Forbidden Fire (10 page)

“But we’re naked.”

“I thought there was such a thing as naked yoga,” Luke teased.

She made a face. “There is, but I always thought it would be distracting. I’m too human not to want to look at someone else’s knobs and bobs.”

“Me too, but I want to follow your before-bed routine and I don’t want to put anything on.” He gave her a straight look. “Do you?”

“No.” Her voice was soft.

“Then I guess we do it naked.”

Luke settled himself on the rug. He looked up at her and then held a hand out.

Sian took it and knelt beside him. They’d just had wild bathroom sex. Why did this feel far more intimate? She crossed her arms over her chest, wishing for a T-shirt.

“What now?” Luke asked.

“I usually start with cat-cow.”

“Show me.”

Her cheeks were really burning now as she moved into position, getting on her hands and knees and arching her body like a cat before collapsing it towards the floor. The up and down motion made her breasts sway and she was conscious of how much the asana resembled the sexual act. From the wide-eyed look Luke was giving her, he agreed.

Sian laughed.

“You’re really asking for it, doin’ that.”

“You said do my yoga. This energises the spinal column and works out the kinks,” she said.

“Oh yeah, that would work out my kinks.” His dimple flashed.

“Come on, try it.” Again she had this weird dichotomy that they were playing like kids and also like the adults they’d become. There was a buzz of sexual anticipation. Her body slickened, preparing itself for him again.

He moved behind her as if to mount her and she swung around, glaring at him.

He laughed and swatted her ass.

The sting on her skin only increased her excitement.

He obediently got onto his hands and knees and began to copy her movements, but his enormous erection made the pose incredibly erotic so she sat back, giggling.

“Hey, I’m trying to do yoga here.”

“You look like Kokopelli.”

“The hunchback fertility god? But I’m not packing a flute.”

She raised her eyebrows meaningfully and he laughed again. “Funny. You think you’re so funny, princess.”

Her eyes stung. It was just like before…when they’d been friends. When the lid had been firmly over what was simmering between them.

“Oh no, dinner!” She shot to her feet.

“I’m not hungry, are you?”

She shook her head impatiently at him. He was on her heels as she strode back to their kitchen. The lights were still burning and the room was fragrant with spices. The newspaper he’d been reading on the counter had fallen to the floor. It embarrassed her when she remembered why, Luke shoving it aside as he—

“Let me.” His bigger body moved in front of hers and he switched off the burners. He turned around and she didn’t resist when he pulled her close. Protective, Luke was always so protective.

When he meshed his fingers unselfconsciously to her damaged hand her eyes prickled again. “I want to take you out tomorrow night,” he said as he nuzzled her neck, smelling her freshly washed skin.

She tensed. “Out, as in public?”

His face hardened. “Yes, as in I want you to be my girlfriend and I see no reason why we can’t share a meal. Fuck knows you did a lot of that with a ton of men over the years and they meant nothing to you.”

“Luke—”

“You don’t want to go because I’m not as fancy as your other men?” He touched her, his hands knew her, claimed her. “But I turn you on. You let me put my working class hands all over you.”

She laughed and he glared at her. “I’m sorry. I’m not laughing at you.” Oh, shit. He was still so vulnerable. She didn’t know what to do, what to say, but her body surrendered so she melted against him, feeling his firm body, his lean hips under her hands. His skin had a muskier scent than hers as she put her nose against it and drank him in. “This is happening fast and I’m scared. A real date with you…” She gulped.

“Sian.” He tugged her hair so he could look at her. “I’ll keep you safe, even from me.”

She wanted to ask him what he meant by that, but he kissed her cheek and she could only lean close to him, sharing closeness, sharing breath. “You are the most beautiful man, inside and out.”

Luke narrowed one eye. “Does that mean ‘yes’ or ‘no’ on dinner?”

His pushiness made Sian laugh again. “All right,” she whispered. “I guess we can try it.”

“So how about the rest of our naked yoga?”

She blinked. “I…can’t think of a position.” She couldn’t think of anything but how much her body wanted his again.

“I can.”

Luke lifted her onto the counter and spread her legs wide. Her head fell back as he put his mouth on her, licking her deeply, eating her like succulent fruit. “Oh, my God!” she whimpered.

He looked at her, his pupils huge and black, his lips shiny from the intimate kiss. He reached up and cupped one hard-tipped breast possessively before he went back down on her, laving her, making her scream.

Luke just laughed before his broad, rough palms spread her even wider.

“Look how hot I get you, sister dearest.”

Bastard.
But she couldn’t say the word, could only cage his skull, keep him exactly where he was, her hips rocking as she gave herself wantonly.

He made her come, his wild woman.

Chapter Ten

“Someone looks like she got spanked.”

“What?
Ow!
” Sian rubbed the back of her head, which hurt so much her eyes stung.

“Hey, are you all right?” Luke’s big friend Taz was around the counter, taking her arm, his cool green eyes examining her face, her eyes.

Sian flushed. “Fine. I just hit my head on the edge when I was scooping some beans out of the bin. I do it sometimes.”

“That’s a heavy marble counter,” Taz said. “I think you better sit down for a moment. That had to hurt like fuck.”

“Um.”

“Come on.” He herded her onto one of the stools customers used around the espresso machine.

She slid on carefully, wincing a little as her still-tender bottom rubbed smooth wood. She folded her arms, tuning Taz out as much as possible as she gave herself a moment.

“You should put some ice on that.”

“My head’s fine, just throbbing.”

“Not for your head. Your ass.”

She jumped off the stool, getting in Taz’s space. “Listen—”

“If I’m overstepping—”

“You sure as hell are.” Oh shit. Could she just die? Luke’s best friend had somehow guessed Luke had spanked her last night.

Taz shoved his hair back. “He didn’t tell me or anything. I just guessed from the way you were moving around so stiffly. I’ve spanked a lot of women. I know the signs.”

Sian covered her face. “This isn’t happening. I’m still asleep and this has to be a bad dream.”

“He told you to use cream this morning, didn’t he?”

“And yet you are speaking and the nightmare continues…”

“No big to me if you want to have a sore ass.”

“My ass is
my
business.” She stabbed her index finger under his nose.

Taz let out a long breath. “I think Luke should get shed of you, darlin’.”

“I get that. But he and I…we’re linked.” It settled her, feeling that connection. Somehow it had survived the last couple of rocky days.

He studied her. “All right. Can I get a latte with cinnamon?”

“You can come into Coffee Dreams, but Luke and I are off the menu.” She moved behind the counter, not trying to hide that, yeah, she was sore. The crack of Luke’s hand on her butt had been shocking…but it had excited her. She remembered Luke’s shadowed eyes. He’d wanted to play with her, but he’d also been afraid he was playing too rough.

But he’d made her come again.

Sian had screamed as he shoved two fingers deep into her…the sound of her voice cracking, raw with her release—

“Hey!” Dharma called as she swung open the coffee shop door.

“Hey,” Taz said in a silky, come-and-get-me-baby voice. He gave Dharma an experienced once-over.

Dharma cocked an eyebrow at him, immune as she was to most of their customers.

“You’re pale. Are you all right?” Sian watched as Dharma put her bag in the little locker just inside the storeroom.

“Just some arrhythmia this morning. It’s so dumb I get that when I’m out walking my dog.”

“You should be home lying down!” Sian gripped Dharma’s arm. “I want you to take the rest of the day off.”

“Sian, I took my medication and I’m fine—”

“You should listen to the lady,” Taz said. “The heart is nothin’ to mess around with.”

“Ha.” Dharma gave him an amused glance, but it wasn’t the razor retort she usually let fly when she and Taz squared off. “Where’s Fred, the older guy you usually come in with?” she asked. “I haven’t seen him for a while.”

“He’s married,” Taz said. “That’s why you haven’t seen him for a while.”

Dharma paled. “Hey, he and I had a few laughs. I wouldn’t—”

“That’s what they all say, sweetheart,” Taz said, taking his coffee and shouldering the door.

“Jerk. Big, gorgeous, full-of-himself jerk,” Dharma muttered. “I like Fred. We talk, you know?”

Sian did know, but she’d also felt the undercurrents when the big firefighter with silver-streaked hair had come into Coffee Dreams, even though she knew Dharma didn’t play with married men.

“Why don’t you do the paperwork for a while?” she suggested. “We’re low on our pastry orders again.”

“You’re babying me,” Dharma grumbled, but she sat down behind the small desk in the back. “Weird chemistry between you and Taz.”

“He’s Luke’s best friend. I didn’t know until…recently.”

Dharma’s brows rose. “Uh-huh. So big daddy doesn’t approve of his friend dating you?”

“Something like that.”

“Don’t take it to heart. He doesn’t like women.” Dharma shrugged. “Kind of all hunter-gatherer.”

Sian collapsed into the chair next to her friend. “I did something…unbelievable.”

“Unbelievably good or stupid?” Dharma asked, raising her brows.

“Both.”

“Luke.”

“Yes, I… We spent the night together.”

Dharma grinned.

“Cut that out!”

“I knew you couldn’t resist him forever. Not after I got that calendar.”

Sian stared. “You bought it deliberately!”

“Well, yeah. I thought you’d never let yourself really look at Luke and man…what a waste. And I hardly suffered lookin’ at it, all those hot bodies. Unfortunately Fred kept his swimming trunks on, but for a man in his forties…”

“Dharma.”

“I can appreciate a work of art without tryin’ to buy it.”

“I know.” But she didn’t add she thought maybe it was a good thing Fred didn’t come in here anymore. The stern-faced man didn’t look like he laughed much, but Dharma was too charming for her own good.

“So how was it?”

Sian really did need to talk to someone. “Luke’s slightly…kinky.”

“Mmmmm.”

“You’re not shocked?”

“Hell no. He’s got that vibe. Kinda like his friend, but without Taz’s charming contempt for women.”

Sian grimaced.

“I think Luke’s afraid of showing that side of himself to me.”

Dharma shrugged. “Give him time.”

“I still have issues. Our age difference—”

“If he were an older man would it bother you as much?”

“Um.” She thought about it and then flushed. “No. Guess I’m a stereotype.”

“Just something to think on.”

“And then there’s the sister-brother thing.”

“Tell me truthfully, doesn’t the idea give you a bit of a forbidden thrill?” Dharma asked. “I mean, you are not related by blood so…”

Sian swallowed, and then nodded. “Sometimes. But tonight we go on a date. A real date.”

Dharma leant forward, putting her chin in her hand. “Oops. If I’m serious with a guy I like to hide from the world for at least a month.”

“Yeah!” Sian exclaimed with feeling. “I’m still getting used to being with him. I feel…vulnerable.”

“It’s just a meal, hon.” Dharma squeezed her hand.

“I know. I just can’t shake this weird feeling of depression, like we’re doomed.” She laughed. “Crazy.”

* * * *

“We’re so doomed,” Luke said, flipping through the Yellow Pages in the station.

“It’s just dinner,” Taz said. “Will you chill?”

“This is not one of your overnighters.”

Taz blinked. “Okay, I’m sorry. Shit, I thought sleeping with her would smooth you out.”

“She’s not a laxative.”

Taz grinned. “That’s my man.”