“Are you cold?” he asks.
“No, I’m good.”
“Really?”
“I’m a tiny bit cold, but I don’t want to go inside.”
“I’ll be back.” With that, he stands and gathers our dirty plates.
“Hey, I’ll clean up. You cooked.”
“Nonsense. You’re my guest, Natalie. Besides, I have a housekeeper who will do most of it in the morning. Sit. Stay.” He pins me with a serious gaze, then heads inside.
He’s so bossy. I think I like it. No one has ever had the audacity to be bossy with me before. It’s fun.
I hear the iPod change from Adele to something soft and bluesy, and a few moments later, he’s back with a plush green blanket and my iPhone.
“The light was blinking on your phone. I thought you might want to check it.” He hands it to me, but before I can look at it, he holds his hand out to me. “Come with me.”
“Where are we going?”
“Just over there.” He points to a soft love seat closer to the edge of the patio. I take his hand, and he leads me over and I sit, sinking into the cushions. He sits beside me and covers us both in the blanket. His arm is draped around me.
“This is quick.” I look into his blue gaze, unsure if being in his arms like this, this quickly is altogether safe, yet I want to be here.
“We’re just admiring a pretty view, Natalie.” He pulls me closer to him, runs his hand down my side, and I lean on his shoulder. I remember my phone in my hand and pull it out from under the blanket to read it, not bothering to hide it from Luke.
Hey, gorgeous, plans tonight?
It’s my friend Grant, and while we haven’t had sex in a while, sometimes, if we’re drunk or lonely, we indulge. I haven’t heard from him in weeks, and of course it has to be now, as I’m curled up in this sexy man’s arms, that he texts me.
Crap, crap, crap. Luke tenses beside me, and I cringe but hit Reply, still not pulling it out of his eyesight. I have nothing to hide.
Yeah, I have plans. Sorry.
Luke doesn’t relax beside me, and I know he’s mad. Shit.
Grant responds almost immediately.
Tomorrow?
Sorry, Grant, not interested.
Okay, bye, Nat.
I put my phone in my pocket and just lean my head back on Luke’s shoulder, not saying anything. What can I say? He lets out a sigh and tightens his hold on me, not saying anything for a long time. Finally, I glance up at him.
“Are you okay?”
“Why wouldn’t I be?”
“Um, I don’t know. Just checking.” The last two words are whispered. He seems mad at me, but I didn’t do anything wrong. I told the guy to take a hike!
Suddenly, he shimmies and pulls his iPhone out of his pocket. “What’s your phone number?”
My wide gaze finds his, and he raises a brow. I rattle it off to him, and he punches it into his phone. “What’s your last name?”
“Conner.” He finishes programming my name and number into his phone, and I close my eyes and inhale his clean scent while he continues to fiddle with his gadget.
My phone buzzes in my pocket.
Chapter Four
I retrieve my phone from my pocket and pull it out of the blanket.
“Oh my, look at that, I have a text! Whoever could it be?” I bat my eyelashes at him and smile sweetly.
Luke laughs. “Maybe you should check it.”
“Oh! Good idea.” I chuckle and slide the arrow at the bottom of the screen, waking the phone up and open the text from a phone number I don’t recognize. I want to squeal like a schoolgirl, but simply smile and open the message.
Hey, Natalie, save this number. You’re going to be seeing it a lot. —Luke Williams
I grin at him and save the number and his name to my phone.
“So.” The smile leaves his face, and he’s serious again.
I pull back, out of his grasp, and turn my body toward him, my leg tucked under the opposite knee, mentally preparing myself for a serious conversation.
“So?”
“So.” He gazes at me almost warily, and I feel a moment of alarm. “Who’s Grant?”
“Just a friend.” I shrug.
He raises an eyebrow. “That wasn’t just a friendly text, Natalie. I am a man. I know the difference.”
I cringe and look back out over the darkening water.
“Look at me.” His voice is sharp, and I whip my eyes back to his.
“He is just a friend, Luke. Yes, there has been a physical relationship there in the past, but it’s been awhile.”
“How long is awhile?”
“Months.”
“How many months?”
“Since last fall.”
“Is there anyone else?”
“Why is this any of your business?”
“Because you’re the first woman I’ve brought into my home, and all I can think about is getting your beautiful body naked and fucking you senseless. I need to know if there is any competition. I don’t share, Natalie.” His eyes are on fire, his beautiful lips parted as he breathes heavily, and his hands are in fists.
I open my mouth to speak and close it again. Holy Jesus, he wants to fuck me. Well, back at you, bossy man.
“Saying that you don’t share implies that I’m already yours, Luke.”
“Aren’t you?” he whispers.
This is too much. I’ve known the man less than twenty-four hours, and he wants to stake a claim! Part of me is yelling, Yes! But that damn reasonable side rears her ugly head and shakes her head adamantly. No!
I stand abruptly, untangling myself from the blanket.
“Look, Luke…” He’s suddenly at my side, his strong hand on my chin trapping my gaze in his.
“Answer my question, please.” His touch is gentle, but his gaze is raw, and it pulls at me in a way I’ve never known.
“There is no one,” I whisper.
“Thank Christ.” And his lips are on mine, but instead of the passionate fervor I’m craving, his lips are gentle and tender, as though he’s memorizing my mouth with his lips. He lets go of my chin and wraps my hair in his hand, while the other curls around my lower back, and he pulls me to him, my front against his, and I moan low in my throat. His chest and stomach are hard muscle. I wrap my arms around him and hold him to me, my hands clasping on to his back.
Bravely, I close my teeth over his lower lip and suck him gently into my mouth. His eyes fly open, meeting mine, and he plunges his tongue in my mouth, sliding it along mine in a beautiful rhythm. Our breathing is ragged, and my hands just can’t stop moving up and down his back, feeling the hard muscles flex as he moves against me.
Both of his hands slide down to my backside, and he clenches it tightly while nibbling from the side of my mouth down my neck.
“Oh my.” I lean my forehead against him, and I feel him smile against my neck.
“You have a great ass, Nat.” He pulls me more tightly against him, and I feel his erection against my stomach. I run my own hands down to his derriere.
“Back at you, Luke.” My voice is breathy, and he pulls back, his eyes a bit glassy with want and desire, and I know they mirror my own.
Fuck, I want this man.
Our arms are still wrapped around each other, clasping each other’s bottoms. I give him another squeeze and run my fingers lightly up under his shirt to his bare skin and smile as he gasps. His beautiful blue eyes are watching mine, and I push my finger between the elastic of his boxers and his skin and run it along to the front of his jeans.
Suddenly, his hands are on mine, and he stills me, not taking his eyes from me. He brings both my hands up to his lips and kisses each finger, then steps back and lets go. The cold air around us is a slap to the face, and I frown in confusion and frustration and feel the sting of rejection.
What the hell?
“Why did you stop?” I hear the hurt in my voice, and I clear my throat.
“Nat, I definitely
don’t want to stop…”
I step toward him, but he backs up and raises his hands in surrender.
“Luke…”
“Natalie, let’s slow down a bit.”
Isn’t this what men want?
“If you’ve changed your mind about me…” He’s back in front of me before I finish the sentence. His hands are cupping my face, and he’s making me look him in the eye, and the raw emotion is still there.
“Listen to me, Natalie. I have not changed my mind. I want you. You are beautiful and smart and sexy as fuck, but I don’t want to take this too fast.”
“I’m so confused.” I close my eyes and shake my head.
“Hey.” I look back into his eyes, and he smiles at me, running his fingertips down my cheek. “Slow.”
“I don’t know slow, Luke.”
He frowns and whispers, “I don’t either, so we’ll learn together.”
I’m so frustrated. My body is craving him, but his words intoxicate me.
“So, no sex? At all?” I sound like a child whose candy has been taken away.
“Not tonight,” he says with a smile. He takes a deep breath, kisses my forehead, and takes my hand. I grab the blanket, and we go back inside. His music is still playing.
He takes the blanket from my hands and throws it on the long blue couch to my right. “Would you like a tour?”
I’m still frowning over the no-sex comment, but the idea of seeing the rest of his home perks up my mood, and I nod.
He laces his fingers through mine. “Thank you for joining our tour today, Miss Conner. We are delighted to have you with us.”
I laugh at his tour-guide voice and relax a bit. He does have a way of making me laugh.
“You’ve seen the kitchen.”
“I love the kitchen.”
He smiles and pulls me down a hallway pointing out a powder room and a spare bedroom. At the end of the hall is another closed door, but he waves it off and says, “Just storage for now.”
He leads me back to the great room and up a flight of stairs to a large loft area that he’s using as a TV room, with more plush furniture. The flat-screen mounted to the wall is huge, and I can’t help but laugh.
“What’s so funny?” He looks at the TV, and I snicker.
“Boys and their big TVs.”
He chuckles and leads me through to another spare bedroom and bathroom. On the opposite side of the loft, with more floor-to-ceiling windows showing off the view, is the master suite. It’s huge, with large-scale white furniture and green, blue and khaki accents. It’s incredibly peaceful.
His master bath is beautiful, with a large egg-shaped tub separate from the shower that could be a room all on its own.
I gasp in delight when he shows me the walk-in closet.
“Women and their closets.” He’s laughing at me, and I can’t help but join him.
“This, my friend, is a fantastic closet.”
“Yes, it is.” He agrees and squeezes my hand, then leads me back through the bedroom and down the stairs to the great room.
I’m suddenly uncomfortable, and before I can change my mind, I pull gently on his hand and wrap my arms around his waist, linking my fingers together at the small of his back and drawing him into a big hug. His arms fold around my shoulders, and he kisses my hair, inhaling my scent.
“Thanks for dinner,” I murmur into his chest.
“Anytime.”
“Thanks for the tour.”
I feel his smile against my head. “Anytime.”
“Thanks for your phone number.”
He chuckles and pulls back. “I recommend you use it.”
“I will.” I pull out of his arms and grab my purse. It’s time to go home and think about this sweet, sexy man. I certainly can’t think when I’m with him.
He walks behind me out to my car, pulls his photos out of the back and takes them inside, then returns to me to open my door.
“Let me know that you get home safely.” The shadows from his house lights are playing across his face, the light reflecting in his gorgeous eyes.
“Okay, bossy man.” I chuckle up at him.
“Bossy?” He purses his lips like he’s giving it some thought, then smirks. “Maybe a little bossy.”
He leans down and touches me, just with his lips, running them lightly over mine. “Good night, beautiful.”
“Good night.” Swoon! Geez, he’s just so yummy. I’m thankful that I have enough wits about me to climb into my car and get my seat belt on. He walks back to his doorstep and waves me off as I pull down his driveway.
Holy shit.
***
I sling my purse on the hallway table by my front door, throw my keys in the key bowl and dig for my phone. I heard it ping when I was driving home, and I know exactly who it’s from.
“Nat, is that you?” I hear Jules’ stilettos click smartly on the hardwood between the living room and the foyer.
“Yeah, I’m home.”
Thank you for today. Please let me know when you get home. —Luke
I smile and want to jump up and down in giddiness.
“Well, I guess it went well?” Jules has her hands on her hips, and her blond head tilted with a smile across that gorgeous face of hers. She’s still in her cranberry-colored dress and heels from work, her long hair pulled back from her face.
“Oh yeah, it went well.”
“So, not so much a mugger, huh?”
“No.” I giggle. “He’s really nice. And, oh my God, Jules, he’s hot.” I worry my lip between my teeth, but she reads my mind.
“He’s not out of your league, Nat.”
I frown at her. “I wasn’t going to say that.”
She rolls her eyes at me. “You were thinking it. You’re hot, too, Nat. Enjoy him. He’s lucky you’re interested. We both know that doesn’t happen often.”
“Yes, that’s what worries me, too.”
I tell her about having happy hour, and how he seemed uncomfortable out and about with me, but when we were at his house, he was much more relaxed. I tell her about the best kiss on record, and the sunset.
Jules listens patiently, doesn’t interrupt, or get all giggly or jumpy like she always does. She simply smiles at me, and before I know it, she’s pulled me in for a big hug.
“You deserve a good guy, Natalie. Don’t run from it. Enjoy it. Really.”
I lean into her and suddenly feel like crying, which is mortifying. “I don’t even know when I’ll see him again.”
She pulls back and grins. “Oh, I have a feeling it won’t be long. Sounds like he’s smitten.” There’s the Jules I know!
I smirk and kick my shoes off. “I’m going up to bed. It’s been an eventful day.”
“Okay, good night, sweetie.” She briefly hugs me again and heads back to the living room and whatever she was doing before I came home.
I run upstairs and straight into my bathroom. I take my makeup off and brush my teeth and stare at myself in the mirror for a moment. I touch my lips. They’re still sensitive from Luke’s kisses. My cheeks have a glow, as do my green eyes. My dark hair, which he pulled out of my bun, is all disheveled and kinda sexy.
Remembering his comments about my ass, I turn and peer at it, giving it a good study. I’ve always considered my butt to be too big, too round and prominent. Yeah, I definitely have a round butt. I guess Luke likes round butts. I smile to myself, strip naked, turn out the lights and jump into bed to text him back.
No, thank YOU for today. I had a good time, despite almost being mugged. I’m home and safely tucked in bed. —Nat.
I smile, happy with my flirty response, and lie back on my pillows. A few seconds later, there is a ping.
Glad to hear you are safe. What are your plans for tomorrow?
Oh my! I quickly hit reply.
No sessions tomorrow, thinking about going to take some photos at Snoqualmie Falls. What are your plans?
I glare at my phone until I see his response.
&nb
sp; What time shall I pick you up? :)
Pretty sure of himself, isn’t he? I can’t help but laugh and turn on my side while considering my response.
Will it be safe? I will have my camera with me, and I know how that angers you. I chuckle to myself, thinking I’m quite witty, when suddenly my phone starts to ring, and it’s him.
“Hi.”
“I thought you’d already forgiven me for this morning.” He sounds frustrated. What the…?
“I was kind of being a smart-ass, Luke. I’m sorry, I guess texting is not a great way to flirt.” I close my eyes.
He takes a deep breath. “No, I’m sorry. Would you mind if I join you tomorrow?” Gosh, he has a sexy voice, and he sounds hopeful. Who am I to say no?
“I would love the company. Shall we say ten a.m.?”
“That works for me.” He sounds relieved, and I get the giddy feeling in my chest again.
“I’ll text you my address.”
“Okay.” He sighs. “So, you’re in bed?”
Oh, now it’s gonna get good! I smile and lie on my back. “Yes. You?”
“I am, too.”
“We had a long day.” I’m picturing him in that huge, gorgeous bed of his, naked and lying under the covers, and my mouth is suddenly dry.
“Yes, we did.” I hear rustling as he moves in the bed.
“I hope you sleep better tonight.”
“Me, too.” I hear the smile in his voice.
“Why were you having a hard time sleeping last night?”
There is a long pause, and it’s perfectly quiet, and I wonder if I’ve lost the call.
“Luke?”
“I’m here.” He sighs again, then says, “I just don’t require a lot of sleep. How about you? Why up so early today?”
I’m not entirely satisfied with his answer but let it go.
“I’ve suffered from insomnia for a couple years now. I usually only get a few hours of sleep here and there.”
“That sucks,” he breathes.
“Yeah, but I can take advantage of the early morning light.”
“You’re something of a workaholic, aren’t you, Natalie?” I think he’s laughing at me!
“No, I just enjoy what I do.”
“And what are you wearing to bed tonight?” Geez! Change of subject!
With Me in Seattle Bundle One Page 4