CELEB CRUSH

by Christie, Nicole

  “Fuck,” he says weakly. “I think you sucked my soul out.”

  “Oh, is that what that funny taste was?”

  Luke looks at me and lets out a shaky laugh. “Damn, Tiger. I may have to give you a few more nicknames. I’d tell you some of them, but you’d hit me.”

  “Maybe not.” I shrug and slowly get to my feet.

  He only shakes his head at me, still smiling. “You know, you didn’t have to do that,” he says quietly.

  I smile smugly at him. “Believe me, it was my pleasure.”

  I retreat under a shower head while he recovers, letting the hot water cascade over me. I’m smiling my ass off. You’d think I was the one who got outstanding (if I do say so myself) head just now. I’ve never been much of a giver, but with Luke I can definitely see the appeal. I’d be willing to give over and over. And over. Especially if he keeps making those sexy ass growling noises during.

  I’m so busy congratulating myself that I don’t notice Luke until he’s standing over me, looking down at me with dark gold eyes and a wicked expression.

  “Your turn.”

  “Nope.” I shake my head at him. “The rule still stands. You can’t touch me.”

  “I won’t be the one touching you.”

  Oh. Hm.

  I don’t know why I feel so scandalized right now, but I kind of do. The closest I’ve come to masturbation is sex with Bran. Nothing against him; I was just a very self-involved lover. Once, when we were doing it, I called out my own name. Very awkward.

  Not that I’m worried I’ll have that problem with Luke. Still…

  “Pass,” I say.

  “Come on, Tiger,” Luke says tauntingly. “I’m not letting you out of here until you come. By my hand, or yours. Your choice.”

  I cross my arms over my chest to keep my heart from bursting out and escaping to a less awkward land. “You want me to fap it?” I say finally. “And you want to watch?”

  “Yeah,” he replies, still smiling. “I want to watch.”

  Can I really do that in front of him? The more I think about it, the hotter I get. My gaze meets Luke, and a big ball of lust forms heavily in my lower stomach. Maybe I should just let him do it to me. But…

  Luke’s past comes back to haunt me. How many porn-worthy situations has he been in? Threesomes, handcuffs…who knows what else—and I’m too prudish to touch myself in front of him?

  I’m gonna do it. It’s gonna be hot.

  Hesitantly, I place my hand on my jittery stomach, just over my belly button. I shift my weight from side to side, turning my body in different directions trying to figure out the logistics on what I’m about to attempt. I don’t know if I can bend that way.

  “Need some help there, Andi?” Luke’s voice is dark and amused as he watches me squirm.

  “Um. No.” I make a horrible face at him. “No touching, remember?”

  “Baby, do you trust me?”

  “No.”

  Luke laughs. “Yeah, you do. Hold up.” He reaches for the panel of controls, and suddenly the hot spray of water above us turns to a soft mist. “Move your feet apart.”

  I automatically do as I’m told, widening my stance. My eyes suddenly feel too wide in my face, and my erratic pulse has me worried I’ll pass out right then and there. That wouldn’t even be unique—several girls have fainted from Luke’s hotness. I used to laugh at them. Who’s laughing now, bitch?

  Luke puts his big warm hand over mine. He places a soft kiss on my forehead as he starts to guide my hand lower. He kisses my lips, and our hands go lower still. His mouth trails down to my neck, and…

  I yank my hand away. I can’t do it. I can’t. “Nope!” I blurt out. “This is just—it’s too much!”

  “Hey, it’s okay. Come here, beautiful.” Luke gathers me into a comforting hug. “You don’t have to. We’ll slow it down, okay? I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have pressured you.”

  “No, it’s fine.” I sigh. “I guess I’m a lot more boring than the girls you’re used to.”

  “Stop that,” he admonishes me softly, tipping my chin up to look at him. “Are you kidding me? No one holds a candle to you, Andi. You know, I’ve never been so horny and amused at the same time until the day I met you. I’m starting to really dig the combination.”

  “Uh…thanks?”

  Luke just laughs in that sexy way of his. “You ready to get out? I don’t know about you, but I’m starving. It’s almost like someone sucked the energy right out of me.”

  I just roll my eyes at him. He quickly washes himself off and lets me have the bathroom to myself so I can properly shower and shampoo. Even though I didn’t exactly get off, I feel completely sated. It was so hot how he let himself be at my mercy. The famous Lucas Greyson was completely under my control. It was intense and incredible! I want to do it again. Hell, yeah. He wouldn’t even have to ask me.

  God, that was amazing.

  We decide to watch a gory zombie movie while sacking out on the couch. Nate comes in just after the movie starts. He takes one look at our wet hair and grinning faces and throws a triumphant fist in the air.

  “Thank the lord, you guys finally banged!” Nate whoops, staring up at the ceiling in gratitude. “Can I go back home now?”

  Luke and I look at each other. “Nope,” we say at the same time.

  Nate grumbles under his breath while checking his phone. “Hey, dick, I still owe you an ass kicking,” Luke calls over his shoulder while keeping his arm around me.

  “Yeah, yeah. I’ll be in my room waiting.”

  Nate pauses by the couch. “I hear you got Jackson in his little boy parts. You’re legend, babe.”

  He kisses me on top of the head then laughingly ducks when Luke takes a playful swing at him.

  “No making out while the kids are home, Mom and Dad!” Nate calls as he heads toward his room.

  Luke looks over at me. “Can I kick his ass now?”

  I pretend to think about it. “Only if I get to watch.”

  Luke starts to grin. “That’s my girl.”

  As he pulls me to my feet, I realize that I am. His girl, I mean. I’m Lucas Greyson’s girl.

  What the hell did I get myself into?

  Chapter 23

  I didn’t mean to snoop. I was getting ready to do the laundry, and the credit card statement was crammed into the front pocket of his jeans. I swear, I only looked at it to make sure it wasn’t something important before I threw it away.

  Lynn Carver. The name doesn’t ring any bells. Why is she a cardholder on Luke’s account? With a fifty thousand dollar limit that’s almost been reached. That’s nowhere near one of his bigger credit limits, but still.

  My blood starts to boil as I look over the charges. There are a few items from places in Paris, but it looks like most of the places Lynn Carver frequents are local. She sure likes to shop—the latest charge being for two grand at a jewelry shop two freaking days ago. What the hell? Who is she, and why hasn’t Luke mentioned her before?

  I’m going to ask him. Nicely.

  “Who the fuck is Lynn Carver?!”

  Luke immediately hits pause on the bloody war game he and Nate are currently playing. I’m standing right in front of the screen, blocking their view. My voice and hands are shaking with barely suppressed fury.

  Nate looks from me to Luke’s tight expression. He drops his controller and quietly slips from the room. Smart boy. When Luke and I fight, there is always collateral damage.

  “I found this in your pocket,” I say venomously, and fling the credit card statement at him.

  It sails through the air and lands on the glass table in front of him. He leans forward to pick it up. He looks it over, jaw clenching noticeably.

  “Well?” I snap when he remains silent.

  Luke looks up, his green gold dragon eyes hard. “She’s my mother.”

  I glare at him. “Try again! I know your mom’s name—it’s Amber Greyson. You haven’t seen or spoke to her since she left you with your asshol
e dad when you were ten.”

  He sighs harshly, rubbing the back of his neck like it hurts. Then he pats the glass table in front of him. “Come here, Andi.”

  I stomp over to him, and perch on the spot he indicated so that I’m sitting directly in front of him. He scoots forward on the couch, putting his knees on the outside of mine and trapping mine between them. The look on his face is enough to take the jealous wind from my angry sails. Whoever the big spender is, he’s not cheating on me with her. I can tell that much.

  “I got a call from her a few months ago. She managed to track me down somehow, and she told me she was clean, and had been for several years. She changed her name when she got remarried. All she wants is a fresh start.”

  “How nice for her. Please don’t tell me it reproduced, and you’ve got a little brother or sister out there somewhere.”

  Luke’s expression relaxes enough for a small smile to appear. “Nah, my mom doesn’t like kids—never has. She said she wanted to apologize for being such a shitty mom, and she wanted to tell me how proud of me she was.”

  I snort loudly. “And…?”

  “And she wanted my help. She wanted to leave her husband, but she was afraid of him; said he beat her bad enough to put her in a coma for a couple of days.”

  Wow, she must be into anal because she sure seems to like assholes. I don’t say that out loud. “So let me guess,” I mutter. “You went to her rescue?”

  He briefly meets my eyes before looking away with a shrug. “What was I supposed to do? She’s my mom. Yeah, I helped her out. I got her away from that douchebag, and set her up here.”

  I pick up the credit card statement and dangle it in front of him. “And this?”

  Luke just shakes his head, compressing his lips together.

  That manipulative bitch! Lynn Carver—not Luke. But what can I say? It’s his choice if he wants to be a sucker.

  I put my hands on his shoulders and push him back slightly so that I can straddle his lap. Luke looks surprised even as his hands go to my hips to help me get situated.

  “Hey.” I cradle his face in my hands. “If you ever want to talk about it, I’m here. Okay?”

  “That’s it?” Luke squints up at me adorably. “You’re not gonna yell at me for being an idiot?”

  I gently run my fingers through his feather soft hair. “Aw, no, baby. You already know you are, so what’s the point? I mean, if it were up to me, I wouldn’t give that bitch a cent. I’d let her rot in her own guilt—but that’s just me.”

  “Ah,” Luke murmurs. “And there it is. Go on; just get it out of your system.”

  “She’s like a tick, Luke. The longer you let her into your life—she’ll just keep burrowing in deeper and deeper. And sucking your—”

  “See, I knew it,” Luke cuts me off, sounding more amused than pissed to my relief. “I knew you would give me shit about this. That’s why I never told you.”

  “I’m not giving you shit. Look, I won’t say anything else about it, okay?” I give him my most wide-eyed sincere look. “Just know that if she ever tries to hurt you, I will track her down and bleed her.”

  “I’ll keep that in mind.” He pulls me in close for a kiss. When we break apart, his bright eyes are sparkling mischievously. “You were saying something about sucking…?”

  I wrap my arms around loosely around his neck. “I did,” I say slowly. “But that was in reference to your mom, so your erection right now is both disturbing and inappropriate.”

  “It is,” Luke agrees, his brow furrowed. He runs his hands over my ass with a slow grin. “Think I have mommy issues?”

  “If you do, I’ll cure them right now.”

  Just as our lips are about to touch, Nate’s obnoxious voice intrudes on our private moment.

  “Are you guys still fighting?” he calls from the doorway of his bedroom. “Don’t break my Xbox—and for god’s sake, don’t fuck on the table. I eat there!”

  Luke and I look at each other. We sigh at the same time, and I slowly climb off his lap and plop down next to him on the couch.

  Luke leans back on the couch with a soft groan. “One day soon, Tiger…it’s just gonna be you and me. And I’m gonna drop Nate’s ass off at an army recruitment center.”

  I wrinkle my nose. “And they’ll drop him right back. You know he can’t even do a push up.”

  “I heard that!” Nate’s voice sounds off again. “Assholes!”

  We both laugh at that. Luke throws me Nate’s controller, grabs his own, and un-pauses the game. Soon, we’re shooting bad guys and all is well in our kingdom.

  For now.

  My plans have been thwarted. Before I found that credit card statement, I had been planning on having sex with Luke that night. I could have still gone through with it, but no. I’m still kind of annoyed that his blood-sucking leech of a mother is still in his life. Damn her, I thought she’d be dead by now.

  Luke is going to San Diego for Comic-Con for a few days. He asked me to go with him—but I make an excuse about going down to see Ellen for her birthday (it’s not her birthday). He wants us to make an official public appearance there, but Jessica and I both think it’s a bad idea. She’s still hoping that he comes to his senses about me. I don’t care about the rampant speculation circulating on the internet about Lucas Greyson “exotic brunette companion.” I haven’t been named yet, and I’d like for it to stay that way until I figure out this thing between us.

  I’ve decided to go down there tonight to surprise him. Then whatever happens…happens. I mean, I’m going to jump his bones. I can’t wait any longer, especially after what happened in the shower. Actually, I can’t stop thinking about it. I might be obsessed. I’m like one of his legions of fangirls—only worse because I know just how amazing he actually is.

  I spend an entire morning at a spa just to prepare for tonight. I’ve been plucked, waxed, and groomed an inch beyond my life. I smell wonderful, by the way, so I guess it was worth it. But I’m nervous as hell. The closest I’ve come to naked in front of Luke was in the shower that one time. I feel like the anticipation level has built up to a fever pitch—and now the reality can’t possibly live up to our expectations. For me, it totally did—but then Luke is a god among mortals. I could worship him on my knees all day. And I have bad knees. Sports injuries.

  It’s weird for me to feel insecure like this. I start to get mad just imagining scenarios where I take my clothes off, and Luke just looks at me, unimpressed. Or, worse, he starts laughing. Maybe he’s been with models and actresses for so long that he forgot what a real woman’s body is supposed to look like. Dick.

  I’m stalling. I rolled into town hours ago, and I’ve already met up with Micah and persuaded him into getting me an extra key card to Luke’s hotel room. I had to threaten the by-the-books bodyguard to keep my presence here a secret. I don’t want to say what I threatened him with because then I’ll sound like an asshole. But it’s all for a good cause, I swear.

  Luke texts me to let me know he’s hanging out with his Soul mates. I make him promise to make it an early night, and not to get drunk. I’d be so pissed if I took off my clothes, and he threw up on my naked body. I don’t know why, but I can just see that happening.

  It’s almost eight at night, and I’m bored. I’m sitting in the food court of some mall, wasting time. Luke abruptly stopped texting me, so I check my other messages. I text Ivan back to let him know that I will take full responsibility over that thing I asked him to do for me, if Luke ever finds out. I also call Aunt Susan and talk to her for a bit. Her voice is muffled like she’s coming down with something, but when I ask her how she’s feeling she quickly changes the subject to Talon’s birthday party coming up in a couple of months. He wants Luke to come, too, but I’ll have to look over his filming schedule before I can give an answer. I make a mental note to fly up next week to check on Aunt Susan. Since her recent bout of pneumonia, she’s been sounding progressively weaker.

  I also exchange texts with Nat
e, but stop when he starts sending me suggestive picture of things being inserted into other things. I never should have told him that I was coming here. He jumped to his own conclusions.

  Oh, I did buy some lingerie at a ridiculously priced store, though I don’t know if I’ll wear it tonight. Right now I have on a tight black shirt and a pair of nice-fitting jeans. Nothing special on underneath. Despite the type of girls he’s been with, I know Luke actually prefers a more natural down-to-earth girl.

  I decide to just wait for him in his hotel room. If I’m not feeling it, we’ll just hang out. No pressure, right?

  Right.

  I know something is wrong the minute I let myself into the spacious suite. Maybe my super senses smell the perfume lingering in the air, or hear the sounds of the shower running without consciously realizing it. I don’t know.

  Time slows, and the oxygen seems to have been sucked out of the atmosphere. The slightly ajar bedroom door seems a million miles away. A cold feeling of dread mixed with a dash of déjà vu washes over me as my feet move me inexorably forward.

  The closer I get to that open door, the more light headed I feel. Like a virgin in a horror movie, I slowly push it open and peer inside.

  I take in the details before me in a series of photographs that will be burned into my mind forever. The open bathroom door with the steam pouring out from the shower. The clothes and shoes tossed carelessly on the floor. The jeans, gray shirt, and black well-worn Vans belong to Luke—the red dress, silk lingerie, and stilettos do not.

  And the coup de grace? Kat Vandevere, naked and sprawled on the bed, casually playing on her phone. I stand there, frozen to the spot, unable to move or blink. Barely able to comprehend what I’m seeing.

  I don’t make a sound, but she finally glances up. She jumps and screams, grabbing a pillow to cover herself. Her pale blue eyes are full of guilt and furtiveness.

  “Get out of here, Annie!” she hisses, glancing nervously at the open bathroom door. “Go!”