Sierra tensed in his arms, and Luke knew the answer, no matter what her next words would be.
“I care about him. I wouldn’t have slept with him if I didn’t.”
Luke changed positions, easing out from under her until he could look down into her eyes. “Do you love him, Sierra?”
“I don’t know.” She admitted, staring back at him with something akin to fear in her eyes.
“Tell me, Sierra.”
“I feel something, yes. The same way that I feel for you.”
The way Sierra inhaled deeply told Luke she hadn’t expected to reveal that much of herself. He wasn’t about to let the opportunity pass him by though. “And how do you feel?”
Sierra didn’t answer his question and Luke needed to hear her answer. He moved quickly, flipping her onto her back until he hovered above her. He could see the brilliant blue flame of her eyes in the dim light shining from the bathroom, but he couldn’t read her expression. Pushing her legs open, Luke slid between her thighs, aligning himself intimately with her.
“Tell me, Sierra.” Luke whispered, leaning closer, propping his upper body with his arms so they were touching from knee to chest while brushing his lips against hers.
“I –” Luke kissed her before she could finish the statement, but he knew she was only going to make an excuse anyway. Slipping his tongue inside of her mouth, Luke was overcome with tenderness where this woman was concerned. Her fingers slid into his hair, her fingernails gently scraping his scalp, and a shutter rumbled through him.
When he pulled back and stared into her eyes, Luke saw everything he needed to see. The way she looked at him, the way she kissed him, hell, the very way she gave herself to him, told Luke exactly how she felt. His heart swelled at the thought.
As he watched her, Sierra slid her hand down his face, cupping his jaw but never taking her eyes off of him.
“Tell me, Sierra.” Luke whispered, almost begging. “I need to hear you say it.”
Sliding home, Luke thrust inside of her slowly, letting her wrap her legs around his waist. She was wet and warm, and he lost himself to the feel of her just as he allowed himself to get lost in those crystal blue eyes.
Sierra clung to him, and her body spoke the words he knew she wouldn’t say. He wanted to hear them, but he couldn’t blame her for not being able to assign the words to the feelings because he was having the same difficulty. When tears formed in her eyes, Luke was overcome with emotion. He poured himself into his movements, burying himself inside of her slow and deep, angling his hips when he was seated fully, only to retreat and return.
Admittedly, Luke wanted to hear those three words from Sierra, and he knew they would change his life forever. But, he couldn’t force her. He wanted her to tell him because she was overcome with the emotion, the same way that he was. Instead, he settled on making love to her, their feelings transferring between their bodies, emotions stronger than any words could ever define.
When she gripped his jaw tighter, forcing him to look at her, he saw every emotion written on her face. He continued his torturous pace, thrusting deeper. When she leaned her head up, his mouth met hers, and he kissed her with everything he had.
When he pulled back, he met her eyes again as Sierra’s internal muscles clamped around his cock. He wasn’t ready for the moment to end, but he couldn’t hang on. The tight warm clasp of her body milked him. For some reason, he couldn’t get the words out, but Luke prayed Sierra could feel everything he felt.
Sierra pulled his face down to hers, thrusting her tongue deep in his mouth and Luke’s orgasm pummeled through him just as Sierra came.
Heaven help him. He might not be able to speak the words, but he was in love with Sierra Sellers and the mere thought of what that meant scared the shit out of him.
~ * ~ * ~ * ~
Cole pulled into Lucie’s apartment, and he wondered if she would even be home. He hadn’t seen her car in the parking lot, but it was dark and he hadn’t looked that hard. It was very possible the woman had taken her daughter and disappeared for the night, hoping Cole wouldn’t confront her. Resolutely, he parked the truck, turned off the engine, grabbed the bag he’d set in the passenger seat and headed to her door on the second floor.
After two solid knocks, he was about to give up, but before he turned to walk away, he heard the chain rattle and the deadbolt click, telling him that Lucie was in fact home. And she was letting him in.
Progress.
“Hey.” He greeted when her beautiful face appeared beside the edge of the door.
“Hey.” She replied, taking a step back and letting him in.
“I thought you wouldn’t be here.” Cole said the words out loud, wondering when he’d become so honest.
“You said you were coming by.” Lucie stated though he could tell from the look on her face that the thought of disappearing had definitely been on her mind. “What’s in the bag?”
Lucie’s curiosity had her expression briefly turning from distrust to wonder as she stared down at the plastic sack he was holding.
“Where’s Haley?” He asked, ignoring her interest but smiling just the same.
“She’s in her room. I told her she had to take a shower before you got here, and she just got out.”
“Have you had dinner?” Cole asked, glancing around the apartment, taking in the small table in the kitchen that was set with plates and forks.
“We were just about to.” Lucie responded, glancing back at the table he was eyeing before turning her attention on him once again. “I made enough for three if you’d like to join us.”
Cole hadn’t eaten since lunch, and he was starving, so her offer was easy to accept. He nodded his agreement and they stood staring at one another.
He let his eyes roam her face, scrubbed clean of makeup and looking so incredibly young and beautiful, Cole felt something deep inside of him give. Lucie couldn’t have been but in her late twenties, but with her dark, chestnut brown hair pulled back in a haphazard ponytail, those deep chocolate brown eyes lacking the normal makeup, she didn’t look much older than twenty.
During the week, when she was working at the club, she was generally all dolled up, looking much older than she was, and Cole decided he liked the clean, fresh look on her better. Not that he would say a word because either way, Lucie was a beautiful woman.
“Let me get Haley.” She broke the strained silence before heading down the short hallway, calling out to her daughter in the process.
Cole turned to the small kitchen, noting the array of pictures decorating the small refrigerator, all created at the hand of a small child. He smiled to himself as he looked over each one, noting the creativity that only a child could possess. One picture reflected a small square box, topped with a triangle and housing two smaller boxes and a slanted rectangle. Obviously a picture of a house. Along with that, there were others containing stick figures of a small person with long brown hair and a taller one that looked almost the same. Apparently a family portrait.
His eyes travelled to another that was hidden behind the edges of the family portrait. This was almost the same, but included a taller person with short hair along with what looked to be a small animal. A dog maybe. So, apparently little Haley had included a man and a dog in her family portrait and Cole wondered what conversations that one had sparked between mother and daughter.
“Mr. Cole!” Haley’s exuberant, if not fragile, voice called out from behind him. When he turned, the little girl launched into his arms, wrapping her arms around his neck while Cole returned the gesture.
“Hey pretty girl.” He said, patting her back and holding her close. “I’m so glad to see you.”
“You are?”
The wariness in her little voice shocked him, and he glanced over at Lucie. She didn’t make eye contact with him, which he expected.
“Of course I am.” He said, pushing her back so he could look into her eyes. The same chocolate brown eyes as her mother, yet her hair was much lighter
, almost blond. “Look. I even brought you something.”
“For me?”
“For you.” He confirmed as he brought the plastic bag up so she could reach it.
“What is it?” She asked as she squirmed in his arms, trying to get down and grab the bag all at the same time.
Cole set the little girl on her feet and handed her the bag, smiling to himself at the look of joy on her face.
“A Barbie!” She squealed and then turned to look at her mother. “Look, Mommy, it’s a Barbie!”
“A very pretty Barbie.” Lucie confirmed, standing a few feet away, still not looking at Cole. “Let’s sit down and eat before we open her though.”
Cole followed Haley to the table where he sat in the spot she designated just for him. For the next thirty minutes, the little girl dazzled him with her stories of preschool and her apparent trip to the zoo the week before. Or maybe the month before. Haley didn’t seem to have a good concept of time, but her recollection of the event was vivid.
For the first time in as long as he could remember, Cole was able to forget about all that was going on in his own life and focus on the wonder and excitement of one four year old little girl.
“Did you make an appointment?” Cole asked Lucie a little while later as he helped her to clear the table while she washed dishes in the small sink before sliding them into the dishwasher.
The three of them had shared dinner, laughing and talking. Once they were finished, Cole had helped Haley to open her new Barbie and then Lucie whisked the little girl away because it was well past her bedtime. Waiting patiently in the living room, Cole distracted himself with his own thoughts while Lucie read Haley a bedtime story, returning when the little girl had finally fallen asleep.
“Yes, I made the appointment. Next Thursday.” Lucie stated, scrubbing one of the pans she had used to cook dinner unusually hard.
Cole watched while she continued to attack the pan, clearly some of her emotions were coming to the surface. A moment later he removed the pan from her hand, turning off the water before pulling her into his arms.
“It’s going to be ok.” He promised her; unsure exactly what he was promising. He could guarantee that financially Lucie and Haley would be fine. He could make sure Haley received the medical attention she needed, and that mother and daughter wouldn’t go without food because of the cost. He, however, could not promise that what was bothering Lucie would get easier.
“It’ll never be ok.” Lucie sobbed against his chest. “How does he not even know that it happened?”
The question was redundant, and one Cole couldn’t answer. He knew who she was referring to and he knew it was about the night Haley had been conceived, but he didn’t know how to answer. He couldn’t imagine being inebriated to the point that he didn’t know what he was doing.
Lucie pulled back, wiping her tears with the back of her hands before turning back to resume washing dishes. Cole had other ideas. They needed to sit down.
“Let’s talk. The dishes can wait.”
Surprisingly less reluctant than earlier, Lucie wiped her hands on a nearby dishtowel before heading back to the kitchen table. “Would you like some coffee?” She asked, obviously trying to play the part of a good hostess.
“I’m good. Sit.” He directed her before taking the seat to her left.
After a moment of silence, when it was apparent he was going to have to initiate the conversation, Cole asked the question that had been burning on his mind. “Why did you do it?”
“I didn’t know what else to do.” Lucie started, staring at her hands resting on the table. “I needed the money in order to pay the doctor bills –”
“Not that. I know why you stole the booze.” He wasn’t asking about her recent crime spree of stealing liquor from her employer and apparently selling it for extra money. That was a given. “Why did you keep Haley a secret from her father?”
Apparently the question startled Lucie because her eyes darted quickly to Cole’s before she turned and glanced down the hall. She must have been satisfied because she turned her attention back to Cole.
“He doesn’t remember what happened. At all.” Lucie stressed the last two words.
“That doesn’t mean he wouldn’t want to know he has a daughter.” Cole lowered his voice, cognizant of the fact Haley was still within ear shot, even if she was asleep.
“How would he even have time for her? He spends all of his time at the club.”
“You know he would help.” Cole could argue until he was blue in the face, and likely Lucie still wouldn’t change her mind, but he had to try.
“Financially, maybe. But that’s not what she needs.”
He begged to differ, especially if her mother was out stealing just to pay her medical bills. Instead of stating the obvious, he waited patiently until she continued.
“Haley needs a father. I get it. That still doesn’t mean I am going to tell him. He wouldn’t have time for her and quite frankly, I think that would be harder on her than not knowing.”
Reaching out and placing his hand over hers, Cole looked Lucie directly in the eyes. “Listen to me. You need to seriously consider this, Lucie. He deserves to know he has a daughter. It’s only fair to let him make that decision on his own. I know the last four years have been hard on you, but that doesn’t mean it has to continue to be that way.”
“What am I going to say to him? I mean seriously.” Lucie said, clearly exasperated. “Oh, and guess what? Almost five years ago you slept with me, and although I know you don’t remember, you have a daughter? Right. Like that’s going to happen.”
“He cares about you, Lucie.”
“That’s only because I work for him.” She argued.
Cole knew it was time for him to make his exit. He was only making the situation worse, and he couldn’t very well make Lucie’s decision for her. “Think about it, Lucie. That’s all I’m asking.” Standing from his seat, he noticed the relief on Lucie’s face. She didn’t want to continue this conversation, and he would grant her that reprieve.
When he reached the door, he turned back to her one more time, not knowing quite what he was going to say.
“You know him better than I do, Cole. What do you think he would say?”
He wasn’t sure either, but at least she was starting to consider the implications. “I don’t know, honey. I really don’t, but I think you’ll be surprised. The three of you deserve to have a chance to figure it out together.”
Lucie looked at the floor for a moment before she nodded her head. “Thanks for coming by.”
“I’ll see you on Thursday. I meant it when I said I wanted to go to her doctor’s appointment.” Cole tilted her chin so she had to look up at him. “And I mean it, give it some thought. He might be angry at first because you kept this from him, but he’ll come around. And she deserves it, Lucie.”
With a look of clear defiance, Lucie straightened her spine, those chocolate brown eyes fixed on him. “I still don’t know how telling him he’s a father is going to make a damn bit of difference, but I’ll think about it, Cole. Goodnight.”
With that, Cole left. On his way to his truck, he thought about Lucie’s parting words, and he could only hope he was right.
Yes, Cole was sure Kane was going to be livid that Lucie had kept such a life changing secret from him, but in the end, it would work out. At least he prayed that it would.
Chapter Twenty One
~~ ** ~~ ** ~~ ** ~~
“Feel like having dinner with me?” Luke asked Sierra when she answered the phone.
That was Luke, no other greetings, just right to the point.
“Tonight?”
“Can’t think of any better night.”
“Are you taking me somewhere? Or are you cooking for me?” Sierra asked, remembering vividly what happened two weeks before when Luke attempted to make dinner. If she thought about it too much, she might just break out in a sweat.
“Will your answer change depending on w
hat I say?”
“Probably not.” She stated truthfully, infusing a smile into her voice.
“Then my place it is.” He told her, a wicked promise in his tone. “Be here at six.”
“Make it six thirty and you’ve got a deal.” She told him, remembering she had an errand to run that would likely make her late for a six o’clock dinner date, and despite the way her body hummed at the thought, she wasn’t used to making promises she couldn’t keep.
“See you at six thirty.” Luke said, and the phone clicked off.
Unfortunately Sierra wasn’t able to make it by six thirty, but she called Luke and told him she would be a few minutes late so he didn’t worry.
At fifteen minutes after seven, Sierra was pulling into Luke’s driveway only to see a familiar truck parked close to the house. Leary of what was going on, she took her time exiting her car, grabbing her purse and her cell phone. On her way to the door she listened closely to see if she could hear the sound of their voices. The silence that greeted her was either a blessing or an omen, and she wasn’t sure which it would be.
When it came to Luke and Cole, especially with the way things had been between them lately, she couldn’t begin to assume the outcome of any interactions between the two men. When she reached the door, she rang the doorbell and stood patiently as she waited for Luke to appear.
To her surprise Cole answered, looking just as devastatingly handsome as he had the last time she saw him at Sam’s party. Or rather the morning after when he came to pick her up at Luke’s.
“Hey.” Cole greeted, a small smile on his lips.
“Hey.” Sierra was stunned silent by his appearance at Luke’s house. As far as she knew, the two men hadn’t spoken much in recent weeks.
“Come in.” He urged her when she didn’t move forward. “I don’t bite.”
The blush that suffused her face was unavoidable, but she tried to cover it with a smile. “Thanks.”
Once inside, she expected to smell dinner cooking, but to her dismay the house was eerily quiet and the only smells she could make out were those of wood and some sort of lemon cleaner. Her stomach rumbled in protest.
Temptation (Club Destiny) Page 21