by Debra Elise
There was no sneaking out of bed without waking Luke today, so she didn’t even try. She stretched and gently pushed his arms back. To get him to loosen his hold on her, she murmured into his ear that she’d return soon. He mumbled something that sounded like “you better.”
She pulled on her fuzzy, purple knee-length robe and padded down the stairs. Her smile widened as images of yesterday afternoon and last night flickered in her mind. Indy was softly snoring in his crate. She’d have fifteen minutes’ tops to enjoy her first sips of coffee before he announced his need to be fed. Both man and dog had worked themselves into her heart and each day it was becoming all that much harder to believe she would be able to walk away at the end of summer.
Luke had opened up to her and showed her a different side from the bad boy he presented to his fans. She’d seen a carefully hidden side when he worked with a local disabled children’s center. He’d arrived with little fanfare other than the excitement of the kids and played catch with all who were able. They couldn’t care less about his celebrity status and offered up endless hugs and chattered about their favorite toys and videos.
Just yesterday he’d excitedly told her about his interactions with one little boy who in the past could never quite make eye contact with him. But that day he did, and they had a short conversation about the baseball game he’d watched with his dad, and he wanted to know when Luke would be playing again.
Lara had a moment when she wanted to take Luke in her arms and tell him how proud she was of him and his work with the young boy and the others at the center. But she held back. That was a reaction a girlfriend or a wife would give. And she wasn’t either. She’d tried hard to keep things light, casual, and focused on either rehabbing his knee or enjoying each other in bed.
But she’d noticed he was growing less cautious with her and sharing things he would only think to discuss with a friend or someone he had real feelings for. Like his plan for life after baseball. He and Maverick had been in talks with Howie to buy in and create a franchise of bars in the western and southwestern parts of the United States.
O’Malley’s was a fun place and she knew Luke enjoyed hanging out there, but not tonight. Today, she, Kelsey, Noel, and Caris had planned a full day of shopping for Kelsey’s wedding. First stop, Victoria’s Secret. Maybe she’d buy a few things and surprise Luke. Next was the shoe store and then the bridal shop to help pick out Kelsey’s veil.
They’d end the day with a massage at the spa and have an old-fashioned sleepover in one of the hotel’s suites. Not too shabby for a group of friends who lived off ramen in college.
The four of them hadn’t had a good gossip session in, well, forever. Caris had recently joined their group a few months back after she helped out Mav. She’d quickly become a lifetime member, plus she made sure every gathering had plenty of wine or champagne. A good quality to have in a friend.
“So where’d you say you’re going today?”
“Ah!” Lara jumped and spilled coffee on her robe as Luke wound his arms around her waist and nuzzled her neck.
“Luke, you scared the crap out of me and . . . hmmm, that’s nice.” Her head fell back on his chest as he nibbled, bit, and licked her neck. His hands were busy too. Damn, his touch made her weak, and she forgave him instantly for making her spill coffee on her favorite robe.
“You sure I can’t talk you into canceling and hanging out all day with me—naked?” He nipped her earlobe and she almost forgot about her plans. But she couldn’t cancel. This was one of the few days they could all spend together picking out items for Kelsey and Mav’s wedding. So it had to be a “no.”
She turned and looked up into his handsome face and caught him waggling his eyebrows at her. She burst out laughing and noticed his very naked body. She kissed him on the chin and sighed. His superior height meant that if they wanted to kiss he would need to lower his head, and he was too busy giving her sad eyes to make that happen.
“Sorry, babe. Today it needs to be sister before mister. We’re taking Kelsey out for a whirlwind day of shopping. Noel’s checklist as the wedding planner must be conquered; otherwise they might have to postpone the wedding.”
Luke made a face at the mention of the wedding. She knew he wasn’t a fan of commitment, but it still stung a little when he let his feelings show.
“I’m all yours, tomorrow,” she offered. But then she remembered. She was leaving tomorrow for her interview. How could she have forgotten? Luke was slowly taking over all her waking thoughts. The fact that she could have forgotten about her dream job was troubling. She still wanted it, right?
“Wait. I’m all yours the day after. I’m flying out for my interview at Seattle Children’s tomorrow. I’ll be back the following day. I think my plane lands around three.”
He stopped kissing her neck. “Okay, well then, how about this. I was thinking there’s one thing we haven’t tried, and since you don’t have a lot of time to give me, how about a quickie?”
The mention of her interview didn’t seem to throw him off or upset him. Maybe he was still in the friends-with-benefits mode and the thought of her not being around soon to toss onto the nearest flat service didn’t faze him.
Damn. Why was she thinking like this? She knew what she was getting into. Sex only. Fun with no strings. But her heart, like she feared, was following a different playlist.
He ran his hands up and down her arms and trailed his long fingers along the collar of her robe, which had come loose. His touch made her forget her worries, and his counteroffer of a quickie sent tingles straight to her core. He tunneled deeper until he found what he was looking for. He flicked first one nipple, then the other.
She moaned at his touch and calculated how much time she would need to get ready before Caris arrived to pick her up. She couldn’t remember if she’d ever had a quickie, but for Luke she was willing to give it a go. Without warning she jumped up and wrapped her legs around his waist. “You’re on.”
“Umpf!” Luke expelled a breath at her movement and carried her over to the island and placed her on the cold counter and captured her lips. He held nothing back as he destroyed her with his lips and tongue. Her breath hitched as he deepened his assault. She grasped his shoulders and returned his kisses until they both broke away gasping for air.
“I plan on making sure you’ll be thinking about me for the rest of the day—and night.” His voice had dropped several octaves and a rasp had appeared raising goosebumps along her now too tight skin.
“Is that a promise?”
“No. It’s a fact.”
Lara watched in awe as his eyes darkened and his lids dropped to half-mast. The focus he’d turned on her reached to her core. Luke in full seduction mode almost made her come before they’d gotten to the good stuff. This man had a hold on her senses she never thought possible. A look, a touch, and his deep voice ensured her body was ready for whatever he had planned.
All of a sudden she wished for more time. A quickie wasn’t going to be enough for her. She kept his gaze and widened her legs. She wiggled herself closer to his erection and pressed herself into him. He halted her movements with his hands on her waist.
“Lean back.”
Luke’s order caught her off guard.
“What?”
“Lara, lean back. Now.”
More than turned on, she liked this new commanding side to him. Her mouth had gone dry, so she nodded and did as he asked. Her adrenaline went into overdrive and pooled in her core in anticipation of his hands, his mouth on her, inside her.
Luke ran a hand up her thigh and rested it on her hip. With a twist of his wrist he pulled down her panties. His large, warm hand returned to her lower stomach, he splayed his fingers open, and ever so slowly ran his hand lower and lower. When he stopped his movement, she whimpered. She craved more and just when she thought she’d go crazy, he dipped his thumb into her opening and stroked her.
Lara cried out. Already on the edge it wouldn’t take much more to push
her over. Her whole body trembled. Luke stroked her again. Just once and stopped.
“Please. Luke.” This was not how she envisioned a quickie. She didn’t know whether to yell at him to hurry up or go against his request to lie still and take matters into her own hand. “I need you inside me, baby.”
“I know, and that’s where I want to be, but first I need to taste you. And I know how much you like to watch me, don’t you, Lara? Watch as I make you come.”
“Y-yes!” Oh lord, he was destroying her. She forgot his command not to move and inched a bit closer to him.
“Ah, ah, ah. I asked you not to move, darling. Now you’ll just have to wait a bit longer to get what you really want.”
“Lucas Garibaldi, this is not a quickie.”
“How would you know? You said you’d never had one before.”
Oh my god, were they really having this conversation? Caris was due to pick her up in less than an hour and Luke had her spread out on the counter begging for release. So she did something she’d only read about in romance novels. She moved Luke’s hand away, sat up and took hold of the base of his cock, and impaled herself.
Bold was not something Lara had ever been with a man. Luke was going to get a dose of the teasing he’d just handed her. She squeezed his cock and rotated her hips. “What was that you were saying?”
“Nothing, nothing at all.”
“That’s what I thought.” She gave him a sassy grin and made a command of her own. “Now move.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
Luke pulled out and back several times in a slow, steady rhythm. Frustrated, she looked up into his face and found him watching her with a Cheshire grin. “Not fast enough for you?”
She squeezed him hard, her inner walls began to pulse, and she knew she was getting close to exploding. And dammit, she wanted him to stop teasing her. “No. Faster, please.”
“Well, since you asked so sweetly.”
His strokes increased.
Oh yes, this. This is what she needed from him. Had been missing, even though she didn’t know it. She saw it in his eyes, felt it in his touch. The intensity they both wanted, craved—where fast wasn’t fast enough. Once wasn’t enough. Would never be enough. She wanted to fall apart in his arms knowing he’d be there to catch her.
He reached down and began to stroke her clit. The lightness of his touch pushed her over. She cried out and rode the wave of her release as he pounded into her. She didn’t want him to stop, ever.
Luke shouted and with a final stroke he followed her over the edge and lay down gently on top of her, running his fingers through her hair. They stayed there for a few moments. Lara was still floating, lost in the aftermath of the intensity, and thought maybe they should have quickies more often.
She must have spoken that last part out loud because Luke answered her.
“Anytime, darling. For never having a quickie before, you passed with flying colors.” He kissed her and stood up and helped her to her feet.
She grinned up at him and gave him a swat on his perfect ass before she left the kitchen. She had to scramble if she wanted to shower and get her makeup done before Caris arrived. At the entryway she stopped and turned back to a dazed and gloriously naked Luke.
CHAPTER 22
The wedding shopping had passed in a blur of tears and champagne. When Kelsey had stepped out from behind the dressing room curtain wearing her wedding dress and the veil Noel had picked out, Lara felt a grip on her heart.
“Oh, Kelsey. You’re beautiful, hon. Gosh darn it, where are my tissues?” Noel’s tears fell as Lara ran over with a tissue for each of them.
“Kelsey, Mav is going to flip when he sees you,” Caris added, and soon the four women were blowing their noses and laughing.
“I can’t believe, of all of us, you’re the first to get married,” Noel said between hiccups.
“I know. But when you find the right one, you hold on and make sure he realizes just how lucky he is.” Kelsey winked at them all and began giggling. “I can’t wait for each of you to find your very own bad boy.”
“I think each of us would be happy to find half of the happiness you’ve found, Kelsey, bad boy or not,” Noel replied.
“Well, if any of you want your own, just let me know. I happen to know a few men who might be available.”
Both Caris and Noel pretended not to hear Kelsey’s offer, but Lara had a hard time not putting herself in Kelsey’s place while she tried on her maid-of-honor accessories. This was not the time to be thinking of forever with Luke or anyone else.
She had plenty of time to fall in love with a man who wanted the same things as her. But seeing how happy Kelsey was made her jealous for the same thing. Knowing Luke was not the happily-ever-after sort, especially after what he’d gone through with his mother, had bolstered her resolve to guard her heart and concentrate on what was in her control.
So she put any thoughts of swaying Luke into a real relationship aside. She’d always have the memories of her time with Luke, but now it was time for her to make a fresh start.
The morning of her interview dawned with thunderclouds and rain. Typical Seattle weather, even in August. She’d planned for it and dashed across the street under her folding umbrella into the main entrance of the hospital.
Full of possibilities and hope, she waited in the reception area and checked her messages. She had several voice mails and a text from Luke. She smiled thinking of their tryst in the kitchen before she left.
She’d never had so much sex in her life and now that she’d been away from him for an entire day, she found herself craving the intense physical release only he could give her.
She opened his message and read the results of his disciplinary hearing. A five-thousand-dollar fine and two-game suspension. He said he was fine with it, but it had to sting. And the media would have a field day. She opened her web browser, and sure enough, there was a headline under the sports section: “Outlaw catcher receives fine and suspension. Are this bad boy’s days numbered?”
Whatever. The press always felt it necessary to put a spin on things. Luke had already learned a huge lesson and paid a price with his injury. The money and missing two games hopefully wouldn’t throw him off.
Man, she wished she was there with him now. He probably needed a friend. She looked at her watch to gauge if she had enough time to call him. Just barely. But he didn’t pick up. Instead, she left him an encouraging voice mail and told him she should be home by four that afternoon.
Home. His home. Not hers. Not theirs. She had to stop thinking that way. She was merely a guest, a paid nursemaid and PT and friend with extremely good benefits. Lara shook herself out of her deep thoughts when she heard her name called.
She stood, straightened her skirt, and followed the head practitioner of the pediatric unit into the conference room. This is what she’d come for. The next thirty minutes would dictate her future, and she needed her mind on answering questions unrelated to her mixed-up emotions concerning Luke Garibaldi.
Six hours later she pulled her car into Luke’s driveway. She took out her overnight bag and yawned as she made her way up the stone steps to the front porch. She took out her key, but the door was unlocked. Odd. She entered the house and looked at the security panel next to the door. It wasn’t set. So she locked the front door behind her, set the alarm system, and went looking for Luke.
She checked the kitchen first. All she found was a sink full of dishes and several empty beer bottles on the counter. Indy was whining in his crate, so she let him out back, refreshed his water, and left the puppy outside where he rediscovered a lost chew toy.
Music was blaring from the media room. When she crossed the threshold she stopped short. On the oversize couch lay Luke in his boxers, out cold. His bum knee was propped up on the armrest and his right arm was hanging over the side of the couch.
Lara didn’t know whether to laugh or rush over and check his pulse. She quietly made her way to him as she sidestepped
a couple more beer bottles. Pity party for one? She jumped out of her skin when he let out a snort. The scream she couldn’t hold back.
He woke at the sound, sitting up too fast. He grabbed his knee and cursed the air blue. This time she did laugh and walked to where he could see her without having to contort his body.
“Living the high life, I see.”
He looked at her and blinked slowly. Still drunk. This ought to be fun.
He grunted at her. “Hey.” Still holding his knee as if it would fall off at any moment he swung around on the couch, placed both feet on the floor, leaned an elbow on his good knee, and cradled his head. “What time is it?”
“It’s almost five. How long have you been drinking? I’d ask how many you had but I can see counting might be a bit difficult for you right now.”
“Ha-ha. Ms. Smarty Pants. I drank a six-pack, I think. I didn’t want to overdo it since I haven’t had anything to drink in a while. And for your information, I’ve only been drinking since lunchtime. I think.”
“Wow. Such restraint. So you want to tell me why?”
“Did you get my text?
“Yes.”
“Then you already know why.”
Lara almost felt sorry for him. But she held back from offering any sympathy. He made a poor choice by driving his motorcycle when it was forbidden, even if the accident wasn’t his fault. She sat down next to him on the couch and waited him out.
“Well, aren’t you going to say anything?” he asked.
“Nope.”
Out of the corner of her eye she watched as he ran his hands through his hair, leaned back, and closed his eyes. He was still for so long she thought he might have fallen back to sleep.
“Luke—”
“I fucked up royally, Lara. I let my team down. I thumbed my nose at the rules and now I have to deal with the bad press. Shit, I haven’t missed a game in three years, and now this.”
She turned her body toward him but didn’t say anything. He needed a friend, not a judge.