A small gasp left her.
“Too fast?”
She shook her head.
His fingers brushed the edge of her bra. “What about now?”
“Keep going,” she ordered breathlessly.
He skimmed the lace cups, unerringly finding her tight nipples. Deliberately keeping his gaze on her face, he let go of her long enough to push up her sweater. Then he dipped his head and licked her nipple through the sheer lace.
She pulled her sweater the rest of the way up and over her head, breathing heavily. “More.”
He didn’t have to be told twice. Caressing her breasts with both hands, he teased her nipples, going back and forth between the two until she was writhing against the wall.
Her hands went to his shirt, tugging and pulling until her palms pressed against his bare chest. “You feel so good,” she said.
“How far do you want to go tonight?” he asked. “I know slow, but I’ve never wanted anyone as badly as I want you.”
“As far as I can. I don’t know…but I’ll let you know when I can’t go any further,” she said, kissing her way up to his ear. She pulled him to the couch, and then down onto the cushions. Spreading her legs, she pulled him to her while she gave him a long, hot kiss.
Somehow, he managed to settle himself between her thighs, slowly rocking against her as they devoured one another. His cock was hard, aching, but there was no way he’d spoil it for either of them by asking for more.
Head falling back, she grabbed his ass and pressed him closer. “Don’t stop.”
“I won’t.” He rocked harder, faster…shoved her bra up this time to take her perfect breasts into his big hands. He sucked on her nipples, grinned with satisfaction as she cried out and arched against him, moaning.
“Please…stop torturing me. Don’t stop.” She grabbed his hair and tugged a little. “I’m not making any sense, am I?”
“Damn if I know.” But he didn’t stop, he kept licking and sucking, and rocking his body against hers, making sure to keep his hard length in just the right spot.
“This would be so much better without clothes,” she said on a moan.
“Whatever you want,” he said.
“I want it all.”
He kissed his way down her stomach, unfastening her pants with ease and slipping them down her long, long legs. Grinning, he tugged her panties down with his teeth. She laughed, helping him along the way.
Rising to give her another kiss, he said, “I love you like this.”
“Like what?” she said.
“Playful.”
“We didn’t have time to be playful before, and despite my manly boasts, I didn’t know shit about anything,” he added, then finished his lazy, wet path to her sex. “But now, I know a hell of a lot. And I remember what made you scream my name.”
“I might like different things now.”
Heat surged through his body at her challenge. “Be sure to let me know. I’ve always had a thing for vocal women.”
“Apparently, I’ve always had a thing for arrogant men.”
Smiling, he lowered his head once more. He licked her, lightly scraping his teeth against her clit while she grabbed his hair and tugged. He loved the way she tasted, better than any memory could provide…he couldn’t get enough. Never wanted to stop. Pleasuring her like this should be his only job in life.
Writhing under him, she moaned and chanted his name.
Slipping two fingers inside of her, he began to suck on her clit.
Her hips bucked against his mouth and her legs tensed. “I’m going…”
“I got you,” he said, curling his fingers slightly.
This time, she screamed. He stayed with her, pushing her to the brink again and again, as she drenched his fingers. Not until she was completely relaxed and sated, did he stop.
“Damn, you taste good,” he said, pushing a finger between his lips.
She watched him avidly, then sat up a little, her fingers going to the waistband of his pants. He brushed them away. No matter how hard and aching he was for her, he didn’t want her to return the favor because it wasn’t a favor at all.
Not for him.
“You don’t owe me.”
“But I feel bad.”
“You should feel good. Satisfied.” Shit. Where had he gone wrong? “Tell me what I can do to make it better for next time.”
Her big, brown eyes widened. That’s right. There would be a next time, and she would never owe him anything in return. He wanted her to touch him, to kiss him, and eventually make love to him because that was all she wanted.
“Luke,” she said with a sigh. “I’m not sure where this can go. If it can go anywhere, and I’m sorry if I’m being wishy-washy, but the last time… you broke my heart. I finally have it in one piece and while I’m attracted to you… while I’ve loved our time together…” Biting her lip, she looked away. “I’m scared. I’m scared that this time, if I were to give you another chance, that I won’t be able to recover from it.”
She sounded so final, so resolute, that he had to sit up. Carefully adjusting himself, he asked, “Are you saying you don’t want to see me again?”
“For now.”
Heart sinking, he nodded. “I guess I deserve that.”
“I’m not trying to punish you,” she said, her voice breaking. “Our history…it’s not in the past like I thought. When you kiss me…when you touch me…I’m transported and with it comes the bad, the ugly, and I don’t want to be that girl. I like who I am now.”
“Without me,” he said.
She nodded once. “I need time, Luke. Can you give me time?”
He buttoned his shirt. “How much time do you need?”
“I don’t know.”
“Days, weeks, months, years…another decade?” His voice sounded bitter even to his ears. But how else could he say it? She’d basically taken his ego and ripped it apart with her bare hands. And he was sporting blue balls. Willingly, but still…
She sat up, pulling her knees to her chest and wrapping her arms around them. “I don’t know.”
He ran a hand through his hair. “When you figure it out, hope like hell I’m still here.”
“Don’t be that way,” she said, tears falling on her cheeks. “I’m being honest with you.”
“So am I.” Giving her one last look, he grabbed his coat and left.
*
Lily sat in bed, drinking wine and eating dark chocolate truffles while she watched a stupid rom-com about second chances at love.
“That’s so unrealistic,” she muttered when the heroine forgave the hero. “You can’t just pretend the past never happened. She should make him pay and pay. ONE STAR!”
“Whatever it takes, I’ll do it,” the swoon-worthy hero said as he gazed into the heroine’s eyes. “You are the most important person in the world to me. I’m sorry it took me so long to figure it out.”
“Oh puh-lease,” she said, aiming the remote at the television. With a satisfying click, she hit the power button and the screen went dark.
Setting her wineglass and box of chocolate down, she settled back in bed again and sighed.
Why in the world was she yelling at the television?
Because he was making her stupid, that was why.
She rubbed her temples, closing her eyes as she did.
Her phone vibrated. Her eyes popped open, and she glanced at the screen.
Luke: I’m sorry for leaving so abruptly and saying really shitty things. My ego took a hit.
Grabbing her phone, she stared at the screen for a moment. This was why she was stupid. He apologized now, without prompting.
Lily: I forgive you. I am scared, you know.
I’m done with running away. I’m done with being a coward when it comes to you.
How much had that cost his ego to admit that?
Luke: Thank you.
Then came another text from him.
Luke: I’m not asking you to marry me, just spe
nd some time with me.
Lily: We don’t know how to just spend time with each other.
Luke: Based on whose standards? I say we go at our own pace.
She laughed a little.
Lily: I don’t think I can keep up with you.
Luke: Then you take the lead. Just don’t shut me out in the process.
Her heart flipped in her chest. He’d pursued her for so long when they first met that she didn’t know how to react to this new Luke. A Luke that respected her boundaries. Ones she kept changing because she was scared and confused.
Until tonight, he’d been so patient with her. So sweet.
She pressed call on her phone. He picked up immediately.
“I don’t want to take the lead. I want you by my side,” she blurted.
“That, I can do,” he said, and she swore she could hear the smile in his voice.
“Why don’t we meet tomorrow for an early dinner?”
This time, he laughed, and it sounded so good to her ears, that she almost cried happy tears. “Is that a real date? Because I’m pretty sure I took my momma to an early dinner last weekend and I was the youngest one there by about twenty years.”
“Yes, it’s a real date. I promise,” she swore. “Thank you for being so patient with me.”
“Thank you for giving me another chance. I should have tried sooner. Years ago,” he said.
“If you’d done this years ago, I don’t think I would have given you another chance. We were so stubborn, Luke.”
“And prideful,” he added.
“But in love.”
“Crazy in love.”
“Does that make you sad?” she asked as she used the tip of her finger to trace a pattern on the duvet cover.
“That we’re not crazy in love anymore?”
“Yes,” she said softly.
“No. Not really. Our crazy love is what broke us up. We had unreasonable expectations.”
We should have been on the same side. My goal shouldn’t have been to be right. My goal should have been to find a solution to what was hurting you. My number-one responsibility as your husband was to love you more than myself.
“So now we’re old and very reasonable,” she said.
“Ancient, but you look damn good.”
“You’re not so bad yourself.”
“That’s just the afterglow talking,” he said with a drawl she found so sexy that she began to throb between her thighs.
“Too bad you don’t have afterglow talking for you.”
“Next time. If you’re up to it, I could show you what I like now—you were always a fast learner.”
“Tonight, you were a pretty fast learner yourself.”
“Indeed.”
She fanned her face. “Wow. It just got very hot.”
“A good hot, or I’m embarrassing you kind of hot?”
“Good hot.”
Luke cleared his throat. “I think I need to end this call before we both get too hot. Our motto is take it slow.”
“I think our slow is everyone else’s full-speed ahead.”
“I like our speed.”
“Me, too.”
“Night, Lily.”
“Night.” She ended their call and placed her phone on the nightstand. Amazing how one little text could change everything.
*
The next afternoon, Lily was in the middle of paying bills when she realized it was already after four. “Crap,” she said, saving her changes to QuickBooks and grabbing her purse.
She sent a quick text to Luke to let him know that she was on her way to pick him up from the clinic, and then bolted out the door.
Birds sang while she jogged through the parking lot to her car. A few students waved at her, and she couldn’t contain the smile on her face as she waved back.
The world was wonderful. The sky was blue and cloudless. The weather was finally crisp and cool.
She barely contained the overwhelming desire to do pirouette followed by an arabesque near her car.
With a flourish, she unlocked her car and slid inside, heading out of town a tad heavy-footed.
Excitement pulsed through her veins. This was their new beginning. She would be strong and willing to try.
No more waffling from her. The woman Luke would get would be one who was—
A dog darted out in the middle of the road. She slammed on the brakes while cutting the wheel hard. A black truck came around the curve at the same time.
She screamed. Her body went flying. Metal ground against metal. Pain flooded her body, then images of Luke, dancing…her first recital.
Then she saw nothing at all.
Chapter Five
‡
Luke sat by the hospital bed, counting off the seconds as he stared at his ex-wife. Her auburn hair was splayed against her pillow, but not tangled. He’d taken the time to brush it out.
Miraculously, she had managed to come through the car wreck without a single scratch or bruise while his baby brother looked as though he’d done a round with Holyfield.
Only his brother had been discharged three days later with minimal injuries. Yes, he was thankful, but Lily hadn’t been as lucky.
It had been two weeks since the accident that had caused her to slip into a coma. Two weeks since he’d moved from his vigil at her side. He refused to leave her.
His partner at the clinic was understanding and had hired some extra help. Honestly, the woman had no other choice. The clinic could rot for all he cared.
He caressed the porcelain skin of Lily’s face, wishing for more signs of life beyond the rise and fall of her chest. Once more, he lowered his head into his hands and began to pray.
His voice was hoarse, from hours of talking to her, hours of reading from her favorite books, from the joke section of Reader’s Digest…from everything he could find that could possibly give her comfort.
She had to know he was here. That he’d never left. They’d come so close to repairing the damage they’d inflicted on their younger selves. So close to starting again. Starting over.
Please God. If she wakes up, I’ll do even more to convince her that I’m different. Even if it takes the rest of my life. No matter what comes our way. No matter the obstacles. Please.
He heard movement and glanced up.
Lily’s lashes began to flutter.
He leaned forward, holding his breath. It had to be a trick of the light. His imagination. Something.
“C’mon, baby. Wake up for me. You can do it,” he finally said when her movements grew.
Slowly, her eyes opened all the way and then closed again. He jumped up from his chair, pressing the nurse’s station button by the bed.
“Lily,” he shouted.
Her lashes trembled. Her eyes opened again, their chocolate depths seemingly taking everything in.
Whisking out his penlight, he checked her pupils, noting with a sigh that they dilated normally.
She batted his hand away, surprisingly easily for a woman who’d barely moved over the past two weeks without help. “Stop it, Luke.”
Nurses and the doctor on call came rushing in, checking her stats and the monitors hooked up to her.
Luke fell to his knees in gratitude, grabbing her hand and kissing the knuckles. No matter how she felt about him, about their failed marriage, or how he failed her… he wanted to weep with joy that she’d come through this okay.
“Hi Lily, I’m Doctor Height. Can you tell me what you remember?”
She glanced at Luke, confusion growing in her eyes. “I’m not sure exactly.”
“It’s okay, honey, just tell him the first thing that comes to mind. You’ve had a concussion, and we want to make sure you’re all right,” Luke said encouragingly.
Confusion gave way to relief as she said, “I was cooking breakfast for Luke before he had to leave for rounds, but I don’t remember hitting my head.”
Everyone in the room glanced at him, while he couldn’t stop staring at her. Cooking
breakfast for him. She hadn’t done that in years, not since…
“That’s good, Lily,” the doctor said encouragingly. “You know who Dr. Ambrose is, then.”
“Why wouldn’t I know my husband?” She turned to him, a loving smile on her face. “We’re practically newlyweds.”
He sat back in shock. Dr. Height sliced a gaze his way, but Luke was unable say a word. What could he say? More importantly, what should he say?
They weren’t married, not by any stretch of the imagination, but the look on her face… It was one he hadn’t seen in a decade. Her beautiful eyes shone with love. For him.
His heart pinched in his chest.
“Did I say something wrong?” Her face paled, the rush of color that had suffused her cheeks quickly leaching away.
“No. No… we’re just shocked. Happy,” Luke said. “You’ve been out for a while, and—” A tangle of emotions made a lump grow in his throat. “None of us knew if you’d ever wake up.”
“Oh God,” she choked out. “I’m going to be sick.”
He jumped to his feet, looking for the damned kidney tray.
The room came alive again, with everyone pushing him out of the way. He tried to go to her, but Dr. Height shook his head and led him into the hallway.
“I’m calling in a specialist from Duke to talk to her, but until then, I suggest you say as little as possible. Right now, she’s mostly healthy and happy. Let’s keep her that way for as long as we can.”
“You want me to lie to her?” Luke asked the older doctor.
Dr. Height’s lips thinned. “No. What I’m asking is that you consider what she’s lost. The two of you were married how many years ago?”
“Ten,” Luke answered.
“In any case, that’s over a decade of memory potentially lost. At this point, we don’t know how much of her memory is gone. It’s not my field of expertise and I’d like to proceed with caution until Annie says otherwise. I swear, Dr. Jeon is the best neuropsychologist out there.”
The best also meant the most in demand. “How long would Lily have to wait to see her?”
“As soon as we’re done talking, I’ll put in a personal call to her myself.”
“Thank you.”
After Dr. Height left, Luke stood at the edges, waiting for something. He wasn’t sure what to do. Everyone here had a job and did it beautifully.
The Forgotten Bride Page 4