by Tonya Brooks
After a second of stunned silence, Brett managed to say with a straight face, “Hell, no.”
Her sister was used to such outrageous remarks and fought a smile as she replied, “I don't mind at all.”
Easy turned back to Luke wearing a triumphant smile. “Any more excuses?”
“You're not my type,” he growled in a combination of embarrassment, annoyance and a whole hell of a lot of sexual frustration.
“Parts of you disagree with that statement,” she countered.
“Those parts don't control my decisions,” he assured her as the waitress placed his drink on the table.
“They almost did last night,” she purred with that sinful smile that sent all the blood in his head straight to his groin.
God help him, she was right. It was time to cut and run before he did something foolish. Like take her with him. Or worse yet, just jump her right there. Luke drained the glass in one swallow and felt the heat burn its way through his system. When his phone vibrated, he pulled it out of his pocket, answered the call and listened to the other party. “I’ll be there in twenty minutes,” he replied and ended the call.
Thank God he had an excuse to leave. Enough was enough and he for damn sure couldn’t take any more of her over the top attempts to lure him into bed. Not when that was exactly where he wanted to be. “Goodnight, folks,” he said to the table at large and threw some cash on the table to cover his tab before he left.
“You've got him on the run.” Dizzy said in amusement as she watched Luke hightail it out of the club.
“The chase is half the fun,” Easy grinned. “Luke is well worth the effort.”
“I don't know, E,” her sister said seriously. “He might be too tame for you.”
The look she gave her spoke volumes. “That man is a seething inferno of passion.”
“Luke?” Dizzy asked in disbelief.
“He's a wild man,” she assured her sister. “I just have to get him to let go of that damn control and let it out.”
“You've got your wires crossed; E. There's not an ounce of wildness in Luke Baker,” she denied in genuine amusement.
“Oh, it's there. I've seen it and I'm not gonna stop until he lets it go,” she vowed. Now she just had to figure out how to get past his defenses.
~~~~
That night his phone rang just a few minutes after midnight and Luke cursed viciously. A strong sense of self-preservation warned him not to answer, but somehow he found himself holding the phone and saying, “Hello.”
“Hello, Sugah,” she drawled huskily. “Are you in bed?”
“Dammit, Easy, don't start that again,” he growled, in no mood to spend another sleepless night lusting for what he could not have.
“You are,” she deduced with a smile and knew she was getting to him. “Are you alone?”
“Yes, and I'm going to stay that way,” he assured her.
“That's too bad,” Easy said softly, seductively. “I'd love nothing better than to join you.”
“Stop it,” he snapped impatiently.
“Stop wanting you?” she asked and laughed wickedly. “I would if I could, but it would be easier to stop breathing. One look, one touch and I melt,” Easy confessed. “Hell, all I have to do is think about you and I'm wet.”
Jesus freakin’ God. His entire body shuddered with desire. He did not need to know the effect he had on her. That was the last thing he needed to know because he. Could. Not. Have. Her. Dammit! “I'm not having sex with you.” Luke flatly assured them both.
“Why?” she asked curiously. “What's wrong with me?”
“Not a damn thing,” he admitted before he could think better of it.
Not satisfied with that, she pressed, “Is it the leather?”
“God no,” he confessed miserably and closed his eyes as the image of her long curvaceous body wrapped in skin tight black leather filled his mind.
A satisfied smile curved her lips at the admission, but Easy was determined to get the truth out of him. “Is it because I ride a bike?” She was all too aware that some men really got freaked out by that.
“No.” Luke denied in what sounded like a moan. The image of her leather clad body astride a bike flashed before his eyes and he shuddered as raw desire flooded over him.
“Is it because I go after what I want?” she queried.
He sighed in resignation because it was obvious that she was determined to get some answers out of him. “Not really.”
“Then explain it to me, Luke. Make me understand,” she encouraged.
“We're just not compatible, Easy,” he confessed. “We come from two different worlds and there's no common ground.”
“Mutual attraction,” she interjected.
“Isn't enough,” he refused.
“So you're telling me to leave you the hell alone,” she said bluntly.
That was cold even though it was exactly what he wanted, but Luke didn't have the heart to say it like that. “I'd like for us to be friends,” he hedged.
“Friends with benefits?” she suggested wickedly and was pleased that he hadn't told her to go to hell.
He couldn’t help laughing at her persistence. The woman was dammed determined and it was flattering as hell. “No benefits,” he denied.
“Spoilsport,” she sighed dramatically and then asked, “Friends can talk about anything with each other, right?”
“Anything except sex,” he stipulated sternly.
She laughed merrily at that proviso. Yeah, she was getting to him alright. “I need a man’s opinion.”
“About what?” he asked in amusement at the way she had switched from being a provocative sex kitten and now sounded completely serious.
“There's this gorgeous man that I'm crazy about, and even though I know he wants me as much as I want him, he keeps pushing me away,” she explained. “What can I do to make him want me?” When he didn't say anything, she prompted, “Come on, Luke. What am I doing wrong?”
He shook his head in amazement because the woman just didn't know when to give up. “Maybe the problem is his and has nothing to do with you,” he suggested with a grin.
“No, he doesn't have ED's,” she assured him.
“Ed's?” he queried, not understanding her meaning.
“Erectile Dysfunction,” she clarified and heard his shocked breath. “Everything seems to be working just fine, but it could be performance anxiety,” Easy added mischievously.
“I can assure you that it's neither of those,” he responded dryly.
“Then what kind of problem could a perfectly normal man have to prevent him from taking advantage of such a mutually satisfying arrangement?” she pressed.
Luke knew he had no choice but to level with her. As much as possible, anyway. “I wasn't entirely honest with you earlier,” he admitted with a weary sigh.
“So you do have performance anxiety,” she teased.
He laughed in spite of himself. “No.” Luke assured her. “A few years ago I would have been more than happy to take you up on your offer, but I've reached a stage in my life where I want more than casual sex, Easy. I bought this house because I've been thinking about settling down and starting a family. To be perfectly honest, I'm looking for a wife.”
“I see,” she said in genuine surprise and her heart fluttered wildly in response. Holy crap! This was more than she could have hoped for, but his next statement ripped the heart right out of her chest.
“I hope you understand I don't mean to be offensive, but... you're not exactly... wife material,” he added as gently as possible because the last thing he wanted to do was hurt her feelings.
“No,” she said quietly, saddened that he didn’t think so. “I guess I'm not.”
“So, do you understand why we can't be more than friends?” he asked hopefully.
“Not really,” Easy confessed and wasn’t willing to give up that easily. “It's not like I'm after a proposal, Luke. I just want the chance to get to know you better.
A lot better.”
“You got it right when you said we'd be completely unforgettable together.” Luke confessed and knew he owed her this much of the truth. “I'd never forget it and I know no other woman would ever be able to make me feel what you can, Easy. You'd always be the one that got away.”
His words warmed her heart because there was still hope. “So you're willing to deny yourself the most incredible sex of your life on the off chance that the memory would haunt you?”
“Exactly,” he agreed with a frown because it really sounded stupid when she put it like that.
“I discovered the hard way that life is too short to have regrets, Luke,” Easy said seriously. “Can you honestly say that not knowing what could be, won't be as bad as remembering what had been?”
“It probably will,” he agreed because the woman had stoked a fire in him that he doubted anyone else would ever be able to quench.
“If I give up now, you'll always be the one who got away,” Easy informed him in a tone filled with sadness. “I'll never know what it's like to feel you inside me. To know the gentleness of your touch, or feel the heat of your passion. I'll always wonder just how good it could have been. And do you know the saddest part, Luke? I'll always want you because of it.”
His breathing had become slightly labored and his heart was pounding in his chest because she was right. He would always wonder what might have been. And dammit, he'd always want her. “I'm sorry,” he whispered in genuine regret.
“So am I,” Easy said in defeat as a lone tear slid down her cheek. “I won't bother you again. Goodnight, Luke.”
He laid the phone on his chest when the line went dead and closed his eyes in something akin to anguish. The sadness he had heard in her voice tore at him and he barely resisted the urge to call her back. It was for the best and he knew it. They could never be more than friends. It just wasn't feasible. But no matter how much Luke told himself that he'd done the right thing, he still ached for her in ways he'd never imagined possible.
Chapter Three
Saturday, March 15, 2014
Brett sat at a table in Ted’s Diner having breakfast and Mark Baker joined him for a cup of coffee while he waited on his brother to arrive. “So what are you two buying this time?” he asked curiously.
“Dammed if I know,” Mark admitted. “Matt just called this morning and told me to meet him here to go look at an opportunity that we can't pass up.” He looked up and saw his brother enter the diner and scowled. “Bout damn time.”
“Morning, Brett. Sorry I'm late.” Matt said as he sat down next to his brother.
“Morning,” Brett greeted.
“What took you so long?” Mark complained. He'd reluctantly left his wife alone in bed to meet Matt. If he'd known his brother was going to be late, he would have taken advantage of the situation and made love to Desi again.
“I was, uh, shaving Harley's legs,” the older brother admitted huskily.
That announcement got both men’s complete attention. The idea of Matt Baker shaving a woman’s legs should have been laughable, but they knew there was nothing he wouldn't do for his wife. “That's a lot of leg.” Mark commented knowingly. Harley's long legs went on forever.
“Don't I know it,” his brother smiled in appreciation.
Brett just had to ask, “Any particular reason why you were shaving her legs?”
“Harley was doing it when I walked in the bathroom,” he confessed. “And her legs looked so damn gorgeous stretched out like that... I just couldn't resist.” He flashed them both that bad boy smile and added, “She was very appreciative.”
“No doubt,” his brother grinned and decided to give shaving his wife’s legs a try. Forcing the erotic image from his mind, Mark asked, “What's this opportunity you're interested in?”
“I'll tell you on the way,” he hedged and the brothers said goodbye to the chief before they left. Once they were in the car, Matt explained, “Jarad's German Shepherd had six puppies and he's offered me the pick of the litter.”
Mark looked at his brother like he’d lost his mind. “You drug me out of my wife’s bed to go look at a puppy?” he demanded in disbelief.
“I thought you might want one for Kylie.”
“You thought wrong.” Mark denied.
“Come on, Mark. You know if Jed gets one, Kylie's gonna raise hell for a puppy, too,” his brother reminded him.
Mark muttered a foul curse. “You just had to get Jed a damn dog.” he grouched and knew he'd have to get one for his daughter now.
“She'll love it.”
“Yeah, but who do you think is gonna wind up taking care of it?” The younger brother demanded. Mark didn't care for dogs in general and puppies were a pain in the ass.
“You're still blaming yourself for Chip, aren't you?” Matt sighed.
“It was my fault.” Mark reminded him.
“There was no fault, puppy,” the eldest said reasonably. “Things just happen sometimes.”
When they were children, their father had gotten the boys a puppy and they had loved the dog dearly. Chip was only six months old and Mark had been in the backyard feeding him when he'd heard Matt screaming. He had run into the house to see what was going on without latching the gate to the pen.
The sight of their mother lying dead at the foot of the stairs had traumatized the boys enough, but when they'd found their puppy lying on the shoulder of the road where a car had struck it, six year old Mark had been devastated. At the advanced age of eight, Matt had tried to comfort his brother, but nothing could erase the guilt he had felt at letting their puppy get killed. He'd buried the hurt deep inside and had never even petted another dog since.
“Yeah, right,” he grouched.
“It can't hurt to look.” Matt insisted as he pulled into the driveway and they got out to go look at the puppies running around inside the pen. “Hey, Sheba,” Matt greeted the mama dog and scratched her head when she came to him wagging her tail.
“Matt, Mark, glad you could make it.” Jarrad Long smiled as he came out to greet them. “The pups are weaned and ready to go. Just pick the one you want.”
There were six little fur balls running around playing and Matt smiled at their antics. “That one,” he said and pointed to a chubby puppy that looked up at him and yapped a warning, the ruff standing up on his back.
“He's a fine pup,” the owner agreed. “He's protective of the rest of the litter. Act's like they’re his.” As they watched in amusement, the smallest puppy in the bunch ran up to the one Matt liked and nipped its tail teasingly. The first pup whirled around and growled a warning that the female ignored as she pounced on him and they rolled across the grass playfully nipping at each other.
Another puppy tried to get in on the game and nipped at the female. The protective pup clamped down on the interlopers ear with razor sharp little teeth, putting him on the run with his tail between his legs. “The female is his favorite.” Jarad laughed. “It'll be hard separating the two of them.”
“They won't be separated often.” Mark sighed in resignation and reached for his wallet. The feisty little female would suit his daughter perfectly. “How much is she?”
“Five hundred.”
Matt laughed and reached for his own wallet when Mark's mouth dropped open in shock. “Leave it to you to pick the only female in the litter,” he grinned. “The males are just three hundred.”
“Remind me to kick your ass.” Mark growled at his brother as he paid for the puppy.
“They've had their shots, but the boosters are due soon.” Jarad pointed out as he stuffed the money in his pocket without counting it. “Come on up to the house and I'll get their paperwork.”
Once they were on their way back to the diner, Mark scowled at the two puppies he held. “Stop licking me, dammit,” he complained to the female who persisted in licking his face while the male growled at him in warning.
“Looks like you haven't lost your touch with the ladies.” Matt grinned.
“Payback will be a bitch,” he promised.
“How so?” the eldest asked in amusement.
“Because Kylie wants a swimming pool.”
“You wouldn't.” Matt said in warning. If Kylie got a pool then he'd have to get one for Jed.
“Drag out your checkbook, big dog.” Mark grinned in satisfaction.
~~~~
“What’s wrong?” Dizzy asked when her sister joined her in the kitchen that morning.
“It’s over,” she sighed wearily and fought the urge to cry because their relationship had really never even begun. She’d cried enough last night as the red rimmed eyes attested to.
“Why?” Dizzy asked in surprise as she handed her a cup of coffee. “What happened?”
“I called Luke when I got home last night and found out why he’s not interested in me,” she admitted and had to take a sip of coffee to hide the tremble in her voice. “Apparently he’s ready to settle down and biker babes are not considered wife material.”
Oh, E,” Dizzy sighed in regret. “Did you even tell him you’re not some crazy biker chick?”
“No and I’m not going to,” she denied and placed the mug on the table.
“That’s ridiculous,” her sister pointed out. “If he knew...”
“No,” the eldest said firmly and gave her a hard look. “If he can’t see me for who I am then he’s not the man I need.”
“Even if he’s the man you love?” was asked quietly.
Tears filled the sea green eyes but her resolve remained firm. “You know how I feel about this, D. It’s not negotiable.”
Dizzy reached across the table and grasped her sisters hand. “I almost ruined my relationship with Brett because I was too damn stubborn to listen to reason. Please don’t make that mistake.”
“He never even gave me a chance,” she said sadly. “Luke made his decision the minute he met me and he’s been avoiding me like the plague ever since. I’m a big girl. I’ll get over it.” Even as she said the words, Easy knew it was the biggest lie she’d ever told. There was no getting over a man like Luke. She’d carry the memory of him and what might have been to the grave.