Luke

by Olivia Sinclair

  I sit up, tucking my legs to one side and tug Luke down beside me. “When you were hurt, I didn’t even hear about it for two or three months and what I did hear was third hand or worse. I heard it from my Mom who heard it from Andy who got it from I don’t know who. And then I couldn’t get any more out of anybody. Only that you were alive and out of the Navy, but nothing about if you were hurting or in a wheelchair or … I worried about you. I needed to know you weren’t moping in a dark room alone or popping pills to deal with the pain. That’s all. I’m glad you’re doing okay.” I curl into his side and press a kiss to his shoulder.

  His arm comes up and presses me into his bare chest and for the first time, we are truly skin against skin. He’s smooth and hard, the heat radiating off him in waves. It’s intoxicating and I want more. He leans down to kiss me slowly and oh so deeply. “I love you, Ella.”

  I blink. I did not expect that so soon. Not after so many years of pining in my loneliness.

  “I’m glad you came to check up on me. I don’t think there’s anyone that’s put me on the top of their priority list like that. It feels fucking fantastic.” He smiles against my mouth and kisses me again. “Now, how about I show you my appreciation?”

  Oh yes, please.

  8

  LUKE

  I didn’t have the best childhood; it wasn’t horrible but I don’t trust very many people and I rely on no one. That way you don’t get hurt and occasionally you’re pleasantly surprised. Like when Andy used to drag me home with him for Christmas despite my protests that I’d rather stay in the barracks. I was lying and he knew it although neither of us has ever brought it up. Having Ella land on my doorstep offering herself up like a lollipop ready to lick took me a minute or two to process. I do have a few vague memories of her, mostly a shy awkward girl with her nose stuck in a book watching me over the top edge. Always watching. I had no idea her thoughts were heading in a very adult direction. Quite frankly I’m glad I didn’t know before now. Even a few years ago things might have gone very differently. I don’t know if I could have let myself love her so completely if I knew another deployment was right around the corner.

  For the first time, I see the bomb attack that injured me as turning my life in a positive direction. That sounds weird, and I’m not crazy. Of course, I’d rather not be injured and I’d rather nobody felt the need to build explosives in the first place. It’s just that I’m seeing the blessing hiding behind the curse and it’s cracking open my heart and letting Ella in. I don’t have the words to tell her that so I’m going to have to show her instead.

  She’s laid out in front of me like an elegant buffet and I’m not sure what to sample first. She’s still catching her breath and I remember my taunt to her earlier. I bend over and kiss her deeply, my tongue caressing hers then thrusting deep, taking charge. She stills beneath me before her arms come up and try to pull me down. I brace my good leg against the side of the bed and let her tug. I’m going nowhere but she can try. When I’ve completely plundered her mouth, I stand back up and drink her in. Her curls are messily spread against my dark blue comforter and her eyes are glazed.

  Hey, babe?” I growl, impatient to get another taste.

  “Hmmm?” she mumbles her gaze still unfocused.

  “What’s your name?”

  “I have no fucking idea.” The twinkle in her eyes makes me grin. Her next words wipe the smile from my face. “Luke, fuck me now. Please!”

  I strip, my throbbing cock jerking with anticipation. Ella’s attention is completely focused on it as she swallows hard. I swear my cock can feel her eyes because it’s harder than it’s ever been, precum dripping from the head. My hand strokes the length from root to tip, trying to ease some of the pressure. Ella licks her lips.

  “Scoot back, babe.” She follows my instructions, moving back until her head is a few inches from the low headboard. I watch her with heavy-lidded eyes, holding back until she’s ready. It takes everything I have not to pounce and pound into her. But that’s not what I want right now. I want, no I need to make this good for her. Her first time should be tender, not fierce.

  “Fuck, you’re beautiful, Ella. Are you ready to have your pretty little pussy stuffed full with my cock?”

  She moans and nods, “Please.”

  “You and that pussy of yours are mine now.”

  Her arms reach up for me and I’m through trying to drag this out any longer. Her flushed face is the picture of desire. I’ve never seen a woman so gorgeous. In an instant I’m on top of her bracing my considerable weight on one arm while my other hand pushes her knee out and up, widening her opening. The head of my cock is poised at her entrance and she trembles in response.

  “Please, Luke. Hurry, I can’t stand this.”

  “I’m trying not to hurt you, Ella.”

  “It hurts more to wait. I need you inside me.”

  With a groan I give in, sinking deep inside her, my mouth swallowing her small scream. She’s so fucking tight, her walls fluttering around my cock as she gets used to having me inside her, stretching her out. I hold myself still until I feel her relax. Her hips shift seeking relief. Then I’m pulling almost all the way out and thrusting back in. My mind is blown by her eager pussy clasping my cock in an erotic embrace. I’m fucking her almost entirely on instinct, the primal need to claim her, convince her she’s mine for all eternity.

  “Oh, Luke. You’re… It’s… I’m cuming!” and she does. An endless orgasm rolls through her, her pussy clamping down on my cock holding it tightly, not letting me pull out. And then I’m cuming too, deep inside her, my seed spurting in long pulsing bursts up against her womb, wave after wave.

  When I can see again I roll onto my back taking her with me so I don’t crush her. I’m still buried deep inside her and she’s trembling, draped across my broad chest. I run my hand gently down her back. “You okay there, sweetness?”

  “Mmhmm.” She manages. Then she stretches out her arms and legs as if just waking up. The move tightens her pussy around my still half-hard cock. It twitches with renewed interest. Ella giggles. “Does that mean you like me?”

  “Brat.” I give her a half-hearted swat across her rear, which only pushes her farther down on my cock.

  “I love you so much, Luke. I’m glad I found you. And that you didn’t find someone else.”

  “Wasn’t looking. If I’d known you had this magic pussy I would have camped outside your door years ago. You caught your breath yet?”

  “I guess so, why?”

  I roll her over on her back again. “Round two. I’m nowhere near done with you.”

  9

  ELLA

  After Luke has filled me so full with his cum that it’s running down my thighs he gets up and comes back with a warm washcloth to clean me up. He stretches out on the bed, his cock finally lying against his thigh. Although if I stare at it, I can see it twitching back to life already. Instead, I take the brief reprieve to do a full inventory of Luke’s amazing body like I’ve been wanting to do for the last ten years. It doesn’t disappoint. Everything about him is perfectly proportioned. “Do you sunbathe nude?” I ask out of the blue.

  Luke cracks his eyes open briefly to look at me bewildered, “No, why?”

  “You don’t have any tan lines.”

  “That’s because I don’t sunbathe at all.”

  “You’re naturally this color? Why did you get all the luck?” I look down at my pale redhead's complexion and wince.

  Luke pulls me down on his chest, “I like the way we look together. I like seeing my cock slide into your pink pussy, seeing my hands against your creamy skin. I wouldn’t change a thing about you, Ella.” Then he lets me get back to checking him out.

  He stills slightly when I get to his injured leg. It’s beautiful in a different way. A testament to everything he’s been through and the man he is inside. It’s a mix of textures: too smooth skin from surgeries, puckered divets, and roughened scar tissue. I’m careful how I touch him here,
I’m not sure what hurts but as I trace each line with my finger and then follow it with soft kisses I can feel him relax beneath me.

  We finally decide to leave the bed sometime around three that afternoon. I stop in the very retro bathroom in the hallway for a hot shower and despite Luke’s offer to wash my back I send him away to find something to cook. Much as I don’t want to be out of touching distance, I’m starting to feel sore and I know where washing my back is going to end up. When I come out, dressed in just a t-shirt Luke left for me, it’s long enough to almost come to my knees. I see him standing by the door that leads to the big back yard. He’s not wearing a shirt and I swear his back is almost as gorgeous as his front. I can’t resist touching.

  Luke turns to me with a quick smile and tugs the towel from my head where I’d wrapped it around my wet hair. “Hey, sweetness. I wasn’t sure what you wanted to eat, and you know I can’t cook but I did take a survey. There’s a frozen pepperoni pizza, some fish sticks, or a can of tomato soup.”

  I wrinkle my nose. None of that sounds remotely appealing. Or romantic. “What were you thinking about, just now?”

  “Oh, I’ve been thinking a lot lately about getting a dog, now that I’m living in one place. But then I realized I’ve got you now and I don’t know how you feel about dogs?”

  I gape, the perfect plan forming instantly in my head. “I love them. What kind of dog were you thinking about?” I ask carefully.

  He shakes his head slightly, “I hadn’t gotten that far. Figured I go down to the shelter once I got the fence secure.”

  “What time is it?”

  He looks puzzled but glances over at the clock on the stove, “3:15. Why?”

  “I need pants. If we go right now we can make it in time.”

  “Um, Ella? You okay? Go where?”

  “The shelter of course. I know the perfect dog. You’ll love Rosalie, she’s the sweetest baby!” I’m very careful not to mention her size. I’m counting on her using her winsome ways on Luke and then he won’t be able to resist her.

  “But the fence isn’t ready.”

  “Oh, pooh. It’s good enough for her. She’s an absolute love bug and besides, I’ll help you get it finished tomorrow. Bound to be faster with a helping pair of hands, right?” I’d already looked out and seen that while there were a few gaps and holes here and there none of them were big enough to let Rosalie through. I tug Luke behind me back to the bedroom, this time with a completely different goal in mind. “Come on, find me something for my lower half. And you probably need a shirt.” I hate to cover that chest up, but priorities here, people.

  Luke stalls briefly like he’s about to challenge me on this whole plan but then whatever internal argument he’s having with himself stops and he rummages in a drawer before finding me a pair of basketball shorts that have a drawstring. They’re not going to win any fashion awards but I’m covered. He pulls on a faded grey t-shirt and then I’m pushing him out of the house, towards his car. “We can stop for food on the way back,” I tell him, more as an incentive to me.

  We pull up to the shelter with just thirty minutes before they stop all the adoption visits. I pull Luke behind me up to the front desk where Annabel is working today. Normally I like Annabel a lot but at the moment she’s eyeing Luke up one side and down the other like he’s a piece of candy and I’m not feeling quite so fond of her. “Annabel!” I call a little sharply to get her attention.

  “Oh, hi, Ella. What brings you here today?”

  “We’re here to see Rosalie. She’s still available, right?”

  “Yep, nobody’s asked to see her since you were here yesterday. Are you sure about this, she’s a lot of dog.”

  “I’m sure. Can we have the bigger meet and greet room?”

  “Yeah, there aren’t any appointments going on right now and I doubt we’ll have any more walk-ins so it’s all yours. You want to get Rosalie yourself?”

  “Sure, we’ll see you in a bit.” I look back and Luke is still standing behind me paying attention but with only a stern, military expression on his face. He waits until we’re out of Annabel’s earshot.

  “A lot of dog, Ella? What haven’t you told me?”

  “A girl always likes to make her own first impression. Here she is.” I stop in front of Rosalie’s kennel and the gorgeous girl gets up from the dog bed where she was lounging with a chew toy and comes over to greet me, her mouth open wide in a smile and her big plumy tail waving briskly. “There’s my beautiful girl! Rosalie, this is Luke. Luke, meet Rosalie.”

  Luke is giving me one of those ‘I can’t believe you tried to pull this over on me’ looks but while he’s doing that my girl is working her magic. Her big tongue comes out and swipes across his wrist which makes him look down. Then she carefully sits and sinks down like a fainting virgin right onto the tops of his shoes with her belly up. Her final act which clinches the deal is to peek at him from under her long lashes and whimper. He’s a goner.

  He bends over and starts rubbing her belly slowly and carefully then moves under her chin before finding that special spot at the front of her ears. Rosalie’s eyes close in bliss and I confess I’m a little bit jealous. I let this go on for a good five minutes just to make sure everyone’s cortisol levels are nice and high. “So can we take her home with us, Luke?”

  He sighs, “I guess so. We can’t leave her here. Someone might come along and take her that didn’t have a big yard. Or make sure she gets enough exercise.”

  “Exactly.” I snap a spare leash from the wall onto Rosalie’s collar and lead her back out to the front. “Hey Annabel, is it okay if you mark me down as her new owner and I’ll do the paperwork on Monday?”

  “Sure. Otherwise, I’ll have to stay late. Amy’s been saying all week you should take Rosalie so I’m sure she won’t mind.”

  “Thanks!”

  Luke helps Rosalie into the back seat of his car where he then stands and frets for a few minutes because she doesn’t have a seat belt.

  I have to promise to order one online as soon as we get home. “Can we stop for food first, though? I’m starving and we need to get dogfood for Rosalie.” That clenches it and he drives slowly to the nearest grocery store where I don't have to work too hard to convince him to wait in the car with her.

  He insists on handing me his debit card though along with telling me his PIN which I remind him is a stupid thing to do. He rolls his eyes at me and just says, “Babe.” Then he goes back to letting Rosalie wash his face.

  Knowing the state of his cupboards I take a few extra minutes to get the basics like flour and sugar and all the fixings for Sunday morning pancakes in addition to dog food and some spaghetti for dinner.

  When I get back to the car, Luke gets out to help me load the bags into the trunk. His face is still slightly damp but there’s a gleam in his eye. “This is why they call you Patton, isn’t it?”

  “Yup.” There’s no point in fighting your true nature, I figure.

  “There’s going to be retribution when you’re least expecting it.” He tells me, his voice a deep rumble.

  “What kind?”

  “I’m not sure yet, but it will be commensurate.” He nods at Rosalie who’s fogging up the back window with her panting.

  “You do like her though, don’t you?” I want them to love each other.

  “I adore her, almost as much as I adore you. But you get to tell her she can’t sleep in the bed unless you’re willing to give up your place?” He’s grinning at me.

  “Got it. I’ll make sure she knows you’re mine in the bedroom.”

  We head home and I can’t imagine a more perfect day.

  10

  LUKE

  It’s not lost on me that Ella thinks she’s completely manipulated me into doing what she wants. But is it truly manipulation if I’m actively looking for ways to bind her to me? And one of them happens to have a big tongue and lots of fur? Do you think she’s going to want to leave me alone with Rosalie tonight? Yeah, me either
. This is what they call a win/win situation. Ella has her dog and I have Ella.

  I’m thinking about how I want to fuck her first once we get home. Eating her out while she’s perched on the kitchen counter has a great deal of appeal. But so does shower sex. Of course, having her straddle my cock while we eat the meal that should have been lunch and is now dinner would satisfy two appetites… I’m about to suggest this when Ella lets out a small gasp followed by, “Oh, no.”

  “What?” I’m focused on pulling the car into the one available curbside spot near the house.

  “Andy.” Is all she says when I spot him.

  I don’t know if he jumped on a plane straight from work or if he was hoping to use his looks to get lucky but he’s dressed in all his bling, even the hat while lounging on my small porch. I have no idea why they make recruiters wear full uniform —it’s not like the kids are impressed by it these days, although to hear Andy’s stories the mothers sure are, so there’s that.

  We get out and I intentionally push Ella half a step behind me as we walk up to the house. She grumbles but doesn’t fight my arm that’s braced to keep her there. I’ve no idea why he’s here or who he’s most mad at and until I know she’s not getting the brunt of it.

  “Andy? Any particular reason you’re on my porch?” I keep my tone friendly and curious.

  “I had to see it for myself. I still don’t believe it. Thought maybe you’d cooked up a fucking great practical joke.” He looks hopeful for a minute, “Any chance of that?”

  Ella speaks up from where she’s pressed into my side, “No, Andy. This is not a joke. Meet your new niece, Rosalie.”

  I have to snort as Andy has a panicked look on his face before he gets a good look at the dog still in the back seat. “Oh fuck, I almost thought you were telling me he knocked you up. You’re too young to be sleeping with Luke. I’m going to take you home to Denver tomorrow.”