Loose Ends (Magnolia Series Book 1) (9 page)

“Luke!” Her voice wasn’t her own as she screamed each time he pounded into her.

“Again! Scream my name!” he shouted.

“Luke! Oh fuck!” Her hands were now fisted in the sheets.

“Is this how you like to be fucked? Do you like me pushing my cock deep inside you, like this?” He plunged again and her entire body tightened up. “That’s it. Arch that back for me.” Her legs fell open a bit more. “Fuck. Are you trying to get me deeper?”

“Yes, please,” she moaned.

“Spread them as far as you can. Take me in deep.” She used her thigh muscles to move her legs apart as far as they would go, feeling Luke sink further inside her.

Ava’s eyes closed as she reveled in the sensations that filled her. The connection they shared seemed as if it were even deeper than only a physical one. But that was crazy. She hadn’t known him that long. There was no way she could be feeling anything for him. This was lust. Pure, carnal lust.

Luke must’ve sensed her pulling away. He slowed and leaned forward, his face only inches from hers—his warm breath fanning her face. “Look at me, Ava.” She kept her eyes tightly sealed and shook her head. “Dammit, Ava. Look. At. Me.” He thrust into her harder to get her undivided attention.

Her eyes flew open and connected with his. Something about that moment spurred her into the beginning pulsations of release. “Mmmmmm.” She bit her lip to keep from crying out.

Luke reached down with his thumb and tugged her lip free. “Don’t hold back on me. I want to hear every moan and scream from those delicious lips.” Ava arched her back again as the orgasm subsided, she wanted more. “Oh no, you don’t. I want another one. Give me one more, sweetheart.”

“I can’t,” Ava whined.

“You can. And you will.” He reached between them and began to massage her clit.

Sparks of a new wave washed over her, the feeling starting at the tip of her toes and working its way north. It had always amazed her how an orgasm could make you feel so out of control but so alive at the same time. Every nerve was focused on reaching that peak. Every ounce of energy was place on her body gripping that feeling. When her second one crashed into her, she felt Luke’s thrusts become uneven. He was close. She knew it by the change in his breathing and the way his cock seemed to grow within her.

“Luke, come for me,” she pleaded just like he had. She wanted to own his release as much as he wanted to own hers.

“Right now?” He pushed further in. “You want me to come for you right now, Ava?” His voice took on a hoarse quality, like he was trying to hold back and failing miserably.

“Yes. Come now,” Ava demanded. She wasn’t a taker; she gave more than she got in return, but for some reason, being in this bed with him in between her legs, she wanted everything he had.

His answer came in the form of an animalistic growl that echoed around them in the antiquated bedroom. The low tones bled from his throat, bouncing off the plaster covered walls, and landing in her head. She’d never forget the way he sounded in that moment. She’d never forget how it felt to make Luke lose control. In a way, she wanted to erase it because nothing could ever compare to this. She was ruined.

***

Luke was always an early riser. It didn’t matter how tired he was, he’d get up before the sun peeked over the horizon and start his day. Hell, some nights he didn’t sleep a wink due to his job. There wasn’t a set schedule; he did what was needed to pay the bills. After this job was done with his current employer, he’d be able to sit comfortably for the foreseeable future. But there were still questions plaguing him. Ones that needed to be answered now that he’d gotten to know Ava on a much more
personal
level. He’d tried not to let being with her become a roadblock between him and this massive payday, but now, he wasn’t so sure he could. And didn’t he feel like the biggest pansy ass for thinking like that.

Leaving her in his bed all alone made him twitchy inside. She looked so peaceful lying there curled on her side, blonde hair spilling over the pillow like a halo of spun gold. When he’d glanced back one more time before leaving the bedroom, he had to blink to assure himself that this wasn’t a dream. That the breathtaking scene before him was in fact an honest-to-God reality.

Last night was one of the best of his life by far. The crazy thing though? It wasn’t about the sex. It was more than that. He didn’t want to put a label on it now, or even ever if he had his way, but being around Ava was like breathing in the most glorious breath of fresh air. On the outside she was strong and resilient; a woman who could go toe-to-toe with anyone. But inside was a vulnerability that made her human. He’d learned a long time ago to shut down his emotions and do his job, but for some reason Ava was making him throw everything out the window. Luke wasn’t going to think about that right now though; he’d take this one day at a time and in the end, he would wash the blood off his hands and walk away like he always did.

“Good morning,” he heard a small voice—Ava’s voice—behind him.

Luke turned around to see her standing in the kitchen doorway. Her lightly tanned legs were smooth and bare, only partly concealed by the t-shirt she wore. His t-shirt. Blood flew to his groin as he lifted his gaze to see her hair quite the mess and her face free of makeup. Had she been wearing it last night? He couldn’t remember. “Morning. Did you sleep okay?” He didn’t do the whole morning after thing so this conversation was beyond his realm of understanding.

“I did until you got out of bed. Where did you go so early?” She entered the kitchen and took a seat across the
table from him. He immediately stood to grab her a cup of coffee.

“I took a morning run; had to clear my head a bit,” he answered as he filled the ceramic cup with dark brown liquid. Truth was, he’d gotten a phone call and didn’t want to her to overhear it if she’d woken up.

“You still on her?” the nameless man asked. 

“Yep, what now?” Luke was all business with his employers. Most of them were assholes who didn’t give a damn if you had an opinion about things anyway. There was no use arguing or trying to change their mind about something.

“Plans have changed. Stay on her for a few more weeks.”

“Listen, I’ve got more shit to do than babysit for you,” Luke bit out.

The other man grunted into the phone. “You want me to find somebody else to do this shit? I have ten other guys on speed dial who would do this shit for half your price.”

That wasn’t what he wanted at all. In fact, if they found out he’d lied about her being in Phoenix, they’d both find themselves at the bottom of a lake. “Fuck no, I’ve got this.”

“Good. I thought you’d see it my way.” The guy hung up.

What was it with these types and them hanging up? Must’ve made them feel tougher to do shit like that. But honestly, not much intimidated Luke.

“Earth to Luke,” Ava cut through his mental replay of the morning’s phone conversation. 

He spun around with her cup of coffee in his hand. Setting it on the table in front of her, he leaned down and gently kissed her forehead when she looked up. “Sorry. I was thinking about some projects I need to start this weekend.” 

“Oh. Do you need any help? Since I closed the shop until Monday, I could stick around and lend a hand.” She lifted the steaming cup to her lips and made a sipping sound as the hot brew hit her mouth.

Luke took a drink from his own mug, laughing internally at himself. This shit was way too domestic for his liking. Ava sitting across from him, drinking from a matching coffee cup; when had he sold out to normalcy? “You don’t have to help,” he chuckled. 

“You didn’t have to help me fold towels that day in the shop either, but you did.” She shrugged. Okay, the woman had a point. “Or is it that you don’t think I can do manual labor because I’m female?” Her lips lifted at the corners in a teasing smile.

“Oh, I know you can work hard. I saw the evidence of that last night,” he teased back.

“You hardly made me work for an orgasm,” she said without making eye contact. Was she embarrassed to talk about things like this?

“I
could
make you work for it, though.”

“For you, I’d be willing to put in the time.” Now she snapped her gaze to his, her amber eyes full of heat.

“Stop it, Ava.”

“Stop
what
?” she feigned innocence. 

“You know exactly
what
. If you keep up the mischief, I’ll have no choice but to drag you over here and make you work the hardest you’ve ever worked for an orgasm,” he warned.

“Told you already, I’m not afraid of a little work,” she stated matter-of-factly.

“Oh, there’s nothing
little
about this job, sweetheart.” Luke winked.

“Then it’s a good thing I have experience. Would you like to see my résumé’?” The saucy minx then stood and peeled his t-shirt off her flushed body. Tossing it to the floor, she stalked to where he sat and threw one of her legs over him, straddling his lap. Luke caught the scent of himself that still lingered on her from his shirt—that, mixed with her sweetness was doing nothing to help his self-control. There was also the fact that she was now grinding on his groin, showing him just how hard she was willing to work.

“Ava,” Luke warned, although he didn’t know why he’d protest such a thing, it was heaven having her like this.

“Yes, Luke?” She stopped her motions and cocked her head to the side like a curious puppy. 

“Don’t you think it’s kind of early for this?” 

Ava peeked over her shoulder and out the kitchen window. “Nope. There isn’t a good
or
bad time to do this. But I can stop if you want me to.” She went to stand back up and Luke pulled her to her previous position. 

“Like hell you will.” He grabbed her hips and began to move her back and forth over his lap. “I think you’re trying to kill me.” 

Ava placed her hands on his shoulders and dug her nails in. The slight pain ratcheting up his need even more. “It would be a good way to die, wouldn’t it?” Her head lulled back causing her mussed up hair to fall away from her face.

“God, you’re fucking beautiful.” Luke pulled his hands from her gyrating hips and grabbed both sides of her face. “Kiss me, sweetheart.” When she did, he almost lost it. He didn’t deserve to be with her. If she
really
knew who he was, she’d run and hide. It made him a bastard of epic proportions to sit here and let her do this. But that didn’t stop him from reaching up and cupping her breasts in his coarse hands.

“Mmmm, your hands feel wonderful,” she moaned as he molded and tweaked them.

“Do you want to come for me?” His cock was screaming, telling him he was the one needing to come. But he wanted her orgasm more than his own at the moment. 

“I want to,” she pulled her bottom lip between her teeth and bit down fairly hard. He wouldn’t be surprised if she drew blood. 

“Keep riding me and make yourself come.” 

“What about you?” She didn’t stop her movements but looked at him when she asked. It tugged at him a little that she was worried about him.

“Don’t worry about me, just show me how sexy you are by coming, sweetheart.” Damn he couldn’t wait to watch her again. Both times he’d seen her shatter they’d been in near darkness. It was the light of day now and he’d get a prime view of her angelic face when she fell over that precipice. 

“Tell me to come for you,” she demanded. 

“Come for me.” He couldn’t help the need seeping from his voice.

“Again. Tell me,” she breathed.

Luke could tell she was almost there but it stunned him she needed him to help her by being commanding. “Do it, Ava. Come.” 

She seemed to be struggling a bit. Her movements became uneven and her face scrunched up like she was trying too hard.  “I can’t,” she said on a shaky sigh.

“The hell you can’t. You’re gonna fucking come.”

“I…help me.”

Oh, he’d help her alright. He couldn’t wait to sink his fingers inside her and feel how soaked she was. One hand moved in between them and grazed her swollen flesh, her hiss of approval told him this was what she needed. “Tell me what you want.” He wanted to tease her. Wanted her so needy that when he finally fucked her with his fingers, she’d grasp him so tight he’d blow his load in his pants. 

“Inside me. I need your fingers inside me.” 

“What if I just want to do this?” Luke continued to play on the outside of her glistening lips, teasing and tormenting her. 

“No. I need
more
.” Ava shifted herself closer to his fingers trying to pull him in. “Damn it, Luke! Please!”

He knew she was getting frustrated but he wasn’t ready to take her over the edge yet. Reaching around with his free hand, he placed it on the back of her neck. He pulled her head close enough that his mouth was only an inch from her ear. Opening his lips, he whispered, “I’m going to fuck you with my fingers in about fifteen seconds. I want to hear you scream my name when you come all over my hand.” She frantically nodded. “Get ready,
sweetheart.” 

Letting go of her neck he leaned back in the chair. He dug his fingers into her hip to steady her. The hand that’d been toying with her inched closer to her opening and his cock began to twitch even more. This was going to be rough watching her, but he could handle it. So he held firmly to her hip and sank two fingers into her. She immediately bucked and threw her head backward. Luke smiled as he watched her with intent. “Fuck, yeah,” he groaned. His fingers explored her as he finally found the spot that would send her soaring. “Come on; show me how pretty you look when you give me that orgasm.” Fingers delving even deeper, he felt the first waves as her walls began to clench around his digits. “There you go. All of it, I want it all.” She began to ride his hand like it was his hard cock inside her. He wished it
was
right now. Male satisfaction coursed through him as her head snapped up and her amber eyes connected with his blue ones.