Awakening

by Hayes, Olivia

  As we turned around the dance floor, I let my eyes roam over the crowd of guests. I thought I caught sight of Luke, but had to wait until we went around again to confirm if it was him. Finally, when Bill turned me so I could look, I saw him seemingly engaged with a beautiful, dark haired woman in a long black sequined dress. She said something to him and he threw his head back, laughing.

  Instantly I felt something surge in my gut. I wanted to walk over there and scratch her eyeballs out. Then, he looked right at me and I could see the challenge in his eyes. He was toying with me, trying to get a reaction. I narrowed my eyes in his direction. Two can play at that game.

  "And that's how I got where I am today," Bill finished with a warm smile, and I realized I hadn't heard a word he had said.

  "That's wonderful Bill, thank you for the dance," I said to him and smiled as the song concluded.

  As Bill was escorting me off the dance floor, I saw one of my co-workers, Jay Phelps, standing to the side. Jay and I started working in the marketing department around the same time, and actually attended orientation together. He was gorgeous; sandy blond hair, sparkling blue eyes, very fit, and very gay. Jay and I had spent a lot of time together over the last two years, discussing heart breaks and relationships in general. He was my work time confidant, although he had finally met someone and we hadn't been able to find time to talk much recently. But he had always been there when I needed him, and right then, I needed him.

  As I walked toward him, he saw me and smiled his dazzling white smile.

  "Caroline, my love, you look good enough to eat! How are you this evening?"

  "Jay, I'm doing great. You're looking dapper as ever! Where's Tony tonight?" I asked, referring to Jay's partner.

  "Thank you! Oh, Tony went to refresh our drinks. Where've you been hiding?" He asked.

  "You're the one who's been hiding, but lately, I've been helping my mother out. My grandmother passed and Mom's been cleaning out the house and taking care of the arrangements, and that sort of thing."

  "I'm sorry to hear that, love."

  "No worries, we weren't close. Jay listen, I ran into someone while I was out at my grandmother's house. He just happens to be Mark's brother, and he's here. I'll give you all the details later, but would you dance with me?" I asked with an evil grin.

  "How could I refuse!" He said.

  As we danced, I gave Jay all the sordid details of running into Luke, finding out that he was hiding feelings for me years ago, and a brief overview of our time since then, including his mother's opinion of me.

  "Where is this sexy specimen of a man?" Jay asked with interest.

  My eyes roamed over the crowd as I looked for Luke. He was still talking with the raven haired beauty. I nodded in his direction, and Jay turned so he could get a better view.

  "Damn girl, I totally see what you were talking about. That is a fine man, right there. Let's give him a show, shall we?"

  Jay lowered his hand on my back, and pulled me close. I rested my cheek against his shoulder.

  "Jay, you're my hero. Thank you so much!"

  As we turned in a slow circle, I watched for Luke's reaction, but I didn't have to wait long. I felt his mood change even before I saw it. The dark headed woman was still talking to him, but his eyes were on me. I could feel them burning into me, and suddenly I wasn't sure that I had made the best decision.

  Jay's hand slipped lower, so that his fingers were splayed over the upper curve of my buttocks. As soon as he made that move, I saw Luke lurch onto the dance floor and my stomach jumped into my throat.

  "Shit. Jay, he's walking over," I whispered.

  "Don't worry, love," Jay said with confidence.

  Luke tapped Jay on the shoulder.

  "May I cut in?"

  His voice sounded pleasant enough, but I could hear the undercurrent of irritation. Jay turned to Luke and stepped back from me, still holding my hand. They were eye to eye.

  "But of course," Jay said to Luke with mock disappointment, before he kissed my hand, and placed it in Luke's. He winked at me as he walked away.

  Luke looked at me for a moment before saying anything. I was feeling uneasy under his gaze and could hardly force myself to look him in the eye.

  "Playing games Savannah?" He finally asked, before taking me in his arms.

  I ignored his question.

  "I thought you were going to give me some space?"

  "I gave you all the space I was willing to give," he answered.

  "Seriously? Thirty minutes of you flirting with some other woman and glaring at me from across the dance floor is all the space I can get?"

  I tried to push back from him but his arm held me fast and he gave me a wicked grin. "Jealous?"

  "I am not jealous!" I said to him, jutting out my chin.

  "Mmm hmm. Then why were you letting that other man put his hands on you?"

  "Maybe he's attracted to me, and maybe I liked it."

  "I don't think so. See, I saw him earlier and he looked to be rather enthralled by the man he walked in with. Not that you aren't gorgeous, which he would be blind not to see, but I don't think he's interested in you, or any other female for that matter," he said with a smirk.

  I clenched my jaw and decided not to say anything. Clearly he had seen right through my charade.

  "As for Elyse, the woman you saw me talking with, she is the wife of a former client. I was being cordial, but I only have eyes for you." He leaned down and brushed his mouth against the sensitive skin of my neck before nipping at my ear lobe. "Caroline, I told you when I got here that I was going to convince you that you belong with me. Do you really think I would just walk away that easily?"

  "Luke, it has been a little less than three weeks since we ran into each other again. I'll admit that there is a strong physical attraction between the two of us, and we finally seemed to get on the same page about our relationship before your mother got involved, but I don't know if we can move past this. You deserve more than what I can give you, and you should go and look for it. I don't want you to have to choose between us."

  Luke let one hand wander up the back of my neck as the other pressed me firmly against him. We continued to sway around the dance floor, but I could hardly concentrate on anything but the feeling of his large warm hand cupping my nape. He pulled my head to his shoulder and began to massage the pressure points at the base of my skull. It felt like heaven.

  "I told you at the cabin, I've felt we belonged together since the first time I saw you. The whole time you were with Mark I kept thinking how it should have been me making you happy. After the accident I wasn't sure if I would ever see you again and I tried to put my feelings for you behind me. Then you were standing there in my driveway and all the emotions I tried to push down came rushing back. All the time I spent away from you collapsed in on itself. It was like we were never apart. You were meant to be a part of my life, I knew it from the day we met and now that you're here I won't let you go."

  I closed my eyes. I knew that feeling he was talking about. I felt it in my bones. Luke was meant to be a part of my life. I had spent so much time over the last three weeks trying to stifle the feelings that he evoked in me that I let things like his relation to Mark and what his mother said be my excuses for denying myself a chance at happiness. I needed to start acting like myself and stop worrying about everything and everyone else. It was time to start putting myself first again.

  "Take me home Luke."

  He hugged me to him tightly before wordlessly turning toward the door and leading me out to his truck.

  ~~~~

  When we arrived at his house, Luke opened the front door, turned on the lamp in the hallway and threw his jacket over a waiting chair.

  "Shoot. I forgot to tell Carson I didn't need a ride home."

  Luke shot me a look. "I saw him leave with Lou while you were dancing with your dad's friend. Would you like something to drink?" Luke asked, leading me into the kitchen. "I've got some white wine chilling in
the fridge."

  "Really?" I asked, sitting down on one of his barstools.

  "Yes. I bought it just for you." He smiled.

  "You sir, are overly confident."

  He pulled the wine from the fridge and I watched the muscles in his back work as he deftly maneuvered the cork from the bottle. When he set the glass in front of me I picked it up and drank half of it in one gulp. He refilled my glass.

  "Are you trying to get me drunk?" I asked him.

  "Not at all. I just want you to relax. You look like you're surveying this place for an easy escape."

  "I'm not. I'm just a little on edge. You make me nervous."

  "Well that's a new development," he said, leaning his elbows down on the island so he was eye level with me. "Why do I make you nervous?"

  I really had no idea how much I wanted to be with him until I left. Then, when I saw him walking across the ballroom tonight, I almost collapsed in relief that he wasn't going to let me walk away again. I was definitely in love with Luke, and I had an insatiable sexual attraction to him. I was nervous because I didn't know what our future held.

  "Savannah, why do I make you nervous?" Luke's voice brought me back from my thoughts.

  "Luke, there's no denying that I am extremely attracted to you. I live in a constant state of arousal when I'm near you. Even just in the same room. I hadn't felt anything in so long and then you showed up and all the feelings you stirred up are so intense. It makes me nervous because it's unexpected, and I don't know where it's going. One minute I think I'm fine and the next you are invading my senses, making me forget myself and act brashly. For goodness sake Luke, we had sex in your truck in public, and against the wall of a Wi-Fi booth at my dad's company party! I don't do things like that!"

  I put my head in my hands thinking about who may have seen us, but then I caught myself smiling at how incredible he made me feel.

  "It was amazing wasn't it?" He asked as I peeked out from between my fingers and laughed at him.

  "You really are so full of yourself," I laughed.

  "Would you like to be full of me instead? I can arrange that."

  I pulled my fingers away from my face and looked right at him.

  "I'm just scared of where this is going, what it all means, it's soon and sudden, and there's your mother... I just don't want to get hurt again. I've had enough loss in the love department to last me a lifetime."

  His face softened as he looked at me. "Savannah, don't worry about my mother. I'll handle her," he said walking around to stand next to me. "I've tried to be patient with you because I know that you never let your heart heal after Mark's death. I didn't want to rush you, but every time I'm with you I can't help myself. I don't want to scare you away, but if you're worried about where this is going let me put your mind at ease. There has never been, nor will there ever be, another woman for me. I want to love you and protect you and keep you close for the rest of my life. I want to have children with you and grow old with you. If you'll stay with me, I'll spend every day trying to make you happier than you've ever been."

  Standing, with tears of happiness in my eyes, I ran my hands up either side of his chest and circled my arms around his neck. My breasts were pressed firmly against him and I moved so he could feel the hardness of my nipples through his shirt. I raised my mouth to his and as he lowered his head. I kissed him purposefully, letting my tongue trail over his lips and slip into his mouth. I tried to tease him by pulling back, but he wrapped his strong arms around my waist and I wasn't able to move. When he finally drew back there was a lust filled question in his eyes.

  "First I need you to feed me or I won't have enough energy to move," I said breathlessly against his lips.

  "Do you like eggs?"

  "I love them!" I smiled.

  While Luke cleaned up the kitchen, I made my way up to the master bedroom. I walked toward the windows and looked out at the river. It was a beautiful night, peaceful. There was no wind and the moon shone brightly, reflecting off the water and casting a silvery glow on everything it touched. I didn't hear him enter the room, but I knew he was there, the energy changed and the hair on my arms stood on end when I felt his breath on my bare neck.

  Wordlessly he unzipped my dress, pushed the straps off my shoulders and let it fall to the floor. He kissed my neck as his hands came around to cup my breasts. I leaned into him, feeling the warmth of his body behind me.

  "Come," he said softly, leading me into the bathroom. He started the shower and began pulling bobby pins from my hair until it all hung freely down my back. Then he removed his clothes, checked the water temperature, and pulled me into the glass shower with him.

  He stood apart from me enough that I could view his entire exquisite body. He was a wall of solid muscle, every inch of him covered in golden skin. I stood there thinking of all the things he could do to me with that body and I was instantly on fire.

  Luke, however, had other plans. He stepped towards me, holding my head between his hands and ducking it under the water. Once I was fully saturated, he turned me around to face the wall and began to shampoo my hair. His hands felt amazing as they kneaded my scalp and temples. After rinsing my hair, he lathered a washcloth and began to clean my body.

  As he worked from my shoulders down to my breasts, drawing slow and deliberate circles over each one, I thought of his mouth following the same path. Then he moved over the flat of my stomach to the apex of my thighs, where he again massaged with a circular pattern, building the tension inside me to a fever pitch. It was pure torture and total heaven at the same time. Once he reached my feet and scrubbed the bottom of each one, he began to work on the back side of my body.

  He lifted my hair as he scrubbed my back and I arched forward, bringing my sensitive nipples in contact with the cold tile of the shower wall. The sensation caused me to inhale sharply. After he was done with my upper back, he started on my hair again. This time with conditioner. It smelled of rosemary and mint, invading my nose and causing my scalp to tingle. When he turned me around to rinse my hair again, I tried to lean against his chest, turning my face towards him to invite a kiss. My nerves were singing with anticipation, but he held me back.

  "Not now Caroline," he said. Here he was, with me naked and practically begging him for release and he had the nerve to shut me down?

  I snatched the wash cloth from him and moved around him so now he was under the water. As I stood back from him, surveying his muscular build, I looked down his body and realized he was as affected by me as I was by him. Quickly I soaped the washcloth and began as he had, using slow circular motions to clean him, and pretending that I wanted nothing more than that. When I kneeled in front of him to clean his lower legs and feet, I came face to face with every gloriously hard male inch of him.

  I couldn't resist flicking my tongue over the soft velvety head. Luke inhaled sharply through his teeth and hauled me up to my feet with a growl, holding me away from him. I tried to move closer, but he held me back.

  "What is it Luke?"

  "I am trying to resist taking you here in the shower, is what. You aren't making it easy for me."

  I looked at him with what I hoped was a sexy smile and said, "What if I want you to take me here in the shower?"

  He exhaled. "You are going to be my undoing," he told me through clenched teeth. "The first time, we were dirty, soaked, and stuck in that run down cabin. Then, the other night you had too much to drink and it was fast and rough. Earlier I couldn't control myself when I saw you in that damn dress. I took advantage of you with your shoes on and your back up against the wall. I want the next time to be slow and special, in my bed. I want to take the time to enjoy every inch of your exquisite body. And then, when you're sated and can't move, I want to feel you curled against me, and wake up to your smiling face."

  He reached out and cupped my cheek, and I had to look away before I burst into tears. Here he was, this amazing man. We had been thrust into each other's lives, our pasts intertwined and our futu
res uncertain. He had chosen me for a reason beyond my comprehension, but his emotions were written all over his face when he looked at me.

  "Luke? Why did you really come to the party tonight?" I asked him, looking back up at him.

  "I told you already, I went to find you and convince you that you belong here with me." He rubbed his thumb softly over my cheek. "You need to stop denying it. Stop torturing yourself and just let go. We were meant to be together."

  With Luke standing so close to me, I couldn't think clearly. His words rang true somewhere in the depths of my soul, and although I knew I would still have some demons to confront in the morning, I was going to be his, at least for the night.

  "Make love to me Luke," I said, silently asking for him to also make me forget everything else, even if only for a short while. I just wanted to be enveloped by him, consumed by him.

  He turned off the shower, opened the glass door and stepped out. He grabbed a towel and turned to me, wordlessly drying my hair and body, before his. Once we were dried to his satisfaction he stepped towards me, bent down and scooped me up in his arms. He carried me to the bed and sat me on the edge of it, kneeling before me on the floor.

  "Lean back," he commanded, as I fell backwards onto my elbows, keeping my head elevated so I could still see him. The silky sheets were cool, and felt amazing against the heat of my skin.

  "You are so beautiful, Caroline. You deserve to be told that every day."

  Luke lifted one of my legs over his shoulder and then the other. I watched as he slowly put two fingers into his mouth and then slid them, with perfect skill, over my swollen clit. As soon as he touched me I was on fire, slave to the white hot burning sensation he evoked from me. He continued his assault until I thought I would explode, only pulling away when he sensed I was close to the edge.

  "Luke, please!" I pleaded with him.

  "Begging already?" He asked with a wicked grin.

  "I'm not sure how much more I can take," I whispered breathlessly, heat pooling at my core. I couldn't focus on anything except Luke and the incredible feelings he was drawing from my body.