Savor (14 page)

carried a personal itch and wouldn’t mind having Luka do the scratching.

Just as his hand reached the top of my thigh, I pushed away from the table. For the third

time that night, everyone at the dining room stared up at me. I probably just pegged myself as the weird photographer girl. I didn’t mind. We artsy types thrived on eccentricity.

“Luka, can I talk to you in
private
?” I said.

He blinked up at me before he pushed off the table. “We don’t have any pressing matters

anymore for tonight, Yana?”

His sister shook her head in obvious bewilderment. She wasn’t the only one at the table

looking confused. I could see the question marks in their minds on their faces. I ignored all of them, the ache between my legs taking precedence.

“Then if you will excuse us—”

Not letting Luka finish his sentence, I wrapped my hand around his wrist and pulled him

out of the dining room. We went down the hallway we came from earlier. I scanned left then

right for doors. I pulled Luka into the first room I could find. A sitting room of sorts.

The moonlight slanted in through yet another set of terrace doors. I had a feeling they

wrapped around most of the manor. Not bothering with lights, I scanned the room. When I

spotted a large divan, I made my way toward it, taking a silent Luka with me. Not once did he

struggle. Bully for me.

Upon reaching the divan, I whirled around and pushed Luka back until he fell onto the

cushion. He leaned back on his hands and looked up at me, a curious expression on his

handsome as sin face. For a second, I wanted to lick him from chin to temple. I swallowed the

urge and saved it for later.

“What are you doing?” he finally asked.

Before answering, I yanked off my shirt and tossed it aside. Luka became really still. I felt

his eyes wander my upper body, placing close attention to my breasts covered in black cotton.

Usually, I broke out the lace or satin for sex, but when in a lurch, cotton did just fine. They would end up on the floor anyway. Thank God my underwear matched.

Hands on my hips, I said, “This is what you want right?”

In the light of the moon, he looked like a magical being, almost unreal. He went from

golden god to silver temptation. I couldn’t escape the heat in his eyes. And I was pretty sure he could see the heat in mine because I noticed his move.

“What are you saying, Dakota?”

I licked my bottom lip, reveling in the way his gaze followed the quick dart of my tongue. I

let the shiver running through me put me in the mood. “Isn’t it obvious? I don’t have time to

play these games with you and I surely won’t allow you to play them in public.” With a deep

breath, I toed off my boots then unclasped the button of my jeans and shimmied out of them.

In one kick, they joined my discarded shirt. I forced myself to stand there, focusing on

keeping my breathing even.

As I expected, Luka’s gaze dropped to the large scar that ran from my navel to just below

my panty line. He sucked in his breath. He must have noticed the dozen little jagged scars

that scattered around the larger one. Another reason why guys stayed away. The patch wasn’t

the only thing about me that scared them away.

A muscle ticked along Luka’s jaw. “Who did this to you?”

“We’re not here to talk about my past.” I tilted his chin up so his gaze met mine. “As you

can see, you don’t have to worry about using a condom. And I trust that you’re clean. I

haven’t been with anyone for almost a year and I’ve been tested. Let’s get this out of our

system. I have work to do in the morning.”

“No,” Luka whispered.

Not sure I heard him right, I asked, “What?”

He twisted his face away from my touch. “I said no.”

“That’s not what the bulge in your pants is saying.” I stepped closer. “One night. No strings

attached. I won’t even be the clingy girl. And you don’t have to do a thing. Just sit there and I’ll take care of the rest.”

Mustering all the confidence I possessed, I bent down until my fingers skimmed the hem

of his sweater. Lightning fast, Luka’s hands circled my wrists. With controlled force, he

pushed my hands away. I stood up straight and looked down at him, now the one confused.

Was I wrong in his intentions?

“Put your clothes back on,” he growled, guttural.

I hated the insecurity that pinched at my insides. “Is it the scars? Are you disgusted by

them?” I didn’t know what prompted me to ask, but I had no regrets. His answer would help

deflate my desire for him.

Instead of disgust, his blue eyes took on a sharp edge. “You think me that shallow?”

Just as quickly, he closed his hands around my hips and pulled me forward. My surprised

yelp turned into a gasp when his lips touched my skin. He treated my abdomen to slow, open-

mouthed kisses. My fingers snaked into his hair, keeping him where he was. The softness of

each strand drove me crazy. They felt like the finest silk beneath my fingers. With every

greedy inhale, his spicy sweet scent filled my lungs. I threw my head back with a moan when

his tongue traced each and every scar.

Unable to help myself, I moaned Luka’s name. He must have had a will of steel because he

gave the largest scar one last kiss before he pulled back but not too far. His hot breath on my damp skin sent delicious shivers up and down my body. I wanted more. Of him. Now.

In a shift of mood I wasn’t prepared for, Luka let go of my hips and leaned away, his hands

splayed behind him on the divan.

“Don’t ever think scars will scare me off.” His surly tone made him sound like a child

denied a cookie before dinner. “I don’t know what you think of me, but I’m not that kind of

man. Now, put your damn clothes back on and get out of here.”

More confused than ever, I yanked my jeans and shirt over my body. Bending down, I

balanced on one leg and pulled on my boots one at a time. My mind worked on overdrive.

Okay, he wasn’t rejecting me for physical reasons. Then why the hell weren’t we horizontal

right now?

I must have asked the question aloud because he chuckled and said, “My father loves to

hunt, and when I was younger, he always took me out with him.”

I totally didn’t get it. How was I supposed to take that statement? Unable to stand his air

of mystery anymore, and the pulse he’d caused in me reaching a painful peak, I hurried to the

door. My hand reached for the doorknob.

“Dakota?”

I stilled, waiting, but didn’t turn around to face him.

“Before this is over, you will show me what’s beneath that eye patch.”

The cockiness in his voice more than his words annoyed me enough to say, “Good luck

with that. This was a onetime offer. I’d appreciate it if you kept your hands to yourself from now on.”

I left before Luka could respond. Whatever games he was playing, I was out.

With determined strides, I did my best to find my room. I refused to ask for help. It took

me three times as long. The frustration of getting lost stamped down the sexual frustration. It dawned on me that I might not have thought things through before signing that contract. But

there was no use being a sour grape about it. I had a commitment to my craft and I would

stick to it. Let Luka and his teasing be damned. He wouldn’t be touching me inappropriately

again. I couldn’t let him. Relief shook my body when I reached the circular section with a

domed roof. I found my room soon after that.

Deidra wasn’t kidding when I asked her about turndown service. My bed covers had been

pulled back and the pillows fluffed. I even found a mint at the center of one of them.

Ignoring the call of the heavenly mattress, I picked up my duffle and emptied its contents

onto the bed. I grabbed sweatpants, a Wexler T-shirt, and a new set of underwear and headed

straight for the bathroom. I could formally unpack later. I planned on losing myself in the

rest of my work first. Yana would have those pictures before dawn if it killed me.

But before all that, I needed a damn shower. I needed to wash away the scent of him from

my body. Scrub away the feel of his lips on my skin. Luka Visraya was lethal to the human

condition.

Chapter Fourteen

Labyrinth

I spent the next two days exploring the ins and outs of the ginormous Lunar Manor. I

started with my room. Once I put away all my stuff, which sadly fit only three drawers of a six drawer cabinet, I gave myself permission to discover the hidden treasures in my section of

the east wing. Besides really expensive furniture and a state of the art entertainment system, I found a mini fridge stocked with everything I might need. I had to get over the hotel mini

bar feel before actually digging in. M&Ms, pretzels, and chips, oh my! I stayed away from the booze, of course. I didn’t need to be wasted while working on my project. The next day, the

fridge was magically restocked by a mysterious junk food fairy. Imagine that?

When I got the courage to explore beyond the four walls of my quarters, I soon figured out

I might need a GPS to navigate Lunar Manor. The floor I lived in was a mess of labyrinthine

hallways, and the manor had three floors plus an attic. Several long turns later, I found

myself circling back to my room. How could I expect to find members of the band like this?

Taking pictures along the way like Gretel leaving behind bread crumbs, I wandered into a

humungous library. It was two stories tall with walls overflowing with books. Then I

stumbled into a music room. Well, at least I thought it was a music room because of the black

grand piano dominating the center of it. There were lots of rooms similar to the one I dragged Luka into. I shook my head against the rising memories. Every time I thought of his lips on

my scars, I shivered like I walked under a cold spot.

Continuing my trek, I quickly discovered two atriums with glass ceilings. They marked the

division between the center of the manor and the east and west wings. A larger atrium filled

with hot house plants marked the actual center of Lunar Manor. I spent a couple of hours

there, mystified by the rainforest feel of it. The temperature outside must have been freezing, yet the plants inside the main atrium—as I dubbed it—kept the place nice and toasty. I

especially loved the orchids with their velvety petals.

Two days and I got the feeling I only saw part of the whole structure. I hadn’t even made it

outside yet. The grounds intimidated me. At least inside the house maids periodically walked

the hallways. I could easily ask for directions. But to actually explore the gardens, I needed a guide. Of course, who my guide would be was yet to be determined since everyone seemed

busy, even Deidra.

I only got to see the band together during dinner. Luka had been right. Dinners were no

excuse events at Lunar Manor. Thank God Luka kept his hands to himself while at the table.

Unfortunately, I felt the cold shoulder from all the way where I sat. They’d moved me beside

Calixta for some reason. Not that I minded much even if I couldn’t stand the girl. Luka

wouldn’t even look my way. How childish could he get? Well, if he ignored me, then I could

just as easily ignore him.

Or so I thought until the third day.

Yana came to my room and escorted me to the basement of the manor, which I never

thought it had until I was climbing down its steps.

“The band uses the basement to record their albums,” Yana said over her shoulder, leading

the way for me.

At the bottom of the stairs, I stopped and gaped at the posters of the band framed along

the walls. A glass case held numerous awards. An L-shaped couch lined one wall, and the

coffee table in front of it displayed countless magazines with the band on the front cover. Add a receptionist in the corner and we’d be in business. Egotistical, much?

“This is the studio?”

Yana, in orange today, whirled around. “We have everything a band might need. State of

the art mixing boards. Sound canceling microphones and headphones. Sound proof booths.”

She waved me onward until we reached a door with a red light on. She pointed upward.

“They’re recording.”

I aimed my camera at the light and snapped a shot. “You guys weren’t kidding when you

said you produced your own music.”

She shrugged. “Why let someone else do what you can do yourself. When Luka put the

band together, it was really with the intension of creating their brand of music. He learned

everything about production and took it to the next level by hiring people who fit his

aesthetic. Everyone who works with Vicious works with them exclusively.”

“So you’re saying Luka runs the show?” The light above us clicked off and Yana pushed

into the room.

“No. I run the show. He creates.” Yana pointed at the band behind the glass wall.

All their instruments were set up over carpets. Mics hung from the ceiling and several

music stands littered the space. All the members had on headphones. Demitri was adjusting

the strings of his guitar. Dray twirled his drumsticks. Phoenix and Luka were conferring with

each other, their heads together. From behind the glass, two men adjusted a myriad of dials

and knobs along a large mixing board. Several LCD screens flashed in front of us, showing

sound waves and music bars. There were so many things to see at once, my head whirled. I

couldn’t begin to understand the first thing it took to produce a record. I flinched at Luka’s voice over the speakers.