Chapter Fifteen
Luke watched Sam sleep longer than he should have Monday morning. Wary of anyone finding out how he felt about her, he’d always been mindful about getting caught looking at her. But now that he could look at her anytime he pleased, he was finding it hard to stop. She was just so damn beautiful.
But he really should get going.
There were probably people already looking for him at the office, and he still had all that work that he was supposed to have done over the weekend but hadn’t. Sighing, he brushed a kiss over Sam’s forehead and gently removed his arm from under her. His feet felt like lead as he stood. He didn’t want to leave. He wanted to wake her up with a kiss then make love some more, but he had responsibilities and a company to run.
“Luke?”
He turned and saw that he’d woken her up, though barely. Her eyes drooping, she looked like she would fall asleep at any moment. Knowing that he wouldn’t get to again until tonight, he leaned over and kissed her. Her soft lips gave way to his tongue and her sweet taste exploded in his mouth. He bit her bottom lip and felt himself harden at the sound of her moan. Groaning, he straightened. If he didn’t leave right now, he wouldn’t leave at all.
“I have to go to work,” he said, already missing her. He’d never spent the night with a woman before. He’d never felt the desire to. But with Sam, he was quickly finding that he wanted to spend all his time with her. One night had easily become three and he could see it becoming a lot more just as easily. It was insane. This weekend should’ve helped alleviate this hunger he felt for her, but if anything, it had made it worse.
“Oh.” Her eyes widened when she looked at the clock on the nightstand. “Of course,” she said as she straightened and his blood hummed. If she sat up any straighter, the bed sheet would reveal those supple breasts and he’d be even later. “Wow. You’re usually there by now,” she said as she tucked her hair behind her ear.
“Yeah, but I don’t usually have a nympho surprising me in the middle of the night.” Her cheeks flushed a deep red, and he grinned. He didn’t know how she could look so cute and sexy at the same time. “Have lunch with me today,” he said impulsively. He didn’t want to spend a whole day without seeing her.
She frowned. “You want to take me out to lunch?”
He nodded, and she shook her head. “I’m sorry, Luke, but I already made plans with my sister. Besides, I thought we agreed to keep this thing under wraps.”
His stomach dropped at the reminder that what they had was just a fling—that what they had was just temporary. At some point over the weekend, he’d tricked himself into thinking that what they had was more than sex—that what they had was real.
“I know. I wasn’t thinking.” All he could think about was seeing her again. But perhaps it was a good thing she’d said no. It wasn’t like he had the time to take her out. This weekend had already put him behind at work. Going out to lunch would just make him even more behind. “Have fun with Cindy today. I guess I’ll see you later, then?” Relief coursed through him when she nodded. At least, she wasn’t having second thoughts. “I can have Maria make pot roast.”
“I love pot roast, but Maria—”
“She’s usually gone by three,” he said, hoping to ease her worries. He found his shirt on the floor and picked it up. “And I’ll give her tomorrow morning off.” And any other morning he needed in order to keep Sam in his bed. Heat rushed over him at the memory of Sam’s dark hair spread out over his pillow, her soft lips parted as he moved in and out of her. His blood rushed south, and he quickly began thinking of all the things he would do when he went to the office. When he had better control of himself, he continued, “I figure we can figure out breakfast by ourselves.”
“I can make eggs,” Sam said, smiling.
Knowing how much she hated to cook, he felt his heart soften. She might not love him, but she was willing to do something she didn’t like just to be with him.
“I like the way you think,” he murmured. He put on his shirt then grabbed his pants. He looked back at Sam and resisted the urge to go to her. He still had to go to his place and change. He quickly put on his pants. “I’ll see you tonight.”
* * *
Luke dropped the report he was reading and rubbed his eyes. He’d just spent the last twenty minutes on the same sentence with no luck. Tidbits of the past weekend kept flitting in and out of his mind, distracting him to no end—of how cozy it had been to eat breakfast with Sam in her apartment yesterday, of how sexy she looked when she came, of how warm and inviting she’d looked when he’d left her this morning… He shook his head and picked up the report again. The faster he stopped daydreaming, the sooner he could get home.
The image of a naked Sam greeting him in bed flashed through his head and he grinned. He could definitely get used to this. He was just thinking of all the different things they could do together when his intercom buzzed and Sheila’s voice filled the air. “Mark Lang’s office just called. They can meet you for dinner at seven.”
Luke ran a hand down his face and bit back a curse. He’d been trying to get a call with the Jellmeck CEO for the past two months to talk about their expansion plans without any luck. Today was the first time the man had agreed to talk with him, and he doubted the man would give him another chance if he declined today’s invitation.
“Go ahead and confirm the dinner,” he told his assistant. He hated canceling on Sam, but he had to do this. Jellmeck was quickly becoming one of the fund’s biggest holdings, but he had some concerns about their expansion plans into the Midwest. There was a competing Wisconsin chain of paint shops that was also branching out into Illinois and he had serious doubts about the both of them surviving there.
“Sure thing, boss.”
His shoulders slumped as Sheila disconnected. He’d really been looking forward to seeing Sam, but business came first. As he got his phone out, he wondered whether or not he could still go to Sam’s apartment after the meeting.
He could probably get there by eleven. But what if the meeting ran late? The dinner could very well end at one. He couldn’t ask Sam to wait up for him. His stomach dropped at the realization that he wouldn’t be seeing her tonight. Sighing, he picked up his phone. Tomorrow, he vowed to himself. Tomorrow, he would see her.
* * *
She was way over her head.
Samantha tightened her grip around the basket of muffins she’d had her cook bake. She’d told herself that this was going to be a fling and yet, she was practically bouncing at the thought of seeing Luke again. She’d missed him far more than she should’ve after he’d called to cancel yesterday, and she’d found herself counting the hours until she would see him again today. That wasn’t normal, was it? She couldn’t remember ever feeling or acting this way with Jason or Ben, her boyfriend before Jason.
Butterflies flew in her stomach as she watched the numbers on the elevator screen quickly zoom by. She’d been surprised to learn that Luke hadn’t revoked her security access to his private elevator since he’d had it registered all those years ago, but she was grateful. It saved her a lot of embarrassment from having to see the doorman whenever she came over.
She stepped out of the elevator and into Luke’s living room. From across the room, Luke’s gaze met hers, and her heart skipped a beat. With his sleeves rolled up and the top buttons of his shirt undone, he looked devilishly handsome.
Heat rose in her cheeks as his gaze roamed appreciatively over her before it slowly rose up. It was as if he’d touched her with his eyes. Straightening, he put down the report he’d been reading and walked towards her. They met halfway, and within seconds, he was kissing her in a way that had her wishing she could melt into him. She could kiss him all day.
He pulled away a minute later and smiled. “I’ve been waiting to do that all day,” he murmured as he cupped her face and brushed his thumb over her lips. Instantly, her nerves were gone. Thank goodness she wasn’t the only one feeling this way.
She smiled as she set the basket down. “How was work?”
He groaned as he leaned his forehead onto hers. “I spent all day thinking about you and when I finally see you, you want to talk about work? I’m definitely doing something wrong.”
Without warning, he picked her up. Laughing, she wrapped her arms around him and kissed him as they headed towards the bedroom.
Chapter Sixteen
“I can’t believe you’re making me watch a chick flick,” Luke said as they both settled into the couch in his apartment a month later.
“Stop complaining,” Sam said as she lightly smacked his shoulder. “You know you love it.” Who wouldn’t love a movie about two best friends falling in love with a lot of wacky characters and escapades to boot?
He wrapped his arm around her, and her insides melted. She liked being in his arms and loved the fact that his couch allowed for it. His setup was so unlike Jason’s private theater, which had had humongous reclining seats and large divides between the chairs for the control panels and cup holders. It’d been hard enough to hold hands, let alone snuggle.
With Luke’s couch, she could lean on his shoulder or lie down with her head on his lap. And it wasn’t just the couch she liked. She felt more at home at Luke’s apartment than she’d ever felt in that big house, though she knew that might have more to do with the man himself. There was just something about Luke that felt right.
“Or maybe I just like the sex during it,” Luke said, his eyes darkening as he tilted his head towards her.
Her cheeks burned as she remembered how she’d ridden him on this very couch the last time they’d tried to watch a movie. At first, he’d only been making soft circles around her shoulder and her wrist, but those soft touches had wreaked havoc over her entire body. Before she’d known it, he’d had her on his lap and was kissing and petting her to dizzying pleasure.
And then when he’d guided her down on his hardness… She shivered at the memory of how full he’d felt inside of her.
Mischief shone in his eyes as he smiled, and she suspected that he was remembering the same thing. How was he still having this effect on her? They’d been seeing each other for a month now, and if anything, it seemed as if she was becoming even more addicted to him.
She knew she was acting as if she were a teenager who’d just discovered sex, but Luke made her feel things she’d never felt before. Maybe it was because they’d known each other before they’d slept together. Or maybe it was because he was one of the few people who knew some of the secrets of her marriage and supported her regardless. Whatever the reason, it was just so easy being with him. He accepted her as she was without asking for more.
Knowing that she would lose all train of thought the moment he put his hands on her, she pulled away. “Oh, no. We’re going to finish this movie this time.” Though she’d already watched it a hundred times, she’d never seen it with him.
“Sure we are,” he said as he dragged her onto his lap and captured her lips in a kiss. Heat curled inside of her as their tongues mated. His hands dipped under her shirt and spanned her stomach. By the time he’d cupped a breast, she’d forgotten all about the movie.
* * *
As they lay in bed an hour later, Luke sunk his nose into Samantha’s hair, breathed in the vanilla scent, and sighed in satisfaction. Life didn’t get any better than this. Because he couldn’t stop himself, he began a line of kisses over her neck and shoulder. Moaning, she tilted her head, giving him better access and he smiled. He loved how in sync their minds were.
He had just moved to the top of her spine when the phone rang. Not wanting to stop, he continued making his way down her back. Hopefully, the person calling would get the message and call again tomorrow. After a few more rings, Sam turned around to face him. “Don’t you want to get that?”
Knowing that it could be important, he ran a hand through his hair and sighed. “Yeah. Of course.”
He pulled away from her and immediately felt a sense of loss as he stood. The next time she came over to his place, he was going to disconnect the phone and turn off his cell. He didn’t want anyone interrupting their time together.
“Yeah?” he answered as he picked up the call. He looked at the bed to find Sam watching him and already regretted getting up. Why did she have to be so damn responsible? He just wanted to spend all night in bed with Sam—to hell with work.
“Pillar wants to borrow ten million,” George said. “They need a deal by tonight or they’re going to go to McFadden.”
Reality interrupted into his thoughts and Luke groaned. Work was work. If they stopped entertaining deals just because of the time, no one would think to call them when they needed a quick cash infusion.
“Call the team to meet at the office in an hour,” he told his manager.
He grimaced as he ended the call and turned to Sam. “I have to go to the office.”
“That’s all right,” she said as she straightened. His eyes immediately went to her pert breasts and his throat dried. “Anything I can help with?”
Her question shook him out of his thoughts, and disappointment roiled through him at how understanding she always was when something like this happened before he cursed himself. Why was he disappointed that she was being so understanding? He didn’t actually want her to whine and ask him to come back to bed, did he?
Okay. Maybe he did. He wanted her to fight him a little, so that he would, at least, know that this need he felt for her wasn’t just one–sided. Knowing that that wasn’t going to happen anytime soon, he forced the thought from his head and smiled. “No, but thanks. I appreciate the offer.”
As he left the apartment, he reminded himself that it should be enough he had her in his life. And with that last reminder, he put his mind to what awaited him at the office.
* * *
Luke watched unseeingly as the analysts argued over the terms of their offer two hours later. He still couldn’t get over the fact that Sam never complained about his hours or even looked disappointed whenever he had to leave early. In fact, she’d been so understanding she’d offered to help!
Though he knew that her marriage with Jason had accustomed her to cancelled dates and late birthday celebrations, he didn’t want it to be like that between them. She deserved so much more. He’d told himself that he would never take her for granted the way Jason had, and here he was doing exactly that.
Luke suddenly noticed how quiet the room had become and saw everyone looking at him expectedly.
“I’m sorry, what?”
Clark leaned forward. “How many board seats do you want to take?”
Trying to remember the conversation before his thoughts had wandered to Sam, he racked his brain and answered, “Three. Though their business model is solid, their recent sales leave a lot for wanting. We need to keep an eye on things—especially on how their new chip compares to their competitors.”
Any of which he couldn’t name at this particular moment. Hell, considering where his head was at, he shouldn’t have even bothered to come tonight. Even now, all he could think about was how he shouldn’t have answered the phone and how he wished that she’d stayed at his apartment. Some caveman part of him liked the thought of Sam sleeping in his bed even if he wasn’t there with her. But it wouldn’t have been fair to ask her to stay when he hadn’t even known if he could get back tonight.
“I told you,” he heard Mike say as he slapped his palm on the table. “They’d be suicidal not to take the deal.”
Luke inwardly sighed as he thought about how he’d still be in bed with Sam if he hadn’t come to the office. They didn’t really need him here, did they? These guys had their system down pat. He was more of a referee than anything. George or one of the other managers would undoubtedly be able to handle it. He’d just never given them the chance.
He would in the future, he suddenly decided. Maybe these late–night meetings were one of the things he had to step away from now that he’d taken over some of Jason’s re
sponsibilities. Sure, he’d come in if they requested it of him, but he wouldn’t automatically. Besides, he always checked the larger deals before approving them anyway.
Some of the burden he’d been carrying since Jason’s death lifted with the decision. He trusted his employees, so why hadn’t he been willing to hand off the work to them? The idea niggled at him, and he attributed it to his usual inability to delegate. It would be an adjustment for him to share responsibility with someone other than Jason, but if he wanted to spend more time with Sam, something had to give. And he did want to spend his time with her.
Chapter Seventeen
“There’s something different about you,” Adam said as he put his drink down a week later and considered Luke.
Feeling guilty that he hadn’t made an effort to see his friend since he’d started seeing Sam, Luke had finally agreed to meet him for lunch. He usually ate lunch in the office, but he hadn’t wanted to cut his time with Sam short. He already only got to see her during nights and weekends. He wasn’t about to waste one of those nights with Adam, regardless of how much his friend meant to him.
“I got it,” Adam said as he snapped his fingers. “You’re smiling. It’s a girl, isn’t it?”
Luke frowned. He’d thought some of the people in the office had been looking at him strangely lately. Was it because he was smiling? He hadn’t realized he’d been doing it, but it was probably true. He couldn’t remember ever being this happy. He couldn’t get enough of Sam and thankfully, it seemed as if she couldn’t get enough of him, either.
He suddenly wished he could tell Adam about Sam. Not only did he not like hiding something so important from one of his closest friends, but he was just so happy he wanted to tell everyone the news. But since Sam didn’t want anyone knowing about them, he shrugged as he picked up his glass.
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