Wrapped In Shadows (21 page)

Katie

The timer went off and I rushed to the oven, snatching the mitt from the counter.

“Stand back, Olivia,” I cautioned, opening the oven door. A wave of heat hit me, followed by the delicious smell of homemade cookies. It was our fourth batch, and like the others, were invitingly golden brown. I was thrilled. For some reason, it was very important to me that my cookies be perfect.

“Wow! Awesome!” Livy shouted exuberantly, bouncing on her toes.

I deposited the tray on top of the stove to cool alongside the other batches and turned to Livy, giving her a big high five.

Livy squealed, light dazzling her wide brown eyes, and I couldn’t help catching her infectious excitement.

“These are perfect,” I stated proudly.

“You’re the best baker ever!” Livy proclaimed. “Wait till Dada sees these!”

I laughed as Livy scrambled off to find her father. He’d been banished from the kitchen a half hour ago for eating all the cookie dough. I hadn’t minded because his presence in the small space had been very distracting. He’d find every reason to brush against me, or discretely lick cookie dough off my fingers, making me mad with longing. Every now and then he’d even whisper in my ear, ‘
what’s your name again?
’, heating my face with a blush as he grinned like a rascal.

Livy ran into the other room where Luke sat on the couch, and I followed. He’d been on the phone earlier, and from the small snatches of conversation I could hear from the kitchen, I guessed he’d been talking to his lawyer.

“Dada!” Livy scolded, stopping in her tracks. “You’re eating all the cookies!”

I bit my lip to hide my smile as Luke looked up from his plate of cookies, obviously surprised.

“
What?
” he asked innocently, wiping crumbs from his chin. “These are the chocolate ones! The ones Santa doesn’t like, remember?”

I almost burst out laughing when Livy planted a hand on her hip and said, “Well, what about his
reindeer
? What will they eat?”

In her frothy tutu, she looked like a ballerina munchkin with attitude.

He stared blankly. His gaze shifted to me for help and then back to Livy when it was obvious he would get none. I was too busy trying not to laugh out loud.

“The reindeer are…are chocolate in—
in torment
. Everybody knows that,” he said dead pan, rising from the couch. “Yeah, chocolate cookies will do a number on their little tummies. They’re used to eating hay and…” he looked to me again for help and I shrugged, biting my lip. “and…garden…salads.” I noticed the dimple playing hide and seek near his mouth as he grew closer. His handsome face was serious, but amusement danced in his eyes. “They’ll be leaving reindeer droppings all over the apartment if they eat these.” He shook his head gravely. “We can’t have that.”

I had to turn away as laughter bubbled up from my chest. I didn’t know how Luke could keep a straight face.

“Droppings?” Livy asked.

“
Poop
.”

Livy instantly ignited into hysterical, high-pitched laughter. I would never have thought that one word could be so inflammatory. But maybe when you’re five years old, such things were uproarious.

“Really?” Livy giggled. “Lorri never said that.”

“There’re a lot of things Daddy knows that Lorri doesn’t—like, it’s time for bed, princess.” I heard him sigh, but mirth underlined his tone. “Say goodnight to Kay.”

“Goodnight, Kay.” Livy waved as Luke picked her up and heaved her over a broad shoulder.

Luke shot me a wide grin and a wink, then headed off down the hall.

I turned and went to the kitchen to pack away the cookies, still laughing at father and daughter. No sooner had I reached the entrance, when Livy came bounding back down the hall. She stood a few feet away from me, seeming suddenly shy. The small dimple next to her mouth tunneled deeper as she twisted her lips.

“Thank you for helping me bake.” Livy smiled then crooked a finger at me, indicating I should come closer. I obeyed, bending lower and having no idea what the little girl could want. She cupped a hand to my ear and whispered, “You can call me Livy if you want.”

I swallowed at the knot of emotion balling tight in my throat, but I nodded and smiled as Livy turned and scurried back down the hall. “Don’t let Dada near the cookies!” she yelled before she disappeared.

I walked into the kitchen, reflecting on my evening. I couldn’t believe it was two days before Christmas and I was here at Luke’s apartment baking cookies and having more fun than I’d had in a long time. I loved the easy rapport that flowed between father and daughter, and the love and warmth that filled their home. There was no stress, no artifice, no underlying pressures—just undiluted joy and honest emotion. So different from the way I’d grown up. I’d never had this, I’d never known what it was like to see such love in a father’s eyes. I knew my parents loved me, but they were not the most emotive of people. My brother and I each had a nanny from the time we were chauffeured home from the hospital. And growing up, everything was scheduled and doled out in measured doses, even time spent with our parents.

Luke had a lot to be angry about right now, and I would've expected him to be surly or impatient, but that wasn’t the case. The fact that he maintained his humor and good nature made him even more appealing.

I was standing at the kitchen counter packing cookies into Tupperware bins I’d found when strong arms encircled my waist from behind. Luke pressed into me, fitting his hard body against my back, and I closed my eyes and let my head lob back against his sculpted chest. He was warm and wonderfully masculine. I sighed, marveling that this could feel so right. This night. This place. This man. I realized that I’d been searching for this feeling my entire life, and found it in the cocoon of Luke’s arms. It scared me to fully analyze that thought, and I had to take a deep reality-checking breath.

His nose nuzzled into my neck and I felt his lips against my skin, the sensation cascading in fluffy waves over my body. I arched my head to give him better access and his teeth scraped around to my nape, catching a sensitive spot and provoking a soft moan.

“Stay with me tonight,” he whispered.

My head jerked toward the hall and he paused, seeming to read my thoughts.

“Once she’s put to bed, she sleeps like a log.”

I turned in the circle of his arms and was surprised by the profound emotion on his face. His emerald eyes stared possessively and he made no attempt to hide his raw lust. I nodded my answer as my temperature jacked up a few degrees, heating me to a quick boil. Zero to sixty. That’s how it was with him. Cupping my chin, he lined up our gazes.

“I just want you to know that I’ve never had a woman stay over. I tend to be very protective of Livy.”

I nodded. “She’s a great kid. Seems to have inherited your sense of humor.”

“Poor kid,” he chuckled, taking my hand and leading me down the hall.

I walked into Luke’s room and it wasn’t at all what I’d pictured. It was a large room with a gigantic four poster bed in the middle. The posts were made from beautiful, ornately carved wood that reminded me of totem poles. His comforter was a geometric brown and beige pattern. Beyond that, the room had a minimalist decor. Plain white shades at the window, a lush dark beige rug covered the hardwood floor, and a small desk and chair sat in the corner. I scanned the room and was surprised to see no paintings or pictures on the walls.

Luke drew me close to the bed and pulled my sweater over my head. I waited, expecting him to divest my jeans, but he pulled me into him and claimed my lips. I leaned in, deepening the kiss, loving the way his mouth possessed mine so thoroughly. His warm hands coasted over my shoulders and down my back, his fingers kneading and massaging a lazy rhythm. Reaching around, he unhooked my bra. It fell to the floor, freeing my jutting breasts and allowing them to fall into his palms. I warbled when he rolled my nipples between his thumb and forefinger, pulling a taut string that seemed to originate in my sex. Desire buzzed through me, taking a circuitous path that bedeviled every nerve ending.

Luke traced the pads of his finger slowly down my neck and across my chest, a reverent touch that reminded me of that first night in the dark at
Sensations
. I had to admit that now knowing my lover was Luke—this tall, gorgeous, dark haired man—amplified the effect of his touch. He took a step back and his gaze meandered lazily over my face and breasts and I felt my nipples throb under the scrutiny.

“You are beautiful, Kay. I’ve pictured you here in this room so many times.”

A slight smile tickled the corner of his mouth and his dimple appeared, leaving me wondering just what he’d imagined. My gaze lingered on his dimple. I wanted to lick it. In fact, I wanted to run my tongue all over his body. The thought materialized out of nowhere. It was ushered into my head by an intense craving that made my mouth water with desire. He stepped away to lock the door and turn off the overhead light while I removed the rest of my clothing. After flicking on a small lamp on the desk, he returned to me, openly admiring my nakedness. His eyes seemed to darken as his gaze ate me up.

Single minded, I approached him with a sly smile, swaying my hips in a way I hoped was seductive. I couldn’t help but laugh at his raised eyebrow when I issued orders not to move. As I started unbuttoning his shirt, he bent and planted a kiss on the bridge of my nose. His breath warmed my face and I inhaled deeply, always wanting everything from him.

“Be careful with those buttons. You know your track record with my shirts.” His wide grin was stunning and left me slightly breathless.

I shot him a mocking gaze, but truthfully I wanted to rip the clothes off his body. Barely mastering the task, I skimmed the shirt from his broad shoulders then let my palms drift over his beautiful dragon. My fingers were shaking as I made quick work of his jeans and I chastised myself because this wasn’t our first time having sex. I shouldn’t be nervous. But being here in his personal space and spending time with him forced me to confront the depth of my feelings for him. It was overwhelming and confusing, because just days ago I’d been ready to spend my life with someone else.

Intentionally refocusing my thoughts, I tiptoed and flicked my tongue across his lips, stopping beside his mouth to pay homage to my favorite spot. He groaned and tried to capture my lips, but I pulled away with a grin, reprimanding him for not following orders. I sat on the edge of the bed and regarded him. He had some serious tenting of his boxers and I knew exactly where my tongue wanted to start its road trip.

Digging a finger into his waistband, I coaxed him forward to stand directly in front of me, my gaze latching on to the swollen head of his cock poking out far above the edge. The slit glistened with a few drops of early arousal and I had to cage my bottom lip to keep from open-mouth panting. I peeled the boxers down his body, noting he was rigidly still and wondered if he guessed my intent. My attention drifted to his bare body. Each muscle was clearly defined and sculpted by the shadowed illumination. Darkness shaded the deep grooves of his abs and dipped into the abyss of his belly button. My gaze followed a trail of dark hair to the root of his imposing shaft and I almost bit through my lip. He was purely beautiful, and my craving to have him in my mouth and on my tongue became fierce and urgent. My brows pleated because I’d never felt this urge so strongly before. This had never been my favorite thing to do.

I leaned forward and smudged the flat of my tongue up his thick length, then made a slow circular sweep around the plump head. The sound that erupted from Luke started deep in his belly and emerged as a rough shout.

“
Christ, Kay!
” he gasped, bucking his hips. His cock twitched and knocked against my lips and I made another slow swipe.

My taste buds burst with the musky flavor of his essence, and I wanted more of that delicious taste. Greedy now, I wrapped my lips around his tip and sucked, moaning at the thick, slippery feel and the heavy weight. I bobbed my head on him, taking him in shallow gulps. Hearing his deep grunts inspired me and I tried to accommodate more of his length. I was only able to swallow about two thirds of his cock, but I hollowed my cheeks and created an intense suction that had his fingers delving into my hair, gripping it hard.

“
Fuck, Kay!
You’re killing me!” he hissed when I continued the hard suction. At the same time, I curled my tongue along his slick shaft, trying to lick the portion I couldn’t fit in my mouth. I continued that way for a few minutes, enjoying his flavor and his inarticulate groans. I felt him throb and pulse in my mouth, his hot shaft swelling to unbelievable fullness.

Abruptly he fisted my ponytail and pulled from my mouth, cursing roughly. He kept his bloated tip resting on my bottom lip, and I felt him dump a few more drops of pre-cum onto my lips. I groaned and darted out my tongue, desperate for more of his taste. I felt drunk with lust, the ache reaching deep between my legs to drench my puffy folds. He was staring down at me, his broad chest rising and falling quickly. I could tell he was dangling from a sharp edge, holding on with just a sliver of control. His strong features were strained with raw desire and there was something like awe widening his eyes.

“Babe, I can’t take much more of this,” he choked out raggedly. “I want to be inside you so bad.”

His words arrowed to my sex and I clenched my thighs together, trying to sooth the fiery burn. I wanted him inside me too, but the power I felt by unmanning him with my mouth was heady. I opened my thighs and reached down, parted my folds and circled a finger on my clit. I needed to, or I would go mad. I wanted him so badly it hurt. Having him in my mouth, and knowing that he was mindless with need was turning my on like crazy. Hell, I’d done this to him! I saw him track my hand with his gaze, and he issued a harsh breath and groaned deeply. His cock kicked against my lips hard and I laved the shiny tip with my tongue, gazing up into his eyes while my fingers danced on my tight clit. I moaned as tension coiled in my pussy and watched him suck in air through his teeth.