“To be honest, I miss the hustle and bustle of the city.” She put down a ‘draw four’ card earning her a stink eye from Luke. “And I miss Al Gore’s internet.”
Why did he seem so troubled that the competition was ending? It wasn’t as if they didn’t live and work in the same city. Being deliberately obtuse was not a skill in her toolbox. She knew exactly why he was unhappy. He didn’t want their time in icy paradise to end.
You don’t want this to end either, you dope.
“We’re going on a date,” Luke said, declaratively. He put down two ‘draw four’ cards and changed the color to green. “Getting out the house will do us some good. Cabin fever is liable to do us in if we don’t take a break.”
Hmm. A date. How did she feel about that? Her normal revulsion was absent. Her smile was hesitant but at least it wasn’t a grimace. She didn’t even flinch when he said ‘date.’ She wasn’t screaming in horror. These were good signs.
She sighed, as guilt took over. Her first instinct should have been gratitude. He knew she was going slightly stir-crazy. Luke was ridiculously sweet like that. Bedroom prowess was impressive, but she loved his friendship even more.
“What? How?” She gave him an odd look, then knew the answer at once. “Gretzky.”
“You know it.”
“Well, what do you have in mind?” She was sitting on about twenty UNO cards with no chance of making a comeback.
“Don’t you worry your pretty little head about the details, bomboncita. UNO!” Luke yelled before reining in his excitement. “Just be ready for dinner around five o’clock.”
She hated surprises and didn’t understand their purpose. Just tell people what they want to know instead of making them beg for breadcrumbs. “At least tell me what I should wear for our mystery date.”
“Nothing is always my favorite outfit of yours,” he said. He threw down his last card on to the discard pile. For fucks sake, he’d won three out of their four games.
“Be serious, or I’m not going,” she said, then she shuffled the cards.
He acquiesced and took the cards from her. “Fine. We’re going somewhere where I need slacks and a dress shirt. A nice intimate dinner but not too posh. Think you can work with that?”
“Dinner. You and me. Five o’clock. I got it.” She watched his strong hands deal them another hand and turned the top card of the deck over. She leaned over and grazed his lips. “Now be a good boy and let me win a round, won’t you?”
He gave her a wink. That was her cue that he was listening, but he probably wouldn’t obey. The emergence of his dimple sealed her fate as a bonafide UNO loser. Laughing at her pout he scooped her up in his arms and carried her to bed. The upside of being a sore loser was that Luke felt so bad for her that he made it up to her.
With his tongue.
The way she looked at it, she was coming out on top.
Chapter 22
True to her word, Kennedy showed up at five o’clock on the dot.
Of course she’d be punctual when food was involved.
He stared at the vision in front of him. Words were slow in coming. He thought she looked beautiful all the time but tonight she was dressed to kill. She was clad in all black, adding an element of danger and mystery.
Leather pants molded over her tiny waist and emphasized her curvy hips. Her cleavage was drool worthy as her tank dipped provocatively between her full breasts.
With every step she took, her boobs did a delightful little jiggle. Lucky for them both, the black blazer hid some of the jiggle, for which he was grateful. Her naughty bits were for his eyes only. The pièce de résistance were the six-inch, leather fuck-me boots adorning her small feet.
The entire ensemble fit her like a dream. If he felt semi-aroused before, he was horny as shit now. He wasn’t sure he knew how to speak at all. Then again, why speak when he could throw her over his shoulders and haul her back to her bedroom?
Luke nixed that idea immediately. She wouldn’t like that. Not at all. He got the impression from her smoldering eyes that his reaction to her outfit was predictable. Like an invisible magnet, his feet carried him over to her at met her after she descended the stairs.
Though she wore all black, nothing was intimidating or harsh about her. Her hair was still damp from her shower and hung down past her shoulders in delicate spiraled curls. She was distinctly all woman. His woman.
“Hey stranger,” she joked, curving her lips into a smile. They were painted red. Her signature lipstick color.
“You look incredible,” he managed to sputter, taking her hand in his. He gave her a whirl and let out a whistle when he got a look at her perky globes, supple and lush, in the tight leather pants.
“You clean up nice yourself.” He bent down to kiss her cheek. He found that wasn’t enough. The overwhelming sensation of wanting her hit him low in the gut. Unable to help himself, he sucked her pouty bottom lip into his mouth and bit down. Just a little.
Her mewl did the opposite of satiating his desire. But at least he was convinced that she was as equally horned up as he was.
She broke the kiss and whispered, “Are you going to chew my lipstick off? Or is there the possibility of me eating real food? You know, like you promised.” Her cherry red lips tilted into a full-blown smile.
The happiness in her eyes made him smile. Eyes the color of coffee encased in long eyelashes were one of his favorite features of hers. Up close, he saw the smallest fleck of gold amidst her chocolate brown orbs.
He took a second to marvel at her lovely face. She had high cheekbones, plump limps, and an innocent smile that could just as easily be welded as a weapon–to seduce, to dominate, to intimidate–depending on the occasion. Tonight, he imagined, she’d use a combination of all of them.
He grinned even harder like a lovestruck fool. “Smartass.”
She stuck her tongue out at him but allowed Luke to help her put on her wool coat. Looping her arm in his, he escorted her through the front door and outside.
“Whose car should we–”
Her words came to a halt as she looked outside. Luke hoped his surprise wasn’t too over the top. Then again, weren’t gestures of love supposed to be extravagant and grand? He was too nervous to look at her and see her reaction.
Then Kennedy wrapped her arms around his waist. “Babe, you shouldn’t have! I always wanted to ride in a horse drawn carriage.” She tightened her arms around him and sank into the warmth of his embrace.
“Thought it would be a nice touch before we head to dinner. We’ll take the carriage to the security gate then Gretz will drive us to the restaurant.”
Teetering in her heels, she reached for his face. “You, sir, are full of surprises.” He allowed her to coax his lips open with her tongue, kissing him sweetly before wiping her lipstick off of him. “I swear, I’m going to end up falling in love with you Luke Simon.”
She didn’t mean it. He knew that. Still, his heart soared when he heard those words.
He gave her butt a squeeze, earning a yelp of surprise.
“Our chariot awaits m’lady,” he said in a made-up accent followed by a deep bow.
Breaks in conversation during the carriage ride gave him ample opportunity to study her beauty. The curves of her high cheekbones and her laugh lines, her full lips and smooth brown skin. If he were to be truthful, he was stunned by her exquisiteness. So, stunned that he had no clue why she ever gave him the time of day.
Gretzky met them at the security gate’s entrance with a warm and toasty Bentley. With it being a small town, traffic was nonexistent. He took her to a charming Italian restaurant where they ordered anything they wanted and the waitstaff kept her glass filled with champagne.
Tonight, was about spoiling her. Giving her a preview of what life could be like, and would be like, if she gave him a chance.
This wasn’t normally his style even though he could afford it. He was much more low-key. Most of the women he’d dated were suitable. However, none warrante
d pulling out all the stops. Kennedy was different. And she made him feel different too. They were two jagged puzzle pieces that miraculously fit together.
The goal for the night was to impress her, true, but also to crack open that shell a bit more.
Smiling softly, she peeked over her menu with bright eyes. “See anything on here you like?” she asked, referring to the menu.
“I’m looking at it.”
She rolled her eyes. “That was predictable. I’m serious, what are you going to order?”
She was dead serious. Food and orgasms. He was put on this earth to keep her supplied with both.
“Well, I think I’ll have the lobster,” Luke licked his lips and set his menu down, “because all the meat is in the tail.”
Another roll of her eyes. “I’ll get the same then.”
Lifting his glass of scotch to his lips, he eyed Kennedy over the rim of his glass. “So what’s the plan when you get back to the city?”
No use putting off the conversation. Plus, he was genuinely interested in how she planned to readjust to normal life after such a unique vacation.
Kennedy fiddled with the cloth napkin then gave a mournful sigh. “Do we have to think about it now? I’m having such a good time pretending that this is our real life.”
“Real life calls though. Soon we’ll be knee-deep in the Jones’ case again.”
“Friends turned professional foes,” she countered.
“Is that what we are now, friends?” he asked with a heated smile.
“We’re more than that. Obviously. But a man that creates a mini-Christmas just for me and fends off a pack of rabid possums…I’d call that a friend.”
“I’d say that’s more than a friend. Sounds like a soulmate, to me.”
She took another sip of champagne. “Perhaps.”
His heart thumped against his chest. The little woman sitting across from him held his heart in the palm of his hands. His senses told him that tonight was the night to clear the air. After dinner, before any clothes came off, they were going to have a conversation. He had to be on the same page as her before they went their separate ways.
“You know, Kenn, we’re going to talk about that night sometime.” He bit the inside of his cheek.
“What night?” she asked innocently.
His jaw twitched. He thought they were done playing dumb. “I’ll give you a hint. It was a chat we had five years ago. It involved a little word vomit on my part and a lot of leaving on your part. Ring any bells?”
“Luke–” she started, but he cut her off.
“Tonight. You and I,” he pointed between them for emphasis, “are going to figure us out. No more stalling. We’re adults now, we can do this. This doesn’t haven’t to be painful.”
She lifted her gaze to his and nodded her agreement. “You’re right. We do need to talk but…” Her gaze turned serious.
“But what?”
Her stony expression instantly turned playful. “I can’t talk on an empty stomach. Feed me.”
His boner sat at attention. He could feed her alright. Unfortunately, he knew from experience that her comment wasn’t meant to be sexual.
With a feral smile, he lowered his voice, so that only she could hear. “Don’t eat too much, bombon. I have plans for you when we get back.”
Chapter 23
When Luke said he had plans for her, Kennedy’s brain translated that to mean, more ‘horizontal polka,’ as Kai would say.
Anyways, her translation had been wrong. Very wrong. Gretzky opened the Bentley door for them both after they back at the cabin arrived from dinner.
The older man addressed Luke, “I thought you two might want to ice skate on the lake. I took the liberty of procuring some skates for you both. Just let me know when you’re ready.”
“Thanks, Gretz. We’ll be there in a few minutes.” Luke helped Kennedy walked to the front door.
After Gretzky left, Kennedy turned to him. “Please tell me that ice skating is code for something that is not ice skating.”
She shuddered in her coat. She reached for his hand and his strong fingers laced with hers.
“Ice skating is code for ice skating. You never hit the ice at Prospect Park? Or the Rockefeller Center?” Luke’s eyes gleamed with childlike excitement.
“Nope, never.”
His tone teasing, he mused, “I’m starting to doubt your New York citizenship.”
“Real New Yorkers know those rinks are tourist traps. Freezing my tush off and falling on solid ice in front of strangers is not my idea of a good time.”
“Luckily, I’m not a stranger, babe.” He tightened his grip on her hand, warming hers up.
She huffed dramatically. “Did you not hear the part about freezing to death and falling down?”
He snorted at her dramaqueen antics. “I’ve been ice skating since I played hockey as a kid. Trust me, you’re in good hands.”
“I’ve seen what your hands can do.” Arching an eyebrow at him, she tried to communicate to him that his bedroom hands probably weren’t useful on the ice.
“Then you know that I won’t let anything happen,” he eyed her body from top to bottom, “to any part of you.”
She tried a different tactic. “It’s already midnight! Why would you want to skate at this time of night?”
“A midnight skate with a sexy woman, surrounded by Mother Nature? Sounds like heaven to me.” His voice had dropped down to his lower register, liquefying her insides.
She bit her lip. How was she supposed to say no when he buttered her up so exquisitely?
To be clear, exposure to the extreme elements in the damn woods was not romantic. But being anywhere with him, was. The man towering over her looked like he might die if she didn’t agree to go ice skating.
It was a new experience, having a man hang on her every word. It was…nice. Better than nice, it was outrageously perfect. He wore his heart on his sleeve. And it beat loud and bright for her. Only her.
“Fine. On one condition,” she hesitated.
He brought her cold fingers to his lips. “Name it.”
“Don’t let me fall on my ass.”
“Done and done.” He opened her palm and placed a whisper of a kiss inside. “You have my word, I’ll guard it with my life.”
Tingles shot up her arm as he peppered the inside of her wrist with kisses. “I can’t believe I’m agreeing to this. Seducing me won’t always work. You know that, right?”
Heat gathered low in her belly. Who was she kidding? If Luke asked her to join him on a way ticket to Mars, she’d agree without too much hesitation.
His dreamy blue eyes entranced her, bending her to his will. Like a mindless insect, he repeatedly caught her in his web. And if he touched her with even a brush of his pinky finger, she was a goner.
Sometimes she convinced herself that his niceness was an elaborate act. In her experience, people could be cunning and extraordinarily manipulative. His selfless attraction to her all be an act. Conversely–and against all odds– he really could be one of the good ones. A rare unicorn amongst the chauvinistic pricks in the city.
But if Luke was one of the good ones, what was he doing slumming it with her?
Soon after, completely against her will, her wobbly legs were laced up tight into a pair of bright red ice skates. In the past fifteen minutes, she managed to take 3.5 steps on the massive blanket of ice. Kennedy counted that a tremendous success.
Who was she kidding. Baby Bambi had better coordination than she did. Compared to Luke’s athletic strides on the ice, Kennedy felt like an actual bumbling toddler.
Or a drunken toddler.
In the cabin’s back yard, the giant pond was framed by various misshapen lumps of snow. The night sky glittered with rays of pale moonlight. A solo floodlight illuminated their silhouettes. With only snowy rolling hills and elegant trees, the scene before them was both serene and haunting.
Luke rounded the ice like a speed demon. He was gloriously
mad, skating in endless loops and circles. She stared down at the bladed clown shoes adorning her feet. At least that’s how she viewed them. Kennedy took pride in her shoe wear. These ice skates were downright hideous. And they made her dainty feet look massive.
She looked back at the ice. Then down at her feet again. This was not going to go well to her.
Abruptly, Luke came to a stop less than ten feet away from her. Crooking a finger at her, he beckoned her with a slow movement.
She shook her head. Kennedy was comfortable right where she was, thank you.
“Come to me, babe.”
She figured that, at best, it would be four steps on the ice to reach him. Three if her body decided to cooperate. But if she stayed where she was, frozen and immobile in her corner of the pond, that still technically counted as ice skating. Right? Yes, it did.
Mind made up, she stayed put. “I’d better not.”
Keen eyes and a mischievous smirk told her that Luke wouldn’t let her have her way.
“I’ll come to you then.” He didn’t break eye contact as his skates delicately scratched the ice.
Kennedy felt a fresh surge of lust. Such a tasty morsel he was. The lingering scent of his cologne wafted her way. Thick hair swirled around his face, and his piercing blue eyes were laser-focused on her. With his height and playboy good looks, the man looked scrumptious.
Her distraction was her undoing.
“What are you doing?” She stammered.
“You won’t come to me, so I’ll come to you. Time to make good on your promise.” She recoiled when he reached out his hand. He tugged her arm anyway.
“But-but-” Eyes round as saucers, she hoped that he would get the message and leave her alone. She was petrified.
And then she was gliding. Luke pulled her further onto the ice, holding her steady by the waist. He skated backwards, pulling her along similar to a life guard rescuing someone with their life preserver.
Kennedy looked at the clown shoes slicing the ice. She was skating. Something she never thought she would do. Never wanted to do, yet it was happening.
Snow and Seduction (A Holiday Romance) Page 16