“Good night, Luke.” My smile is in my voice.
“Sweet dreams, Natalie. See you in the morning.”
He hangs up, and less than ten seconds later there is a text.
Can’t wait to see you in the morning, and to one day see what you wear to bed.
Oh, I definitely hit the nail on the head when I said he was a charmer.
There’s that mention of ‘one day’ again! I’m also looking forward to tomorrow. Sleep well tonight, Handsome, you’re going to need it. :) xoxo
For the first time in over two years, I actually fall to sleep quickly, have calm dreams, and wake with the sun.
Chapter Five
Fuck! I’m late!
Luke’s going to be here to get me any minute, and I’m still running around the house, grabbing my camera equipment, purse, and sandals. I’m pulling my hair up in a ponytail when the doorbell rings.
Shit!
“Hey!” I smile as I open the door, then my mouth drops at the delicious sight of him. His dark blond hair is still wet from his shower and all disheveled in that way he has. He’s wearing a simple gray T-shirt, his sunglasses tucked in the collar, and khaki cargo shorts.
Yum.
His impossibly blue eyes shine as he smiles down at me. “Hi, beautiful. You look fantastic in red.”
I feel my cheeks heat. I love this red sleeveless top and decided to wear the denim shorts that fit my rear just so. Just for him.
“Ready?”
“Almost.” I step back to let him in and close the door behind him. “I’m running a bit late. Busy morning, but I’m almost ready.”
“Couldn’t sleep again?” He frowns down at me.
“The opposite, actually. Slept too well, was almost late for yoga, and had to run a couple errands.” I pick up my camera bag and grab my purse off the table by the door. I hate feeling scattered!
Luke grabs my camera bag from me, slings it over his shoulder, and I grin up at him in thanks. “How about you? Sleep better?”
“Much, thank you.”
“I’d show you around, but I’d love to get on the road. Rain check?”
“Absolutely, let’s go.”
I whistle when I see Luke’s sporty little Lexus convertible parked in my driveway. He deposits my camera bag in the tiny back seat then opens my door for me with a huge, cat-ate-the-canary grin on his handsome face.
“Nice car.”
“I figured it would be a good day for a drive with the top down.”
“Sounds good to me.” The leather seat is low and soft, and I can’t help but be just a little impressed. He has good taste.
Before long we’re zipping down the freeway through Seattle and heading out of town on Interstate 90. This car can move! The sun is warm, the wind feels great, and Luke cranks up some Maroon 5. There is no need for idle chitchat. We’re just enjoying each other’s company, and I find myself relaxing back into the seat and enjoying the lush, green scenery on our way to the falls.
It’s obvious Luke knows where Snoqualmie Falls is, and as we get closer, he turns down the music, then rests his hand on my left thigh. Just that touch alone makes my libido sit up and take notice, and I take a deep breath to calm my erratic heart.
“You’ve clearly been here before.”
Luke smiles at me. “Yeah, my parents used to bring us here when we were kids for picnics and stuff.”
“Do you mind if I leave my camera bag in the car? I’ll just take my camera.”
“No problem, I’ll close the top.” Luke patiently waits for me to gather what I need out of my bag, then closes the top of the car, locks it, and we’re off, hiking down the covered bridge that leads to the hotel and the falls access where tourists can ooh and aah over the beautiful water.
I sling the camera strap over my neck and check the settings as I walk.
“How long have you been a photographer?” Luke asks. He’s intently watching me adjust the settings.
“All my life, actually. My dad bought me a digital camera when I was about ten, and I never wanted to do anything else.” The memory brings a smile to my face, and I look up at him.
“He must be very proud of you,” he murmurs.
The pain is swift and hard. “He’s gone.”
“Gone?”
“My mom and dad were killed almost three years ago.” Shit, I didn’t mean to say that!
“Damn, Nat, I’m sorry.” Luke stops walking and pulls me into his arms, holding me tight, my camera squished between us, and I’m mortified to feel tears prick the backs of my eyes. I do not want this day to turn sad.
“I’m okay.” I put my hands flat against his hard chest and look up into his face. “I’m okay. Let’s not get sad today.”
Luke’s frowning down at me, his eyes full of compassion and, to my relief, void of pity. I don’t want him to feel sorry for me.
“Hey, I’m okay. Really.” I cup his cheek in my hand, and he turns and places a kiss in my palm.
“Okay.” He releases me, and we resume our journey to the falls. It doesn’t take long, as it’s not far from the road.
I glance over at him, and he’s still brooding, a small frown on his face. “Luke, cheer up. You didn’t say anything wrong. I’m happy you’re here.”
He looks me in the eye again and gives me a half smile. I relax a little, happy that the mood is lifting, and pick up my camera as we turn the bend to see the falls.
“I’m so glad there isn’t anyone else here today.” I’m trying to change the subject.
“I’m surprised there aren’t,” he replies.
“Well, summer’s almost over, and it’s the middle of the week, so I figured we’d have the place mostly to ourselves.” I start snapping photos.
Luke steps back and watches me work. I move up and down the path, getting different angles, stopping to adjust my settings, and take shots of flowers and spider webs and other things that catch my eye. The trees are just beginning to change color, so I aim my camera up and take photos of those, too.
“Ready to move on?” I glance back at him. “I hope I’m not boring you.”
He shakes his head. His arms are crossed in front of him, and he’s leaning on a fence. He looks relaxed, but his eyes are watching me intently.
“Nothing about watching you is boring, Natalie.”
Oh.
He unfolds himself and takes my hand, kissing my knuckles, before leading me farther down the dirt path to get shots at the base of the falls. He again backs away and leaves me to my work. I feel his eyes on me as I move, and I smile to myself.
After about twenty minutes, I’m satisfied with the shots I’ve captured. “Okay, I think that’s a wrap.”
I turn to find his eyes have widened in surprise.
“What?”
He shakes his head. “You’re done so soon?”
“Well”—I check my camera—“I’ve taken almost four hundred photos. I think I’ll have some good shots out of these.”
“I’m sure they’ll be beautiful.”
I grin and put the lens cap on my lens, careful not to point it at him, and let my camera fall down to my hip. I don’t understand why he doesn’t like to have his photo taken, but I can respect it. I wish I could talk him into posing for me. He’d be a treat to capture.
“What are you thinking?” he asks as we climb the trail back to the car. He’s beside me, his hand on my lower back.
“Why don’t you like to have your picture taken?” His eyes meet mine, then he quickly looks away. He shrugs nonchalantly, but I can see he’s hiding something.
“Look at me,” I say softly, smiling.
His wide blue eyes meet mine, and he’s got that where is she going with this? expression.
“You can tell me.”
We’ve stopped on the trail, facing each other, and because of the uneven ground, I’m almost at eye level with him. I rest my hands on his shoulders. Luke’s eyes widen further, and he swallows, and it looks like he’s going to confess somethi
ng. My stomach clenches. Talk to me!
Suddenly, he shakes his head and closes his eyes briefly.
“I just don’t.”
I frown up at him, but he shakes his head again and whispers, “It’s just part of my phobia of being in crowds. Stupid, I know.”
I want to probe him further, but he takes my hands off his shoulders, links his fingers with mine, and snakes our arms around my back, pulling me close. He rubs his nose back and forth over my own, his blue eyes intense.
“I’ve been thinking about kissing you all day.”
“Less thinking and more doing.” I’m surprised by my sassy response, or that I’m able to respond at all with my heart beating as fast as it is.
Luke smiles against my lips and sweeps me up in a hot, all-consuming kiss. He releases my hands and finds my ass like he did the night before, pulling me against him. I grasp his face in my hands, holding him close, and just like that I’m lost in him. He’s so good with his mouth! He nibbles my lips, and his tongue makes gentle and patient love to mine. I groan and push my hands up into his hair, hanging on for dear life.
“Excuse us!”
I glance behind me to see a group of hikers trying to get around us on the trail. Oops! Luke laughs and pulls me out of the way so they can make their way down the path.
“I guess we got caught,” Luke whispers in my ear, tucking a strand of hair behind it, and kisses my cheek.
“I guess so.” I giggle breathlessly, and we resume our hike to his sexy car.
***
“You brought food?” I can’t hide the surprise in my voice as Luke pulls a small cooler and blanket out of the back of the car. I stow my camera and lean my hip against the car.
He gives me a shy smile. “Yeah, I packed a picnic lunch. I know a nice little spot up that trail there to relax for a bit. I hope that’s okay? You said you didn’t have any sessions today.”
“Sounds good to me, I’m starving.”
“Good. Come.” He takes my hand and leads me into the woods on another dirt trail. The trees and ferns are lush and dense around us, not letting much sunlight in. After we walk for a few minutes, the path opens up to a clearing. There’s a beautiful meadow with tall, green grass. A tall, lush oak tree stands in the middle, it’s large, green branches providing plenty of shade.
“Oh, it’s beautiful!” I let go of his hand and move quickly through the grass to the majestic tree and stare up into its branches. “This tree has to be two hundred years old.”
I glance over to Luke, a huge smile on my face. He’s standing near me, the cooler and blanket at his feet, his hands in his pockets.
“I’m glad you like it.”
I look up again. “Luke, I love it.”
I help him spread the big, green blanket we snuggled up in last night in the shade of the tree.
“Get comfy.”
I kick my sandals off and sit on the soft blanket, my legs stretched out in front of me and lean back on my hands. Luke also kicks his shoes off—mmm, naked feet—and kneels on the blanket, opening the cooler.
He pulls out a fruit salad, sub sandwiches, and hummus and crackers. My stomach growls, and we both laugh.
“Did you make all this?”
He passes me a sandwich, and I dig in. Mmm…
“Yeah, I threw it together this morning.” He passes me the fruit and pops a cracker full of hummus in his mouth. “I love a woman who likes to eat.”
I stop chewing and look up at him, frowning, remembering my thighs and round butt. “What do you mean?”
“Just what I said. I like a woman who enjoys food.” He shrugs and frowns at my expression. “What did you think I meant?”
Shit. “I don’t know.” I eat a strawberry.
His eyes narrow. “Don’t tell me you have body issues.”
“Don’t be ridiculous.” What the fuck!
“Natalie, you’re beautiful. You have no reason to be self-conscious.”
“Did you not just see how I devoured that sandwich? I’m not self-conscious.” Stop talking about this.
He shakes his head.
“This is delicious.” I smile sweetly.
He doesn’t look like he’s buying my change of subject, but he lets it go and starts packing the leftovers back into the cooler.
I lie on my back and take a deep, satisfied breath. Oh, this is nice. Warm late-summer day, good food, sexy man… Yes, it’s a really good day. Suddenly, Luke is pulling my feet into his lap, and he starts to rub.
Make that a glorious day.
“Oh my. You cook and give foot rubs. I must be hallucinating.” I hear him chuckle.
“Hey, what’s this?” He runs his thumb just above the arch on the inside of my right foot.
Oh, that. “A tattoo.”
He tickles my foot, and I squirm and giggle.
“Obviously, smart-ass. What does it say?”
“One Step at a Time,” I reply, and sigh as he continues to work magic on the sole of my foot.
“In what language?”
“Italian.”
His finger traces the letters, and I push up on my elbows and watch him. When his eyes meet mine, they’re on fire, and the muscles low, low in my stomach clench.
“It’s sexy.” He grins.
“Thanks.” I grin back.
“Do you have any more?” He cocks his head and reaches for my other foot.
“Yes.”
His eyes shoot to mine again, and they narrow. “Where?”
“Various places.”
“I don’t see any others.” His eyes skim up my bare legs, my arms, my chest.
“The one on my foot is the only one visible with my clothes on, and that’s only when I’m barefoot,” I whisper. Oh, this is fun!
He releases my foot.
“Hey! I was enjoying that foot rub.”
He grabs my ankles and parts my legs, then crawls up my body on his hands and knees until his nose is almost touching mine.
“I want to know where your other tattoos are, Natalie.”
I bite my lip and shake my head. Who can form words with his body so close?
“You’re not going to tell me?” He leans in and lightly kisses the corner of my mouth.
Again, I shake my head no.
“Maybe I’ll just have to find them.”
Chapter Six
He kisses the other side of my mouth, his eyes not leaving mine.
I nod, slowly.
Luke grins as he pushes me back down against the blanket and covers my body with his. Holy Moses, he feels so good! His long, muscular body seems to fit perfectly against my soft curves. He presses one leg between mine, and I can feel his impressive erection against my hip.
I push my hand under his shirt to caress his bare skin, up and down his ribs. His skin is so smooth and tight over sculpted muscles.
While he continues to make me crazy with that talented mouth of his, he runs his hand from my hip up over my shirt to my breast, and I can’t help but bow up off the ground, pressing my breast into his hand. My nipple is hard, straining against my bra and shirt, and he runs his thumb over it.
“Open your eyes.” I gaze up into his perfect blue eyes, gazing at me with passion and hunger. My breath catches, and I run my fingertips down his cheek.
“You are so sexy, Natalie. I just can’t seem to stop touching you.”
“I love you touching me.”
“You do?” He caresses my face, pushing errant strands of hair off my cheek.
“Yes,” I whisper.
“Your skin is so soft,” he murmurs, his fingers still on my cheek. “I love your curvy body.”
My eyes widen.
“Don’t frown.” He kisses me between my eyebrows, as if he’s smoothing the frown from my face.
“I’m not so sure about my curvy body.” It’s a whispered admission that I’ve never made before, and frankly, I’ve never felt this vulnerable.
His blue gaze meets mine again, and each word is staccato: “Yo
u. Are. Beautiful.”
I close my eyes, but he tips my chin, forcing me to look at him again.
“Thank you.”
His lips find mine, gently now, lingering and caressing my mouth as if we have all the time in the world. I shift my hips and grind myself against his thigh, and he groans low in his throat.
My blood is on fire. I’ve never wanted a man like I want Luke. I want to consume him. I want him fast and hard, and I want him to take all day. I love how tender he is with me.
He sits up, pulling me with him and grabs the hem of my shirt. “I want to see you.” He’s breathless and needy, and in this moment I’d do anything he asked.
I lift my hands above my head, but before he can pull my shirt off, I feel drops of water on my face. I glance up and realize the sky has clouded over, and it’s starting to rain, the water seeping through the branches of our oak tree.
“I’m getting wet,” I whisper against his mouth.
He grins, his eyes laughing at me. “I hope so.”
I can’t help but laugh at him, and I wrap my arms around his neck. “That, too, but we’re about to get rained on.”
“Damn it,” Luke murmurs, kissing me chastely. He runs a hand down my back, from my neck to my ass, and I think I purr.
“We should go.” I raise an eyebrow at him.
“Don’t think I’m not going to discover your tattoo secrets.”
“Whatever happened to taking this slow?” My breathing is starting to calm, but my heart is still beating fast. Oh, what this man does to me!
“I think I’ve changed my mind.” He’s perfectly serious.
Thank God!
“And why is that?” I run my hands through his hair, completely happy on his lap, with his arms tight around me.
“Because I can’t keep my hands off of you. I don’t know what you’re doing to me, but I’m under some kind of spell.” He gives himself a shake and looks around us at the darkening sky.
“The rain is getting heavy. Let’s head back.” He lets me go, and we gather our things, jogging into the woods and to the car. By the time we get there, we’re wet and laughing like kids.
“I don’t want to get your leather seats wet!”
“Don’t worry about it. Just get in!” He opens the door for me. “I don’t want you sick, baby.”
With Me in Seattle Bundle One Page 5
