Love from Left Field (16 page)

He flushed at the rebuke. “I’m just doing my job. This, whatever it is with Miranda, is separate.”

His mother hesitated, glancing at Miranda then back to him. “Be careful. Matters of the heart are not easily explained or dealt with. I worry about you, my son. Though I’m glad to see you with that young woman over there. Too long have you stood alone, kept yourself apart from family and friends, diving into work and who knows what else.” She stepped closer and laid a hand on his forearm. “Lucas, I love you and I want you to be happy. I’m glad to see you with Miranda, but is she really the best choice, given our past history?”

He looked at her and kept his voice low and even. “Our past history?”

“I know you blame Seamus Callahan for your father selling the team. Are you sure you’re not after revenge?”

Lucas flinched. Her words were nothing more than anyone else had accused him of since taking the position with the Knights. Still, they stung, especially coming from his mother. “I’m doing my job, Mom. Nothing more. Anything with Miranda is our own business.”

His mother stepped back and began setting the table. “I think those steaks are done. Do you want to wake her or shall I?”

*

Dinner passed quickly
and peacefully, with innocuous conversation and laughter. Lucas eventually relaxed when his mother didn’t stray into personal topics, although the vodka from the lemonade definitely assisted in calming his soul. The sun set, leaving the sound of waves in the darkness, under the moonlight and stars. Conversation gradually tapered off, whether from the soothing sounds of the night or the natural end of the evening.

“I can see why you chose to live here, Mom. It’s peaceful.”

“You haven’t seen anything yet. This is a private beach. You should take a walk. It’s a gorgeous night. I’m sure Miranda might like a moonlit stroll.”

Lucas shot his mother a glare. Matchmaking despite her earlier fears about his motives and their past. “Maybe Miranda is too tired. It’s been a long day.”

Miranda smiled, a trifle tipsy. “I’d love it. I miss the beach.” She stood and extended her hand. “Will you join me?”

Trudy smiled and waved her hand. “Go, I’ve got this. There aren’t many dishes anyway.”

Lucas stood and took Miranda’s hand. They walked down the steps to the ground, through the beach grasses and onto the soft sand. Miranda stopped and lifted her feet, one at a time, taking off her shoes and leaving them by the path. “I love feeling the sand between my toes. It’s been so long since I’ve been barefoot on a beach.”

He grinned, her excitement infectious, and slipped off his own shoes and socks. “You’re right. The sand does feel good. Now, about that walk.”

She led him to the water and kicked at the ripple coming in off the Gulf. He stood a few steps behind her, watching. She looked so young, so carefree, so happy. Not at all the beauty queen he thought he would see when he first got to the stadium. She continued to surprise him in every way, and it had only been a few weeks. What would the next few months bring?

She stretched an arm out and wiggled her fingers. “Come on, Lucas. You have to feel the ocean on your toes.”

“Sorry, I already felt the sand. Besides, do you know how many people pee in the ocean? I’m fine right here.”

She lunged out of the surf and grabbed his hand, dragging him off balance to the water. He righted himself, feeling the cold water lapping his toes.

“The ocean dilutes the pee. Trust me.” Her eyes shone in the moonlight as she dared him to walk with her.

He smiled and tugged her to his chest. He draped an arm around her and they strolled through the water down the beach. She laid her head on his shoulder and wrapped an arm around his waist, a sigh of pleasure melding with the gentle lapping of the ocean. For once, he was with a girl who didn’t try to fill the silence, who didn’t chatter on and on about nonsense. Miranda was content with the situation.

It only seemed natural to lean down and kiss her. She met him halfway, her lips already softening in readiness for his. Her tongue darted out to meet his and she was the aggressor in this time. He slid his hand up her arm to cup her face, tilting her head for a better connection. She shivered and pressed closer to him, running her hands up his back, one to tangle in his hair and the other to clench his shoulder.

He deepened the kiss, swallowing her moans in his mouth. He slid his other hand down over the small of her back to grasp her ass and pull her against his erection, which had remained semi-hard throughout dinner and now roared back to life, demanding satisfaction.

He pulled away and she opened her eyes to stare dazedly up at him.

“I won’t be able to stop this time. Be very sure, Miranda.”

She nodded, then licked her lips and his groin tightened painfully, longing to feel that tongue on his skin. “I’m sure.”

He continued to study her, looking for signs of intoxication, but her eyes were clear blue, direct and honest. “It’s not the vodka speaking, right?”

She wound her hands around his neck and kissed him. “Not even close. This is all me, Lucas.”

He stepped back abruptly and she stumbled. He steadied her then dropped his hands, not trusting himself to not lay her down in the sand and take her right there. “Not here. Not for our first time. Want to head back?”

She nodded, but took one last look around the moonlight ocean, at the stars reflected in the water, then she followed him the sandy beach. A towel had been left on top of their shoes. The lights went out in the kitchen, his mother bowing out gracefully, not making an awkward scene for them.

He grinned. “I guess Mom’s going to bed. Want to sneak away?”

L
ucas drove the
economy car like it was on the racetrack in Daytona, weaving among the college kids and other people on the road, but Miranda wasn’t complaining. She prayed for him to go faster so she wouldn’t lose her nerve, and he wouldn’t change his mind. She had no illusions about this night or them. Maybe it was one night, or more, but it couldn’t be anything other than scratching an itch, satisfying an urge to see how it would be between them. Somehow she knew it’d be explosive.

She reached across the console between the front seats, not a big distance in this tiny car, and ran her fingers up Lucas’s leg, a light feathery touch designed to drive him mad. She brushed her hand over the straining fabric and his erection twitched. Before she could cup it, he grabbed her hand and put it back in her own lap, holding it firmly there.

“Be careful, darling, or this night will be over before it gets started.”

“Only one time? Well, damn, if that’s all you can muster…”

“Miranda, I’m warning you.” He growled the words out as he ran a yellow light, that was honestly more red than yellow.

His words and tone sent a shiver up her spine. She wiggled her fingers under his hand, but he only gripped it tighter.

They got to the hotel and he struggled out of the car in record time, heading around to help her out. “Thank God we checked in earlier.” He took her hand and dragged her towards the entrance. “My room’s closer.”

“Eager much?” She laughed, but she kept pace with him, just as impatient as he was.

They took the stairs, not willing to wait for the elevator with the family of five and the squalling baby, a real mood killer for them. He shoved the key into the door and it turned red, then green. He opened the door and stopped, his hand on the frame, blocking her entrance to the room.

“Miranda, it’s okay if you change your mind. No hard feelings.”

She grabbed his shirt and pulled him down for a kiss.

Then she ducked under his arms and into the room. “You having second thoughts, Lucas?”

“Hell, no. Just trying to be a gentleman like my momma taught me.”

“Forget all about that and get in here.” She stretched out on the king-sized bed, propped up on one elbow.

He closed the door and tossed the key on the television stand. He stalked her, coming closer, with a heat burning in his eyes. He unbuttoned his shirt and gestured to her.

“Off.”

She arched a brow at his tone but slowly slipped one button out of the loop, then the next, teasing him with casual glimpses of her skin. He tossed his shirt over the chair and pulled the desk chair close with a yank of his foot. He sat on it, one foot propped on the other knee and folded his arms across his chest.

“I can wait all night.”

“Really?” She looked pointedly at his bulge, then licked her lips, desperately needing the moisture for her suddenly dry mouth.

She tossed her shirt on the same easy chair he had used, then reached back to unclasp her bra.

“Stop,” he muttered thickly, obviously striving for control.

Power surged through her, power over this sexy man. She quickly shrugged out of the rest of her clothes, leaving her panties on, then leaned back on her elbows, sending Lucas a come-hither look.

“Any time, lover boy.”

He growled and crawled onto the bed, careful not to crush her. He braced himself on his elbows and leaned down to capture her mouth with his, a demanding taking that she met with her own tongue, entwining with his, teasing, taunting. He lowered himself over her, her legs spreading to let him settle flush against her core, his hardness prodding her. She moaned and wrapped one of her legs around his, pulling him closer. Either it had been too long or he just felt so good. She arched her back and the light sprinkling of chest hair rubbed against her swollen and sensitive nipples, making her gasp, and shift for more of the sensation. She ran her hands around his torso to trace the muscles on his back, using her nails just enough to tease.

He trailed kisses down her neck, stopping to lick the spot where her pulse beat wildly just under the skin. He sucked lightly, enough for a mark tomorrow. Her nerves were alive with a fire coursing along her skin, and her legs shifted restlessly trying to get him closer to where she was swollen and wet with need. He lightly skimmed her breasts with his fingers, avoiding the sensitive nipple area, circling. She tried to turn into his hand but he only chuckled and pinned her in place gently.

Finally, his lips closed around one nipple and lightly tongued the sensitive nub. Her back bowed and she gasped. His other hand tormented the other taut peak, tugging then twisting until she was whimpering, begging for relief. He switched, nipping the other peak, the sucking it deep, while stroking and flicking the other hard point. By that point, she was writhing on the bed, never having felt this out of her mind just from her breasts being toyed with. She pushed on his shoulders, willing him to move lower but he seemed content right where he was, growling a warning at her.

She ran her fingernails down then up his sides, not deep enough to draw blood but enough to make her point. She traced the chiseled muscles along his back, then sank the nails in when he sucked her deeply. He chuckled at her response against the smooth skin.

“Damn you. Finish this.” She gasped, nudging her lower body into his hardness, drawing in a deep breath when it grazed her clit through her panties.

“I could spend all night right here,” he murmured against her skin, accompanied by a tiny nip.

“So, you’re a breast man, great. You can’t think of anything better to do?”

He tilted his head, a devilish look in his eyes. “I could, but who knows when I’ll have these again?” He plumped the two soft mounds and darted back and forth between the nipples, a flick here, a suck there, interspersed with a nip, the sting soothed with a lick.

She growled and chuckled. With a final lick, he slid down further, placing kisses down her taut belly, to briefly stop at her navel, then to resume the journey south. He slid her panties down and she lifted a leg so he could sweep them off completely. His hands rested between her thighs and he pressed a kiss at the top of her warm folds. She moaned and her head fell back against the pillows. He spread her tender flesh with his thumbs and licked a long straight line from her opening up to her swollen nub at the top. He explored her thoroughly, devastating her completely until she exploded with a loud cry.

She slowly came back to reality to his gentle kisses, her fingers dug deep into his hair, holding him in place. He gave one final kiss and jerked reflexively, then he came back over her.

“Condom?” she asked breathlessly.

He stood and unzipped, sliding off both pant and briefs at the same time, slinging them over the chair. His arousal jutted out proudly from between his thighs, a drop of precum glistened at the opening of the plum-shaped head. He opened a side pocket in his bag and pulled out several condoms and tossed them on the bed.

She quirked a brow and smiled. “Feeling confident, are you?”

“Just prepared,” he replied.

She reached for him and he sidestepped. “Not this time. I won’t last.”

His words were strangled, strained and tense. “Fine. Then get over here.”

He rolled on the condom then climbed back on the bed and settled on top of her, his legs between hers, his cock rubbing between her folds. He claimed her lips in a deeply sensual kiss, reigniting her passion within moments. She wrapped her legs around him and nudged him insistently. He guided himself into her opening, slowly at first, her tightness resisting then softening around him. He kept his eyes steady on hers as he buried himself deep within. Finally, he was settled to the hilt.