Nobody's Dream (90 page)

“Next year, I’m taking you out for your birthday dinner. At Angel’s new restaurant.”

She giggled. “Oh, stop apologizing. I loved every bite!”

They had both dressed up for dinner. She wore several layered skirts in bold colors and an off-the-shoulder blouse. He had donned the clothes he’d worn on both their wedding days. On the table was a vase of pink Peruvian lilies he’d given her earlier. He’d even found some candles and a bottle of Chardonnay to set the mood.

Now it was time to give her the presents he’d made. Hell, he’d not been this nervous when unveiling some of his most intricate pieces of furniture. He hoped she liked them. He’d never carved anything so tiny before.

“Happy Birthday, Sweet Pea.”

Cassie smiled and accepted the flat rectangular box. “I have been wondering what it could be since you told me about it in the barn.”

“Just a little something I thought you might like.”

She tugged at the ribbon and lifted the lid. He waited, holding his breath until she reacted. “They are beautiful!” She pulled out the hair sticks first. “Peruvian lilies!” The seven-inch long sticks each had unique lilies carved into the ends. “It must have taken you forever to make these.”

“Not too long. I started soon after we returned from Peru.”

“The detail is amazing. You do such intricate work. Let me put them in.” She took her hair, twirled it behind her into a ponytail, and poked in the first stick, twisting it to hold the top of the knot in place. She then tucked and twisted the other one in the middle of the bun. “How does it look?”

All he noticed was the column of her neck as he leaned over to kiss her, placing little love bites on her skin. Her hand held him in place as if she wanted him to continue. “Keep that up and I will think I am on your menu as dessert.”

“I can’t think of anything sweeter.” He pulled away. “There’s one more thing in the box.”

“Oh, you distracted me!” She reached in and pulled out the matching
tupu.
She grew silent and when he searched her face there were tears in her eyes. “I will be right back.” She left the table and ran into the bedroom. What was wrong?

Minutes later, she returned wearing her shoulder cloth, the same one she had worn at their wedding, only this time the
tupu
holding the front closure together was the one he had made her. He stood and crossed the room to meet her.

“Luke, thank you for honoring me with such heartfelt gifts reflecting my heritage.”

“I’ve been doing a lot of reading about Peru lately. Fascinating culture.”

She smiled and he realized she was no longer at odds with her heritage. Even so, her next words surprised the hell out of him.

“I wish to dance the
marinera
for you, Luke.”

“You sure, darlin’?” This would be her first time since the night in the cantina five years ago.

Despite tears staining her cheeks, she struck a flirtatious pose and produced a lacy handkerchief that had been hiding within the folds of her skirt. He bowed and encouraged her to cut loose.

She walked over to her phone and the Spanish music began to play. Crossing the room to the doorway, she retrieved his Stetson and handed it to him. “Let me do the work, but I find your hat much sexier than the ones the men carry during the dance in my homeland.” She winked, and he grinned.

She thinks my hat is sexy.

As the music played, she struck a dramatic pose and then began to twirl around him, swishing her skirts, showing her tantalizing legs. He grew hard and couldn’t wait to get her into bed tonight.

She danced with abandon. Once she regained her power on their wedding night in Peru, her natural sensuality had exploded. Tonight, though, she was downright seductive as she teased and flirted with her hanky and the lift of her skirt.

Whoa!
That last flounce revealed she wore no panties.

Hot damn!

Luke donned his hat and moved toward her, but she evaded him and continued to dance with abandon around the living room. At one point, she came close enough for Luke to reach out and grab her by the waist. Her smile faded. Well, hell. He’d triggered her.

Breathing heavily, she came to a standstill before him. Figuring the night’s entertainment had come to an end, he reached for the phone to turn off the music. When he faced her again, she was pulling the
tupu
from its hold and opened her shoulder cloth to reveal she had removed her blouse—and bra.

Her nipples protruded, begging for his hands, his mouth. She began to sway again and the smile returned to her face. When she danced within his reach, he wrapped his arm around her lower back and pulled her against his chest.

His hand reached up to cup her breast. “You’re so beautiful. And you’re mine.”

“All yours.”

He lowered his face and captured her lips in a searing kiss. He would never grow tired of this woman or her many surprises.

When she broke away, she grabbed the pockets of his shirt and sashayed as she pulled him toward the bedroom door behind her. The expression on her face told him tonight would be another turning point for them.

Hot damn!

Maybe he would get to claim her in a way she hadn’t surrendered herself completely yet.

Inside the bedroom, she stopped and began to unbutton his shirt. He reached for his belt and she stilled his hands and shook her head.

“You’re in charge.” Instinct told him he needed to surrender and let her take the lead. She smiled, promising all kinds of carnal delights.

Chapter Thirty-Four

C
assie’s heart soared. Luke giving her control over their time in bed unleashed a vixen in her she did not know existed.
I will not hold back tonight
. While they had enjoyed intense moments together, including many orgasms for each of them, she had not allowed him to “go all the way,” as Americans called it. Tonight, she wanted to show him how much she loved him by going all the way this time.

Dancing for him her beloved
marinera
had shattered another barrier on the road to reclaiming and owning her sensuality. At last she was ready to lay claim to her sexy husband’s body. She had a lot of lost time to make up for.

Sliding his shirt down his arms, she discarded it on a nearby chair and reached for his silver longhorn belt buckle. When she had commented on it earlier, he told her it was from his days playing football in college.

Luke also seemed more at peace with his past, after the events of this summer. They were healing together.

Sliding the belt from its loop, she gave in to the urge to wrap his belt around the back of his neck and draw his head toward her breast until he captured her peak. A thrill rushed through her at her boldness. She threw her head back and swayed to music only she could hear. When he nibbled at her tender peak, she gasped.

“Yes, Luke!”

He let go but cupped her other breast and then moved to take that nipple between his teeth. She swayed and danced, causing slight pain when she strayed too far from his mouth and he did not let go. She felt herself grow wet in anticipation—and preparation. Burrowing her fingers in his hair, she held him close, but his height made this an uncomfortable position for him.

Better to be horizontal.

She nudged him away. “Strip off your jeans, cowboy.” She wanted to see him naked again. He obliged, taking his boxers, too, leaving her staring at his erection.

Mine.

Taking his penis in her hand, she smiled and lured him toward the bed. She reached for the waistbands of her layered skirts, but he stilled her hands. “Leave ’em on.”

Confused, she asked, “But I want you to make love to me.”

A spark lit his eyes. “Darlin’, I can do that just fine with you wearing those skirts.”

Her face grew warm as the image of him taking her while partially clothed flashed across her mind.

Pedro stood between her legs and lifted her skirt.

As if doused with cold water, she fought her way back before letting the memory ruin their time together.

“Where are you, darlin’?”

She blinked and saw Luke standing before her. “With you, Luke. I am sorry, but…”
Tell him what you need
. She nibbled at her lower lip, and then gathered the courage to speak, letting the words out in a rush. “I would prefer not to wear the skirts, if you do not mind.”

A look of frustration crossed his face, making her regret saying anything.

“Jeezus, I wasn’t thinking.” He wrapped his arms around her and the beat of his heart against her cheek reassured her. At least she learned something that he enjoyed that she could try to work on sometime.

“You give me so much. I want to be able to do this, but I’m afraid of triggers.”

He pulled away and framed her face gently between his hands. “Darlin’, you turn me on no matter what you wear or don’t wear. We’re probably going to hit a few other bumps as we navigate this new road, but I’m proud of you for speaking up, baby girl.”

“I am sorry I did not use my ‘yellow’ word.”

He grinned. “You said what you needed to say to got my attention. Over time, the use of safewords might become second nature, but you just keep talking to me and everything’s going to work itself out.” He paused a moment, then grew serious and pointed to her skirts. “Now, take ’em off.”

The pressure off, she felt giddy—and emboldened that Luke would welcome anything she would like to do. She reached out and pushed him gently toward the bed. “Lie on your back, cowboy.”

A slow grin spread across his face as he complied. As if surrendering himself to her—or preparing for a show—he bent his elbows to tuck his hands behind the back of his head. “I’m all yours, darlin’.”

Not sure what to do with him, she decided to postpone joining him in the bed again. If he enjoyed her skirts, why not dance for him in them? She wanted to create new memories when it came to dancing.

After choosing a song on her playlist, she began to move in the steps of the flirtatious and suggestive
huayno
. He seemed captivated as she sashayed, twirled, and jiggled her bare breasts for him, all the while lifting her hems to give him brief glimpses of her naked private areas. No longer allowing thoughts of what happened the last time she performed this dance spoil her mood, defiance bubbled up inside her as she reclaimed this part of herself.

This is
my
husband.

This is
my
body.

This is
my
right!

“You’re making me hotter than a firecracker when you dance like that, darlin’.” Another pained looked crossed his face. “Damn, Cassie. I didn’t mean to—”

Interrupting his apology, she threw her head back and laughed with abandon. Before he thought her totally insane, she met his gaze and smiled. “You do not know how it thrills me to know I excite you, Luke.”

Before this bubble of exuberant sensuality burst, she brought the dance to an end and maneuvered the waistbands off her hips and down her legs in one move and tossed them onto a chair. Realizing she was standing before him naked, she became momentarily shy and scooted onto the bed to stretch out beside him.

She reached for a sheet, but he stilled her hand and cupped her chin. “Kiss me, darlin’.”

Happy to have something to do again, she obliged and leaned over him. Her breasts rested on his chest and rubbed against his skin as she closed the gap. She pressed a kiss against his lips.
Más
. Wanting more, she opened her lips and welcomed his tongue when it entered her mouth and mated with her own.

His hand traced light touches on her breasts before trailing down her waist.

Having him stretched out before her, she licked her lips before bending over him and taking his hard, but tiny, nipple between her lips. Were a man’s nipples as sensitive as a woman’s? She sucked, the way he did hers and flicked her tongue over it rapidly.

“Jeezus! Keep doing that!”

Empowered at his response, she continued. Her hand stroked his chest seeking his other nipple, and she squeezed it between her thumb and index finger. His hips bucked up.