“Luke, I’m-I’m gonna—” My toes curl, and my legs tremble.
“That’s it, baby. Come on me.” His voice cracks right before my body explodes. We arch into each other, shuttering as we both cry out, our hearts beating in sync. He draws out every ounce of pleasure, until I’m limp in his arms. When it’s over, he pulls back, gazing deep into my eyes.
“I love you,” I tell him, needing him to know I truly do. He holds me tighter, then I run my fingers through his tousled hair.
He kisses my forehead. “Love you too.”
Consumed with an overwhelming sense of guilt, and sadness, I break down in front of him.
Being with Luke in that way again had brought on a flood of emotions. I’d felt like a piece missing from my soul had been returned to me. And to think—we haven’t even had sex yet. I can’t imagine how explosive it’s going to be when it finally does happen … which better be soon.
After the tears came, Luke had carried me over to the bed then tucked me under the covers. He lied down behind me, softly stroking my shoulder, while I cried. It had brought me comfort, but I internally cursed myself for being so emotional. I didn’t want him to worry. And I definitely didn’t want him thinking I’d regretted what we had just done. Aside from him having too much to drink before then—his words- not mine—I’d thought it’d been beautiful … perfect really.
He’d continued to lay with me, and when my crying finally stopped, I rolled over to face him. The worry lines between his brows were prominent, and I’d smoothed them over with the pad of my thumb. He laid in silence, stroking my hair while I’d explained the reason behind my tears. I could see the relief in his eyes when I’d confirmed what I was feeling. He claimed my mouth again, kissing me until I was breathless. When he pulled away, he smacked me on the butt, and told me to put on some panties. I was tempted to tease him, but the man had already been tortured enough, so I’d done what he’d asked, and threw on a tank top, before slipping back into bed with him.
We both had a lot of questions, and this time we didn’t hold back. I’d asked about his time away, about his father. I needed to know that he was going to be okay. I couldn’t imagine what it’d been like to be in his position, to have to face what he did. The subject of Sean came up, and Luke’s body would tense, but we talked through it. If we wanted our relationship to work, we couldn’t avoid the hard topics. Our lack of communication in the past had only hurt us. I didn’t want anything hindering us from moving forward. We talked for hours then drifted off to sleep, only to be awoken when our phones were ringing simultaneously.
I’d felt the bed dip, then Luke got up to grab his phone out of the other room. My gaze drifted up and down his defined body, as he confidently strode back. I grinned at the sight of his messy hair. I loved knowing that I had done that to him.
Memories of us when we were younger flickered through my mind—the crush I’d had on him, knowing he only saw me as a little girl, never dreaming that when we were older he’d return my feelings.
Meeting my eyes, he sets his phone on the nightstand then brushes his knuckles along my cheek. “What are you thinkin’ about?”
“Memories … you and me.”
He sits on the bed, patting his lap. So I climb over and straddle him, placing my hands on his shoulders. His eyes burn with heat. He grips my hips, and I ignore the urge to move, feeling him harden.
“Was that Logan?”
“They want to meet for dinner.”
“Mmm.” I press my lips to the spot below his ear, and his thumbs circle the skin under the hem of my tank top. I continue the path down his neck. He trails his fingers up my back.
“You love to torture me. Don’t you?” he asks, his voice gravelly.
“I think you’ve done your fair share.” I pull back. He looks at my mouth then kisses me. I gently move my hips, moaning as our tongues dance together.
“Not even close.” He groans, scooting me off him, then climbs out of bed, heading for the shower.
I make a sound of frustration as I stare at his perfectly round ass. I’ll never tire of looking at him. “How much time do we have?”
“Not enough time for what you’re thinking,” he chuckles, turning on the water. “And I ain’t rushing it, sweetheart.”
A waitress stands at our table holding a tray of plastic wands, filled to the brim with a clear liquid. The four of us had a late dinner, then ended up renting a VIP booth at Marquee nightclub. We’re right in front of the dance floor. Logan and Luke sit at the ends, with Gia and me in the middle. She’s had a perma-grin on her face since the moment she’d seen Luke and me hand in hand.
“Who’s ready for shots?” Logan yells over the music, rubbing his hands together.
Luke and I lock eyes. I assume he’s probably worried I’ll drink too much and make a fool of myself, but instead he winks, and I smile back.
“We’ll take eight of ‘em,” Logan says, holding up eight fingers.
“Eight?” Gia’s brows arch, as he hands them over. “My stomach’s still off. I can’t handle drinking two of them.”
“I’ll take your second one,” he replies. “Here, pass these over.”
Luke holds the liquid under his nose, looking at Logan. “Tequila?”
“Patron. You guys want a lime?” he asks, holding up a cup of them. All of us pick one out. “I’d like to make a toast,” Logan shouts, his shot in the air. “To Diaz winning the fight, and to me winning the jackpot.”
Gia snorts. “I hate to be the bearer of bad news, honey, but it’s not gonna happen.”
“I thought he won two thousand dollars already.” I nudge her, and she arches a brow.
“He swears he’s gonna win ten more.”
“Eight more,” he corrects. “Hence the eight shots I ordered.”
“Should I be worried? What if he becomes a compulsive gambler or something?”
He lifts his chin. “Don’t believe me? I’ll bet on it. Who wants to bet me?”
Luke taps his knuckles on the table. “I’ll bet you. Gotta think of somethin’ good, though.” His lips twitch. “Give me a minute.” He squeezes my thigh, and I glance between Logan and Gia.
An idea comes to my mind. “I got it!” I say excitedly. I lean in so everybody can hear me. “If Logan doesn’t win the money, you two have to elope. And it has to happen before we leave!”
Luke chuckles, and Logan ponders the idea with a smirk.
Gia’s eyes turn to slits when her head snaps to me. “Hello! Do I have a say in this?”
“What? You two always talk about getting married! I don’t see what the big deal is,” I say, feigning innocence.
“One, you shouldn’t be encouraging him to throw away his money. Two, he hasn’t even proposed. Three, he isn’t going to win, which pretty much guarantees that he and I will be getting married! Four, I’d rather not have my wedding in Vegas, of all places! And five, my parents would totally kill me!” She crosses her arms over her chest.
“What if they don’t know? We don’t have to tell them,” Logan mutters.
“You expect me to keep something like that from my mom?”
He shrugs. “Tell them, or keep it a secret. I like it, babe. You could still get the wedding you’ve always wanted, and have twice the fun.” Her expression changes, and she squints.
I can tell she’s considering it. “So, are you in?”
She tilts her head. “You do realize he’s not gonna win the money.”
“No faith in me,” he says, disappointed.
She’s told me repeatedly that this is what she wants, so they might as well make it official. She’s just waiting for Logan to put the ring on her finger. “I guess we’ll have to see.”
Gia glances back at Logan. Their eyes lock, and a moment later she grins. “I can’t believe I’m gonna say this,” she says, blowing out a breath. “All right, I’m in.” We all cheer excitedly. Logan and Luke bump fists.
“Are you sure? A bet is a bet,” I tell her.
/> “Yes, I’m sure.”
I clap like a schoolgirl, then we clink our shots together, pouring the liquid down our throats. My eyes water, and I make a bitter face, putting the lime in my mouth. “Blah! That was gross.” I suck on the tangy juices. “Hard liquor is not for me. Do I have to drink the other one?”
Gia coughs and gags. “Yes! You owe me one for that.”
“I’d say we’re pretty even.” I give her a look. She knows she screwed up when she kept Luke’s secret from me.
“Hey, if you don’t mind the possibility of wearing my vomit, then fine, I’ll drink the other.”
“Eww. Good point.”
“All right. All right. Help me come up with somethin ladies.”
Gia and I look at Logan with a blank face.
“What happens if and when I win?”
“Oh, that.” Gia smiles, her eyes slide to mine. “Same rules, different couple. If Logan wins, you two get married.”
Wait. What?
Logan’s eyes light up and he cackles. “Ready for marriage, bro?”
“I’d marry her,” Luke says without hesitation.
My wide eyes lift to his. “You don’t really mean that.”
“I don’t?”
“You do?”
“Why the hell wouldn’t I?” He frowns, scanning my face. “What’s it gonna take to convince you how important you are to me?”
I gulp, feeling a flock of butterflies in my belly. I’m not sure how to answer that exactly. I know that he loves me, but to hear him say he’d marry me without hesitation is a little surprising. Could I marry Luke? Absolutely, I could. “I know, I’m just…” Meeting his penetrating gaze, I softly say, “I … I’d marry you too.”
He cups a hand behind his ear. “You what?”
“I’d marry you too,” I repeat, my face heating.
“Damn right you will,” he growls against my lips, practically pulling me on his lap, as he kisses me.
Gia interrupts our love fest. “So, are you in?”
I grab a lime and bounce it off her chest. My smile matching hers, I say, “Yes! I’m in!”
“Are you sure? A bet is a bet,” she says, her eyes shining.
“Yes. I’m sure.”
Luke and Logan are fist bumping again, then everyone except Gia tips back their second shot. It goes down smoother than the first one—for me at least. It doesn’t seem to bother the guys any.
Once the alcohol kicks in, Gia and I are out on the dance floor, swaying our hips. Sweat beads along our skin, but we’re having fun and aren’t ready to stop yet. I hold up my hair, keeping it from sticking to the back of my neck, then strong hands grip onto my hips before a warm body presses behind me. I lay the back of my head against his powerful chest, unable to hide my grin.
“What took you so long?”
“How’d you know it was me?” His breath tickles my skin.
I spin around and lock my arms around him. “I always know when it’s you. It’s a feeling I get.”
“Yeah?” he asks, pressing me flush against his hips. “There’s a feeling I get around you, too.” His thick erection rests against my stomach. “I like watching you dance,” He smirks devilishly. “You’re sexy.”
“You gonna throw me over your shoulder and carry me out of here … for old time’s sake?”
“Depends.”
“On what?”
“How many douchebags I have to fight off of you.” He moves his hands down to my ass. “Though, now that I’m thinking about it, I might just carry you out for the fun of it.” He kisses me slowly. When the music switches to something more upbeat, our kisses grow hungrier, and we’re lost in each other. It’s as if the rest of the crowd has disappeared. I can’t stop touching him, kissing his addictive mouth.
“Dude, the kinky club is a mile down the street! Tone it down a little.”
I look over in a daze, finding Logan and Gia dancing beside us.
She playfully smacks his chest, looking back and forth between us. “Do you two want to bow out early? We probably aren’t gonna stay much longer.”
Bow out early? I’m not ready to leave. I’ve only been to a club a couple times in my life. Plus, this is the first time Luke and I have been able to truly enjoy each other with nothing between us. It’s hard to describe the feeling, other than the fact that it’s relieving.
My eyes lift to Luke’s, wondering if he’s thinking the same thing—though he’s probably tired of the club scene. I imagine he’s done this several times with other women. I silently tell my mind not to go there.
“Havin’ fun?” He cocks a brow at me.
I bite my lower lip, nodding.
“Good.” He turns to them. “You guys go ahead. We’re gonna stay.” Leaning close to my ear, pressing a kiss there, he says, “I’ll close out the bar if it makes you happy.”
I pull back. “Are you having fun?” I ask, hoping this isn’t just for me.
He makes a face. “Absolutely!” His dimples have me grinning. “Nowhere else I’d rather be.”
Feeling an overwhelming sense of freedom, I let myself go. Our bodies stay in-tune with one another, both of us lighter. It’s like telling whatever had been keeping us apart, that we’re stronger, that we’ve finally won.
“You and me against the world, baby.” He smirks. I stop moving and stare up at him.
He registers my look of shock. “What?”
“Nothing.” I shake my head. “I was just thinking the same thing.” If that surprised him, he didn’t look it.
We danced all through the night, stopping only to get some drinks, or take a bathroom break. I hadn’t realized how much my feet had been hurting until it was over. By the time we get back to our room, we are so spent that we pass out on top of the covers, still fully dressed and all.
There’s not one empty seat inside the arena at the MGM Grand Hotel. The crowd goes wild as they announce the main event. Gabriel Diaz, the Brazilian fighter, steps inside the cage, ready to defend his title. He stares into the face of his contender, and they bounce on their feet. A surge of adrenaline shoots through me. I get up on my tiptoes to see, when the guy in front of me blocks my view, raising his fists in the air. I attempt to peek around him, but it doesn’t work. Luke squats down, tipping his head at me.
“Get on my shoulders.”
“What?” I can barely hear him.
“My shoulders. Get on.”
I look at my attire. “I can’t. I’m wearing a dress!”
He smirks. “You’re fine. My head will block anyone from seeing anything.” He taps his shoulder. “Get on,” he repeats. I do what he says, pulling down the back of my dress, covering my bottom, before he stands up. “Better?”
“Yeah!” I yell, able to see everything clearly, then Logan’s squatting down, doing the same with Gia. We raise our fists, chanting like everybody else. The fight gets started, and the crowd quiets down a little, until Diaz lands a hard punch.
Beer splashes all over my legs, when the guy in front of me cheers. The guy looks back and apologizes.
“It’s just a little beer,” I say in Luke’s ear.
He responds with a grunt as Diaz takes several more swings, landing most of them on the torso of his enemy. A loud roar erupts through the crowd, but the scenery changes when his contender gets him in a hold, taking Diaz to the floor. The bell dings, and seconds later the fighters go to their corners. Logan and Luke bend down, and we climb off their shoulders.
Strong hands cup my face, and Luke kisses me unexpectedly. He ends it with a soft peck to my forehead. He has one of those looks on his face, like he’s having a moment. “It’s all just sort of surreal, you being here with me.”
“I know what you mean. Do you miss it?” His life would’ve been so different, if he would’ve kept fighting … and kept me out of it.
He shrugs. “Not enough.”
I don’t know how to take his answer, but I let it go. The crowd gets louder as the fighters prepare for the second roun
d, then Gia and I are back on their shoulders.
In the end, the judges call Diaz the winner, by unanimous decision. The men howl in agreement along with most of the crowd. I tap Luke on the head. When he looks up I bend down and plant a kiss on his sinful lips. I can’t resist. He looks raw, and rugged, with a couple of days’ old stubble on his chiseled jawline. His henley fits snugly over the ridges and dips of his muscles, and his tattoos are on display. My hormones are having a heyday.
After the fight, Logan suggests we all do a little gambling. Gia and I stick with the quarter machines, while the boys look for something a little more high-risk. I’m up fifty bucks, and Gia’s down twenty, give or take a few.
“I’d rather be shopping,” she says monotone.
“I think most of the stores are closed by now.” I click the BET ONE button when Gia’s next statement freezes my hand midair.
“So there’s a chance I could be pregnant.”
What? My head snaps in her direction. “When was the last time you had your period? And way to bring it up.”
She blows out a breath. “A couple of months ago, but my cycles have always been irregular. It’s just … I feel … different. I don’t know how to explain it.”
“You’re on the pill. Right?” I frown and she nods.
“I had to double up every now and then, when I’d forget to take them. I’m worried. I’ve been nauseous and emotional lately…”
She has been. “Have you said anything to Logan?”
“I want to take a test first.” She chews on her lip. “That way, if it’s negative, I don’t have to say anything.” Her eyes narrow. “If you tell Luke, I’ll kill you. Keep this between us.”
“I won’t say anything. I promise.” I make an X over my chest then check to see if anyone is around us. “Just so you know, if you are pregnant, Logan will be ecstatic—no question. He adores you.” I picture their potential beautiful babies then cash out my quarters and get up. “I can’t take it any longer. Let’s go buy you a test. It’ll give you peace of mind.”
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