Even saying the woman’s name hurt so she turned her head, looking out the window of his car. There was a long silence, but she was too tipsy to wonder why he wasn’t pulling out of the parking lot. Eventually, he backed up, but she still refused to look at him. She just knew it would hurt too much!
Closing her eyes and leaning her head back against the soft leather of the Porsche, she let the movement of the powerful car soothe her aching heart, unaware of the tears slipping out from under her closed eyelids. Several minutes later, her house keys were lifted from her fingers, and Luke was taking her hand, helping her out of his car.
“Thank you for the ride home,” she whispered, reaching for her keys, but he only turned away, pulling her up the short walk to her front door. He put a hand to the small of her back, opening her front door himself and then nudging her inside. “At least you had the sense not to drive home tonight,” he muttered.
Naya was getting angrier as he kept pushing her in one direction or another. When her front door was closed with both of them on the inside, she swung around, prepared to tell him exactly what was going on.
“This isn’t going to work, Naya!” he exploded, interrupting whatever she’d been about to say.
Naya had just opened her mouth to tell him that they couldn’t see each other when he said the words first. She froze, her tipsy mind trying to translate the words. When his meaning hit her, she had to fight back the tears.
“We’re through?’ she asked with a small, weak voice. A voice that she hated because it showed him how hurt she was by his rejection.
His eyes widened. “What? NO! We’re not through! Definitely not through! What are you talking about? Why would you think that?”
She shrugged, moving deeper into the shadows of her tiny sitting room. Crossing her arms over her chest, she stared at him, trying to understand. “Because you said that this isn’t going to work.” Her brain was fuzzy from all of the champagne, but she understood those words. They might hurt, but she got it. He wanted out. Better to get out now rather than later when she was more emotionally entangled with the man. Yes, this was better. It hurt. A lot! But she could leave with whatever…
Luke rubbed a hand over his face. “I have no idea what you’re thinking, but we’re definitely not over, Naya. Don’t even try that crap! We’re not over!” He pulled her into his arms and kissed her. Hard!
He didn’t let up until she was trembling in his arms. When he lifted his head, he was glaring down at her. “Don’t even think that we’re over,” he commanded in a rough whisper. “We might never be over.”
She shivered, feeling the heat from his body and loving the way he was holding her. It felt like he never was going to let her go and she loved that idea. “But you said…”
“I said it isn’t working. I don’t like other men touching you. This whole thing about not being seen in public together, I’m not doing it. You’re with me, Naya. You’re with me, and I want to parade you around to our acquaintances and friends and shout it out to everyone that you’re my woman.” His hands moved up her back, then down again, cradling her bottom and pulling her hips in closer to his.
Naya felt his erection and reveled in the fact that he still wanted her. That he was here. She stared at the buttons on his tuxedo shirt. “I didn’t like it when you flirted with Tanya either.”
Luke pulled away slightly, trying to see into her eyes. “Who the hell is Tanya? I wasn’t flirting with anyone, honey. I was too busy trying to keep myself from punching every last man and waiter that tried to get your attention.”
She smiled slightly, flattered that he wanted to tease her. “There weren’t any men or waiters trying to get my attention. But Tanya, that blonde woman, was pretty determined. It looked like the two of you were having a very nice conversation together.”
Naya stepped back slightly as she put her hands on her hips, her chin jutting out as she confronted him with his interest in another woman.
Luke looked back at her, still confused. “Who is Tanya? I didn’t talk, let alone flirt, with anyone named Tanya.”
Naya rolled her eyes and crossed her arms over her chest, unaware of how the gesture plumped up her breasts that were barely concealed by the black, velvet dress with the low neckline. “Are you seriously trying to tell me that you weren’t interested in the blonde trying to climb into your arms?”
His hands fisted against his lean hips, he shook his head. “Naya, if there was another woman in that building tonight, I didn’t see her. I vaguely remember a woman standing beside me, trying to talk to me, but I couldn’t focus on anything she said. I was watching you. I was furious because you wouldn’t let me escort you tonight.” He ran a hand over his neck. “Naya, I don’t like this. I don’t like other men thinking they can come on to you and I definitely don’t like showing up at some stupid function and pretending that you’re not the woman in my life. I want you by my side.” He moved closer, watching her eyes turn softer. “I want to be the man who pulls you onto the dance floor.” Closer still. “I want to be the man to make you laugh, who makes sure you don’t drink four glasses of champagne in a half hour…”
“I had three,” she corrected him.
“You had four. In thirty minutes. I know because I was watching you.” He moved even closer. “And I want to be the man who takes you home at night, especially when you’re too tipsy.”
She gasped when his lips moved against her neck, but she shouldn’t have been surprised. The man had been coming closer and closer. Besides, he knew all of her weak spots and her neck was definitely highest on the list.
When he lifted her into his arms, carrying her to her bedroom before kicking the door closed, Naya didn’t have any arguments against his wants because she wanted them all as well. She might think differently tomorrow when her head was clear of the champagne and he wasn’t touching her. But right now, all she wanted was to scream out to the world that Luke was her man! All the stupid Tanyas of the world needed to find some other guy to mooch off of. Not that she was going to mooch off of Luke, but Naya had claimed him. For however long he allowed her to claim him, he was hers!
Chapter 10
“What are you thinking about?” Luke asked, his hand skimming over her shoulder. Naya was naked, of course. If Luke was around, her clothes seemed to disappear.
It was late at night or, she glanced over at the clock on her bedside table, early in the morning. Unfortunately, it was one of those times when she couldn’t seem to shut off her brain.
“I need to visit my mother,” she blurted out. Even Naya was surprised about that announcement. But Luke lifted his head, looking down at her, barely able to see anything in the glow from the moonlight streaming through her windows.
“Why do you need to visit her?” he asked.
Naya wasn’t quite sure. “I think I just need to talk with her.”
“About what?”
She sighed and rolled over so that her lips were close to his chest. She kissed him and smiled when his hand tightened on her arm. “Mother-daughter stuff.”
Luke grunted, not really sure what constituted ‘mother-daughter stuff’, other than that monthly feminine thing. “When will you leave?”
She smiled when his hand moved lower. “I’ll check out the flights available tomorrow.”
He shook his head even as his lips captured her nipple. “I’ll have Pete, one of our pilots, on standby. He can fly you to your mom’s place whenever you’re ready.”
Huh? “What do you mean?”
Luke was much more interested in enjoying Naya’s body now that he knew that they were both awake. It was Friday night…well, Saturday morning actually. So neither of them had to work today. He knew she didn’t have clients tomorrow or Sunday, so he was going to enjoy the weekend with her.
“Steele Industries has a small fleet of private planes. They fly us around to the various cities where Steele Industries does business. Logan is out in Austin, Texas, at the moment. But one of the other jets just
came back from New Orleans yesterday. You can be on the flight and taking off whenever you are ready to go.”
She lifted her head and looked down at him, her stomach muscles tightening as she realized that he was moving lower on her abdomen. “I’m not taking over a plane just so that I can visit my mother, Luke.”
He smiled and bit her stomach, laughing when she tried to wiggle away from the tickling. “Yes you are.”
“No. I’m not,” she argued, but her fingers dove into his hair when she felt his fingers move into her heat.
“So hot,” he murmured. “So wet. Is this all for me?” he asked, his fingers sliding around her folds, circling that sensitive bud.
Naya arched, her eyes tightly closed. “Luke, stop teasing me,” she sighed, shifting her hips so that he would move his hand where she needed his touch.
His deep chuckle told her that she was in trouble. Luke wasn’t in the mood to be fast about anything this round. “Ah, but you’re so much fun to tease,” he replied back, and she felt his lips take her nipple again. If she’d had her eyes open, she might have anticipated that move, might have been able to brace for it.
She grabbed his wrist and tried to pull it away, but he only nipped her nipple with his teeth as punishment. Besides, whatever he was doing felt too good to make him stop!
“Tell me you’ll take the company plane,” he urged and his teeth moved away, his tongue soothing the peak. His fingers never stopped teasing though.
“I’ll take a commercial flight,” she replied, more firmly this time. “And this is going to stop.” She pushed at his shoulders and rolled on top, straddling his hips. She was actually surprised that he allowed her to do this, but she wasn’t going to slow down if he was going to let her take control.
With a secret smile, she grabbed a condom from the bedside table. She really needed to get on birth control, she thought to herself. She wanted to feel him inside her without the barrier, with nothing in the way.
Then again, she thought as she ripped the package open, it was always fun to use condoms. Her fingers tickled down his chest and flat stomach, almost laughing at the way his muscles tightened. It was as if he were trying to stop the effect of her fingers on his skin. Not likely. Bending lower, she kissed the trail she’d left with her fingers, hearing him groan.
“Naya, you’re going to kill me,” he growled, his hands sliding into her red curls.
“That’s not my intention,” she said as her hands wrapped around the base of his erection. So strong, she thought. So powerful. And yet, he gave her so much pleasure with this part of his body. “Am I hurting you?” she asked, sliding her hands up and down his length.
“Yes!” he hissed.
She laughed. “No I’m not,” but she placed the condom at the tip and rolled it slowly down his shaft. “You love it,” she purred as she leaned over him, placing a kiss in the middle of his chest. With one hand still holding his erection firmly, she teased one of his flat, male nipples and felt his hands tighten in her hair.
“I love it,” he agreed. “Now get to it.”
“Yes, but you were all about the teasing a few moments ago.”
His head lifted up from the pillow. Naya could see the heat in his eyes despite the dim light from the moon. “Me teasing you. Yes. You teasing me. No.”
She smiled and lifted her hips. “You don’t like it when I do this?” she asked and positioned herself over the top, rubbing herself against his erection.
His eyes closed. His hands moved from her hair and she knew he was about to grab her hips so she stopped him by grabbing his wrists and holding his arms away from her body. “My turn now,” she commanded and started to slide down, taking him into her body. Inch by inch. So slowly. Naya loved savoring the pleasure like this, feeling him invade her so slowly, she could feel every part of him.
When she was finally sitting on his hips, her body holding him inside of her so tightly, she placed her hands on his stomach, moving slightly as she enjoyed all of the sensations rocking her body. “Luke,” she sighed, feeling every part of him inside of her.
Luke needed to take control, needed to slam into her and pump his body into hers, find that release that was so powerful with Naya. But the image of her taking him like this, her beautiful, lush body servicing herself, was too erotic to stop. He leaned back, his hands fisting on the comforter in an effort to not grab her hips and take over. He watched her breasts move, jiggle with their weight as she shifted, sliding up and down his shaft. It was slow and gentle, easy and sensuous. And possibly the hottest sight he’d ever seen.
When she lifted up, leaving just the tip inside of her body, he held his breath, wanting to slam right back into her heat. But he waited. And slowly, very slowly, she took him back. She didn’t do it again and he discovered that she preferred rocking slightly against him and he just about climaxed as he watched her press her body against him. Her teeth tortured her sweet lips. That’s when Luke accepted that he was going to have to finish this. She wasn’t going anywhere fast and she wasn’t sure how to finish off. He was more than happy to oblige.
With a swift move, he reversed their positions, pulling her hands above her head. “Now we do this,” he growled and pressed into her body, watching her eyes and her mouth. Starting off slowly, he shifted again and again, speeding up the rhythm and making sure that he pressed against that nub every time.
Damn, he loved it when her soft thighs pressed against his hips like that. But he needed deeper. Grabbing her knees, he pulled them over his elbows and pressed into her heat. He might have laughed at her surprised expression if he wasn’t in so much pain to find that release. Not before Naya though. His fingers moved against her body, sliding into that wet heat and finding her nub. Pressing against her, he watched her face, then her body, his fingers sliding against her and….
Naya screamed, thrashing wildly against him while her inner muscles contracted around his shaft. Her climax brought him over the edge and he could barely breathe, the sensations were so strong.
Holding her against him, he pressed and shifted, wanting to prolong the pleasure for her. But as her body calmed, he pulled her close, feeling her softness trembling, and he curled his body against hers as they both fought for breath.
When he could speak again, he ran a hand over her thigh. “You’re still taking the company plane, Naya.” He got up and went to the bathroom, coming back a few moments later and pulling her into his arms. She’d gotten back under the covers but when he pulled her closer, she snuggled up against his chest, laying her head on his shoulder as her pillow. Just the way he liked her to be.
“We’ll see,” she said with a yawn. A moment later, he heard her breathing soften and knew that she’d finally fallen to sleep. He was wiped out, but his mind still focused on how to get her on the Steele plane instead of on a commercial flight. He wanted to know that she was safe, and to know when she took off and landed. Hell, he wanted to spoil her.
Chapter 11
Naya walked down the stairs that had quickly been pushed up against the sleek plane, looking around. Normally, when she flew she knew what to do. Walk down the long, mobile hallway to baggage claim, wait fifteen or twenty minutes for the baggage handlers to get the luggage to the terminal, grab her suitcase, and walk out of the airport to the taxi line.
But Luke had insisted on her flying with his pilot and, Naya had to admit, the flight had been extremely nice. Huge, leather seats that reclined all the way back, a flight attendant offering her drinks since she was the only person on the plane and the pilot made the flight smooth and easy.
Unfortunately, she had absolutely no idea where to go now.
Thankfully, a moment later, uniformed workers walked over and started to unload her luggage. She felt a bit silly since she’d only had a carryon bag. She wasn’t planning to stay here with her mother for a long time. She’d just needed…good grief, Naya had no idea why she was here. She was confused about her relationship with Luke. She had feelings that she shouldn’t
have…feelings of possessiveness, and dreams of a future with him. She could picture strong little boys running around with dark hair and mischievous green eyes. Even the little girls would be dark haired. No way would she dream about cursing her children by inheriting her wild, red curls. Not going to happen, she thought.
Well, none of it was going to happen. Because marriage was wrong. Marriage would destroy them. It would destroy her…
She didn’t love Luke! No way! She was smarter than that!
“Honey?”
Naya looked up after hearing her mother’s voice. When she spotted her, standing beside a black vehicle, Naya had to blink again. “Mom?” she called back. It had been several months since she’d been home, but her mother looked great. “Mom? Really? Is that you?” she asked and hurried over to her mother, wrapping her arms around the woman.
Pulling back, she looked at her mother’s shining face. “You look wonderful, Mom!”
Anna Jefferson laughed and wrapped her arm around Naya’s waist. “Come on. Let’s get home.”
Naya blinked. “Is this your new car?”
Anna laughed. “Nope. I got a message from a very nice lady, saying she was Luke Steele’s assistant. She explained your flight and arranged for a driver to take me here to pick you up.”
Naya almost rolled her eyes. “Luke is a bit bossy, isn’t he?”
Anna shook her head. “Not bossy at all. It was very sweet to arrange a driver to bring me here to pick you up. Made for a very smooth morning.”
They climbed into the back of the vehicle and the driver closed the door. A moment later, they were driving out of the airport, heading for her mother’s house. “Okay, so explain to me why you look like you’re on cloud nine, Mom.”
Anna blushed! Her forty-five year old mother actually blushed! “I’m in love, Naya,” she admitted and lifted her hand to display the diamond ring sparkling there.
Defying His Charm Page 12