Come Away With Me (21 page)

“You’re good at this.”

He smiles down at me. “The studio made me take lessons.”

“I approve.”

“I’m happy to hear it.” As the song ends he pulls me closer against his chest and wraps his arms around me, planting his lips gently on my forehead. “Come home with me tonight.”

“You’d rather go to your place tonight?”

“Yes. I want you in my bed.”

I smile and run my fingers through his soft blonde hair, soaking in his beautiful face. His eyes are so blue, his freshly shaven jaw chiseled. I’ve never loved anyone so much.

“Okay. I’m going to need a few things from my house.”

His fingers trace my skin just under the pearls and a shiver dances down my spine. “Jules already took care of it.”

I raise an eyebrow. “Pretty sure of yourself.”

“Just hopeful, baby.” He kisses my forehead again, and cups my face in his hands. His lips find my nose, my cheeks and then settle softly on my lips. It’s one of his special, gentle kisses and I sigh as the muscles deep in my stomach begin to tighten.

“Take me home,” I whisper against his lips and his eyes blink open, burning with desire.

He leads me back to the table and I see that our things have been gathered up and most likely taken to the car. The waiter appears with my wrap and handbag and Luke tucks my hand in the crook of his elbow and escorts me back to the car, sliding across the leather seat behind me.

Inside, there is a fresh bottle of champagne and another fresh red rose.

“What is it with you and red roses?”

“You don’t like them?” His voice is worried, and he furrows his brow.

“No, I love them. You’re just spoiling me.” I bury my nose in the blossom and peek up at him through my lashes.

“You look very beautiful right now, in those pearls and black dress and red rose pressed to your face.” He runs his finger down my cheek and I sigh.

“Thank you.”

“Come here.” He lifts me effortlessly onto his lap and I curl into him, burying my face in his neck.

“Tonight was the most magical night of my life, Luke.”

I feel his smile as he kisses my forehead. “Mine too.”

***

“Wake up, baby, we’re home.” Luke is kissing my forehead and brushing my cheek with his fingers.

“I’m sorry I fell asleep.” I sit up and realize I’m still clutching the rose.

“I love holding you while you sleep, baby. Come on, let’s go in.” The driver opens Luke’s door and he lifts me onto the seat next to him, ushering me out ahead of him. He thanks the driver and escorts me into the house.

My feet are starting to feel the effects of these fantastically beautiful shoes, but I don’t want to take them off yet. Luke removes my wrap from my shoulders, skimming his fingers across my skin and just like that my libido wakes up.

“Are your feet hurting?” He’s always so aware of how I might be feeling, and it makes me smile.

“A little, but I’m okay.”

He leans down and scoops me into his arms and begins the journey up to his bedroom.

“You do enjoy carrying me,” I murmur and kiss his cheek.

“It’s for purely selfish reasons.”

“Oh? And what are those reasons?” I kiss his cheek again. I love the way his skin feels against my face.

“Well, one, I enjoy having you in my arms. And two, I don’t want you to take those shoes off yet.”

He carries me into his bedroom and sets me down on my feet in the middle of the room. He flips a switch on the wall and the light on the end table illuminates, throwing soft shadows across the room.

“Let me help you out of that dress.”

I turn around and he kisses my shoulder as he lowers the zipper down the back and slips the straps down my arms. The dress falls and pools at my feet. He holds my hand and I step out of it and turn back toward him.

He gasps and steps back from me, not touching me, and I’ve never felt more beautiful. His eyes are shining with adoration and desire, skimming over my hair and pearls, down to my breasts held firmly in place by a black lace strapless bra. He lowers his gaze over my belly piercing, black lace barely-there panties that match the bra, garter belt, stockings and down to my killer red shoes.

Yes, I know I look amazing right now, and it’s the most powerful, sexy feeling in the world.

I don’t move toward him, I stand where I am, letting him drink me in with his eyes. I slowly reach up and unpin my hair, one thick curl at a time, and let it fall around my shoulders, dropping the pins to the floor.

“You are every fantasy I’ve ever had come true, Natalie.” He swallows hard and flexes his hands in and out of fists, and I know he’s dying to touch me.

I smile softly, not wanting to break this spell, and reach behind me to unclasp my bra and let it join the dress and pins on the floor, releasing my breasts. My nipples pucker under his hungry gaze.

“What would you like me to do now?”

I whisper.

His eyes focus on mine, just a bit glassy like he’s intoxicated, but I know it’s not from the wine we’ve consumed all evening. He closes his eyes briefly, and then starts shedding his clothes, letting them fall unheeded to the floor around him.

Suddenly, he’s standing before me naked. “I’m almost afraid to touch you,”

he whispers.

“Why?” I cock my head to the side, confused. Touch me! Please, for the love of all that’s holy, touch me!

“I’m afraid you’re not real.” And just like that I see the vulnerability in his eyes and I walk to him, raising my hands up his chest, over his shoulders and into his hair. His blue gaze is on mine and I smile tenderly.

“I’m real, and I’m yours.” I push up on my toes and run my lips across his and he shudders, exhaling deeply.

He reaches down and cups my bottom in his hands and lifts me, wrapping my legs around his waist, and walks us back to the bed. But he doesn’t drop me; he wraps his impossibly strong arms around me and lowers me gently, without lifting his lips from mine.

He kisses me madly, voraciously, cupping my face in his hands while he lays over me, bracing himself on his elbows. My hands drift down his back to his butt and back up to his shoulders, over and over. His erection presses against my now wet panties and he rocks his hips back and forth, sending zings of electricity through me.

“God, I’ve been fantasizing about this since the day I met you,” He mutters as he moves his mouth from mine to my neck.

“About what?”

“You, in pearls and these shoes, wrapped around me.”

“How’s it working out for you?” I gasp as he rocks against me again and I tighten my legs around his hips.

He smiles against my neck. “Better than I ever dreamed possible.”

He rubs his nose along my pearls.

“You look so magnificent in these.”

“I love them. Thank you.”

He leans up on his elbows and pins me with those shining blue eyes, gazing intently into mine. He brushes his thumbs down my cheeks and I run my fingers through his hair.

“What is it?” I ask, reveling in the intense way he’s looking down at me.

“I love you.”

The words are strong, firm, with no hesitation, his intense gaze never falters, and I know, undoubtedly, that he means it. My heart stops, tears fall from the corners of my eyes and I clasp his precious face in my hands as I gaze up at my incredible man.

“I love you too.” He brushes my tears away with his fingertips, and then leans down and kisses my eyelids.

“Don’t cry, baby.” His lips graze my cheek and settle back on my lips again, and I’m completely bewildered and lost to him.

“Make love to me, please.” I want him more than anything. I want to feel him move through me, I want to see the passion on his face as he erupts inside me.

He smiles tenderly, sits back and hitches my panties in his thumbs. I raise my hips so he can slide them down my legs. He moves back on top of me and smoothes one hand up my leg, over the stockings, and lightly rubs his fingertips over the skin just above where the stockings end.

It’s delicious.

That talented hand moves between my legs and he slips two fingers inside me, his thumb wreaking havoc on my clitoris and I bow up off the bed.

Oh god, it’s just so good.

“Feel it, baby.”

Oh, I do. My hips circle and his fingers push in and out of me in a sensual rhythm. He leans down and kisses me, his tongue invading my mouth with the same rhythm of his fingers. Just as I feel my body quicken, and the shudders start, he pulls them out of me.

“No!”

He grins down at me and swiftly fills me, burying himself inside me.

“Oh, yes.”

“Better?” His eyes burn down into mine and he starts to move, and I’m overcome with sensation. My body is on fire; my heart is so full of love for this beautiful man. I can’t find my voice, so I simply nod and hold onto him, gripping his tight rear, pulling him to me.

“Oh baby, you’re so tight.” He clenches his jaw and I grip him with my most intimate muscles, knowing that he’s so close to his own violent explosion, and that I’m going with him.

“Come with me, my love.” His eyes fly open and then shut again as he shudders inside me and my body follows, clenching around him, pulsing with need.

“Oh Natalie, yes!”

***

Luke is in his favorite spot, his head resting between my breasts, arms hugging my hips, and our breathing is starting to slow.

I can’t believe that I had to wait twenty-five years for a man to truly make sweet, tender love to me.

Well, almost twenty-six years as of Saturday.

I also can’t believe that we just let the L word slip. I hope it wasn’t just because it was in the heat of the moment, because of this impossibly romantic night. But as I think back on the look in his eyes as he said those three words, I know that he meant it. Even though we’ve only known each other for such a short time, and there’s still so much to learn.

I also know that my heart has never been so full, and I have never met a man as kind, intelligent and as sweet as he is. I feel safe with him, and I feel beautiful and cherished.

Yes, he has a jealous streak, but don’t we all?

“Don’t over think this, baby.”

I look down and frown.

“Over think what?”

“I hear the wheels turning in that gorgeous head of yours.” He kisses my sternum, rolls off of me and lays next to me, facing me, bracing his head on his elbow.

“I’m not thinking.”

“You’re not a good liar.” He leans over and kisses my nose and brushes a lock of hair off my cheek.

“I need to take my pearls off.” I sit up and turn my back to him and feel him unhinge the clasp.

“Why?” He lays them on the nightstand and I lay back down.

“I don’t want them to snag on something and break in the night.” I sigh and glide my hand down his side to his hip.

“I meant it, you know.”

I smile and stretch lazily. “I know.”

“What time are we getting up in the morning?” I’m relieved that he’s changing the subject. I have a lot to think about.

“Class is at nine.”

“Then we’d better get some sleep.”

“I’m not sleeping in these shoes.”

He laughs and sits up, sliding each shoe off my feet and placing them gently on the floor. He then unhooks the stockings from the garter and peels them down my legs.

“You have beautiful legs, baby.” He kisses them, and pulls the garter off me as well, tossing it on the floor.

He crawls up next to me and covers us in the duvet, scooping me into his arms.

I rest my head on his chest and sigh, feeling his lips on my forehead.

“Go to sleep, beautiful.”

“Goodnight,” I mumble and drift into an exhausted sleep.

***

I wake suddenly and reach for Luke, but he’s not there. The bed is cold and empty.

Where did he go?

I pull on the white dress shirt he was wearing earlier tonight, and leave the bedroom. He’s not in the loft, so I go downstairs.

It’s dark. I don’t see him in the living room or kitchen, and I’m about to get really scared when I see movement on the deck.

I walk through the darkness to the open door unnoticed. He’s standing at the railing, bathed in moonlight. He’s wearing a dark pair of pajama pants that hang on his sexy hips and he’s topless.

He’s leaning his elbows on the railing and is looking out on the midnight blue water that is reflecting the moon.

I wish with all my might that I had my camera.

I walk up behind him and kiss his back, wrapping my arms around his middle. I love holding him like this.

“Did I wake you?” he whispers.

“No, I woke up because you were gone.” I kiss him again. “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine, just couldn’t sleep.” He turns around to face me and leans his hips on the railing, wrapping me in his arms. His face is bathed in moonlight, his eyes gazing intently down at me.

“How are you?”

“Lonely. Come back to bed.”

“Okay,” he whispers and kisses my forehead. “I see you’ve borrowed my shirt again.”

“It’s a nasty habit of mine.”

“That’s okay you can return it to me upstairs.” He scoops me into his arms and I laugh as he carries me back to the bedroom.

I’m surprised to wake before Luke.

We have to be at yoga in an hour, but I can’t resist lying here and watching him sleep.

The early morning light filters in through his floor to ceiling windows. I love his large bedroom with its large-scale furniture. The bed is enormous, the white sheets feel like Egyptian cotton and they are soft against my skin.

Luke lies on his back, one hand flung over his head. His face is soft in sleep, his morning stubble so sexy along his jaw, and his usually messy hair even messier than usual.

And he loves me!

I saunter into the bathroom to answer nature’s call, and when I walk back into the bedroom I pick up the scattered clothes, shoes and hairpins from last night, a huge grin plastered on my face.

I notice one of my small suitcases is sitting on a chair near the windows, and I make a mental note to thank Jules.

I am happy to find my yoga gear, fresh underwear and other casual clothes and toiletries, including a toothbrush, all new, in the suitcase. I decide to unpack and settle in a bit. If he wants me to move back out, fine. If he wants to move some stuff into my place, that’s fine too.