomed to—but now they’d chosen to take a different route and speed. One that was new and unfamiliar but they were still together just moving through life differently, learning how to be together under different conditions until it wasn’t so scary anymore.

The silk fabric of her shorts tickled her smooth legs as he slid them down her body, throwing them on the floor beside the bed when he got them off completely, “Sit up a little for me, Isobel.”

She immediately obeyed and slid herself up so her shoulders were resting on the pillow leaning against the bottom of the headboard. In this position her hips were angled up so her panty covered heat was directly in his line sight, and when he grabbed her knees to spread her legs open the girl was practically gnawing at her bottom lip from the way he was gazing at her cunt.

“You’re just pretty all over aren’t you?”

If Drew was truly shameless he would let the drool seep from his mouth, that’s how pretty Isobel’s pussy looked spread out for him. She was dripping and puffing from his invading fingers, and the way the red material of her panties looked to be suffocating her was a provocative sight. He’d never seen her like this, lying before him like a soliciting invitation asking him to take her. Drew was greedy when it came to women before Isobel, but he had never felt such greed for just one woman like he did with her. Never wanting someone to himself so desperately that he couldn’t stand the sight of his brother hugging them, so desperate it had him recklessly thinking that this was who he wanted to be with for the rest of his life.

A languid, wet lick of his tongue over her underwear was all it took to have her babbling again and covering her mouth with her hand because she didn’t want it to end. From there he was all in swiping his tongue, sucking her clit with his slobbery lips, and spitting globs of saliva on her pussy all without pulling down her panties. Isobel was spiraling like she’d taken just a shot too many or taken one too many hits of a joint that would send her to the point of no return.

Her legs closed around his face, and he welcomed them with his hands squeezing her thighs in encouragement as she trapped him against her core. She felt him groaning and mumbling incoherent sentences while eating her like he couldn’t keep quiet either. Then his tongue expertly slipped past her underwear and circled her throbbing clit just one time and she was falling, her legs shook around him as he continued to lap at her bare cunt.

This particular orgasm felt as if the blood running through her veins had been replaced with concrete as her body tensed and her back froze into an arch off the mattress. She was silent, all ability to produce sound had been stripped from her by the man below her as she just held her mouth open in pleasure. She could feel him watching her like a predator watching in awe as his prey fell apart right in front of him.

Drew stopped licking her when she relaxed again into the bed and her breathing mellowed. He left wet kisses up the inside of her thigh, he could still taste her in his mouth and his dick thumped with arousal at the feeling.

“Drew.” Isobel pathetically called out his name and reached out for him with her arms. Drew immediately abandoned her thighs and moved back up the bed where she was, wrapping his arms around her waist when he was back above her and looking into her deep, brown eyes. She kissed him softly for a few seconds tasting herself on his lips, but eventually pulled away and rested her head on the pillow still breathless from her orgasm.

His body rolled off hers onto the bed, trying to ignore the heavy feeling of his dick in between his legs. He hissed when Isobel threw her leg over his lap just as soon as he dropped down beside her. She looked so tired and innocent, but her hands were grazing his lower abdomen—driving him mad.

“I want more, Drew, I want you.” She murmured, pressing her mouth onto his shoulder as she spoke, “I don’t want to wait anymore.”

Drew just stared at her having an internal battle with himself on what to do, what to do with Isobel. It had been convenient for him to always stop Isobel before they went too far while being home, but he really did need that control because he had a feeling that when they had sex only one of them wouldn’t be able to go on as normal. He knew that he wouldn’t be the same Drew he was before Isobel.

“Isobel, are you sure?” He had to ask because her answer would determine how things went from here.

She didn’t have to consider the question at all, Isobel had been wanting Drew since they left for home. So much so that she was the one making the first moves despite telling him they were putting a pause on their physical relationship, and every intimate moment they’d shared since then had brought her to now. Wanting to be as close to him as humanly possible, in a way that she knew would be emotional, in a way she knew would change things but for some reason she wasn’t afraid, “Yes, Drew.”

Isobel exhaled when he hungrily kissed her waiting lips, so hard she could feel the tip of his nose nudging the side of her own. His kisses were desperate, but his hands were shy on her body. He took his time trailing them down her body before slightly lifting her to cup her ass and blindly dragging her underwear down her hips with his thumbs. Isobel snaked an arm around his neck when his tongue entered her mouth and moved the other between them to tug at his pants. Drew ignored her silent request and dropped his hips down so his dick was nestled right against her core. Then he began to rock them slowly, the cotton fabric of his pajamas quickly being soaked by her arousal and slipping easily up and down the mess between her legs.

“Fuck.” Isobel dragged out in a curse as Drew’s groans harmonized with the sounds she was emitting.

“That’s it, Isobel.” He panted when her hips began to lift to meet his thrust, only adding to the building pressure, he sped up his movements causing the bed to creak beneath them, “Gotta make sure you’re ready for me.”

Isobel watched him as if she was in a trance, his eyebrows knitted together in concentration, his mouth open as his breaths escaped him, and his blue eyes when he opened them and found her brown ones already on him.

“Fuck, we have to stop, you’re going to make me come.” He rasped and got off of her.

He stalled for a minute or two to calm down she presumed, then he grabbed his wallet off of the night stand beside her where his condoms obviously were, and she rolled her eyes at how much of a guy he was.

“Wanna put it on for me, Izzy?” He offered while taking off his pants, and she nodded before snatching the condom from him.

Drew chuckled, letting her push his boxers down his hips, and she watched awestruck when his hard cock slipped out and tapped his stomach. It looked angry and sensitive just like it did before she had it deep in her mouth last week, so she figured she’d be gentle as she rolled the condom onto his hot flesh—but he was already moaning by the halfway point. She loved how he couldn’t control himself when it came to this, how she could turn him on so much it was incomparable to his other experiences. Drew got back on the bed when she finished, and grabbed her thighs so they were wrapped around his hips.

He kissed her neck and lingered there for a moment before moving to her jaw then forehead like he was leaving something behind with each kiss. She felt a flutter in her chest by the time he claimed her mouth until the feeling of the tip of his dick on her pussy claimed her attention. He smirked when she gasped against his lips as he slightly pushed into her before pulling out again.

“Are you hot, baby? I don’t want you to get uncomfortable in this.” He mumbled into her as his hands moved to her top and began unfastening the buttons. When he finished the last he pulled the fabric away from her chest and broke their kiss to look down at her heavy breast, her dark nipples erect from his touch, “Isobel, fuck.”

She needed him to do something, anything or she was going to scream in frustration.

“Drew-“

Isobel barely got out his name before the sensation of him pushing inside of her rendered her speechless. He was slow yet deliberate like he wanted to be balls deep, but also wanted to be gentle with her because this was Drew and he was probably considering the fact she hasn’t been with anyone in almost three years. When he was fully inside he just waited as she remained beneath him trying to adjust, “You okay, Izzy?”

She bit her lip and hummed because she was afraid if she were to actually open her mouth she would wake the entire house—that’s how deep he felt. Drew began to move when she kissed him, giving her slow strokes as he rolled his hips into her slick opening making her moan uncontrollably against his mouth.

Drew was choking, he wanted to say so much but the feeling of her melting on his cock was too much. She felt so good to him, she always did. That showed in the ways he couldn’t help but slide into her so unhurriedly his mouth widened with each thrust because he was feeling all of her. She let him have her in the most intimate way possible and the feeling and the simple thought of it was overwhelming.

“You feel so good, Drew.”

Her praise made him snap his hips into her just a little harsher making the bed began to creak again. Her moans grew and he couldn’t help himself as he sped up his thrust even more, her cries and the sounds of the bed groaning with them spurring him on. He leaned in her ear and gave her comforting shush, hoping she would keep it down for both of their sakes.

She didn’t stop moaning but her hips did began to roll, meeting his every stroke as if him telling her to be quiet turned her on even more. He was moaning along with her, and losing all control despite being in such a dominant position.

“Baby.” He moaned in her neck at the sound of her squelching each time he plunged into her pussy. All of his senses were heightened when he was with Isobel, she made him feel so good so fast to the point where it was too much and he hated that she knew that.

Isobel’s hands sensually rubbed Drew’s back watching him with his eyes trained on her bouncing breasts and eventually his thrusts grew erratic telling her he was close, “You gonna come with your dick inside me, Bear?”

“You can’t do that to me, Is.” His forehead was resting on hers and they just stared into each other’s eyes only heightening what they were already feeling.

Drew reach down her body and found her clit and all her movements stopped, the grinding, her hands on his back, all of her teasing ceased. She allowed him two final strokes before she was coming on his cock. This time she came with his name leaving her mouth in breathless chants all the while her pussy convulsed around him as he ground into her. And just as her orgasm ended his began, his hips wildly thrusting into her. He clung onto Isobel at the high he was getting, the high that wasn’t ending despite the seconds that had passed and him slowing his movements, “I’m still coming, fuck.” He wheezed and started thrusting his hips again.

Isobel watched enthralled as he grabbed her ass and used her to fuck himself through what seemed to be another orgasm, drinking in every detail so she could commit his face while coming to memory. She could get addicted to this, she thought to herself.

Drew finally collapsed on top of her after pulling out, feeling depleted. Isobel had just unknowingly ruined him, he’d never be able to fuck another girl, not after tonight. His eyes found the digital clock and she followed his gaze where it showed it being well past midnight.

“Merry Christmas, Isobel.” He kissed her cheek and because he couldn’t help himself he said the one thing that had been caught in his throat the moment he slid inside her—what had the man at a loss for words, “I love you.”

Drew felt an invisible weight lift from his body, one he had no idea accompanied the feelings he had for Isobel. How it was getting heavier and heavier the more time he spent with her. He felt her stiffen beneath him, so he moved over and laid beside her.

“Look at me, please?” He tried and she resisted for a little before finally peering over at him, “You don’t have to say anything, just look at me.”

He needed to see her eyes because where her words strayed, her eyes spoke volumes—he wondered if she knew that. Her pretty, brown eyes didn’t make him regret his confession, they gave him hope for the future, just as they always did.

“Are you scared?” Drew whispered and she nodded but continued looking into his eyes.

“Yeah, me too.”

TABLE OF CONTENTS:

PART EIGHTEEN

[bluebayousblog]

RUMOR HAS IT (pt. 16)

(Drew Starkey one-shot)

Plot: in which drew and isobel address a false rumor in the most abstract of ways

Setting: Christmas Eve

Disclaimer: Isobel is an OC, 18+

TABLE OF CONTENTS:

PART FIFTEEN

Christmas Eve called for an illustrious dinner prepared by Catherine Starkey and Lora Cooper, so the two women had both went off to the kitchen. And Richard and Charles snuck off to the balcony to smoke cigars while their wives were preoccupied, too busy to scold them about the nasty habit. This left Isobel awkwardly still sitting on the floor from the intense game of spades everyone had been playing while Drew and Chandler sat on the sofa across from her in silence.

It was so excruciatingly awkward but no one moved to get up or leave the suffocating quietness. Isobel just pretended she wasn’t stealing glances at Drew whenever he wasn’t discreetly attempting to do the same. He was better at it, the sly looks, but she felt him—everything about him. The short glances, his presence, all the words she hadn’t allowed him to say to her last night and the ones he wanted to express because of it.

The thought of the mess she’d made of their relationship made her entire body cringe as she tried to expunge the negative thoughts from penetrating her mind. The thoughts telling her that he would never want to speak to her again, that he would never be able to look at her like he did before, that things would never be the same. And Isobel wasn’t sure what point in their friendship she would want to revert back to because as disorienting as their feelings for each other made everything she’s not sure she would ever want to be just friends with Drew again—or if it was even possible.

Her manicured nails scratched across her palms for some sort of distraction and looked over to Chandler. She hoped that he couldn’t sense the tension between her and his brother, but to her relief he seemed to be consumed by whatever was on his phone. That is until he threw the device on the cushion beside him, took one glance at them both—to which she smiled—and then his eyes squinted.

“What’s going on with you two?” He asked with suspicion heavy in the last two words. He definitely felt the tension.

“What do you mean?” Isobel tried to smile again, but the bored glare he gave made her muscles go taut.

She felt self-conscious for a multitude of reasons in the moment, but the most pressing was at the awareness that everyone knew she was being phony. As if she was just like them, sitting on the sofa and looking down at her pathetic self trying to make it seem like everything was fine. But there was also a part of herself that resented Drew for sitting there wordlessly while she did everything to seem at least the littlest bit of normal. Because she cared enough of about the both of them and he was making her feel like her efforts were for nothing. Like protecting them wasn’t even worth it anymore.

Isobel sometimes believed that she cared too much and it was mistaken for her being a coward and stubborn—which she was definitely being to some extent—but the majority of it came from the overbearing emotions for the people she grew close to. And she feels extremely hard to the point where it feels too good to be true because she knows it can all be ripped from under her just like it has before. It forces her to run, to break away so viscerally it makes her seem heartless when really it’s the exact opposite.

In reality, she is hurting inside, she is missing the simple thought of Drew being hers and his kisses and his mindless touch on her skin. Most of all she regrets. She regretted walking away from him as soon as her back was turned, but she’d made a decision and she needed to stick with it because if she doubled back she would be in his arms taking back everything she’d said in the truck. Isobel still wanted that, to throw herself in his embrace and explain herself, but the more time passed the more difficult it was to convince herself to do. Time allowed doubt to creep in and for Drew to realize all the reasons he shouldn’t be with her.

“You guys can barely look at each other,” Chandler assessed, “Which is quite noticeable for someone who has witnessed the two of you drooling at the sight of each other literally a day ago.”

Isobel’s heart wrenched. A day ago. When she and Drew had went on what could be considered their first date. It went so well but the memories were overshadowed by how badly the night ended. She didn’t look at him, but she could feel Drew shifting in his seat. She wondered if their thoughts were the same in this moment. “-so are either of you going to tell me what happened last night?”

“No, Chandler.” Drew finally spoke, the deep, gravelly sound causing her skin to break out in goosebumps.

His little brother’s eyes rose at his choice in words, “You’re not denying that something happened?”

“It doesn’t matter if something happened. I’m telling you to mind your fucking business, Chandler.”

His harsh words pulled a gasp from her throat that caught his attention, his usual soft eyes filled with frustration that he was misdirecting at his brother. It was discomforting he could feel such negative things about her that it was so visible in his eyes, yet knowing that he at least felt something towards her was oddly settling for her, “Drew.” She scolded before she could stop herself, hating how Chandler was getting caught up in anger she’d caused.

Drew’s eyes could not help but soften when he looked at her undeniably pretty face and heard her melodic voice say his name. Although, there was still a flame present, one that she knew just pretending nothing happened wouldn’t put out.

“Isn’t this what you wanted Isobel? To ice everyone out so you don’t have to come to terms with your bull shit.” Drew knew he was being cold, yet he couldn’t stop the words from leaving his lips. He just hated that Isobel wouldn’t let him in, that she didn’t trust him enough to do so. She’d given him so much of her but knowing that she didn’t have faith in him or what they had with each other hurt him more than he expected. He was being a hypocrite because Drew wasn’t exactly handling all of his feelings like someone who was ready to be with a woman like Isobel—like someone his father or Cooper would be proud for her to be with.

“Drew, you’re being mean.” Isobel thickly swallowed. The wavering in her voice making him want to reach out and hold her until it returned back to its full ability, but he was the one causing her voice to break like this. “I’ve never seen you like this, and if I can pull that out of you then maybe last night was for the best.”

Isobel knew she was the blame for how things ended between them, but she refused to blame herself for how Drew was choosing to react to it, especially towards his brother. And she hated how unrecognizable he seemed sitting across from her, the same man that was just making her smile so fluidly she was beginning to associate the muscle movement and feeling of adoration with him.

“Chandler come on I told you we would go into town together today, we can walk.” Isobel stood and brushed her hands against her leggings. He was up in an instant and moving toward the coat rack to grab their coats. Her heart squeezed at the sight, he could be just as sweet as his brother if not more.

“It’s freezing, Isobel.” Drew countered.

His tone shifted fiercely with so many varying emotions and she heard each so clearly in her mind as if only she could heed and interpret every chord of his voice. She could hear that he was genuinely worried for her wellbeing in the frigid temperature, hurt that she would rather be out there than in the warmth of the cabin with him, and she heard how the sight of her attempting to leave him once more added to the already open wound.

Because Isobel was just as immature as he was she grabbed her coat from Chandler and walked out without sparing Drew another glance.

“Can we not actually go into town, you know I hate the cold.” Isobel immediately pleaded when the crisp wind wept against her face. She knew it would be cold like Drew said, but she needed to get out of there before they caused a scene in front of everyone.

“That’s cool with me, let’s just walk the trail around the cabin.” Chandler smiled and shoved his hands in his pockets as he lead the way. She was glad to see him smiling, still desperately holding on to the hope that her and Drew wouldn’t affect everyone’s Christmas—that things wouldn’t change. “Are you gonna tell me what happened?”

When he first asked what was going on in the living room it scared her to think of having to detail anyone in on why they were being so weird, but now as they trudged through about a foot of snow she wanted to just tell him everything because it was starting to feel like if she didn’t get some sort of outlet she would combust. And if she didn’t confide in somebody now, she knew she never would, “Drew told me your father knows about me and him last night.”

“Shit, Chuck knows? That makes me feel a lot less special.”

“Chandler please don’t joke around right now.” Isobel mumbled but still couldn’t help but smile at the ground at how unserious he truly could be.

“Alright, alright sorry, when did he find out?” He asked.

Isobel’s mind returned to their conversation in the car like it had been doing all day. She had been the one to abruptly end it so she wasn’t completely aware of the details surrounding Charles knowing about their relationship, just that he supposedly had known since the day they got into town. Her entire body cringed at the revelation, at the fact that she thought she could hide something like this from her family. Isobel just didn’t want him to see her differently than he did before, she didn’t want any of them to.

“Remember when I used to tell you no boy would ever be good enough for you? Don’t you ever forget it.”

She froze at the memory of Charles randomly reminding her of her worth at the winter cocktail. She remembered how confused he left her as he walked off without an explanation. How she’d felt so disoriented until she turned around and saw Drew—that he’d been the one who was in Charles’ line of sight as he spoke to her.

Isobel could’ve connected the dots that night but she chose to ignore the odd moment between the father and son, but anyone who wasn’t blind with infatuation would’ve known what Charles meant.

“I didn’t really give him a chance to tell me before I broke things off.” She finally answered.

“Damn, Isobel you’re cold.” Chandler loved to be involved in gossip and people’s business and he could be extremely animated when retaining it, “Makes me kind of glad Drew’s on the receiving end and not me.”

“Chandler!”

“Sorry, I didn’t mean it! We both know I would let you treat me however you wanted.” He insisted and Isobel squinted her freezing eyelids back in response.

“-so you guys broke up, huh?”

Isobel and Drew weren’t together, they had a relationship but they weren’t official. They were merely two people messing around, two people who hadn’t even had sex yet. What they had was rudimentary, insubstantial, and nothing worth making a big deal over with their families. And despite all of this she still solemnly nodded her head because the grief she was feelings could only come from the demise of an actual couple.

Suddenly, she heard her father’s hardy laugh traveling from the backside of the cabin, and it made her hyper aware of how openly she was talking about this, “Come on let’s walk a little further down.”

“What’s so bad about everyone knowing, Isobel?” He asked the question she thought she knew the answer to, that she thought made sense the moment her and Drew crossed that boundary of friendship.

Now, after everything that’s happened, from the progression and abrupt ending of Isobel and Drew her reasoning didn’t quite make sense at all.

Because deep down it was in the best interest of Isobel to keep them hidden, not for the benefit of them both even if Drew did somewhat agree with her in the beginning.

“I don’t know, Chandler.” She groaned at the internal mental battle she was having, trying to articulate a worthy defense, “I just don’t want you guys to think of us differently especially if things don’t work out.”

She knew she was being presumptuous, already thinking the worse and banking on the failure of a real relationship with Drew, but that’s what she learned to do after getting her heart broken the last time. She’s never experienced anything different. “And you saw how Drew was acting back there, that’s not how things should be.”

“Well, I hate to break it to you, Izzy, but change is inevitable,” He sighed before pausing and finding the words to continue, “I hate that some douchebag took away your faith in family to love you no matter who you’re with—however you’re with them.”

Isobel couldn’t even deny his claim because it was true and it was just plain sad because she had let a man she hadn’t seen in years affect her just that much. She let what he did to her affect what she was building with another man.

“-Also ignore that temper tantrum he had in there, I would act the same way if I thought I lost you too.” His voice sincere as he gave her a gentle smile.

Isobel pulled him into a tight hug and pressed her face into his chest, which was nice because of the body heat but it wasn’t Drew. “You’re really sweet, whatever girl you swindle into a relationship is going to be lucky to have you.” Isobel squealed when his arms tightened around her shivering body.

“Really, Izzy? You have any friends that would be interested?” He joked above her head and she could hear the smirk in his voice.

“Stick to girls your age for now, Channy.” She looked up at him with a grin.

Eventually the wind picked up speed, running Isobel back inside while Chandler went around back to get on Richard and Charles’ nerves. As soon as she swung open the wooden door to the entrance of the cabin there was Drew with that same indecipherable look he’d been directing at her all day. Isobel was tired and was craving some time alone so she slid past him without any acknowledgment.

“Don’t put me in a position where I have to tell my brother to keep his hands off of you, Isobel.” Drew sneered at her retreating back

She slowly twisted her body around on the step she managed to get to as he spoke, her eyebrows furrowed together in disbelief at his words. It was crazy how one second she could feel so bad for him she was going to sulk alone in her room for making him deal with her insecurities and how in another she wanted to ring his neck.

“It’s pathetic how a girl who you haven’t even fucked yet can make you act so out of character.” She hissed and then continued upstairs to her bedroom.

Isobel didn’t cry when she shut the door and sat on the chest adjacent to her bed. She never felt the urge when it came to Drew, she never felt anything she went through was worth the tears not when things could be so much worse. It was easier to keep everything in for Isobel, to keep her pain in categories so she knew what she was dealing with, so her emotions didn’t come rushing out with no end.

She could feel the distance building between her and Drew, how every interaction was a tug and pull until one of them pushed the other to an unreachable edge. She wanted to erase how she reacted last night and then her fears would supersede her wants and when Drew decided to be a dick her needs when it came to him didn’t matter as much before.

So she shut down to the point where sitting across from Drew at dinner was hard, but not as hard as it could’ve been. Christmas Eve dinner was casual so they didn’t dress up once everything was prepared. She once again let a man affect something she thought to be sacred, happily spending the night before Christmas with her family. She was just as pathetic as he was.

Neither of them looked at the other at the table, and everything carried on as normal around them. Lora and Catherine lead the conversation as Charles’ listened with amused eyes and Richard roared in laughter at the simplest jokes. That seemed to be the things that pulled Isobel out of her Drew induced funk, hearing the familiar gossip and incessant howling from her father. Drew on the other hand seemed to still be withdrawn and quickly ate his food before he eventually excused himself from the table. Charles hadn’t spared her any glances in response unless he was actually directing conversation to her. Nothing felt different with him which abated her anxiety, but that was because they hadn’t addressed what was going—because he wasn’t aware the she knew he knew.

It was proving to make an extremely complicated situation to have love for any of the three Starkey men.

Their mothers insisted that they be the ones to clean up after dinner that ended up running later than expected, and Isobel didn’t argue knowing that was their way to get all the kids upstairs so they could wrap gifts to place under the tree. Alone once more in her room she was able to dwell on the possible reasons why Drew left dinner so quickly. She knew she was capable of doing this for hours, spiraling about all the ways she contributed to the nightmare of an evening she’d caused for Drew until she drifted off to sleep, so she did something Isobel before Drew would never even think of doing.

She called a friend.

Charlotte was the most qualified she thought to herself, she was logical, she wouldn’t judge her, and she most likely already knew what was going on if what she implied at the party before break said anything. As the phone rung, a part of of her desperately hoped, no prayed, that she wouldn’t answer, but she did because this was Charlotte and Charlotte was always there for her even when she thought she didn’t need anyone.

“Hello” Charlotte sung into the microphone as she always did, making Isobel smile at the greeting.

She didn’t realized how much she missed her friends until this very moment, “Hi, Char.”

“What’s wrong, Isobel? You’re usually too busy with family to call me on Christmas Eve.” Her friend asked, voice filled with a subtle amount of concern.

It had always been easier to tell Charlotte things compared to her other friends because she had a way of reading your voice and just simply listening to you for a few seconds or more and knowing something was wrong. She’d always appreciated that about her especially because she always struggled to express her feelings.

“Lottie, Drew and I started hooking up before break.” She blurted, not quite saying what was wrong but offering up a little of the secret she’d been keeping from her friends to see if it would piss her off and distract her enough to avoid talking about what she really needed to discuss.

“Is, you’re saying it like the two of you didn’t make it as obvious as possible before you left.”Charlotte’s smile was evident in her tone, “Thank you for telling me.”

Isobel’s eyes prickled with tears at the sound of her friend’s voice, at how genuinely sentimental she sounded. At how aware she was that it was truly hard for Isobel to simply talk about herself because if she did it felt like she would be burdening them to have to worry about her. But she didn’t let the tears fall, she blinked them away until nothing remained, just like she did with everything else. “You’re welcome.”

“That can’t be all, girl, you wouldn’t call over just that.” Charlotte spoke and every word caused her stomach to twist in regret for getting her involved in all of this despite how little she’d told her.

Isobel stayed quiet and Charlotte patiently waited, not checking to see if she was on the phone even when minutes of silence had passed. Finally, she thought about hanging up but that would make her worry more than just talking to her would. Nothing was worse than knowing someone you cared about was sad, but not knowing what was going on in their head. She knew that feeling all too well.

“Things were going well between us until there was a compromise and I broke things off.” She admitted.

“Why’d you do that if things were so good?” Charlotte questioned yet a knowing tone was present in her voice, like she knew just how destructive Isobel could be.

“I told you something came up-“

“Isobel.” Charlotte sternly interrupted obviously not in the mood for deflection.

Her teeth dug into her bottom lip as a way to stop the words from tumbling out—it was easier to want to admit something than to actually do it. So she closed her eyes and just breathed until the words eventually came out, “I was scared, Charlotte, I don’t how to be with someone like that anymore.”

“So you made the decision for the both of you?” Charlotte sighed and Isobel remained silent. She hated hearing her irrational actions being vocalized because then she was forced to accept just how wrong she was. “Isobel, you have to let go at some point, just have fun if you really want to be with him—and I can tell just from your voice that you do.”

Isobel couldn’t think of any point in her life where she was good at letting shit go. She had always felt hard, loved hard, and completely immersed herself when it came to the people she cared for. Then her past relationship happened and it was like she sunk into a suffocating pool of all of her emotions and hurt from being so brutally betrayed. And instead of swimming to the surface and processing everything she pushed it all aside allowing her unresolved feelings to haunt her like a large wave tall and threatening to destroy her the moment she turned around to face it.

“But it’s not ‘just fun’ feelings I’m having for him.” She whispered as if barely saying it would make it any less true.

“I know, Is, how could they ever be just fun feelings when you’ve known each other for so long.” Charlotte stated, “That doesn’t mean you have to push him away though.”

This made Isobel smile, thinking of how her girls used that same excuse to explain to her why they would never go for Drew. Never did she expect to be so grateful for her friends being so respectful of their relationship that hadn’t even existed for all those years.

Their call ended up being cut short by Charlotte’s mother who needed help wrapping gifts for her little siblings, and while Isobel was relieved she didn’t have to talk about herself any longer, the thought of having to sit alone in her thoughts didn’t sound too appealing either. So she occupied herself by taking a long shower where she thoroughly exfoliated and shaved her entire body and stood under the steaming water until her fingers pruned. When she finally got out she lathered her body with lotion and slipped on her red, silk pajama shorts and its matching long sleeve button up.

Isobel didn’t go to her bed when she was done, no, she paced around her room and thought over everything that happened in the last twenty four hours. The good things, the sad things, and the unexpected things. It all clouded her mind until she was moving without thought, her bare feet padding across the wooden floor until she was standing in front of his door and slipping inside his room before she could change her mind.

Drew was sitting on the edge of his bed with his feet planted on the floor. He was wearing plaid pajama pants, but nothing else on his naked upper body. His arms and chest bare for her dark eyes to slide over with no restrictions. The lights were off but the light from the moon and sky shone through the windows. When his eyes looked up to meet her own she could see the light dancing around in his eyes.

Isobel walked toward him, and as angry as she was with him earlier she still felt that pull she’d always felt when it came to him. She felt it earlier in the day when he was trying to ignore her, when she was jogging up the stairs away from him like coward the night before, and now as his eyes bore into her brown ones like he was trying to decipher each fleck of color in them despite them being in the dark.

She stopped right in front of him, just a step away from being in between his spread thighs. “What do you want, Isobel?” The question was broad, it could mean anything but she took it as him not wanting to be bothered, so she took a step back to retreat. Then his hand was gripping her right hip as he pulled her into him and she actually was between his thighs, his body heat warming the bare skin of her legs, “Don’t leave, Isobel, answer me.”

She couldn’t answer because she didn’t have the words to articulate just how much she wanted from him in her mind, so she leaned down and pressed her mouth to his soft lips. He didn’t kiss her back at first, her lips moving against his still ones in slow pecks until he caught her bottom lip between his teeth, running his hand up her back to wrap around the back of her neck and pushing her further against his mouth. It all happened so quickly how Drew was somehow dominating the now messy kiss, how he yanked her down into his lap and bent her knees so they were on either side of his hips. Isobel’s touch was gentle as her soft hands grazed his shoulders and back and shy each time she swiped her tongue against his greedy one, but they didn’t clash.

‘I want to have fun’ she thought as he groaned into her mouth, that’s what she could’ve said when he asked her what she wanted but she was too occupied to say it now.

And Drew like always seemed to know what she needed even if she didn’t say it.

TABLE OF CONTENT:

PART SEVENTEEN

[bluebayousblog]

RUMOR HAS IT (pt. 15)

(Drew Starkey one-shot)

Plot: in which drew and isobel address a false rumor in the most abstract of ways

Setting: christmas eve

Disclaimer: Isobel is an OC, 18+

TABLE OF CONTENTS:

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

Everything felt wrong as Drew watched Isobel run away from him—from their problems—until she was hidden behind her door in the confines of her room. There was nothing he could do so he just let her go because if he ran after her it would draw attention and that’s exactly what she didn’t want. Although, he could already feel Charles’ suspecting eyes on him when he chose to sit in the living with everyone else. It was the best option seeing as if he went up to the second floor where she was he would be at her door begging on his knees the first chance he got.

What he would be begging for he didn’t know in the slightest, but he knew her forgiveness or acceptance would fill the gaping hole he currently felt in his chest. He’d experienced how withdrawn Isobel could be in the years he’d known her, but after having her all to himself in situations where she’d bared herself to him, he never wanted to see that part of her again. Where he felt like a stranger in her eyes, or where she looked at him with fear because the sight haunted him—especially when she insisted on keeping how she felt burrowed inside. Leaving him to think the worst.

Another movie was starting when he sat down, and when he noticed the end credits rolling down the screen he realized he hadn’t heard a word of the film, let alone what movie it was. Everyone eventually began retiring to their respective rooms as it got later into the night, but Drew remained until it was just him sitting alone in the den as the sound of the television acted as white noise that did a horrible job of drowning out the thoughts of Isobel. The girl who’d unknowingly attached an invisible tether to his heart and dragged it out of his chest with her the moment she left him alone in the truck.

The next morning he didn’t want to wake up. He slept peacefully because he dreamt of Isobel, it was just the two of them in a world where she was his. He didn’t have to divulge the deep emotions he had for her because in that world she already knew, and he knew she felt the same—it was dancing in the glint of her beautiful eyes. That was what his dream consisted of, him staring into her chocolate orbs as he absorbed her every unspoken emotion, it was endless, but when she finally blinked he woke just when her gaze was about to return.

She stole his first waking thought just as she always did, the corner of his lips slightly tugging up at the feeling his dream had swirling around his stomach before his drowsy state evanesced as reality reared its head. He longed to go back to their last time together before coming home for break, when he woke up dreaming of Isobel and seeing her the second his eyes drifted open. That was a gift. A gift he wasn’t ready to give up, one he wanted to have for the rest of his life.

His awareness was practically nonexistent while preparing to go downstairs to have breakfast with the family. It was Christmas Eve and Catherine and Lora always went all out for it, he could already smell the aroma of their cooking seeping into his room through the cracks of his door. Drew seemed to be dissociating uncontrollably while he stood in front of the bathroom mirror and brushed his teeth, then once more when he pulled on some sweatpants over his underwear to make himself presentable to join everyone in the breakfast room. His mind was so easily escaping to the girl who slept down the hall from him, and it clung to his every thought as if it could make up for the absence he was feeling for her ever since their last conversation. Where she ran without sparing him another glance as the darkness of her room swallowed her retreating body.

He yearned to see her pretty face in that moment and all the minutes and hours thereafter leading up to this very moment as he swung his door open. He was about to put himself through a torture he could never prepare himself for, sitting in a room with Isobel while they acted like nothing was going on. Sure, they’d been doing exactly that going on a week but this was different, the knowledge that she was his when it was just them two in the back of his head no longer anchored him because now he didn’t know if that could be true anymore.

Still, he would take her ignoring him, ignoring the connection they’d formed together in such a short period of time rather than not seeing her at all.

“Isobel, breakfast is ready. Are you awake?” Lora Cooper said as she knocked and pushed the door open to her daughter’s room.

Isobel could hear the concern in her mother’s voice. It was expectant because Isobel never slept in past eight in the morning, yet here she was engulfed by her comforter in her bed. “I don’t feel well, I think it may have been a little too cold for me last night.”

She wasn’t lying—perhaps she didn’t feel sickly but her body felt heavy like if she even tried to lift herself from the mattress she would just fall flat back onto the feather stuffed quadrilateral, so she didn’t even try. And last night was definitely cold, but it wasn’t the weather keeping her in bed. It was the thought of facing Drew after running from him. Having to face him and potentially see the hurt she heard in his voice on his beautiful face made nerves swarm her belly.

Then there was Charles, she would have to face him too. Her stomach turned thinking of all the times she’d been around him this break and completely clueless of his knowledge of her involvement with his son. She hated the possibility of him viewing her any differently because of it. Isobel stubbornly wanted to remain as that same innocent girl he’d met all those years ago, not just one of Drew’s conquests. And this was just the tip of iceberg, Charles’ was just the beginning of the list of people she would eventually have explain herself to.

“Oh, Darling give me just a few minutes and I’ll bring some tea and food up to you.” Lora stated, the older woman already out of the door before she could even protest.

Isobel sighed heavily before somehow melting further into the bed. She hated the situation she was in. She hated when Drew realized she wasn’t coming to breakfast he would know it wasn’t because she was sick. Most of all she hated that she ran from him last night and was continuing to do it now, but she couldn’t help it. If she wasn’t with Drew, if there was nothing to show forth regarding their relationship she didn’t have to face her problems or face Charles. And Drew wouldn’t have to tell her father.

What would he say to him anyway? That thought scared her the most because whatever he shared could change the way Richard gazed at her, her favorite gaze, the one she never had to second guess her ability to live up to. There was only so much they could share with their families because they weren’t together. It had only been a few weeks, and they were just fooling around yet things felt so serious between the two, atleast for Isobel it did. And from the suffocating tension she felt thicken in the air of the car after he’d dropped that bomb, she knew it probably felt the same way for him as well.

Her stomach twisted in nausea as her mind raced in circles. Isobel was scared of being hurt again by another man, but changing the dynamics they’d built with their families over a relationship that wasn’t promised put her off more than anything.

Drew wasn’t waiting patiently for Isobel to gracefully descend down those steps like only she could. He was antsy and constantly moving and hanging on to every sound of any potential movement that came from upstairs or the kitchen entrance hoping for her arrival. He just wanted to see her.

Finally, the stairs began to creak and his heart sped up as the sounds increased the closer she got to the first floor. Drew had arguments with girls before, but when he saw them the next day he didn’t care. With Isobel he feared when she walked into the room he would fall to his knees and beg for her forgiveness—beg her to just try again with him—because there wasn’t another one woman that could come into his life that could replace the feelings she’d instilled so deeply in his being.

To his disappointment it was only Lora who entered the room without an Isobel trailing on her heels like he’d expected.

“Where’s Isobel?” Cooper asked with a furrow in his brow. Everyone knew Isobel should’ve been down here by now because she was always the first one down out of all the kids.

Drew was feeling guiltier than ever because everything Isobel feared would happen was unfolding right before them. They’d explored things with each other and now things were changing. He wanted nothing more than to possess the ability to stop the world from turning so things could be at a standstill where nothing would evolve and they could just be happy in the moment. Drew wanted to do the impossible for her.

“I think she’s feeling a little under the weather.” Lora answered.

“My princess could never take the cold” her father sighed, and in the moment Drew felt a pang of jealousy in his chest because just yesterday he thought that she could be his too.

He’d always looked up to Cooper, never feeling any negative emotions towards the man. If anything he was like a bonus father for him. Some little kids may have resented someone who took up a good majority of their father’s time, but he was family and he’d always made an effort to make him and his little brother feel that way.

But in this moment he’d envied him for the first time in his life because Richard Cooper was a man that had Isobel’s everlasting love. It was a love that was guaranteed—a love that she didn’t fear.

As a man, he didn’t think he ever wanted something so much in his life.

And where he felt envious he also felt immense frustration because he knew that Isobel wasn’t feeling ‘under the weather”, no, she was hiding from him. The thought of it made him want to march to her room and drag her downstairs because if anyone should be down here with family it was Isobel. This was the first time he’d wholeheartedly appreciated being around family for the holidays and that was all because of her.

As he contemplated sneaking up stairs to her room his father saying his name snapped him out of the mental battle he was having in his head, “Drew come around back and help me with something.”

“Thank God.” Drew heard his little brother Chandler whisper under his breath who was probably still pissed about having to chop wood in the freezing cold last night while Drew went out with Isobel.

Charles was already walking out of the kitchen presumably to the sliding doors that led to the heated patio, and Drew quickly stood to catch up with him. When he slid the glass door shut and looked up at him his face was unsurprisingly blank. The younger Starkey looking around in confusion as there was no wood that they’d left over to be moved inside. “What’s up, Dad?”

“Isobel isn’t at breakfast.” He plainly stated before sipping his coffee out of the Christmas mug he was holding in his left hand. It was a mere observation, a stranger would think there was nothing behind his words, but Drew knew there was always meaning behind everything his father said.

Drew had no interest in getting into all of this with his father, not when he hadn’t spoken to Isobel and this was the last thing she would want him to be doing. Conversing with Charles about a disagreement they were having when he shouldn’t even know about them in the first place.

“Yeah.” He said dryly as he racked in his brain for ways to get the man to let this conversation go.

“She never misses Christmas Eve breakfast.” Charles once again pointed out the obvious, but Drew swears he heard just the tiniest hint of sadness hidden in between his words.

The love for Isobel ran deep for both of their families, and being able to feel for her in way that they couldn’t allowed him to see the way they cared for her in such a different light. He could appreciate it because he felt it too, the love that so many people had for a woman he would do anything for.

“Dad.” He pleaded for so many reasons. For Charles to see that he was struggling with all of this. For him to understand that he couldn’t tell him exactly what was going on because it didn’t just involve Drew. For him to bring Isobel back to him like a little boy who begged their father to fix something they’d broken.

“You don’t have to tell me what’s going on, but you have to clean up your messes, Drew, especially if you care about how the mess affects everything around it.” His father’s eyes creased in concern. Drew could only imagine what he was thinking, but sympathy also present in the blue orbs they shared told him it wasn’t the worst.

“What if someone doesn’t want me to clean it up, Dad?” Drew couldn’t help but ask because he was at a loss. He knew he wanted Isobel more than anything, but he just didn’t know how to get to her. Because he could walk up those stairs right now and burst into her room, but that didn’t mean she would have him.

“You probably know better than I do. You know her in that sort of way, so only you can tell yourself what the right thing is to do.” Charles provided, implication laced throughout his tone, but in typical Charles fashion he still managed to give some helpful input, “Continue giving her space, but don’t let go.”

Drew’s throat closed at the thought of ever walking away from Isobel. It wasn’t a possibility for him, and that realization hurt more than anything because she’d done exactly that without looking back.

“I don’t think I can let go.” Drew mumbled to himself.

Isobel lied around in bed for the rest of the morning, but she couldn’t bring herself to spend the entire day ostracized from her family. She rolled out of bed and proceeded with the day as normal. She always wore red on Christmas Eve, so she wore a red braided Ralph Lauren sweater but dressed it down with a pair of comfortable leggings she knew would keep her warm. She sat in front of a mirror in her room and took her time doing her makeup, and when she was done and decided she looked pretty her mind drifted to Drew, wondering if he would think the same.

It was hard to accept once she realized, but while she lived for herself and her family, a great bit of her lived for him too because when you cared for someone you cared what they thought of you.

Lastly, she pulled a few black strands of her hair back with a silky red bow and let the rest of it flow down her back. She paced around the room, and thought of a million reasons why she shouldn’t leave out of the door before finally swinging it open and headed towards the stairs. The sounds of voices and laughter, her father’s the most prevalent, hit her ears as she slowly made her way down the steps as if prolonging her arrival would make any difference. When she entered the room everyone’s heads snapped to her, but she couldn’t help but noticed that Drew’s turned just slightly faster. Her eyes instantly fell to his, and her heart jumped at the look blatant in his unwavering stare. Just like that she knew that he thought she looked pretty indeed.

“Isobel you look gorgeous, baby, are you feeling better?” Lora asked from her spot on the couch.

All of the parents seemed to be playing cards while Drew and Chandler watched.

“Much better, I think I was just tired.” She smiled.

Isobel’s eyes dropped to the coffee table they were playing games on. It was also littered with mugs most likely filled with egg nog. She hated egg nog, but the sight of them doing their tradition without her made her smile droop a fracture. She felt awkward and out of place and was now wondering why staying cooped up in her room earlier made any logical sense.

“I got your Christmas mug down and sat the hot chocolate out just in case you came down, Isobel, there’s hot water waiting for you in the kettle.” Charles informed, nonchalantly clearing his throat like he hadn’t just done the sweetest thing ever. Another similarity she was learning he and Drew shared. When she looked at the younger of the two, his eyes were no longer looking at her—he was now gazing at his father.

“Thank you, Chuck.”

Charles just gave her an expected nod as their eyes met for a second or two before he focused his attention back on the game. She feared that things wouldn’t be the same, and that she wouldn’t be able to look him in the eyes again after Drew told her he knew. But just as always her sweet ones met his as he gazed back in a softer stare than what he gave his sons.

Isobel felt another set of eyes she knew belonged to Drew, but when she looked up he looked elsewhere. That hurt more than expected, but she was the one who chose to end things yesterday. Throughout the years he’d never made her do something she didn’t want to, and it seemed he was leaving her be to sit alone in the mess she’d made. When she turned to walk away towards the kitchen, like the hopeful fool she’d unknowingly let herself become when it came to the boy, she wished he would follow.

He didn’t.

But she waited. She grabbed her little Santa mug and waited a beat to hear him getting up from the couch where he was sitting in the living room. He didn’t come. She poured steaming water into the cup and went as far as emptying the hot chocolate packet into the liquid before she couldn’t help but listen for his footsteps. They weren’t there. When she finished preparing her drink and returned to the living room he remained just where he was before she left staring down at the card game. Drew was usually on his phone while their families did these sorts of things together, but today he was disconnected—to a point. Isobel could feel he wasn’t being fully present, and she knew the reason was because of her.

“Since my partner has finally arrived I think it’s time we start up a game of spades.” Her father suggested in a playful tone.

Figuring she should try to get into the holiday spirit for her own and her family’s sake she agreed, “Only if Chandler and Chuck are ready to lose.”

“You got lucky last time, Isobel.” Chandler mumbled as he cracked his knuckles like it would help his game. She’d never met someone whose ego continued to grow despite losing time and time again.

“And the time before that and the time before that…” she trailed off, her father’s thunderous laughter filling the room. Even Charles couldn’t help but smile despite her coming for his partner. That simple laugh could lift the mood in the room, at least it brightened hers anyway—Drew still seemed to be on another planet.

He felt far away yet he was right in front of her. To Isobel this was far worse than sitting across from him and pretending as if she didn’t burn for him because now she didn’t know if he still burned for her.

They started the game and his presence continued to eat up the atmosphere around her, but he paid no mind. She snuck little glances as his eyes continued to remained elsewhere, so she finally gave up and focused on the game. Calling it quits was easy, she knew it would be, it’s why she had to talk herself out of doing it so many times before when things got too real with Drew, hell he talked her out of it once. But it was what came after walking away that proved to be the hardest part of it all.

She became so engrossed in the strategy of spades and winning alongside Richard that she hadn’t even realized she’d been smiling nonstop as they played three different games. Things felt normal, it felt like it always did during the holidays when they all spent time together. It was how she wanted things to remain—the reason she took the cowards way out.

When she happened to look up after taking the winning book of cards from the center of the table her eyes locked with Drew’s twinkling orbs and this time he didn’t look away.

She was happy things were normal, but that normalcy costed everything she’d developed with Drew.

TABLE OF CONTENTS:

PART SIXTEEN

[bluebayousblog]

RUMOR HAS IT (pt. 14)

(Drew Starkey one-shot)

This is not a full on story but if you want more l'll be happy to add on upon request

Plot: in which drew and isobel address a false rumor in the most abstract of ways

Setting: isobel and drew go into town in the mountains

Disclaimer: Isobel is an OC, 18+

TABLE OF CONTENTS:

PART THIRTEEN

Drew’s heart thumped in his chest as the silence made the unspoken tension that was festering between them feel as if it were swallowing him whole. He wasn’t thinking straight, he hadn’t been for what had been going on almost a month, and it was all because of Isobel. He knew better than to kiss her for the first time all those weeks ago given their complicated circumstances with there families, and now he knew better than to get sucked in by her beautiful eyes and lose all of his good sense while said family members were roaming around downstairs on the floor below them.

She hadn’t uttered a single word since he confessed how much his body and mind ached for her. Drew knew he probably was overwhelming her but he couldn’t help what he was feeling—and her silence did nothing to deter him in the slightest because everything she wasn’t saying, was swirling around in those pretty brown eyes of hers. That gleam she had in them when she peered into his own was promising, and just one glance could make all of his fears nonexistent. Drew felt fearless around her and that instilled a sense of boldness within him that just made the thought of getting lost in her with no restraints that much more difficult to resist.

It had always been hard for Drew to deny Isobel, and it seemed as though she was always wordlessly pleading for him to make a move to show her that he wanted her. She was doing it now as she she stared up at him with her back against the bedroom wall, and she’d done it that day in his truck after they drove back from university. Declaring that they put a pause on their physical relationship while they were home for the holidays, but giving him that longing look in her eyes like she wanted him to steal a final kiss from her pouting lips—that look killed him. It struck like a bow piercing into the center of his racing heart and the worst part was that he wasn’t sure she was aware of it.

His eyes darted to her pink lips as she poked them out in a small pout, and he licked his own at the tempting sight. The taste of grapefruit immediately graced his taste buds from her chapstick transferring over during the quick kiss they shared minutes ago and he snapped.

The thought of Isobel staining him, leaving a mark on him, had him hungry for more of the sweet taste and crashing his mouth onto hers. His greedy tongue immediately dipped into her waiting mouth connecting with her smaller one as he close to devoured her seconds into the kiss. Isobel just whimpered against him as she relinquish all control to him, letting his tongue invade every corner of her mouth between their lips smacking together while creating the most crude noises. Her strokes of his tongue were lazy against his harsh ones, but he helped her keep up with his hand gripping her neck just below her jaw so she stayed steadied against him. Isobel was a delicate woman, she didn’t come off as someone who was rough around the edges and he would think he was being too aggressive with her if her soft hands weren’t gripping the forearm that belonged to the hand he had placed on her throat as she pushed herself onto her tiptoes to press their hips together.

He groaned at all of it, the way she tasted, the chapstick he could feel being smeared all over the bottom half of his face, how she felt locked under his body as she still found someway to gain control with just a roll of her hips against his own, and the fact that it was Isobel he was doing this with.

“I need to breathe, Drew.” She gasped as she managed to break away from his hungry lips. He didn’t, air was the last thing he needed when all he wanted to do was kiss her until the feeling of her lips were branded onto his own and he could still feel her for the rest of the day even when hours had passed from spending time with family.

Drew somewhat relented, letting her breathe but still placing messy pecks on her lips like he couldn’t get enough and that was all the space he could give her.

Isobel only allowed herself a couple of shallow pants before pulling him back in, she couldn’t stay away when his blue eyes were dark with obvious want with his lids sitting low as they seemed to glaze over each time their lips touched. And when he looked down between them where they were connected while groaning that was when her resolve snapped.

Drew immediately returned the kiss, not caught off guard in the slightest. She sighed in satisfaction as his tongue slipped into her mouth like he’d never left and completely took over. He was fucking everywhere, his tongue treading her throat with every swipe, one hand still encasing her neck as she harshly swallowed and the other gripping her hip like he thought she would disappear.

Despite where they were they didn’t slow down, he just grasped her throat tighter as if he were trying to kiss her harder than he already was and lowered his other hand to the flesh of her ass, squeezing her there just as tight in a tormenting grip that brought the two closer together. Isobel was sure she was going to pass out from lack of oxygen but she didn’t want stop. Her breath only shallowed all the more when his hand began to slowly trail down her neck until he was tickling her panting chest with the pads of his fingers in passing and continued down until he blindly found her left breast and gently squeezed. She gasped at the feeling, accidentally breaking the kiss, but he didn’t seem to care as he moved his mouth to the corner of her lips. Pleasure from his kneading hands coursed straight down to her belly as her hips lurched further against the hard flesh that was most definitely being suffocated in his pants. Her head knocked back causing a loud thud to sound throughout the room from it hitting the wall.

“Oh shit, Baby.” Drew whispered like talking in a normal voice would get them caught. He hoped they were the only ones who heard the photos that were hanging outside her room rattling on the walls from the impact. “That kind of hurt.” Isobel winced as she slumped forward against him and pushed her face into his chest.

Just as Drew reached to cradle the back of her head like his touch could stop the pain she was feeling, a knock sounded on her bedroom door. They’d definitely gotten a little carried away and by the look of shear panic that was now present on Isobel’s face he didn’t know whether to stay put or hide because he had a feeling whoever walked in would think they both looked guilty.

Isobel forced herself to snap out of the frozen state she was in and reached up to wipe Drew’s lips to with her thumb and she swore she saw his eyes get darker before she turned away to pull the door open. Catherine was standing in the hall holding a laundry basket up on her hip with a content smile on her face, nobody enjoyed cleaning more than Drew’s mother, “Hey, honey, I just came up to get your bedding.”

“Okay, let me help you get it off.” Isobel offered, ignoring the fact that Catherine’s son was standing in the room with them.

His mother’s eyebrows furrowed at his presence, and Isobel’s hearted pounded as she braced herself for her to make some kind of connection as to why they would be alone in her room together, “What are you doing in here, Bear?” Catherine asked as she moved to the bed to help with the comforter, but her words were light, no convictions in her tone whatsoever.

“I was just helping Isobel bring her stuff up.” Drew smiled at his mother as he told her an half truth like a kid, and like clockwork she swooned at his words.

Isobel doesn’t think she’s ever seen Catherine mad or suspicious of Drew a day in her life and she’d known them for years. All he had to do was smile and his mother would forget his behavior, similar to all the girls he toyed with back at school, but the difference was that he loved Catherine. Isobel wasn’t sure where she fell in those two categories.

“You’re my sweetest boy, Drew, but don’t tell Chandler I said that.” Catherine mused while taking the fitted sheet from her hands and throwing it in the basket.

Drew really was sweet, she had just as many memories of him being sweet to her as she did him being annoying. The thought of it had her speaking out loud in adoration, “I didn’t even have to ask him.”

Her eyes snuck and found his blue ones as Catherine bent down to grab the basket, and the wink he gave made her lips spread into a toothy grin just before she lifted back up with the laundry basket back on her hip, now facing Drew.

“You know if you treated girls as well you do Isobel you would have a girlfriend by now, Bear.” She mindlessly stated with a light pat to his chest, “Now come on let’s give her sometime to unpack.”

Drew stiffly obeyed and trailed behind her to the door knowing he didn’t have a reason to stay in the room with her without raising suspicions, “Not every girl can be Isobel, Mom.”

He knew Isobel would probably tear into him for saying that in front of his mother later on, but he wanted them both to know that she wasn’t like any other girl he’d been with before, not even in the slightest. Catherine didn’t reply, they walked out in silence until Drew pulled the door closed and the latched clicked.

“You have a little crush on her don’t you?” She accused when they reached the top of the stair case with a saccharine smile gliding onto her lips.

For the first time Drew was seeing his mother speak of Isobel and him in a somewhat romantic light, and she seemed to like the idea of it from the look on her face. It made his chest fill with pride that at least she would support him, but he still denied them because that’s just how things had to be for the time being.

“What? No.” He tried to lie, but even his attempts to try denying his want for Isobel were becoming harder to make believable—luckily with his mother he usually didn’t have to try as hard as he did with his father.

But his words seemed to go right over her head as she continued to speak, “Do you think she would ever go for you, Drew?”

He could practically see the gears turning in her head just from the tone of her voice as she continued to ramble and the wild look in her eye. Catherine Starkey lived for two things: match making and gossip—and worrying about his relationships fell into each of those past times.

“Mom!” He whispered shouted, interrupting the come apart she was having and grabbed her shoulders like it would make her really understand what he was about to say, “I do not have a thing for Isobel, you can’t go around assuming things like that you’re gonna make people uncomfortable, especially her.”

The pout that appeared on her lips was immediate as her shoulders slouched in his hands like he’d just crushed all of her dreams, “I knew it was a long shot, you’ve just been so attentive to her recently I thought you’d come to your senses.”

His heart squeezed in his chest at her words, his mother’s gut feeling about him were usually always right but he wasn’t about to confirm it. It was amazing to him that even when he was hiding this physical relationship they’d established together from their families the other aspects that had unexpectedly developed —that weren’t supposed to exist—were the most blaring.

He wondered how they would be if things were different, if his feelings would still feel so suffocating as if they bursting out of the seems if he could express his emotions for her in front of everyone. As he considered the thought his mother continued speaking.

“-I guess Isobel would go for someone different than you, that girl has always been extremely selective with everything.”

Her statement immediately caught his attention as his eyebrows furrowed in displeasure. He already knew he wasn’t worthy of Isobel, especially not with his track record with women, but he’d hate for his loved ones to think that as well. The thought of Isobel with any other man also just irked his nerves like no other girl had been able to do, “What do you mean someone different?”

“Meaning you’re an easy man, Drew.” Catherine bluntly stated with a bored look in eyes like what she just said was common knowledge. She must’ve saw the look of shock cross his features as she moved closer to rub his back with her free hand to alleviate the blow of her words, “Your father was the same way until he met me, then he just flipped.”

Drew didn’t bother responding, he couldn’t when his mouth was void of any moisture, Catherine was obviously done with conversation as she descended down the steps while humming a tune, any suspicions of him having a crush no longer on her mind. ‘He just flipped.’ That’s exactly how everything felt with Isobel, like his whole world had been overturned into an alternate universe where all of sudden he craved a friend he’d known for almost a decade. A world where he’d kissed a girl, and now she was the only one he wanted for the foreseeable future.

He’d never felt so locked down on something, on a person, while also feeling liberated.

Isobel finally accepted Drew’s invitation to go into town to see all of the Christmas lights later on in the day when he brought up her purse that she left in her father’s truck. He didn’t even mention it again, it was just the sight of him purse in hand that she hadn’t even realized she left and one look into those stormy blue eyes that her confirming her attendance.

Their families never really did anything the first day after having to drive up and do all the cleaning so they most likely wouldn’t be missing anything. Lora and Catherine both had the cabin looking spotless, and pizza from their favorite pizzeria was the perfect way to cap off the night. Isobel knew she and Drew could’ve eaten while in town, but she figured they should stay and enjoy a meal with family before they went off together.

They sat around the kitchen island and conversed about random things until everyone started migrating over to the front den as they finished their food to watch whatever Christmas movie was playing. Their parents were indulging in the wine they had stocked in the pantry while Chandler scrolled on his phone with his head lying on Catherine’s arm when Isobel and Drew made their way to the front door to leave. Isobel found it cute how the younger Starkey always found himself cuddling their mother without even realizing it.

“I’m going to take Isobel into town to do some last minute shopping.” Drew announced, stealing everyone’s attention away from the television.

This was normal for the two of them, Isobel didn’t drive so Drew often times had to take her places, and whenever they did come to the cabin he took her into town at least once during the trip. Except before he’d never cherished the alone time he was getting with her in the years prior. He wanted nothing more than to see her standing under the varying lights with snow falling all around and being able to just take in the sight without anyone watching.

“I wanna go with you guys.” Chandler eagerly said from across the room.

It took Drew all of his restraint not to let a look of annoyance pass over his face. Chandler had been acting like an irritating fly that wouldn’t go, and the worst part was that Isobel found it entertaining. The girl was currently looking down trying to hide the smile on her face as she snickered to herself, and he knew she wouldn’t have the heart to tell his little brother no.

But before he could come up with an excuse to keep Chandler from tagging along his father was already speaking, “You can go with them another time, you’re helping me cut the firewood tonight.”

Charles’ eyes stayed trained on the movie playing even with Drew’s eyes boring into his head.

“You want to cut firewood in the freezing cold at night?” His little brother’s tone was bored yet incredulous, like what Charles was insisting was the stupidest thing he’d ever heard.

“It’s always cold up here no matter the time of day, Bud, plus we have the heater out back, it’ll be fine.” Charles got up from the leather couch and stretched his long limbs, “Come on let’s go get started, Drew make sure you bring Isobel back in one piece.”

Drew rolled his eyes at his father’s insistence reminding him to take care of Isobel. That was never something anyone had to worry about even before things changed between them.

“We can go again tomorrow I promise!” Isobel assured as she assessed the pout on Chandler lips, both brothers were annoying but she had soft spots for both of them, “Bye Mom and Dad...”

She trailed off at the sight of her father knocked out on the reclining chair with his mouth cracked open as little snores escaped his lips. One thing you could always count on Richard Cooper to do was fall asleep whenever a movie was put on. “Bye, Sweetheart be careful.” Lora gave her a big smile before taking another sip of wine and going back to whatever gossip Catherine was probably telling her over her wine glass.

After a few more goodbyes and watching Chandler begrudgingly stomp off to bundle up to help Charles, Isobel and Drew were finally alone on the front porch of the cabin. As soon as the door was locked she was running to the passenger seat of the truck to escape the frigid temperatures that still managed to have her shivering beneath the multiple layers of clothes she was wearing. She probably looked ridiculous with the giant puffer and thick scarf wrapped around her neck and mouth, but this was the only way she could take on the cold weather.

“Quit running you could slip and fall, Isobel.” Drew warned as he carefully followed behind her to avoid just that.

Isobel ignored the fussy tone in his voice and yanked the door that didn’t open to her dismay, “Just unlock the door Drew before I go back inside.” Isobel whined as her teeth violently chattered in her mouth.

Drew immediately obeyed, reaching past her body to pull the door handle open and helping her into the truck that doubled her in height. He quickly ran over to the drivers side and turned the heater on the maximum setting as soon as the engine roared to life. He hated seeing her miserable, but he also found it extremely adorable seeing her all bundled up and fidgeting around to find any type of extra warmth beside him while he drove them into town. She didn’t utter a word in the short ride over, and by the time he pulled into a parking space her teeth had seemed to stop chattering.

“You alright, Izzy?” Drew tried to suppress the smile threatening to appear on her lips—not at her discomfort, but just at the moment they were sharing together in general. This was reminding him of the night they shared outside the library when their desires were still so fresh, but this was simple yet still as memorable. He longed to have many more nights like this in the future.

“Yes.” She replied and shuffled her body around to face him, “If we get out of this car I’ll have to go through that whole process to warm up again.”

Isobel wanted more than anything to see the lights, but she was always hoping he wouldn’t make her get out. Though, she knew that wasn’t an option, they’d driven all the way here after all. Drew just sat there and chuckled at her words, his eyes twinkling in admiration. He just looked content and relaxed as he gazed at her, nothing similar to when he basically had his tongue stuck down her throat earlier in the day. “You know there’s heaters everywhere, just stay close to me and you’ll be fine.”

“Alright, come and get me, please.” Isobel complied with a sort of nervous looking smile on her lips.

Drew waited to turn off the ignition when he got out of the truck and jogged over to her side. He knew keeping the heater on a little longer would stop her from complaining. He swung the door open causing the cold air to hit her face and she was immediately wincing at the impact. Drew shook his head at her before stepping on the footboard to lift himself inside so he could lean his body over her smaller one to cut the engine. As soon as the hot air stopped blowing she clung tightly to him, wrapping her arms around his neck and pulling their bodies together. She felt the chuckle rumbling deep in his throat against her cheek that was attached to the warm skin of his neck. He quickly had to step down from the footboard onto the pavement of the parking lot so they wouldn’t fall leaving her staring down at him with his chest still tucked closely against her body. Drew eventually grabbed her waist and helped her down, their bodies sliding against each other as he lowered her to the ground, and Isobel being the menace that she is pulled him into a kiss.

Their little pecks were slow, but also ended sooner than she would have liked. That’s how it always felt with him, like she could never seem to get enough of his lips on her own. She just wanted nothing more than to make up for the kisses they missed out on when they were pretending not to want each other. Drew squeezed her hips, and she emitted a bratty moan when their lips disconnected with a lewd smack.

His hands moved to her back before running down to her ass and squeezing the flesh, and she didn’t even gasp, she just smiled up at him. “What was that for, Isobel?”

“Just keeping warm, Drew.” She innocently stated and stayed attached to his side as they begin walking to the entrance.

The Christmas lights were beautiful this year, they were hung all throughout the little village in the most intricate displays that never failed to leave Isobel in awe. Drew had never been one to find entertainment in the blinding bulbs, but he could watch the amazement on her face for days on end as the lights reflected off her skin.

They did a plethora of things the town had to offer for the holidays. There were so many foods and desserts to try, but they settled on a pretzel that Isobel hogged most of. He bought them both a hot chocolate, wanting to stay on top of his promise to make sure she didn’t get cold, and eventually an hour had passed and she hadn’t mention the temperature at all.

Still, she stayed glued to his side.

“Let’s do the photo booth before we head back.” Isobel excitedly suggested.

Drew had no plans on objecting, but it still seemed he had no choice as she tugged him behind the curtains—not that it mattered, he would do anything she wanted, she was freezing her ass off for him after all “Whatever you want, Is.”

Her eyes found his as an unreadable look passed over her face at his words, he just knew she was staring at him with so much emotion he couldn’t do anything but just silently gaze back. He knew what he just said meant so more than what it did in the moment, but it was never his never his intention—him making these declarations he knew could scare her away.

A flash from the camera broke the tension, and Isobel looked forward to see the session had started. She was pointing at the camera with a smile as the flash went off snapping another off guard moment between the two, “Drew come on we only have two poses left.”

When she turned back to him he was still looking at her from before. His eyes drifting down to her lips as she spoke. The flash then caught him grabbing the back of her neck before pulling her into another sweet kiss. His kisses were so disorienting for her especially when he initiated them. Time just seemed to stop as she forgot where they were.

“Are you guys done? People are waiting out here.” An older voice asked from the other side of the curtain.

Isobel ripped her lips away from his with gasp, her cheeks immediately heated in embarrassment. The two rushed out of the booth in haste to find an elderly couple waiting with an amused smile. “Sorry guys.” Isobel apologized while discreetly pulling Drew away who looked to have no shame at all.

“Don’t forget your pictures.” The man called out to them before they got far. They both walked back over to grab the strips as Isobel peered around his arm. “You guys make a beautiful couple.” Said the lady before she disappeared with her partner behind the booth.

“Do you think we look like a couple?” Isobel asked with a small laugh to cover up the awkwardness she was feeling.

“I don’t think it was us ‘looking’ like a couple as much as it was the photo of us kissing, Izzy.” Drew smirked down at the photo strip. The last two snapshots were the two leaning in and then her head against the wall of the booth with their lips pressed together. He had no idea what part of the kiss was captured before the couple interrupted.

“That is so humiliating, who knows what they thought we were doing in there.” Isobel groaned and took one of the strips from his hand.

Drew’s heart warmed as he visibly saw the embarrassment fall from her face as a small smile replaced it while assessing the pictures. His phone buzzed in his pocket, Charles’ name lit up the screen and he accepted the call, letting Isobel continue to marvel.

“What’s up, Dad?” He greeted which finally caught her attention.

“Hey, it’s about to start snowing pretty bad in about an hour, go ahead and get Isobel home.”

Drew agreed before they hung up, he still hated his father’s lack of faith in him when it comes to Isobel, but he could appreciate how much Charles cares about her.

“What did he say?”

“It’s about to start snowing, we gotta go before the roads get crazy.” Drew answered, wrapping an arm around her shoulder.

When they got back to the truck he opened her door, made sure she got in alright, and hopped in on his side to start the engine. It didn’t take long for it warm up to her pleasure, but for the majority of the short ride he was going back and forth on whether he should tell Isobel about his father. They’d had such a good night, and of course Charles found a way to cap it off and somehow get into his head.

Though, it wasn’t exactly his fathers fault he was keep things from Isobel.

“I had fun tonight, Drew.” Isobel looked over from the passenger seat with a smile plastered on her lips, “You really are sweet, it makes sense why your mom calls you ‘Bear.’”

“Yeah?” He rasped and placed a hand on her thigh.

She hummed in response, “Yeah, sweet like a honey bear, I think I’m going to steal it from her.”

Drew put the car in park when they pulled into the driveway, thankful they’d made it the whole way without hitting any ice patches. The thought of Isobel wanting to give him a nickname set his chest ablaze, and the fact that she was getting it from someone he loved so dearly only made the feelings he wasn’t supposed to be having twist in his gut.

“Okay, Izzy Bear.” He smirked, Isobel playfully rolled her eyes and reached for the door handle to get out before Drew stopped her, “Wait, I need to tell you something.”

Her hand froze as did her whole body. Her mind immediately thinking the worst, silently rethinking every moment they shared today to possible brace herself for what he was going to say, but nothing stood out. That’s how things always were with guys like Drew, them turning your world up side down then leaving you to pick up the pieces.

Drew took her silence as opportunity to just bite the bullet, “Charles knows.”

He didn’t want to tell her because Charles knowing came with a lot. Realization that this secret they’d been trying to keep wasn’t such a secret anymore. His insistence on Drew telling Cooper, which she didn’t even know about yet. The fact that she was going to have to come to terms with a lot of things she probably wasn’t ready to accept just yet.

And he hated that he felt like he had a part in potentially making her feel as such.

“Oh.” Was all she said until she eventually turned towards him and met his eyes, “How?”

Everything about her seemed so small in this moment, her voice, her clipped words, her shrinking presence. It was as if he could see her pulling away right in front of his eyes, and it made him feel desperate to grasp onto the parts of her that were still there. Still willing.

“He just figured it out, Isobel, I don’t even know how to explain it. It was like he knew from the day we got back into town.” He was pleading to her, though he wasn’t sure she realized because she remained silent, so he continued, “I denied it, I still haven’t exactly told him but he’s set on the fact that we’re together.”

His heart pounded for Isobel for many reasons today, the sweet kisses they shared, the simple glances she directed his way, and the smiles on her face but now it was pounding at the blank stare she was giving him.

“So you were dealing with this the whole time and didn’t tell me?” Isobel was freaking out inside, yet all she could do was give him the bare minimum in return.

“I thought I could handle him, but it seems like I’ve just made it worse.” He mumbled and she winced, it was the most emotion she’d showed in the last few minutes and it was her bracing herself for the impact of his words, “He wants me to to tell your dad.”

She dropped her her face into her hands. She’d been wishing for any source of warmth the entirety of the night, but now the heat blasting through the vents felt suffocating—so suffocating she could run out of the truck into the freezing cold at the moment. She dryly laughed, in need of some sort of outlet to get rid of the pent up emotion building in her chest.

“I can’t do this, Drew.” Isobel whispered, not able to look at him.

She could feel his stiffness as the weight of her words remained stale in air. “What do you mean, Isobel?”

His voice sounded like it hurt to speak, and the sound alone made her stomach wrench. Never did she expect to hear him ever sound so gutted in regards to her pulling away from him. It made her realize just how much their feelings were actually involved, which made her want to run even more.

“It’s too much, I just can’t do this.” She reiterated as if she explained herself anymore, but she’d never been good at that in the first place—saying how she felt.

Isobel pushed the door open to the truck and carefully hopped down before slamming it shut behind her then went straight for the front door of the cabin. Drew was right on her heels, but she already had the door open before he could stop her and get her to talk to him—to tell him what she was actually thinking—to tell him what she was scared of.

“You guys are back, already? Did you have fun?” Isobel glanced over toward the den, not settling on any particular face but recognized the voice as her mother’s.

“Yeah.” She stuttered despite her trying to come off as unbothered as possible, “I’m gonna go get ready for bed, see you guys in the morning.”

Isobel didn’t wait for any responses before she was jogging up the steps to the second floor. The whole way up she could feel the gaze of a particular boy she hated that she recognized on her back, and slammed the wooden door behind her. Running the first chance she could as the photos they took together burned a hole in her pocket.

TABLE OF CONTENTS:

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

[bluebayousblog]

RUMOR HAS IT (pt. 13)

(Drew Starkey one-shot)

This is not a full on story but if you want more l'll be happy to add on upon request

Plot: in which drew and isobel address a false rumor in the most abstract of ways

Setting: isobel and drew continue spending break with family

Disclaimer: Isobel is an OC, 18+

Table of Contents:

PART TWELVE

Drew hadn’t seen Isobel since the night of the winter cocktail. What had only been a day felt like an eternity to him, nothing felt logical when it came to the girl and time was no different.

If it were up to him he would have never left her side, not after the unforgettable night they spent together. The more of herself she gave to him, physically and emotionally, the more that sense of emptiness that had naturally burrowed in his chest from just trying to navigate through life didn’t feel so empty, like she’d made a home in the space. And it felt as if a part of his soul was tied to the entirety of her being. They’d been slowly building that connection, that inevitable tether that had him longing for her even when she was in the same room—even when he just simply had his back turned to her to leave.

He was beginning to feel like those obsessed women he’d been fending off all of these years, while Isobel seemed to be breezing through her emotions. He admired how gracefully she’d been handling their relationship. She couldn’t keep her hands off of him more times the none, but her feelings weren’t convoluting every thought that crossed her mind or action she chose to take.

It was hard for Drew to contain what he felt inside for Isobel, the emotions he felt were instilled so deep that they just bled out of him in longing stares, intimate caresses from his hands onto her smooth skin, and the sweet nothings he couldn’t help but to share when it was just them two in the room.

And when his lips met her soft ones, he swore he could feel himself slipping away into her oblivion—into a place where things would never be the same. A place where when he woke up and his first thought was her, where his body ached to be next to her, where everything clicked and the only thing that made sense was Isobel.

He’d never felt this flood of emotions before, he knew it could only be one thing but he buried the realization deep in his mind, too scared to accept it—or to even consider it. It was too early for that. Right?

In typical Charles fashion, his father called him out on his feelings, obviously privy to the way he’d been acting the moment he came home with Isobel a few days ago. Although he’d wanted to avoid his father’s opinion spoiling what he had with her and the idea of Isobel being his that he’d formed in his head, apart of him loved the fact that Charles saw straight through him and didn’t completely hate him for what he was doing with his business partner’s daughter.

And as much as he tried to seem against accepting it for what it was, Drew could see a glimpse of pride in his eyes that just made him want to have her even more because throughout the hesitancy, secrecy, and guilt with Isobel he finally felt like he’d done something right.

Charles promised to leave what little they’d discuss about his less than subtle implications in the car that night between the two men, but not before expressing his expectation of Drew to tell her father sooner than later.

“If you’re serious about her, telling Cooper should be the least of your worries, just come to him as man.”

Drew knew that Charles hated the soft spot Isobel’s father had for him, in Cooper’s eyes he could do no wrong, but it didn’t stop Drew from doing everything he could not to disappoint. And being with Isobel in any capacity was grounds for it. It was hard to assume that Richard Cooper would think he was right for his daughter when no one in their respective families had ever encouraged the relationship, and it scared him shitless that his father had basically put a time stamp on when Drew should tell him.

Especially when what he and Isobel weren’t supposed to be serious, and she had no interest in either of her parents knowing.

He knew she was figuring things out, testing out the waters after the tumultuous ending of her last relationship while also trying to wrap her head around what was going on between the two of them. She’d questioned him on his sudden attraction, but Drew didn’t need that same reassurance from her. Nothing about wanting Isobel on that random day all those weeks ago felt confusing for him, it was unexpected but there wasn’t a one part of him that needed answers because to him this time in his life, no matter how new it was, felt meant to be.

Drew spent the day packing his usual necessities he went with when preparing for a family trip, and zoning out about Isobel’s mouth on his body. The never ending thoughts and flashes of her pretty face in his mind causing him to take longer than necessary to throw a few things in his suitcase. The morning after the cocktail his parent’s surprised them with the news that Charles and Cooper had been able to take enough time off from the Cooper & Starkey for both families to spend time at the cabin they shared near the mountains.

His mind immediately went to Isobel and being able to spend his first Christmas with her whilst having so many tucked away emotions nesting away inside of him. Imagining her in their cozy vacation home enjoying the fire or smiling up at the falling snow made his chest fill with warmth at just the thought.

For the first time it slightly irritated him to have to pretend like she wasn’t his.

It felt so good to think to himself that she was his and even more satisfying to hear the words leave her lips just for that one night in her bedroom. If he was fortunate enough to listen to her say it to their family he’s not sure he would ever recover.

And slowly he was beginning to realize Isobel wasn’t the type of woman you could ever recover from—that he would ever recover from.

Drew wasn’t vocal when his parents explained their traveling plans to him and his brother, Chandler. He wanted so badly to suggest he drive so he could pick up Isobel on the way and have some alone time with her, he couldn’t help but smile at the memory of their road trip from school. Isobel making him promise to keep things platonic, but kissing him less than five minutes later as she leaned across the middle console of his truck. Objecting to his father driving up with in the family SUV when his mother could have an aneurysm at the change of a detail as simple as how they would all be getting to their destination wasn’t an option.

So he took what he could get, looking forward to the moments they would be spending together in the cabin they’d spent multiples holidays together in when they were younger. Drew’s head was on a swivel when they finally arrived at the less than modest family cabin after three long hours traveling north up the highway, hoping to see the Cooper’s truck parked in the driveway. To his dismay the obnoxiously long driveway was just as empty as the cabin when they stepped into it.

Two years had passed since they all had spent the holidays here, so there was some dust collecting on various surfaces. Most people hired services to keep their properties refreshed but Catherine Starkey and Lora Cooper deemed it completely unnecessary when they could just do it themselves. Drew remembered one year when Isobel insisted on helping with dusting and immediately began sneezing uncontrollably. He smiled to himself at the memory and the thought of her adorable nose turning red from allergies as his parents worked on turning all the lights on.

“You boys go get settled in your rooms, I’m going to get a head start on getting things straightened up.” His mother was already headed towards the kitchen where all the cleaning supplies was as she spoke.

Before he knew it Chandler had also left the living area leaving Drew standing in the middle of the empty room. Drew was in a constant daze, it seemed as if when he wasn’t around her his mind had him escaping in his head just to get a glimpse of Isobel.

Wheels scraping the floor across the entry way of the front of the cabin snapped him out of his thoughts as his father rolled the rest of the suitcases that belong to Catherine inside behind his tall frame.

“Everything alright with you, son?” Charles asked after shutting the door and pulling off his gloves.

Similar to his mother’s insistence on cleaning, Charles always brought in all the luggage from the car, the man always snuck off and did it so no one would try to help him. That was one of the minor ways that showed how much of a family man he was, a trait Drew hoped he inherited, “Yeah, I’m fine let me help you.”

Drew stalked over in three strides and had two handles to suitcases in each hand before his father could protest.

Charles sighed in defeat before stepping all the way in and kicking the door closed behind him with his boot covered foot. He dropped the bags he was holding on the floor while his eyes still remained on Drew. The look in his eyes was indifferent and concerned from what Drew could decipher as he stood across the room.

“This is going to be a good holiday, it always is when you’re spending it with the people you love.” Charles’ eyes twinkled when he finished that sentence.

Drew just cleared his throat and gave him a smile. They’d somehow reached a point where Charles was implying Isobel’s presence could lift his spirits and Drew didn’t know how they got there. He had never been the type to wear his emotions, but when it came to Isobel he couldn’t seem to contain everything he was feeling for her, “I’m gonna go take this stuff upstairs, I’ll be back down here in a minute.”

Charles just waved him off in response and walked out into the adjoining room as he followed the sound of his mother’s humming. Drew pondered his words as he made it up the stairs. His father was definitely implying something—he always means something behind his words.

Isobel had made so many things good for Drew, more than fucking good, and that feeling exceeded the few weeks they’d been involved with each other. She brought light into everyone’s lives. A blessing to have romantically but just as equally as a family friend. She wrote the sweetest letters to his parents each Christmas, and got her own the most thoughtful gifts.

And she listened. It was the simplest thing a person could do for someone, but when she presented a gift to you that happened to be something you loosely brought up months before with that wide smile on her face it was enough to make anyone blindly fall in love.

When he opened up the door to his room it looked the same as he left it two years ago, when he was twenty and Isobel was no more than a friend sleeping down the hall—such a contrast from this version of him who was acting like a sick puppy that hadn’t seen that same girl in a day.

Everything probably had a layer of dust settled on it, but he still dropped down on the bed after placing his bags on the ground next to the oak dresser that had been there since he was fourteen years old. He remembered the first year they spent at the cabin. Their families purchasing the property was a surprise, they just all packed up their cars on a cold Sunday afternoon and drove up until snow started to fall from the sky and the sight of a beautiful log cabin came into view. Drew, Isobel, and Chandler all being kids at the time immediately ran inside to stake claim on the rooms—he was a little faster than Isobel and of course picked the best looking one. He felt triumphant getting the coveted space until Isobel trudged in with a frown on her lips, and all she had to do was sigh and express to him how much she loved his window’s view of the mountains and cabins before he caved and let her have the room.

Drew blindly got off of his bed, walking towards the window as he looked down at his phone where an unread message from Isobel was sitting in his notifications. There in their message thread was a selfie of her with a fur lined hood swallowing her whole and a toothy smile brightening her pretty face as snow fell in the background. When he glanced up to look out the glass there she was looking up at his window with that same smile while her family unloaded their truck.

It was then he decided that this view could never compare to anything he had before.

Isobel loved spending the holidays at the cabin, but anywhere where family was in company could make any occasion special for her—and this year was different. She spent the last several holidays with Drew, but never while having feelings coursing through her mind and body for him. Isobel had brought a man home for the holidays before, but this didn’t feel the same. This felt like she was coming home to something—to someone. These little moments could never be replicated, there would never be a first holiday where she would be spending time with a boy she’d known for years that she now viewed in a romantic light.

“Seeing that smile makes me wish I could’ve brought you guys back here sooner.” Her father said as they walked in the door.

There it was, the feeling of her heart dropping to her stomach from having to keep what has been going on between her and Drew away from her family, but she wasn’t ready. She wasn’t ready to tell everyone about this situation with Drew, and she was sure wasn’t even sure that she was ready for him. But when she peered up at the railing that overlooked the first floor of the house and saw him standing there with that hopeful look in his gorgeous blue eyes all of her trepidations seemed to fade.

Their eyes were only locked for a few seconds before the feeling of her mother’s hand on her shoulder stole her attention, “He looks handsome don’t you think?”

Her face instantly heated at the question, Lora complimenting Drew’s looks was nothing new, but it was first she’d done it since Isobel had also realized just how attractive he actually was. All she could do was hum in agreement before her eyes drifted off back to him.

“Tell me, does he have a girlfriend back at school?” Lora continued and she could tell by the the tone of her voice she was trying to get gossip for Catherine, but still hearing the word girlfriend in relation to Drew made her blood warm.

Isobel knew she was the closest he’d come to having a girlfriend in just the few weeks that had passed, and as pathetic as it was she reveled in the thought of it—that a simple make out on her couch had him doing everything different. Of course there was the possibility that he was only keeping her around because of their family’s ties, but it was that look in his eyes, the same one she’d been seeing since that week before exams that convinced her otherwise. “I don’t know, why don’t you get Catherine to ask him herself?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about, honey.” Lora sighed before making her way into the kitchen where she was sure Drew’s mother was cleaning away. Isobel couldn’t help, but wonder if when they discussed Drew’s love life if she ever came up.

Without a second thought she grabbed the heavy suitcase she’d overpacked and her duffle and made her way to the stairs that Drew was now descending to help. She made it about half way up before he was taking pieces of luggage from her hands. They didn’t speak, he just turned and she followed as they eventually approached her bedroom door, and when she pushed it open with her free hand the sight made her smile. Her room at the cabin was just as girly and feminine as her room at home and it always took her coming back here to realize how much she loved her little space—especially the view that came with it.

“It looks so pretty out there, I can’t wait to see all the lights tonight.” Isobel mindlessly stated while gazing out of the window.

It was freezing cold outside and snow was still falling, the perfect setting for the holidays, and the fact that she had a warm place to spend them with family made her lips curve into a small smile at the thought, “Want to walk into town and go see them later?” Drew asked, his eyes already on her when she turned away from the frosted glass.

“It’s going to be freezing, Drew.” She groaned, a shiver rolling down her spine from just thinking about how cold it got at night. This place was beautiful, but below freezing temperatures were the enemy.

Drew just grinned down at her, and gave her a look as if she was the most ridiculous thing he’d ever seen. Isobel immediately frowned, for some reason she was expecting him of all people to have sympathy for her aversion to cold weather whether they were in the mountains or not. When his blue eyes dropped to the pout on her lips, he was already closing the distance between them and wrapping both of his arms around her waist, his fingers playing with the hem of the pants she was wearing, “I’ll keep you warm, Izzy Bear.”

“That’s very sweet of you.” She sighed and placed her chin on his chest so she could look up at him. Sometimes she couldn’t believe how fine Drew was, and the more her feelings snowballed in her belly the more her attraction for him grew—she could only hope he was feeling that same sentiment, “Are you gonna keep me warm the whole trip?”

Her eyes were dark, they were brown so that was always the case, but Drew was certain he’d seen a shadow pass over the chocolate orbs. It amazed him at how naturally her sexual aura could appear and vanish within a blink of an eye to the point where he had no idea how to interpret her words. The smile on her pink lips was indicative but Isobel was always smiling and the tone in her voice was suggestive but then again she was always teasing.

Either way it had his mind reeling as he managed to somehow get lost in her gaze—lost in her—without him ever realizing it.

It was just that easy.

“I’ll keep you warm as long as you want me to, Is.” He affirmed before lifting his hand to her cheek, caressing the bare skin with his thumb. He knew what he’d just said meant more, but he ignored the thought because he wasn’t ready to discuss what he could’ve actually meant, or accept it for that matter, “I really want to kiss you.”

“So kiss me” She insisted, the eagerness in her tone pleasing to hear, he loved that Isobel hadn’t shown any obvious interest in anyone in the last few years, but when it came to him she was so willing.

Drew hesitated, he wanted so desperately to have her lips on his own, but he suppressed the urge that is until Isobel tugged him towards her by the fabric of his shirt and pressed their lips together in a searing kiss. Her mouth felt like satin bliss against his own probably chapped ones, but she still kissed him with a force that made him feel like he was the best thing she’d ever felt. Drew never knew if the skin of her lips were hot to the touch or if it was the heat flushing throughout his body from having her against him. He couldn’t keep his hands still, they ran over her hips and down the sides of her thighs on their own accord as he tried to keep his kisses controlled. Isobel was fisting the hell out of his shirt, a sweet sigh vibrating through her throat and caressing his ears, he was sure the fabric would be wrinkled whenever she let go, that she would leave a mark.

He suppressed the urge to groan at the feel of her soft hands running up his shoulders, gently grazing his neck until her nimble fingers scratched at the nape of it before pulling away with a smile. He let her go, he had to let her call the shots because he had a feeling he was already loosing sense on when to pull away.

“You know you always make it seem like I want you more when you were the one who made the first move, remember?” Isobel joked. The grin on her lips entirely because of the man towering over her.

He was looking at her like he wanted to eat her alive, she loved that look on his already sexy face, it just made him all the more devastating to look at. His eyes squinted at her as if he were trying to focus, and a gasp escaped her when his big hands squeezed her hips in a tight grip, “I’m just trying to fucking control myself, Isobel.”

Isobel had accepted she didn’t have the ability to practice control when it came to Drew—she wanted him too much, thought about him too much, and simply didn’t want the obstacle of self-control—especially when he talked to her like that. She was a peaceful girl, she tried to be that to everyone she cared for, but it seemed as if she was making up for all those years he annoyed her as a friend by sexually frustrating him beyond lengths.

She hummed in response and watched as his jaw clenched in immediate reaction while his eyes darted to examine every detail of her face like he needed to see all of her.

“You don’t have to control yourself when it’s just us.” She sort of offered as her eyes bounced from his lips to his tinted blue eyes. Isobel was the one who tried to put a pause on their physical relationship, but it only made things all the more difficult—for her at least.

“It’s not just us, Izzy.”

But that’s exactly what it felt like when they were wrapped around each other like this, like he was the only man in the world and no one else mattered. Not even her family that were probably running around downstairs trying to get the house together, completely clueless that they were closed off in her room sharing kisses and lingering touches.

“Don’t ever think I don’t want you.” Drew murmured while threading the fingers of his right hand into her dark hair and using his grip on the thick strands to angle her face upwards so she was forced to only see him, “I want you more than you could ever imagine.”

Drew continued to speak as he began to move forward, making Isobel blindly walk backward, trusting him to be her eyes while her attention remained on him, “I wake up with you on my mind because you’re in my dreams.”

“-I smell you on my clothes and while I’m just quickly trying to run to the store there’s that same sweet aroma in my truck. You are everywhere Isobel, I don’t think I’ve never not wanted you.” Drew admitted, the revelation obvious in his glimmering eyes.

Isobel gasped when she felt her back brush against a cold, hard surface before she registered he’d moved them to the wall across the room from the window. His words made her heart pound in her chest in awe, infatuation, and fear. She didn’t know much of what she was doing when it came to Drew and that feeling of uncertainty usually scared her beyond measure, but hearing Drew verbalize how he was feeling scared her in a way she didn’t see coming.

She didn’t know what to say, what she was feeling terrified her so much it rendered her mute because if her feelings left her mouth it made them all the more real—not just thoughts in her head. Despite the weight of his words he still just looked at her as if he was trying to remember every detail of this moment in his mind, there was no expectation for her to reciprocate his admission or state that she felt the same. Like he’d told her all of that only to make her feel good not because he wanted to hear it too.

That realization made her heart flutter in her chest because there was a time where she’d once said ‘I love you’ to someone not because she was ready, but because she was scared that if she didn’t they would change their mind.

His eyes were smiling in what could only be described as enamor, a part of her wishes that she could just simply say he was just looking at her with lust but that would be an understatement.

And it would be easy for Isobel to run away from the blue orbs, to say that she didn’t want this out of fear, and ignore the other tsunami of emotions she was feeling—emotions that were telling her he was good, genuine, and becoming just as much hers as she was his.

TABLE OF CONTENTS:

PART FOURTEEN

[bluebayousblog]

RUMOR HAS IT (pt. 12)

(Drew Starkey one-shot)

This is not a full on story but if you want more l'll be happy to add on upon request

Plot: in which drew and isobel address a false rumor in the most abstract of ways

Setting: post business cocktail

Disclaimer: Isobel is an OC, 18+

Table of Contents:

PART ELEVEN

“I’m yours.”

Isobel repeated the sentiment as her soft lips moved from his to press against the skin below his jaw. He sagged into her at the feeling of her brushing his skin with her mouth. Her words made his entire body tremble in satisfaction, and there was nothing he could do to stop the groans from rumbling out of his throat, not with her lips on his body.

Two words could mean so much, those two words that she was whispering with every kiss she left meant so much. They made him feel whole and satisfied, yet somewhat terrified that the person that could make him feel so inexplicably fulfilled was laying right there under him—like he found a hidden artifact that he wasn’t supposed to.

Just for tonight he wanted to pretend as if Isobel was his to keep, to hold, to protect, to feel these confusing feelings towards—because when he thought of her as his they made sense in his head.

Isobel bent her left leg so her knee was up in the air and resting against Drew’s hip, swallowing a sigh as his pants brushed against her inner thighs. She loved the feeling of having his wide frame covering her own, his hard body tucked firmly against her with one of his hands gripping her waist at the feeling of her tongue caressing the veins lining his neck.

The sounds coming from her sensual kisses in the silent room went straight to his dick, pulling a low groan from his mouth. He was so shameless with the noises he made, another thing high on the list of what turned her on the most about him. His openness to display how much he wanted her.

“Fuck,” He mumbled, her body was under his but she had all of the control at the moment, especially with that declaration leaving her lips. Her hands were everywhere, rubbing his shoulders, slowly trailing down his chest, her fingers running over every contour and muscle. Isobel hummed in content as her lips lifted to meet his once more.

“Isobel.” Drew sighed into the kiss, satisfaction laced deep in his tone, her stomach twisted at the sound of him calling out to her.

Drew rolled onto his back as her manicured hand pushed his chest, he didn’t even think of what he was doing as his back hit the mattress, he just felt her touch and he fell—that was becoming a familiar feeling with Isobel. She chased his mouth when his head hit the pillow, reconnecting their lips and wrapping her arms around his neck. Isobel licked his bottom lip with her tongue and tasted the strawberry flavor from her lip mask she put on after her shower. His mouth opened at the feeling and then they were tasting each other.

She knew they should probably pull away before things got too heated—before they got in too deep—but with Isobel and Drew all it took was the smallest act of affection and they were already forgetting all inhibitions. Kissing felt so intimate with Drew, in way that made her feel as if she was baring every inch of her body to him. It made her feel needy and desperate for him to take her and stick his tongue further down her throat, to squeeze the fat of her behind a little tighter, and to pull her further against his hard body while wrapping an arm around her waist with a groan to show her how much he needed her too.

That should be enough for her, knowing that he desires her physically because that’s how things were supposed to be between them, but still her wandering mind longed to hear Drew backup his sudden interest in her, “Tell me why you want me, Drew.”

He hummed in question against her lips, the vibration from the sound tickling her face as she disconnected their mouths. Drew stared at her in a trance as his tinted blue eyes watched her pointer finger trace her lips.

“Tell me why I’m yours tonight.” Isobel reiterated as she sat up on his lap, ignoring the way his belt buckle was pressing in between her legs and the tint in his slacks swelling up against her ass. She always ignored the feeling of his arousal when she felt it brushing against her when they were in bed, she had to because if she gave it attention she wouldn’t be able to leave it alone—to leave Drew alone.

Drew was choking, struggling to catch his breath as his felt her ass grazing the hard-on he was pitching in his pants just from a little tongue kissing. Kissing always got him somewhat turned on, it was always a good start, but with Isobel everything was different. The smallest form of foreplay when it came to the beautiful woman staring down at with anticipation of his next words got him harder than he’d ever been. It was a mind fuck and the reason he was always so eager to put distance between the two because he honestly didn’t know how his body would react whenever they took that next step.

“You’ve always been mine in someway, Isobel.”Drew rasped in response, he stared directly into her chocolate brown eyes and it seemed as if that connection pulled the emotions out of his mouth he’d been burying deep in his chest, “Mine to protect, mine to annoy, and mine to take care of.”

It was moments like this that she hated she knew Drew, that she had been around him long enough to pick up on his cues because when he ended a sentence with her name she knew he was being serious, and that for him she would be his not just for tonight but for the days following so long that he remained interested. She also hated that the knowledge calmed her nerves at the knowledge that he harbored those feelings inside him, so much so that things potentially going south between them wasn’t something she could convince herself to dwell on because for some reason with him she felt safe.

Isobel noticed he was always so willing to express what he could promise to her, but what he needed or expected from her always remained floating in his blue eyes in unspoken emotion. That look in his eyes when he so openly admired her always unsettled her in fear she wouldn’t live up to that idea he’d formed of her in his head, but she’d be selfish to not to try to fulfill those perceptions of herself for him. And she would never know if she couldn’t live up to them if she ran from him.

“Don’t you want me to ever take care of you?” She asked in a small voice. Isobel had given herself to her man and spread herself thin to fulfill all of his desires but it wasn’t enough—she wasn’t enough to keep him interested in only her.

It was scary for her to offer that part of herself up to someone again, but there was something about Drew that just made her want to give and offer herself up for his taking. He just made her feel a slither of hope that he wouldn’t throw her efforts back in her face.

“You can do anything you want with me, baby, I just need you ways I can’t put into words.” Drew began and she was hanging onto his every word like everything he divulged could potentially widen that slither of light she had thawing her chest into a beaming ray, “I look at you and it’s enough, anything else you give me makes me feel like the luckiest guy alive.”

Isobel’s mouth spread into a toothy grin, her cheeks red at his words, and Drew could help but melt further into the bed at the devastating sight. She was gorgeous when she showed her happiness—that wasn’t the sad aspect of it all—it was how easily his heart was tuning itself to beat just for her. It was uncomfortable to have the breath stolen so quickly from your lungs like his heart had skipped a few beats at how fast he seemed to be falling.

“You know I can see why you have so many girls falling for you back at school, Drew.” Isobel noted with a smaller amused smile playing at her lips, “You’re a sweet talker.”

Drew couldn’t even form a face in his head of any of the girls he’d entertained on campus, not when she was effortlessly destroying the standard of women his brain had developed over the last twenty two years. When he thought of women and beauty, intimacy and longing, and stability and the future his mind now drifted to Isobel, “Are you saying you’re falling for me, Izzy Bear?”

“No! that would be absurd, it’s only been two weeks.” She denied a bit too quickly for her liking, and the amused look that formed in his eyes annoyed her beyond lengths. It wasn’t him thinking that he could make her fall for him just like all the girls that unnerved her, it was the possibility that him thinking such would put him off.

Two weeks, Drew thought to himself that’s all it had taken for the monsoon of feelings to embed themselves into his head and deep int his chest. And it wasn’t the end, it didn’t feel that way in the slightest, everything with Isobel felt like the beginning of a lovely demise of who he used to be. It had been so much longer than two weeks, they both knew that, but realizing the big picture of it all—of Isobel and Drew—was hard to do in such little time.

“Yeah, that would just be insane.” He agreed, it felt like the right thing to say in the moment, but it didn’t feel that way when he actually heard the words leave his lips. If feeling for Isobel was wrong he would proudly be labeled as a maniac. These emotions were new for him, but Drew had been feeling for Isobel for years, sure they were untapped or dormant in a sense but still they were there.

And now they were hitting him all at once.

Silence overtook the two for about a minute as they gazed at each other. There was so much intensity in the silence as if everything they were withholding was being leaked in the absence of their words. That heavy look he was giving her made heat swarm her gut, it was dangerous how Drew’s bare minimum could affect her.

Drew thickly swallowed when Isobel leaned towards him, pressing her bra less chest that was covered in a thin tee into his and pressing a glossy kiss onto his left ear. As expected the simple touch pulled a groan out of him, his arm slinging over the back of her waist and harshly gripping the fabric covering her skin. Her lips then began to move as she let her tongue slip out to slowly trace the she shell of his ear in torturous strike of the sensitive skin. She smiled at the small moan his gave her, and she knew he felt her amusement from the pinch he gave the side of her ass. She giggled in his ear and he grunted before suddenly pressing his hips up into between legs against her heat and now she was the one gasping for air.

Isobel was immobile for a few seconds as he continuously began to roll his hips into her dampening cunt. Drew had stolen the control with his arm locked around her, forcing her hips to stay pressed into him as he dry humped her, “Fucking hell.” He mumbled, his eyes had left her’s as he looked down watched the connected parts of their bodies grind against each other. Isobel yelped when of his hands roughly squeezed her ass cheek during his distracted glance.

Pulling herself out of the pleasure feeling his erection and the fabric of his pants rubbing against her, she continued her ministrations on his ear as she sucked the lobe in her mouth and bit the skin, “Shit, what are you doing to me, Is.” He grunted out.

“I’m going to take care of you.” Isobel whispered into his ear. Her tone sounded womanly, there was finality yet a sense of open-endedness in her statement like it applied to more than just tonight and it warmed his chest.

Her lips found his once more, leaving a noisy peck to which he tried to prolong into a passionate kiss, but she’d already moved onto the center of his throat as she left kisses down the column of his neck. The lower her mouth traveled the more her back began to arch and the view he got of her full ass perched into the air made his dick throb between his legs—he was fucked.

Isobel’s lips got to the top of his chest and glanced up to see his eyes were closed, the girl took the opportunity to slip one of the glossy buttons on his shirt out of the a hole revealing more of his built chest to her, “Isobel.”

Her eyes shot back up to his at the warning tone in his voice, his eyelids were back open but he kept them trained on the ceiling above them. She rolled her eyes at his obvious weariness, but it made the arousal grow in her belly at the authority he always attempted to exert over her.

“I only undid one button, I just needed a little more room.” She lied through her teeth, she would’ve undone more if he hadn’t objected, actually his shirt would’ve been ripped open as soon as he walked in her room if they weren’t expecting her parents eventual arrival.

So Isobel made due with what she had, covering the revealed skin under his button-up with her sweet kisses as he laid there and relaxed above her with his large arms now resting behind his head. After kissing and nipping at what she could get to above his shirt she continued on to his fabric covered chest, her lips dragged down his sternum before pausing and his eyes snapped down to hers at her lack of movements. She made sure his eyes remained on her as she moved to press a wet kiss over his right nipple, suppressing a giggle when she saw the gulp he took while watching her tongue trace the hidden skin in teasing circles.

Drew couldn’t speak, he’d made a mistake by looking at her in this state, she was sin the flesh, every dirty fantasy he’d conjured up in his dreams there before him with her ass swaying in the air. His eyes on her lewd actions seemed to make her speed up her descent as she skipped over his lower stomach, causing her breast lie on his arousal. There was mischief in her eyes, there always was when they were in a position like this, but he always registered it far too late because in one moment she was giving him an innocent smile and the next she was untucking his shirt from his pants as she slipped the hem up past his abs. She glanced down at the muscles for a moment, but looked back up to Drew for second before making anymore movements, “It won’t take you anytime to tuck in your shirt again right?”

“No, you’re good, Is.” He smirked, he was fucking smirking and enjoying her little games and it lit her blood aflame and encouraged her to keep trying her luck.

Isobel’s lips found the skin of his lower stomach, loving the way his body twitched underneath her and the never ending groans escaping him. The sounds he made were driving her insane, and the feeling of his eyes watching only drove her to want to give him more. She’d given his ears and neck copious amounts of her attention, but the closer she got to what she truly craved—to what she knew he was trying to convince himself he didn’t need—she was losing her patience.

She flattened her tongue on the trail of skin leading to the button of his pants, reaching between their bodies to undo the buckle of his leather belt, “Are you gonna let me do this for you, Drew?” She asked as she slowly began to pull the belt out one of loops so she could get to the buckle to unlatch it.

Drew couldn’t think of one excuse to get Isobel off his dick not even the fact that her parents could be on the way was deterring him in the slightest thanks to the arousal clouding his judgement, he wanted this and he could only deny her so many times—it truly was up to her at this point.

“You’re asking to put my dick in your mouth, Princess?” His voice was low, a complete contrast to how his body was internally reacting to all of this, like this was his first time with a woman, and in a sense the notion kind of held some sort of truth to it. His heart rate doubled when she nodded with those dark eyes trained on his own, but he needed more than that, “Use your words, baby.”

“Yes, Drew, I want it.” Isobel pouted, eager to get his pants unzipped and finally see him. She knew he was well-endowed from the numerous times she’d felt him against her the past couple of weeks, but this would be her first time seeing his dick in the flesh.

Drew reached down and took over, unfastening his belt while Isobel watched his large hands work and eventually unbutton and drag down the zipper of his pants. He brought just one of his hands back up to rest behind his head, and she took that as a cue to work his pants down his hips, not pulling them past his mid thighs. Before she could remove his black boxers his hand moved to his dick and squeezed the thick flesh right in front of her face, cursing to himself at the pleasure that shot up his spine, “I might cum fast, Isobel.” He stuttered before removing his hand and bringing it run his fingers through her hair as he watched her grab the band of his boxers just enough for his cock to slip out and fall toward his stomach with a heavy slap.

When Isobel was scared of things her mouth usually dried from the anxiety pooling in her belly, but as her eyes scanned over the unnerving size of his dick, saliva threatened to fall from her lips. Her mind blanked, completely forgetting what he’d just said to her a second ago. She could only focus on his member in front of her and his hands in her hair.

When she leaned down and flattened her tongue against his leaking tip his movements froze and his fingers squeezed the hair threaded between them as his entire body convulsed. Above her Drew released a groan that could be mistaken for someone be tortured but she continued.

Isobel spit on his dick and wrapped her lips around him as she began to work the length of it into her mouth. She moaned with the wetness of her mouth encasing him and his hand shot up to his head as she looked to see him running it through his buzzed hair, “Fuck, Izzy.”

She was practically dripping wet in her underwear at his exasperated reactions to her, nothing turned her on more to than seeing him display his desire. She gave up on trying to get him to the back of throat figuring she would get there eventually, Drew wasn’t overly big he was just bigger than what she was accustomed to. She wrapped a hand around the base to jerk the part of him she couldn’t reach as she fucked her mouth over the expanse of him that she could.

“Baby, that’s too fucking good—you’re too good for me.” He moaned while also finding a moment to compliment her in way that mattered, in a way that went straight to her heart.

She hummed deeply around him and his words of endearment turned into mindless babbles. Slowly she was able to get him further down her throat and use less of her hand as only her thumb and pointer finger was wrapped around him, but she still needed that final push, “Push it more into my mouth, Drew.” She whined when she removed her mouth to catch her breath.

“You’re going to make me cum, baby.” He hesitated, his voice shaking from the pleasure she was giving him.

Isobel rolled his eyes at his delay, “That’s the point, Drew.”

He still looked unsure to proceed as he stared down at her, so she took matters into her own hands. Isobel placed her mouth back onto his angry looking dick, taking him as far as she could and reached down to his balls to massage them in her hand, the groan he let out sounded inhumane as he roared her name. His hips snapped up into her mouth, and she got exactly what she wanted. The room was quiet save for his sporadic moaning and the slick sounds of him fucking his dick into her mouth as his hips rose and fell in swift movements.

There was one particular thrust that had Isobel sputtering when one of his hands returned to her head and held her in place as her nose grazed his skin and his tip pushed deep in her throat as she loudly gagged around it, “Fuck, I’m cumming.” He chanted.

He continued to repeat the words when she pulled back to take control and moved her mouth to his tip and used her hand to bring him to his climax. His dick never left her mouth when she felt him twitch, letting ropes of cum spurt inside of her as she used the extra lubrication to help her lips move swiftly up and down his dick, “Shit.” Drew dragged out in a groan when she stopped sucking and began to clean his cum off his dick and swallowed every drop of it.

Drew’s orgasm hit him like a wall of fucking bricks. He hadn’t came like that since the night with Isobel in his truck, and it was safe to say that the energy depleting orgasms she was capable of giving him weren’t one hit wonders.

“You came so fast.” Isobel smiled, moving back up to face him and hugging his neck. Everything he did had her pathetically obsessing over the man and him cumming in her mouth was another bullet on the list, “Did I do good for you, Drew?”

“Yes, Izzy, you just made cum like I’ve never gotten my dick sucked before.” He was still trying to catch his breath as he spoke, but even as he tried to recollect himself she could sense he was somewhat embarrassed.

She refrained from smiling not wanting him to think she was finding amusement in his insecurity about what just happened. Isobel just marveled in the realization that this was new for him.

“I thought it was sexy, I’m the only girl who gets you like this?” She questioned the breathless man in a sweet tone.

He was now giving her an amused smirk as he lifted his hips to help her blindly pull his pants up after she reached down to tuck his semi-hard dick back into his underwear. He let her get as far as pulling up his zipper before turning their bodies to the side and pressing her lips to his own, “You’re nasty, Isobel.” He mumbled against her mouth with all intentions to shift the attention to her, then the sound of incremental buzzing filled the air from across the room on her coat rack, he barely heard the sound in between the smacking of their lips but it was there.

“How long has that been going off?” Drew panicked, letting go of her waist causing her to fall onto the mattress as he got up and stalked over to his jacket she hung up earlier.

He hadn’t gotten there in time to accept the call, but when he scanned his notifications there were four missed calls—three from Chandler, and the most recent from his father. Hidden in between some of the missed call notifications were messages from Chandler informing him of Charles’ impending arrival.

“Isobel, Charles is about to be here.” He explained in a hurry, walking back over to slip his dress shoes back onto his feet.

Isobel instantly hopped out of the bed, and rushed over to him in a haste. When he leaned back up from tying his laces she yanked him towards her by his belt loops and tucked his shirt back into his pants and fastened his belt.

Drew could even get a word out before she was shoving his blazer in his arms and pushing him towards the door. She’d gifted him with a life altering orgasm and now she was rushing him out of her room, he couldn’t help but chuckle to himself at the thought of it.

“Wait!” She called out, he had just slightly pulled her bedroom door ajar before she reached from behind him to slam it back close.

Isobel moved to stand in the small space between the front of his body and the wooden barrier and reached up to swipe her thumb across lips that were shining from her lip mask transferring onto them.

Drew loved when she did that.

“What would I do with out you?” Drew heard heard an engine outside the house reminding him of their predicament, but still leaned down to softly press a gentle kiss to her cheek before back out of her room and twisting towards the stairs.

Drew jogged down the stairs while looking at his phone with the intention to return his father’s call, but before he could even press the contact the handle of the front door twisted as the door pushed open to reveal an annoyed looking Charles, “You coming from upstairs?”

“Yeah, I was just telling Isobel I was leaving after Chandler let me know you were coming.” The lie thankfully came easy to him, but he struggled not to stumble over his words with what had really been going on up there fresh on his mind.

Charles gave him that familiar hum laced with an octave of suspicion, but he left it alone as always. He never pushed or pried, he just made sure that Drew knew in the most vague way that he doubted his word, “Alright, let’s head home.”

“Wait, where’s Cooper and Lora?” Drew asked, he hated he was leaving Isobel alone when she’d expressed to him that’s the last thing she wanted to be after what happened at the cocktail. When his father turned his head to glance behind him and sighed in what looked to be pity the reason for Drew asking was painstakingly obvious.

“They’ll be here in a few minutes, Richard had to grab some things before they left.” Charles answered while wrapping an arm around Drew’s shoulder so the two could exit the door together. Sure it was stiff and sort of felt second nature to the father and son, but still he felt a sense of support.

They didn’t talk on the car ride home, their home was not too far from the Cooper’s, but the silence felt thick with tension making ride feel far longer than a few minutes. When Charles pulled into the driveway and put the car in the park he made no movements to get out, he just sat there and stared down at the wheel. Drew awkwardly rubbed the back of his neck at his father’s weird behavior. Eventually the younger Starkey reached to unbuckle his seatbelt, and as if the click of the buckle was a trigger Charles turned his neck to glance at him with a complicated look.

“Remember when you charged that kid for targeting your teammate that one game your senior year? I remember it like yesterday—that look of determination in your eyes as you marched over there.” His father’s eyes softened as the memory seemed to be playing out in his head, “I see that same look in your eyes when you entertain the idea of working at C&S, it’s minor but it’s there.”

Drew’s mind drifted to all those years of baseball he played, he definitely missed the sport, but most of all he missed the camaraderie that came with having teammates. He was the team captain his last year of high school, the one who was supposed to lead by example, but if someone was fucking with someone on his team he didn’t have a problem getting tastefully violent to get his point across. It gotten him some violations, but he never got in trouble for it, not by his coach and interestingly enough never by his father. The man who loved to critique his every move and to ensure his every action was made in favor of his future never had anything to say in those moments.

Charles continued despite Drew’s silence as if he expected it, “But today it was full blown, just like that day on the field all those years ago.”

His eyes snapped to his father’s at his reference to having to stop Drew from tearing through the crowd at the ballroom and putting his hands on that man who dared to touch Isobel. Though, tonight was different than baseball because he wasn’t defending some friend on his baseball team, he was fighting for Isobel, and he didn’t know himself the lengths he would go to protect her.

There was no question that Charles had caught on to what was going on with him and Isobel, but Drew wouldn’t be the first to say it aloud, so he bit his tongue.

“I can’t tell you who to be with but I can advise you, if you do not believe you are man enough for her then end it, but from my perspective it looks like the damaged has already been done.” He went on with a sigh of indifference as if he’d already accepted there was nothing he could do about it.

“Why do you have to say it like that—like if I touch her she’ll burn.” Drew’s tone was incredulous, he hated that Charles’ input could so easily work up that amount of emotion within him.

Charles eyes twinkled as he gave his son a once over. That look of understanding from earlier was present in that glint of light.

“You’re the one who’s been burned, Son, but in regards to Isobel I don’t think ‘burn’ is the right word—I don’t blame you, though, I’ll never fault you for shooting for the stars.”

[bluebayousblog]

this gif is so fitting for pt. 12 (iykyk)

[bluebayousblog]

RUMOR HAS IT (pt. 12)

(Drew Starkey one-shot)

This is not a full on story but if you want more l'll be happy to add on upon request

Plot: in which drew and isobel address a false rumor in the most abstract of ways

Setting: post business cocktail

Disclaimer: Isobel is an OC, 18+

Table of Contents:

PART ELEVEN

“I’m yours.”

Isobel repeated the sentiment as her soft lips moved from his to press against the skin below his jaw. He sagged into her at the feeling of her brushing his skin with her mouth. Her words made his entire body tremble in satisfaction, and there was nothing he could do to stop the groans from rumbling out of his throat, not with her lips on his body.

Two words could mean so much, those two words that she was whispering with every kiss she left meant so much. They made him feel whole and satisfied, yet somewhat terrified that the person that could make him feel so inexplicably fulfilled was laying right there under him—like he found a hidden artifact that he wasn’t supposed to.

Just for tonight he wanted to pretend as if Isobel was his to keep, to hold, to protect, to feel these confusing feelings towards—because when he thought of her as his they made sense in his head.

Isobel bent her left leg so her knee was up in the air and resting against Drew’s hip, swallowing a sigh as his pants brushed against her inner thighs. She loved the feeling of having his wide frame covering her own, his hard body tucked firmly against her with one of his hands gripping her waist at the feeling of her tongue caressing the veins lining his neck.

The sounds coming from her sensual kisses in the silent room went straight to his dick, pulling a low groan from his mouth. He was so shameless with the noises he made, another thing high on the list of what turned her on the most about him. His openness to display how much he wanted her.

“Fuck,” He mumbled, her body was under his but she had all of the control at the moment, especially with that declaration leaving her lips. Her hands were everywhere, rubbing his shoulders, slowly trailing down his chest, her fingers running over every contour and muscle. Isobel hummed in content as her lips lifted to meet his once more.

“Isobel.” Drew sighed into the kiss, satisfaction laced deep in his tone, her stomach twisted at the sound of him calling out to her.

Drew rolled onto his back as her manicured hand pushed his chest, he didn’t even think of what he was doing as his back hit the mattress, he just felt her touch and he fell—that was becoming a familiar feeling with Isobel. She chased his mouth when his head hit the pillow, reconnecting their lips and wrapping her arms around his neck. Isobel licked his bottom lip with her tongue and tasted the strawberry flavor from her lip mask she put on after her shower. His mouth opened at the feeling and then they were tasting each other.

She knew they should probably pull away before things got too heated—before they got in too deep—but with Isobel and Drew all it took was the smallest act of affection and they were already forgetting all inhibitions. Kissing felt so intimate with Drew, in a way that made her feel as if she was baring every inch of her being to him. It made her feel needy and desperate for him to take her and stick his tongue further down her throat, to squeeze the fat of her behind in his rough fingers a little tighter, and to pull her further against his hard body while wrapping an arm around her waist with a groan to show her how much he needed her too.

That should be enough for her, knowing that he desires her physically because that’s how things were supposed to be between them, but still her wandering mind longed to hear Drew backup his sudden interest in her, “Tell me why you want me, Drew.”

He hummed in question against her lips, the vibration from the sound tickling her face as she disconnected their mouths. Drew stared at her in a trance as his tinted blue eyes watched her pointer finger trace her lips.

“Tell me why I’m yours tonight.” Isobel reiterated as she sat up on his lap, ignoring the way his belt buckle was pressing in between her legs and the tent in his slacks swelling up against her ass. She always ignored the feeling of his arousal when she felt it brushing against her when they were in bed, she had to because if she gave it attention she wouldn’t be able to leave it alone—to leave Drew alone.

Drew was choking, struggling to catch his breath as he felt her ass grazing the hard-on he was pitching in his pants just from a little tongue kissing. Kissing always got him somewhat turned on, it was always a good start, but with Isobel everything was different. The smallest form of foreplay when it came to the beautiful woman staring down at waiting for his next words got him harder than he’d ever been. It was a mind fuck and the reason he was always so eager to put distance between the two because he honestly didn’t know how his body would react whenever they took that next step.

“You’ve always been mine in someway, Isobel.” Drew rasped in response, he stared directly into her chocolate brown eyes and it seemed as if that connection pulled the emotions out of his mouth he’d been burying deep in his chest, “Mine to protect, mine to annoy, and mine to take care of.”

It was moments like this that she hated she knew Drew, that she had been around him long enough to pick up on his cues because when he ended a sentence with her name she knew he was being serious, and that for him she would be his not just for tonight but for the days following so long that he remained interested. She also hated that the knowledge of knowing he could be harboring those feelings calmed her nerves, so much so that things potentially going south between them wasn’t something she could convince herself to dwell on because for some reason with him she felt safe.

Isobel noticed he was always so willing to express what he could promise to her, but what he needed or expected from her always remained floating in his blue eyes in unspoken emotion. That look in his eyes when he so openly admired her always unsettled her in fear she wouldn’t live up to that idea he’d formed of her in his head, but she’d be selfish to not to try to fulfill those perceptions of herself for him. And she would never know if she couldn’t live up to them if she ran from him.

“Don’t you want me to ever take care of you?” She asked in a small voice. Isobel had given herself to a man and spread herself thin to fulfill all of his desires but it wasn’t enough—she wasn’t enough to keep him interested in only her.

It was scary for her to offer that part of herself up to someone again, but there was something about Drew that just made her want to give and offer herself up for his taking. He just made her feel a slither of hope that he wouldn’t throw her efforts back in her face.

“You can do anything you want with me, baby, I just need you in ways I can’t put into words.” Drew began and she was hanging onto his every word like everything he divulged could potentially widen that slither of light she had thawing her chest into a beaming ray, “I look at you and it’s enough, anything else you give me makes me feel like the luckiest guy alive.”

Isobel’s mouth spread into a toothy grin, her cheeks red at his words, and Drew couldn’t help but melt further into the bed at the devastating sight. She was gorgeous when she showed her happiness—that wasn’t the sad aspect of it all—it was how easily his heart was tuning itself to beat just for her. It was uncomfortable to have the breath stolen so quickly from your lungs like his heart had skipped a few beats at how fast he seemed to be falling.

“You know I can see why you have so many girls falling for you back at school, Drew.” Isobel noted with a smaller amused smile playing at her lips, “You’re a sweet talker.”

Drew couldn’t even form a face in his head of any of the girls he’d entertained on campus, not when she was effortlessly destroying the standard of women his brain had developed over the last twenty two years. When he thought of women and beauty, intimacy and longing, and stability and the future his mind now drifted to Isobel, “Are you saying you’re falling for me, Izzy Bear?”

“No! that would be absurd, it’s only been two weeks.” She denied a bit too quickly for her liking, and the amused look that formed in his eyes annoyed her beyond lengths. It wasn’t him thinking that he could make her fall for him just like all the girls that unnerved her, it was the possibility that him thinking such would put him off.

Two weeks, Drew thought to himself that’s all it had taken for the monsoon of feelings to embed themselves into his head and deep in his chest. And it wasn’t the end, it didn’t feel that way in the slightest, everything with Isobel felt like the beginning of a lovely demise of who he used to be. It had been so much longer than two weeks, they both knew that, but realizing the big picture of it all—of Isobel and Drew—was hard to do in such little time.

“Yeah, that would just be insane.” He agreed, it felt like the right thing to say in the moment, but it didn’t feel that way when he actually heard the words leave his lips. If feeling for Isobel was wrong he would proudly be labeled as a maniac. These emotions were new for him, but Drew had been feeling for Isobel for years, sure they were untapped or dormant in a sense but still they were there.

And now they were hitting him all at once.

Silence overtook the two for about a minute as they gazed at each other. There was so much intensity in the silence as if everything they were withholding was being leaked in the absence of their words. That heavy look he was giving her made heat swarm her gut, it was dangerous how Drew’s bare minimum could affect her.

Drew thickly swallowed when Isobel leaned towards him, pressing her bra less chest that was covered in a thin tee into his and placing a glossy kiss onto his left ear. As expected the simple touch pulled a groan out of him, his arm slinging over the back of her waist and harshly gripping the fabric covering her skin. Her lips then began to move as she let her tongue slip out to slowly trace the she shell of his ear in torturous strike of the sensitive skin. She smiled at the small moan he gave her, and she knew he felt her amusement from the pinch he gave the side of her ass. She giggled in his ear and he grunted before suddenly pressing his hips up in between legs against her heat and now she was the one gasping for air.

Isobel was immobile for a few seconds as he continuously began to slowly roll his hips into her dampening cunt. Drew had stolen the control with his arm locked tightly around her waist, forcing her hips to stay pressed into him as he used his hips to grind against her, “Fuck, baby.” He mumbled, his eyes left hers as he looked down and watched the connected parts of their bodies rub against each other. Isobel yelped when one of his big hands roughly squeezed her ass cheek during his distracted glance, the skimpy pajama shorts she was wearing not leaving much to the imagination.

Somewhat pulling herself out of the pleasure of feeling his erection and the fabric of his pants rubbing against her, she continued her ministrations on his ear as she sucked the lobe in her mouth and bit the skin, “Shit, what are you doing to me, Is.” He grunted out.

“I’m going to take care of you.” Isobel whispered into his ear. Her tone sounded womanly, there was finality yet a sense of open-endedness in her statement like it applied to more than just tonight and it warmed his chest.

Her lips found his once more, leaving a noisy peck to which he tried to prolong into a passionate kiss, but she’d already moved onto the center of his throat as she left kisses down the column of his neck. The lower her mouth traveled the more her back began to arch and the view he got of her full ass perched into the air made his dick throb between his legs—he was fucked.

Isobel’s lips got to the top of his chest and glanced up to see his eyes were closed, the girl took the opportunity to slip one of the glossy buttons on his shirt out of the hole revealing more of his built chest to her, “Isobel.”

Her eyes shot back up to his at the warning tone in his voice, his eyelids were back open but he kept them trained on the ceiling above them. She rolled her eyes at his obvious weariness, but it made the arousal grow in her belly at the authority he always attempted to exert over her.

“I only undid one button, I just needed a little more room.” She lied through her teeth, she would’ve undone more if he hadn’t objected, actually his shirt would’ve been ripped open as soon as he walked in her room if they weren’t expecting her parents eventual arrival.

So Isobel made due with what she had, covering the revealed skin under his button-up with her sweet kisses as he laid there and relaxed above her with his large arms now resting behind his head. After kissing and nipping at what she could get to above his shirt she continued on to his fabric covered chest, her lips dragged down his sternum before pausing and his eyes snapped down to hers at her lack of movements. She made sure his eyes remained on her as she moved to press a wet kiss over his right nipple, suppressing a giggle when she saw the gulp he took while watching her tongue trace the hidden skin in teasing circles.

Drew couldn’t speak, he’d made a mistake of looking at her in this state, she was sin the flesh, every dirty fantasy he’d conjured up in his dreams there before him with her ass swaying in the air. His eyes on her lewd actions seemed to make her speed up her descent as she skipped over his lower stomach, causing her breast to lie on his arousal. There was mischief in her dark eyes, there always was when they were in a position like this, but he always registered it far too late because in one moment she was giving him an innocent smile and the next she was untucking his shirt from his pants as she slipped the hem up past his abs. She glanced down at the muscles for a moment, but looked back up to Drew for second before making anymore movements, “It won’t take you anytime to tuck in your shirt again right?”

“No, you’re good, Is.” He smirked, he was fucking smirking and enjoying her little games and it lit her blood aflame and encouraged her to keep trying her luck.

Isobel’s lips found the skin of his lower stomach, loving the way his body twitched underneath her and the never ending groans escaping him. The sounds he made were driving her insane, and the feeling of his eyes watching only drove her to want to give him more. She’d given his ears and neck copious amounts of her attention, but the closer she got to what she truly craved—to what she knew he was trying to convince himself he didn’t need—she was losing her patience.

She flattened her tongue on the trail of skin leading to the button of his pants, reaching between their bodies to undo the buckle of his leather belt, “Are you gonna let me do this for you, Drew?” She asked as she slowly began to pull the belt out one of loops so she could get to the buckle to unlatch it.

Drew couldn’t think of one excuse to get Isobel off his dick not even the fact that her parents could be on the way was deterring him in the slightest thanks to the arousal clouding his judgement, he wanted this and he could only deny her so many times—it truly was up to her at this point.

“You’re asking to put my dick in your mouth, Princess?” His voice was low, a complete contrast to how his body was internally reacting to all of this, like this was his first time with a woman, and in a sense the notion kind of held some sort of truth to it. His heart rate doubled when she nodded with those dark eyes trained on his own, but he needed more than that, “Use your words, baby.”

“Yes, Drew, I want it.” Isobel pouted, eager to get his pants unzipped and finally see him. She knew he was well-endowed from the numerous times she’d felt him against her the past couple of weeks, but this would be her first time seeing his dick in the flesh.

Drew reached down and took over, unfastening his belt while Isobel watched his large hands work and eventually unbutton and drag down the zipper of his pants. He brought just one of his hands back up to rest behind his head, and she took that as a cue to work his pants down his hips, not pulling them past his mid thighs. Before she could remove his black boxers his hand moved to his dick and squeezed the thick flesh right in front of her face, cursing to himself at the pleasure that shot up his spine, “I might cum fast, Isobel.” He stuttered before removing his hand and bringing it up to run his fingers through her thick hair as he watched her grab the band of his boxers just enough for his cock to slip out and fall toward his stomach with a heavy slap.

When Isobel was scared of things her mouth usually dried from the anxiety pooling in her belly, but as her eyes scanned over the unnerving size of his dick, saliva threatened to fall from her lips. Her mind blanked, completely forgetting what he’d just said to her a second ago. She could only focus on his member in front of her and his hands in her hair.

When she leaned down and flattened her tongue against his leaking tip his movements froze and his fingers squeezed the hair threaded between them as his entire body convulsed. Above her Drew released a groan that could be mistaken for someone being tortured but she continued.

Isobel spit on his dick, her eyes heavy with pleasure trained on his own hooded ones as her saliva slowly dripped onto his throbbing skin, and only did she divert her attention away from his heated gaze when it began to run down the base. She then wrapped her lips around him as she began to work the warm length of the velvety skin into her desperate mouth. She moaned at the feeling of him being inside of her with the wetness of her mouth encasing him and his hand shot up to his head as she looked to see him running it through his dark, buzzed hair, “Fuck, Izzy.”

She was practically dripping wet in her underwear at his exasperated reactions to her, nothing turned her on more to than seeing him display his desire. It was a paradigm, as if he had no control of how she was making him feel but also just natural instinct. She gave up on trying to get him to the back of throat figuring she would get there eventually, Drew wasn’t overly big he was just bigger than what she was accustomed to. She wrapped a hand around the base to jerk the part of him she couldn’t reach as she fucked her mouth over the expanse of him that she could.

“Baby, that’s too fucking good—you’re too good for me.” He moaned while also finding a moment to compliment her in way that mattered, in a way that went straight to her heart.

She hummed deeply around him and his words of endearment turned into mindless babbles. Slowly she was able to get him further down her throat and use less of her hand as only her thumb and pointer finger was wrapped around him, but she still needed that final push, “Push it more into my mouth, Drew.” She whined when she removed her mouth to catch her breath.

“You’re going to make me cum, baby.” He hesitated, his voice shaking from the pleasure she was giving him.

Isobel rolled her eyes at his delay, “That’s the point, Drew.”

He still looked hesitant to proceed as he stared down at her, so she took matters into her own hands. Isobel placed her mouth back onto his angry looking dick, taking him as far as she could and reached down to his balls to massage them in her hand, the groan he let out sounded inhumane as he roared her name. His hips snapped up into her mouth, and she got exactly what she wanted. The room was quiet save for his sporadic moaning and the slick sounds of him fucking his dick into her mouth as his hips rose and fell in swift movements.

There was one particular thrust that had Isobel sputtering when one of his hands returned to her head and held her in place as her nose grazed his skin and his tip pushed deep in her throat as she loudly gagged around him, “Fuck, I’m cumming.” He chanted.

He continued to repeat the words when she pulled back to take control and moved her mouth to his tip and used her hand to bring him to his climax. His dick never left her mouth when she felt him twitch, letting ropes of cum spurt inside of her as she used the extra lubrication to help her lips move swiftly up and down his dick, “Shit, Isobel.” Drew dragged out in a groan that could also be taken for a whine when she stopped sucking and began to clean his cum off his dick with her tongue and swallowed every drop of it.

Drew’s orgasm hit him like a strike of lightning shooting down his body as his back stiffened and his toes curled tightly in immobilizing pleasure. He hadn’t came like that since the night with Isobel in his truck, and it was safe to say that the energy depleting orgasms she was capable of giving him weren’t one hit wonders.

“You came so fast.” Isobel smiled, moving back up to face him and hugging his neck. Everything he did had her pathetically obsessing over the man and him cumming in her mouth was another bullet on the list, “Did I do good for you, Drew?”

“Yes, Izzy, you just made cum like I’ve never gotten my dick sucked before.” He was still trying to catch his breath as he spoke, but even as he tried to recollect himself she could sense he was somewhat embarrassed.

She refrained from smiling not wanting him to think she was finding amusement in his insecurity about what just happened. Isobel just marveled in the realization that this was new for him—the way he felt for her wasn’t comparable to anyone he’d been with before. The thought of alone made her vibrate with want for him as she laid against his heaving chest.

“I thought it was sexy, I’m the only girl who gets you like this?” She questioned the breathless man in a sweet tone.

He was now giving her an amused smirk as he lifted his hips to help her blindly pull his pants up after she reached down to tuck his semi-hard dick back into his underwear, and he loved the way her delicate hands handled him with familiarity, like he belonged to her. He let her get as far as pulling up his zipper before turning their bodies to the side and pressing her lips to his own, “You’re nasty, Isobel.” He mumbled against her mouth with all intentions to shift the attention to her, then the sound of incremental buzzing filled the air from across the room on her coat rack, he barely heard the sound in between the smacking of their lips but it was there.

“How long has that been going off?” Drew panicked, letting go of her waist causing her to fall onto the mattress as he got up and stalked over to his jacket she hung up earlier.

He hadn’t gotten there in time to accept the call, but when he scanned his notifications there were four missed calls—three from Chandler, and the most recent from his father. Hidden in between some of the missed call notifications were messages from Chandler informing him of Charles’ impending arrival.

“Isobel, Charles is about to be here.” He explained in a hurry, walking back over to slip his dress shoes back onto his feet.

Isobel instantly hopped out of the bed, and rushed over to him in a haste. When he leaned back up from tying his laces she yanked him towards her by his belt loops and tucked his shirt back into his pants and fastened his belt.

Drew could even get a word out before she was shoving his blazer in his arms and pushing him towards the door. She’d gifted him with a life altering orgasm and now she was rushing him out of her room, he couldn’t help but chuckle to himself at the thought of it.

“Wait!” She called out, he had just slightly pulled her bedroom door ajar before she reached from behind him to slam it back close.

Isobel moved to stand in the small space between the front of his body and the wooden barrier and reached up to swipe her thumb across his lips that were shining from her sticky lip mask transferring onto them.

Drew absolutely loved when she did that.

“What would I do without you?” Drew heard heard an engine outside the house reminding him of their predicament, but still couldn’t help but lean down to softly press a gentle kiss to her cheek before backing out of her room and twisting towards the stairs.

Drew jogged down the stairs while looking at his phone with the intention to return his father’s call, but before he could even press the contact the handle of the front door twisted as the door pushed open to reveal an annoyed looking Charles, “You coming from upstairs?”

“Yeah, I was just telling Isobel I was leaving after Chandler let me know you were coming.” The lie thankfully came easy to him, but he struggled not to stumble over his words with what had really been going on up there fresh on his mind.

Charles gave him that familiar hum laced with an octave of suspicion, but he left it alone as always. He never pushed or pried, he just made sure that Drew knew in the most vague way that he doubted his word, “Alright, let’s head home.”

“Wait, where’s Cooper and Lora?” Drew asked, he hated he was leaving Isobel alone when she’d expressed to him that’s the last thing she wanted to be after what happened at the cocktail. When his father turned his head to glance behind him and sighed in what looked to be pity, the reason for Drew asking was painstakingly obvious.

“They’ll be here in a few minutes, Richard had to grab some things before they left.” Charles answered while wrapping an arm around Drew’s shoulder so the two could exit the door together. Sure it was stiff and sort of felt second nature to the father and son, but still he felt a sense of support.

They didn’t talk on the car ride home, their house was not too far from the Cooper’s, but the silence felt thick with tension making the ride feel far longer than a few minutes. When Charles pulled into the driveway and put the car in the park he made no movements to get out, he just sat there and stared down at the wheel. Drew awkwardly rubbed the back of his neck at his father’s weird behavior. Eventually the younger Starkey reached to unbuckle his seatbelt, and as if the click of the buckle was a trigger Charles turned his neck to glance at him with a complicated look.

“Remember when you charged that kid for targeting your teammate that one game your senior year? I remember it like yesterday—that look of determination in your eyes as you marched over there.” His father’s eyes softened as the memory seemed to be playing out in his head, “I see that same look in your eyes when you entertain the idea of working at C&S, it’s minor but it’s there.”

Drew’s mind drifted to all those years of baseball he played, he definitely missed the sport, but most of all he missed the camaraderie that came with having teammates. He was the team captain his last year of high school, the one who was supposed to lead by example, but if someone was fucking with someone on his team he didn’t have a problem getting tastefully violent to get his point across. It gotten him some violations, but he never got in trouble for it, not by his coach and interestingly enough never by his father. The man who loved to critique his every move and to ensure his every action was made in favor of his future never had anything to say in those moments.

Charles continued despite Drew’s silence as if he expected it, “But today it was full blown, just like that day on the field all those years ago.”

His eyes snapped to his father’s at his reference to having to stop Drew from tearing through the crowd at the ballroom and putting his hands on that man who dared to touch Isobel. Though, tonight was different than baseball because he wasn’t defending some friend on his baseball team, he was fighting for Isobel, and he didn’t know himself the lengths he would go to protect her.

There was no question that Charles had caught on to what was going on with him and Isobel, but Drew wouldn’t be the first to say it aloud, so he bit his tongue.

“I can’t tell you who you can be with but I can advise you, if you do not believe you are man enough for her then end it, but from my perspective it looks like the damage has already been done.” He went on with a sigh of indifference as if he’d already accepted there was nothing he could do about it.

“Why do you have to say it like that—like if I touch her she’ll burn.” Drew’s tone was incredulous, he hated that Charles’ input could so easily work up that amount of emotion within him.

Charles eyes twinkled as he gave his son a once over. That look of understanding from earlier present in that glint of light.

“You’re the one who’s been burned, Son, but in regards to Isobel I don’t think ‘burn’ is the right word—I don’t blame you, though, I’ll never fault you for shooting for the stars.”

TABLE OF CONTENTS

PART 13

[bluebayousblog]

RUMOR HAS IT (pt. 11)

(Drew Starkey one-shot)

This is not a full on story but if you want more l'll be happy to add on upon request

Plot: in which drew and isobel address a false rumor in the most abstract of ways

Setting: post business cocktail

Disclaimer: Isobel is an OC, 18+

Table of Contents:

PART TEN

Isobel hadn’t expected the various changes that came with exploring a relationship with Drew, but one thing in particular that stood out was how things had abruptly shifted the dynamic she had with Chandler. His stutter that he’d randomly developed when he was around her two summers ago seemed to have vanished under the impression that she was now with Drew.

The way he was now addressing her was with a boldness that came off as him having the ego boost of someone who’d figured out a secret they shouldn’t have. Isobel knew Chandler would never hold it over her head, but she wasn’t sure if he would use the forbidden knowledge against his older brother.

He loosely promised her he would keep what he knew a secret, and for some reason she trusted him to keep his word. Him finding out wasn’t ideal, but the aftermath wasn’t as bad as the outcome she conjured in her head. It was actually nice having someone know about her and Drew and accepting it for what it was. It was a sense a relief, that same feeling she was hoping to feel when she tried to confide in Charlotte at the party a few nights ago.

But it was different with Chandler—he was family and his opinion resonated with her more than that of a friend, just like her mother or father’s would. It gave her hope for those next steps, if she ever got the courage to tell her parents—or if she ever allowed herself to feel something for Drew that was worth sharing with the people she loved.

Being home for holidays was sort of putting a roadblock on the progression of their relationship. They were were obviously trying not be physical with each other, but the fact that they would be in the same residences majority of the break forced Drew’s attention to remain solely on her—there were no distractions.The pessimistic side of her wondered if they were still at school if he would’ve been entertaining another girl by now. And then there was the naive side of her that possessed her right mind when she was around him or got the chance to feel his lips pressed desperately against her own, that had her feeling content with having Drew to herself for the time being—because never did she ever allow herself to hope for a future.

Until now.

In the small instances where she imagined telling her mother about what was going on with Drew, or how she swooned when she saw the qualities that made her cherish her father and Charles so deeply embedded deep in his character. She let herself hope in those little moments.

Standing across from a guy she just met at the hands of her calculating mother, she wished in this moment she could scream at the top of her lungs that she didn’t need be introduced to another business associate’s son because she had someone already—she had Drew.

That’s all she could think of as her eyes settled on “Zachary but you can call me Zach” as they stood at one of the little tables at the company’s winter business cocktail. She studied his face, but all she could think of was Drew’s ocean blue eyes that sometimes looked green depending on the light. She sized him up and noted how she didn’t have to crane her neck to look up at him like she did with Drew. Zach lacked everything she found endearing about Drew, it made her appreciate the little things about him even more.

Zach was rambling on about Fortune 500, and from the minor slurring she’d caught in his speech she figured he’d been indulging in the open bar and complimentary champagne this evening. She listened for as long as she possibly could before the feeling of eyes settled on her claimed her attention as she looked to her right just for her eyes to immediately land on Drew’s pointed stare. He looked bothered, she could tell by the deep crease in the center of his eyebrows, and the frown edged on his lips. Isobel gave him a subtle smile, but his face remained stoic. Every part of her in entirety was desperate to go to him to place her hands on his face and melt the tension from his features.

She wasn’t aware of how long she’d been looking over at him but she did notice when his eyes shifted as if he was looking through her and suddenly her line of sight was being blocked by Zach’s sliding over around the table to move closer, “Dance with me, Isabella.” He requested as his breathe immediately burned her nostrils from the crude scent of alcohol.

“No, I’m fine thanks.” Isobel decided to ignore the fact the he’d referred to her as Isabella, so the situation didn’t get prolonged more than it needed to be. She wanted to be anywhere but over here, not only because she was uninterested, but being around a wasted man while she was sober was just no fun at all.

She could tell he was not expecting her answer from the way he harshly blinked his eyes, he looked like the kind of person who didn’t often face rejection. He quickly recovered with a lazy smile then leaned his body towards her. The feeling of his hand appearing on the back of her elbow burned her skin as he slid his finger down until he was loosely grasping her arm, “Come on let’s have some fun.”

“Did you not hear me I said no-“ he didn’t even let her finish the sentence before his grip tightened around her forearm.

Her heart began to race in panic, but she let him slightly pull her towards him, giving him a false sense of her compliance and immediately forced her arm out of his bruising hold. She was now free from his restraints but fear that he would try something else had her looking for someone who could intervene and her eyes went straight to Drew. A bit of relief washed over her when she saw him stalking over, but her breathe hitched at him storming towards her one second and Charles stopping his pursuit the next.

Just as that relief was about to leave her again, her father’s large build slicing through the crowd toward Zach kept her calm. She gasped when Richard Cooper shoved him away from her and the general vicinity of the table. Her father was a muscular guy so the little shove practically sent him flying across the room. Richard didn’t give him another second of his attention before signaling for security, and pulling her into his arms. There she felt utterly safe like nothing could ever happen to her. It was what she was anticipating to feel when it was initially Drew coming for her.

“Are you okay, sweetheart?” Her father’s voice pulled her out of her thoughts as he scanned her from head to toe in concern.

Her eyes followed the security pulling Zach out of the building while his mother shouted expletives at him as she trailed behind them. It was when the door shut that her body finally allowed herself to actually breathe, “I’m fine.”

Her mother appeared just as she answered him with worry etched onto her face, and immediately grabbed Isobel and pulled her into her embrace before giving her a once over just as her father did. Everyone seemed to be minding their business for the most part. Only the guest in the general area that saw her father diffuse the situation were pathetically pretending not to eavesdrop.

“I’m so sorry I let you go off with him, Isobel, his mother was just begging me all night to introduce you two.” Her mother’s voice was strained, she could literally hear how it pained her to realize she potentially sent her into harms way. It made Isobel hate the asshole even more for making her think such a thing. “You have nothing to apologize about, Mom, I promise you I’m okay now.” She reassured.

Lora gave her a weak unconvincing smile then pulled her back in to squeeze her into one of those soul crushing hugs. Her back was facing everyone while in her mother’s arms, but she could feel Drew’s presence when he walked up to them, the familiar feeling of his eyes piercing into her made the hairs on her arms stand in attention. Isobel attempted pulled out of Lora’s embrace, but she only allowed her to stand at her aside as she kept her arms locked around her waist.

Drew was already looking at her when she looked towards him, his eyes seemed to be darting all over her body, standing silently beside Charles.

“I’m never letting another man near my daughter again, you hear me, Lora? Tell those desperate ass women we are not interested in a son-in-law moving forward.” Isobel knew her father was partially joking, but his words hit a nerve.

Charles smiled in obvious agreement with his friend, but to her surprise Drew never reacted to her father inadvertently denouncing him as her potential husband, he looked stiff like he was using all his restraint to hold himself back, his eyes being the only thing that was moving freely.

“For once I can agree with you on the matter.” Lora gave her another squeeze before reluctantly letting her go. Every one hummed in agreement, and Isobel couldn’t help but squint her eyes at Chandler who was obviously amused by her father’s proclamation as he discreetly jabbed an elbow into his brother’s side to which Drew ignored.

“-Are you sure you’re okay, Isobel?” Drew’s words were rushed as they escaped from his lips. He tried his best to stand there quietly, to pretend like every inch of him wasn’t dying to go over to Isobel, wrap his arms around her, and make sure she was okay. Not just physically, but emotionally, he knew she tended to internalize what she was truly feeling and he needed to know that what just happened didn’t fuck with her head.

His question caused everyone’s eyes to snap to him before immediately going back to Isobel as they awaited her response. He’d been hesitant in asking with everyone standing here in fear of what would leave his lips with the adrenaline rushing through his body.

He didn’t care if she was going to be upset with him for his outburst. He could keep their physical relationship to himself, restrain himself from touching her when it’s all he could think about doing, but he couldn’t pretend he didn’t care about her not when that was something he’d been doing from first moment he laid his eyes on her.

“I’m fine I’m just kind of tired.” She smiled, with her mouth and eyes as he watched as they warmed before his own, he couldn’t help but wonder if anyone else saw it too—the gleam in her eyes. Once again it felt like they were the only ones present in the moment, one glance shared with her feeling like eternity when reality only seconds had passed.

“Drew take Isobel home and makes sure she gets there safely.” His father’s request caused his eyes to leave Isobel for what felt like the first time tonight since she arrived. He didn’t know what to think of his father’s behavior tonight, in the beginning the man was staring daggers at him across the room, and now he was being supportive? Drew wasn’t sure of what exactly, but he felt a reassuring energy coming from him.

Charles had stopped him from potentially killing a man for touching Isobel, and for an intuitive man like his father, that could be enough to confirm any conjectures he’d formed about Isobel and Drew when they returned home yesterday.

“That’s a good idea, do you want any of us to come with you?” Isobel’s mother asked, he still could see the terror in her eyes. When everything was going down and she ran up to him and Charles’ scrambling to find her daughter it only added to his anger and desperation to get to her.

“No, I’m fine you guys stay here and enjoy the cocktail.” Isobel insisted before giving both of her parents a hug and walking over to slip beside Drew.

His body routinely reacted as it always did to the feeling of her next to him, the hairs on his arm stood erect, his side warming like they were two magnets pulling towards each other. Richard, Charles, Cooper, Lora, and Catherine were talking while Chandler was absorbing every word—the younger Starkey enjoyed gossip just as much as their mother. Drew didn’t hear a word they were saying, he couldn’t when Isobel’s arm was grazing his side. God he wanted to grab her waist and just hold her but he refrained.

Then he felt a tickle on his knuckle and looked down to see her blindly curling her pinky around his larger one. That simple touch alone made it feel like his heart was going to pound out of his chest as it filled with an inexplicable feeling. It was so minuscule, but that lock of their fingers represented how they made each other feel, the part of them they were hiding from everyone. And Isobel reaching out to him in that way, no matter how discreetly in front of their families, was comparable to how a quick peck from her on his lips could make him feel—content yet desperate for more.

“You ready to go?” He asked loud enough to to gain everyone’s attention again.

Isobel nodded her head and let his pinky go, ready to get out of there and just contemplate her feelings under her shower head. She giggled to herself as Chandler insisted he leave with them. She could tell Drew was annoyed with his little brother tagging along just from his left eye twitching, but he didn’t protest, “You guys are doing a horrible job of being discreet by the way.” Chandler causally threw out as they walked out of the building.

“Wait, really?” She groaned, if her heart rate went up anymore tonight she was going to go into cardiac arrest. She knew she was giving more attention to Chandler’s implications about her and Drew being together, but at this point she didn’t have it in her to care.

“No, not really, I think I’m only noticing because I know what’s up with you two.” He grinned with pride, obviously still finding amusement at how worked up Isobel was about all of this.

“You don’t know shit, get in the car.” Drew mumbled and rolled his eyes as he unlocked the door for them.

This time last year she wouldn’t have expected any of this, they were all three as trio becoming closer and it was all because a split decision to let Drew ‘get a feel of his observations.’ The statement was corny looking back, but thinking of it made her chest warm.

Chandler did most of the talking as Drew drove towards her house which was about five minutes away from C&S, thankfully no one asked for details about what happened earlier during the ride, especially when she hadn’t even fully digested the whole thing herself. Isobel was the only one who entertained his rant about his parents not letting him have ‘at least one drink’ at events while Drew rubbed his temples with his pointer and middle finger at all the talking, she couldn’t help but smile at the sight.

It was hard trying to remain platonic with Drew after blurring so many lines with him, but sharing a car with two people she’d known for years made her appreciate the moments in between the lust when they were keeping their hands to themselves a little bit more. She could look back at this as a time where they were picking up where they left off as friends.

“Chandler, wait in the car while I walk Isobel up.” Drew said while pulling into her driveway. Seeing the empty garage and the barely lit house filled her body with dread at the view, she wanted him to stay with her.

Isobel stayed silent as she attempted to get out of his truck as gracefully as she could in a dress and heels but graciously took Drew’s hand when he finally came over to help her down. The feeling of the hand he used to grab her left hip and steady her body searing through the silk of her dress onto her skin, “Will you stay until my parents get home?”

Drew’s mouth slightly opened and then closed, a little taken aback by her question. But after what happened tonight he would do anything she asked to make her feel safe, even if it was risky.

“How about I take Chandler home first, and come back-“

“-No I don’t want you to leave.” It took a lot for Isobel to admit she needed someone, but despite her usual hesitancy the words left her mouth with ease.

One of his hands tightened into a fist, barely stopping himself from reaching up to comfort her. He loved this feeling, a girl showing her vulnerability, and him not wanting to run away, he’d never felt the need to stay before, “Just go upstairs I’ll be right up behind you.”

Isobel sighed and gave him a squint letting him know she was expecting him to do exactly as he said before punching in the code to the house and slipping behind the wooden door. It was his turn to sigh, now facing his brand new truck he was about let his imbecile of a brother drive home without his supervision.

“Chandler, the keys are in the middle console go ahead and drive yourself home.” Drew grumbled.

The last thing he wanted was for the eighteen year old to be behind the wheel of his baby, but when it came to Isobel he’d let his little brother drive it across the country. Chandler jumped at the opportunity, choosing to access the driver seat by crawling up from the backseat which was no easy feat for a boy with his height but he managed, “Wipe that look off your face I’ll get it home safely, you can go in there and tussle tongues with your girlfriend.”

Drew didn’t bother to respond, slamming the truck door in his face and making his way back up the pathway to front door. Just as he entered the house and was turning to shut the door his entire body cringed at the sound of Chandler revving his engine.

He was in the same position as earlier, the house empty and Isobel just a staircase away, and his eagerness to see her hadn’t waned in the slightest. She wasn’t in her room when he walked in, but he could hear her humming behind her bathroom door. The warm vanilla scent escaping from the cracks of the enclosed area telling him she’d was in the shower, so he waited for her. Drew felt like he could wait on her forever in any given circumstance, but waiting on her to finish showering as the sound of her melodic voice filled his ears was becoming his favorite—he was the only one who got to witness this side of her.

He sat on the seat in front of her vanity, her sweet humming relaxing him to the point where he could have dozed off. And then the door swung open and there she was clad in an oversized t-shirt and just like that night in her apartment a few days ago he couldn’t tell if she was wearing bottoms or not. He loved every inch of her body, so even just getting a glimpse of her legs made his stomach flutter—it was pathetic how hooked he was on her. As if him suddenly realizing all she had to offer so late into knowing her made every glance thereafter knock the breathe out of him.

“You look adorable.” Drew smirked as he stood up and reached to flick the fluffy pink headband she had holding her long, dark hair back. She rolled her plump lips together like she was embarrassed and his heart skipped. “Thank you, Drew, take your jacket off.” She demanded, walking up to him then sliding her hands into the inside of his suit jacket and helping him push the sleeves down his muscular arms with his tinted blue eyes looking down on her. She walked away from him to to hang it on a hook that was attached to the back of the closet but the smell of her remained.

Isobel wanted to jump Drew, to thrust herself into his big arms, but she didn’t. The girl just put his jacket elsewhere and turned to make her way towards her bed. She sat there and just swept her eyes down his body for a moment just to take in how good he looked in a button up and slacks. Drew looked sexy, he looked like a man and it was times like this, including the fact that he was a close family friend, that she couldn’t believe they were involved, “Come lay down with me, please?”

Drew had been the practical one out of the two when it came to them following her rules she set for them, so she made sure to bat her eyes when she asked. Isobel had some self-control, she didn’t have anything sexual in mind, she just wanted to feel him against her.

“I can’t take all this shit off just to get into bed with you, Izzy, we don’t know how much time we have.” Drew stated, referring to his formal wear he still had on from the cocktail.

She couldn’t help but smile at him remembering how anal she was about germs from clothes getting on her comforter.

“Well just don’t worry about it, I’ll wash my bedding tomorrow,” She rolled her eyes when he raised his eyebrows in shock, Isobel wanted him in her bed and she wasn’t about to let anything get in the way of that not even the fact that they were in her parent’s house, “I just want to be with you right now.”

He didn’t argue as he moved to slip off his shoes before crawling into bed with her. He rested his weight on his arm and leaned over so he was looking down at her face. The lights were dimmed, so he couldn’t make out any of the brown specks he usually saw in her eyes, but they still gleamed from the moonlight streaming in.

“I let Chandler drive the truck home.”

“-What? Wait I didn’t even think of the fact that he probably wanted to go home, I thought he would just stay.” Isobel said as instant regret filled her at her insistence that he didn’t leave her alone. Drew had only had that truck a few weeks, and now he had someone whose driving was sub par at best driving it because of her.

Isobel could do this whole thing with Drew, she could have an intimate relationship with him with no strings, but she didn’t want to be an emotional nuisance. She tried to keep things surface, drawing the line at anything that wasn’t just for physical satisfaction, but what she needed from him tonight was comfort and when he did that for her she couldn’t help that her heart warmed in reaction.

“You have nothing to feel bad about, some guy put his hands on you and you said you wanted me here so I’m here, Isobel.” He said her name with finality as if he was warning her not to argue, so she let it go, though fear of being an inconvenience was swallowing her up inside, “Tell me what happened, baby.”

Her entire body shuddered, if he called her that after every thing he asked from her she would be at his beck and call. She loved how deep Drew’s voice was and hearing him use that name for her in that grainy drawl was pleasuring to her ears.

“It was nothing really he was drunk, wanted to dance with me, and he didn’t like that I declined.” She trailed off, trying to make sense of it in her head. It would be a perfect world if no one brought it up, if everyone just went on thinking she was invincible and strong, but Drew wasn’t going to let that happen.

“Don’t minimize it Isobel, just because he was drunk didn’t give him the right to grab your arm and fucking corner you.” Drew was irritated, she could see it in his eyes, hear it in the clipped tone of his voice as he stared deeply into her eyes. That crease was back between his eyebrows, and though she was right below him his eyes still darted up and down her face as if he couldn’t decide what part of her to focus on. “You didn’t deserve that tonight, I don’t see how anyone would ever want to hurt you, Is.”

“I know, I’m just glad you were there.”

His eyes dropped to Isobel’s lips when she gave him a grin, “You promise you’re okay?”

“Drew.” She groaned, dragging out his name, Isobel wasn’t used to anyone besides her mother and father being this concerned about her feelings or well-being, but she couldn’t definitively say that she hated it, “You don’t have to keep worrying—I’m fine, promise.”

Drew sighed as he tucked his face in her neck. He breathed her in, hearing her emit a giggle as his nose tickled the sensitive skin. God, Isobel was his favorite—favorite person, favorite smell, favorite everything—the thought felt rudimentary, but that was just him putting it in simple terms.

“I’m sorry I almost caused a scene earlier at the event.” Drew lamented after pulling away from her to look her in the eyes once more. It was all a blur, that moment from when he saw her struggling to get away from that man to when his father was holding him back. Charles had always been subliminally against the idea of Isobel and Drew coming together in any manner, but for once part of him was grateful for him in that particular moment.

Him intervening had somehow brought Isobel and Drew closer.

“You have nothing to apologize for, you’re not the one who grabbed me, Drew.” She comforted him, she hated that she was making him feel like he had to apologize for wanting to protect her.

“I know but I could’ve ruined everything for us—I was just so pissed off. No other man deserves to touch you, Isobel.”

No other man.

Isobel stayed quiet when he brought his hand up to cradle the side of her face, so he kept going.

“I know you’re not mine Isobel but let me think it for just this one night so I don’t go insane.” He sounded desperate but couldn’t find it in him to care, he was always hopeless when it came to her, sometimes it was just harder to mask.

Isobel softly pecked his lips, straining her neck to reach his mouth, and Drew pushed forward deepening the kiss so she wouldn’t break it. He loved when their kisses began like that, her teasing and him chasing her. His hand splayed across her rib cage causing her shirt to bunch under his rough touch. Kissing Isobel and hearing the sweet sighs of satisfaction leave her throat always made him feel like he needed to anchor onto something before he fell and that showed in the way his hands blindly fisted the fabric of her tee and the groans the tongueless kiss could pull from him.

“I’m yours, Drew.” Isobel mumbled as their lips continued to connect.

She’d been telling an abundance of lies as of late to protect what they had, but she wasn’t sure the one he’d just blatantly asked her to say was completely void of truth.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

PART TWELVE

[bluebayousblog]

RUMOR HAS IT (pt. 10)

(Drew Starkey one-shot)

This is not a full on story but if you want more l'll be happy to add on upon request

Plot: in which drew and isobel address a false rumor in the most abstract of ways

Setting: isobel & drew and their families attend the company business cocktail

Disclaimer: Isobel is an OC, 18+

TABLE OF CONTENTS:

PART NINE

“You should’ve seen the look on her face when she saw it was me in storage room and not you.”

Drew was doing his best to act disinterested as his younger brother Chandler rambled on about Isobel. He didn’t even have to initiate the topic of conversation, as soon as he slipped into his truck Chandler was detailing every part of the interaction he had with her earlier in the day.

He wasn’t expecting to be driving the two of them to the cocktail tonight, but internally he didn’t mind his brother’s company if it entailed Drew listening silently while he talked about the girl racing through his mind. It felt like she was running through his veins, coating the tip of his tongue, and embedding herself into his brain. For the past two weeks his mind and body had been consumed by her, and after leaving that room he swore he could see a glimpse of her each time he closed his eyes to blink.

This wasn’t the first time Drew had liked a girl, he’d experienced the first fleeting moments of a crush when all of his thoughts consisted of them, but those were physical relationships. Situations where he wasn’t looking past a hookup and women he hadn’t cared about.

Hearing that Isobel was looking forward to seeing him at some point before their impromptu meeting in her bedroom warmed his heart in way he’d only felt with her. In the same way that he felt hearing her tell him that she missed would have. He feigned for that warmth from Isobel, it was something he wanted to chase to the ends of the earth—like a drug addict trying to chase that first high from the most potent drug.

“You have my girl under a spell-“

“Your girl?” Those were the first words Drew had spoken since he put his car in drive. Now they were exiting the vehicle in the parking lot of the C&S building.

Chandler’s grin was wide as they rounded the front of the truck to step onto the sidewalk that led to the entrance of the event. He knew he shouldn’t be reacting to to an eighteen year old’s words that held absolutely no weight, he was also aware that he should probably shut the conversation down because they were literally standing a few feet outside the family business—but here he was anticipating his brother’s next words so he could crush whatever fantasy he had playing in his head.

“Yes, Drew, just because you’ve somehow convinced her to want you doesn’t erase the fact that I’ve wanted her for two years.” Chandler looked smug as he spoke making Drew’s eyes roll in annoyance at how juvenile his logic was.

He rested his arm on the hood of his truck and swallowed down the irritation in his throat, “I didn’t convince Isobel to do anything.” The look on Chandler’s face was incredulous as if hearing the words out loud made it even more unbelievable.

He still hadn’t explicitly admitted to being involved with Isobel, Chandler just assumed and they now went on as if it was an understood thing. He didn’t owe any explanation to anyone, and especially not to him. What he and Isobel had came naturally, an unexpected thing that was almost ten years in the making and knocked his world sideways.

She was a beautiful woman in ways he hadn’t found beguiling in someone he was attracted to until he saw those qualities in Isobel. Her outer beauty was captivating any man could see that, but it was what she showed him on the inside no matter how stubborn she was that made his heart pound in admiration. Isobel was sweet to people who didn’t deserve her respect, resilient in moments where most would lose control, and willing with her heart when it came to him—a man who took years to notice her.

She got her heart broken the first time she braved herself to give it to a man that took her for granted, but on that random afternoon in December she was fearless in giving a piece of herself to Drew.

“So you’re telling me after all this time she just willingly gave you of all people a chance?”

Drew smiled at the thought of it, in simple terms that had been exactly what happened between them and he wouldn’t ever take that for granted. He couldn’t shake the smile as he began to walk down the sidewalk, giving him a shrug before mumbling, “I don’t know what you’re talking about, buddy.”

Chandler jogged behind him, the sound of his leather dress shoes hitting the pavement as he caught up with him within a few steps and wrapping an arm around his shoulders. One notable attribute about men in their family was their height, and somehow his younger brother had a few inches on him. It was nothing any one loosely observing would notice, but a fact two brothers realized when he eventually surpassed him last year.

“Well, at least tell me who made the first move.” He grabbed Drew’s arm so he would stop his trek into the front doors, “Just put me out of misery so I don’t have to wonder.”

His mind reeled at his question, immediately going back to that first intimate moment with her. When his eyes drunk her in as she lounged comfortably on the sofa with her face bare of any makeup in her most natural state, and that switch went off that made him feel like he had to have her. That made him want to touch and graze every inch of her with his hands, and kiss her until the feeling of her sweet lips was imprinted into his own.

His desires felt so dire in that moment when he gave into them and stole that kiss from her mouth. Looking back he realized everything felt purely physical in that moment, it was spontaneous as they both clung to the high of a first hookup, but as he reflected he just appreciated that she could trust him enough to let him in.

Drew just kept his gaze neutral as he stared back at his brother who looked desperate for an answer that wasn’t coming, but he did offer him a look that made instant relief wash over Chandler’s face. A simple raise of his eyebrows and cock of his head was enough to satiate his curiosity, “Of course! That’s all I needed to know.”

“What’s that supposed to mean, Chandler?” Drew questioned. He was now the one stopping the other from entering the cocktail, and once again anticipating his next words.

A chuckle rumbled from Chandler’s mouth obviously finding this situation amusing more than devastating to his ego, “It means I didn’t see it at first, but after figuring this all out ever since you’ve gotten back the look on your face looks like someone who accidentally struck gold.”

Isobel’s inappropriate actions in the last hour forced her to ruin the impending outfit reveal she had in store for her mother. Lora was the only person in the household who cared enough to own a steamer, and unfortunately she had insisted to be the one to get the wrinkles out of the dress.

The dramatic gasp she let out when she saw the dress hanging on her wardrobe door wasn’t as entertaining as it would have been if she saw it on her body when she made her way down the stairwell. Isobel had always hated being the center of attention, but she couldn’t deny that she loved the moments her mother looked at her as if she was the center of her world.

Someone looking at you that way made a feeling of pressure wash over anyone to continue to be the person who deserved to be perceived that way. With a mother that type of love was unconditional, she knew Lora would gaze at her that way for the rest of her days—but with a man that wasn’t guaranteed. So when she looked at Drew whenever his blue eyes fell on her in admiration or simply just to look at her and she saw that familiar twinkle it unnerved her.

She’d been stupid enough to put someone on a pedestal like that once in her life, she knew that she was capable of feeling for someone that intensely. Her last relationship had even taught her someone could mimic that stare that made her feel whole and wanted, but she wasn’t scared of Drew deceiving her, it was that she could do something that didn’t live up to this idea of her he displayed so clearly in his eyes.

She finished doing her makeup and unrolling her hair until a mass of silky curls framed her face while her mother steamed her dress to perfection, and when she finally stepped into the event clad in the white dress that made Lora so happy with a pair of four-inch heels tapping the glossy floors each step, she felt amazing.

Her father, more formally known as Richard Cooper, approached them just as the nice attendant checked her coat, “My, my, my, my don’t my girls look beautiful tonight.”

He smoothly kissed their hands before gently grasping and lifting them up to twirl her and her mother around. Lora was wearing an elegant and dazzling, black gown that gracefully flowed down her body and showed off her bronzed shoulders. Richard always looked at Isobel with great esteem from when she was an impressionable little to girl to now as a well-rounded young adult. That look had always made her feel special and seen, it was different than how she felt with her mother. The difference wasn’t major, but it was something she took note of as she got older. She’d never met anyone else like her father and there would never be another man that could come close.

She loved the feeling of being around family, the only word to describe that feeling that would encapsulate it would be that it felt like home. It was something she could only hope to find in a lover. She knew it was out there somewhere, but she also knew that it was possible to find that feeling in the wrong places.

She stood aside when he turned to give his full attention to his wife, wrapping his big, burly arms around her as they took each other in. Isobel admired her parents for about a minute before her eyes began to wander around the crowded ballroom looking for one man in particular.

“Isobel you look stunning this evening.” The voice sounded like Drew’s but this one was deeper and well seasoned with age. She twisted around on her feet to face Charles Starkey, her father’s business partner and Drew’s father. A smile she could never seem to fight when it came to him broke onto her lips.

She said she’d never met another man that could compare to all that her father was, but Charles came pretty close, “Thank you, Chuck, that means a lot coming from the fashion police.”

When she was in high school Charles would be at the house on occasion working with her dad and whenever Isobel would go out with friends he would be sitting with her father downstairs chiming in as he taunted her about her choice of dress. Richard would never tell Isobel what she could and couldn’t wear, but always made sure to share his opinion. It became an ongoing joke between the three and even at the age of twenty-two they still acted as if they needed to give her outfits their stamp of approval.

“Hey you know I always have your best interest,” his words trailed as his attention seemed to veer off onto something behind her, when his eyes settled in one general direction he spoke again, “Remember when I used to tell you no boy would ever be good enough for you? Don’t you ever forget it.”

Charles was still looking past her until Richard called him over and he sauntered off without another word. For such a short interaction it left her feeling slightly perturbed, and when she turned to look behind her there was Drew. His face contorted in deep thought with his eyes trained on his father and Chandler standing beside him running his mouth.

His glare was cold, she felt it in the first second his gaze slid to meet her brown eyes then in a blink they warmed. The grey suit on his body did wonders for her imagination especially since he’d been clad in it when he was pressed against her. Isobel has seen Drew in a suit more times than she could remember, but now this was the best he’d ever looked—he looked like a man. His muscles bulged in his sleeves, and his slacks hugged his thighs in the most delicious way that made her want to run her hands up the expanse of them.

Just looking at him brought all there intimate moments to the forefront of her mind, making her dress feel tight on her skin.

Drew felt paralyzed as if his feet were glued to the polished floors. His father’s glare always had the ability to pin him in place from a young age, it was the sharp edge that was always there reminding Drew he was also in the know—that he could sense something was different. And even with his eyes now on the girl who made him feel invincible like he could prove he was good enough, he still fell static.

She watched him for awhile before strutting over in those heels she loved to wear, they made her legs look like they could go on forever. He quickly assessed her, noting the wrinkles he’d caused in the fabric of her dress were no longer corrupting the flow of the material—but the memory stained the dress with the little sounds she made, how she perfectly she fit against his body, and the things she always divulged whenever he touched her.

You just make me want to be bad.

Isobel’s words while they were in that compromising position went straight to his dick. He’d never wanted another woman as much as her, his body fed off her every movement and word, anticipating the moment he could get closer to her—physically and mentally.

Then the unintended implications of her statement settled as it replayed in his head. She was the good girl that they both knew he shouldn’t be touching, the guy who could break her heart again cause that’s what he did with other girls. Drew liked the forbidden aspect of the relationship, he also didn’t mind keeping it a secret between the two, but hearing her verbalize her want for him in that light unsettled him.

Because despite the secrecy, what he had with Isobel was pure and good—that’s what he wanted to remember the start of Isobel and Drew as.

“Chandler go get Isobel a drink.” Drew ordered when Isobel finally stopped in front of them with a smile, though a look of confusion consumed her features when he spoke.

Chandler’s enamored eyes moved away from Isobel’s dazzling appearance, “Dude, she’s not drinking-“

“Get her a water.” He cut his brother off already knowing the excuse he was about to give, squeezing his shoulder tightly, he’d done this as long as he could remember when he wanted Chandler to do something, and it worked for the most part.

He exhaled dramatically before rolling his eyes and walking off, grumbling profanities under his breathe. “Drew I’m not thirsty.” Isobel giggled, she’d always found their brotherly back and forth to be amusing.

“I know I’m just prepping you in case you decide to indulge.” He smiled as he got lost in her beauty, but he really just wanted a moment alone. Her nose scrunched at him poking fun at her low drinking tolerance before she let a smile form on her lips and rolled those beautiful dark eyes.

“Stop teasing me, Drew.” She chided with attitude though her cheeks were slightly pink, he loved when Isobel got shy even when they were growing up. Embarrassing and teasing her until that shy smile and blush bloomed on her face was his guilty pleasure and now it just captivated him more.

That reaction was intimate and vulnerable and he longed to see her in the ways she tried to hide from the world.

Drew made Isobel feel warm, she didn’t distinguish the feeling at first because it was overshadowed by racing hormones, but thinking back on all their moments together that consistent feeling of warmth always remained. In such little time she’d become in tune with his moods and body language—so much so that the slightest shift caught her attention—so when his eyes dimmed a fraction her body buzzed with concern.

“What were you and my dad talking about over there?” He sounded tense as if asking the question was a physical struggle.

And in his eyes, that he vividly expressed himself in despite how much he revealed when he talked, the vibrant blue muted to a duller shade. She felt strange about the brief conversation with Charles in the moment, but it hadn’t made her overthink until she saw the look on Drew’s face. “Nothing out of the usual just being the same old over protective, Chuck—Why?”

She wanted to reach out and just touch him, to place her hand on his arm to distract him from whatever was bothering him—but she couldn’t—she’d insisted on that. Drew and his father had a bumpy relationship when he got older, she’d always viewed their little spats as rudimentary, but in this moment it seemed to be so much more.

“It’s nothing, just wondering why he always has to look like an asshole.” Drew mumbled.

Usually she would scold him for calling his father out of name, but it felt justified—especially after this mood he’d just fallen into. It was little things like this she didn’t realize would change, the internal aspects of herself—it was scary to think about the change inside of her that was happening without her knowledge.

“Isobel, I know you don’t like sparkling, so I went and got you a glass out of the kitchen.” Chandler pushed a cup of water that was sloshing around in a clear glass in her direction, his sudden appearance making the both of them jump, “Also Lora wants you to come over and meet someone.”

Drew watched in silence as Isobel’s eyes visibly lit up in appreciation, and he was instantly jealous he wasn’t the one to do that for her, “You’re such a kiss ass, Chandler.” He insulted as she walked away after giving his little brother a hug that left him swooning.

Part of him envied the way Chandler got to parade his fondness for Isobel so openly and how it was viewed in such an innocent light.

That damn dress could very well be the death of him, but in truth anything she wore could send his eyes boggling, it was her beautiful body that made every single thing she wore sin. Even seeing her in an apron had him on edge just a night ago.

The group of people she approached consisted of Lora, Catherine, and another woman with a younger man who looked to be her son from the similarities he could observe from across the room.

“That’s definitely a set up.” Chandler said smugly while also staring over in her direction as she shook the unknown woman’s hand. Drew’s words caught in his throat the next second when the man who looked about the same age as them pulled Isobel into a hug. Isobel stiffly obliged as he watched one of her arms wrap hesitantly around his torso, but his hands were anything but modest taking the opportunity to place both hands on her waist. “What do you mean?” He asked without looking away but to his relief the hug was short, with Isobel being the first to pull away.

“Come on don’t be delusional, Brother.” Chandler sighed and clasped his hand on his shoulder as if he was consoling him.

But he needed to be delusional in this moment because if he entertained the idea of anyone thinking they could have Isobel in anyway he would march over there and ruin the entire evening. It had always been hard for Drew to accept the idea of her with another man, before it may have been him being protective but the feeling was so familiar he just may have been being unknowingly possessive over her.

Now he wanted every part of her to be his even if it was just merely her attention, he wanted her mom to know that she didn’t have to set her up because she already belonged to him—he just wanted to be a fucking consideration in their heads.

His nails pierced into his palms as his left hand tightened into fists while his other squeezed the base of the glass tumbler resting in it at the sight of the guy leading Isobel over to a vacant table. Mystery man’s movements were labored and slowed like something was impairing him from moving coherently.

They talked for a while and Drew watched, staring bullet holes into the side of the man’s head so intensely he was surprised he couldn’t feel his presence. Isobel obviously did as her eyes locked on his glare like a latch, she gave him an eyebrow raise and soft smile, but it did nothing to alleviate his nerves. All he could manage to do was stare back and purse his lips, harshly clenching his jaw in discontent.

Her courter must have noticed she was no longer paying attention and his wavering eyes tried to follow her line of sight but never landed on him—then Drew’s entire body stiffened, watching him round the table and block off her entire body from him. Anxiety swarmed in his gut at not being able to see her, he was now squeezing his cup so tightly it could break into a thousand tiny shards from the pressure until there was one second Drew couldn’t see her and the next he saw her step back as she forcibly yanked her arm away from his grip.

Within his next intake of a breathe he was storming over to her, “Drew, wait!”

He heard his brother voice, but it was useless Drew was going to get to her no matter what chaos ensued. He had tunnel envision, but before he could close in on the two a hand grabbed his shoulders and held him back. He turned to see his father standing beside him, and in a blur Richard rushing over in long strides to shove the man away from his daughter with just one arm movement.

Isobel immediately attached herself herself to her father as he wrapped a protective arm around her, Drew’s body jerked to go to her at the look of distress on her face but his father’s hold restricted him. He looked over to Charles again but this glance halted any further struggling. His face held an indifferent look, but in there somewhere in those blue eyes he’d passed down to him there was pride and understanding.

And for the first time in years, in his father’s embrace, under his heavy gaze, Drew exhaled.

Table of Contents:

CHAPTER ELEVEN

[bluebayousblog]

RUMOR HAS IT (pt. 9)

(Drew Starkey one-shot)

This is not a full on story but if you want more l'll be happy to add on upon request

Plot: in which drew and isobel address a false rumor in the most abstract of ways

Setting: isobel & drew deal with temptation on the day of the business cocktail

Disclaimer: Isobel is an OC, 18+

TABLE OF CONTENTS:

PART EIGHT

Isobel slept horribly that night, constantly in a state of limbo between being awake and drifting off into a well needed slumber. Her mind refused to let her fully succumb to her exhaustion with thoughts of Drew filling her head.

He slept in the guest room like he said he would, and the mere knowledge of his existence on the floor below her disrupted her entire being. Before getting back to town she convinced herself that they could get through the break as if nothing had changed between them. It was easy to think that when she wasn’t in the moment—when she was hoping she could keep herself in check.

She was wrong. The damage to anything that could be just friendly with Isobel and Drew was done, it was hard to resist the urge to kiss and touch him when the feeling of it was so fresh on her brain. It was only a day ago that her body had been pinned under his hard one with him roughly molding his soft lips with hers as his hands roamed her body like he was trying to cover every inch of her.

There wasn’t one part of her that felt like she could pretend as if she didn’t want Drew or not feel the need to be around him. It wasn’t coming easily to her, and being in his presence despite their family being there only made it harder to act like he didn’t affect her in every way.

That moment in the kitchen at the end of the night proved to her if she didn’t at least try to control herself, even if every cell in her body was telling her otherwise, she wouldn’t last much longer on this break.

So she left him standing there alone in the middle kitchen.

She couldn’t even tell him goodnight because from that dark look in his eyes he looked to be about a word away from snapping. He let her walk way untouched, and she retired to her room where she got ready for bed just to lie awake.

The hairs on her arms erected at the thought of being able to roll out of her bed, and creep down the steps to him. She wanted him to tell her the thoughts that were running through his mind as he hungrily gazed at her just an hour before. In the heat of his stare she would’ve let him do anything to her, even if it was something as risky as kiss her lips or even him closing the distance between them just to simply touch her.

Still, she had to see it for what this all was. Just being in the heat of the moment together, and not realizing how different the next second be—that she could walk away and avoid crossing the line with him in her parents’ kitchen.

She lied restless in the comfort of her bed for hours thinking of what could have happened if she’d just let go, and when she finally did fall asleep she thought of him in her dreams.

By the time she was roused from her struggled sleep by the sun pouring in through the window, she assumed Drew was gone and helping with preparation for the business cocktail. She hated sleeping in past nine, but she expected no less at the hour she was able to drift off.

When she finally made her way downstairs to the kitchen the house was quiet and most likely empty, but there was breakfast sitting on the island for her. Her parents left a note beside it stating their whereabouts at the company ballroom. As she slowly ate her way through a bowl of fruit she couldn’t help but check Drew’s message thread on her phone and look for a morning message that didn’t exist.

Isobel eventually made her way to the C&S building mid day to drop off some supplies for her mother who was of course running around trying to do last minute tasks for the cocktail.

“Isobel, Thank God!” Lora exasperated, standing in place for probably the first time today so she could pull the filled tote bag out of Isobel’s hands, “The place cards are in here, thank you for bringing them, Angel.”

The breath was knocked out of her as her mother tightly wrapped her arms around her waist in gratitude, “You’re welcome, Mom.” She managed to get out.

Isobel followed her mother while she stopped at each table to place down the cards according to the seating chart she had her reading aloud to speed up the process. They’d been through majority of the tables and she still hadn’t seen Drew around anywhere. She knew it probably was for the best that he was preoccupied, but the greedy part of her just wanted to see a glimpse of him.

She watched Lora sit down the final place card, but before Isobel could ask where everyone was her mother spoke first, “What are you wearing tonight?”

“I have a few options.” She vaguely answered knowing it would drive her insane. Isobel actually adored the white dress her mother insisted she wear to last nights dinner, but when she tried it on she figured it’d be the perfect piece for the cocktail. It was simple yet such a stunning dress and hugged her body in a manner that just made her feel sexy. Choosing the black one for dinner was to save the best option for tonight, and to of course work her mother’s nerves.

“Oh, well I can’t wait to see what you come up with.” Lora forced a smile. It took all of Isobel’s restraint not to laugh at how dramatic she was being about that dress. Seeing her mother’s excitement later on when she see’s it on her body will be worth the current disappointment on her face.

“Isobel!” Drew’s mother Catherine called as she made her way across the room to the pair. She immediately pulled Isobel into her arms, her hugs were a little more breathable than her mom’s but still tight nonetheless. “You better wear that dress tonight before your poor mom has an aneurysm.” She lowly whispered in her ear.

Catherine pinched her on the side as they pulled away to which Isobel offered her a smile, not giving her planned attire away because if she told Catherine then Lora would know as soon as she left for home to get ready. Her and Drew’s mother were extremely close and you couldn’t tell one anything without the other eventually finding out. The two literally gossiped for sport.

Isobel shared a bond with Catherine she held close to heart just as she did with her own parents, and internally she was praying she wouldn’t hate her for what she was doing with her son. Hate was a strong feeling to describe Drew’s mother ever feeling towards her, but when their family had never slightly entertained the idea of them being together it was easy to go to extremes in her head.

“Honey, I have to run and pick up Charles’ suit for tonight, so could you do me a favor and make sure Drew finishes putting everything away in the back?” Catherine was still talking, but Isobel was still focused on finally hearing anyone mention the man that had her hyper-aware of his possible presence for the past hour.

“-and grab that envelope full of tickets off the desk in the back office, I’ll get them from you later.”

Isobel caught her last request before agreeing because firstly she didn’t mind, secondly her mother would actually have an aneurysm if she did otherwise, and thirdly she just really wanted to see Drew.

“I’ll see you guys later on, Love you!” She said over her shoulder as she headed towards the back hall where the storage room was.

When she rounded the corner and glanced down the entryway she didn’t hear any movement or sign of life besides the door being open.

“Drew?” She called out his name as she entered the seemingly empty room that usually stored all the event equipment for the company to utilize whenever the time arose.

A clatter of what sounded like plastic grabbed her attention, but when she looked over towards the direction of the noise there stood the youngest of the Starkey brothers, Chandler groaning as he leaned down to pick up a chair that was obviously not cooperating with what he was trying to do, “Drew left about an half hour ago-“

He eventually looked up from the stack of chairs he had leaning against the wall, and when his eyes landed on her all signs of frustration dropped from his features, “Hey, uh, Isobel what are you doing back here?” He awkwardly chuckled and moved as he shoved his hands in his pockets after he scratched the back of his head, and crossed then uncrossed his arms like he didn’t know what to do with himself.

“Your mom sent me back here, need some help?” She asked with a giggle as another chair slid from the stack onto the floor. He groaned again at the loudness of the plastic furniture and nodded his head in defeat before moving aside, “I wasn’t expecting it to be you back here, your mom said Drew was the one in here.”

He rolled his eyes at her words as Isobel somehow figured out a way to balance all the remaining chairs against the wall without any problem, “Of course she did, she begs me to be here but doesn’t even have the decency to get our names right.”

Isobel just laughed at the boy as his eyes snapped back over to her and seemed to twinkle in amusement at her entertaining his attempt at humor.

“Are you disappointed?” He asked with reservation in his tone, all previous delight on his face gone and replaced with coolness.

The question made her sort of still at the vagueness of it, and the vulnerability that slightly laced his tone despite how collected he was trying to be, “What do you mean, disappointed about what?”

He pulled his right hand out of his pocket to scratch the back of his head again and his cheeks were a little red telling her he was getting nervous. Ever since he turned sixteen two years ago this is how most of their conversations went when they got past more than a few sentences. Isobel found his little crush adorable, but Chandler was honestly like a little brother to her—if anything she hung out with him more than Drew when they were fourteen and he was just barely ten.

“That it’s me here and not Drew.”

Yes.

God, that made her feel like a horrible, boy obsessed excuse for a human, but it was just circumstance. Drew was heavy on her mind, and being told the man she could not stop thinking about was just a room away and that not being the case was grounds for disappointment.

Chandler didn’t need to know that, so she lied, “I’m always happy to see you, Chandler.”

She supplied a soft smile as he just looked at her, his eyes dropped to her mouth before shaking his his head in what seemed to be disbelief and chuckling, “Okay.”

“What?” Isobel questioned, anxiety curling into her gut at his unexpected reaction to her answer. Was the smile too much?

Chandler gestured for her to follow him after he crossed something off a list he had pulled up on a company tablet. She abided and silently trailed behind his tall stature, all the men in his family towered over her including him even if he was four years younger.

“I know what’s going on, but since you went out of your way to try to get me to believe that horrible excuse for a lie I won’t verbalize it.” He kept his attention ahead until he finished speaking then looked at her with an amused smiled before shaking his head in the same manner as before.

For some reason that bothered her more than his implication, that no one in their respective families not even Chandler could fathom a relationship between Isobel and Drew. Though, it made her feel a fraction better that his crush on her made him biased by default.

She stopped walking and he immediately sensed it as he halted and turned to face her. She studied his face while they just stood in silence the longer she didn’t speak the more he seemed to look amused by her. She continued to look at him waiting for that feeling of horror or anxiety to take over, but it didn’t come.

“I don’t what you’re talking about.” Isobel pathetically supplied, moving past him to make her way to the back office. She figured if she was going to lie to him again she she should do it with her back facing him.

Chandler followed in suit behind her, standing in the doorway of the office that was designated for all event obligations while Isobel rounded the desk to grab the envelope sitting directly in the center of the flat, wooden surface, “That is exactly what Drew said.”

Her eyes snapped up from the envelope to his that annoyingly held a knowing glint in them. Drew hadn’t said anything about Chandler saying something to him last night, but between the multiple almost broken dishes and the all consuming tension between them he didn’t have the opportunity.

She couldn’t help but revisit every interaction she shared with Drew last night. Sure, they’d shared little glances, but could something as little as holding eye contact be enough for his little brother to catch on? And if so who else was watching?

The anxiety she was waiting for out in the hall was now blanketing over her entire body.

“We should go it’s getting close to the evening time.” She said, letting out an indifferent huff of air.

She slid the envelop in her purse for safekeeping and locked the door to the office behind her just in case any guests wandered back there.

“How are you going to get home?” Chandler asked Isobel when they reached the entry way.

“Drew isn’t coming to get me if that’s what you’re getting at.” She gave him a playful glare, she was never able to just be mean to him even when he annoyed her beyond lengths.

No one being home when she woke up meant she had to taxi over to C&S, so she just planned to wait around until her mother was done perfecting every detail until she was ready to leave which wasn’t ideal but her only option.

“That’s not what I meant, Isobel.” His smile was wide at her defensive reaction. She seemed to be constantly making a fool of herself in front of Drew these past few weeks, and now she was doing the same around his brother. “Would you like a ride home?”

“Only If you don’t mind and promise to keep today to yourself?”

“Anything for Isobel.” Chandler wrapped an around her shoulder and guided her to the entrance of the building before adding, “But I have to say this just proves the point that nice guys finish last.”

•

Once Isobel got home she immediately cleaned and shaved her entire body. Her thoughts prolonged the time she spent under the scorching water with the amount of times she dissociated while lathering her skin with her vanilla wash and as she watched her pink razor glide up legs.

Part of her still wanted to see Drew, to talk to him about Chandler—or just to steal a kiss from his lips. Then there was the sensible side of her that wanted to keep the distance so things couldn’t get anymore complicated. It had been a day and her plan to not share their relationship with their family was spreading her thin.

Doing her best to keep a positive mindset about all of this she put all her energy into her post bathroom rituals. Slipping on her satin robe and lathering her skin with her favorite moisturizer. Maybe tonight called for at least one glass of champagne to calm her nerves.

The Cooper’s estate looked the same in the evening as it did in the early hours of the morning when Drew left without being able to see or bid a goodbye to Isobel. Leaving her without doing so made him feel scattered, like there still something he needed to do.

Drew was the first of his family to be dressed for the business cocktail. Now his mother was sending him over to get something from Isobel since she had to go straight to the event from their home. He’d made sure to text Isobel that he was on the way over, but he’d yet to receive a response.

He punched in the code to the front door and let himself into the main foyer before shutting the door behind him. An intruder would think that the place was empty due to the quietness, but as he got closer to the stairs he could hear a familiar hum of a melody flowing down to his welcoming ears. He’d always been drawn to to sound the of her voice whether she was mindlessly singing a song or simply speaking to him.

The trek up the staircase was made short from him skipping every other step, after not having seen her all day his patience was wearing thin. Her door was cracked when he approached it making way for the sweet smell of vanilla to grace his nose. He would never be able to smell that note in a candle or perfume ever again because he would be taken back to a time where he was becoming infatuated with all that she was—a time where it sort of hit him all at once.

“Isobel.”

She knew Drew probably knocked before the door let out a whine as the hinges were turned, but all she heard was the sound of his deep voice. He said her name just as he always did, always sounding so gentle yet commanding. She didn’t turn to face him though, not in the current state she was in with her dress resting on the expanse of her waist only covering her bottom half.

Her only reaction was placing an arm across her breast before she froze in place keeping her back facing him.

“Shit, I can come back.” He seemed to struggle to say as he cleared his throat.

She got the urge to twist around towards him, but stopped herself, remembering she was half naked and eagerly replied, “No! Just come in and, um, shut the door.” She stumbled over her words.

The decision was instinctive, she didn’t think it over before she said it. Isobel wanted to see him, to be alone with him, to just be with him. A moment after a day apart where it was just Isobel and Drew no matter what it entailed.

Drew didn’t argue with the woman as he pushed the door closed behind him, but his eyes stayed on her exposed back. She could tell him to do anything and he probably would do it without hesitancy. Backs weren’t usually his thing, but right now with her muscles pulled tight while she was presumably shielding her breast had his blood rushing.

“You can come closer, Drew, I need help with my dress anyway.” Fuck. He was going to dissipate into thousands of tiny pieces of nothing if he got anywhere near Isobel, but he still walked over to her and immediately was suffocated by her scent. She smelled like a woman, she was his favorite smell, and no other woman would ever be able replicate how it made him feel.

It was times where he was this close to her admiring her smooth skin, the curve of her hips and back that led to her inviting neck that he treasured her the most. It was the intimate moments like this, the things Isobel wanted to keep just between them that he was able to appreciate her in ways no one else could, “Can I touch you, Isobel?”

Isobel hummed in permission because if she spoke she’s not sure what she would have decided. She knew they were pushing boundaries, but she wanted this.

His arms slid around her waist with a sort of familiarity that made her backside melt into his body as he pulled her into his embrace. The hard feeling of his chest and torso being pressed against her made her body heat in response—it made her brain turn to gush.

Then she felt him lean down to her height so he could tuck his chin into the side of her neck and all logic slipped from her mind.

“I missed you today, Izzy.” He mumbled into her ear.

His deep voice had goosebumps scattering down her arms, she knew he could see it, watching her body react to him. They both looked as his hands flattened on her stomach, rubbing the soft skin before he pushed down against it with his palm ripping a gasp from her throat, “Don’t ignore me, Is.”

“You weren’t, uh-“ she trailed off when she felt him press his groin into her backside. She thickly swallowed as a surge of desire fluttered in her gut. He lowered his right hand to her thigh pinching it, urging her to keep going like his dick wasn’t nestled against her ass. “-I didn’t see you at C&S earlier when I stopped by.”

Drew stayed silent behind her, and not being able to see him in this position made her aware of everything else. The way his rough hands felt grazing her belly, the shallowness of his breaths as his chest rose and fell against her. And now how his fingers tips felt tapping teasingly along the length of her arm that she was using to cover her chest. Her nipples pebbled against it causing her breasts to ache as she unconsciously tightened her hold.

“You were looking for me?” He mumbled with his mouth still brushing her left ear. She let her eyes flutter close at the sound of his voice, at the way the teasing tone could pass for a sensual whisper, “Did you miss me too?”

As Isobel hesitated to answer him he applied more pressure to her abdomen, coincidentally pushing her ass against the swell of his hardening dick. She skipped a breathe while he cleared his throat behind her.

The urge to satisfy his curiosity and caress his ego so he knew he wasn’t the only one missing the other came too easily to her. But she couldn’t always give him exactly what he wanted.

“I was fine actually.”

She was killing him, slowly, softly, torturously, in a way that just made him want her more. With her words still up in the air, it was then he realized how badly he wanted to hear her say that she missed him. It wouldn’t just be a careless reply to his confession, but a sweet endearment he longed to hear from her lips, “Yeah?”

“Mhm.” Was all she gave him back, but she dragged it out in way that made him bite his lip as the sound hit him right in his lower stomach. He was distracted, his mind so occupied with the feel of her body in his arms he’d forgotten exactly who he was dealing with.

Before he knew it she was using her free hand as leverage, slightly leaning forward as she held onto to his forearm so she could grind her round ass against his dick. She’d been able to wind her hips in a single torturous circular motion before he restricted her movements, gripping her hips with both of his hands and loudly kissed his teeth, “Fuck, stop.”

“Why?” He could hear the pout in her voice as he eyed the way the fabric of her dress had gathered slightly above her ass so her panty covered heat was pressed to his suit pants.

“You said you didn’t want this.” As much he liked having her like this, he couldn’t let this go any further without considering the things she’d enforced in his truck just over a day ago. That’s all it took, a day to go against everything they agreed on. The position he had her in was far from platonic, but they could still stop before things got out of control.

“I know.” Her tone was detached and it made him loosen his hold on her a bit, but she stayed where she was as she seemed to think over her next words, “You just make me want to be bad, Drew.”

His name left her mouth like a prayer, like she was calling out to him in mercy. She let the arm holding her breasts drop and his eyes averted elsewhere not wanting to make her uncomfortable thinking she was ready to finish getting dressed. Until her hands covered his bigger ones, threading her fingers between his and guided them upward. He couldn’t help but press himself further into her when the feeling of her breasts filled his palms, squeezing them when he was suddenly hit with another pang of pleasure.

Isobel didn’t recognize her own voice, or believe the things she was saying. But that’s how everything felt with Drew—uncharted and unexpected. She loved the person she became when was baring herself to him. Sure most of their relationship was physical but he’d somehow managed to get her to strip some of her mental restraints, even if it was just a little.

“Bend over.” The quietness in the room and the knowledge that the house was empty besides them two made the order slice through the room, echoing in her ears in repetitive waves.

Isobel slowly obeyed sliding her hands across the bed as his dropped from her breasts, pushing forward until her sensitive nipples grazed the coolness of her comforter. She waited for about a minute or two, just laying there looking ahead with her ass up and thighs against the mattress.

Then blindly she felt him press his covered dick in between the cheeks of her ass until he was nestled between them, but it was when she felt him fold the skirt of her dress up so she was fully exposed to him that she began to pant from her heart racing.

The sound of a growl disrupted the silence and amplified when she wiggled her hips teasingly. He slid his hands up her ass, giving it a soft pinch before continuing on to her lower back, but when she heard the sound of her zipper being pulled up she whined in disappointment, “Drew.”

“What baby?” He replied and Isobel’s mouth dropped open at the endearment before clamping it back shut, that word alone may be her undoing.

The endearment sounded natural on his lips as if he’d been calling her that for as long as she could remember, and her eardrum’s purred in need for him to say it over and over again.

Baby.

Drew slipped his hand under her stomach pulling her up so he could get more of the dress zipped. He heard her audibly sigh when she pulled the front of her dress up, covering herself before turning to face him with the cutest pout on her lips. They could’ve gone so much further but all he wanted from her as he looked down at her was a kiss.

“I don’t want to stop.” Isobel mumbled while wrapping her arms around him and placing her chin on his chest, “You always do this to me.”

Drew chuckled at her words with his eyes still trained on her mouth. Thinking back he had been the one to pump the breaks every time things got intense between them, but he was doing it for both of their sakes.

And while being home around family and seeing the way everyone looked at her with such adoration made him realize just what he had. He had no desire to rush things with her, she didn’t deserve that. Trying to fit in a quick hookup before someone got to the house wasn’t how he pictured being physical in any way with her.

Drew wanted to take his time with Isobel.

“Can I kiss you as an apology?” He smirked and tightened his arms around her as she tried to push away from him with a glare. “No you lost your chance.” She affirmed but the smile slipping onto her lips contradicted her denial.

It was now Drew that was poking out his bottom lip in a pout. It took everything for her not a pounce on him when he asked for a kiss, but now with the exaggerated look of sadness it was more than enough excuse to go back on her word.

Isobel leaned up on her toes and closed the distance between them as she pressed her lips to his. His groan and her moan complemented the other in sweet symmetry. She started to pull away but he moved into her pushing her back with the force of his mouth until she dipped backwards in his arms.

“If you two love birds are done, mom’s waiting for you outside in the car, Drew.” A voice that no doubt belonged to Chandler came from other side of the door.

Both of their eyes snapped open as Drew reached around her body and instinctively zipped the rest of her dress up. Isobel stumbled back, pulling herself out of his hold and straightened out the fabric. She caught his gaze again only to see her lipgloss smeared over his lips, and reached up to harshly wipe it off with her thumb before pushing him towards the door.

“We were just talking, Chandler, mind your business.” Drew countered as he opened the door to reveal his nosey little brother.

Chandler took a step forward and leaned against the door frame with his arms cross against his chest. Clad in a suit he looked like was going to be onboarding at C&S just like his older brother in just a few months, “Who knew that both of you were such horrible liars, but maybe seeing through bullshit just comes with age.”

“Let’s just go, Isobel has to finish getting ready.” Drew ignore him, ushering him out of the doorway by his shoulder into the hall, but Chandler managed to twist out of his grasp before facing Isobel again. “Can I get the envelope, Iz?” He requested with an innocent smile.

Drew’s hand tightened into a fist at the sound of his own brother using that nickname for her. It had never been a problem before, but now his endearments for her meant so much more to him—she meant so much more to him.

He watched in silence while she retrieved and handed over the envelope that he’d almost forgotten about to Chandler who still had that annoying grin on his face.

“Oh and Isobel your dress is wrinkled.”

TABLE OF CONTENTS

PART TEN

[bluebayousblog]

RUMOR HAS IT (pt. 8)

(Drew Starkey one-shot)

This is not a full on story but if you want more l'll be happy to add on upon request

Plot: in which drew and isobel address a false rumor in the most abstract of ways

Setting: dinner with the cooper's and starkey's + post dinner

Disclaimer: Isobel is an OC, 18+

TABLE OF CONTENTS:

PART SEVEN

Drew was sat at the Cooper’s mahogany dining table, the light from the crystal chandelier bouncing off the gloss and practically illuminating the plates of food sitting in front of them. He’d awkwardly walked into the room after his father, and chugged his water to try to clear the lump in his throat. The conversation with Charles still fresh on the boy’s mind.

He was sat between his brother and his mother, leaving the woman that had been the subject of his father’s implications to be sitting across from Drew. A blessing because he didn’t have to make a noticeable effort to look at her beautiful face, but a curse due to the man sitting at the end of the table with eyes on his every move. Drew had been confident that he successfully convinced Charles there wasn’t anything going on with him and Isobel, but with every glance or word spoken to her in front of him made it feel like he was looking right through him.

His father’s eyes had always made Drew feel completely exposed growing up, like he could see every thought running through his mind, or sense every word before it left his lips. He just had a way of looking at him and making all of his emotions come to the surface, and it was something Drew had to learn to immunize as he got older.

Drew had never had a problem with anyone knowing about him and Isobel until now. From that first kiss they shared he never felt that urge to keep things quiet like she did because Isobel wasn’t something to hide. Every intimate moment that he’d shared with her thus far felt like a step in the right direction, and for once he felt he made a decision his father would be proud of without his intervention.

Everything about this dinner felt different, usually he would be getting scolded by his mother for being on his phone entertaining some random girl—but now the girl he wanted to talk to was seated in front of him. And it felt like torture not to converse with Isobel like they’d been doing these past few weeks. With both of their families’ present it felt like even a simple utter of a word between the two would give them away.

“Isobel, how’s school treating you?” Drew’s father asked before taking a sip of the whiskey from his glass.

Though Isobel was trying her damnedest to avoid her gaze falling on Drew she was slipping up at times. It took her everything to tear her eyes away but she didn’t miss how his eyes rolled at Charles’ question. She knew the son and father had their problems, but to her Charles was the only other man she felt she could fully trust besides her own father. In the past she would find their little arguments to be petty especially since the reasoning always involved the family company, now she wanted to hear exactly what was on his nerves. They stayed back in the den for a minute, and now seeing Drew visibly bothered was the only thing she could focus her mind on.

“I aced all of my final exams.” Isobel smiled not able to contain just how pleased she was with herself with the accomplishment as she bared all of her teeth.

The table was promptly filled with congratulations, glasses clinking together in cheers as everyone took a celebratory sip, Isobel and Chandler having sips of water of course. One thing she learned early on was that she didn’t have the desire to drink around her family again because when she did have a little bit too much she always became the butt of the joke that never died.

Everyone’s eyes were on her, filled with pride and admiration and then there was Drew. He looked at her with a knowing look in his eye, with a subtle smirk on his plump lips that only she could notice before dropping his dark stare back down to his plate.

“We expected no less, no distracting little boys to throw her off course, right darling?” Isobel’s father, Richard, assumed as he always did since her last breakup.

The table seemed to have gone still at his question, her love life had never been a topic of conversation until she started dating her ex-boyfriend Grayson. And the messy ending she endured put everyone on edge at the idea of her getting into another relationship. For the men at the table it came from more of a protective standpoint while she thinks her mom and Catherine were just interested in who she would date next.

Two weeks ago she could’ve confidently answered his question with an innocent nod without worrying about if anything was giving her away. Now she was overthinking and hopefully not visibly hesitating as she lied to her father in a hum of agreement.

“What about you, Drew?” His mom asked politely behind a napkin.

His eyes snapped to his father who was already looking at him as he leaned back and crossed his arms against his chest. Drew could feel the burn of Isobel’s gaze and it was taking everything not to steal another glance.

“What about me?” He asked around his fork, he wasn’t sure if she was referring to him having a girlfriend or the outcome of the fall semester. For him both of the answers to either of those questions heavily revolved around Isobel.

“Are things going alright for you at school as well?” His mother asked with a smile.

Alright was an understatement for how he felt things were going for him at the moment. Never had he felt so stable in his emotions in his life. When he thought of school he now thought of Isobel. The parties that he always found himself thinking of her for majority of the night, wondering if she was okay before he got distracted with a random girl. The classes he sometimes found himself being late to because he insisted on walking Isobel to her’s after crossing paths. The exams that he almost studied for her with but ended up making out with her instead. The truck his father had gotten him after accepting the job offer at C&S that he made her moan his name in on that chilly night outside the library during finals week.

He’d never returned from school and felt so at ease, never felt so content with where he was. That feeling of needing to get back to some thing or someone at school never settled over him because everything he needed was here in this room.

“Better than ever, Mom.” Drew answered.

The entire dinner Isobel’s body had been hanging on to his every word and movement, no matter what he did her body reacted. And the way he was running his fingers around the rim of his glass while glancing at her while he spoke had goosebumps shooting down her arms.

She felt the implications in his words, it was laced in his body language, in his blue eyes, in the tension exuding off of him. It was tension that only the two felt, and for Isobel it was feeling like she was going to be burned.

“No girls I presume?” Charles knowingly asked behind his glass.

The tips of Drew’s ears heated at the question, he was beyond confused on what his father’s game exactly was. He let the conversation in the den go pretty easily. His accusations were so vague and Drew assumed it was his way of saying a relationship with Isobel would ruin his chances at the company—but with the way he was sitting at the end of the table with that smug look on face had Drew shifting uncomfortably in his seat.

If he wanted to see if he would lie about dating Cooper’s daughter right in front of the man’s face, he was going to get nothing less. If Isobel wasn’t comfortable with them knowing about their relationship that was final, and his obnoxious father wasn’t going to get in the way of keeping her happy.

“No, I’m just trying to put all my focus into C&S, Dad.” He promptly answered, knowing it would please him, and hopefully shift the topic of discussion from his dating life.

There had been a point when all of Drew’s worries consisted of finding a girl to occupy his time, and barely getting his assignments in before the deadline—but things were so obviously different. He’d accepted the job offer from Cooper & Starkey, and everything seemed to fall into place like finding the first piece that starts that first cluster of a puzzle. Finally signing away his life to the family company seemed to have opened his eyes, so he could actually see Isobel. To Drew it felt like his body and mind locked on her when it knew he could take care of her in someway. That was one of his main worries now besides the company, doing everything he could not to disappoint her.

“That’s what I like to hear, but remember it’s okay to find that special someone to share your life with, Drew.” Cooper insisted, his swaying voice capturing the attention of everyone at the table. “It feels good when you start earning your success, but it’s nothing in comparison to having someone standing proudly by your side when you finally get there.”

Though Cooper was speaking to Drew his eyes were on Lora who sat adjacent to him who was gazing back with so much love in her stare. His mother, Catherine, was doing the same, smiling sweetly at his father who seemed to have shed that hard exterior he was always putting forth as he gave her a wink. Drew couldn’t help but think of one woman as he contemplated Cooper’s statement and when he looked up to put a face to the name circling in his head, she was already staring right at him. He hated that no one at this table thought that Isobel could be that special person for him, and it just made him want her more.

Isobel could sense there was something on his mind, her eyes struggling to break from his even with her brain screaming for her to look away. Everyone was distracted by her father’s words, and they were taking full advantage of the heavy moment. As anxiety inducing as it was for Drew to have that dark gaze on her so openly at the table it felt right—to be finally seen by someone she’d shared dinners just like this with so many time before. And for the table conversation to be consisting of talks about building a future, actively seeing understanding form in the eyes of the man that was warming her bed and coincidentally her heart sent heat coursing through her veins.

Everyone had veered off into their own conversations she’d noticed when a clang of a fork hitting the dinnerware knocked her out of a Drew induced trance. Her father and mother and Charles and Catherine muttering things to each other she had no interest in deciphering. Isobel was tired and her dress was feeling a tad bit more uncomfortable then before the dinner began and Drew eventually took his seat across from her.

She was thinking of a respectful out to the rest of dinner just as her mother beat her to her first excuse. “Do you boys think you can help with the set up tomorrow for the business cocktail? We just need the table and chairs placed onto the floor.” Lora sweetly asked, and though she would end up moving things around to her own liking no one was going to object. Isobel sighed to herself knowing getting into business event territory would stretch the dinner time at least half an hour.

Drew immediately agreed, the ‘of course’ he supplied making her fidget in her seat at his raspy voice. Damn her straps were really starting to feel like they were sticking to her skin. She made sure her mother’s attention was occupied by Catherine who was scolding Chandler for his disinterest in helping with setup before she tried to discreetly adjust the fabric on her shoulders. Not being able to garner much of any relief with her own fingers the material snapped against her skin as she released it with a huff of air that she abruptly swallowed once she realized Drew had been watching with tinted eyes. It was that moment the tightness of the her straps transformed into the feeling of a flames searing into her flesh as he focused his attention on the area. His pink lips twisted while his jaw clenched outlining the ruggedness of his facial structure and so clearly highlighting his obvious frustration before he looked away once more.

“Not to rain on the event planning parade, but I told you guys the senior winter bonfire is tonight and I’m going to be late!” Chandler announced and pushed his chair back causing the most ear wrenching screech to sound in the room as he successfully dodged agreeing to help prep tomorrow.

“Is it eight already, honey?” Catherine questioned her youngest son, obvious shock in her voice from how fast time had slipped by. In the contrary Isobel felt like she had been glued in her seat for a never ending five minutes not the hour and half that it had truly been. “Half past actually, I love you all dearly.” Chandler bid a farewell before Drew clamped a hand on his shoulder and stopped him from getting out of his seat.

“Thank you for spending a little extra time with us, buddy, we know you have plans.” Charles reveled at his obvious favorite offspring then fell back into conversation with Isobel’s father.

“You are very welcome, old man, now Drew if you would just let me be on my way-“ He said as he tried to roll his brother’s tight grip off his shoulders before Drew interrupted.

“-Agree to help Lora and Mom tomorrow with setting everything up and you’re free to go.” He squeezed Chandler’s left shoulder tight enough to make him uncomfortable while also letting him know there was only one option to get him to let go.

His bratty, little brother begrudgingly rolled his eyes before finally relenting, “I’ll be there tomorrow as soon as you need me.” He mumbled, but straightened under an annoyed look from Drew, “Promise! Now I really have to go!”

“I’ll walk you to the door.” Drew offered and got out of the seat walking out of the room before Chandler finished saying his goodbyes.

He used the time alone in the hallway to adjust the bulge that had been stretching out his slacks since Isobel came down those stairs, Chandler appeared behind him just as he dropped his hands back to his sides.

They walked to the main foyer in silence, Drew stuffed his hands inside the pockets of his pants, contemplating if he had the energy to scold his brother about helping out his parents every now and then.

“I see you’ve come to your senses.” Chandler smirked while rubbing the shoulder he had been abusing earlier.

Drew’s eyes furrowed in confusion, “Be more specific, Chan.”

His younger brother’s smile had now turned into a full shit eating grin as he stared back towards the dining room and shook his head, “Specific like how fucking good that little black dress looks on Isobel, or how you couldn’t keep your eyes off her towards the end of dinner tonight?”

Fuck.

“Isobel has always been gorgeous.” The man tried to deflect, this was the second family member to try to make presumptions, and he was starting to see why Isobel was so adamant about them putting a pause on things until after break.

“But she’s gorgeous and sexy—the whole fucking package—when I realized that she was also sexy among everything else things were never the same, you know what I mean?” Chandler smiled to himself, that one image of Isobel in that black bikini from two summers ago probably burned into his memory.

Drew knew exactly what he meant, and the shared sentiment was more aggravating than endearing. He hated that he’d shared a similar revelation in regards to Isobel that someone else had.

The way it happened would be something he would never forget. Isobel pulling open her door on a random day in December, her pretty face a pleasing sight to see just as it always was. In his head it was like there was a blur between the time he’d deemed her as just a stunning woman to when those looks suddenly turned tempting. That moment his eyes swept over her body in concentrated interest was so intense every platonic or familial feeling he had for her before ceased to exist. That’s what it felt like to be with Isobel, what it felt like to be with someone you once considered a friend and now craved.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about, be careful tonight.” Drew responded, giving Chandler a smack on the chest and turned to head back to dinner.

“Okay but remember you snooze you lose, and according to my driver’s license I’m now of age to wine and dine her fine ass.” Chandler sang with a smirk before slipping out of the door.

Drew heaved a sigh as he locked the door, all this speculation being thrown at him was wearing him out. When he eventually made his way back into the dining room two seats were empty excluding his own leaving the parents to be giggling over some glasses of red wine, “Where’s Isobel?”

“She’s in the kitchen, why don’t you make yourself useful and help her with the dishes?” His father suggested. Drew had no problem being subject to his father’s rudeness if it meant he could have a moment alone with Isobel.

He couldn’t help but chuckle as he heard Lora give him a thank you followed up with a wine induced giggle. Shaking his head in amusement, he entered the kitchen to find Isobel standing at the kitchen sink washing the plates that they’d been eating off of with carefulness. She was wearing an apron most likely to avoid ruining her dress, the knot she made in the back to secure it to her body causing the silk to ride up in the back, exposing more of her soft looking thighs then she was probably aware of.

Isobel was trying to get the dishes done as fast as she could without breaking her mother’s beloved glass wear. The quicker she could get upstairs to her room and avoid any potential temptation the better. She hated that just thinking of his dark stare was enough to lose a handle on her self control.

Just as she was rinsing the soap off a slippery plate under the kitchen faucet the feeling of a hand tugging the skirt of her dress further down her behind caused her to unexpectedly inhale a breathe of air and the plate to slip from her fingers at the suddenness. The front of her body was then pushed flush against the sink as a hard chest and stomach pressed into her back and reached around to swiftly catch the plate that was seconds away from shattering.

She immediately recognized the hand in front of her and the feel of how his body always fit so well against her own. “You look so domestic, Izzy.” He mumbled lowly into her ear before moving to her side to grab a hand towel to start drying the clean dishes.

The never ending supply of nicknames and the way they always seemed to leave his mouth in a raspy drawl was going to be the death of her. She loved that he always had her name in his mouth, like he couldn’t get enough of saying it, like he knew the affect it had on her.

“I just didn’t want to get wet.” She countered referring to the frilly apron she was wearing, but regretted the words as soon as they left her lips and she definitely regretted them when their fingers brushed during the pass off of a crystal glass—she fumbled the ridiculously expensive cup and he of course caught it on instinct.

Drew cleared his throat ignoring the unintentional innuendo and the vivid image of that night in his truck that had him clenching his jaw as he focused on the task at hand.

“They’ve opened another bottle of wine in there.” He shared and gave her a playful nudge of the elbow to her side, hoping a lighter subject change could get their minds out of the gutter.

“That bottle could end up being the point of no return, we can’t let them finish it.” She giggled and picked up the pace on the dishes then moved to help him dry the rest of the dishes, “Then again it will be funny to know you have to drive your drunk parents home.” They’d experienced plenty of nights witnessing Lora and Catherine resorting to horrible karaoke for post dinner entertainment.

“I’m not worried about that, you know Charles doesn’t do more than two drinks.” Drew trailed then finished off the rest of the work, liking the way Isobel relinquished her duty and rested her back on the Island as she watched him, “Plus I’m not leaving tonight.”

Her back straightened at his words, “You’re not?”

“I’m not.” He repeated as he turned to face her. She was overthinking, he could tell by the way she was biting her bottom lip and fiddling with the hem of her apron.

Isobel was currently trying to convince herself that she could spend another twelve hours under the same roof as Drew and not be completely consumed by him. That she could lay in her bed and not think about the fact that he was just one floor below her for the entirety of the night. That she could go this entire vacation, and not break the rules the first fucking night.

“Isobel, I’m just tired and don’t feel like driving to a bed when I can go straight to one here.” Drew reassured her, wanting to see if he could get her to relax. He had no problem going home if this made her uncomfortable.

“That makes sense.” Isobel nodded, she wanted him here, she just hated how much she actually wanted him to be here with her.

It was silent for a moment between the two, Drew watching her until she caught his gaze and offered a shy smile—his favorite smile. The sound of rowdy laughter in the other room made Isobel jolt, he couldn’t help but grin in amusement as she groaned and put a hand over her heart.

He followed her movement when she reached behind her back and pulled the string to the apron she was wearing that was protecting her from water—that was putting a needed barrier between his eyes and her body. She pulled it over her head, and suddenly Drew wasn’t so sure if staying here made any sense at all.

For the second time that night he drunk her in, this time with no shame because it was just the two of them. His hand squeezed into a tight fist at his side as he observed the way the dress hugged her figure. A dress like this left nothing to the imagination when you knew exactly what the fabric was sticking to underneath. Her soft skin that always smelled of vanilla, her breast that fit perfectly into his hands, and every single place her body curved and dipped. He then took his time studying the way the silk clung snugly to her hips, the fabric slackening in that area solely because of the swell of her ass. The thought made his nails dig even further into the skin of his palms, “Fuck.”

Her eyes followed his gaze down to her lower body and heat bloomed deep in her belly, “Drew.”

He should leave and go home with his parents, they both knew that. There was nothing stopping him, if he was tired he didn’t have to drive his father would. He’d left his truck here plenty of times before, and his family would be back here at the Cooper’s tomorrow before they left for the business cocktail.

It was a bad fucking idea, they both knew it. They hadn’t touched once, and it seemed like things were still spinning out of control. It felt like watching a wild animal trying to be contained until they eventually snapped. That’s where they were heading straight to, unhinged territory that they could never come back from if they didn’t release, if they didn’t give in.

It was just a matter of who would give in first.

TABLE OF CONTENTS:

PART NINE

[bluebayousblog]

RUMOR HAS IT (pt. 7)

(Drew Starkey one-shot)

This is not a full on story but if you want more l'll be happy to add on upon request

Plot: in which drew and isobel address a false rumor in the most abstract of ways

Setting: dinner with the cooper’s and starkey’s

Disclaimer: Isobel is an OC, 18+

TABLE OF CONTENTS:

PART 6

The holidays’ with the Cooper and Starkey family were filled with a multitude of dinners, business events, and surprises that did not seem to dim as the years have passed by. Since Isobel and Drew left for college they made it a tradition to host a dinner in honor of their return from fall semester of school. Each year they alternated hosts, and since Drew’s family hosted last year they were having dinner at Isobel’s.

She loved coming home for the holiday’s and spending time with her parents. Being so far away gave her a lot of opportunity to miss them, and most of the time when her mother, Lora, came up stairs to question her until she worked her way up to asking about a possible boyfriend she didn’t mind, but this year was different and the reason was because of the boy who was downstairs hopefully keeping his cool around their fathers.

“Isobel, I just refuse to believe no man has tried to get your attention at University.” Her mom exasperated, her hands waving in the air with so much sass. She was so animated, something Isobel always found endearing about her. She also has inherited this dramatic characteristic, but it came out most when she was around her, when she was the most comfortable to truly be herself.

She hated how it was inevitable that she was going to have to lie to her mother over the course of the break. Sure, she didn’t have to share all of her personal business with her, but it didn’t make her feel any less guilt for pretending like she wasn’t involved with her father’s business partner’s son. The relationship they had with the Starkey family added a layer of complexity to the entire situation, and only added to her anxiety about the truth coming out.

“I’m not gonna settle for what that school has to offer, Mom.“ Isobel responded. Apart from her dwindling interest in dating since her last relationship, she’d always lived by this sentiment ever since being exposed to what her college had to offer. There were cute guys of course, but none she would enter into a serious relationship with.

Drew did not fall into that category of men that attended her university for a multitude of reasons. She’d known him going on ten years now, he was the son of a very successful man that happened to be in business with her father, and above all else he was a friend—something she was realizing meant much more to her then it did a few weeks ago.

It was an effort to meet her mother’s gaze, but when she did it her eyes were filled with what seemed to be pride. When tears slithered onto her water line she knew her mother was about to start gushing and getting all sentimental as she did every time they were apart, “I just don’t know how I got so lucky to have such a resilient woman as my daughter.”

Isobel’s heart squeezed, her mother always had the ability to appreciate the things about her that truly mattered. She still complimented her beauty more than anyone she knew, but from a young age before she matured physically, she always felt special with what she had to offer internally because of her.

“Mom, I’m the lucky one.” She wrapped her arms around her in a gentle hug, Isobel knew her mom would be the most understanding when it came to finding out about Drew, even if their relationship never progressed past what it was currently, but she also knew it would hurt her to know Isobel felt she couldn’t confide in her. She’d always known Isobel had trouble expressing her feelings, and because of that she never pressured her into it—but still when Lora found out she’d waited weeks to tell anyone she was being cheated on, she held her in her arms so long it made it up for all the time Isobel had spent hurting in silence, “I promise you will be the first to know when there’s another guy.”

Drew had always been in her life, and though he seemed to now view her as more than a friend, that’s all it was at the moment. Lust and pure infatuation. Neither one of them had expressed wanting more, and to Isobel a few hookups was not worth spilling the beans to her family or friends—especially with his past. She’d already been the girl who was blindly cheated on, and she did not want to be viewed as just another one of Drew’s conquests. She knew she wouldn’t be able to take the pity this time because she knows what she is getting herself into and how it could potentially end—and to Isobel that was far worse.

“You only tell me when you’re ready.” Her mother stated, sighing before standing to walk into her closet to fetch the dresses she purchased for her to wear to different occasions over break. Isobel knew she was spoiled, but her mother took pride in refreshing her closet when she was away, and if she objected she would only be ignored, “Okay, my darling girl black satin or white satin with pearls.”

The emphasis on the last option told her which dress her mother was leaning towards, “Mom, I’m twenty-two I can dress myself.”

“I know you can, but let me have my fun during the holidays, this was my favorite thing to do when you were a little girl.” She gave Isobel the the widest smile, one that she passed down to her, raising the white dress up higher in the air now completely revealing her preference of the two choices.

Isobel playfully rolled her eyes with a sigh before taking the hangers from her hands and slipping in the bathroom to get ready.

Drew’s parents and brother were on the way when he went into one of the guest rooms of what had practically been his second home for the last decade. He packed a suit so he could just get ready and save the hassle of driving to his house and back.

Clad in a casual dinner attire, black slacks and a green button up with no tie, he stepped out of the room he’d spent so many nights in. As soon as the door latched shut his father’s voice could be heard from the formal den where they always had cocktails before dinner, “…everything is set up for him, let’s just hope he doesn’t go back on his word in the next five months.”

He knew his father was talking about him and the job offer that had been waiting for Drew ever since he walked across that stage at his high school graduation. He’d been allowed a grace period before he accepted his fate, in which he tried to find different passions in college but nothing ever stuck—everything led back to Cooper & Starkey Inc. Charles Starkey didn’t like Drew’s hesitation in joining the family business, he’d always made that known, especially in the last four years, and when he wasn’t verbalizing it you could see the disapproval set deep in his eyes. He still had a great relationship with his father, but he hated how the topic of Drew’s future could so easily damper their bond.

“Well isn’t it the man of the hour, Drew.” Richard Cooper’s deep voice barreled through the room, a smile spread across his lips that reminded him of the girl that had been clawing at his mind for the past few weeks.

Drew greeted him with a handshake, to which the massive man yanked his arm and pulled him into a hug. They patted each other on the back as men tended to do, and Drew once again found himself wondering how Richard found himself in finance when he looked like a competing body builder. He’d always reminded him of Mr. Bubbles from Lilo & Stitch, it was his first impression of him that first day he came over to meet with his father to start their company. He always appreciated that Richard never pressured him into making a decision about the job offer, though he wasn’t his father, they were so close that his opinion did mean something. And those days when Charles was coming down on him about procrastinating, Richard simply telling Drew to take his time meant more than he knew.

“How are you, Cooper?” Drew smiled as they pulled away and sighed in amusement when he began dramatically inspecting him for anything out of place as he always did. Richard always thought that Mr. Cooper was too formal for how much time their families spent with each other, so they settled on Drew just calling him Cooper years ago. His eye twitched at the idea of him somehow picking up that he’d been messing around with his daughter just from the simple once over.

“I trust you got Isobel home without any issues.” His father interjected completely killing the moment—just as he was serious about the company he had the same attitude toward’s Richard’s daughter, especially if Drew had anything to do with her. He swiftly stood up from the sofa and walking over towards them with his younger brother Chandler following behind. Charles also looked extremely well for his age, not as built as Cooper but still youthful nonetheless.

Chandler’s eyes brightened at the mentioning of Isobel and it took all of Drew’s restraint not to visibly show his annoyance at how pathetic his little brother’s crush on her was. It started two years ago when he turned sixteen, they were all home for the summer in the back by the family pool when Isobel showed up in a little black bikini that would push him over the edge if he ever saw her in it now. But it was his little brother who’d taken a long, thorough look at Isobel and hadn’t been the same since. Everytime she was around Chandler’s face turned entirely red while his mouth was hindered useless in her presence.

Everyone found his little crush endearing and harmless, she was obviously older so nothing would ever come out of it—and it definitely was not reciprocated on her end. The entire family teased Chandler about it, but now that he was maturing and graduating high school this year Drew hoped his infatuation for her would die down a bit. He found it pathetic to be in a situation where he was jealous of his little brother crushing on the girl he was hooking up with, though the fact that he saw Isobel in a romantic aspect before he ever did was at the very forefront of his mind.

Drew had gotten to her first in a physical way, but actually noticing her for all she was and the little things that really mattered—he’d came up short—and that made him feel like the biggest fool.

“Relax, Charles, she’s upstairs in her room with Lora getting ready.” Cooper cracked a smile at how unnecessarily serious Drew’s father could get. His father just shrugged his shoulder’s as if he were saying ‘can you blame me for asking?’

The boy ignored his old man, taking a sip of his whiskey to simmer the annoyance rumbling in his chest, he knew he could be unreliable, but if there was a thing they could trust him with it was Isobel. “How’s it going, kid?” Drew asked Chandler, who always seemed to be on their dad’s good side.

“Everything’s good, it’ll be even better soon.” He gave Drew a lopsided grin, his eyes stuck on the entrance to the den, obviously anticipating someone’s arrival.

Cooper and his father had broken off into their own conversation near the bar, so Drew decided to mess with Chandler a little before everyone came down, “You know you’re eighteen now, don’t you think it’s about time you stop obsessing over the girl?”

“I actually think the opposite, that just means I’m now man enough to handle a woman that fine.” Chandler finally settled his sole attention on Drew, most likely just interested in the subject of the conversation, “You do know she is a woman right, Drew?”

He knew Chandler wasn’t referring to Isobel’s age, but his obvious blindness towards her. All the time they’d all spent together, and Drew had never shown any attraction towards her. It had never been a thought between the families, no encouragement for the two to date—if anything his father subliminally insisted on the exact opposite.

He was always content with their lack of interest in their relationship, especially with going to a prestigious high school where teenagers were being coerced into modern day arranged relationships like it was a sport. Now thinking back it would’ve felt nice if their family felt he was suited to to take care of Isobel, because the way his head was turning now it would be his absolute honor. Though, he couldn’t blame them for never seeing the stability in a potential relationship between Drew and Isobel. Not once had he shown them an instance where he could be man enough to be a good boyfriend to a woman, let alone to their precious gem. They didn’t deem him worthy of possessing such treasure, as he wasn’t sure he was either.

He’d shown he could protect Isobel but not love her the way she deserved to be loved.

“That girl is so gorgeous, Richard, you and Lora created an angel.” His mother’s velvety voice flowed into the room before he could respond to his brother whose attention was now back on the entrance where Lora and his mom, Catherine stood, “Drew, baby, come give your mommy a hug my little bear.”

Drew immediately walked over despite his head hanging low, ears burning in embarrassment at the nickname she insisted using at all times. He loved her regardless of the various endearments because where his father put fear of him being a disappointment she always made up for, “I missed you Mom.”

The way that his mom loved him made him feel like he was capable of spreading that same feeling to someone else, because if he could love his mom that much he could definitely love another woman just as effortlessly. When they finally pulled apart she grabbed his face in admiration before quickly falling back into conversation with Lora about whatever they’d been doing upstairs with Isobel.

“Get all your compliments out about Isobel before she comes down, you know she hates being the center of attention.” Lora softly smiled, they were both extremely reserved at times, and for a split second Drew saw an uncanny glimpse of Isobel in her. Of course they’d always reminded him of each other but now seeing the similarities left more of meaningful impression.

“I find that extremely ironic seeing as she’s always the last person to be ready.” Cooper’s humor pulled a laugh out of everyone in the room as it always did.

He could put a smile on everyone’s face even when it wasn’t his intent, it made him all the more likable to more than just their family, and Drew wondered if a man like Cooper would approve of him being with his daughter.

“Let’s have another drink before the princess gets her hand’s on the champagne.” Even her parents knew about her tendency to be a lightweight. Isobel had accidentally over served herself, and by over served that just meant having two glasses of champagne one night at a business event their father’s hosted after she turned twenty one. Drew tried to keep her intoxicated state under wraps, but when she got up to go to the restroom and knocked over the welcome sign it was no use. No one took it too seriously if anything it made the night that much more enjoyable, that’s what he enjoyed about his family when they were surrounded by the Cooper’s, everything felt so much lighter.

It was similar to how he felt these past three weeks with Isobel, and it was nothing like he felt before.

“What are you all laughing about?” Isobel suddenly graced the room with effortless strides.

She was wearing a silky black dress that adorned her body in a way that made Drew’s stomach twist in a knot and heart squeeze in his chest. He knew from the sight of the bronze gleam on her naked shoulders that she smelled divine and his nose itched to smell her intoxicating scent. Her hair was pulled from her face, falling behind her back with the tips most likely grazing the top of her backside. He’d noticed that about her the other night at his party, how her hair swayed just above her ass in a tempting gesture as she walked away from him to leave the house and take the girls to the bar.

“Nothing to worry your head about my girl.” Cooper answered as he stared at her with evident pride in his eyes saving her the embarrassment of bringing up her little drunken indiscretion.

It always baffled Drew how Isobel could walk into a room like she didn’t have the ability to steal everyone’s very last breathe from their lungs. Always so coy and oblivious to how much of a force she truly was.

Cooper referred to Drew as the man of the hour, but the only way to appropriately describe Isobel in this moment was as the woman of the entire century.

“I hate to admit it but she’s always had better taste than me.” He heard Lora mumbling to his mother and he smiled knowing they’d been up there trying to dress her up. “Stop that Lora, the white dress will be perfect for the cocktail tomorrow night.” his mom comforted her friend.

He forced himself to look away from Isobel before he did something she would deem obvious to their situation, looking over to see Chandler’s face red with heat as expected, his blue eyes wide with awe, “Think you’ll be able to actually form a sentence for her this time Chan?”

Isobel rushed to to hug everyone, she genuinely missed every person in his room while she was away and the time it took to get through all of them said as much. Chandler cheeks bloomed as he shyly wrapped his arms around her, giving her a simple wave and a quiet ‘hi’ when she pulled away, and she couldn’t help but giggle to herself as she turned towards Charles to greet her second favorite man.

She saved Drew for last and as she approached him bearing a suit on his lean body it dawned on her it probably would’ve of been easier to just get him out of the way first because she knew no matter how short she was in his embrace it would leave lasting effects on her body long after. She moved towards him before she could overthink and draw more attention. She all but tripped into his arms, Drew catching her body so swiftly no one seemed to notice her little stumble.

“Careful there, Is.” Drew whispered while his hands held her waist, but for her that may as well have been a sound bath as the words caused the deepest vibration to rumbled out out of his chest right against hers.

She turned her head and placed her ear on his chest as he squeezed her in a comfortable grip, when she heard the steady pattern of his heart beat she wondered if he could feel her’s erratically beating in her chest. She didn’t relax in his arms, she couldn’t or she would melt. The material of her dress was thin, and right now every part of his body and stitch of his suit felt like it was pressing against the entirety of the front of her. She felt both of their hearts pumping when she heard the intake of breathe from above her head, knowing he was smelling her and as weird as it may seem it only made heat rush down her spine. Her fingers gripped the back of his suit tightly, and just as she began to melt and Drew started to release a shaky exhale, he stepped away.

She quickly sobered, Drew standing behind her as she turned towards everyone. They had a three second hug filled with what felt like an eternity of emotions, and needed to pretend like it was nothing.

“Would you like anything to drink tonight before we go into the dining room, Honey?” Isobel’s mother asked while walking over to the counter to refresh her drink.

Alcohol would definitely ease her nerves and slow the blood that was rushing to her heart from that hug, but under these circumstances she knew it wasn’t in her best interest. She quickly glanced at Drew who was staring blankly into his glass before she turned back to her mother, “No, I’m not drinking tonight.”

Everyone proceeded to burst into laughter from all around the room and Isobel’s cheeks flushed, now more than aware of what they were talking about before she came into the den, “You guys are annoying.” She groaned before walking out of the room to the dining area, her hair swaying just as he expected.

Drew stood there amused as everyone fell in step behind her, Cooper and Lora apologizing to her with giggles spilling out after each word.

“Drew and I will join everyone shortly, don’t wait up.” His father stated, catching Drew off guard as he twisted to face him with furrowed brows. He really wasn’t in the mood for a ‘talk’ with his father that would ultimately end in both of their moods being ruined.

When he saw the pointed look on his face he relented and walked over to the sofa.

“I’m really proud of you, son.” His father’s words came off as genuine as he topped off Drew’s whiskey. Drew wanted to fully appreciate this moment, but the alcohol signified something was looming.

“Thanks, Dad.” He smiled, the two tilting their glasses as he sat adjacent to him on the feathered filled cushions.

His father sat silently, but his eyes said a thousand things as they studied him. He didn’t want to fidget under his gaze, he just wanted to sit comfortably with his dad without judgement coming from him. Drew hated how he had become used to their conversations turning sour to the point where he was bracing himself for it.

Cooper’s hearty laughter bellowed into the room from the dining area and as if on cue his father spoke, “I really am pleased that you accepted the job offer, all I ever wanted was for you to be apart of the company with us.”

In all honesty Drew had done everything he could to avoid working in the family industry. Looking back he wasn’t so sure why he’d been so adverse to the idea. It could’ve been the silver spoon he had in his mouth since he was a young boy or he could attribute it all to just plain boyish immaturity. But now with graduation a semester away it seemed like the only thing that made sense in this impending period of change. It was the same calming feeling he got the first time he kissed Isobel, as soon as he did it the feeling of facing the effects of their actions the next day didn’t scare him.

And now that two weeks had passed each intimate moment between them made him a little bit more accepting of the future.

“Yeah, it felt nice to take that next step, I’m looking forward to it.” He truthfully spoke, though he could relate his sentiments to more than just the job. As messy as getting involved with Isobel was he would never go back, it was a risk he was willing to take. He went with a curious feeling in his gut, and the more that feeling developed the more it felt like a sure thing.

Charles pulled him into a hug and in this moment Drew felt fulfilled, for once he felt like he’d made the right choice. Although, his father words from earlier rang in his ears.

Let’s just hope he doesn’t go back on his word in the next five months.

Then suddenly Isobel’s giggle flowing in the air as it traveled down the hall pulled him out of his thoughts before he spiraled in a fit of self doubt. He needed to exceed his father’s expectations but on his own terms because at the end of the day it was what Drew wanted that mattered.

“I hope nothing is happening that will jeopardize your transition to C&S, Drew.” Charles expressed after pulling away, a layer of animosity stitched within his tone.

Drew knew better than to react, he needed to tread lightly because he knew how his father moved when he was trying to get information out of him. He didn’t know exactly what he was getting at, but he didn’t want to give anything away before he could find out, “Dad I’m committed to the company you don’t have to worry about that.”

“Good because otherwise I’d advise you to end whatever could affect that.” He spoke hypothetically, but the the look in his eyes held exactly what Isobel was trying to avoid. She would have a freak out if she knew this conversation was going on. Or was he just being paranoid? “I’m positive it won’t come to that.” Drew reassured him then knocked back the rest of his drink, making the lie all the more bitter on his tongue.

Charles got up with a laugh and glanced at Drew, shaking his head in amusement at whatever was going on in that wandering mind of his, “You’re really quick with your hands you know, but that’s what I should expect after all those years of baseball right?”

His father again chuckled to himself at his own words. Drew had felt a a number of things during that short hug with Isobel, and he was sure she did too—like a mutual feeling between the two that they kept to themselves. Though it only took Isobel’s tiny stumble and him catching her to raise his father’s suspicions.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

PART EIGHT

[bluebayousblog]

RUMOR HAS IT (pt. 6)

(Drew Starkey one-shot)

This is not a full on story but if you want more l'll be happy to add on upon request

Plot: in which drew and isobel address a false rumor in the most abstract of ways

Setting: isobel and drew head home for winter break

Disclaimer: Isobel is an OC, 18+

TABLE OF CONTENTS:

PART FIVE

PART SIX

PART SEVEN

Isobel had never had a problem having self-control with things she found herself enjoying. She always attributed that aspect to her not having an addictive personality, and the constant pressure she placed on herself to act responsibly. Even with her last boyfriend they were long distance, so she learned to accept he wouldn’t constantly be around. And though she missed him at times it didn’t completely bother her that he was hundreds of miles away.

She’d truly never had a secret desire or guilty pleasure until Drew decided to completely consume her with his eyes and leave an everlasting impression on her skin with his hands and lips. She let herself have something for once, but as good as it felt to revel in his warm embrace, she still had to be practical. They managed to keeps their hookups from their friends at school, but keeping it under wraps while being at home with their families was going to be a different ordeal.

Drew was nonchalant as ever, hands tapping on the steering wheel to the beat of the music that was playing at a comfortable volume throughout the car as they made their way down the highway. It was a long trip back to their hometown and in the past the car ride always seemed to drag on, but now under their current circumstances it felt like time was slipping away and the miles were dwindling quicker than ever.

Before he left her apartment yesterday they agreed on leaving at the crack of dawn the next morning, and after Drew’s lips found their way back on hers she practically shoved him out of her door.

When he caught her staring at him as he was trying to maneuver his pants on over his obvious arousal, she’d recoiled into the bed, but her interest had him stalking back over to her. She could still make out the feeling of him nestled between her legs from when he leaned down and caged her between his arms, his lips quickly finding hers in a heated kiss. And just as she could still feel his body against hers, the groans he could never keep to himself were an never ending symphony in her head.

He just always felt way too good to Isobel whether it was his hands, lips, or simply just the feeling of his eyes on her body. It was like nothing she felt before and it almost made it feel like her past sexual relationship with her ex-boyfriend was nonexistent. It was just that incomparable.

As soon as his lips touched her she was on, matching his energy and usually with Drew it was him dominating the kiss with his tongue twisting and massaging hers. The way they kissed kind of mimicked their relationship, him leading with confidence while Isobel timidly tried to keep up—both catching each other off guard at times.

The deep moans that left his throat as she kissed him back fervently only spurred her on, but eventually she couldn’t help but relent to his dominance letting him consume her weak attempts at kissing him. The feeling of him in complete control always made pleasure roll down her spine, and he let her be lazy for a few seconds slowly running his rough hands over her thighs until they eventually found her ass giving it a pinch just as he mumbled into her mouth, “Keep up with me, Is.”

Isobel swore drool was dribbling down her chin as she snapped out of her thoughts lifting her hand to wipe at saliva that wasn’t there. She looked over at Drew who was already giving her a curious glance probably from her her sudden movement. She gave him a small smile when he gave her another look before finally turning his attention back to the road, but that dark tint in his eyes made it seem as if he knew it exactly what she’d was just thinking about. Although, as intuitive as Drew was about what was going on her mind, she was hoping it was just paranoia.

She didn’t have the capacity to talk about her thoughts with him especially with how close they’d come to fucking each other whether he had to pack or not, and if Drew’s phone didn’t start going off with what they both recognized as his mother’s ringtone things would’ve ended differently. Isobel made sure of that with all nasty shit she was whispering into his ear, she was saying the dirtiest things that came to mind knowing it was driving him insane and further from wanting to leave her bed. Some of the things she said she couldn’t even remember let alone think would ever leave her lips.

‘No one has ever made me this wet, Drew-’

‘Your dick feels so big-’

‘I want you to fuck me right in front of that girl who was flirting with you last night-‘

Drew couldn’t tell if Isobel was nodding off over in the passenger seat, if she was this was going to be a boring ass ride. They still hadn’t talked about their situation, and the time between the night of the party and them leaving for break had been filled with sleep and their tongues down each others throats.

It couldn’t be healthy the amount of times he’d hadn’t been able to release himself after being pushed so closely to the edge by Isobel, he was in fucking pain, but he wouldn’t have it any other way. He would move at whatever pace was right for them both, and those little amateur moments made everything so much more special in the end.

He wanted her more than anything and her eagerness made it even harder for him to resist, but he didn’t want to cross that line with her without her talking about how she really felt about all of this and why there was so much trepidation on her end because if they were to have sex the last thing he wanted was for Isobel to regret it.

“You know this would be the perfect time to have that talk, Izzy.” Drew threw the suggestion out there, he wanted to get the conversation over with, but he also didn’t want to force her into anything.

Isobel let out an elongated sigh, sinking further into the seat. She stayed silent for a few minutes as she stared up at the roof of his truck seemingly in deep thought. Drew had even accepted her unwillingness to talk until she suddenly turned her body towards him, “Fine, I do have a couple of questions.”

“Ask away, Isobel.” Drew’s stomach was twisting with anxiety, but he was all for an interrogation if it would alleviate any of her doubt she was harboring. “—but, I don’t know how much help I’ll be, I’m just as confused as you are.” This was all new for him, he’d never cared enough about a girl’s feelings or how he affected them because those had only been flings in the past. Isobel was far from that, she felt like the beginning of a significant moment in his life he saw no end to, that he didn’t want to see an end to.

“Why now?” Isobel curtly asked.

“You gotta be more specific, Is.” He still remained visibly calm as she observed him, no nerves seemingly present like he had no problem with facing their family or with her voicing her concerns.

She knew the question was vague, it was how she tried to tiptoe around actually following through, or testing the waters to not completely overwhelm him with her thoughts and emotions. Isobel knew it was in her best interest to be more direct, especially when expressing what she wants and feels but that was constantly a work in progress for her.

Drew made her feel comfortable to do that, and so did her friends, she just didn’t want burden or scare them off—and if she was complacent things were just less difficult. He made everything different though, refusing to let her keep it all in and constantly bringing up this conversation they’d promise each other to have. She wasn’t ready ready to be fully transparent, but she could talk about her feelings for him and their relationship, she owed him that.

“I just don’t get how you’re so attracted to me all a sudden, I guess.” Isobel acknowledged. This was something that had been heavy on her mind ever since that first time they shared a kiss on her couch, “There’s been so many drunken nights at parties and you never tried anything.”

Hell, there had been so much more than that, they’d known each other beyond college, for over a decade their families had shared a business, dinner’s, and vacations. Isobel had eventually found Drew attractive once he was a senior in high school. He’d gotten extremely tall and playing baseball for years had his arms and body stacked with muscles but his immaturity always turned her off from ever exploring the attraction. Isobel had also changed physically in her teen years—her breast and backside the most evident—yet his eyes never lingered as if she’d always been that same awkward girl he met at his dad’s office all those years ago.

Not once had she ever seen Drew checking her out until that one afternoon in her living room and now it felt like his eyes wouldn’t leave her. Up until now she wasn’t sure if he knew she was a girl for heaven’s sake. His switch for her seemed to be accidentally turned on just a random day in December. “I guess you just weren’t on my radar at the time.”

Ouch. She internally winced hoping she was doing a good job of keeping her face impassive, but she knew that was never her strong suit. She was somewhat offended by his words, and the fact that he didn’t see her as worthy of his time was off putting to hear.

“That’s nice to hear.” She sarcastically mumbled as she shifted her body to face the front so she could look straight head, no longer interested in looking at him.

Drew was an asshole when it came to women, she knew that along with anyone who had eyes, but it had never meant anything to her. Now, he wanted her and she liked that she had his attention. It all felt so natural with him, her attraction to him, their conversation, the way that they touched each other. For once in her life it didn’t feel like she was settling to make herself content in the moment.

One thing that unsettled her was that she would never have complete control on how people viewed her both physically and internally. Keeping to herself was how she could protect herself from judgement, not ever allowing people to see the real her. And the fact that Drew was seeing right through her walls she built unnerved her beyond lengths. She liked the way being seen by him felt, but it had been so sudden that the possibility she was a random tick on his finicky attention span weighed deeply on her mental.

Drew could tell he’d just hurt her feelings, not at all his intent but if they were going to talk he had to be honest. He’d been blind as bat when he came to her, and he hated he wasted so many years ignoring her beauty.

“Isobel, I was looking for girls I could fuck and leave at those parties, I wouldn’t do that to you.” Drew hadn’t realized that until the words left his mouth. Isobel was on a pedestal even when the most he did was walk her to class and especially now that he’d touched her. She left an impression on him that no other girl had ever managed to leave—this particular impact felt unwavering.

She was undeniably beautiful, he’d known that for years, that had been something he admired about her not lusted after her for. She was and still is a family jewel, up until now he’d acted the way that felt normal and respectful towards Isobel because in a way while growing up with their family that’s how he was raised to treat a girl that special.

Drew got those hormonal urges majority of boys endured in the beginning of high school, his mind having tunnel vision for any girl that would give him attention. Then he got older and college happened and girls seemed to come in a endless supply, Isobel had been around too but he never saw her the same way as he did the others. She was beauty and grace, never giving any of the guys around her the time of day, especially not him who always had a different prospect on his arm. Their freshmen year of college she’d finally given someone a chance, an investor’s son that they’d both been sat with at one of their fathers’ company events.

He didn’t decide to dislike Grayton Belmont when the moron’s eyes hungrily scoured her entire body that night three years ago, if that was the case he wouldn’t like any of his friends for god’s sake. It was when Isobel began to look at him as if he was worthy of her that instilled that feeling of detest deep in his being for the guy. That’s when Drew felt he’d noticed her the most in the years he’d known her, when he really looked at all she had to offer as a person and deemed her unacceptable for any man walking this earth.

“I was a fool not to notice you until now, Izzy, and I mean really notice you.” Drew voiced.

He ran through girl after girl trying to feel something when the most blissful feeling he could ever endure was waiting for him, encapsulated in a family friend.

Drew had Isobel’s heart pounding with inexplicable emotions and some she recognized but ignored. He was relieving her nerves while also sprouting some anew not mixed with just doubt but with anticipation because she liked what she was hearing.

“What makes me different?” She continued and he couldn’t help but smile at just how different she actually was.

From the feelings she conjured inside of him to the type of girl she was in general. His whole view of her was different. She was his dad’s business partner’s daughter, royalty to both families. Someone he wouldn’t let his friends lay a finger on because they weren’t worthy of a girl like Isobel. He didn’t know if he was either, but he truly knew her worth more than any other man could understand. That was the difference.

It was something Drew didn’t need to find out about a girl he was just planning on hooking up with.

“That I don’t won’t you to end up hurt.” He expressed with a huff.

He hated that douche she dated stole her hope, that she would most likely view what he’d just said as just an empty promise. She kept quiet for miles as they got closer to home. There were so many things she could say to him, she could trust him, his words, and intentions or she could be the cynic she always was when it came to falsely promised realities. But she chose to remain neutral and let herself have something for once, at least to some extent because she could never completely ignore the impending train work laid out for them both, “I just don’t want to ruin our friendship.”

Going through all of this with Drew from the kisses to the longing looks had made her so much aware of the friendship that they shared before no matter how surface it was. What they had felt like light years away looking back, and something they could never get back to if things went badly.

“We won’t, Isobel, let me promise you that.” He insisted, reaching over the middle console to hold her hand, resting them both on her left thigh as he caressed her skin with his thumb, “And if that isn’t enough remember we’re pretty much stuck together because of our families, besides you that alone is enough encouragement not to fuck this up.”

Their parents were another complication they were going to have to face in the next half hour. Isobel was not ready for them to weigh in on her and Drew when they were still so confused and everything was so new. They’d been fortunate to not have been pushed to date by their families, it was something that had never came up with them. Isobel was sure her father would be content with her never touching a man for the rest of her days, and when she did date she only felt the excitement from her mother and Drew’s who were extremely close. It was when her relationship came to a messy end that it stirred up emotion from everyone at their joint family dinners.

“Speaking of our families, remember when I said you were going to regret being so respectful the other night?” Isobel asked, she was hesitant to reveal her plans for the break, but part of her could not wait for his reaction.

Drew gave her a once over with those deep blue eyes before nodding his head, “You’ve said a lot of things in the past forty-eight hours, Izzy.”

Her cheeks instantly warmed at his words, the exact opposite of how she wanted to be feeling before she stepped into her childhood home and saw her parents for the first time in months. So she ignored the heat growing inside of her along with any of his implications and continued on.

“As of now we’re strictly platonic until winter break is over. No kissing. No fucking. No touching whatsoever.” Isobel stated, emphasizing the second ‘no’ seeing as that had been one of the things she’d brought up the most in the past few days. It was just a day ago that she was telling Drew that she was ready to sleep with him, and now she felt to keep this all under wraps they needed to keep their hands to themselves.

They’d now pulled into her neighborhood where they were meeting with both of their families at her house to have dinner. She was glad he didn’t have time to argue as they approached her driveway, but to her surprise he parked across the street.

All Drew could do was stare at her in disbelief, these little breaks of intimacy they seemingly fell into between their hookups were killing him softly. The boy hadn’t had sex in weeks and only being able to look at his weakness in the flesh was going to drive him up a wall at the very least. “I can’t touch you for two weeks?”

“Yeah, I hope you enjoyed our little sleepover.” She teased him while gathering all her stuff before putting it in her tote.

“This just doesn’t seem necessary to me, we don’t have to be with them at all times, Izzy.” He frowned.

His visible discontent to her request was actually cute to see, it wasn’t often that Drew didn’t get his way. This was going to be hard for her, but keeping things on the down low was even more important and she hoped he shared that same notion, “Drew I don’t even want your eyes on me at this dinner, you’re not very discreet by the way.”

The way Drew was looking at her at his party was proof of that, and it was all Charlotte needed to figure out something was going on. And the last thing she needed was Drew giving her fuck me eyes across the dining table in front of everyone—the most intuitive people they knew. As much as she considered his wandering gaze a burden at times, she also liked how his dark eyes made her feel, and she didn’t need them fooling around to add on to the pressure of keeping them secret because the more intimate they got the more there was to add to that feeling of want.

Isobel was a challenge, she was put in his life to make things difficult for him and he’d known that from the moment he met her. Whether it was his parents comparing the two or her simply always wanting to be in control. Her mind was made up and there was little he could knew to change it.

“Anything for Princess Isobel.” Drew relented, exaggerating the nickname, “I’m not going to pretend like you don’t exist though, that’s just asking for the impossible.”

She couldn’t help but let a smile spread on her face, this break in intimacy was going to be just as hard for her if not harder—Drew seemed to be the one who had the self control when it really mattered.

He winked at her before putting the car back into drive and pulling into the driveway. Part of her felt bad for all of this because it was exactly what she was doing with everyone at school but she hoped he could understand where she was coming from. As soon as he parked she leaned over the middle console and wrapped her arms around his neck. When she tucked her face in his neck the breathe he released was hard to ignore. She knew exactly what he was feeling.

Drew pulled Isobel tighter against him and for just a second she forgot where they were and took all of him in. His hard body against hers. His large hands tightly gripping her waist. And his scent that relaxed her more than he knew. Isobel pulled away first, stopping a mere inches from his face, her eyes flickering to his lips. One kiss before they left his truck wouldn’t hurt, or maybe it would but she couldn’t find it in her to care. He closed the gap first softly brushing his lips against hers, never fully sealing the kiss and dancing on the line of restraint, “Already breaking the rules, Izzy?” He murmured against her lips.

She bit her lip at his deep voice and at how easily she’d gave in to her desires without as much as a thought. It was pathetic that it took a slight shift in his tone to have a her dangling on the edge, “Imagine how hard this would be if we’d actually slept together, Drew.”

“I know.” He groaned. Isobel knew teasing him wasn’t a good idea, but she couldn’t help it amongst other things. It took all of her willpower to pull away from him, the pull she felt between them thick and telling that even the smallest kiss could make things that much more difficult. Her fingers touched her tingling lips, and Drew couldn’t help but replace them with his own, running his thumb over them. They were both out of their right minds, fully encased in that bubble that felt impenetrable in moments like these.

An excited squeal interrupted the spell they’d fallen into, the grating pitch belonging to her mother who must have finally spotted his truck in the driveway. For the first time in her life she was grateful for the obnoxiously long sidewalk that separated them from the entrance of the house. Isobel on instinct had pushed his hand away and threw herself back into the seat as if she was bracing for impact, though it wasn’t a car coming straight at them it was the beginning of what was going to be the longest two weeks of their lives.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

PART SEVEN

[bluebayousblog]

RUMOR HAS IT (pt. 5)

(Drew Starkey one-shot)

This is not a full on story but if you want more l'll be happy to add on upon request

Plot: in which drew and isobel address a false rumor in the most abstract of ways

Setting: Isobel’s apartment after Drew’s party

Disclaimer: Isobel is an OC, 18+

TABLE OF CONTENTS:

PART ONE

PART TWO

PART THREE

PART FOUR

After two decades on this planet never did Isobel think a family friend would be the one to make her feel so understood and seen. She’d been coasting through life with blind emotion, never truly processing her feelings because to Isobel they were inferior compared to others who could lay it all out on the line.

Then there was Drew, someone who for so long she viewed as an dense asshole who so naturally read into her heavy silence and didn’t run at what he found. He made her feelings valid, made sure she understood that her feelings were normal not a burden. Isobel never wanted to be an inconvenience and when that was always on the forefront of her mind her lightest grievances felt like meaningless complaints.

Not only was Isobel quiet because it was her default but because it was what made her comfortable, and because of that she made herself feel invisible. Drew without effort was making her feel so seen it only made her want to hide from the light, to push him away because full transparency would unveil everything she tried to hide.

Though his intuitiveness was unnerving, she couldn’t ignore how nice it felt, and completely allowing herself to revel in the feeling of trusting a person on a somewhat emotional level—to shine in the light—was something she hadn’t done since her last relationship.

Drew’s unwavering gaze has her pinned to the back of the couch, she couldn’t decipher if that look was waiting for her to rebuttal, or silently daring her to argue with his revelations he’d come to. They both knew he was right, the arrogant smirk he couldn’t help but let twitch onto his lips was proof enough of his confidence. “What would be an appropriate reason to end this then, Drew?”

Isobel asking him this question would normally unsettle him but the innocent look in her eyes, the taunt in her tone, the way her arms lifted to wrap around his neck told him she was about to start fucking with him.

In the past, Drew never had to consider what would constitute and warrant breaking things off with a girl because he’d never been in a situation that involved the need. Now, for him Isobel wasn’t just a girl, she meant something to him, especially when everything she gave him was more than just a touch or a kiss.

He’d like to think he would be man enough to tell her if there was someone else, but right now he didn’t think wanting another woman was a possibility for him. She had him on a leash, sure it was leash that Isobel wasn’t utilizing to her full capability, but nevertheless it was there, waiting for her to take hold. He didn’t know if that would mean anything to the girl, hell she once had a man in her life that claimed he loved her all the while entertaining other women.

“When I stop letting you know your worth, Izzy, when you don’t feel that from me there will be no objections on my end.” Drew promises, his forehead falling against her as her nails gently scratching across the back of his neck, “I would never want to drag you along.”

Drew always was bracing himself when it came to Isobel, never knowing what was going to come out of her mouth or where those hands or lips would find themselves. She was a force no matter how reserved she was, what she gave him was always like a hit of the most potent drug—she could never disappoint.

“Doesn’t it suck that you can’t completely ensure that doesn’t happen?” she replied with a hum, her words were cynical but she didn’t pull away, if anything she leaned further into him.

“Isobel-“

“No, Drew,” she interrupted him before he could continue to build some unrealistic expectations and promises, Isobel had forcibly learned not to rely on hope after being severely cheated on. She learned not to expect a man to want only her because disappointment would only fill her in the end. “I don’t need grand declarations from you about the future, let’s just see how this plays out, yeah?”

She could tell he didn’t like what she’d just implied, that she’d basically said she didn’t trust him, and she only expected the worst out of them together. Her words were harsh, but she had no reason to completely trust Drew, and doing it for her own sake? That would only result in disaster.

“I can do that, but we’re still talking eventually.” He squeezed her left hip in his large hands, probably to show her he was serious, and Isobel was all for it as long as it wasn’t just about her.

She was the one who obviously had all the insecurities, but this thing between the two wasn’t just about her. Still, it felt like her inner turmoil would overbear the conversation, or prove to be rudimentary to what actually mattered. But she would try because he insisted, something she wasn’t used to.

“You sure are making a lot of demands tonight.” Isobel murmured, licking her lips, his blue eyes watching the movement. Never did she think she could thoroughly enjoy a man telling her what to do, but when Drew did it drove her wild. Part of her wanted her to obey while the other half wanted to make him just as insane.

It made Drew feel good to be able to look out for her—he wanted her to feel secure more than anything—that need came from depth him like it was his destiny. And when she submitted to that, to him taking care of her, it filled him with inexplicable emotions that drew him closer to her.

And when she praised him for having her best interest, teasing him about getting firm with her just as she was now, it made the man want to drop to his knees. He recognized that playful look on her face, the suggestive glint in her eyes was his weakness, her eyes in general would be his end. Years and years of lackluster family dinners and he’d never noticed how enticing one look from Isobel could be, it was was all consuming.

He couldn’t help but wonder if his blindness to all that was Isobel was because his body knew once he really did see her his world would shift.

“Someone’s gotta keep you in line, Izzy Bear.” Drew half joked.

Isobel’s eyes drunk in the slight upward tug on his lips, the darkness surrounding them not taking away from the edge, and when she drug them upwards to meet his, that was when Drew knew he needed to pull away. “Where are you going?” She frowned as he took a step back putting some distance between the two, their fingers brushing each other before they dropped to their sides. Drew immediately slid his into his pockets, needing a barrier to keep him from pulling her back in to wipe that look off her face.

“I don’t want to take advantage of you, Is.” He breathed as he leaned on the wall behind him, getting even further away from the girl.

“What do you mean?” Isobel questioned.

The girl was fully aware of what this was between them, and though she wasn’t usually the causal type, Isobel couldn’t help but want to be attached to him at any possible moment. But that strained look on his face had her sighing in retreat. “You had some drinks tonight, Is, and we both know one drop of alcohol gets you going.”

Drew couldn’t help but chuckle as the girl rolled her eyes at his little dig, he’d partied with her plenty of enough to know a cup of beer could put her past tipsy, and he’d been so busy drooling over her the whole night he hadn’t touched any drinks. She’d caught him off guard earlier in his bedroom, but he was serious about not disrespecting her and letting things get out of control on an unleveled playing field would be the exact opposite of that.

“You’re such a prince, Drew.” Isobel sighed sarcastically, throwing him an annoyed squint before turning and walking away towards her room, “I’m going to go get ready for bed.”

Drew just stood there in the silent darkness not knowing what to do with himself when she disappeared down the hall. When the boy heard the shower begin to run he sighed and sat on the couch, deciding he would wait for her to come back out before he left. Drew had never spent the night in the same building as Isobel unless it was family related, and he didn’t want to cross any boundaries that she wasn’t ready to take on.

They had less than a day left before they would be embarking on their drive back home for the holidays, and he still had some things that needed to be packed. He smiled to himself knowing Isobel was probably fully prepared to get in his car and hit the road at this very moment.

He fell into such deep thought he hadn’t noticed Isobel’s return, and when he looked up and saw her walking towards him he wished he walked out of that door when he still possessed any ounce of resolve. She was bare faced, skin dewy from whatever moisture she’d lathered on, and her body was covered in an oversized cotton tee that he prayed was hiding shorts beneath. She looked refreshed and comfortable and did nothing short of take his breath away.

“You could’ve come back and waited in my room.” Isobel smiled, shoving his shoulder and giggling when he actually fell into the back cushions of the sofa. She was doing her best not to fidget under his gaze, his eyes roaming over every inch of her.

Drew stiffly sat back up, running a hand through his short hair, telling Isobel something was obviously frustrating him, “I gotta go home and do some packing for tomorrow, Izzy.”

“Drew, no.” She dragged out, whining in protest and completely melting any tension present in his body. Isobel verbalizing her want for him was like a calming melody he couldn’t help but take in, “I want you stay with me tonight, I’ll keep my hands to myself, promise.”

She held out her left pinky finger, the only appropriate way to fully back up her words. He stared at her hand for a few seconds, contemplating her offer before finally curling his around her smaller one. Isobel couldn’t help but smile, immediately grabbing his hands and attempting to tug him off the couch.

“Come on we can put on a movie.” Isobel suggested as he followed down the hallway where her bedroom was.

She finally dropped his hand when they got to her bed, rounding the mattress to get to the other side and crawling under the covers. Drew’s mouth dried out at the sight, she looked adorable and he just wanted to grab her and hold her all night, “You’re cute as hell, Izzy.”

Isobel brought the comforter up past her nose, hiding the bottom half of her face as she watched him turn away, unbuttoning and pulling off his pants leaving him in black boxers and a shirt. The muscles in his back contracted and stretched as he leaned downed to pick them up before walking over to her desk and placing them on her chair.

He silently commanded her attention, getting on her bed from the foot of it and reaching to the light above them and turning it off unknowingly causing the hem of his shirt to reveal the skin leading into his boxers, “Drew, can you take the shirt off please?”

He cocked his head to the side, shaking it in disbelief at the girl hiding behind the covers, and if he didn’t how much of a clean freak she was he’d think Isobel was just trying to get him naked.

“Anything for the princess.” This had been a thing between their families for as long as he could remember, Isobel asking for something and everyone making sure the princess was satisfied.

Sure, she didn’t get everything she wanted, her parents didn’t want to raise a monster. But when it came to Drew, he’d always found it hard to say no to her, he simply was adverse to seeing that look of disappointment on her face even as a young boy.

Isobel released a breathe when he finally got under the comforter after discarding the shirt, she had the most beautiful chest staring back at her and couldn’t touch. She was hoping sleep found her quickly tonight or promises would be severely broken.

“Have you never spent the night in a girl’s bed?” Isobel asked.

Drew looked down at her trying to decide if she was being serious, but seeing her swallowed up by all her blankets and pillows was about the most unserious thing he’d ever seen, “Why do you ask that?”

“Cause you are about as stiff as a board right now.” She smiles, Isobel had never seen the guy so tense, and he was the most laidback person she’s ever met. Who knew getting him in her bed would be so awkward? Especially since the two had done far worse than share a bed for a night.

Drew knew he was being rigid, hell his body was so close to the opposite end of the mattress he could tumble to the ground at the gust of a wind—regardless of her obvious joking one would actually think he’d never been with a girl in his life. Clearly that was far from the truth, and it was just this girl in particular that had his every sense being triggered just by lying there beside him. He was way too aware of Isobel, the breathes she released causing her chest to rise in fall in an even pattern, the smell of that vanilla scent that was always gently gracing his nostrils and clouding his mind, and the fact that the body of the girl he could not get out of his head was just an arm’s reach away in all her glory. The mere thought of her soft skin being under the same comforter had every hair on him standing alert because as much as he wanted to pull her against his body he knew he probably shouldn’t touch her. Not when he couldn’t seem to control himself when it came to her, and not when Isobel always seemed to be on a mission to tease him out of his mind. She didn’t make him uncomfortable in any way, it was just the thought of ever making her feel that way that had him hesitant to relax.

“I always get nervous when I’m near a pretty girl.” He stated, partially explaining why he was being so taut before getting more comfortable in the bed, and when he saw the smile that spread on her soft lips he swore his body melted into it.

Isobel was used to Drew complimenting her looks, he even did it when they were younger, but that intense look of longing in his eyes was new. It lit her aflame, made her feel like no man had ever viewed her the way he did, like he had never looked at another girl in that way and it only solely belong to her.

“There’s no need to be nervous, I told you I would keep my hands to myself, Drew.” playfulness was clear in Isobel’s eyes but she remained on her side of the bed.

So much had changed since that day on the couch, including how much the two wanted each other. And with that it seemed as if Isobel who was hesitant with their relationship lacked the least amount of control physically. Sure, she could keep her emotions on lock as long as she kept them barreled in her mind, but her want for Drew? That was coursing through her veins and influencing every movement she made around him.

He made the girl so shy when they were around others that her cheeks felt like they were going to burn off just hours before at his party, but when it was just them alone she knew he wouldn’t judge her for wanting him.

“And I believe you, Izzy.” He chuckled making the girl roll her eyes as he folded his lean arms behind his head. He was so far, but still suffocated the space with his presence and the fact that he had her undeniable attention annoyed her.

“You know I’m as clear headed as ever after that shower, and there isn’t a doubt in my mind that I want you to be the only other guy to fuck me.” Isobel sighed, fingers tapping the fabric of the comforter between their adjacent bodies. That simple action was teasing for Drew, with weight of her words lingering between them, the sound of her her nails scratching along the material made it feel as if his blood was vibrating in his veins like it was getting ready to travel down his body, “You’re going to regret being all gentlemen like real soon, Drew.”

There wasn’t a trace of a threatening tone in her voice, and as much as he wished to hear it there wasn’t any trace of alcohol impairing her speech—it was just the same old Isobel’s.

“What do you mean?” He furrowed his eyebrows at her nonchalant voice, speaking as if she wasn’t lying down beside him and telling him she was ready to have him inside of her. He wasn’t going to go back on his word, but still her entertaining the thought of them fucking had goosebumps scattering his skin. He wasn’t going to be able to go to sleep with such things racing through his mind because when he shut his eyes he knew exactly what would brighten and form in that darkness behind his eyelids.

“I’ll tell you tomorrow when there isn’t a trace of alcohol in my system, okay?” She mocked, but it didn’t piss him off, it only caused that heat growing inside him to rise a tenfold.

And all he could do was lie back as she patted his bare chest with her dainty hand before she turned her back to him and eventually drifted to sleep. When he heard her tiny snores fill the room he forced himself into an a sleep laced with all that was Isobel.

•

Isobel had never felt so warm waking up, sure she’d woken up on occasion drenched in sweat from the heater or a bad dream, but this warmth was different. It was so many things at once, a woody, sage smell mixed with her favorite vanilla scent filled her nostrils, and then there was just the feeling of being held that caused that warmth to spread throughout her entire being pulling her to hold on tighter to what was surrounding her. It was just familiar. Making her want stay in that state of rest forever as her eyes remained sealed shut.

The girl was so aware while also being weighed down by the high of such a relaxing sleep. Her awareness kept her from drifting off again as that warmth continued to swirl throughout her partially conscious body. A content hum vibrated in her throat at the heavy feeling settling beneath her, and she locked her legs tightly around the warmth. And a much throatier sound threatened to escape her at the feeling of pressure pushing against her right between her legs.

“That feels nice.” She found herself whispering against the soft feeling of skin on her lips, the thought and sound of her small voice making her eyes snap open.

Her face was buried in Drew’s neck his scent gracing her nostrils as it was only thing in her airway. She made little movement to look up and see he was still asleep, quiet snores leaving him with his hand locked firmly around her waist. The two were plastered against each other despite being on opposite ends of the bed before falling asleep. Isobel sighed at the feeling of her breasts being pushed against his hard chest, that sound alone seemed to make imaginary floodgates burst open in more ways than one.

As soon as the sound escaped her, Drew mirrored it with a grating moan followed by his hips flexing up in between her legs he was nestled between. His hips had snapped into her so roughly she slid up the bed and the headboard softly knocked into the wall. That warmth returned shooting through her and pushing an unmistakable moan out of her mouth that cracked open against his neck at the feeling of his hardened dick dragging against her heat before he relaxed back on the bed still fast asleep.

Drew was obviously enjoying himself, the slight smile on his soft, pink lips completely telling of that. Isobel was far from uncomfortable under his movement and she planned to cuddle further into the man, that was until he began to slowly roll his hips back and forth against her pussy as if he were fucking her in the moment. The sensuous sight of his hips rolling into her so carefully and the feeling of his erection rubbing against her made it feel as if sweat misted out of her pores and coated her entire body with it.

Without a second thought she roughly broke out of his grasp, pushing him onto his back as she lowered herself down to his legs well away from his crotch. Isobel was smacking Drew’s chest when his eyes cracked open, though it was the feeling of his back falling against the mattress that interrupted his dreaming. He couldn’t recall what he was exactly dreaming of but he knew it felt good.

He looked up at Isobel hovering over him, her hair a black curtain around her pretty face as little pants drifted from her mouth. Her dark brown eyes darted all around his face as if she was looking to see if he was really there before breaking out into a fit of laughter on top of him causing his entire body to shake with her.

“What are you doing, Isobel?” He asked with confusion set deep into his features, never once had he woken up to a giggling girl sitting in his lap.

The girl laughed a little while longer before she was able to contain herself, staring at him until her eyes began to trail down his body, his following her gaze where they stopped on the tent in his boxers. For about a minute the two just sat in silence, eyes darting between his morning wood and back to each other’s eyes as Isobel sat there with an innocent smile on her face.

“Drew, you were humping me in your sleep.” Isobel told him in between more laughter and his face immediately heated in embarrassment.

“No.” He countered, dragging out the word like if he said it longer what she’d just told him wouldn’t actually be true, but the hard on in his pants wasn’t helping to plead his case.

“Yes, you definitely were,” Isobel was thoroughly enjoying tormenting him. She was genuinely having fun with him in the moment, not worried about what was going on outside of their little bubble they were in, “And don’t worry your little brain, you did not make me uncomfortable okay?”

Just as Drew could so easily read her, she was subconsciously picking up on his emotions little by little. She couldn’t decipher if it came so naturally because of how fast they’d been moving intimately or because she’d known Drew since he was in middle school. And right now worry was present in his blue eyes as they continued to scan her for any sign of discomfort.

Her smile made him relax as much as his racing thoughts would allow him to, he knew sleeping in a bed with her was a bad idea as soon as he slipped under the sheets. He knew he had enough restraint to not touch her when she’d been drinking last night, but the fact that he couldn’t seem to stay away from her when they were asleep unsettled him a little, “You promise I really didn’t make you uncomfortable, Isobel?”

“Pinky promise.” She insisted, offering her pinky up to him for the second time in the last twelve hours, and once again Drew entertained it and wrapped his finger around her’s.

As they looked into each others eyes it made the small gesture feel like they were promising so much more, it was like an unspoken bond was growing between them, and no terms needed to be discussed because their locked gazes expressed everything that wasn’t being said.

Drew didn’t immediately let Isobel’s finger go, he kept it latched onto his as he pulled her hand towards him before sealing the promise with a soft kiss to the back of her hand, still staring into her eyes. Her body fell into his at the feeling of his lips on her skin, she could feel him pressing against her stomach but ignored it as she spoke, “Were you dreaming about me, Drew?”

“Don’t ask me shit you already know the answer to.” His tone had some warning in it but his eyes were distracted.

Isobel only hummed in response, reveling inside at how worked up he was getting. “Fuck.” He muttered when the girl began to slide herself up his body, her breast grazing his torso until they were pressed against his chest. His big hands found their way onto her hips, holding her there like he thought she would disappear from his lap.

A squeak left her mouth from Drew flipping their bodies around, placing her onto her back and covering her lips with his own in a hungry kiss. He breathed harshly through his nose, air vacant in his lungs from just simply kissing Isobel, their hearts pounding against each other’s. When his tongue broke the seal of her lips he wasn’t shocked at how good she still tasted despite just being asleep because after all this was Isobel. It made him mold himself further into her body. He wanted to get as close as possible to find a single a flaw and even then he knew he would still cherish her because it would make her all the more real.

He was addicted to the way that they kissed each other. He’d never kissed a girl with so much greediness and passion, it was a perfect concoction of both and the taste made him ravenous for her. Isobel’s head pushed further into the pillow behind her, relaxing her mouth as she gave him more control over the kiss and wrapped her arms around his neck.

Reluctantly removing his lips from her, he dove back in for a few more kisses like he couldn’t get enough, deeply moaning into the last one as his nose nestled tightly into the side of hers before bringing his attention to her neck where he left the softest pecks. His wet lips puckered against her sensitive skin, traveling down to the expanse of her collar bones and chest that he stretched neckline of her shirt to reach. All Isobel could do was lie there and whimper in his ear as he took what he could access with his greedy lips. The feeling of his tongue flicking her own and his large hands rubbing up and down her thighs had her close to delirium.

“We have to stop, Iz, I need to go pack.” Drew begrudgingly mumbled into her neck not heeding his own words as his mouth remained attached to her skin. Isobel groaned in resistance as she tightened her arms and wrapped her legs around his waist, knocking the breathe out of him when she grazed his dick. But as good as she felt pressed against his throbbing member, it was the perfect reality check because if he didn’t stop now he didn’t know where things would lead, “Isobel, come on we have a long drive ahead of us.”

When Drew used her full name she knew he was being serious, and as sadistic as it may be she usually liked to mess with him to see what reaction she would get out of him. If he would snap on her because she liked to see him worked up, not knowing if he would completely ravage her or unleash some type of foreign anger. Drew had always been so gentle with her, always doing what she asked, and she was curious to see a side of him he’d always kept away from her.

But now she knew it was in their best interest if she actually listened or it would mess up more than just their impending car ride together, “Fine.” She huffed dramatically. Isobel had been in deep thought about how they were going to be able to face their family with everything going on between them, and there was only one plausible thing to do that she planned to eventually tell Drew before they got home.

She immediately pulled the comforter back over her body when he got off her and walked over to grab his pants. The evident bulge in his fitted, black boxers claimed her full attention, her mouth practically salivating when he stuck his veiny hand down his pants to readjust himself to fit his zipper over it.

And when he looked over at her, catching her blatant stare and his eyes mirrored that same look of desire she knew they both weren’t going to survive this trip back home.

TABLE OF CONTENTS:

PART ONE

PART TWO

PART THREE

PART FOUR

PART FIVE

PART 6

[bluebayousblog]

RUMOR HAS IT (pt. 4)

(Drew Starkey one-shot)

This is not a full on story but if you want more l'll be happy to add on upon request

Plot: in which drew and isobel address a false rumor in the most abstract of ways

Setting: isobel attends drew's party before they leave for winter break

Disclaimer: Isobel is an OC, 18+

TABLE OF CONTENTS

PART ONE

PART TWO

PART THREE

PART FOUR

PART FIVE

Drew had been hit by a train, ripped under by his feet and subjected to bear the weight of the heavy metal. And he just stood there and watched as the driver walked in front of him back downstairs to the party that was still growing despite it being well after midnight.

The sight of the hundreds of people still drunkenly roaming around irked him, especially when all he wanted to do was call it a night and drag Isobel back to his room so he could just hold her in his arms until the sun rose.

Drew much preferred his intimate gatherings with just a couple dozen people and Isobel and her friends, and if you asked him now he would even cut out hanging with his friends and just take Isobel.

They’d agreed to talk after the party, Drew didn’t know if that would be tomorrow or on the drive home for the holiday, but either way it didn’t help his nerves at the impending conversation. If it were up to him they would have been having it upstairs, ripping the band off so there would be no room for lingering questions and doubt but Isobel insisted they delay it.

The two walked towards the kitchen, Isobel entering first while Drew followed a few beats behind. She immediately stole the attention of every person in the room as she walked over to her friends who were playing some drinking game at the other end of the island. Boys and girls combined stopping what they were doing just to gaze at her, at how effortlessly beautiful she was.

Then after they took their time latching on to her, the stares drifted to Drew who could sense the assumptions being made in their heads. He tensed hoping Isobel didn’t notice their wandering eyes, trying to read into them simply just walking into a room together.

He relaxed when he noticed she was already too engrossed in a game of flip cup with Grace and Dev to pick up on the stares. She didn’t look like she had a worry in the world with that smile that made his stomach twist branded on her lips when she successfully landed the cup and Charlotte cheered her on. Drew ripped his eyes away from her before anyone could notice he was staring at her, no doubt looking awestruck.

“Has Drew been hogging you all night like always, Isobel?” Banks, one Drew’s fraternity brothers who most obviously has a thing for his childhood friend smirked at her across the island.

He was flirting, and Drew wanted to shove him out of his own house and lock the door until Isobel left just to keep her away from the oaf. All his friends who were interested in her flirted by somehow implying she must be too caught up on Drew to pay attention to anyone else, or in other words themselves. And Drew knew it would only make her uncomfortable, just like it probably had all the other nights she’d been to his house.

And as much as he hated that she waited so long to tell him the rumor bothered her, he hated that he hadn’t done anything sooner to make her more comfortable, especially around the people he called his friends. “Shut up, Banks.” Drew scowled, not even giving Isobel a chance to respond to his nonsense.

Isobel ears were burning up as she stared back at Drew and his friends. Banks was probably the most friendly out of Drew’s fraternity brothers, always making a point to speak to her at some point during one of their parties. She’d never thought too hard about it, it was always light conversation, but the death glare Drew was giving him told her he was one of the friends he’d mentioned was interested in her.

She could only smile as Banks put his hands up in defense at the look and darted his green eyes between the two friends. Thankfully no one noticed the interaction between the three, everyone still engrossed in the game that was going on with her friends and a few others. Isobel took a sip of her drink, sighing in a relief only to find Charlotte staring at her mid exhale.

That stare, that sight of stormy green waves directed at her with suspicion present in the squint of her eyes made her tense up like a rock.

“Why is Drew looking at you like that?” Charlotte discreetly nodded her head towards Drew signaling Isobel to look over to him where his tall body was rested on the counter and already gazing at her with a tinted look in his eye. He was talking to someone but he was keeping most, if not all of his attention on her.

It made her cheeks burn—all of it—what they had just been doing upstairs in his bedroom, and now that hungry look he had in his eyes, so intense she had to look away to face her friend who was biting her bottom lip to keep the smile off her face. It was taking Isobel all of her restraint to stop her cheeks from blooming with heat, to stop her mind from interpreting what was swimming around in that dark stare.

Isobel couldn’t even play dumb, he was so blatantly staring at her no matter how many times he looked away his blue irises found their way back to her—so she deflected, “He looks at everyone like that, Char.”

“Right.” that was all Charlotte muttered to Isobel’s relief, but she kept stealing quick glances towards his direction where he was undoubtedly still looking, “So he looks at everyone like he wants to fuck them?”

Isobel immediately began choking on her drink, the blaring music streaming in from the living room drowning out her coughs while Charlotte moved to pat her back. She took that moment of distraction to send a glare at Drew who thankfully caught on and shifted his attention elsewhere.

She cleared her throat when she finally recovered, turning her back towards Drew and fully facing her friend, “Charlotte, don’t say shit like that it’s weird.”

It wasn’t weird. It couldn’t even be close to that when every time they were alone lust was always settled in his eyes as he touched her with greedy hands, kissed her with those soft lips—that particularly was always her undoing. She craved to have his lips on her when he looked at her the way that he did, the touch so soft but the action needy and rough, it lit her up like nothing before.

Isobel was just guilty, having to act clueless while her friend was on the cusp of figuring out her and Drew’s little indiscretion.

Charlotte had always encouraged Isobel sleeping with Drew the most, especially after her ex cheated on her. She would always insist that he was interested, but Isobel could never see what her friend sensed about him being into her. Especially with Drew seemingly only realizing she was worthy of his attention just over a week ago.

“Sorry didn’t mean to choke you up, I’ve just never seen him look at you like that before.” Charlotte said lowly, no longer observing him from across the room.

“Oh really what happened to you being convinced he wanted me?” Isobel questioned her friend, sarcasm laced in her tone.

This only caused the amusement to deepen in her upper facial features. Eyebrows raising in attention, the corners of her eyes crinkling as a knowing smile formed on her lips. Not like she could sense the truth Isobel was withholding, but like she could see right through the boy who from the direction of Charlotte’s eyes was still stealing quick glances.

Isobel hated that it didn’t bother her, it made her feel good and that feeling slightly trumped the overwhelming feeling of any outside noise. It was astonishing that he had yet to notice Charlotte quite obviously catching onto his sneaky glances, “Isobel, his constant teasing has always been a dead giveaway, but the way he was just looking at you just further solidified my theory.”

There were so many things swirling in his eyes. She doesn’t think he could help that he was looking like wanted to consume her, that just came with looking at her. And it took everything in Isobel not to dissociate and revel in the feeling of Drew drinking her in, no matter how much it bothered her that he was doing it so openly.

“I don’t see it.” Isobel was again lying directly in front of her friend’s face. And as much as she tried to project honesty, deep down there was a part of Charlotte that was picking up on her bullshit. The glint in her emerald eyes as they darted around Isobel’s face was telling of that, but if she thought Isobel was lying she never verbalized it. Charlotte’s silence sent nerves straight to her stomach but Isobel ignored the glint of suspicion, she just had to avoid any further questions regarding Drew.

She knew keeping this from her friends would be taxing, but Charlotte and her sixth sense was making it harder then she ever expected.

“See what?” Grace interjected the conversation, splitting up from Dev who was flirting with Joey “Joe” Rutledge, one of Drew’s friends and another current member of the frat we were standing in.

It had always been hard for Isobel to lie to Grace, she just had the kind of face that never made you want to tell a lie in fear of seeing the disappointment that lay in her eyes if she ever found out the truth. She’d rarely ever seen sadness in those big brown eyes of her’s and whenever she did she never wanted to be the cause of it when they did dim.

Grace held a beautiful aura internally and outwardly, she was simply one of the most gorgeous people Isobel had ever seen. And happiness belongs on a face as lovely as Grace Walsh’s.

“Where the bottle of tequila Drew said he hid for us is.” Charlotte answered before Isobel could choke on an attempt at a lie.

Yep, Charlotte knows—or at least suspects something is going on.

It annoyed Isobel to think it was her horrible lying that gave way to suspicion more than Drew’s blatant staring. Still Charlotte wouldn’t say anything, she was going to stay quiet until Isobel was ready to talk. She had always appreciated that about her friend, though it didn’t make her hate her any less all the times that smug look formed on her face when Isobel caved and told her something she’d already caught on to.

“Oh I can just go ask him!” Grace offers up, or the more appropriate word would be “stated” as she twisted her small frame around and marches out of the kitchen towards the living room.

Isobel’s eyebrows furrow in confusion as she see’s the counter Drew had been leaning on was now vacant. She wasn’t sure why but it bothered her that she didn’t know where he’d wandered off to. She’d had his undivided attention most of night, but she knew how Drew worked and he could only keep his focus on one thing for so long.

Charlotte only stands there awkwardly probably wondering how that lie is going to hold up when Grace finds him and randomly asks him about a bottle he’s supposedly hidden for us that doesn’t exist, “Maybe he’ll just go with it, we both know he has his moments.”

The two friends just stare at each other, unspoken truths about the possibility of something going on between Isobel and Drew thick in the air. Still Isobel’s lips can’t but break into an amused smile at the insult directed at the man that she obviously needed to do a better job of masking her interest for.

To her relief Charlotte also releases a giggle because as much as she wants keep whatever was going on with Drew to herself she was doing it at the expense of her friends, and though Charlotte would never protest, Isobel was sure there was a part of her that felt Isobel didn’t trust her enough to share such things with her.

Isobel never wanted the people most important to her to feel that way, especially over a boy, and she was feeling so many things all at once she for once felt it would feel nice to confide in a friend instead of bottling it all up, “Charlotte I need-“

She paused when she saw Grace heading back towards them, Isobel was was willing to share but she wasn’t sure she wanted a full on audience. This wasn’t second nature to her, she wasn’t one to vent all of her feelings to her friends. She knew it wasn’t one of her best traits, and despite the emotional breakdown it caused at the end of her last relationship she was still hesitant to let people in.

Grace wasted no time filling the pause in conversation, “I found him, but of course he’s talking to some girl over in the den. Lets just look through the cabinets I’m positive he won’t mind one bit.”

Isobel’s eyes shot back to Grace’s from its spot on the entrance to the den, implication obvious in her tone causing her eyes to roll in annoyance. There were far too many things happening at once for Isobel to still be sober at a party she had no interest in being at in the first place.

“What’s that supposed to mean, Grace?” She entertained her friends words because she couldn’t help but do exactly that when it involved the guy she was hooking up with.

Her friends were always taunting her about Drew to which she happily ignored, but now it was different. The man had tainted her in places that extended far past her mind, and being vulnerable with him in such an intimate way had shifted more than just their relationship.

Truthfully, Isobel was freaking out as soon as her friend mentioned him and another girl in the same sentence. She wanted to once again abandon her friends at the likes of Drew to see him and prove all of her doubts right. She wanted to end this little fling before he could hurt her, before anyone could find about them and count her as another one of his conquest. She stayed put despite her internal instincts, she wasn’t going to chase another man ever again, and she refused to be walked all over like dirt on the ground.

“Isobel he lets you do anything you want, you basically run this house you just never utilize your power.” Grace explains with bored eyes as if this was an understood notion that everyone but Isobel was aware of.

“Can’t deny that.” Charlotte snorts behind her cup as she finishes off whatever mixed drink was in there, that knowing glint once again present in her eyes.

Isobel was most definitely too sober to be here, “Can you guys just help me find a drink, and that bottle of tequila while we’re at it.”

Drew hadn’t seen Isobel in a while, which wasn’t his doing, Banks needed his help bringing the keg in from the backyard and on his way back to the kitchen he was stopped by Amelia Drescher of all people. Sure the guy had been entertaining her a few weeks ago, but all that was before Isobel. Still he had been stuck on one of the walls in the den as he looked for an exit out of this situation, “Drew, when are you going to finish what you started?”

“What do you mean?” It’s all he could think to say as he offered an innocent smile while scratching the back of his buzzed head. If he could recall all the two did was share a couple of dirty texts after exchanging numbers at a bar one night when he was completely wasted.

Presently, he didn’t have a drop of alcohol in his system and only one particular woman on his mind, and any other girl could tell from his body language that he wasn’t interested. Amelia, was seemingly not catching his drift as her hand found it’s way on his chest, “It means last time we talked you told me you were going to fuck-“

His ears fell deaf to her irrelevant words as his eyes wandered to the sound of cheers exiting the kitchen as Charlotte was being held over the keg stand by some of his fraternity brothers. He was literally itching to be back in there, he didn’t care about any of these random ass people loitering in his den, and he definitely didn’t give a fuck about this girl touching him without his permission.

“Drew!” Amelia whined from his lack of attention, squeezing his bicep and causing him to glare at her. He’d never been made uncomfortable by a woman, but now he was exactly that.

Drew immediately grabbed her wrist removing her hand and dropping it so it could fall back to her sides. “What Amelia?” He groaned, annoyance evident in his voice.

He genuinely intended to hear the girl out before he let her down easy, but that was before he glanced back over to the kitchen and saw that Isobel was now the one being lifted over the keg.

That alone was excuse enough to leave Amelia high and dry no matter what bullshit was coming out of her mouth at the moment.

Before he could make his way back to his friends her hands found their way back onto his chest, pinning him there as she followed his line of site to the group of girls being cheered on by his friends. “Which one is it, Drew?”

For the second time that night he was removing the girls hands off of his body, and it was taking everything in him to reject this girl in way that wouldn’t result in her crying.

“I gotta go, have a good night.” He rolled his eyes as he was finally able to get past her without being unnecessarily grabbed, the girl was still objecting his departure as he headed towards the kitchen yelling something over the music about a rumor but he ignored it.

The world was turning as Isobel was sat upright on her feet after chugging beer from the keg. She decided to step out of comfort zone after her friends successfully found a bottle of tequila with the help of Banks, who was giving her a lopsided smile, his hand leaving a comforting squeeze on her hip while steadying her, “I’m hoping to see you around more, Isobel, stop letting Drew hide you from us.”

Isobel gave him a small smile before he walked away, as she watched him leave out of the back door to the patio his words stayed on her mind because if anyone was forcing someone into hiding it was her. When she took her attention off of his roommate Drew’s stare caught her eyes like a magnet.

She wiped the remaining liquid off her mouth with the back of her hand while he just stood there looking at her. There was so much tension in the air from the night, the number of people in the kitchen, the fact that they’d once again come close to fucking just upstairs, and now that damn stare.

If she didn’t have beer and shot of dark tequila coursing through her veins she’s pretty sure she would cower under that stare because Isobel was confident Banks was the reason behind whatever emotion was swirling in his eyes. She didn’t care though, the sight of him was only serving to piss her off, such a contrast from earlier in the kitchen after they left his room.

Remembering that they were not the only ones here she turned to the counter behind her to pour herself the smallest drink because after that chug a little could tip her over into the point of no return.

Everyone seemed to be occupied with the keg on the opposite side of the kitchen so Drew approached Isobel, towering over her as she took the tiniest sip of her drink. “You enjoying yourself, Izzy?”

“Yeah,” she curtly answered, her focus on Dev who was now taking on the keg stand. Her lack of attention unsettled him for a second until finally she met his eyes, looking at her he couldn’t believe his lips had ever had the pleasure of meeting her soft sweet ones, “-Did you fuck that girl you were talking to in there?”

“What no-“ he tried to deny before the girls ran over in a fit of laughter stealing her attention, but it didn’t honestly seem like she ever cared to hear his answer. What was worse is that she sounded so monotone when she asked, like she expected this out of him, as if she already had her answer.

“Drew, would it trouble you to drop us helpless girls off at the bars?” Grace asked with those puppy dog eyes. He’d done this for them plenty of times before and would never deny them, but before he could comply Isobel spoke for him.

“Yeah he can, let’s head out.” She took one last sip of her drink before sitting it on the counter and walking towards the door as her friends followed suit.

The girls obviously didn’t feel the hostility steaming off of their friend, but Drew was more than aware. At least that was what he thought until Charlotte turned and gave him a quick glance that he was positive was the look of pity.

Isobel sat in the front, and didn’t utter a single word as Drew drove downtown to the strip. Music was blasting throughout the car, a request from her drunken friends but that would change nothing otherwise. Drew was fidgeting, all he wanted to do was explain himself to her, something he never had to do for a girl, something he never wanted so desperately to do. Not only did the two still have to talk about their relationship, but now this unnecessary bullshit on top of it, and Drew still didn’t know when it would be able to happen—especially if she got out of this car.

“You can drop us off here, thank you, Drewski!” Dev announced, more than likely going to find Drew’s fraternity brother in that bar. Charlotte and Grace followed suit thanking him, but Isobel stayed put leaning her head against the window as they exited the car before bidding her a goodbye.

“Be careful guys, call us if you need anything.” Drew declared with his head tilted towards the back smiling at the sound of the giggles that could still be heard even with the door slammed shut. Isobel hated how much she liked the sound of him referring to them as a packaged deal.

Despite them being alone, Drew still didn’t speak as he drove towards her apartment, and when he pulled into a parking spot silence still filled the air. Isobel grabbed her purse and phone, and his chest deflated in disappointment as she pulled the door handle and hopped out of his truck. That is until she leaned her body against the seat of his truck and finally looked him in the eyes, “Are you coming up?”

“Yeah.” He grunted. Isobel kept the smile to herself as Drew immediately grabbed all of his things before slipping out of his truck like she would change her mind in the passing seconds if he didn’t move as quickly as possible.

When Isobel locked the door behind them the two just stood there after walking into the living room. No lights on, but they could still see each other from the glare of the night beaming through her window, their eyes saying the words they were holding back as they gleamed in the darkness.

“I didn’t fuck that girl-“

“Don’t lie to me, Drew.” Isobel interrupted, carelessly sighing but really her insides were turning to what felt like mush at the thought of him kissing her so deeply in his bed, with so much intent as if he planned to keep her then hooking up with a random girl she was sure looked nothing like her right after.

“Isobel will you let me fucking finish?” He basically pleaded.

For the first time since they left his house Isobel really looked at him, not letting her emotions cloud her judgement and for first time she saw how distressed he looked, he looked like a man being accused of something he didn’t do.

“I did not fuck that girl nor did I have any intention on doing so. You Isobel are the only woman I wanted tonight, and I am content and will continue to be content with what you gave me.” Drew was calm, but his voice was stern, and like her body was trained to adhere to his every demand she stood there and listened to his every word. “Tell me if that is what you need to hear from me, Isobel, that you are enough for me. I know what you have been through, but do not assume shit like that especially if you’re hell bent on keeping all that shit locked up in your head, or we can’t get anywhere.”

Shame blanketed over Isobel’s body, she felt pathetic and worst of all she felt needy. She never wanted to be a burden to anyone in her life, her family, friends, and especially not the guy she was hooking up with. The thought swarmed her entire being with anxiety, the fact that she does need him to express that to her, the fact that her past relationship actually fucked her up more than she could imagine.

But to admit that she would have to communicate what she was truly going through and she wasn’t sure she would ever be ready for that because when she did a damaging flood would follow suit, “I can’t handle this, Drew, it’s only been a few weeks and you’re already seeing how insecure I am.”

Isobel was good at being quiet, she’d done it for so long that it was an attribute that was second nature to her, but something that came with that was how easily she could push people away and effectively place the blame on herself. She frowned as Drew slowly walked up to her, wrapping his arms around her waist while staring down into her eyes. His soft blue gaze relaxing her, he didn’t make any movements he just held her against him.

“You forget I’ve known you more than just a few weeks, Izzy.” He reasoned with her excuse that had done nothing to deter him in the slightest. “Sure, this thing is new between us but I have grown with you since we were fourteen years old, so I will tell you what’s going on in that head of yours.”

“You’re getting real ballsy, Drew.” Isobel chides, but still she was going to hear him out, they both knew that because Drew felt he did understand the girl, and Isobel for once wanted to feel seen.

For once she didn’t want to be perceived as the girl who held it all in, who stayed resilient after being cheated on for years. She wanted someone to try to get her to talk, not to just accept that she wouldn’t.

“I don’t know if you are insecure because you’re so fucking stubborn when it comes to telling me what you really think but I do know you’re jealous.” He smiled, even obnoxiously leaning down to follow her line of sight when her eyes fell to her feet.

Drew placed his fingers on her throat, grazing the skin until her jaw was in his grasp before angling her chin so she was looking up at him again. “You can end whatever this is between us anytime you want, but you being jealous over a ditzy ass sorority girl? Veto.”

TABLE OF CONTENTS:

PART FIVE