by Tia Siren
“I-I-I can’t start a fire in my room,” she said, her teeth chattering from the cold. “I thought I could get it to work, but—”
Luke reached out to grab her by the arm. “Get in here before you freeze.” She stumbled into the room. “I told you to let me know right away if you couldn’t get that fire going. It’s going to be -32 tonight.”
“It certainly feels like it.”
He shut the bedroom door. Ushering her to sit down in front of the fireplace, he got another blanket from the bed to drape over her. The heat of the fire warmed the chill on her skin, but so did Luke taking a seat next to her on the floor. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders and rubbed them to help her get warm again.
“It’s so cold here,” Paige said. “I don’t know how you survived out on those oil rigs during the winter months.”
“You get used to it,” he said, the corner of his lips curling up in a smile. “You should be used to this type of cold. You’re from Wyoming.”
“It was never this cold there.”
“Perfect time for the generator to go out too,” Luke said, sighing. “I need to have someone come up here to check everything again. No one has been here for months besides us.”
Paige nestled into the warmth of Luke’s shoulder. “It must be nice to be able to have houses you can leave behind for months and not worry about. How do you even remember to pay for them?”
“Everything is paid off. It was a long time ago.”
“Debt free then, huh?” She tilted her head back to grin up at him. “Maybe I should tap into the oil business after tomorrow.”
Luke chuckled. “I’d be in great fear of that competition.”
“Shut up,” she said, laughing. “You better be afraid of me.”
His eyes darkened then. Several emotions filtered through Luke’s gaze as he looked down at her and tucked an errant curl behind her ear. Paige’s heart quickened as the tension in the room changed into something electric.
“I am afraid of you,” he murmured. “I don’t know how to explain it, but everything is just different with you now.”
“Luke—” she started, shaking her head. This was not something they had agreed to—to let their feelings get in the way no matter how much she felt it.
“I’m serious,” he said. “I'm not trying to play. That’s the God’s honest truth. I just feel something different about you.”
“That’s because you’re going through the motions of a committed relationship,” Paige said. “It’s different than what you are used to. It’s a lot more secure than jumping around.”
“Maybe.” He reached forward and grasped her hand, gently playing with her fingers. “I want you to know that I am thankful that you and I crossed paths last month. Even if I messed it up.”
“You obviously didn’t if I’m here.”
“I screwed it up,” Luke said resolutely. “You developed an unfavorable opinion of me because I was an ass.”
Paige lifted her head to look at him closely. Firelight danced off the long golden strands of his hair. Shadows flickered over his broad chest as he shifted underneath an invisible weight.
“The alcohol makes you an ass,” she clarified. “You aren’t too much of one when you’re sober.”
“Thanks.” He chuckled deeply. “That should be motive to stay away from it then.”
“Only you can stay away from it. Nobody can tell you what to do when it comes to that sort of thing. This is your life, not anyone else’s.”
“It’s your life too,” Luke said, squeezing her hand tightly. “Your wagon is hitched to mine.”
“Until you receive your inheritance in a few days,” she reminded him, but Luke shook his head at her. “What? You changed your mind?”
“I think Peter is right about a few things is all.”
“Like what?”
That dark and stormy tone filled his eyes again. Hot waves of desire crashed down upon them both, but there was something else there, a subtle shift as Luke had commented on that she felt too. It was strong but indescribable. There was nothing she could do to fight against it.
“That we feel things for each other,” Luke said quietly. “I know that I do for you.”
Her heart pounded—a repeating gesture that seemed to happen quite a bit with Luke around.
“And I don’t know if I can let you go,” he continued, dropping her hand to clasp the back of her neck with warm, strong fingers. “I know you can’t ever imagine yourself with someone like me—”
“Of course I can,” Paige blurted out in a whispered confession. “Who wouldn’t imagine themselves in my position? I feel it too, Luke. I honestly do.”
Those fingers on the nape of her neck curled protectively. “Then what’s holding us back from each other?”
“You know what,” Paige said. She closed her eyes to keep herself steady. “You know how I feel about this.”
“I know how you feel, but we are going to be married tomorrow. We have to see this through.”
“And then what, Luke?” She opened her eyes to look at him. “We file for divorce after you get what you want from your father’s lawyer and me?”
“I already told you,” he said firmly, passionately, “I don’t want to let you go. It’s the eve of our wedding, Paige. I don’t think you should use it against yourself for giving in eight hours before the actual night.”
Paige chewed on her lip anxiously while those wicked fingers started to stroke through her hair intimately. She couldn’t bring herself to think of any logical reason to argue against Luke’s point. They were getting married tomorrow. Neither one of them had intention to let the other go.
Still, nerves crashed down on her just thinking of being underneath Luke’s naked and muscular body.
“I’m just nervous,” she whispered. “I just don’t know what to expect.”
“Pleasure for one,” Luke whispered back, and he shifted around her. “I will make sure it feels so good for you.”
She opened her eyes to find him kneeling on his knees in front of her. Strong arms straddled her waist. Heat seared through her as Luke shifted forward to press his lips against hers in a long and soft kiss that eased her nerves slightly.
He pulled back to whisper against her lips. “Do you trust me?”
Of their own accord, Paige’s hands smoothed their way around the strong muscles of his shoulders. Goosebumps erupted underneath her fingertips. A violent shudder went up Luke’s spine from it.
“Yes and no,” she said honestly. “Right now, yes. I trust you.”
“Good,” he said, and the corner of his lips curved up. “Just trust me through this, okay?”
She nodded mutely before Luke leaned forward to gather her lips in a heated kiss again. This time, they held nothing back. The intensity of their kisses grew quickly in fervor as Luke’s tongue battled against hers. He nudged her to lay back on the fuzzy cotton blanket. A moan left both their lips when their bodies pressed against one another’s.
Luke’s hands were everywhere. He only let their lips break contact so they could catch their breath, but he always dove back in while his hands explored. Trails of fire erupted on Paige’s skin wherever his hands went. Those expert and skilled fingers were squeezing her in all the right ways.
Her mind was blissfully blank as Luke shifted to kneel between her legs. Both their bodies were under control, but also under Luke’s guidance as his lips tore from hers to nip their way down her neck.
His hands had been massaging her hips, but he slowly let one slip up inside her sleep shirt so he could touch her. The touch nearly burned her, and her hips arched up instinctively.
Luke groaned at the contact when her hips pushed against his. Taking advantage of the moment, Paige let her primal desires take control. Her hands smoothed up the strong curve of Luke’s back, feeling every muscle there coiled and ready. Years of working on the oil rig in harsh conditions had built him. The strength of him brought a trickle of fear and anticipation in he
r.
His lips were back to trailing hot kisses down her neck. The hand that had been grazing the planes of her lower stomach gripped the hemline of her shirt. He looked at her for permission, and Paige held her breath as she gave a tentative nod. He helped her out of the shirt before tossing it onto the couch.
It took all her shredded self-control to not cover herself as she lay there exposed in nothing besides a pair of underwear.
“Finally,” Luke breathed, sitting back on the heels of his feet to gaze down at her. “This has been worth the wait, Paige. You’re fucking gorgeous.”
She blushed hotly. Leaning back over her, Luke kissed her until she was panting and squirming beneath him. The delicious feeling of his naked chest pressed against hers nearly drove her crazy with desire. His lips trailed down her neck again, past her collarbone, and down the slope of her breasts.
A pink and taut nipple disappeared into his mouth, and he sucked tenderly but with enough zest to make her cry out in pleasure. Paige slipped a hand through the locks of his hair to grip there as he suckled at her breast without any mercy. Every touch, kiss, and suck was driving her toward oblivion. Nothing could beat the feeling of Luke’s hands hooking in the elastic band of her underwear, tugging it down her thighs, and then sliding them back up her legs quickly.
The first brush of his fingers against her core brought an array of feelings—similar to the ones from before when he had touched her. Except, his lips were trailing kisses down her stomach with no hesitation or any sign of stopping.
Nerves crashed through the haze of pleasure in her head. Propping herself up on her elbows, Paige glanced down at Luke as he flattened himself against the ground with his teeth sinking playfully into her hip. She jumped in response.
“Luke.” He looked up from where his scruffy cheek was nestled against her pubic bone. His eyes glittered teasingly. Words were lost to her. “You aren’t going to—”
“I am,” he confirmed, and pressed a hot kiss to her delicate skin. “Lie back, Paige. Enjoy it.”
“But, I—oh.”
A hot tongue flicked against her bundle of helpless nerves, and it rendered her into a hot and messy puddle as Luke’s mouth worked wonders on her. His fingers had brought a quick release before, but nothing could have prepared her for how good it felt to have his mouth sucking at her intimately.
Bright lights popped in her line of vision. Paige stared up at the ceiling through watering eyes as her impending orgasm came crashing down on her fast and hard. She couldn’t have fought against it even if she had wanted to. It came hard and fast. Pain erupted in the back of her head when it thudded back against hardwood floor.
Panting heavily, she looked down to see Luke grinning smugly as he massaged her thighs while he waited for her to ride it out.
“Told you,” he said.
He didn’t give her a chance to respond. Jamming a thumb in the band of his sweatpants, Luke shoved the cotton fabric and his underwear down his muscular thighs. His arousal throbbed hotly against the side of her leg as he kicked the fabric away impatiently.
We’re actually going to do this. Her heart rate quickened for an entirely different reason this time around.
Luke knelt before her, completely bare, gloriously naked, and all hers to have. He nestled himself comfortably between her legs. A hardness nudged her intimately, and she sucked in a quivering breath to keep herself under control.
“Relax,” Luke murmured, pressing a kiss to her lips. “I promise it’s not going to be torture.”
Her hands hovered over his waist as indecision crashed over her again. There was no possible way Luke thought they could fit.
“Paige.” She looked up at him. Brushing her hair back from her sweaty forehead, Luke gazed down at her in concern. “I’m right here with you. Do you honestly think I’d hurt you?”
“No,” she replied, her voice trembling. “I don’t think that at all. Keep going. I’m just—”
“Nervous, I know.”
His hips rolled forward gracefully. Digging her fingers into his forearms, Paige gritted her teeth at the painful sting of Luke entering her in one smooth thrust until he was buried to the hilt. She let out a wavering breath as tears slipped from the corner of her eyes.
Luke pressed soft kisses to her temple. “Take a deep breath. Every inch of you is stiff as a board.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Relax. The pain is going to fade, trust me. Just breathe.”
She sucked in a harsh breath through her nose. True to his word, the pain radiated away into something else entirely as her muscles adjusted to the intrusion. Luke glanced down at her in a wordless question, and she nodded in response.
Inhaling sharply, Luke rolled his hips back before thrusting gently. He continued that rhythm while Paige gripped his forearms as pleasure quickly overtook the stinging pain. Instinct took over again under the movement of Luke’s hips. Wrapping her legs around his waist, she squeezed his hips in encouragement to pick up the pace.
A low groan rumbled in Luke’s chest. Pleasure filled his face as he gripped her hips, and thrust deeper and faster. His eyes popped open a second later to gaze down at her desperately. Sweat beaded at his hairline.
“Paige—”
“I know,” she panted, squirming against him when that familiar warmth of an orgasm pressed against her.
She cried out in pleasure a few seconds later and felt Luke follow right behind. He grunted low in the back of his throat before going rigid inside her. Something hot and wet filled her from the inside before Luke collapsed against her with a satisfied groan.
Their sweaty and sated skin meshed together as they lay there together, tangled up in each other’s limbs, for a long moment.
Paige rested her chin on Luke’s quivering shoulder as she rode out her twitching muscles. Her eyes fixated on the ceiling again as a strange feeling took over her. She had no idea what it was, but it was chased away when Luke’s arms curled around her possessively. He pressed a kiss against her shoulder, and she couldn’t think of anything else for the rest of the night besides Luke’s strong body pressed against hers.
Chapter Twelve
Luke
He didn’t know what startled him awake hours later, but all Luke knew was that Paige slept peacefully on next to him. Her warm breath fluttered across the plane of his chest. Every inch of her naked body was pressed against his right side.
Two times in a row. Luke swallowed thickly at the realization. Two times he had allowed himself to fall asleep with her.
Images flashed through his head from the night before, of Paige naked underneath him, squirming in pleasure. Everything he had fantasized about before didn’t compare to the actual feeling of finally having Paige in his arms.
And there was a part of him that felt quite confident that he would never be able to let her go. Falling asleep with women had never been something he could do, but with Paige, everything was different.
Cold morning light filtered through the curtains of the bedroom. The entire lodge was eerily quiet without the sound of electricity. Carefully, he shifted his head to glance at the fireplace. The fire he had built the night before had lasted all night, but it was in desperate need of more wood before it fizzled out. The room felt chilly, but not frigid like he imagined the rest of the lodge felt.
Sucking in a deep breath, Luke debated whether or not he wanted to stay curled up with Paige at his side and catch a few more hours of sleep before having to face the rest of the world. He glanced down at Paige as she continued to sleep on, oblivious to the conflict brewing inside of him.
After he had exhausted every trick in the book to get her in bed next to him, guilt filled him thinking about the upcoming weeks. Peter had promised to sign everything over when they went in with their marriage license, but he couldn’t bring himself to stir Paige awake for that. It would be the end of their arrangement, and he felt empty thinking about it.
She doesn’t deserve to be hitched to a man like me.
I have all the money in the world, but I can’t even find it in me to keep it to just one drink. I don’t even know if I could stick with one woman for the rest of my life.
He relished in the feeling of her soft skin pressed against his for a few minutes longer before slipping out of bed with reluctance. Much to his relief, Paige didn’t stir from her sleep as he placed more logs in the fireplace to keep the room warm. He slipped back into his thick cotton sweatpants, a shirt, and a sweater to fend off the cold.
Pausing with his hand on the doorknob, Luke glanced back at Paige with a pang in his chest. One of her arms had curled over a pillow, holding it tightly to her chest in her sleep.
What was going to happen when she woke? The question caused apprehension to rise inside him. There was a part of him that wanted to wholeheartedly believe Paige hadn’t given into her passions because she truly believed they were going to remain married. Even if he had his doubts about letting her go, the concept of marriage didn’t sit well with him.
There was nothing they could do anyway until the snowstorm cleared out. Luke slipped out into the frigid hallway and closed the door behind him with a soft click. His breath puffed out in front of him as he walked down the motionless hallway to the basement door. Outside, snow had piled up on the patio deck and would need to be shoveled off. He couldn’t even see the fence that surrounded the property line.
Fifteen minutes later in the chilled basement air, the generators booted up, much to Luke’s relief. The electricity kicked on with a gentle whir, followed by the furnace. He returned to the main floor to turn off the living room lights. Grabbing the phone, he dialed Toby’s cell number.
“I don’t know when I’m gonna get out of here,” Luke said, closing the door to his father’s office. “It snowed like a son of a bitch here last night. I’m sure it’s a fucking mess on the roads and at the airport too.”
“You guessed right,” Toby said. “Give it a few hours. The roads and airport should be open by then. How did the meeting go with Peter?”
“It was cut short because of the snowstorm. He left before he could hand over any paperwork.”