The man was the devil!
“I have to go,” she said during a break in the conversation. Marcy, Gaia and Gabby had already left, one by one, their husbands pulling them away and saying their goodbyes. It was only Luke and herself left from the original group and she needed a break from the constant sexual tension.
“I’ll drive you home.”
“No!” she gasped and put both of her hands on his chest. She realized that others were looking over at them and lowered her voice. “No. Please. I drove, so I have my car in the parking lot.”
“I’ll walk you to your car then.”
Naya could easily picture what might happen in a dark, isolated parking lot. She quickly shook her head. “Not going to happen either,” she told him firmly.
“Why do you think so?” he asked as he moved closer, ignoring the pressure of her hands on his chest while his own rested lightly on her hips. At least, she suspected that, to a casual onlooker, his hands appeared casual. But his fingers were holding her close, not allowing her to back up in any way.
“Because, if you walk me to my car, you’re going to try and kiss me again.”
He smiled slightly. “I won’t try,” he countered.
“You won’t succeed,” she told him, wrapping her fingers around his wrists. “I’m going home, Luke. Alone. I’m going to sleep alone and I’m going to wake up alone. And what happened earlier tonight was the last time that you’re going to kiss me.”
He laughed again, enjoying the way she challenged him, dared him, and he even liked the way she was trying to resist him. It was hot, in an odd sort of way. Pointless, but yeah, he was turned on by her resistance. “Thinks so?”
“I know so!” she shot right back.
“Let’s just see about that, shall we?” he asked and pulled her out of the lobby and down yet another hallway.
Naya glanced back towards the ballroom, but no savior was there. They’d all left, leaving her to the tender mercies of Luke.
She was just about to protest, to jerk her hand out of his and walk away, when his mouth covered hers. And she knew that she was about to resist him. Really she was! But then he did that nibbling thing and she was lost, moaning as her mouth opened to deepen the kiss while her hands once again slid up his chest, her fingers tangling in his hair as she pulled him closer to her.
When his thumb traced briefly over her nipple, she gasped and ripped herself out of his arms. Breathing heavily, she stared up at him, her hand still gripping his wrist, her body aching, wanting him to do it again.
“Why did you do that?” she demanded.
Luke moved closer, so turned on he could barely see straight. “Because you’re breasts are beautiful.” He pushed her gently back, further in to the darkness of the hallway. “I want to peel that lovely dress off of you and toss it onto the floor. I have a picture in my mind of you wearing only those silver heels as I make love to you, look down at your naked body on my bed with all of your beautiful red hair spread out on my pillow.” Still further into the darkness. “I want to pull away every layer of the protective barriers that you have built up around you and make love to you until we’re both too exhausted to speak. I want my name on your lips when your body tightens around mine in a climax so intense, you can’t breathe.”
He kissed her then, his hands shifting so that she was once again pinned against him and she whimpered with the same desires. That part of her that knew this was wrong, that Luke was the wrong man for her in so many ways, was silenced by the desire running through her.
His hands moved up her waist and cupped her breasts, his thumb once again rubbing against her beaded nipple and she didn’t care that they were in a hotel hallway, that anyone could walk by and catch them in this intimate pose. She didn’t even realize where they were. All she knew was that she wanted this man in ways she hadn’t thought possible.
A set of dishes crashing to the floor pulled her out of the intoxicating lust she’d been under. Pulling away, she lifted a hand to her lips and wondered how he could do this to her so often.
“I have to go,” she told him and slipped by him.
Luke watched her walk away for perhaps five seconds before he realized she was leaving, walking out into the night. “Naya, wait!” he called out to her. But she only increased her pace. He would have laughed at how she was trying to out run him, but he was too angry with her for putting herself in danger by walking out into the night alone.
“Naya!” he snapped. When he caught up with her, he grabbed her elbow, slowing her down. But she was furious with him.
“What are you doing?” she demanded, so angry and frustrated that she was almost growling.
“I’m going to walk you to your car!” he snapped right back.
She fisted her hands at her sides. “I do not need you to walk me anywhere! I’m perfectly fine on my own!”
He lowered his head so that he was glaring right back at her. “I don’t care! I see my dates to their cars or doors at the end of the evening.”
She huffed a bit, almost stomping her foot. “I am not your date!”
“Oh, so you generally kiss random men like that?” he came back.
“No! But…” she pushed her hair out of her face. “Luke! Just leave me alone!”
There was a long pause, as his green eyes looked over her pale features in the dim lights of the parking lot. He shook his head. “I can’t!” he replied, but with a softer tone. No yelling this time.
His softness brought back a margin of her own sanity and she stared up at him. If anyone had passed by them, they would have seen two people that looked about to kiss. Again.
“This has to stop,” she told him and turned away, heading towards her car. Her feet ached, her body was still throbbing with need, and she was hungry because she hadn’t eaten enough today. All she wanted to do was go home and curl up on her bed, forget tonight ever happened.
Luke followed her, still not exactly sure what to do. He’d never been with a woman who affected him like this, and who reacted to his touch like Naya did every time they touched. Why in the world would she run away from something so amazing?
When she fumbled with her car keys, he stood by her side. Fortunately, her fingers were shaking too badly to press the button that would unlock her car so he gently took the keys out of her hands and did it for her. Even opening the driver’s door for her.
But he wouldn’t let her step into the car. Not yet anyway. “Hey,” he said gently and pulled her into his arms. She was stiff, but he was relieved when she allowed him to hold her. “I won’t kiss you again. I promise.” He couldn’t believe he was promising such a thing, but he would avoid any sort of sexual touch.
She was stiff in his arms, but as he rubbed her back and kissed only the top of her head, she slowly relaxed. “We’re going to have to talk about this, Naya,” he told her and felt her stiffen once again. “Don’t,” he soothed. “Not tonight. I’ll leave you alone for tonight. But soon. We need to talk and figure out what’s going on, honey.”
“No, we don’t,” she sighed and tried to pull out of his arms. But he only held her more securely so she slumped against him, giving up the battle because…well, she needed his arms right now. Which was odd because his arms, being in them and feeling his power surrounding her back in the lobby was exactly why she was all mixed up right now. But there was no denying the fact that it felt good to stand here in his arms. For the first time, she didn’t panic, didn’t feel that surge of need. Sure, the awareness was still there, but it was mellowed at the moment.
“Have breakfast with me tomorrow morning.” He felt her stiffen again and kissed her red curls. “Just breakfast. Nothing else.”
She laughed and pressed her face against his white shirt. “No. Too dangerous.”
He chuckled. “Breakfast is dangerous?” he teased, peering down at her but she had her forehead against his chest so he couldn’t see her pretty, brown eyes. He was fine with that though. She was in his arms and felt absolutely wonderful.
/> “Yes. Breakfast is too dangerous.” She pulled out of his arms and stepped back. “I have to go.”
He shook his head even as he stepped back to let her get into her vehicle. “We’re not finished, Naya.”
She smiled slightly. “You say that every time I leave you.”
“So stop leaving me,” he teased.
“I’m in survival mode.” And with that, she stepped around him and ducked into her car, starting the engine as quickly as she could.
Her last glance back at him in her rear view mirror made her heart beat rapidly as he stood there with his hands in the pockets of his perfectly tailored tuxedo pants, watching her as she drove away.
Chapter 3
“Survival mode,” he muttered under his breath as he walked up her sidewalk. “What the hell did she mean by that?”
He pressed the doorbell, still looking up and down her street for some reason. He was half expecting her to come barreling up the street on a walk. He certainly hoped not, he thought as he pressed her doorbell again. He wasn’t sure his body could handle her in those tight leggings she wore to work out in. And he damn well didn’t like it when she wore a sports bra! Those beauties should never be abused like that! The very idea of mashing breasts like Naya’s into a ruthless sports bra should be criminal!
When the door opened, he turned back to face her. And froze!
He’d thought that seeing her in her workout clothes was bad?
Damn!
Naya was standing in the barely opened doorway and looked like she’d just gotten out of bed. Her hair was messed up, like someone had been running his hands through her hair while he made love to her all night. Just like he wanted to do! And her face was free of makeup, showing him all of her sexy freckles.
Luke knew that freckles shouldn’t be sexy, but on Naya, they were damn sexy!
Hell, even her lips without any lipstick were turning him on! They were rosy pink and her cheeks were flushed, as if she’d been laying her cheek against his chest all night and it was still warm from his skin.
He took a deep breath, trying to control the lust that hit him hard and fast. Another deep breath.
It wasn’t working.
“I’m coming inside, Naya,” he announced and pressed his hand against the door.
Naya saw the heat in his eyes and her body responded. But instead of giving in to the desire to have his hands on her, she backed up and tightened the belt of her robe. “What are you doing here, Luke?” she asked, pushing her riotous hair out of her eyes. Darn it, why was he here so early? She’d barely slept, her body so on fire for him, and her mind so confused because she couldn’t seem to control herself when he was around.
So after maybe an hour’s sleep, the doorbell had woken her up. Thinking it was her neighbor, she’d only pulled on her robe, not thinking that any man could look sexier than Luke in a tuxedo.
Boy was she wrong!
Those jeans! And his sweater! Just like the other night when he’d taken her to dinner, he looked absolutely scrumptious. Her mind was wandering and, when Luke was around, that was bad.
“What are you doing here?” she asked again, prompting him to look at her eyes instead of letting his gaze move down her figure in her fluffy, very un-sexy robe. She didn’t wear slippers so her toes were poking out and she probably looked ridiculous.
Although, the look in his eyes conveyed that he didn’t think she looked ridiculous.
“I think I should go put on some clothes,” she announced, her nipples stiffening and pressing against her baby doll nightgown. She felt too vulnerable standing here in her tiny nightgown with Luke looking down at her like that. He was the wolf about to pounce on the defenseless bunny rabbit. And she needed to skitter away for protection.
Luke’s eyes drifted up and down her curvaceous figure, and took a deep breath. Trying to get himself back under control seemed like a full time job when he was around Naya. “You do that. I’ll start coffee brewing.”
He turned around and she breathed a sigh of relief. But then he turned back around and she gasped, holding up her hands to ward him off. “NO! Go make coffee! I can’t do this Luke! Please just make coffee or go away!”
Luke’s body froze. His hands curved slightly, as if he were fighting his natural instincts to pull her into his arms.
Thankfully, he pulled back and she noticed the fire in his eyes…well, it didn’t go out. It was banked though.
“Go get dressed, Naya,” he growled. “We’re going to talk. I’ll make coffee.”
His words were clipped, as if he was angry, but she translated that not into anger but sexual frustration. She understood. She was feeling it herself, but she wasn’t sure how to deal with it since she’d never experienced it before.
Spinning around, she hurried into her bedroom and closed the door. She considered locking it, but suspected that the snick of the lock might just throw him over the edge. It would be a challenge he couldn’t resist and the man was on the cliff already. No sense in making things worse by tossing down a gauntlet.
But she did grab her clothes and stepped into her tiny bathroom, locking that door. Not because she thought that the lock would keep him out. Simply because it made her feel safer.
She showered quickly, not bothering to wash her hair because it would take too long and she’d just washed it last night before for the charity event.
So fifteen minutes later, she was stepping into her kitchen, feeling better now that she was showered and clean, wearing leggings and a warm sweatshirt. She’d even pulled on socks, not wanting any bare skin to be showing.
When she stopped in the doorway to the kitchen, she felt his eyes move up and down her body but couldn’t interpret his smirk.
“What?” she demanded, too tired and frustrated to deal with his strange looks this morning.
He turned back and pulled a mug out of her small cabinet. “You think that hiding all of your skin is going to keep you safe?” He poured her a cup, handing it to her before he leaned back against her kitchen counter, still looking at her with that strange, sexy expression on his handsome features.
She shifted on her feet, irritated that he’d seen through her attempts. “I’m comfortable,” she told him, her chin jutting upwards slightly.
“It isn’t going to work.” He poured coffee for himself and cradled the mug in his hands as he looked down at her in the sunny kitchen. “The problem isn’t the clothes, Naya. It’s the woman underneath the clothing. I want you. I don’t give a damn if you’re in a cocktail dress, a business suit, a fluffy robe, or leggings.” He stopped talking, his lips curling into a smile that had her stomach tightening with awareness. And that was before he said, “I love the way your bottom looks in those leggings, by the way. Amazingly round and tempting. And I’ve already seen that you paint your toenails a bright, sexy red.” He leaned down closer to her, his voice going deeper. “I know the sounds you make when I kiss you right here,” he continued as his finger ran along her neck. “And here,” he said and his rough finger moved along her overly sensitive skin.
Naya shivered and stepped back, holding her coffee mug in front of her like a shield. “Luke…”
He stopped her protests with a finger to her lips. “No. Don’t you dare tell me that we’re not exploring this. First, I’m going to figure out what you meant last night when you said you were in survival mode, but,” and he shook his head again when she opened her mouth to interrupt him, “I’m fairly certain that you’re not going to explain it to me.” When her mouth snapped shut and her eyes confirmed the truth, he continued. “So here’s the plan. We’re going to slow down. As much as I can, I will not touch you. I won’t kiss you, except when the temptation is too much. And you’re going to open up to me.”
She almost laughed at his outrageous arrogance. He really was incredibly handsome but she couldn’t fall victim to his charm or his cracked logic. “I’m not,” she argued right back, unaware of the challenging sparkle in her eyes.
He la
ughed. “You are, because I’m charming and funny and you’re my new real estate agent.”
Naya blinked, completely confused. “You’re irritating and annoying, and you don’t need a real estate agent. You have your condo, and I’m guessing, it is amazing.”
He leaned down, trapping her against her countertop with his hands against the granite on either side of her. “You’ll find out about my condo soon enough. But I’ve found that it no longer suits me. I want to build a house. And in order to do that, I need my brother, Logan, to design it and my other brother, Teague, to build it.”
Instantly, all of her fatigue was swept away with a huge the spurt of curiosity. “Wow! Designing your own home! That must be exciting,” she enthused and smiled up at him, genuinely intrigued.
He laughed, shaking his head as lust surged through him once again with her smile. Damn, she had absolutely no idea of the impact she had on him. She was such an innocent and yet, her body begged for him to make love to her. His imagination had gone haywire last night as he lay in bed, thinking of all the different ways he wanted to make love to her. Which was why, around three o’clock this morning, he’d come up with the idea of building his own home. Yeah, he could find a piece of land on his own. He had the connections to dig through the real estate listings and find what he wanted.
But it would be so much more interesting and fun with Naya as his agent. So he’d called his brothers around six o’clock this morning, ignoring their curses at him for waking them up so early while he explained what he wanted. When he’d gotten both of their agreements, mostly to just get him off the phone, he’d moved on to his next target. Naya.
He backed up, giving her a bit more space. Otherwise, he was going to forget his plan even before it started. “I need you to look up land for sale and then we’ll go out and look at them. You can show me what’s available and, if the topography works for what I have in mind, I’ll buy it.”
Naya couldn’t hide her excitement at the project. All of her cautious instincts were suppressed as her curiosity took control. “Do you know what kind of house you want?”
Defying His Charm Page 5