“I want you to teach me how to do it.”
Kissing me softly, he says, “I’ll teach you a lot of things. I look forward to it.” He kisses my jaw, down my neck, to the tops of my breasts. Moments later, his tongue flicks over each nipple. I grip the back of his head, pulling him toward me. I’m ready for more. He slides up my body, stretching my wrists above my head. His nose runs along my cheek, then he presses his lips against my ear. “I need to feel you bare, Reese—skin to skin.”
My heart rate picks up, and I swallow back my nerves, but I know Luke will be gentle with me, if I need him to be.
“You ready?”
“Yes,” I nod slowly. He gazes deep into my eyes then his fingers move between my legs, eliciting a moan out of me. I arch into his hand, trembling at every touch. “Luke, I’m aching.” I need more … more of him.
“Shh … I got you,” he says. We stare at each other, then he reaches down to take his tip and rubs it along my entrance. The warmth has me lifting my hips. He eases in slowly. I instinctively grab his shoulders, tensing, my teeth clenched. It doesn’t hurt, but I’m preparing for it.
His forehead bunches. “Need me to stop?”
No way do I want this to stop. “No. It doesn’t hurt yet.”
He kisses me. “I’m barely in.”
“I know. Keep going.”
He inches forward, and his jaw goes tight. “This part may hurt. Hold on to me, okay?”
“I trust you,” I whisper.
Several emotions pass over his face, then he lifts my hips, and thrusts all the way in. I cling to him with a death grip, my nails digging deep into his skin. He freezes. “You okay?”
I force myself to relax, feeling him stretch me. “It was just a pinch.” Stroking his hair, I kiss his soft, warm lips to reassure him.
He presses our foreheads together, giving me time to get used to him. “You feel incredible,” he breathes.
“You can move. It doesn’t seem to hurt anymore.” Not at the moment, at least.
“You sure?” He strokes my cheek.
I nod, as he watches me intently.
“I love you,” he whispers.
“I love you too.” My fingers follow the dips of his back, then he pulls all the way out, and thrusts back in. Closing my eyes, I urge him to keep going. He continues to move at a slow, torturous pace. The groans he makes, and the look on his face, adds to my arousal. His sweat drips onto my skin, and I lift my hips, wanting more friction.
“Good?”
“Yes, so good.” I notice him shaking. “You’re trembling,” I pant.
“You have no idea how good you feel.” He kisses me. “Hard to hold back.”
“I don’t want you to hold back.”
“What do you want?”
I moan when he circles his hips. “I want more.”
He drives into me harder, dragging his teeth across his bottom lip. I want to bite that lip. He does it again. “Like this?”
“Yes!”
His eyes blaze, and he plunges into me, growling. I squeeze his muscular ass, and he picks up his pace. Our mouths crash together, then I’m meeting his every thrust, loving the feel of him inside me. “More, baby?”
“Yes! Please! Harder.” I don’t even recognize my own voice.
Sliding down my body, he picks up my legs, placing them over his shoulders. He runs his tongue from my pelvic bone, up to my neck, settling right where I need him. “You were made for me,” he grunts, driving into me in one hard thrust. I cry out in pleasure, as he continues. Over and over, he moves exactly how I need him—every time a little rougher than the last. “Tell me you’re mine.”
I thrash underneath him. “I’m yours.”
Pounding into me harder, brushing his open mouth against mine, he says, “Look into my eyes when you say it.” He traces my lips with his tongue, rolling my nipple between his fingers.
My body shivers, and I force myself to meet his smoldering gaze. “I’ve always been yours, and you know it.”
“That’s right,” he growls. “You’ve always been mine.” Plunging in and out of me, he hits a spot that has me shuddering in ecstasy. I curl my toes, crying out. He watches me, with his movements slow and deep, then he drives out his own release. A low, animalistic sound comes out of him, as he pulses inside me. His head falls to the crook of my neck. Rolling off me, he pulls my back against his front, then his lips lightly feather over my shoulder. He holds me tighter, and I smile at his sigh of contentment. It’s in this moment that I realize what it’s like to be truly happy.
Two Months Later
Luke and I had moved my stuff into his place right away. Marriage has been quite the adjustment, but in a very good way. Sometimes I have to convince myself that I’m not dreaming, that Luke and I are really together. Nothing feels better than waking up and feeling his strong arms around me, his warm breath over my skin. He makes me feel safe, loved, and happy.
“Is this really necessary?” Gia asks.
“Yes,” the men say together.
We’re riding, blindfolded, in the back seat of my new Rover, quite an upgrade from my old, broken down Honda, unaware of where the guys are taking us. We’re both antsy, and they keep ignoring our questions, getting a kick out of making us squirm. Luke insisted on going car shopping shortly after we’d gotten back, saying that he liked the idea of me driving an SUV.
The engine jerks forward, and my hand lands on Gia’s lap. “Careful with my pretty car, and don’t forget, there’s a pregnant lady back here.”
“Yeah! You don’t want me getting sick in here, do you?”
“Sorry girls,” Luke grumbles.
“You all right?” Logan asks her.
“I’ll be all right when I get this thing off my face. It’s giving me motion sickness.”
Luke apologizes again. “I’ll drive more careful.
After her pregnancy test came back positive, Gia freaked out, and took several more, thinking the result would come out differently. By the time she’d seen the doctor, she was already twelve weeks along. I’m thrilled at the thought of becoming an aunt, and Logan is ecstatic about being a father, which didn’t surprise anyone. They’ve been planning a wedding, and Gia’s parents took the news better than expected.
“How much longer?”
“Almost there, baby,” Luke replies. “Just another minute.”
“I better be blown away,” Gia murmurs. “This is seriously torture.”
“Whattya think, Luke? They gonna like it?”
“Maybe, maybe not,” he grumbles back. “Women are difficult creatures.”
“Pshh. You don’t have to tell me.”
They chuckle, and I glare behind my blindfold, though I’m not really mad. Finally, the car slows before coming to a stop.
“All right!” Gia claps. “I’m taking this thing off!”
“Not yet,” Logan calls back. “I’m comin’ around to get you.”
She makes a noise of frustration, and I giggle as our doors open, and then I feel Luke’s calloused hand on mine. He helps me out of the car, and we take careful steps, his other hand on the small of my back.
“Be careful with her Logan.”
“I got her.”
Luke presses his lips against my ear. “Did you peek?”
“No, but if I fall, you’re gonna get it.”
He chuckles lowly. “Ready?”
I nod. “Yeah, ready.”
He unties my blindfold, then my eyes adjust on a large, single-story home, resting on a couple of acres.
“Where are we?” I ask.
Tugging me behind him, he leads me toward the house.
“Let them go in alone,” I hear Logan mutter, as I glance over my shoulder, meeting Gia’s eyes. She just shrugs, looking perplexed.
Luke picks a key off my keychain, unlocking the door before nudging it open.
Why would he have a key? We step inside, and my mouth drops. This place is gorgeous, with an open concept floor plan, and extremely
tall ceilings. The back wall is covered in windows that frame views of the mountains. I walk around, taking in everything. Down the hall, to the right, sits a large kitchen and giant island, perfect for entertaining. White cabinets complement the dark hardwood floors throughout the home. Luke follows me to the other side of the house, watching me carefully. We’ve toyed with the idea of moving. Could this home be a possibility for us? Is that why he brought me here?
Crime has picked up in our area, and there’s still a predator on the loose. Three murders and two attempted kidnappings have gone unsolved, all happening within the last three months, and within a two-mile radius of our home. Police say that all the cases are linked. Every victim was a young female, between the ages of thirteen and twenty-five. They’ve had a lot of leads, but the suspect is still at large.
There was an incident the other night, when Luke had gone out for groceries. Chance and I were lying on the couch, watching television. Out of the blue, his ears had tipped back, and his fur stood up. He was growling, focused on the sliding glass door leading to the back. At first I’d tried calming him, not thinking anything of it. I couldn’t see what he was staring at, but my view had been distorted from the light in the living room. When he’d bared his teeth, standing on all fours, it’d started to concern me. I’d never seen him so riled up. I stood up and flipped off the light, then scanned the yard, giving up when I couldn’t find anything. As soon as Luke got home, I’d told him about what had happened. He’d checked the perimeter, coming up with nothing out of the ordinary. He’d praised Chance, given him a treat, then mumbled something about how our neighborhood was going to shit.
“Tell me what you’re thinking,” Luke murmurs.
I turn to face him. “I’m thinking there’s only one reason you’d be showing me this.”
He watches the emotions play over my face. “What’s the reason?”
Tears prick the backs of my eyes. “Is this … is this ours?” I cover my mouth with a shaky hand.
He answers with a single nod.
“It must have cost you a fortune.”
He brushes a kiss against my lips. “The general contractor was upside down on it—needed a quick sale. Came and checked it out. Liked what I saw. Figured it was plenty big enough to grow a family.” Gripping my hips, he pulls me toward him. He presses our foreheads together, wiping a tear from under my eye with the back of his fingers. “I pictured you living in it, decorating it the way you like, making it yours.” He shrugs. “I don’t know. It just … fit.”
“What about you?”
“Me?”
I arch a brow at him. “Was I by myself when you had this mental picture?”
“Oh … that.” He grins. “I was there, too, wondering what the hell I’d done right to end up with someone like you.” Squeezing my bottom, he pulls me in for another kiss, then tugs on my bottom lip.
“I don’t even know what to say. Thank you isn’t enough … it’s perfect.” Then realization hits me. I’d almost forgotten. “Wait!”
His forehead bunches.
“Tell me Gia still gets a surprise too.”
He relaxes. “Yeah. It’s right next door.”
“What?”
Letting go of me, he strides toward a window that faces the front. “Logan bought the other acre. They’ll stay at his place while they build on it—move in a little after us.”
“We’re going to be neighbors again?”
He waves me over, pointing. I find Logan and Gia standing in the lot to the right of us. It couldn’t get any better.
Jumping into his arms, I wrap my legs around him, kissing him all over. “Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!”
He chuckles. “Welcome, baby. Anything to see that smile on your face.”
“Words can’t describe how happy I am.” I glance over my shoulder. “Do me a favor. Tell them we’re gonna be a minute. Maybe they can leave and come back.” He sets me down with a curious expression.
I back away from the windows, pulling my shirt up over my head. His eyes turn into liquid as he stares at my chest. I head toward the master bedroom, unbuttoning my pants. “Hurry up already, would ya?”
His mouth tips up at the corners. “Yes, ma’am!”
We’d found out, shortly after Vegas, that Sean had moved out of the condo. I don’t know if his moving had anything to do with me, but I wondered. Before we’d gotten home, I’d made Luke promise not to touch him—not that Sean doesn’t deserve it. I wouldn’t put it past him to sue Luke for all he is worth. In return, Luke requested I stay away from him. That wasn’t hard to do, since he hadn’t been around … until now.
Luke and I had driven separately to work so he could workout after. Sean sees me pull up and leans against his car with his arms crossed, waiting for me. I try to act like I don’t seen him, but I’m not that good of an actress. With my head down, I place my hand on the door handle, pushing the car door open.
Sean stands right in front of me. “Nice ride.”
I get out of my car. “What do you want?”
“To talk.”
“I thought you moved.”
“Yeah I did,” he says, glancing toward his old house. “Will and I are hangin’ out tonight.”
“Sounds fun. I’ll let you get to it.” I click the alarm and turn to walk away, but he grabs me.
“Wait. Will says you’re living with him now. That true?”
I eye the spot where he’s touching me. “Is that any of your business?” I arch a brow. “But yes, I am. Let go of my arm, please.”
“Sorry.” He releases me, but isn’t finished. “Listen, I’m not a bad person. I did care about you, Reese. Still do,” he says, serious. “I miss you.”
Let him down gently. “You don’t need to worry about me, and I don’t think you’re a bad person. To tell you the truth … you were right. It never would’ve worked between us. I’ve been in love with Luke since my childhood, and I wasn’t being fair to you.”
He doesn’t look happy by my admission, kicking a small rock out of the pathway. “Guess we’d have been better off as friends, huh?”
“Guess we’ll never know. What’s done is done,” I say bluntly. The words are harsh, but true. “I wish you the best. I really do.” In other words, get out of my hair.
“I wish you the same.” His eyes meet mine, and he holds out a hand. “Good luck to you, Reese.”
“Good luck,” I reply hesitantly, taking it. He pulls me into a hug. It’s awkward, and I don’t know how to react. At first my arms are at my sides, then I slowly pat him on the back, hearing the roar of a familiar Harley.
My pulse races, and I let go of him, but he holds me in place, squeezing me tighter, our chests pressed together. Damn him! “What are you doing?” I hiss, struggling to break free. “Let go of me!”
He rubs my back, his hands moving downward. “It’s okay,” he murmurs. “I’m here.”
Um, what? I’m ready to knee him in the balls, when he’s suddenly ripped away from me.
“The fuck!” Luke stares him down, his gaze feral. “Get your hands off my wife!” His arm swings back, before his fist slams directly into Sean’s jaw. Sean flies to the ground, and Luke towers over him, ready to swing again.
“Stop!” I scream. “We were saying goodbye. Nothing happened, I promise!”
Luke stops himself, glancing over. Anger and hurt fill his features. God, he saw
us hugging. Sean was taunting him.
Sean gets up, staggering, his hand over his mouth. Blood seeps through his fingers. “Your wife?” he scoffs. “You married him?”
“Yes. I married him.” I lift my chin.
He snorts, licking blood from the corner of his mouth. “Funny.” He looks at Luke. “You failed to mention that earlier.”
“Goodbye, Sean.” I wish he would just shut up. He’s making things worse, obviously on purpose.
With a look of disgust, he chuckles, “You know what? You two deserve each other.”
Luke points.
“Get off my property! You better fuckin’ hope I don’t see you again. I won’t go as easy on you next time.”
“I’m gone,” Sean retorts, heading straight for his car. He starts the engine and speeds off, just as Luke turns his angry gaze on me.
I drop my eyes to the hand that he’s flexing—the one he used to hit Sean. “Are … are you hurt?”
His jaw flexes, and he looks me over. “You hide it from him on purpose?”
My heart sinks. “No. It may have looked that way, but—”
“What was he doing here, Reese? You were hugging him. You miss him or somethin’?”
“Of course not. You’re making it more than it is. I pulled in the driveway, and he showed up. One second we were saying goodbye, the next he was hugging me.”
“And in the process, you failed to mention that you were mine.” He glares.
“He asked if we were living together, and I told him yes.” Narrowing my eyes, I asked, “What exactly are you implying?” I know what he’s implying, and it enrages me. “I went to work. I came home. It’s not my fault he trapped me at my damn car!”
“Trapped?” he snorts. “Your hands were all over each other.”
That sets me off, and I get in his face, seething. “Screw you if you don’t believe me.”
“Sorry, princess. I’m not in the mood.”
I open my mouth, then angrily move past him, headed for Logan and Gia’s.
“That’s it. Run away like you always do,” he grumbles.
When I spin around, he’s waiting for my angry retort. Instead, I say something he isn’t expecting. “I hurt you in the past, and I’m sorry. I’d give anything to take it back … but how are we going to move on if you’ll never forgive me?”
His expression changes, and I turn around, knocking on Gia’s door. She opens it seconds later, taking one look at my face, before ushering me in.
He doesn’t trust me. After everything we talked through, he doesn’t trust me. Sure, I can understand where he’s coming from, but I don’t like what he was accusing me of—thinking I’d purposely withheld our marriage from Sean.
“Do you hear that?” Gia says, peeking out the window. We’re sitting on opposite ends of the couch—wine in my hand, bottled water in hers. “It’s raining.”
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