“Yes, we will. We can take my car, and then, I’ll bring you back later.”
“No, it’s okay. I’ll follow you. Why drive back here when you don’t have to?”
Merlin nodded. “It’s not far. When we get to the house, you can pull into the driveway.”
He waited until she was in her car and started the engine before walking over to his truck. When he was sure she was behind him, he led the way to his house.
His palms may have been sweating just a little, but he’d never admit that to anyone.
Chapter 7
Luke parked in the street and waited as Gwen pulled into the driveway. She would have to remember to tell Gramps about that. She could hear him now—“Someone raised that young man right.”
She parked and put on the emergency brake. The neighborhood seemed to be family-oriented with basketball hoops in the driveways and toys in the front yards. After confessing he never planned to settle down, the area seemed like an odd choice.
Luke’s house was an older two-story home painted a pale yellow with black shutters. It wasn’t a color scheme she’d have chosen, but it fit the house. The front yard was a mass of solid-green lawn disrupted by three enormous magnolia trees and the flower beds near the front door. Bright-pink impatiens and orange-and-yellow lantana grew among magenta azaleas and greenery she didn’t recognize. It didn’t look like the home of a badass soldier.
Gwen was so focused on the house that Luke’s gentle knock on the driver’s side window made her jump and drop the car keys she’d been holding.
“Are you okay?” Luke asked as he opened her car door.
Gwen reached for the keys and grabbed her purse. “I was admiring your home. It’s lovely.”
Luke chuckled. “I know what you’re thinking. Don’t worry, you’re not the first one to doubt I live here. But when I bought the house, it was in foreclosure and needed a lot of renovations,” he explained as they walked toward his front door.
“Really? You did all this?” She needed to add Handy to Mr. Tall, Dark, and Sexy.
“That was the plan initially, but we were away so often that it was taking me forever.”
“Did the renovation fairies fix it for you?” Gwen teased.
Luke unlocked the door and let her enter first. After seeing the landscaping, the inside shouldn’t have been as much of a surprise, but it took her breath away. The floors were a dark hardwood, and the walls were a pale yellow. The combination was elegant, a repetition of the color scheme of the outside. Off to the right of the front door, an antique table held a vase filled with bright yellow-and-white roses that softly scented the air. It felt like she’d stepped into the pages of Architectural Digest.
“Wow. I’m really impressed,” Gwen said as she took in her surroundings. “Collecting rare books definitely fits you after seeing your home.”
“I’m not sure I get what you mean?”
“I’ve met a lot of regular guys. None of them lived in a house that could grace the pages of a magazine. It’s not what I pictured; it’s very traditional. I figured you’d have a condo decorated in lots of brown leather. This is like an oxymoron. But not in a bad way.” She hoped she didn’t offend him. His home made a statement, but it didn’t fit what she knew of him.
“You’re right; it isn’t me—at least, not most of it. My interior plans were nothing like this, but it wasn’t leather, either.” Luke grinned as he led her farther into the house. “While I was away, my mother thought it would be wonderful to surprise me. After being away for a month, I walked in to find this. I thought I was in the wrong house.”
Gwen giggled as she imagined the look on his face when he opened the door—sort of like finding Oz on the other side of a tornado. “I can’t even…”
“Exactly how I felt. I knew she was trying to help, but I’d been looking forward to doing the work even if it was slow. She didn’t touch the library since she wasn’t sure what it would need. So, that room is all me.”
The real him. She’d bet the first edition of Robinson Crusoe that there weren’t any antiques and flowers in his library.
“I can’t wait to see it and your collection,” Gwen said, curious to see his decorating style.
“It’s in the back of the house. This way.” Luke took her hand and twined their fingers together as he led her down the hallway.
His touch sent tingles of desire straight up her arm and down her spine, stopping to pulse in her core. If she couldn’t get a grip on her raging hormones, she’d be throwing herself at him before the afternoon was over. Focus, Gwen.
A painting on the wall caught her eye. “Is that a real Renoir?”
“Yeah. It’s my mother’s. She thought it would look great. Most of the art is from my family.” Luke sounded embarrassed to admit it.
Holy shit. Similar paintings covered much of the long hallway. If they were all originals, she hoped he had good security. Having money in his family was one more point in his favor. It guaranteed that he wasn’t interested in her wealth like the last guy she’d dated.
“I know all about family. I could tell you stories from when I bought my house. But it means they love us, right?” Just thinking about that near fiasco made Gwen sigh.
“Very true. I contemplated redecorating a few times, but I don’t want to hurt Mom’s feelings. She was so proud of herself. Whenever the guys come over, the shit starts, and that’s when I end up rethinking my choice,” Luke said with a wry grin.
“But she left the library for you, right?”
“Right, and the master bedroom. But not the bathroom.” Luke typed in a code into a computerized lock and pushed open the door. “Ready?”
“Definitely.” The urge to close her eyes and hold her breath made Gwen smile to herself. It was silly. The room would give her more insight into the gorgeous man standing next to her, but her intuition had already decided he was a good man.
“Go ahead,” he said as he waited for her to walk by him.
The scent of old books hit her as she entered the room. It was like coming home. The bookshelves extended from the floor to the ceiling and were accessed by a ladder connected to a metal rail system. He hadn’t been kidding when he said he had an extensive collection.
The room was masculine without being boyish. The biggest surprise was the lack of a large TV on the wall. But it wasn’t difficult to envision him sitting on the burgundy couch, with a glass of scotch and a book in his hand.
“What do you think?”
“I love it. I can’t believe you did all of this yourself. It must have taken a long time, but it’s definitely you.” Gwen smiled as she faced him.
“The guys helped me install the bookshelves and hook up the ladder. The only thing it’s missing is a fireplace. But since this is Texas, I didn’t think I’d use it enough. Plus, it wouldn’t be great for the books.”
“That’s true. Is this where you were last night when you called?”
“Yup, if I’m home, I’m usually here, in the kitchen, or in bed.”
“I don’t blame you. I’d probably sleep here, too,” Gwen said, and her cheeks heated as she realized what she’d implied.
“I’m glad you feel that way.” Luke closed the distance between them and tilted her face up with a finger under her chin. “It means I did it right.” His smile diverted the heat from her cheeks, and it sizzled over her skin.
“Oh, you definitely did it right.” Her voice was breathless as she stared at his lips. How would they feel against her? How would he taste?
“I’m going to kiss you.”
Her insides screamed, “Hell, yeah!” Speech eluded her, but she managed a nod. His eyes glowed like amber as he slid his fingers through her hair and lowered his lips to hers.
The first touch of his lips was gentle, softly caressing hers, nibbling and tasting. Her sigh parted her lips and allowed him entry, the darting of his tongue tasting like mint and coffee.
The need to touch him became overwhelming, and she stepped closer,
her hands settling on his chest. As her fingers grazed across his rock-hard abs, he growled and deepened the kiss. His tongue swept her mouth, sliding across hers, tangling sensuously. Then he tightened his hold and pulled her closer, his erection pushing against her stomach.
Luke groaned and rested his forehead against hers. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean for it to go so far. I was just going to steal a brief kiss, but when I touched you…I needed more.”
Gwen worried she’d taken temptation too far. Her lips still tingled, and her insides had melted into a puddle of need. If that was just one kiss, what would happen when they made love?
“Gwen?”
“I’m not upset, I promise. I’m just… Wow. It sounds silly, but you took my breath away. I probably shouldn’t admit that, though.”
Yeah, she shouldn’t have from the look of satisfaction on his face. He might be a lot of things, but he was also a total alpha male.
“I’m glad. The last thing I want to do is scare you away.”
“You didn’t. Surprised me, yes. But definitely not scared.” That might have been a teeny lie. All she could think about was kissing him again and seeing where it would lead. Scary craziness. She’d never had sex on the first date, had never even considered it. But imagining lying next to him, exploring, tasting him soaked her panties.
“I think I need a drink.” She needed to get a grip before she jumped him.
“Definitely, I’m sorry. I should have asked. What would you like? I have iced tea. It’s not sweetened, but I have sugar. Or there’s ice water or juice.”
“I’ll have the tea and no sugar is fine.”
“Do you want lemon or mint?”
“You have mint?”
“Yeah, I have a small herb garden in the kitchen.” His cheeks colored.
Why would that embarrass him? Must be more crap that he’d gotten from his friends.
“I’d love some mint. I have some in my kitchen, too. It’s so easy, I don’t know why everyone doesn’t grow it,” she said with a smile, hoping to soothe his embarrassment. “Should I follow you, or are we allowed to drink in here?”
“As long as you’re careful. Otherwise, there will be a price to pay,” Luke said as he headed toward the hall. “You can stay and look around. I won’t be long.”
Luke’s ass was impressive in those slacks, but so was the rest of him. The dark-blue pants and tan polo shirt did nothing to hide his muscular frame, even though the outfit was better suited to a trust-fund baby than a soldier.
Being born into a wealthy family, she’d known plenty of those. That life didn’t interest her or her grandparents. But when her parents were home, they enjoyed playing golf and tennis. Sometimes, she wondered how she was their child.
The book collection was as impressive as Luke said. Gwen recognized several books that her grandparents had searched for over the years. She wondered if he’d inherited some of the books from his grandfather. It would have taken years to amass the collection otherwise.
As Gwen concentrated on the books, her desire cooled, and her brain cleared. Hopefully, by the time he returned, she’d be thinking clearly. Then she spotted a copy of the Iliad of Homer. She hesitated for just a moment, then gently pulled the first volume off the shelf and wandered over to the leather sofa. The book looked like a first edition. She should probably be wearing gloves. There was no way he wouldn’t have them with a collection like this, but there weren’t any on the coffee table.
A massive, mahogany desk stood in front of a wide window, and she went over to look for some gloves. Outside, tall oaks edged the yard and kept it secluded. It was a beautiful view. His library was everything she’d expected and more. It made her more than a little jealous.
There were no gloves on top of the desk, just the Life of Merlin. She returned to the sofa and sat, staring at the Iliad. As much as she wanted to be extra careful with the book, she couldn’t resist it even without the gloves. She opened the cover.
Luke returned carrying two glasses of iced tea as she started her examination of the title page.
“Ahh, you found the Iliad. I have all eleven volumes. The Iliad and the Odyssey started my collection.”
“And it’s the first edition, too. I tried to find gloves before I opened it. I know how valuable it is; I’ve had customers trying to get their hands on a set for years. Where on Earth did you find them?” Gwen asked as she gently placed the book on the coffee table and took the glass of tea.
Luke strode over to his desk and returned with a pair of cotton gloves. “My grandfather gave it to me on my eighteenth birthday.”
“That’s quite a present.” Gwen sipped the minty tea and tried not to gaze at his lips.
“Yes, it was. He was an amazing man, and I still miss him.” Luke sat next to her on the couch.
“A part of him will always be with you.” Gwen squeezed his hand, empathy for his loss drawing her to him. It only lasted a heartbeat, but just that touch filled her with warmth.
“Yes, he will.” After a sip of the tea, he placed the glass on a coaster and turned to her, all traces of sadness gone. “So, what do you think?”
“I’m impressed—as you knew I would be. Nothing like teasing a book nerd with the promise of seeing a rare collection. But there’s no way you found this all by yourself.” It wasn’t a question, but she was curious.
“I’m glad you are, and yeah, maybe I hoped to impress you at least a little. And you’re right, a lot of these came from my grandfather’s library. But I’ve gotten fairly good at tracking down what I want.”
The heated look he gave her sent fresh heat to her core. If she weren’t careful, she’d end up climbing into his lap and kissing him until they were both senseless. Just the thought sent heat to her cheeks.
“Like Life of Merlin? Have you started it yet?”
“I did but didn’t get far. It was a long day yesterday, and I get up early for PT.”
“Physical therapy?”
“No, physical training. I usually go for a ten-mile run, then do some weight training. It makes sure I’m ready for whatever comes up.”
“Even on Sundays?” Gwen didn’t think she’d get through even a one-mile run.
“Unless it’s not safe where we are. But yeah, every day. I’ve been doing it for so long, it’s second nature.”
“I’m lucky I can make it down the block to Beans. I’d probably keel over if I tried to do more. I do yoga pretty much every day, and I have an elliptical, but I don’t use it much at all.”
“Why? You’re perfect already.” Luke replied, his caramel eyes showing the truth of his words.
“I look like a librarian, and if I listen to Grams, I’m an old maid, too.”
Luke chuckled, and the sound sent more tingles of desire down her spine. It was surprising how much his sharp cheekbones and chiseled jaw softened when he smiled or laughed.
“Well, you’re the sexiest librarian I’ve ever seen, and I’ve seen my share. I think you should put your glass down, so you don’t spill it.”
“Why would I spill it?” Then Gwen saw the look in his eyes. The smoldering amber color exuded enough heat to melt her into a puddle of goo.
He didn’t wait for her to put it down. Gently, he took it from her and placed it on the coffee table then pulled her onto his lap. His erection nudged her hip and need pulsed in her core.
Hot breath blew over her ear just before he licked and nibbled her lobe. Then he kissed along her jaw until he reached her mouth, slanting across her lips with wicked intent. His tongue demanded access. Moaning, her lips parted. Their tongues dueled, tasting each other.
Gwen squirmed against him as she slid her hands into his thick, silky-brown hair. She needed more and groaned when he pulled away. Worried he would stop, she was about to protest. Then he lifted her like she weighed nothing and angled her, so she straddled his lap.
Luke’s eyes burned with desire and his erection throbbed hard and hot against her crotch. Her clit pulsed as her panties floo
ded with her desire, and she wondered if he could feel her heat. Then his mouth possessed hers in a scorching kiss, and all she could think about was how much she wanted his hands on her.
As she wriggled against him, he moaned. “You’re killing me, princess.”
Her heart melted at the endearment as she tried to catch her breath. His erection twitched against her, and her clit answered. Luke’s lips were magic, and she’d fallen under his spell.
Gwen had never been so aroused, and they’d only kissed.
“You’re doing the same to me. Did you put something in my tea?” she teased.
He lifted her off his lap and pulled away. As she looked up in confusion, his chiseled features hardened to granite, and amber sparks lit in his caramel eyes. What had just happened?
Luke rose and walked across the library to lean against his desk. Anger rolled off him in waves. She tried to rewind the last few minutes in her head, but her brain was still fuzzy from the passion racing along her nerve endings.
“Maybe this was a mistake,” Luke said, his expression closed.
“Wait. Whatever I did, or said, I’m sorry.” Gwen’s words tumbled out of her mouth. “You had me so turned on, I’m not sure what I said. But I never meant to make you angry or hurt or…” They needed to fix this before they lost something precious. She knew it to the center of her being.
“You really don’t know what you said?” Disbelief colored his words.
“Really. Luke, I have never reacted to a man’s touch or kiss this way. Ever. My heart is still racing, and I can’t think straight. Whatever it was, please forgive me.” Desperation filled Gwen as she waited, afraid to move, to breathe.
“You asked if I put something in your drink.”
She winced. Stupid, Gwen. “I’d never believe you’d do that. It was just…a stupid joke. To laugh off the way you make me feel.”
“Over the years, I’ve seen too many women hurt or worse. These men thought nothing of drugging them. That you thought I could be capable of that...” He leaned against the desk and ran his hands through his hair in agitation.
Gwen reached for her glass and took a sip of the tea, searching her brain for something to say to fix this. Her horrible choice of words had ruined the most passionate afternoon of her life, and she didn’t know if their fledgling relationship would recover. Luke looked like she’d stabbed him.
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