by Kira Blakely
I turned the key in the ignition, and she looked up at me.
“I’m going to get out here, thank you for… the ride,” she said, making to open the car door.
“No, wait,” I said, too quickly, and placed a hurried hand on her arm. Both our gazes dropped to where I was touching her. “Where are you going?”
“Home, I guess. I have to figure some things out,” she said, a new kind of anxiety entering her eyes. She was unsure of herself. But she also looked like she didn’t want to be alone, and I didn’t want to let her out of my sight.
“I’ll drop you. You don’t have a car, remember,” I said with a smile and she licked her lips. Her tongue was pink and it made me shift in my seat. Every little thing about her was driving me crazy.
“Yeah, sure,” she said after some thought. She wasn’t smiling though, and I felt like I had lost her again. I was just glad that she wasn’t leaving yet.
“Tell me where to take you, and I promise I’ll just drive you straight home. No more hiccups,” I said jokingly and laughed, and Gemma forced a fake smile.
How did this girl not know the effect she was having on me?
Chapter 8
Gemma
My heart sank when Luke started the car and I realized what I had just agreed to. There was no way I was about to let him drop me home. What would he think of me when he dropped me off at my trailer? What would he think when he realized that I still lived with my parents, and what kind of a family I come from? If ever I was ashamed of my origins. He didn’t really know who I was. But then again, why did I care so much?
That was a good question. I was racking my brains as we drove in silence. The silence between us was comfortable. Neither of us seemed to feel the need to talk. It gave me a chance to think as well, although being this close to Luke was a distraction. I couldn’t stop goose bumps from erupting on my skin. I couldn’t stop my nipples from hardening. He had a strong physical effect on me. Probably because I had never personally met someone so good looking before. A man who looked like him could only have been a fantasy to me before.
Was that why I was so ashamed of my trailer park? Because Luke Stoltz was a good-looking man? Or was it because he had punched Big Mike for my sake, coming to my rescue in the most unexpected way? Or was it because I had been rude and snappy with him until now? I had also confessed to him that I wanted to get into med school. A piece of information I had shared with nobody other than this stranger. Whatever the actual reason was, or if it was a combination of all those things, I wasn’t going to let him see my house.
“I’m not actually going to my house,” I blurted out, my voice slicing through the silence in the car. Luke looked over at me and I noticed the way his dark wavy locks fell dreamily over his forehead. His face looked peaceful again. If he had lost his temper back in the diner earlier, not a trace of it remained now.
“So where are you going then?” he asked, not perturbed in the least. He just had a look of mild curiosity in his eyes.
“It’ll be great if you can just drop me off to my car again,” I told him, trying to keep my voice even so that he’d believe me.
“In the middle of the highway?” His voice was suddenly high-pitched, nearly about to break into a laugh. I could see that he thought I was crazy.
“I’ll call the tow company or just change the tire myself, and then be on my way. I will need my car at some point,” I said, twisting my fingers together on my lap.
Luke smiled, while staring straight ahead of him. “Sure, let’s go get your car and fix that tire,” he said and I licked my lips. I didn’t want to get into that same debate all over again, about who got to change the busted tire. He could do it if he wanted to, I told myself. Anything to get him to leave and get out of my life. I needed to do some thinking, set my life in order again. From the moment Luke had stepped into my life, everything had turned topsy turvy.
We fell into silence again, and I resorted to staring out my window as he drove back onto the highway. I only just realized that the sky had gotten quite stormy. Not that it was sunny to begin with, but now it appeared as though it was about to rain. A winter rain could only mean one thing, an eventual blizzard or blinding fog later at night. I shivered in my seat just thinking about it, despite the car being toasty warm.
“Looks like it’s about to rain,” Luke said, looking up at the sky through the windshield. We heard the crack of thunder just then and the sky split, with fat raindrops sliding down the windshield. Luke had slowed down and I breathed in deeply.
“Good prediction. Ever considered reading palms for a living?” I asked and Luke laughed. That laugh! Those dimples! It was getting impossible to think of anything else but how gorgeous he was. I nearly pinched myself to see if it was all real.
“Might have to delay the tire-changing plan,” he said, smiling over at me. He was obviously right; it would be ridiculous to change my tire in the rain. It would be crazy to even step out of the car in this downpour.
“Will I just drop you home then?” he asked and I turned my head around to look at him. We were on the highway, drawing close to where I had left my car earlier. Something in me snapped. I was desperate to stop him from seeing my house. Perhaps I was angry with myself for being ashamed of my roots, of our trailer park.
“Stop the car, please just stop the car!” I cried, splaying my hands. Even I could hear the panic in my voice.
Luke looked confused, but he followed instructions and slowed the car to an eventual halt on the side of the highway. Unbuckling his belt, he twisted around in his seat to look at me. I gulped when I saw the intensity with which he was focused on my face. The patter of the rain outside, on the car’s hood, was like a lullaby in the background. The trees in the dense woods on either side of the highway were swaying in the harsh winds. On any other day, I would have been more upset with the rain for ruining my plans, but today the rain had a soothing effect on me.
“I don’t know what’s going on, but do you want to tell me?” he asked, piercing me with his dazzling black eyes.
Chapter 9
Gemma
Luke was looking straight at me, willing me to tell him exactly what was on my mind. How could I tell him though, that what was bothering me was that he was so perfect and I was ashamed of my family? So, I remained quiet.
“Look, Gemma, I know we just met and under strange circumstances, but if you need to talk…”
I shook my head. “There’s nothing to talk about; I’m just flustered because of what happened at the diner. That’s all.”
Luke breathed in deeply, like he wasn’t buying it and then nodded. I was thankful that he wasn’t going to pursue it.
“I understand, and I’m sorry. Tell me what I can do to help,” he added.
What could Luke possibly do to help? He was a tourist in my town. He had just cost me my job and in a few days he was going to go away, back to wherever he came from.
“Where do you live?” I asked, the thought suddenly striking me that I knew nothing about him.
“Los Angeles. I’ve always lived there. My family lives there, too,” he said, relaxing a little now. More than the fact that he had just the perfect facial and physical features, what was charming about him was that he had an easy-going friendly face. Although, I had also seen a darker side to him in the diner. I could predict that he was cut-throat in his business and he ruled with an iron fist.
“Do you have a big family?” I asked.
Luke let out a small laugh. “No, just me and my parents.” He must have seen my eyes widen because he smiled again. “Something tells me you come from a small family, too,” he said and I nodded my head.
“I’m the only child as well,” I replied flatly, growing more curious about him with each passing minute.
“Your parents must be very proud of your med school plans,” he said and I immediately fell silent. How was I supposed to tell him that my plans of going to med school would be a ridiculous fantasy in my parents’ eyes if th
ey ever found out about it? That they would lose themselves in panic when I informed them that I had lost my job. Who would pay the bills now? I didn’t want to think about it.
“So, are you taking over your family business?” I asked, and I noticed how Luke shifted in his seat. He leaned in closer to me and I didn’t move. It was exciting to feel his body warmth near mine. My breath was catching in my throat just from our proximity. This feeling wasn’t like anything I’d felt before. No man had this effect on me. It was sorcery!
“Sort of,” he said, and I saw the look in his eyes that was similar to mine. He wanted to change the subject as well. It seemed like neither of us wanted to talk about our families. “Hey, look, I know what you’re thinking. I’m a tourist and you lost your job because of me. I’ll leave soon, and you’ll be left picking up the pieces.”
I met his eyes with a weak smile. He’d read my thoughts. “You don’t have to worry about it. That place wasn’t exactly an ideal work environment for me to begin with.”
Luke sighed and then he shook his head. “You keep saying that and I agree, but I still feel terrible. It was a job. You wouldn’t be doing it if you didn’t have to.” His voice had grown somber. He wasn’t smiling anymore. I remained silent, because that was the truth; there was no denying it. He was probably going to figure it out himself anyway. Luke was clearly a smart guy. I worked at the diner because I was desperate for a job, and there was nowhere else I could work in a town like this with few opportunities.
“So, there has to be a way I can make this up to you. Even if it means that I go back to that place and beg that man to hire you back,” he said and I was quick to turn to him.
“No!” I said and my hand accidentally fell on his lap. It happened in a split second; my hand grazed his bulge and I drew it away immediately. My cheeks flushed, and I couldn’t look him in the eye anymore. I was sure that he would be able to see how much I wanted him, just by looking at my face. I was embarrassed that I couldn’t hide my thoughts better.
Luke said nothing, only a soft smile appeared at the sides of his lips and those dimples deepened on his cheeks.
“All right, I won’t do that. Then what else can I do?” he asked and I looked out at the rain. What had been soothing earlier, now posed a threat to me. The rain was keeping me confined in this small space with him. The more time I spent with Luke, the stronger the possibility was that I might end up doing or saying something stupid. Then a thought dawned on me… Was this my once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to be with a man who looked like this? Should I be taking full advantage of the situation?
I looked back at Luke with a certain bravado in my eyes.
“Nothing, you can do nothing for me,” I said, almost like a challenge. My voice sounded strong as I said it and we were staring at each other. It was like he was studying me, my thoughts, trying to figure out what exactly I meant by that. I was only being honest. There was nothing that he could do for me, but I knew what I wanted him to do.
Luke’s lips were on mine in a flash. It was like something had clicked in him. He lunged at me and our bodies met first, before his lips found mine. My back was pressed against the door window, the heat of my body sizzling against the coolness of the frosty glass. Luke was leaning across his seat to mine. We were kissing furiously. His hand found my chin, and he pulled my face closer to him. I parted my mouth, and his tongue slid in. I could taste him now, breathe in his breath. My eyes remained closed as I enjoyed the moment. How devastatingly glorious it was to be kissed by a man like this.
I found my courage soon enough, allowing my hand to rise and find his neck. Within seconds, I had thrown my arms over his shoulders, hauling my body closer to his. Luke continued kissing me, like he had wanted to do that from the moment we met. I knew I had. Could he have wanted the same thing?
I moaned against his lips when I felt his hands on my neck; he was gently encircling it with his fingers. His skin felt rough and masculine against mine, like he could simply mold me like damp clay. Then his hands began to travel down, down my neck, to the top of my breasts. Through the fabric of my sweater, I could feel him searching out my nipples with his thumbs.
I winced when he found them. He could feel them erect and hardened, even through my top and sweater. He flicked them with his thumb until I couldn’t control myself anymore. I pulled away from him to look at what he was doing.
Luke had a smile on his face as he looked at me. His dark eyes were narrowed; he was focused on my body. And it looked like he meant business, like he was on a mission. His thumbs continued to tease my nipples, and I could feel myself growing wet in my panties. My legs spread apart of their own accord.
When Luke stopped, he didn’t stop for long. Instead of flicking my nipples, he now moved his hand to the spot between my thighs, slipping his hand in under my jeans.
Keeping his eyes on me, he wedged his hand between my legs. He was stroking me. He had found my clit, and he was stroking me gently, making me squirm and wriggle in my seat.
“This will not solve anything, Gemma, but I want you to feel good,” he said in a hoarse voice. I couldn’t reply, I couldn’t even form the words. I threw my head back, knocking it against the damp glass. I could hear the rain outside still, now falling heavily, slamming against the hood of his Mercedes. Luke kept stroking me with one hand. His other hand wrapped around my neck, pulling me closer to him.
His fingers felt long and hard against my clit, and he knew exactly how to stroke me, tease me to bring me close to the edge. I grabbed my own breasts, squeezing them, I wanted to feel his cock where his hand was. But Luke was on a mission to make me come with just his fingers, without actually taking off a single piece of clothing. And he was going to be successful, I was going to have an orgasm.
I clutched the sides of the seat and bit down on my lip as I came. My hips were moving and my toes curled in my shoes as I thrust my body toward him. He continued to stroke me, watching me as he made me come for him.
I tried to muffle my scream with a hand, but I could feel my face going red. It was a long orgasm, and it made me forget where I was or even who I was with. This orgasm was all about me, I could only think of myself and how good it felt.
When my labored breathing began to subside and I opened my eyes, Luke began to slide his hand out of my jeans. A smile was growing on his face. I could see that my orgasm had satisfied him as well. Did he think that he had made up for my lost job? I still couldn’t say anything. Now that my orgasm had ended, it was like I could think again. And I could hardly believe what had just happened.
“You have to come to my cabin with me now,” Luke said, settling back down in his seat. I could only raise my eyebrows at him and his handsome face. It was like I had forgotten to speak. Where had he learned to do that? I didn’t even think it was possible to make me come that quickly.
“It would seem quite sleazy if I made you come in my car, parked on the side of a highway in the rain and didn’t at least offer you some coffee and cookies after,” he added, starting his car. I couldn’t protest, I just kept staring at him. Luke gave a small laugh when he saw my face and swerved the car back on to the lane.
“See, Mike was wrong. Now you seem well rested,” he said as his laughter continued.
I smiled at that, too, because he was right. Fuck Big Mike, fuck the diner and the trailer park. I had just had the best orgasm of my life.
Chapter 10
Gemma
I knew about this cabin, tucked away in the woods, that the owners rented out to wealthy clients looking to escape the big city life. Luke drove us there, down a narrow woodland path and parked at the entrance. I was quick to get out of the car, more curious now than I had been before. Marked strictly as private property and under twenty-four-hour surveillance, this cabin had been a source of curiosity and amazement to all the town locals for decades. Very few had actually stepped foot in this place, and now I was here as a guest!
The house had been designed as an elaborate tree hous
e, three-floors tall, and the property around it seemed to spread over several acres. The cabin itself was nestled between trees and surrounded by its own gently flowing creek, like a moat around a castle. The only sounds I could hear were of birds chirping and a soft rustle of leaves in the after-shower breeze.
“This is beautiful,” I whispered, more to myself than to him.
Luke looked up at the cabin appreciatively. “When I found this place, I knew I had to stay here.”
“Where are your colleagues?” I asked, turning to him with bright excited eyes.
“I’ve rented out hotel rooms for them; I wanted to be by myself here,” he told me and placed a hand on my waist. An electric shock went down my spine, from just the touch of his hand. I tucked a few strands of my wild curly hair behind my ears out of nervousness. I was anxious and afraid to go into a place like this. I was in awe and self-conscious of what I was wearing and how I looked. I felt like I wasn’t dressed for the occasion.
“Do you want to go in?” he asked, looking down at me, and I was suddenly reminded of how tall he was. I nodded nervously. It was too late to back out now.
He led me into the cabin, walking over a narrow bridge that connected the driveway to the cabin over the creek. I was still looking around me with amazement. I had heard stories about how lovely this cabin was, but I could never have imagined the reality.
“It’s so peaceful out here, I can’t get enough of it,” he said, pushing open the front door.
I was very conscious of my muddy shoes and unfashionable clothes as I walked into the cabin. It was larger inside than I had expected. and I was immediately blown away by how cozy it looked.
The walls and floors were all wood, of course, and covered with comfy-looking fluffy rugs. A fireplace was already burning in the living room, and rich luxurious leather couches were arranged in a circle around it.