Come Away With Me (18 page)

Hilary places the leather check holder on the table and walks away.

Luke opens it and frowns, then smiles and passes it to me. Instead of a check, there is a note.

We appreciate your patience and generosity toward our staff. Today’s lunch is on the house, and please accept this $250 gift card to join us again, uninterrupted, soon.

—The Management “Oh my. I guess my chat with the manager worked.”

“Looks like a date night is in our future.” Luke grins and slips the card in his wallet.

***

“Natalie, I had such a good time tonight. I know my husband will love these photos.” Darla gives me a smile and a hug before leaving the studio.

“He’s going to swallow his tongue when he sees these, I guarantee it.”

“Maybe we can come in sometime before the holidays and do a couples session. It sounds like a lot of fun.”

Darla slings her black Coach handbag on her shoulder.

“I would love that! Just let me know when you’d like to set it up. I’ll walk you out.”

I wave goodbye to Darla and start cleaning up from our boudoir session.

Darla was a lot of fun; very pretty and flirty, and she had some great ideas too.

I gather some lingerie that will need to go to the cleaners and push furniture back in place, turning off the bright photography lights when my phone pings.

My heart leaps, and I can’t help but hope it’s Luke. He dropped me off at home after our lunch date and said he had some work to take care of at home, which was fine because I needed to do some laundry and work myself.

But I miss him, and the thought of not seeing him until tomorrow morning when I go to the gym with him – which still fills me with dread – is a depressing thought.

Are you finished with your session, baby?

I do love it when he calls me baby.

Just finished, going inside now.

What are you doing?

I lock up the studio and head into the house. Fall is in the air now, and after the sun sets it’s really chilly, so I hug my hoodie around me as I cross the back yard.

Jules left the kitchen light on for me, and I stop at the fridge to grab myself a bottle of water and a handful of grapes before heading up to my bedroom. As I climb the stairs, I hear Adele crooning, and wonder briefly if it’s coming from Jules’ bedroom.

I walk into my own room and stop.

Holy shit.

The music is coming from my room, and there’s Luke, sitting on my bed, barefoot, in black basketball shorts and a black t-shirt. He’s frowning at his laptop and biting his thumbnail.

“So this is what you’re doing.”

He smiles and looks up at the sound of my voice.

“I hope you don’t mind, Jules let me in. I thought I’d just wait for you here.”

I walk over to the bed and crawl up next to him, offering him my last grape.

“I don’t mind. I was just thinking about you.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah.”

He closes his computer and sets it on the floor and when he sits back up I climb on his lap.

“I was afraid you’d think I was being presumptuous.” I hear the smile in his voice as he kisses my head, and I settle in and nuzzle his chest. It’s just so good to see him, to touch him.

“You are being presumptuous, but I don’t mind.”

“I missed you today.”

I pull back and run my fingers down his face. “You saw me at lunch.”

“So I did. But that was hours ago. I can’t seem to get enough of you, baby.”

“Are you staying the night?” I ask breathlessly.

“If you’ll let me, yes.”

“Good.”

I reach up and kiss the side of his mouth, his chin, his nose, while running my fingers through his soft hair. His beautiful eyes are watching mine, and he’s patiently letting me touch and kiss him. His hands are softly rubbing up and down my back and desire is lazily unfurling through me.

I grip the hem of his shirt in my hands and lean back so I can pull it up over his head.

“I love your body,” I murmur as I run my hands over his shoulders, his chest and down his arms and his hands tighten on my ass.

“Do you?”

“Hmmm…” I kiss his neck and nibble up to his ear. “You’re fucking hot.”

“Jesus, baby, I want you.” I feel powerful and sexy, knowing that I’m making him crazy with my touch, and I just want us both naked. Now.

“I’m yours, Luke.”

His eyes smolder. “Damn right you’re mine.”

He makes quick work of my hoodie, top and bra, and then pushes me back onto the bed so he can strip me out of my pants and underwear. His mouth is all over me now, on my breasts, my neck, my side. My hands are in his hair as he shimmies out of his shorts and boxers, discarding them onto the floor.

“Oh Luke.” My blood is thrumming now and I have to have him inside me.

“Yes, baby, what do you need?”

“You, in me. Now.” He smiles against my stomach and laves my piercing with his tongue.

“Not yet.”

I groan and move my hips under him.

“Not yet baby.” He stills my hips with his hands and climbs up my torso, leaning on his elbow at my side. He kisses me deeply, slowly, his tongue doing incredibly delicious things to my mouth. His strong hand is stroking up and down my side and I grasp his face in my hands and return his kiss with equal ardor.

I gasp as his fingers find my nipple and pull relentlessly, sending little zings of pleasure down to my groin. I can’t help but resume moving my hips and I run my hand down his side and around to cup his ass, pulling him to me.

“Fuck Nat, you’re so beautiful.” His wicked mouth is making its way down my throat. He runs his hand down my back, over my ass, and hitches my leg up around his hip. He pushes forward and slowly, barely, slips just the tip of his cock inside me.

“Oh God yes.”

“Is this what you want?”

“Yes!” I wrap my arms around him, pulling him to me. Suddenly he rolls on top of me, and I hitch the other leg around him and he thrusts into me, all the way. I roll my hips and he groans, his lips on mine, his elbows at the side of my head and hands buried in my hair.

I grip his ass in my hands but he stops abruptly and gazes down at me, his eyes are molten blue, the look on his face absolutely serious and almost reverent.

“What’s wrong?” I ask breathlessly.

He shakes his head and closes his eyes as if he’s in pain, and a sliver of panic pierces my heart.

“What is it?” I smooth my hand down his cheek.

“I just…” He opens his eyes again, pinning me in his intense stare and starts to move his hips once again, pistoning in and out of me like there’s more than just desire pushing him.

“You just feel so good, baby.”

I groan and move my hips, meeting his, and then he sits back on his heels quickly, taking me with him, not breaking our precious contact. I wrap my arms around his neck and plant my feet beside his hips and he guides me up and down his shaft, his hands planted firmly on my ass.

I feel the oh-so-familiar tightening of my body as my orgasm nears, and he must feel it too because he picks up the pace and pulls me down on him harder.

“Give it to me, baby… Come on, beautiful… Come for me.” And I shatter around him, completely exhausted.

He pulls me down one more time and erupts beneath me, calling out my name with his release.

***

Luke is wrapped around me in my bed, his front pressed against my back.

It’s warm and comfortable and just…

safe.

“You’ve become quite insatiable since I met you, Natalie.”

I can’t help but laugh. “Yeah, I’m just using you for your body.”

“I knew it!” He tickles my ribs and I squirm in his arms, turning to face him.

“Are you going to kick my ass in the gym tomorrow?” I run my fingertip over his lower lip.

“No, I’d prefer to watch your ass.” I giggle and kiss his chin.

“You can do that anytime, you don’t need to take me to the gym to do it.”

“It’ll be fun to work out together.”

“Okay.”

“Trust me.”

“I do, implicitly.” The honesty in my voice is absolute. I do trust him, and it fills me with a warmth I’ve not felt since before my parents died.

Luke kisses my forehead and tucks me in against his chest. “Go to sleep, beautiful girl.”

“Wake up, baby.” Luke is brushing my hair off my face and gently kissing my forehead.

I want him to go away so I can bury myself in the covers and go back to sleep. It’s too early!

“No.”

“Come on, honey, open those pretty green eyes.”

“I don’t have to.”

He chuckles and kisses my cheek.

“Come on, morning girl, wake up. It’s time to go get me all hot and bothered at the gym.”

I roll onto my side and open one eye, peering at him uncertainly.

“You hate me.”

“No, baby, just the opposite. Come on, let’s get up.” He brushes his lips over my cheek and then my lips again and I sigh.

“Let’s stay here and get all hot and bothered, handsome.”

“Oh, no you don’t. Come on, up.” He slaps my ass and rolls away from me.

He’s already dressed!

“Oh Jesus, you’re a morning person.

This could change everything.” I sit up and stretch and eye him warily.

“Gonna dump me already?” He smiles delightedly.

“I’m thinking about it.” I rub my hands down my face and realize I smell coffee.

“Do I smell coffee?”

Luke picks a mug up off the end table and takes a sip. “I brought this up for you, but since you’re dumping me, I’ll drink it myself.”

I lunge up off the bed and dive for the mug in his hand.

“Mine!”

“Ah, ah, ah!” He holds it out of my reach. “You hurt my feelings.”

His grin betrays him, but I play along, enjoying this game. “I’m so sorry. Can I please have that coffee?”

I bite my lip and gaze up at him innocently through my eyelashes.

He purses his lips and moves his head from side to side as if considering my request.

“Well, maybe. If you kiss me.”

I pucker up and lift my face to his, planting my lips on his cheek with a loud smack.

“Now?” I ask.

“Oh, I think you can do better than that. This is really good coffee.” He takes another sip and moves quickly away from me as I lunge at him again.

Changing my tactics I slide my hand in his shorts and grip his growing erection in my hand, rubbing up and down.

“Now?”

His eyes dilate and he grins wickedly. “I do love the way you think, baby.”

He hands me the mug and I release him, walking toward the bathroom.

“Hey!”

“I’m gonna get you hot and bothered at the gym, not here.” I toss over my shoulder and shut the door behind me while Luke laughs.

“Honey,” he yells through the door, “You get me hot and bothered everywhere.”

***

Luke’s gym is small and out of the way, which shouldn’t surprise me. He’s less likely to be recognized here, and I like that it seems to be a no-nonsense kind of place, with upbeat rock pumping through the sound system, and no frills.

No smoothie bar, no girls meandering about with hardly any clothes on.

People come here to work out, not be seen.

It’s so him.

“Where do you want to start?” he asks me as he ushers me ahead of him through the door.

“We’re not meeting with your trainer?” I’m relieved that it will just be us today. I don’t feel confident enough to work with a trainer. I know that I’m strong and toned, despite my curves, but I don’t like strangers touching me or looking at my body.

“Just us today, baby.”

“Okay, I think I’ll run for a bit.”

“Sounds good.” He leads me to a line of treadmills and we choose two machines side by side at the end of the row.

“I brought music.” I pull my iPhone and ear buds out of my bra and plug them in my ears.

“What else do you have in there?” He laughs and I join him. I love his carefree mood today. He’s having fun, and it makes me relax. “That’s fine; I’m going to watch the news.” He points to the flat screen TV in front of us.

He shows me how to work the treadmill, gets me started, then jumps on his and breaks out into a steady jog.

My mouth goes dry. Sweet Mother of God, this man is amazing. He moves with no effort, and I have to consciously look away before I trip.

I crank up my music – Lady Gaga today – and set my pace with the beat of the music. I’ve always liked to run; I just never seem to find the time.

I watch the instrument panel in front of me and empty my mind, listening to Ms.

Gaga sing about a bad romance. Within minutes I’m in the zone, and I smile as Kelly Clarkson sings about being stronger.

Yes, I could get used to this.

Before I know it, thirty minutes and about three miles have passed, and I’m sweating like crazy. I slow the belt down to walk for five minutes, then hop off, reaching for my water. I look to my right where Luke was but he’s gone.

I frown and search across the gym looking for him. I don’t immediately see him, so I gather my towel, tuck my phone into my bra and wander out among the free weights.

“Can I help you find something?” I whirl around at the deep voice and then grin.

“Brad! Hey, how’s it going?”

“Good.”

He pats me on the shoulder, gripping me for just a few seconds longer than polite, and continues to smile widely.

“I haven’t seen you in here before.

Thinking of joining?”

“Oh, I’m here with someone today.”

“Cool. Can I get you some water, or a fresh towel?”

“You must work here.” I mutter dryly.

“Oh, yeah, I do. Hey, I can show you how to use some of the weights if you want.”

“That won’t be necessary.” Both Brad and I twirl at the sound of Luke’s cold voice.

“Hey.” Brad smiles at Luke and holds out his hand. “I didn’t introduce myself yesterday. I’m Brad.”

Luke shakes his hand and gives him a smile, but it doesn’t reach his eyes.

“Luke.”

Brad’s eyes widen and he swallows.

“Holy shit, you’re Luke Williams.”

Luke’s smile doesn’t falter. “Yes, I am.”

“Well, um…” Brad gives me a quizzical glance then smiles back at Luke. “It’s nice to meet you. Catch you later, Natalie.” He nods at me and disappears among the weights.