by Tonya Brooks
He’d had that kind of freedom once. Back when he’d been in college, his wild side had emerged and he’d cut loose for the first time in his life. It had been a liberating experience. He’d been hundreds of miles from home, on his own and free to indulge in whatever he chose to. Hell, he’d been a typical college kid without any restraints and he had reveled in it.
When he’d gone on to Harvard, Luke had toned it down a bit since he’d been studying his ass off and hadn’t had time for much of anything except sleep. But on the rare occasions when he did, he had really cut loose and made up for lost time. Then he’d come back home to practice law and it hadn’t been easy to settle back into his former role as the sensible, level headed brother he was expected to be.
When the compulsion to just be himself became too strong, he’d get out of town for a few days to get it out of his system. No one in Lakeside or his family had a clue that he even had a wild side. But with one look, Easy Grayson had stripped him bare and seen the wildness that he had fought long and hard to hide. She had revealed the man he really was and she had liked what she’d seen. And he had taken one look at her and discovered the other half of his soul, dammit.
~~~~
The sisters ran into Harley at the mall and the three of them stopped by the food court to have lunch. Since everyone had seen the heated looks between Luke and Easy the night before, Harley was curious to find out why he had avoided her at the cookout and if had asked her out when he drove her home. Never one to beat around the bush, she asked in her usual blunt manner, “What do you think of Luke?”
Easy gave her a devilish grin and replied, “I think we could make beautiful babies together if we don’t spontaneously combust first.”
Both women stared at her in amazement before they burst out laughing and began to fervently agree. A free spirit like Easy was just what Luke needed to shake him out of that rut he’d grown too comfortable in. The man rarely cut loose and had any fun and he was getting too set in his ways.
“You’re exactly what he needs.” Harley assured her happily. “Luke has always been the serious one. Even as a teenager, he was the brother that everyone counted on to be sensible and levelheaded. I’ve never known the man to do anything just for the sheer hell of it.”
“You’re kidding?” she asked in disbelief.
“Not a bit,” Harley denied. “Last year Luke took on a case defending an outlaw biker club and shocked the entire town. That was the wildest thing he’s ever done.”
Well, that explained a lot, Easy realized. Luke really was the perfect gentleman like everyone thought, but she had seen the wild man he kept hidden away. And he knew it. Was that why he was pretending not to be interested in her when she knew damn well that he was? If that was the case, it was time to turn up the heat. “Ladies, I think it’s time Luke’s inner bad boy came out to play.”
~~~~
That night Luke saw her the minute she walked in the restaurant and he couldn't take his eyes off of her. Apparently, neither could the rest of the men present as she walked directly to his table, that do me right now big boy smile curving her sinful lips and kicking his pulse rate into overdrive.
“Hello, Sugah,” Easy said in that sultry Southern drawl that brought to mind hot summer nights filled with even hotter sex.
“Easy.” Luke said huskily.
“Hi, Luke,” Dizzy said as she and Brett joined them. “It looks like we beat the rest of the crowd tonight.” The Baker family and friends congregated at Desi's restaurant every Friday night before moving next door to Mark's club.
Realizing that he and Easy would be paired off tonight, Luke cursed himself for not thinking about that in advance and bringing a date. Hell, he hadn’t been able to think straight since he’d met the woman. After that erotic phone conversation the night before, she was the only thing he’d thought about. Resigning himself to the fact that he didn't have a choice now, he rose and pulled out the chair next to his for her to sit.
“Did you have a good day in court?” she inquired with genuine interest after they were seated.
“It was postponed until Monday,” he admitted.
“What's the case about?”
Luke proceeded to give her the bare bones of the case and noticed that not only did he have her complete attention, but unlike most women, Easy really seemed to be interested in what he was saying. She asked several pertinent questions and he was shocked that she seemed to have a rudimentary knowledge of the law. The woman was obviously intelligent and he was enjoying the conversation so much that he barely noticed when the others began to arrive.
“It looks like those two are getting along well.” Harley informed Dizzy in satisfaction when she and Matt joined them. Luke needed a woman who could set his inner bad boy free. If Easy Grayson couldn’t do it, no one could.
“E has always been fascinated by the legal system,” her sister explained. “It seems she and Luke share a mutual interest.”
“In more ways than one,” Brett commented with a sly smile at Matt who nodded his agreement.
Matt had seen his brother’s reaction to Easy the night before and had been surprised when he hadn't been able to keep his eyes off of her for long. Not that there was anything wrong with the woman, but she sure as hell wasn't the type his brother usually dated. Then again, maybe Luke needed to take a walk on the wild side and loosen up for a change.
“How is it that you know so much about the legal system?” Luke just had to ask when his curiosity got the better of him.
“I dated an attorney a few years ago,” she replied instead of admitting how she had acquired her knowledge. “I guess you could say I had a better understanding of the law than I did about the man.”
“What happened?” he asked curiously.
“I came home from Af... uh, out of town and found him in bed with his law clerk,” she responded evasively.
Luke simply could not imagine why a man would cheat on a woman like Easy. She was all the woman any man would ever need and then some. God only knew he’d never be tempted to stray as long as she was in his bed. A bolt of sheer lust streaked straight to his already aching arousal which served as a painful reminder that he’d never have the pleasure of her in his bed, dammit.
A hand on her shoulder drew Easy’s attention to a very pregnant redhead who looked adorable in a teal green chef's uniform. “Hi, Desi.”
“Welcome to Speakeasy, Easy,” the other woman said with a mischievous smile. “Dizzy tells me that French is your favorite, so in honor of your visit, tonight’s menu is traditional French cuisine.”
Easy was delighted at the thoughtful gesture and it showed. “Merci beaucoup, Desiree',” she thanked her in flawless French.
“Tu es le bienvenu,” the chef assured her. Since her mother had been French, Desi had learned the language from her, but she hadn’t had a reason to use it in years.
The two women conversed in French while the rest of the table quieted their own conversations and listened to the beautiful language. Luke was stunned that Easy spoke French and from the sound of it, fluently. Then he remembered that her British accent on the phone the night before had been flawless as well. Come to think of it, she only used the Southern accent when she was flirting with him. The rest of the time her voice had no discernible accent which was pretty damn odd.
“I hear an intonation of Southern France in your voice,” Easy commented in English.
“My mother was from Marseille.” Desi replied. “When I was learning to talk it was a mixture of French and English that sounded like gibberish.”
“Well, you have a beautiful command of the language now,” she assured her.
Desi laughed and admitted, “It’s improved a lot since Dizzy arrived and I have someone to converse with.”
“Tout le plaisir est pour moi,” Dizzy responded that the pleasure was all hers.
When his sister-in-law moved on around the table to greet the rest of the family gathered, Luke commented, “That sounded like more
than high school French class.”
“Our parents were stationed in France when we were children so they hired a tutor to teach us,” she explained.
That's right. He'd forgotten that their father was a US Ambassador and the Grayson's had lived all over the world. She probably spoke several different languages just as fluently as French. It also explained the way she could switch accents so easily. “How many languages do you speak?” he asked curiously.
“Just a few,” she demurred.
“Don’t be so modest, E,” Dizzy chided and was more than happy to sing her sisters praises. “Easy is an expert in linguistics and she specializes in regional inflections and dialects. She speaks a dozen languages fluently and if you add in the different dialects it’s over twenty.”
Luke was impressed and it showed. But he was also shocked that a woman with her obvious education and background had ended up as a biker babe. She obviously had the potential to be a hell of a lot more than some biker’s old lady. At the thought of her belonging to another man, his possessive instinct reared its ugly head and he quickly squashed it.
“I hope that means you can read the menu,” he said hopefully as he perused the choices.
“I can,” Easy admitted and shot her cheerfully grinning sister a warning look that was ignored.
“Good because I can't make heads or tails of it,” he confessed.
“Tell me what you're in the mood for,” she suggested with that wicked smile that never failed to fire his blood.
You, naked and moaning my name. Since that was not going to happen, he refrained from giving her the real answer and said, “I'd like a steak.”
Easy leaned over his forearm where it lay atop the table, her breast pressing against him as she looked at the menu he held. “How about aged black Angus beef tenderloin, mashed potatoes and baby French beans with bacon and Béarnaise sauce?”
“Sounds great,” he replied a bit hoarsely and resisted the urge to pull his arm away. The warmth of her leather clad breast had seared his skin through the cotton of his shirt.
She tapped her fingernail against the item listed on the menu and read, “Le Tournedos de Boeuf et ses Pommes Dauphine, Petits Haricots Verts aux Lardons et Béarnaise.”
“Tell you what, you order it and I'll eat it,” he said hopefully.
“I'll order... on one condition,” Easy said with a smile that made him nervous. “You have to split dessert with me.”
“That depends on what it is,” he hedged, not trusting her to try and make him dessert.
“Le Petit Ananas au Caramel et sa Glace au Chocolat Blanc.” She practically sighed since it was one of her favorites. When he still looked wary, Easy explained. “Caramelized baby pineapple with white chocolate ice cream.”
“It sounds awful,” Luke frowned.
“Trust me, Sugah. It's positively decadent,” she drawled.
Now that he didn't doubt for a minute. “Deal,” Luke agreed. Besides, if he didn't like it, he didn't have to eat it. He wasn't very adventurous when it came to food. Basic steak and potatoes suited him just fine, but his sister-in-law did have a knack for jazzing it up nicely without ruining the flavor like some places did. Sauces were alright as long as they enhanced the meat and didn't try to disguise it completely. “Dare I ask what you're having?” he queried.
Her eyes plainly told him what she was really hungry for, but her lips said, “Magret de Canard Rôtie, Risotto au Fromage et sa Sauce au Melon, which is roasted duck breast with cheese risotto and melon balls. But I think I'll start with Escargots de Bourgogne and garlic herb butter.”
“It all sounds so much better in French,” he acknowledged.
“I love everything French,” she said with a wicked smile. “Especially kissing.”
Luke tore his ravenous gaze away from the mouth that he knew from experience was sinfully delicious and looked a bit anxiously around the table for something, anything, else to discuss. “What are you ordering, Matt?” he asked his brother.
“Hell, it doesn't matter. Everything Desi cooks is incredible,” he admitted. “What about you?”
“Steak and potatoes.”
“The usual,” Matt sighed and shook his head. His brother had no taste for adventure. Then again, judging from the hungry look in his eyes, and the unmistakable evidence of who had put it there, maybe he did. He couldn't resist saying, “You need to try something more exotic, bro. You might like it.”
“That's what worries me.” Luke said before he thought better of it and his brother's answering laugh assured him that he had understood. The steak was excellent and as it turned out, the dessert was pretty damn good, too. “I'm glad you suggested dessert. It really was good,” he informed Easy as their plates were being cleared away.
She leaned closer to say for his ears alone, “I would have preferred covering you in honey, but this will do... for now.”
Desire rolled through his veins like hot lava at the memory of her erotic fantasy and Luke decided he really needed a drink. Or three. Now. Thankfully everyone was ready to move on into the club and once they were seated at their usual table, he ordered a double. He noticed Matt and Brett exchange a look and ignored them. Dammit, they were enjoying this and they didn't mind him knowing it either. However, they weren't the ones who had to deal with the impossible situation and he was handling it the best way he knew how.
When a slow, bluesy ballad began, the rest of the couples headed for the dance floor and Luke broke out in a cold sweat. It was bad enough that every eye in the club was trained on them, now he was going to have to dance with Easy and pretend that her sensuous body did not set his blood on fire while his friends and neighbors speculated on their relationship. “Would you like to dance, Easy?”
“Love to,” she readily agreed. Easy had recognized the opening bars of At Last and it was perfect. At last, her love had come along. Now she just needed to convince the man that they were perfect for each other and her lonely days would be over.
No sooner than they stepped onto the floor, she plastered that sensuous body flush against his, laid her head on his shoulder and gave the hottest little purr of contentment he’d ever heard. Luke resigned himself to suffering the tortures of the dammed because there was no way he could put any distance between them without arousing even more curiosity than they already had. So he held her in a loose embrace and moved slowly around the dance floor all the while admonishing himself that this was just a dance and couldn't lead to anything more.
Easy had no such qualms. She loved the feel of his big, strong body pressed so intimately against hers and fully intended to take advantage of the situation and seduce the man. “Umm, I like the way you feel,” she murmured softly as her eyes devoured him. “I can't wait to taste every last inch.”
Luke couldn't help it. His already rock hard arousal responded to her words with enthusiasm and thumped against his zipper impatiently. He knew that she had felt his reaction when her wicked smile became downright sinful. “Especially those,” she breathed in anticipation and the heat filling his loins became liquid fire.
“Easy,” he said with a note of warning.
Her expression was downright sinful as she promised, “Slow and easy, Sugah. The first time. I plan to take my time and make love to all of you. I want to taste every gorgeous inch. With and without the honey.”
Jesus. Luke exhaled harshly and forced himself to look away from the invitation in her eyes. The woman was weaving a web of seduction around him and he was far from immune to its devastating effect. His hands had instinctively tightened their hold on her and he made them relax with some effort. At least he still had control over some parts of his body, he realized wryly. When the song finally ended, he led her back to the table, downed his drink and ordered another.
Easy smiled knowingly and commented, “Alcohol helps dispel inhibitions, you know.”
“I'm not inhibited,” he denied.
“Then what seems to be the problem, Sugah?” she asked bluntly because
the man’s body told her that he was interested even though he refused to act on it.
Since it was plainly obvious the woman was not going to back off without a damn good reason, he decided to give her one. “I'm not interested in a relationship, Easy.” Luke said as tactfully as possible.
Now they were getting somewhere. The man had relationship phobia. She could deal with that. “I'm not asking for one,” she denied and trailed her nails up his thigh. “I just want your body.”
Sonuvabitch! He’d been ripping himself apart because he couldn’t have a relationship with her and the only thing that Easy wanted was sex? He had to be the only man alive who didn’t drop to his knees and thank the Almighty for receiving that offer from this woman. No, career driven, dumber than a box of rocks jackass that he was, Luke stubbornly shook his head and removed her hand from his leg. “It wouldn't be a good idea.”
“I'm only here for a few days, Sugah,” she pointed out, hoping to alleviate his concern that she wanted a long term relationship. They could build up to that when she actually moved to town. “What's the worst that could happen?”
Just the end of every ambition he had for his future, not to mention the complete ruination of the image he had fought to maintain as a solid, upstanding member of the community instead of the bad boy reputation his brothers preferred. Luke didn't even want to think about what else could go wrong. “Brett and Dizzy are good friends. I'd hate to ruin that just for casual sex,” he reasoned with the first excuse that popped into his head.
Easy didn’t buy that excuse for a minute. “I see,” she said evenly and turned to the other couple to ask, “Would you two be upset if Luke and I indulge in hot, sweaty, no strings attached sex while I’m visiting?”
Luke could not believe she had just done that and he stared at her in astonishment. The woman had to be completely insane. This was a perfect example of why he couldn’t afford to get tangled up with her. Hell, his reputation would be in shambles before she was through.