Deceived (17 page)

And he wouldn't, would he? He'd left it to her to make the first move, to determine if she was ready to finally make peace with the past and try to find a little happiness, a little comfort in the arms of someone else.

The information Luke had shared with her about Greg had finally given her the closure she needed to move on. But she covered her eyes, wondering at the wisdom of giving in to the sexual tension between her and Luke.

He'd said he'd be a warm body if that's what she wanted—and, oh, yeah, she
definitely
wanted. But there was no mention of emotion or commitment of any kind. In fact, he was telling her flat out that he couldn't offer any of that. Was she willing to open herself up with no promise of anything more? Kissing him was one thing, but was she ready to cross the line he'd drawn in the sand?

The part of her that was aching to feel alive again, to feel desirable again, didn't give a damn if she was ready or not. But she'd never been able to divorce sex from emotion. Luke had been dead-on with his assessment on that one. She'd never been the kind of person who could just hook up and move on.

But the way Luke made her feel when he held her was something she'd never expected to feel again. In fact, if she was completely honest with herself, she was falling in love with the man already, even with the very pointed warning that he'd never be able to return her feelings.

Sarah rolled onto her side, trying to ignore the ache in the center of her chest. She was so screwed. For, no matter what she decided to do, Luke Rogan was going to break her heart....

Luke's muscles burned with exhaustion, but he continued to pound the punching bag, preferring to focus on raging muscles instead of the kiss he and Sarah had shared the evening before. If he hadn't put a halt to things, he had a feeling he would've ended up in her bed, making love to her all night long as he longed to do.

And he had a feeling she would've regretted every moment of it the next morning.

There had been no mistaking the desire when she'd kissed him in the kitchen and then again when he'd walked her to her bedroom. Holy shit—he wasn't sure he'd ever been so knocked on his ass by a kiss. He'd been with his fair share of women, had even been with a few who'd taught
him
a thing or two. But Sarah damn near brought him to his knees.

And she wanted him too. She'd straight up told him so.

He punched the bag one last time with a roar of frustration.

It was official. He was the biggest dumbfuck in the world for walking away from what she was offering. He'd spent the rest of a sleepless night trying to convince himself of all the reasons why he shouldn't go marching to her room and drag her back into his arms. Because if the heat wracking his body had had any say in the matter, that's exactly what he would've done. Having her just a room away was like a persistent itch just beneath his skin that he couldn't scratch.

And that scared the shit out of him.

No other woman had ever affected him like this. So what the hell was it about Sarah that made things different this time around?

He snatched a towel from the bench and swiped at the beads of sweat on his chest and at the back of his neck, muttering a long string of juicy curses as he strode to the door. But he came to an abrupt halt as the door swung open and Sarah entered the room, dressed in curve-hugging black yoga pants and white T-shirt, her hair in a ponytail that hung down to her shoulders.

“Hey,” he said, glad he could blame his breathlessness on his workout and not her sudden appearance. He went over to the shelf where his phone was hooked into the speakers and turned down the volume on the rough, gravelly music of From Ashes to New and turned back to her with a frown. “What are you doing up this early?”

“I couldn't sleep,” she answered.

He studied her for a long moment before admitting, “Me either.”

She cleared her throat, then said, “I thought maybe we could get started.”

He did a mental double take. Oh, he wanted to get started all right, but thank Christ he had the presence of mind to clarify before dragging her into his arms and seeing if he could set a record for getting her naked. “Sorry . . . Get started?”

“You promised to teach me some of the self-defense moves you know,” she reminded him.

“Oh, right. Shit. Sorry.” He ran a hand over his hair and realized the last thing he needed to be doing at that moment was getting up close and personal with anyone. “Give me five minutes to grab a shower.”

He snatched a clean towel from the shelf on the gym wall and headed for the small shower stall he'd installed in the tiny room adjacent to the gym area. It was little more than a four-by-four square of tile with a drain in the center of it and a shower curtain to keep the water from spraying all over the damned place. Not much of a barrier between him and Sarah as he stripped out of his clothes and stepped inside. The thought of her waiting for him just a few feet away had him turning down the temperature of the water to try to get his shit under control.

He stuck his face into the cold spray, letting the water sluice over him, hoping it would chill the raging heat within him. But it didn't do a damned bit of good. He pulled his face from the water with a curse and wiped the droplets from his face with an angry swipe.

A few minutes later, he toweled off quickly and pulled on his shorts, before heading back into the gym where Sarah was waiting. Her eyes widened slightly when he came in and he saw her swallow before shifting uneasily on her feet.

“You sure you want to do this?” he asked, coming to her and smoothing a hand down her upper arm.

She took a step back, shaking out her arms, her cheeks flushing that shade of pink he found so damned adorable, then nodded. “I'm sure.”

God
damn
, she's beautiful
.

“Start with getting out of a headlock,” she suggested, turning her back to him. “You mentioned that one.”

He sidled up behind her and blew out a deep breath before loosely draping one arm over her shoulder and around her neck while the other arm slipped around her waist, pulling her up against him. She bent her head forward, and the curve of her throat was so tantalizing as her ponytail fell forward, he impulsively dipped his head and pressed a kiss to the juncture where neck and shoulder met, eliciting a gasp from her.

He instantly eased his hold on her and started to step back, but she covered his hand at her waist, keeping him where he was. He hesitated for a moment, wondering what her reaction indicated, but when she said nothing, his grasp around her waist tightened. And, taking a chance, he pressed another kiss to the side of her throat, his lips lingering.

The pressure of her fingers on his arm increased, and she sighed softly before tilting her head to the side, allowing him better access. Not one to ignore such an invitation, Luke let his lips skim lightly along her skin. And when she gasped as his teeth nipped gently at the skin near her shoulder, he pressed her tighter against him.

“Grab my arm and step right,” he murmured against her skin. When she did as instructed, he added, “Now tuck your chin, shove my arm up, and slip out of my hold.”

She performed the action as instructed, easily getting out of the headlock. When he turned to face her, her chest was heaving in short, shallow breaths. “Show me again,” she said, breathless. “At full speed.”

He pulled her back into his arms and turned her around, drawing her in close as he had before. But this time, his kisses weren't as tentative and her sighs grew into moans as his hand around her waist skimmed across her belly, slipping beneath her T-shirt. And when his hand moved to cover one of her breasts, she arched slightly into his palm.

He groaned, not even bothering to stifle it, and kneaded the perfect handful. And when his thumb passed over her hardened nipple, he shuddered at the mewl that escaped her.

“Sarah,” he whispered against her skin between kisses. “You need to get away from me.”

She shook her head, ignoring the double-meaning of his words. “No, not yet . . .”

He closed his eyes on a ragged breath. “Are you sure?”

She cried out when he pinched her nipple, rolling it between his fingertips. “Oh, God
. . . yes
.”

His hand slid back down her belly and under the waistband of her yoga pants, groaning with her as his fingertip came into contact with the bud of nerves at the top of her sex. She gasped and ground her hips against his aching groin in response. “Ah, Christ, Sarah,” he gasped. “Don't do that, baby.... Not just yet.”

But as he caressed her, her hips moved again, begging for more. His hand slid lower into her slick folds. Holy shit—she was swollen, wet, pulsing with need. And she was already close to coming, which made his cock swell even harder as he stroked her toward her release.

Her hands came up to grip the forearm that was draped across her chest, clinging to him as her hips swiveled against his palm. “Oh, God, Luke . . .” she gasped. “Please don't stop. . . .”

He ground his hips against her backside, aching for some relief of his own. He wished he could bury himself in her at that moment, but he wanted this to be all about her and her pleasure. When he felt her muscles tensing, he eased off, his caresses growing slower, more deliberate. And then he slid his hand around between them, smoothing the curve of her perfect ass, teasing along the seam of her body, slipping a finger into her when she spread her legs to grant him access. God, she was drenched.

“Oh my God, Luke,” she gasped. “I'm coming. . . .”

He braced her against him with the arm across her chest as her first wave of release shook her, making her cry out. Then he shifted his hand back to the front of her sex, massaging her clit with renewed vigor, sending her over the edge with increased intensity.

Then, suddenly, she was slipping out of his hold with the move he'd shown her, putting some distance between them, her chest heaving. He held his breath, hoping he hadn't pushed her too far after the conversation they'd had the night before.

But then she came toward him in two quick strides and was dragging his head down to hers, kissing him harshly, hungry for more. “Take me upstairs,” she murmured against his lips. “Now.”

He pulled back just enough to peer down into her face. “Are you sure, Sarah? I don't want to be something you regret.”

Her brows came together in a frown. God, the look in her eyes was killing him. She
trusted
him. He wished like hell he was worthy of that trust. Then she reached up and cupped his jaw. “I could never regret you.”

Something about the look in her eyes, the warmth of her palm on his face, shattered his resolve. He grasped her around the waist, pulling her roughly to him and claiming her mouth in a harsh kiss.

* * *

Sarah only vaguely noticed as they made their way up the stairs to the second floor. It was still dark outside, and with only a light left on in the kitchen to guide them, it was amazing that they managed it without stumbling. But, seconds later, Luke was kissing her savagely as he pulled her into his bedroom and shut the door, turning the lock.

He left her mouth to press kisses along the curve of her throat. And when her arms went around his neck with a moan of need, he lifted her up, wrapping her legs around his waist, pressing her back to the wall. His hands now free, he slid them beneath her T-shirt, smoothing along her sides, around to the small of her back. As he plundered her lips, he slid a hand lower, slipping beneath her waistband to grip her ass.

She shuddered with pleasure, loving the way his rough hands smoothed over her skin, so tender, so gentle, and yet so demanding, eliciting soul-shaking orgasms that left her equally spent and eager for more.

Apparently mistaking the reason for her shudder, he withdrew his hand and helped her to unhook her legs from around his waist. She slid down the wall until she was standing, but was glad one strong arm was wrapped around her waist, supporting her on her passion-weak knees. Luke braced his forearm against the wall, his face still close to hers. “Are you sure about this?”

“Certain,” she replied. But when she took his face in her hand and tried to pull him down to kiss her, he resisted.

His gaze searched hers intently. “If I kiss you again, I'm not sure where it's going to go. I know where I want it to go, but I want you to take the reins here, Sarah.”

Sarah swallowed hard, her body aching for his. She slid her hands over his shoulders, across his chest, marveling at the chiseled muscle. “Do you want me, Luke?”

“God, yeah, I want you,” he said, his voice gruff. “I've wanted you since the moment I saw you. But I can't make you any promises beyond right now, Sarah. You know that.”

“All I need is this moment,” she said. When he opened his mouth to say more, she cut him off. “I want this, Luke. I
need
this. I need
you.
”

He squeezed his eyes shut. “Ah, God
. . .
don't say that. You're making this harder.”

Desire making her bold, she slid her palm along the hard length beneath his gym shorts. “I can tell. . . .”

He cursed under his breath. “Sarah . . .”

Her hand slid up his abdomen and back to his chest. “Your heart's racing.”

His eyes opened and his gaze held hers. “So's yours.”

“How can you tell?”

He offered her a sultry grin. “I can see it.”

Her brows came together. “You can? Where?”

He bent and pressed a kiss to the pulse pounding in her neck, eliciting a gasp of pleasure. God, she would never tire of him kissing her there. The warmth of his lips at her pulse was enough to bring her to the brink.

But now it was her turn to take the lead. Her hands explored his skin, the contoured muscles of his back, his trim waist. She slid her hand beneath the waistband of his shorts, taking him in her hand, making him jerk with a groan. He was larger than she'd anticipated—and she'd definitely speculated.

“Tell me what you want, Luke,” she whispered breathlessly, caressing his shaft. “I want to hear you say it.”

“I want to touch you,” he ground out, “feel your skin against mine. I want to bury myself in you, make love to you until you scream my name.” He swallowed hard. “I want to lose myself in you, Sarah.”

She released him to ease his shorts over his hips. He kicked his shorts aside before taking a step back, standing there naked before her. When she just stood there like an idiot, he prompted, “Undress for me, Sarah.”

Sarah hesitated for a moment. She'd never been comfortable being completely nude in front of any of her handful of lovers, not even Greg. But there was something in the way that Luke's gaze devoured her that sent a thrill through her.

She toed out of her running shoes, then reached up and grabbed her ponytail holder and slowly eased it down the length of her hair, loving the way his eyes seemed to blaze with desire. She ran her fingers through her hair, shaking it out. Then she grasped the hem of her shirt and took her time bringing it up over her torso, revealing her belly slowly. She hesitated when she reached her breasts, but then she drew it up over her head and dropped it at her feet. Her bra followed a moment later.