“Where’s Nate?” I blurt out when the silent staring match becomes unbearable.
Luke’s expression tightens at the sound of his friend’s name. “I left him back at Paul’s. Don’t worry; I’m sure he’ll find someone to catch a ride with.”
“Hey, don’t blame him,” I say quickly. “I took off on him. You know I don’t like being babysat.”
He remains stubbornly pissed. “He never should have left your side.”
I shake my head in exasperation. “I handled myself, okay? I had everything under control.”
Luke raises an eyebrow at me. “Oh, is that what you call it when you’re about to be clobbered by a seven foot asshole with fists the size of Texas?”
I glare at him. “I’ve been hit by worse—thanks to you. Do you not remember the car race in San Fernando, and Ronaldo the Ham Giant? Ring any bells?”
“That’s not even the same situation!” he protests with wide innocent eyes. “You got in the way—Ham would never raise a hand against a woman.”
“Yeah, okay—you’re taking
his
side? That’s great.” I glare at the floor in disgust. “That was my third concussion, by the way. Since I met you.”
“Okay, you’re right. It’s entirely my fault,” Luke concedes after a thoughtful silence. “So let me make it up to you.”
“How?” I ask suspiciously.
He tugs me to him, using the strings of my apron until I’m right against him. My stomach muscles clench reflexively at the contact. “You’re feeling a little tense there, Tiger,” he says, running his palms lightly up and down my back. “How about a massage?”
“That actually sounds good,” I admit, craning my neck up to look at him. “After my shower. I need to scrub dessert off me first.”
“Yeah? How about during your shower?” Luke’s voice is low and intimate as he looks down at me with deceptively sleepy bedroom eyes.
Hell, yes
!
But my brain can’t give in as easily. “What about taking things slow?” I just have to remind him.
“So keep your underwear on.” He carefully removes strands of dark hair stuck to my neck. Then he lowers his voice to a husky murmur. “Come on, Andi. I promise it’ll be good.”
My heart is about to beat right out of my chest, and my mouth is surprisingly dry despite the fact that I am mentally drooling. I literally can’t say no right now; I can only give a tense nod, and start to head for the master bath on legs as wobbly as a newborn colt. Yeah, this is gonna happen.
We both enter Luke’s luxurious bathroom. The shower is a huge glass enclosed square with fancy controls settings—because rich people can’t just have a normal shower. I know there’s a kickass sound system in here because I’ve heard him blasting hard rock shit while he’s showering. I briefly wonder if he’ll turn it on now.
He doesn’t. I hop up on the marble counter while he adjusts the water temperature. My hands are trembling with anticipation, so I keep them balled into fists on my lap. Just breathe normally, Andi. Do not hyperventilate. Oh, my god. This really is happening. Yay!
The sounds of the shower going usually calm me, but not this time. Steam immediately begins to pour out of the open shower door, making me cough just a little. Just how hot does he have it? He pulls back out, closing the glass door behind him, then walks right up to me. Thrillingly, I find myself caged in his arms.
“You okay?” he asks, studying my face. “You’re allowed to change your mind, you know.”
I laugh nervously. “I’m fine. I—just…god, take your shirt off!”
Luke leans back a little, looking amused. “Yes, ma’am,” he drawls, and tugs his shirt up and off.
I ogle him unashamedly. He is so beautiful. As many times as I’ve seen him with his shirt off, he never fails to move me. My eyes feverishly fall over his honey-tanned skin, the sleek lines and ridges of him, and the familiar scars that only add to the perfection of his body.
My gaze trails down his broad defined chest, to his abs corrugated with muscle, down to the V-line just barely visible above his jeans. Almost in a trance, I reach out and my fingers tentatively and reverently trace that sexy ridge.
Luke’s reaction is immediate. He inhales sharply, all his muscles tensing as my touch dips below his waistband. He grabs my hands before I can continue to explore him. “Your turn,” he says huskily.
I manage to take off the apron in a series of uncoordinated movements. Luke just smirks at me. “That doesn’t count, Tiger. Take your shirt off, too.”
I know he expects me to argue or hesitate, but I don’t. I silently give myself a pep talk as I unbutton my shirt, trying to act like I feel sexy when I really just feel clumsy. I wish I had on nicer underwear.
Finally I manage to get the last button as he watches me with rapt attention. I slowly pull my blouse apart to reveal my plain pink bra, stained with chocolate-raspberry crap. Luke stares at my body like it’s a revelation. My breasts grow heavy and tingly under his intense gaze, and I have to fight the urge to cover myself up. I’ve never felt so self-conscious about my body.
“Your turn,” I whisper, and I boldly reach for his jeans button.
The air is thick with steam and sexual tension. I drag his zipper down carefully to avoid the hard bulge just behind it. Luke makes a muffled sound, and his entire body jerks when my fingers accidentally brush against him. He grips the edges of the counter, every muscle flexed and straining.
“Andi,” he warns me in a strangled voice.
I ignore him and push his jeans down. He quickly steps out of them, leaving him in a pair of dark blue boxers. Before I have time to admire him, he’s pushing me back. He grips my skirt and aggressively strips it off of me. I have to scoot back and lift my butt to avoid being yanked off the counter. The second it’s off, he moves between my legs, his hands under my thighs, lifting me up and slamming me against him. I don’t hesitate to wrap my legs around his hips while tangling my finger in his short soft hair. Fire courses through my veins as our mouths crash over each other’s desperately. We grind against each other, and I go feral with this crazy animalistic desire. The only thing that matters now is getting him to scratch that itch deep inside of me.
Luke is the first to pull back, much to my intense disappointment. “Put your hair down,” he orders hoarsely.
I do as he says, yanking my hair out of its ponytail—along with several strands out of my scalp. Ow. I’m not the only one in pain. Luke takes a step back, taking deep shuddering breaths as he watches me. I toss my head and waves of my long dark hair cascade around my face and shoulders.
“Fucking incredible,” Luke murmurs, and shakes his head in awe.
“Get back here,” I plead, reaching out to him.
Instead he moves further away. “Hold on,” he says unsteadily. “Let’s set some ground rules, yeah?”
“No,” I reply simply. I hop off the counter and walk past him towards the shower. “There’s just one rule: I get to touch you wherever and however I want—but you can’t touch me.”
I glance over my shoulder in time to catch Luke’s stunned expression. Without waiting for his consent, I step into the shower, leaving the door open behind me.
I want him; I want him so much I can’t think. I stand under the spray of the hot water, letting it stream over me, plastering my hair to my body. I feel so out of control right now. Like I’m behind the wheel of a car with no brakes, doing a hundred down a steep incline.
Luke joins me shortly, closing the door behind him. I back up until I’m touching tile. There are four separate shower heads in here, so there’s plenty of room to share. Luke stalks towards me, water streaming down his beautiful streamlined body, and darkening his golden hair. His jewel-colored eyes seem lit from within. He is the sexiest fucking thing I’ve ever seen in my life. I could just devour him. I’m going to. I lick my bottom lip in anticipation.
Luke stops just a couple inches short of touching me. He’s tall enough to grab the top of the shower door, the other hand resting on the tile above my head. He inclines his head so that our faces are close together.
“About this rule of yours…” he says close to my ear.
“Non-negotiable,” I whisper back. “We do this my way, okay?”
Luke pulls back to search my face intently. He gives a small nod. “Okay, Andi. This is your show.”
A thrill of excitement runs through me. “No hands,” I remind him sternly, and he flashes his sexy smirk at me.
I feel like a kid who’s suddenly been let loose in Disneyland. What ride to go on first? It’s all so tempting. I grab Luke by the ears and pull him down for a sloppy kiss. Every time our lips touch, it’s like the first time. Except I already know his taste: mint and candy. I know how soft yet firm his lips are and I already know I will never be able to get enough of him.
I really want him to touch me, but then it’d be over—I’m that close to the edge for him. So…now that have free reign over him, I plan to take full advantage of it. I run my fingers through his hair, over his perfect face, down his neck. I trace his broad shoulders and caress the long muscles in his arms. I linger over every line, contour, and indent as Luke swears and groans under his breath.
“Andi,” he growls when I slowly drag his boxers down. He grabs my arm to stop me from kneeling in front of him.
“No touching.” I glare up at him. “Now you have to put your hands behind your head.”
Luke looks like he’s about to protest. I raise an eyebrow at him. He laughs softly and puts his hands up in surrender, locking them behind his head. The muscles in his chest and arms flex at his movements, suddenly making me wish I could draw and accurately record the sheer perfection of this man.
I’m kneeling down in front of him, awed at his masculine beauty. Luke is a lot bigger than Bran in every way. I can’t help but think of all the girls who have been in my position right now—girls far more beautiful and experienced than me. I take him in my hands, and his whole body jerks. A sense of power washes over me. It doesn’t matter how many girls he’s done this with. I’m here with him now, and he’s looking at me like I have the power to break him—and not just because I’m holding a very sensitive part of him in my hands. He says my name like it’s a prayer, and I feel like a goddess.
He is so beautiful. His body is silk over steel. Something sharp seems to pierce my heart whenever I look at him. A true work of art invokes both pleasure and pain, after all—and I want him to feel both. I devour him mercilessly, and his breathing becomes fast and shallow. In this moment, I own him.
“Oh, fuck!” Luke groans, his head falling back.
Afterwards, he leans against the tile, still breathing hard. I am fiercely satisfied by how staggered he seems. He finally lowers his arms, leaning forward slightly, and resting his hands on his knees.
“Fuck,” he says weakly. “I think you sucked my soul out.”
“Oh, is that what that funny taste was?”
Luke looks at me and lets out a shaky laugh. “Damn, Tiger. I may have to give you a few more nicknames. I’d tell you some of them, but you’d hit me.”
“Maybe not.” I shrug and slowly get to my feet.
He only shakes his head at me, still smiling. “You know, you didn’t have to do that,” he says quietly.
I smile smugly at him. “Believe me, it was my pleasure.”
I retreat under a shower head while he recovers, letting the hot water cascade over me. I’m smiling my ass off. You’d think I was the one who got outstanding (if I do say so myself) head just now. I’ve never been much of a giver, but with Luke I can definitely see the appeal. I’d be willing to give over and over. And over. Especially if he keeps making those sexy ass growling noises during.
I’m so busy congratulating myself that I don’t notice Luke until he’s standing over me, looking down at me with dark gold eyes and a wicked expression.
“Your turn.”
“Nope.” I shake my head at him. “The rule still stands. You can’t touch me.”
“
I
won’t be the one touching you.”
Oh. Hm.
I don’t know why I feel so scandalized right now, but I kind of do. The closest I’ve come to masturbation is sex with Bran. Nothing against him; I was just a very self-involved lover. Once, when we were doing it, I called out my own name. Very awkward.
Not that I’m worried I’ll have that problem with Luke. Still…
“Pass,” I say.
“Come on, Tiger,” Luke says tauntingly. “I’m not letting you out of here until you come. By my hand, or yours. Your choice.”
I cross my arms over my chest to keep my heart from bursting out and escaping to a less awkward land. “You want me to
fap
it?” I say finally. “And you want to watch?”
“Yeah,” he replies, still smiling. “I want to watch.”
Can I really do that in front of him? The more I think about it, the hotter I get. My gaze meets Luke, and a big ball of lust forms heavily in my lower stomach. Maybe I should just let him do it to me. But…
Luke’s past comes back to haunt me. How many porn-worthy situations has he been in? Threesomes, handcuffs…who knows what else—and I’m too prudish to touch myself in front of him?