Alien Adoration (5 page)

Luke hesitated to take a step forward. Everyone had left them alone, but Rachel remained backed into the corner, her cheeks a vibrant shade of pink. She stared at him, wide-eyed, like he was a predator going in for the kill.
Is she afraid of me?

He held out his hand.
Will she take it, or is it time to admit she will never be mine?

A spark of electricity shot through his body, and he groaned. Her fingers grazed across the tips of his. Grasping his hand, she stood, but still remained silent.

When she was upset, he ached for her. The emotions she gave off now were different, a little fear and something else, a tingling sensation he felt in his groin.

“So, will you have dinner with me?” He braced for her rejection.

Still holding onto him, she swallowed. “Dinner?”

“Yes, Friday night.” He clenched his jaw, the wait for her answer excruciatingly long.

“I…”

Here came the rejection. “If you don’t want to, that’s fine. I just thought I’d save you from Mrs. Norris.”

Her grip tightened before she released his fingers. “Sorry, I’d love to have dinner with you. It’s just….”

She doesn’t date aliens.
Of course. Who would?

“I’m not into the whole one-night stand thing.”

Shit.
She’d seen the women leaving his house. How could she not with all the commotion they made? How could he prove to her he only wanted her? No one but her. If only she would give him a chance.

He tucked a loose strand of her hair behind her ear, and she didn’t flinch. “I promise I’m after more than one night with you.”

Chewing on her bottom lip, she drove him crazy with anticipation. He needed to know.

Finally, she
smiled, a playful gleam in her eyes. “Okay, where would you like me to meet you?”

“I’ll pick you up.” He clenched his fists to contain his excitement. If they weren’t in the bank, he would have wrapped his arms around her and spun her in circles.

Her eyes grew wide, terror all over her face. “But, what should I wear?”

He grinned, picturing her naked as he’d seen her at her bedroom window. “Anything you want.”

A throat cleared behind him. “Rachel, Mr. and Mrs. Smith are here.”

Her expression sobered. “Thank you, sir. I’ll only be a moment.”

Luke turned his head to ensure the other man had left before he leaned in to kiss her cheek. “I look forward to our date on Friday.”

He left without waiting for her reaction.
She said yes!
Now, he had to keep himself calm until Friday arrived, and hope she didn’t back out. He’d planned to take the rest of the day off, but not now. If he finished installing the cupboards for Mr. Murphy, he would have the entire weekend free. Plus, he needed something to occupy his mind so it would stop sending his dick ideas.

***

“Holy mother of God.” Christine rushed into her office and plopped down in a chair. “Luke Jones asked you out.”

“Yes,” she squealed. She wanted to jump up and down, to whoop and release everything she’d held in while helping the Smiths to renew their mortgage, but the bank was jam-packed with people.

Doubt pushed her excitement aside. “What am I supposed to wear? I‘m not like any of the women he’s ever invited over to his house.”

“Exactly.”
Christine leaned across her desk. “And they only lasted one night. Maybe he’s ready to settle down.”

Then she remembered the woman who’d left his house in the middle of the night just over a week ago. Her stomach clenched.

But this past weekend, there had been no one. And Luke had come to her rescue again. “Maybe.”

“Either way, you don’t want to pass on this opportunity. I have to know what he’s like in bed, whether or not he’s hung.”

“Christine!” Her cheeks warmed. She wondered the same thing. Though she would never admit it to her friend.

“What? It’s not every day you get asked out by someone so hot.”

She cringed, but couldn’t deny the truth. In terms of hot guys, Hanton only had her neighbor.

“I’m taking you to the spa in Allentown on Wednesday night. You’re getting a full body wax and your hair done.”

“But that will cost a fortune.” Unlike Christine, she didn’t live with her parents and paid her own bills. Every cent she spent was for essential items only.

“Is he worth it?”

God, yes.
Registration for the online courses she planned to take not paid for by the bank would have to wait until next term.

Chapter Four

After a lukewarm shower, Rachel rubbed After Wax lotion over her legs and in between her thighs. She’d been stripped of every single hair below her waist, had her eyebrows plucked to almost nothing, her upper lip bleached, and her locks colored and cut to resemble the latest Hollywood style. Missing so much hair, she felt lighter, except for the heavy bundle of nerves in her stomach making her want to vomit. She’d never been so nervous in her life.

All week she’d drifted off into space, wondering what Luke had planned for their date, and whether they would have another. Tonight, she would find out.

During their trip to Allentown, Christine kept hinting to her that Luke might want a serious relationship, but she refused to get her hopes up. Two weeks since his last one-night stand could hardly mean he wanted a permanent girlfriend.
He probably just needs a break after the long hours he put in this week at work.
Either that, or he’d spent his evenings at another woman’s house before coming home.

Her stomach twisted. No, she had to tuck those thoughts away. Tonight was about her and Luke. And he’d promised her more.

She slipped on a silk thong, very aware of her hairless skin. Every brush of material left her ready to run next door, begging for him to take her.
How am I going to last through dinner?
Reaching into her closet, she lifted out the short, fitted green dress Christine had helped her pick out. She slid the stretchy material over her head and down her body. After tucking her boobs into the bodice, she glanced in the mirror, twisting to observe all angles. The Lycra hugged every curve, but left her with the ability to move. Maybe she could look like the women who frequented her neighbor’s house. She added some liner and mascara around her eyes and flavored gloss to her lips. As she dashed downstairs, her excitement built.

She strapped on her heels then sat on the couch and waited.
Come and get me, Luke Jones.

***

Luke took a deep breath then rang the doorbell. Wiping his palms on his pants, he heard the click of her heels getting closer. He’d waited for this night for so long, too afraid of rejection to make it happen sooner.

The door opened and he stumbled back. With a sharp inhale, he gripped the porch and stared. Rachel, the woman he’d asked out on Monday, had transformed herself into a radiant beauty, and he prayed to the far reaches of the universe she would be his.
Beautiful before, she left him breathless, and his blood rushed straight to his cock. Her shorter hair exposed a long neck he wanted to taste, and her dress should be illegal, even more revealing than the outfit she’d worn when she fell in the river.

“Hi.” She smiled, and her cheeks flushed. “Am I dressed okay for where we’re going?”

“Perfect.” How could she be anything else? He lifted her chin to gaze into her stunning green eyes, a color he’d tried to emulate in his own, but never got quite right. “You look absolutely gorgeous.”

Her cheeks reddened further. He longed to kiss her, press her against the solid oak behind her and taste her luscious pink lips.

“So, where are we going for dinner?” She gazed up at him, her lips parted.

He gulped.
“My house.” And if they didn’t go now, she would likely be picking splinters out of her ass after he had his way with her in front of the entire neighborhood.

She tilted her head then peeked next door. “I thought—”

Fuck!
“We can go to Chez Louis in Allentown if you’d like.” He should have planned differently. Rachel wasn’t like every other woman he had dated. With a dress more suited to a fancy restaurant, would she want to help him prepare a meal in his kitchen? He expected her to find it romantic to cook together.
Shit.
Overly anxious to spend the night with her, he hadn’t thought his plan through.

She rubbed the back of his arm before sliding her fingers across his palm. “No, your place is fine. It’s more…intimate.”

Her whispered last word revived his cock. If she wanted intimate, there was no better place than his home.

Squeezing her hand, he took the first step down the walkway. “Let’s go then.”

Without hesitation, she strolled along beside him. He felt her rapid pulse from her palm.
Nerves? Or can she sense the electricity between us?
Her emotions weren’t strong enough for him to read, but he definitely felt an increase in her responsiveness. Making and eating dinner without exploring everything under her glove-like dress would be a challenge. He longed to rip it off standing there in the driveway, and take her over his bike. The mental image left him groaning.

He stopped at his front door.
“Something wrong?”

“No, I’m just really hungry.”
For you.

“Me, too.”

He fumbled with the handle, and rested his arm behind her waist to guide her inside. A faint blue glow blanketed the entire house. Any other woman who’d been inside had the crystal flashing red. Did it approve of Rachel? He hoped so. He wanted no one more.

Luke toured her around the main floor of his home and Rachel gawked with every turn.
No way.
Everything was clean lines, black leather furnishings in the living room, and stainless steel appliances, walnut cupboards, and granite countertops in the kitchen. She’d never expected the decor to be so contemporary.

Except her bed, her house contained a mish-mash of used furniture neighbors had donated to help her replace the worn-out stuff left behind by her parents. After a year of working at the bank and paying off all of their debt save for the mortgage, she’d bought herself a new bed. It was the most expensive thing she owned, worth more than the rusty tin can on wheels she drove around when needed. She always woke up free of aches and pains, except for the nights when slamming doors and squealing tires startled her awake.

Her stomach twisted. She came from nothing, couldn’t compete with any of his previous dates with their expensive sports cars and fancy clothes. The funds she’d used to buy the dress would take a month to replace, and that didn’t include the waxing, hair style, new shoes, or lingerie. She’d turned herself into someone else. Why had Luke even asked her out?

“Can I kiss you?”

She gazed up at him, caught off guard by his question. “What?”

He smiled and ran his hand up and down her arm. “Can I kiss you? I don’t think I can make it through dinner if I don’t.”

His dark green eyes, a shade away from black, captivated her. They were so intense and full of passion. All for the woman she’d transformed into to spend the night with him. She turned away. She couldn’t do it. God, she wanted to feel his lips on hers, to experience the thrill of the man of her fantasies making love to her, but it could never happen. Not like this. “Luke, this isn’t me. The dress, hair style, and even the lack of hair south of the border is not who I am. I can’t be one of those women who leave you in the middle of the night.”

Would he back off, end their date before she had the chance to blink?

No, he stepped closer, backing her into the counter, his groin pressing against her belly. He cupped the sides of her face and stared into her eyes, his gaze more focused than ever. “I told you, I don’t want those women. While I’m flattered you went through all that trouble for me, I’d still want to kiss you if you hadn’t. I’ve wanted you since I moved in.”

His lips grazed hers, and she closed her eyes, forgetting all of her reasons to stop him.

“I’ve just been too afraid.”

Afraid?
She didn’t have time to comprehend his whispered words. He kissed down her neck and along her jaw line. Then he claimed her mouth. Gripping the edge of his shirt, she lost herself in the thrill. Finally, she was locking lips with Luke Jones.

He lined her lips with his tongue, and she opened to him, allowing his sweet invasion. He ran his hands down her arms
then grabbed her hips, lifting her onto the counter. Desire flooded her every thought. She couldn’t stop him even if she wanted.

Spreading her legs open, she allowed him to move between them. His hard shaft teased her core, every nerve in her body lighting up in response. She moaned.
Yes.

His hand slid past the top of her dress, cupping a breast. Just like in her fantasies. She threw her head back as he sucked on her pebbled tip. His tongue swirled and he ground against her. Wetness pooled between her thighs. For the first time ever, she would come before dinner.