by Lexie Davis
Lani went into her bedroom and lay across her bed. She’d changed the sheets, but Luke’s scent still lingered in the room, bringing on more tears. She couldn’t handle it if he didn’t feel the same way. She’d never been in love before, never even thought about it, really. But she loved him and didn’t have the slightest clue as to what she’d do about it.
Chapter Three
Luke didn’t understand women. Lani ignored him nearly the entire time he was at her house the next day. He tried to get her to talk. She wouldn’t. He joked around. She ignored him. Luke sighed and finally minded his own business.
The week passed much of the same way. She avoided him at all costs in the office and he’d had enough. He tapped on her office door and barged in, finding her on the phone. She narrowed her eyes and ended the conversation before turning to him.
“Can I help you?” She glanced up annoyed.
He shut the door and locked it. “For starters, would you mind telling me why you are avoiding me like the plague?”
“I’m busy.”
“Cut the bullshit, Lani. You haven’t been the same since you cried on me. What the hell did I do wrong?” Frustration filled him. One moment she was loving and perfect in his arms then she did a complete one-eighty and went cold on him.
“Nothing!” she pleaded.
“Then what the hell is going on with you?” He sat in the empty chair in front of her desk and faced her.
“I have a million things going on with me right now, mainly launching a new product line right before Christmas.” She folded her hands calmly in front of her, almost as if it were a practiced motion. “So I repeat, I’m busy.”
“That’s not what I mean and you know it.”
She huffed and turned away from him. “I’m your boss right now, Luke. The office is hardly a place to talk about personal issues.”
He literally felt his heart breaking in two. “Fine. When you want to talk about it, you know where to find me.”
He left her office and locked himself away in his corner of Mitchell Cosmetics. The woman was infuriating. He spent hours working on the upcoming project before he realised he’d stayed two hours past closing time. He was beat and ready for bed. Maybe he’d have a beer first to unwind.
He said goodnight to the security guard on duty and headed to his car. It didn’t take him too long to get home. He pulled in his drive and hit the garage remote. If Lani didn’t want to be with him then fine. He wasn’t wasting any sleep over it—or her. People in the corporate world didn’t call her a bitch without reason. He just wished he didn’t get his first taste of her bitchiness after he’d been with her.
He stopped dead in his tracks as a new pang of awareness came over him. Damn, it’d been good with her. What they did was barely even called sex, and yet, he couldn’t stop thinking about her. The way she tasted when he slid his tongue along her folds. He closed his eyes a moment, reliving it. Her body was perfect. He’d wanted to know what colour panties she wore and the red ensemble was hot. Even when they’d gone back to work, he found himself still wondering what colour she’d chosen today. He climbed from the car and went inside.
His house was quiet. He grabbed a beer from the fridge and set it on the coffee table. He tugged at the tie around his neck, pulling it free. If she’d only talk to me. He undressed to his boxers, settled before the TV, beer at hand, and flipped through the stations. Nothing even remotely interested him.
His cell phone rang and he groaned. Reaching for his discarded pants, he pulled the small device out and read the caller-id. It was Lani’s cell. Taking a wild guess, he figured she hadn’t changed her mind about talking to him except for work-related things, and he didn’t have the energy to deal with more work tonight. “I’m off duty, so if you called about work, I don’t want to hear about it.”
“That’s not why I called.” Lani sighed. “Can I come over?”
“Depends. Why?” He took a sip from his beer.
“We need to talk.”
Okay, maybe he was wrong. “Fine. I’m at my house.”
“I know.”
The doorbell rang and Luke set his beer down to answer it. Lani waited on the other side, phone still pressed to her ear. Both hung up as they stared at each other.
“I’m sorry.”Tears gathered in her eyes, though she tried to hold them back.
He pulled her inside and into his arms. “Lani, tell me what’s wrong.”
“I’m…” She moved back. “It doesn’t matter.”
“Yeah, Lani, it does.” He leant down and kissed her. “Spill it.”
She licked her lips and walked into the living room. “Why did you invite me to stay with you on Christmas?”
Luke closed the door and locked it before joining her. “I invited you to stay with me because I knew you usually spent Christmas alone. I wanted to invite you the first year I worked for you, but I figured it be completely unprofessional so I kept my mouth shut and my hands to myself.”
“Isn’t it still unprofessional now?” She took a seat on the couch and folded her hands in her lap. She couldn’t quite meet his eyes.
He walked around the couch and sat beside her before picking up his beer. “Yeah, but I like you. That outweighs professionalism.”
“You like me?”
He groaned. “I thought that was pretty obvious.”
“Do you love me?” She whispered it so softly, he barely heard her.
He paused, beer halfway to his lips. “I don’t know. I don’t really sit around, thinking about my feelings.”
She licked her lips and nodded. “That’s what I needed to know.”
He groaned and rubbed his eyes. “Lani.”
“I need to go.”
“Not until you tell me what you came here to tell me.”
“It’s nothing.”
Luke reached out to grab her arm before she could get away. He pulled her on top of him and held her. “You keep way too much bottled inside. Tell me what made you cry.”
She wiggled on his lap and his cock responded. Shit. He tightened his arms around her, refusing to let go. She smelt so damn good, reminding him of the many hours they spent in her bed and her shower giving each other pleasure.
“I can’t.”
He kissed her shoulder. “Do you trust me?”
She nodded.
“Then you can tell me.”
“I love you.”She stared at her lap, fighting her tears he was sure.
The room fell into silence. Luke didn’t know how to respond, didn’t even know where to begin. He struggled to find the right words, even though he didn’t know what the hell was going on inside him. They’d spent a few hours together. He wasn’t stupid enough to confuse love with sex, but he had lusted after her since day one. Damn, he didn’t know where to go from there. She was unlike any other woman he’d ever been with—ever known—and he cared for her. But was caring for her the same as love? She pulled away from him and he let her go.
“I cried on you the other night because I realised that I loved you and I can’t handle it if you don’t love me back.” She turned away from him. “My parents gave me up when I was four. They told me they were going on a cruise, that they’d be back a week later. I waited for years, wishing and praying, but they never returned. I grew up in several foster homes and orphanages until I turned eighteen and somehow landed a great job as an intern at a high profile company in Chicago. My first real boyfriend was the CEO and I thought he cared about me. That ended the moment his wife found out. I didn’t even know he was married.”
She turned towards him. “It seems like every time I open up, I get hurt and I can’t do that again. I don’t want to do that with you.”
Luke didn’t have the words to comfort her. He knew her life hadn’t been the greatest, but she never talked about it with anyone. He also couldn’t tell her he loved her back—not until he knew for sure without a single doubt. Instead of speaking, he stood and held out his hand to her. It took her a moment befo
re she finally reached out and clasped his hand. He held her, closing his eyes as he laid his cheek against the top of her head.
“I don’t want to lose you, Luke. If you don’t care about me, fine. But I don’t want sex to interfere with us if all we’ll ever be is friends.”
He rubbed her back. “We’re more than friends.” He kissed the top of her head. “Do you want to spend the night? My family thing is tomorrow anyway. You’re still going with me, right?”
She shrugged. “Do you want me to?”
“Yes. I want you to.” He kissed her forehead then led her to the bedroom, wishing he had the answers to make her pain and fears go away.
* * * *
Lani lay in the middle of Luke’s bed, wrapped around his warm body. It was nearly ten in the morning and she didn’t want to leave his embrace.
“Are you making me breakfast this morning?”
She lifted her head to see the smile on his face. “How’d you know I was awake?”
He opened his eyes. “You squeezed me tighter, as if I were going somewhere.”
She pressed her lips against his chest. “Maybe I was afraid you would.”
He rolled her to her back and pinned her to the mattress. “I’m not going anywhere.”
His lips pressed against hers, and her whole body responded to his tongue sliding against her own. She wrapped her legs around his waist and felt his cock brush against her core. She lifted her hips and pressed herself harder against him.
“I have condoms,” he whispered against her lips. He kissed her, a quick brush of his lips against hers. “Lots and lots of condoms. Every kind you can think of.”
She chuckled. He didn’t bring up sex the night before, choosing instead to share his bed and hold her tight all night long. Lani couldn’t believe how well she’d slept, comforted by his warmth and presence.
She kissed his shoulder. “What’d you do? Rob Trojan?”
He grinned and rolled off her to pull out the nightstand drawer. “Nah. But I am their number one customer now.”
He grabbed a box and opened it. He pulled out two and tossed the box back in the drawer. Lani reached for the rubber and tore open the package. “We have to be at your parents’ house around one.”
“How long will it take for you to get ready?”
She sat up and glanced at the clock. “An hour or so. All my stuff is at my house.”
He groaned. “Then I guess this will have to be a quickie.”
He kissed her and pushed the covers out of the way. Luke tugged at the shirt he’d given her to sleep in and pulled it over her head. She moved to straddle his hips, rolling the condom on his thick shaft. Lani whispered, “You’re extremely sexy in the morning.”
He pulled her head down to kiss her lips and ran his fingers through her hair. “I’ve been hard for you for four years.”
His lips moved to the side of her neck. Lani closed her eyes. She’d pictured this moment too many times in her mind, especially after the afternoon spent fooling around in her bed and then again in her shower.
“Ride me, baby.” He pressed open-mouthed kisses along her shoulder. His hands cupped her behind and brought her pussy against his cock. “Fuck me.”
She positioned his cock at her entrance and lowered herself onto him. Every thick inch stretched her to capacity. Luke gripped her hips and lifted her off completely, only to pull her down again. She closed her eyes, engulfed in the sensations overwhelming her body. It felt amazing.
Each time he slid deeper, making her wetter, until she rocked her hips the last few inches and took him completely. Lani cried out. Nothing felt more glorious. Luke sat up and took her breast into his mouth. Her head dropped back as Luke guided her hips, taking it slow at first. She closed her eyes and focused on the sensation of his cock inside her, the way his wet mouth felt sucking her breasts. He was big. Definitely larger than any other man she’d ever been with—not that that list was long.
Luke reached between them and touched her clit. He kissed her, absorbing the sounds she made as he thrust harder inside her. His cock bumped that one spot and Lani screamed, her pussy clenching around him as she came.
She fell into his arms, completely sated. Luke chuckled and pressed a kiss to her forehead before gently lifting her off of him to dispose of the condom. When he came back, he pulled her into his arms again. He cradled her face with one hand and lowered his lips to her temple.
“If we didn’t have this family thing, I’d keep you here all day.” Luke lay on his side, facing her. “What time should I pick you up?”
“Twelve-thirty?”
He glanced over at the clock. “I think we’re running late.”
“I know.” Lani kissed him. “I wonder why?”
Chapter Four
“Welcome, welcome, welcome!”
Luke smiled as his mother greeted them. At fifty-five, Leslie McGraw looked great for her age. She was a fitness instructor who had a body most women would kill for. He stepped in first and pulled her into a hug.
“Hey, Mom. Merry Christmas.” He kissed her cheek and turned towards Lani. “This is Lani Mitchell.”
“I’m so glad you’re joining us. Lucas has told us so much about you. Please come in.” His mother stepped to the side. Lani entered first and Luke pulled her against his side, seeing her discomfort. “Lucas, take Lani’s coat and put it in the hall closet. Your father is around somewhere. Probably getting in his morning game of tennis. That man, I swear, ever since our grandson, Jason, showed him the Wii, that is all he wants to do—play video games like he’s fifteen again.” She shook her head.
“Are Nate and Gwen on their way?”
“Should be. Jason and Zachary can’t wait to see you.” Leslie smiled. “They love their uncle Lucas.”
“Nate’s my brother,” Luke explained to Lani. “And Gwen’s a saint to put up with him.”
Lani smiled. “How old are your nephews?”
“Ten and six.” He kissed her temple. “Come on. We’ll deposit our coats in the hall closet and I’ll show you around the place.”
He led her down the hall and opened the large walk-in closet his parents used to store the guests coats. Lani fidgeted beside him while he hung their outer garments up, and nibbled her lower lip.
“Are you nervous?”
“A little.” She gave him a small smile. “Your mother seems nice.”
“She’s cool. My dad’s not bad either. They’ve been looking forward to meeting you.” He rubbed her arms. “Relax, baby.” She nodded, and he kissed her lips. “Come on. Let’s go find my dad. He’ll probably try to con you into playing a game on the Wii with him.”
As the hours passed, Luke noticed Lani becoming more comfortable around his family. His mother and sister-in-law practically considered her a McGraw. Luke settled in the living room while the women were in the kitchen entertaining the boys. Nate and their father, Jeffrey, followed him, both with smiles on their faces.
“So you finally convinced her to come. Does this mean you’re serious?” Nate sipped hot cider from his mug.
“It’s complicated.” He frowned, thinking about what Lani had told him the night before. He couldn’t imagine what she’d gone through as a child. His family was close, always had been. Even if he and Nate fought—which they did quite frequently, even as adults—there was nothing he wouldn’t do for him. There was nothing their parents wouldn’t do for any of them.
“Simplify it.” Jeffery handed him a mug.
“I can’t. She told me personal stuff about her life last night. I want a relationship with her, but I don’t want her to think it’s because I feel sorry for her.”
“Why would she assume you felt sorry for her?” Nate asked.
“I can’t say.” Luke sighed. “Just drop it.”
He watched her for a moment as she played with his nephews like she’d known them forever. It didn’t really surprise him that she was good with kids, but he was amazed at how quickly they’d bonded with her.
“She gets along great with the family.” Jeffery stared at Luke. “I know your mother and I like her. The boys seem to like her.”
I like her, Luke added silently. He rubbed his eyes. “We’re going to the orphanage tomorrow. I’m dressing up as Santa and handing out toys to the kids.”
Nate laughed. “Tell Lani to take some pictures.”
He snorted and glanced up to see Zach wrap his arms around Lani’s neck and kiss her cheek. Watching her with his family cleared up a lot of the confusion he’d felt. He could picture their life together, maybe a kid down the road. God, she’d be a great mother. A great wife. She was a dynamic businesswoman who had such strength and determination. She deserved to be happy. He wanted to make her happy. He pushed his thoughts aside and noticed his father and brother staring.
“What?”
“You look like a man falling in love,” Nate commented.
“Maybe I am.”
“Luke?” Lani came to the doorway of the living room. Zach was in her arms, twirling his finger in her hair. Jason stood beside her, holding her hand. “The boys wanted me to ask you if you’d play Punch Out with them on the Wii.”
Nate smiled at her. Luke groaned. “I guess.”
The boys cheered. Zach slid out of her arms and did his best karate move towards his brother.
“But Lani has to play with us,” Luke said.
“She can’t. She’s a girl,” Zach remarked.
Luke smiled at his nephew. “Gender has nothing to do with how you play the game.”
He and Lani played four games with the boys, battling it out for the title while the rest of the family cheered them on. She looked like she enjoyed herself, completely comfortable with the boys whispering in her ear and tugging on her hand. She smiled at Luke from time to time, and his heart melted. It was definitely one of the best Christmases he’d ever had.
“Okay, clean up your mess so we can open presents,” Leslie stated after Luke lost another battle to Zach.