by Harlow Layne
I wasn’t sure what I was expecting when I finally told him, but what he did next was definitely not it. Luke wrapped his arms around me as he stood from the water and carried me to bed without a word. I stared up at him, leaning back until my flushed skin was cooled by the satiny blanket.
One hand slid up the side of his torso to his neck and into his silky hair. I pressed my chest into his until every inch of me was touching every inch of him that I could manage.
His warm hands cupped my jaw, thumbs fanned out and caressing my cheeks as he looked down at me, eyes bright and at the same time dark with hunger.
I felt his warm breath on my lips, my eyes took them in; full, pink and parted. Perfect.
“Tell me you mean those words,” he demanded, his voice rough and husky.
“I would never say them if I didn’t mean them. I promise you, Luke. I love you.”
His eyes moved over me, taking me in as a slow smile spread across his gorgeous face. I desperately wanted to know what he was thinking and before I could ask, he surged inside of me with one thrust.
“Oh God, Luke!” I moaned so loud I was sure that it could be heard from miles away, but in that moment, I didn’t care. Luke was my sole focus as he slowly pulled out and pushed back in again and again so tantalizingly slow, I thought I might lose my mind from pleasure and the intensity of his gaze.
One hand took mine and laced our fingers together above my head while the other continued to cup the side of my face with his forearm in the bed.
Wrapping my legs tight around his sides, I followed the rhythm he had set. It was slow and sweet and unlike anything that I’d ever experienced. My head turned as I felt the tears prick my eyes and my nose start to burn.
“Alex, baby, look at me,” he breathed against the hot skin of my neck right before he licked a path down and across my collarbone.
I complied instantly and got his dazzling smile in return. He rubbed his nose along mine then rested his forehead to mine. All the while he kept up the slow motion of in and out that was building me higher and higher.
His blue-green eyes, burning with intense swirling emotion, locked onto mine as he whispered against my lips. “I love you, Alex.”
At his declaration my back arched, and my head flew back as a blinding wave of pleasure hit me. I wasn’t sure how long it lasted. It felt like hours while at the same time only seconds. When I came down, Luke had shifted his ass to his heels with me in his lap, arms tight around me as he continued moving slowly.
Once my head cleared, I threw my arms around his neck and started to ride him, picking up the pace. What was once sweet had turned heated. Luke was mine, and I was claiming him. Just like he was claiming me.
He pulled me down with each thrust of his hips, hitting me in just the right place each and every time, causing me to moan and tighten around him once more. My body tingled and heated as a new wave of pleasure started to envelop me.
Moaning my name, Luke stilled and buried his face in the crook of my neck before letting out a long, deep groan that sent tingles down my spine. My arms held Luke close as he lowered us down to the bed.
With my eyes closed in pure happiness, I felt his body shift off and to the side of me. His hand cupped my face once again as his thumb traced my lower lip.
I opened my eyes just in time to see him bend close and brush his lips to mine. His eyes never leaving mine, he spoke softly against my lips. “It wasn't too soon.”
Shifting to my side, I wrapped an arm around his waist as I nudged a leg between his. Leaning down, I placed a kiss over his heart. “I didn't want to scare you off.”
“Beautiful,” he dipped his head until our eyes met. “There's nothing you can do to scare me away. I've been trying to tell you that.” He kissed my forehead and ran his fingers through my hair. “You've got me and you're never getting rid of me.”
“I hope you're right,” I replied quietly. “It would break me.”
“I'll never break you. Only build you up stronger, into the woman you were always meant to be. My Alex.”
“Luke,” I moaned his name as I buried my face in his chest. “You're going to make me cry.”
“Because you're happy?” he questioned, smoothing a hand down my hair.
“Happier than I've ever been.” I said, muffled by my face still in his chest.
“Then you cry if you want to cry.” He shifted out from under me. “I'll be right back. Let me get something to clean you up with.”
I watched as he slid out of bed. His muscles rippled with each move and I couldn't take my eyes off his long, muscular body, his cut stomach and arms, his tight ass, and powerful thighs. My sex spasmed, I already wanted him again.
Luke was my walking, talking aphrodisiac.
I watched him again as he came back into the room with a warm, damp washcloth in his hand while I grew wetter with each movement. My eyes never left him, and I didn’t care if he caught me.
He kneeled on the bed and ran the warm washcloth between my legs and it felt heavenly. My eyes closed as I let out a low moan and smiled. No one had ever taken care of me the way Luke did. Every day that passed he made me feel more treasured and precious.
A second later, I heard the washcloth hit the floor somewhere near the bathroom right before he pulled me into his arms.
“Sleep,” Luke said as he kissed the top of my head.
With the drama of the day, getting very little sleep the night before, and the amazing sex we’d had, I was wiped and fell asleep feeling happy and loved.
20
“From what you’ve told me,” I said, as I looked out the balcony doors toward the ocean. “I’d say Astrid is using you. She doesn’t seem genuine in what she wants from you. I don’t know if it’s possible, but if I was you I wouldn’t tell anyone your last name when you first meet. I don’t know how common Sandström is there. If it is common, then don’t say who your brothers are. That way a girl can get to know you for you, and once you know she likes you for you, then you can tell her who your brothers are.”
A deep sigh filtered through the phone from the other end. “You make it sound so easy.” Leo muttered in a sad tone.
“Yeah, easier said than done. I get you wanting to be yourself and not hiding anything, but people are assholes, and you’ve got to do what you have to, to make sure you’re happy.”
“I’m happy my brother found you.”
“Thank you, Leo. That means a lot that you think so.”
“I’ve never heard my brother talk about a girl he was dating like he talks about you. You’re special.”
I couldn’t help, but smile. Leo spoke quietly, as if what he was telling me was a secret. And perhaps it was, or so he thought. Either way I already loved Leo. There was something about him that I immediately clicked with. Maybe it was a family trait and I wouldn’t know until I met more of his family. I knew that Leo felt the same way since it took him all of ten minutes to start telling me about his situation with a girl and asking my advice.
“Well, I think your brother is special, and I can’t wait to meet you in person.”
“I’m going to come to California this summer if not sooner. I’m not sure I’ll be able to with school, but if I have the opportunity, I plan to come see Luke.”
“That’s very sweet. I know he misses his family and I feel bad that I invited him to come on this trip when he could have gone home.”
“Don’t feel bad. I don’t think he would have come home unless you came with him.” Leo assured me all the way from Sweden.
“Really? I felt really bad because of how much he talks about missing you guys.”
“I’m positive. So where did my brother run off to while he let us talk?”
“He’s outside on the terrace talking to Colton.” I answered, looking out at them in deep conversation.
Leo laughed down the line.
“What’s so funny?” I questioned. His laughter made no sense, but it put a smile to my face none the less.
&nbs
p; “My brother who’s an actual movie star meets a girl from a small town in Missouri, and she’s introducing him to one of Hollywood’s golden couples. When he told me who you guys were going to Mexico with I didn’t believe him at first.”
“It is surreal. I never intended or thought this would be my life.”
“It’s funny because Luke doesn’t care about the Hollywood lifestyle. He only wants to enjoy his time on set and spend time with his friends and family. He’s never going to kiss Hollywood’s ass for a part or to make a name for himself.”
“He doesn’t have to,” I interrupted. “When anyone meets him, they instantly feel what a good person he is. He’s so sweet and caring. Not to mention funny.”
“You love my brother,” Leo quietly announced with pure confidence.
“I do, but even if I didn’t I’d say the exact same thing. If Luke wasn’t my boyfriend, I would still want him in my life at least as my friend.”
Calling Luke my boyfriend felt insignificant, juvenile and silly, but I sure as hell wasn’t going to call him my lover to his brother.
“But you’re glad he’s not just your friend, right?” Leo laughed.
“Very glad, but I’d take him anyway I could get him. He’s that great of a guy.”
“Fuck, I’m glad he found you.”
Tears burned at the back of my eyes from the sincerity in his voice. I wasn’t sure if it was because Luke had been lonely or because his past girlfriends had been train wrecks. Either way, I was happy I was now Leo approved.
“Me too,” I said, managing to keep the croak out of my voice as I swallowed it down.
“Well, I should let you go. I don’t want my brother to say I monopolized all your time.” It was easy to hear the smile in his voice and his love for Luke. I loved how close they were.
“I doubt that would happen, but I should probably go. There’s a girl here who seems to have a problem with me and I don’t want her to think I’m hiding from her.”
“Do I need to come and kick her ass?”
“No, she’s not happy that I was invited. I’m the new girl.” I tried to explain when I didn’t really understand it myself.
“It shouldn’t matter if you’re new or not.”
“It shouldn’t, but it’s the only explanation except that she just doesn’t like me. I’ve only been around her once before and she was fine then, so I don’t know what it is.”
“Maybe she’s just a bitch.”
A bark of laughter escaped causing both Luke and Colt to glance at me from outside. “Maybe, but I’m trying not to let it bother me.”
“Good luck with that. I hope the rest of your vacation goes well. Tell Luke that I’ll talk to him once you guys get back.”
“I will, and it was so good to talk to you, Leo. I can’t wait to meet you.”
“You, too.” He replied before hanging up.
I was sad to let Leo go, but I wanted to enjoy my time with Luke, Anna, Colt, and the Mexico sun. I knew when I got back to Missouri it was going to feel like it was subarctic in comparison.
Grabbing my book, I started out to where Luke and Colt were sitting until I heard what they were saying and stopped dead in my tracks.
“I’m afraid of what’s going to happen once her ex finds out who I am. He already makes her life miserable, she doesn’t need this.” Luke said softly, but not quite enough to where I couldn’t hear what he’d said. His head turned to look back out at the beach and water.
“I hope you’re not thinking of doing something stupid like breaking up with her so that he won’t cause any problems.” Colt took a large drag of his beer.
“Fuck no! I’m just trying to figure out what I can do in some preventative measure in case he becomes a problem and I’m almost two thousand miles away. If anything happened to her or Mason because of her involvement with me, I would never forgive myself,” Luke uttered, his voice broken at the thought.
This time I couldn’t hold back the tears that stung my eyes, and I didn’t want to. My chest burned at the emotion in his voice. I didn’t care if Luke or Colt saw my tears. I wanted Luke to know how much what he just said meant to me, even though he didn’t know I heard him.
Without thought, my feet took me to stand beside the lounger that Luke had been sitting in since he left me to talk to his brother.
The moment he looked up at me in surprise, a lone tear escaped, traveled down to my chin and fell to the ground. The look of surprise instantly vanished, and concern was etched on his face as he took me in.
“Alex, what’s happened? Is Mason okay?”
Instead of answering, I threw myself into his lap, wrapped my arms around him, and shoved my head in the crook of his neck. Luke only paused for a moment before he hugged me back, and murmuring what could only be something in Swedish because I had no idea what he was saying and one peek at Colton said that he had no clue either.
“I love you.” There was nothing else I could say; my heart and body were so filled with love and happiness.
“I love you too, but that doesn’t explain why you came out here crying.” He answered back, looking confused and more gorgeous than I’d ever seen him. His brow furrowed with concern and confusion, and his soul gazing eyes did me in. They led right to his pure heart that I had somehow worked my way into.
“I was crying because I love you so much I literally felt like I was going to burst. I heard you talking to Colt just now.”
Luke continued to look at me with confusion not understanding. Hell, I couldn’t understand why I had such an intense emotional response to what he said either, but since meeting him that had been the new norm.
Clearing his throat, Colt laughed when we pulled away looking shocked to see him still sitting there. “I don’t mean to break up the love fest, but I might have a solution for you.”
Luke sat up straighter, with me still in his lap, giving Colt his full attention. “I’m open to suggestions.”
“Anna mentioned a while back that you’ve been looking and saving for a new house. One that’s actually in Mason’s school district.”
“I have, but it’s been hard to find one and have a substantial enough down payment. Houses in that area go very quickly. Do you know of one that’s not crazy ass expensive?”
I had no idea why I asked Colton Patrick if he knew of a house in Fairlane that was for sale or affordable for me. I mean, why would he? I was sure he had better things to do than watch the housing market in his hometown and even if he did, it would be way out of my price range.
“As a matter of fact, I do. Do you remember where my house was when you were there?” I felt Luke’s body tense as Colt continued to talk. “There’s a house in the neighborhood and it’s not too far away from the elementary school that Mason goes to. I’m not sure if it’s in that school zone, but since he’s already going there, it shouldn’t matter.”
“Colt, I can’t afford any of the houses in that neighborhood. Maybe if one had a pool house it would be doable.” I gave a bitter laugh at the thought. Wouldn’t that be lovely to live in the backyard of some rich person?
“I think you can afford it. I actually know you can, because I own every house in the neighborhood. The only people who live there are friends and family and before you say you can’t afford it again, hear me out. No one who lives there has paid full price on those homes except for me. My family and friends who live there don’t have the money it would take to buy the house they are in without it taking a serious chunk of change out of their pockets, and I don’t want that.” His eyes moved from me to Luke. “I wanted to provide the houses that I thought my family deserved to live in when they wouldn’t take my money to buy one for them outright. So, I bought a huge piece of land and developed a gated community where I knew my family would be safe from people trying to find me or use them. Right now, there are three houses that are vacant, and no one has ever lived in them. I’d like to offer you one at a reasonable price.”
I looked to Luke to see that he h
ad a blank look on his face. It seemed he’d be no help. Why was he acting strange all of a sudden? Was he only acting this way, so he wouldn’t influence me?
“I don’t know. It feels like charity to me and although it might take me longer than I want it to, I’ll eventually move.”
Colt sighed and looked to Luke for what looked like help, but Luke continued to sit like a statue. “Would you feel better if I told you the price I had everyone else pay for their houses? I promise you it wasn’t a dollar either. They all felt the same as you do right now.”
“At least they’re your family.”
“I have friends who live there too. And you’re my friend, Alex. I want to help you out. I know that if you could you’d probably be moving to LA, and if Luke wasn’t so busy he’d be in Fairlane.”
“Can I think about it?”
“Sure, why don’t I give you two some time and we’ll talk before we have to leave. Sound good?”
“Yeah, sounds good.”
As Colt started to walk away, Luke called out to him. “How much did your friends and family pay?”
Colt’s smile grew in the few steps he took as he walked back to us. “Fifty thousand dollars.”
It was too much and not enough all at the same time. I knew those houses would sell for at least half a million in our little town. It was a steal (literally) and I didn’t have that much money saved up.
The second Colt was out of ear shot, I moved over onto his lounger facing Luke. I wanted to know what had happened with him. Why had he remained quiet until the very end and why was he so stiff?
“What was that?” I asked after a few moments of silence.
“What was what?” Luke looked away from watching Colt to me.
“You playing statue,” I replied, annoyance clear in my tone. He knew exactly what I was talking about.
“For a moment, I was jealous and wasn’t thinking.” Shaking his head, Luke turned to sit facing me on his lounger. “I forgot everything I knew for a split second. I don’t know why, and in that second I thought maybe something had happened between the two of you.”