Last Resort

by Jill Sanders

Cassey tried to concentrate the rest of the night, she really did. At first, she’d expected Luke to leave within the first half hour after the excitement in her office. How was she ever going to be in that room again without thinking of what he’d done to her? But it was a quarter to closing and he was still sitting at the bar, talking with Wendy, and looking too sexy.

  She’d seen the look Wendy had given her when they’d walked down the stairs, no doubt with I-just-had-the-hottest-sex-ever looks on their faces. Wendy had covertly cornered her in the ladies room an hour after their tryst, dying to get the scoop.

  “Spill,” Wendy said, making sure they were alone in the employee’s bathroom.

  “Oh my God!” Cassey fell against the sink.

  “That good?” she asked as she leaned against the door.

  “Better.”

  “How can it be better? You were only up there fifteen minutes.” Wendy looked shocked.

  Cassey smiled and shook her head. “The man knows how to use his equipment.”

  Wendy sighed. “You know, it’s been four months since I’ve had sex. Four months and a lifetime since I’ve had knock-your-boots-off sex.” Wendy frowned.

  “It’ll happen.” Cassey turned and made sure her makeup was still in place and refreshed her lip gloss. “There. Now no one will be able to tell that I’ve just had OMG sex.”

  Wendy laughed. “Honey, it’s written all over your face. And his.” She smiled.

  When the last customers had been ushered out by Tyrone, and all the employees had settled their tabs, she locked the doors and turned to see Luke standing by the bar.

  “That was some night.” He smiled at her. “Are all Fridays like this?”

  She shrugged her shoulders. “It was a good night. Not as good as they used to be, though.”

  His eyebrows shot up. “I hope it’s okay that I stayed,” he said when she walked towards him.

  She nodded since her mouth had gone completely dry. “I’m glad you did,” she said, walking into his arms. She wondered what it would take to convince him to spend the rest of the night with her.

  “How do you do it?” He wrapped his arms around her waist.

  “What?” She tilted her head back, looking into his dark eyes.

  “You’re a bundle of energy.” He chuckled and looked down at his watch. “It’s one-thirty and you look as fresh as when you walked down those stairs six-and-a-half hours ago.”

  “Well,” she purred, “I did have a pick-me-up halfway through the night.” She smiled as he chuckled.

  He started walking her backwards. “Then after what I have planned, you should be ready to run a marathon.”

  It took too long to climb the back stairs that led to her apartment. She didn’t dare make a sound as she unlocked her door and watched as he looked around the small space.

  “Nice,” he said, before turning to her and gathering her up in his arms. His head dipped, taking her mouth in a long, slow kiss. “Even better,” he purred as he backed her towards the hallway. His hands traveled over her, hers over him, releasing hooks and buttons as they walked so that when they finally made it to the bedroom, they were completely naked except for her boots.

  She stepped back to slide them off, but he stopped her. “No, leave them.” He smiled as he stepped back and looked at her. “My God,” he whispered, “you are exquisite.”

  She felt shy all of a sudden. No one had ever made her feel fluttery inside by just looking at her. He was standing in front of her, naked. His chest was impressive, covered with a light dusting of dark hair, but his six-pack was what caught her eyes and held them. His muscles rippled down his stomach, narrowing downward to his hips. He stood with his legs wide; his thighs were thick and looked strong. Then her eyes moved to his arms again. He had a tattoo on his left bicep, and the dark ink snaked around his arm in a design. When she stepped closer, she noticed that they were waves. Her fingers reached out and touched them.

  “Waves?” she asked, looking into his eyes.

  He nodded, his dark eyes going even darker. “I lost my brother Calvin a few years back. He was in the Navy.” He shook his head, most likely to clear it of the memories.

  She stepped closer to him. “I’m sorry.” She couldn’t imagine what it was like to have a biological sibling, let alone lose them.

  He smiled down at her, his fingers running over the small tattoo she had just above her right hip. “A lily?”

  She nodded her head. “My guardian angel.” She smiled and pulled his head down towards her. “Later,” she moaned as his mouth started demanding speed. This is what she wanted, his hands on her, his mouth on her.

  His fingers dug into her hips as he backed her up. Then, when she thought they would fall to the bed together, he turned her so she was facing away from him.

  His mouth ran over her shoulders as his hands cupped her breasts. She knew she was smaller upstairs than most women. Hell, Wendy had enough up there for four women. But Cassey didn’t discount what she did have. She’d never been ashamed of her body. Even though she was more of a tomboy than her sister, she’d learned a thing or two from Marissa when it came to making men look at her.

  Her eyes slid closed as his fingers played down her ribs, past her belly, and found their way into the dark curls covering her sex. Luke’s fingers played over her skin, causing her to moan and try to turn around. Now, it had to be now. But his hand held her still. He pushed her shoulders down until she rested her hands on the edge of her bed. Using his feet, he spread her legs wide so her rear end was up in the air.

  He ground his hips against her sex until she felt her legs go weak. Then he used his fingers and spread her even wider. “So beautiful,” he whispered just before he slid slowly into her.

  Her head jolted back, a gasp of amazement caught in her throat. The zing was instant; his touch just made her want more. His fingers went to her hips and dug in softly as he started to move, pumping in and out of her.

  Her fingernails dug into her soft comforter as she focused on his movements. Closing her eyes only heightened the sensation.

  She was building too fast. Leaning down, she bit into the comforter, trying to mask the scream that was building.

  “Let go,” he said softly as his movements sped up. Then he growled as she screamed his name into her mattress.

  Cassey was lying face down on her bed, being pinned down. She could feel Luke’s breath on her neck. Each exhale caused small bumps to rise on her skin where his breath touched. His left hand was pinned under her hip, his right one in her hair.

  “You were wrong.” She smiled into the mattress.

  “Hmmm?”

  “I don’t think I could move, let alone run a marathon.” She heard him chuckle.

  “I guess that makes two of us.” He rolled over, pulling her farther onto the bed, closer to him. Her head now rested on his chest, and she realized she still had her boots on.

  Sitting up, she quickly unzipped them and tossed them next to the bed.

  “I like the boots,” he said, smiling as she lay back next to him. “A lot.” He ran his hand down her hair.

  “I could tell.” She smiled to herself. “I like your moves.” She held her breath. She’d never felt so awkward before. She’d had sex for just sex plenty of times before, but something was causing her to feel on edge this time.

  “Would you mind if I stayed?” he asked softly.

  She shook her head. “No, I’d enjoy that.” She felt him take a breath, her head rising and falling as his chest moved.

  “Good.” She heard him sigh. Then his breathing leveled, and she listened to his heart until she could tell he’d fallen asleep.

  Thinking her mind would eventually settle, she lay there and thought about the last two days. She was feeling something more than just lust for Luke. How had that happened? They’d only just met. And he was after her bar and grill.

  She still didn’t trust him not to try and sway her to sell, but she would take what ple
asures she could until then. She didn’t have a problem keeping her personal feelings locked up. She had hidden herself the first seven years of her life. It wasn’t hard to revert back to that.

  Besides, she hadn’t really allowed herself to get close to anyone in the past, except her family and maybe a few friends.

  Moving her head slightly, she looked up at Luke in the dark. His eyelashes rested on his cheeks. He had stubble growing over his chin, which made him look a little dangerous. But it was his eyes that caused her alarm. If she could only see what was behind them, maybe then she would know what card to play next with him.

  Usually she could gauge men pretty well, but Luke didn’t fit in any of the categories she’d determined that most men fit into. She had yet to find out what his true intentions were, but she knew she enjoyed the physical fun with him. Why not take her pleasures and enjoy it while she waited to find out more about him?

  She yawned and snuggled up closer to him. His arms came around her in his sleep. As she closed her eyes, she had to admit that it felt pretty good being held again. It had been too long since she’d felt comfortable enough around someone to sleep next to them all night. When she finally slept, she dreamed of him.