“Um, maybe we should order in,” she said.
Luke’s barbaric laugh sent chills across her flesh. He took a step back from the stove with the oversized spoon still in hand and bent over to laugh. His guffaw was contagious, making Jasmine’s own lips spread into a smile.
“That was mean, wasn’t it?” she said with a giggle still on her tongue.
Luke straightened and turned to her with a slow stroll to the kitchen island.
“I like your straightforwardness. I expect nothing less.” His dimples were pronounced as he held on to his grin. “I was just kidding though. I am a single man. Who do you think cooks for me on a regular basis?”
“Hmmm, Milo perhaps?” she said in reference to his personal chef.
“Milo isn’t around every day, so you know what that means. Someone has to do the cooking, and that person would be…”
He pointed to himself and winked. Jasmine blushed, feeling silly that she’d requested takeout over his warm meal. Luke reached for her face and tugged her chin then returned to the skillet where he finished preparing their supper.
He dressed two plates and sat the proper silverware in front of Jasmine.
“Shrimp, leek, and spinach pasta,” he announced. “Cooked with unsalted butter, heavy cream, salt, pepper, a zest of lemon, spinach, leeks, and shrimp.”
The strong smell wafted from the food, making Jasmine’s stomach rumble. She held her hands out and grabbed his.
“Come on,” Jasmine said, “we gotta pray really fast because I’m about to swallow this in two point five seconds.”
Luke’s dark laugh didn’t stop Jasmine’s prayer. She dropped her head, shut her eyes, squeezed his hands, then said, “Thank you, Jesus, Amen.”
As soon as she finished, her eyes popped back open, and she reached for her fork while Luke continued to laugh.
“Amen,” he said with a nod, sitting down comfortably on the stool that sat in front of her.
Jasmine wasted no time twirling the pasta around the fork to take a quick bite. The flavors burst on her tongue, and her eyes popped toward him in a wordless stare. Luke held a faintly amused gleam in his eye just as his tongue left his mouth for a stroll across his lips.
“Good?”
Jasmine made sure to swallow every bit of the food on her tongue before responding.
“Oh Luke, this is … damn.”
His laugh was infectious, causing Jasmine to share his mirth. She twirled more pasta on her utensil and ate her meal in record time, beating Luke to the finish line. He poured her a cold glass of water then sat a champagne flute next to it.
“Would you care for a glass of Moet?”
“That would be nice.”
Luke strolled to the fridge where he removed a bottle of Moet & Chandon Ice Imperial champagne. Jasmine eyed him as Luke popped the corked then filled her glass halfway.
“Do you mind if I have seconds?” she asked, referring to the food.
“You’re still hungry?”
“Yeah. We worked up quite an appetite.”
Luke’s grumbling laughter tickled her skin.
“Of course.” He removed her plate and headed for the stove. After adding more pasta, he turned to find Jasmine staring and taking a sip of her champagne.
“How does it taste?” he asked.
“It’s all good,” her throaty voice said. “The food, the champagne,” she paused. “You.”
Luke’s ever-growing smile tingled her skin as he strolled up to her lying Jasmine’s plate back in front of her.
“I think I’ll have seconds, too,” he said.
“Yeah?”
He nodded. “We might need the fuel.”
A swirl of warmth layered over Jasmine, and she lifted her fork on a twirl in the pasta. If Luke said they may need more fuel, she would make sure her tank was full. Besides the delicious ache between her thighs, more of him meant she was in for a possible midnight marathon that Jasmine wouldn’t deny him or the constant craving that brimmed inside of her.
They ate with no words spoken between them but both with heavy thoughts sailing through their minds. This time it was Luke who finished before Jasmine. Toward the end of her second plate, she slowed down, clearly full.
“Don’t stuff yourself,” he said.
“Whew, I think I did, but it was damn good.”
Luke chuckled. “Let’s work some of that off.”
Jasmine’s eyes rose, and at her sudden angst, Luke shook his head.
“That’s not what I meant.” He chuckled and stood from the chair then traipsed around to stand in front of her. “I want to show you something.”
Jasmine rose before him, and her five feet, seven inches didn’t compare to his six foot three.
“Would you like to take your glass?” He nodded over at her champagne flute.
“Only if you’ll fill it back up.”
He chuckled again and refilled her glass halfway.
“How’s that?”
She nodded.
“Okay.” He linked their fingers with one hand as the other held on to his own glass. They strolled across the kitchen, and Jasmine shuddered at the cold tile that touched her bare feet.
Feeling her quiver beside him, Luke glanced her way.
“Cold?”
She blushed. “My feet.”
He glanced down at her nude pedicured toes.
“Come, let’s get you some socks.”
They cut through the same corridor they’d made love in and reentered the master bedroom. The socks that Luke offered her were so big and long that they rose up midcalf.
They both burst out laughing at the ridiculous look of it.
“Tomorrow, we’ll get you something that’s a better fit.”
“Tomorrow?”
“Yeah, unless you have something on the agenda, that is.”
“Hmm, let me think about it.”
Luke’s bottom lip fell as he gave her a puppy dog frown. Jasmine smirked, and heat rose to her cheeks.
“You said you’d never leave me,” he added for good sympathy points.
A gasp flew from her lips, and her mouth hung open.
“That’s not what I—” She paused when his frown took on a deeper lean. “You’re taking it the wrong way.” His frown deepened even more, and Jasmine tossed her head back and laughed. “You are so bad for this!”
Luke’s frown turned into a smirk. “I didn’t say in what context I never wanted you to leave. I just said, say you’ll never leave me, and you did.”
Jasmine shook her head in disbelief.
“We have more campaigning to do tomorrow,” she quipped.
“Later,” he said.
“Now is not the time to slack off. We’ve got to make sure to get you in office.”
“Later,” Luke said again.
“Samuel Jenkins will hop on the chance to show his face or make some miracle happen while you’re missing in action,” she protested. “We should campaign if we—”
Luke’s hands circled Jasmine’s waist, and he pulled her to meet the solid ridge in his chest. His light brown eyes bore into her heavily, staring her down so hard Jasmine became suddenly transfixed.
“Later,” he said, ending the fight right then and there. “Nothing could make me shorten this time with you. Not a campaign, not a fight, not a state of emergency,” he promised. “You know why? Because I’ve campaigned for you all my life. I’ve fought the ability to have you this close, and as far as I’m concerned, the only thing that feels like an emergency is being with you right here, right now.”
Jasmine swallowed but didn’t rush to use her tongue. She nodded, and his hands traveled from her waist, up her arms, to her neck where he tilted her chin and laid a warm kiss on its edge. He then moved to her lips, the tip of her nose, and finally her forehead.
“Now that we’ve got that covered. Let me show you what I intended to before we came on the hunt for socks, yeah?”
Jasmine nodded again as the butterflies in
her stomach wreak havoc on her guts. They slow strolled together, fingers linked and at their side. Jasmine was becoming accustomed to seeing Luke bare-chested. The strength he wielded was shown in the bulk of his biceps and the cut alpines that shaped his shoulders. The jeans that rode his hips added to his sexy, dominant allure, and Jasmine never knew jeans could become her clothing of choice until just then.
Through the kitchen to access another door across the room, Luke held onto Jasmine’s hand while the other propped the door open to let her enter before him. The smell of fresh wood hit her nose with a tingle, making her react with a wiggle of her nose. Luke stepped in and hit a switch on the wall, and the room illuminated. Jasmine’s eyes adjusted to the light, taking in the three large tables with wood stacked on top. Saws, rulers, screwdrivers, and hammers were just a few tools within her sight. Her face lit up immediately.
“Wow are you serious with this room?”
She glanced at Luke in astonishment.
“I am. Being in here helped me get through some tough times.”
Jasmine’s fingers loosened from his, and she stepped forward in a slow stroll around the room. More tools sat in trays and shelves that were mounted on the walls. Around the base interior, benches of all shapes, sizes, and cabinetry sat against the wall. Jasmine crouched down in front of a particular bench that caught her eye. She took a caressing hand over the seat then paused and glanced over at Luke.
“This looks just like the bench in my father’s orchard.”
Luke didn’t respond, only accessed the emotion on her face. She didn’t appear to be upset or anxious, but he couldn’t read exactly what she felt.
A hand slipped across Jasmine’s lips, and she looked back to the bench with awe.
“The detail,” she said, seeing the exact curve and finished stain as her father’s. “Wow.”
She rose to her feet. “You are so talented.”
Luke breathed out a sigh, his feet moving to stand in front of her.
“I can show you how to craft it. If you’re willing to learn a thing or two.”
The warmth of her smile echoed in her voice. “I would love that.”
With beautiful candor, Luke’s mouth spread into a sexy grin.
“I mean, you’ll have to follow my instructions to the T.”
Jasmine gave him an open-mouthed gawk. “You say that as if I don’t follow instructions well.”
Luke chuckled. “Not, Jasmine Alexandria Rose,” he joked.
Jasmine gasped. “You’re mocking me!”
Luke reached for her arms, slipping his hand down to meet her fingers.
“I know you don’t do it on purpose, but Jas, sometimes you’re so quick to lead that you don’t follow.”
Jasmine didn’t know whether to be offended or understanding. However, the more she thought of it, in almost every situation she’d been in, in her life, she’d at some point taken the lead. And majority of the time, no one stopped her. She went to object just as it was in her nature to do so.
“But—”
“Are you willing to learn how to make this bench?”
Jasmine paused her objection. “Yes.” She folded her arms defiantly, and Luke laughed.
“Why are you folding your arms. Do we have beef now?”
Jasmine pursed her lips and stuck her chin out with a smirk at the corners of her mouth.
Luke wrapped her in his arms, drowning her in a cascade of heat. He dropped his mouth to her ear. “Even the best leader must learn to take constructive criticism.”
“And I plan to,” she said.
He kissed the side of her head. “Okay, come over here.” He pulled her over to the middle table where a slab of wood lied on top of it.
“Wait, are you going to teach me with no shirt on?”
“Would you feel better if I put on a shirt?”
“Well, yeah. And maybe a helmet, a bulletproof vest, and possibly some knee pads. Who knows if this saw might go crazy on us.”
Luke’s smile spread so fast that they both were leaning in laughter before he could pause to find out if she was serious.
“You believed me, didn’t you, tell the truth!” Jasmine laughed.
Luke planted his hands on his cut hips and shook his head.
“Girl, you had me going for a minute there.”
Jasmine’s laughed elevated. “I know, I could tell, you had a quick pause like what?”
Luke’s laughter was full-hearted, and he drew her into his chest then tweaked her nose. “I’ll put on a shirt, how about that?”
Jasmine nodded. “That’ll work. I know you’re all macho man and everything, but—”
“You said that not me, remember that,” he said, releasing her to walk away. “I’ll be right back.’
Luke disappeared into the house, and Jasmine sipped on her wine and strolled the room on the opposite side. The space appeared recently renovated, and she couldn’t help but wonder if he’d built the add-on himself. The door creaked, gaining Jasmine’s attention. Luke strolled through the door with a sleeveless T-shirt covering his chest.
“Better?” he asked.
“I asked you to put on a shirt to cover your arms and chest just in case the wood tried to strike you while we’re working.”
“Yeah, I figured that. But I think we’ll be okay.”
“You think?”
Luke cracked a smile. “You know if I didn’t know any better, I’d think you were stalling, Miss Rose.”
Jasmine drank the rest of her champagne then sat the flute on a neighboring table.
“Let’s do this.” She strutted back to the middle table, and Luke met her there.
He grabbed her waist and placed her firmly in front of him. Bending just a hair, Luke took her hands in his. “Get used to the way our hands fit together.” He linked their fingers. “You’ll need to keep your hands cupped beneath mine, and I will assist you with cutting the wood.” His lips just barely touched the top of her ear, but the warmth of his mouth covered her with a tremor of heat. “If you move outside of my rhythm, that’s when an accident can occur.”
Jasmine nodded.
“Okay.” Luke moved away from her and retrieved a pair of safety glasses and a hearing protector.
“Do you plan to wear headgear and safety goggles?”
He paused. “Do you think I should?”
“I was hoping you would. I’d love to see you in costume.”
Luke’s thick brow arched. “In costume, huh?” He closed in on her. “I’ll be your private dancer if you want me to, girl.”
Jasmine’s smile deepened, and she reached out just as Luke reached out to her. Up on one another, Luke slipped the headphones over her head to fit Jasmine’s ears. She tilted on her feet to place a kiss on his jaw, and in turn, Luke’s mouth brushed against the top of her head.
“You won’t be able to hear me during this process, so we’re going to start slow. I want to make sure the dust isn’t overbearing for you. If so, I’ve got a face mask. But, we’re going to start with a smaller size lookalike bench.”
Jasmine smiled softly. “Okay…” The nervousness in her tone gave Luke pause.
“You good?”
“Yeah.” She nodded.
“Sure?”
Jasmine gave a light chuckle. “Yeah, I’m good.”
“Okay.”
With the glasses in hand, he took a step back and covered her eyes with the protective wear. He repositioned Jasmine and placed his hands on top of hers. Luke’s warm fingers came with static energy that sent a quiver racing through Jasmine’s bloodstream. They were in position and easily Luke turned the circular saw on. It vibrated underneath their palms, and Luke masterfully drove the saw through the wood. He paused then took them in another direction. Small dust particles flew around them, but they moved forward.
Another round of cutting, and Luke shut the saw off, and Jasmine glanced into his brown eyes.”
“How does that feel?” his baritone voice drummed.
&nb
sp; “It was good. You make it seem so easy.”
He grinned. “Would you like to finish?”
“Yeah, I was wondering why you stopped.”
Laughter barked from him, and he responded by removing the board they’d cut and getting back into position. When they resumed together, they cut the seat and backrest. The simplicity of the craft and the power beneath Jasmine’s fingers seemed to merge with her will, and she felt renewed and in control. As they cut the slab for the legs, Jasmine’s grip on the saw tightened, and without notice, she took control of the tool. A buzz hummed loudly when she tried to make a turn, and feeling the shift, Luke cut the saw off immediately. Jasmine released the apparatus and turned with a question on her lips.
“What happened?” She folded her hands together and glanced back at their cut.
“Look at me,” Luke said. She turned around and lifted her bubbly eyes to him.
“I’m sorry,” she said quickly, realizing her mistake. She smirked, bashfully.
“You’re good. You said you trust me, right?”
“I do.”
He nodded. “You almost had it, but I hadn’t given you the reins yet. Let’s try again.” They turned toward the plank of wood and cuffed their hands together. “Let me lead you, and when you’re ready, I’ll release your hands, and you’ll be on your own.”
Jasmine nodded then swallowed. “Okay.” She smiled, and Luke flipped the switch on the saw. While he spoke about leading her in the practice of cutting the wood, Jasmine’s thoughts shifted, and she imagined Luke as a different kind of leader.
The leader of their city, the leader of the community, she even saw him as the leading man in her life. But hadn’t she always? No, but she’d dreamed of it a thousand times. And now being in this moment, acquiring a skill she never thought about learning from him made her feel so complete it was scary.
Chapter Fourteen
“Did we really just do this?”
Jasmine stared with wide eyes and an open-mouthed gawk.
“You did,” Luke responded.
She folded her arms across her chest.
“Actually, I couldn’t have done this without you.”
Three hours and twenty-eight minutes later, a new crafted wooden bench sat before them. The task of sawing the planks was just the beginning; the drilling of nails and overall assemblage gave Jasmine a new appreciation for handcrafted things. Her eyes glimmered over the newly stained finish, and with her fingers, she reached to adjust the mask covering her face, pulling it just below her chin.
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