by Harlow Layne
My heart swelled at his words. He was my real-life book boyfriend who made me swoon with only words.
“How are you even real?” I laughed. I felt like a crazy person. One minute I wanted to jump him and the next I wanted to cry. “It’s been months since we had sex.”
“We can have sex tonight if you’re comfortable doing that with Mason in the house. I’m not sure if you can be quiet though.”
My hands flicked out dismissively before I pressed my chest to his. “He won’t wake up and I’m sure you can be creative enough to keep me quiet.”
Strong hands slid down my waist and cupped each ass cheek. Luke placed a series of soft and sweet kisses to my forehead, each eye, my nose, and the corners of my mouth. His lips lingered as he breathed, “Challenge accepted.”
Not long after, I was pulling away from the curb of Mason’s school with him in the backseat looking disappointed.
“How was school?” I asked as I left the parking lot.
Mason answered gloomily. “Fine. I made a turkey for you.”
I peered at him through the rearview mirror. “If school was fine why the long face?”
“I thought Luke was coming.”
“He is. Actually, he’s already here and at the house waiting for us.”
“Really?” Mason asked, clapping his hands in excitement.
“Really. He thought it would be nice if we had a few minutes to ourselves before everyone shows up tomorrow and Thursday.”
“That was nice of him.” Mason mused. “He seems like a really nice guy, Mama. He even likes the same superheroes I do.”
I couldn’t help but smile. “That’s not hard to do because superheroes are awesome.”
“When’s Ben going to get here tomorrow?”
“Around five o’clock. Just in time for dinner.” It had been too long since he’d last seen his best friend. For seven-year-olds, talking on the phone didn’t seem to work. Not that it worked for my age either. I only knew I didn’t have any other options until they moved back.
“Are we picking him up at the airport?” His face brightened. Mason loved to watch the airplanes come in and take off.
“No, they’re going to rent a car for when they go visit some other friends while they’re here.”
“Oh.” His little face dropped.
“But we’ll have to take Luke to the airport on Sunday and I’ll bet you’ll be able to see a bunch of planes while we’re there.”
“Cool!” He answered back excitedly. I loved how easily it was to please him.
For the rest of the ride home, we sang along to the radio and Mason kicked his feet to the beat in his booster seat. The moment the car stopped in the garage, he quickly unbuckled his seatbelt and slipped out of the car and into the house.
Even though I wanted to see Mason’s reaction to meeting Luke in person, I took my time grabbing his backpack out of the backseat and making my way inside. I didn’t want either one of them to feel pressure from me. I wanted their reactions to be organic. Maybe I was making too big of a deal about it, but for me, Mason meeting Luke, the man I was falling for, was a big deal, and I desperately wanted it to go well.
I shouldn’t have been worried. All the times they talked on the phone, Luke and Mason always got along and when I walked into the living room, Mason was talking animatedly about the new movie I’d bought him.
“Do you want to watch it with me? Me and Mama normally watch movies after dinner snuggled up on the couch.” Mason’s big blue eyes were so eager, and innocent as he looked up to a kneeling Luke who still towered over him.
“I’d love to watch it with the both of you. I haven’t watched change to seen it yet.”
Mason’s mouth dropped open as if Luke had just dropped a bomb. I wanted to laugh. For Mason, not watching his beloved superhero movies when they came out was the ultimate sin.
“You haven’t? Then we have to watch it tonight!”
Luke laughed and looked over Mason’s shoulder at me and winked.
Mason either didn’t notice or didn’t care because he continued on asking if Luke had watched each movie in order, while I made him a snack in the kitchen, with a smile.
Soft lips traced a path down my neck, stopping to nibble along my shoulders before continuing all the way down to my tailbone. Luke’s strong hands gripped my hips, pushing them skyward. His warm tongue licked from front to back. I let out a strangled moan before burying my face in a pillow.
Hands caressed the backs of my thighs and cheeks, two fingers dipped leisurely in and out before Luke replaced them with his thick, long cock. It had been too long since he last touched me, and I wasn’t going to last long, especially if he kept hitting me in the right spot over and over again. Fire blazed down my tailbone straight to my toes as fireworks went off behind my eyelids. My walls clenched against his pulsing cock, pulling him in deeper with every spasm until I collapsed on the bed in a heap of sweaty limbs.
Luke lithely slipped down beside me, pulling me into his body. His long arm wrapped around my front until his hand cupped my shoulder. Every time I was in his arms I felt younger, alive, and safe. Everything about Luke was intoxicating, from his unique scent, the way he listened to everything Mason and I said, to the way he made my body feel. I was falling hard and fast and I hoped when I landed he would be there to catch me.
13
Even though Ryan knew all about Luke except for the sex, because we’d agreed not to tell each other about our sexcapades, he kept giving Luke the stink eye from across the table. I wasn’t sure what his problem was because I’d never uttered a single bad thing about Luke to him.
I sat at the head of the table with Luke at the other end. It felt right him being there, but I wanted him beside me and not so far away, especially with Ryan acting so weird toward him. Mason and Ben were Luke’s new buddies and insisted that they sit on either side of him where they chatted about none other than all the Marvel movies they’d watched since he’d arrived. Once Ben got here, he joined in on the movie marathon, giving Luke and I very little time together. Taylor and I enjoyed being able to talk without constant interruption and baked the entire day yesterday. We may have gone overboard, but we didn’t care. Everyone’s favorites had been made, and we even attempted making a couple of Swedish desserts that we weren’t sure were successful.
Next to the boys sat Taylor and Jack with Ryan beside Taylor and me. On my other side was an empty seat. Ryan was supposed to bring the woman he was seeing but for some reason she wasn’t able to make it. Maybe that was why he kept giving the evil eye to Luke, but that didn’t make any sense. I wanted to say something, but at the dinner table wasn’t the right place with so many witnesses and innocent ears.
Taylor clinked her water glass with a knife causing all eyes to fall on her. “Before we dig in why don’t we each say what we’re thankful for. I’ll go first.” She smiled and cleared her throat. “I’m thankful to be back in Missouri and with our good friends. Mason do you want to go next?”
Mason straightened in his seat, squaring his shoulders on his tiny frame. “I’m thankful my mom met Luke, and he’s nice to her.”
I had to bite my lips to contain the sob that wanted to break out, but there was no hiding the tears in my eyes. Taking a deep breath in through my nose, I calmed enough to give a watery smile to an expecting Mason. “Me too, sweetie.”
Luke cleared his throat as he looked down the table at me with an unknown emotion in his eyes. “I’m thankful to have met our amazing hostess and feel lucky that she brought me into her life and family.” Before he said ‘family’, Luke looked at each person around the table.
Ben stood, excited for his turn. “I’m thankful to spend Thanksgiving with my friend, Mason.”
Jack smiled across the table at his wife, he’d been in my office working for most of the time they’d been here. “I’m thankful for Alex letting us into her home and cooking this amazing dinner for us today. Also, that my case will soon be over and then we’ll be a
ble to move back to Fairlane and close to our friends.”
It was my turn, and I had no idea what I wanted to say. I was thankful for so many things. I blinked back the tears that still lingered from Mason’s little speech and smiled at each person that sat around my table. “I’m thankful for each and every one of you. You’re all my family and mean so much to me. I’m blessed to have you in my life and that we are all happy and healthy. Thank you all for being here.”
Last was Ryan who took a long sip of his beer before he spoke. “I’m thankful for Alex opening her home to all of us today and cooking this amazing meal in front of us.”
“Can we eat now?” Mason asked, a big scoop of mashed potatoes on his fork halfway to his mouth.
“Dig in everyone.” I called, cutting into a piece of turkey.
Instead of eating, I watched the family I had made for myself and Luke who’d become to mean so much to me in such a short period of time. They were what mattered the most in my world.
Dinner had taken a little longer than planned to cook so by the time it was done we were all pretty ravenous to the point that no one spoke until their first helping of food had been gobbled down and needed seconds. After that we all spoke easily except for Ryan who seemed to be fuming the entire time he ate. I loved him, but he was ruining the vibe. At least for me and I planned to nip it in the bud.
Standing I turned to Ryan and looked down at him, my eyes slightly narrowed. “Would you please help me bring in the desserts?”
“I’ll help.” Taylor broke in ready to be of assistance like always.
“You did most of it. If anything, it should be you that sits, and we bring in the desserts.” Taylor hadn’t witnessed the looks and sour note emanating from Ryan through the whole meal. I would have to tell her about it later once I found out what the hell was up his ass.
“Nope, Ryan and I will get them.”
Instead of waiting for Taylor or Ryan to say anything, I left the room and stood in the kitchen hoping I wouldn’t have to drag Ryan outside and kick his ass. Luckily, I didn’t have to wait long for him to stomp into the kitchen with more attitude than I’d ever witnessed from him in all the years I’d known him.
He stood on the other side of the kitchen with his arms crossed over his chest. “What do you want me to take?”
“Do you really think I asked you in here to help take desserts?” When he didn’t answer and only stood there I continued. “What the hell is wrong with you? Is this because your girlfriend or whoever the hell she is, couldn’t come?”
“You cannot be serious. I don’t give a shit if she’s here or not.”
“Then what's up your ass? You've had an attitude and been giving Luke the stink eye since the moment you walked in.”
Angry lines marred his face. “Did you ever think that maybe my problem has to do with him?”
Spinning around in a circle, I tried to calm down. Ryan was making no sense. He had no reason to have a problem with Luke or anyone at the table for that matter. “No, the thought never crossed my mind because Luke has never done anything to you.” My index finger poked him in the chest and for a brief moment I wanted to hit him. He was ruining my Thanksgiving. “Whenever we've talked about Luke, you've never had a bad thing to say about him, so I don't understand why all of a sudden you're acting like he's wronged me in some way. Luke’s probably one of the best things that has ever happened to me and if you ruin it for me, I’ll never talk to you again.”
Grabbing the pumpkin pie, I started to make my way out of the kitchen when Ryan grabbed me by my elbow. “I'm not trying to ruin anything for you but think about it. What would it say if because I didn't kiss your boy toys ass, he dumped you?”
A deep, unhappy voice rumbled from the entry of the kitchen. “Is there a problem in here?”
“That's what I'm trying to figure out,” I cried out, confused. “I don't know what his problem is with you.”
Walking over with a serious determination on his face, Luke wrapped a hand around my hip and pulled me close before placing a kiss on my cheek. “Not everyone has to like me.”
My hand slipped around his waist, my finger hooked into one of his belt loops. “He has no reason not to like you. Ryan doesn't even know you.” I turned to Ryan with narrowed eyes. “You tell me right now what your fucking problem is, or you can leave. Either one is fine with me.”
“Alex...” he glanced over at Luke. “Can we please discuss this in private?” Ryan's eyes begged me to give in, but he had his chance to speak.
Shaking my head, I replied. “No, I'm sorry. You had your chance, so if you want to talk you can say whatever you have to say with Luke in the room and whoever else decides to walk in.”
“You want to know what my fucking problem is then I'll tell you what my problem is. Ever since you told me about Luke, I started to follow him online. I setup a Google alert when anything new came up on him and after you went to New York to visit him things started to pop up.”
My front turned until it was pressed to Luke's side, looking up at him, I asked. “Do you have any idea what he's talking about?”
Luke shrugged looking confused. “Anything can pop up. If I'm seen on the street and someone takes my picture and posts it on social media, it’ll pop up on an alert depending on how the alert is set up. As to what your friend is talking about, I have no clue. We talked about that there were some pictures of us while we were out and of course there was speculation, but I haven't heard of anything else from my publicist.”
I looked to Ryan wondering what else there could be. “That's all we know about.”
Ryan rolled his eyes, his lips set in a firm line. “Because your precious Luke would never lie to you.”
My arms spread wide, I yelled. “He has no reason to lie to me.”
“To get in your pants,” Ryan yelled back.
“You have got to be fucking kidding me. It's endearing that you think I have a magical pussy, but Luke could literally have any woman he wants.”
“Well, it looks like he's been having at least one other woman. First, she posted pictures of him in New York and then there were pictures of him in LA.”
“Okay,” I said drawing out the word. “Was she in bed with him? Were they kissing? What were they doing?”
Looking away, Ryan murmured with tight lips. “Nothing.”
“They were doing nothing? So obviously Luke’s cheating on me.” I shook my head in sadness. “Ryan, you know I love you, but it seems like you're grasping at straws to find something wrong with Luke.”
“In the pictures they were doing nothing. Luke was the only one in the pictures, but it was what the captions said.”
“Let me get this straight. Okay?” At Ryan's nod, I continued trying to keep my calm, but it had left the building the minute I walked into the kitchen and I wasn't sure it would ever come back. “Some woman posted pictures of Luke and he wasn't with any women in these pictures, but,” I said, my eyes narrowed. “This woman, whatever her fucking name is, said some shit that made you think Luke’s cheating on me.”
“Yes,” he shouted back before taking in a deep breath. “She said they started dating back in June and wanted to keep it private then she would give updates on what they’d done that day or weekend with pictures of Luke.”
Stepping forward, Luke towered over Ryan's six-foot frame. “Show me.” His voice was like granite causing Ryan to take a step back.
Pulling out his phone, Ryan scrolled through looking for something to prove that Luke had been lying to me. I believed both of them. Luke hadn't cheated, and Ryan had seen those posts. The person who was lying was this woman, and I wanted to know why.
Luke stood watching Ryan, his mouth grim. Once he looked back at me with sad eyes. Our holiday hadn't gone according to plan. First, Bill had died and now Ryan with his cheating accusations.
“Here,” Ryan said with too much glee in his voice, his finger pointed at his screen.
Standing by Ryan's side, I looked down at
his phone. A picture of Luke was posted on Instagram. He was standing at a counter in a crowded coffee shop looking down at his phone. The captioning read: Up all night #myboyfriendcandoeverythingbetter #myboyfriendisahottie #longnight #needcoffee @ashlynjade
“This proves nothing. She could be talking about her boyfriend and saying they were getting coffee while also posting a picture of Luke.”
“How do you explain the four other pictures she posted of Luke with similar captions? She was in LA and New York with him. I can show you more if you want. Why don't you try to explain, Luke?” Ryan aimed a hateful look at Luke.
“It's all going to sound like excuses and bullshit.” Wrapping my hand in his, Luke placed them on his chest. I could feel his heartbeat, it was steady and true. “Once before, I met this Ashlyn Jade when I was at a gala. We were introduced, and that was it until she bumped into me when I was getting dinner one night after you left New York. She introduced herself again and reminded me where we met before. I talked to her for maybe two minutes, if that, before my food was ready and I left to head back to the hotel.”
Not once did Luke hesitate nor did his heart speed up. I didn't think he was lying to begin with but trying to convince Ryan of this would be a problem.
Turning to Ryan, I pinned him with my disbelief. This was one of my best friends and he was trying to rip apart what Luke and I had. “It's been months since I was in New York and you kept this to yourself this whole time? Why?”
Looking chagrined, Ryan answered. “I didn't think you'd ever see him again and didn't want to hurt your feelings.”
“Show me the others,” Luke demanded.
“Luke,” I softly called his name, wrapping my hand around his wrist. “I believe you.”
“Did you brainwash her with your dick?” Ryan growled out.
“Oh, my God! First, it's my magical pussy and now it's his dick.”
“Is everything okay in here?” Taylor asked as she walked in looking startled. I was sure that everyone could hear most of what we’d been saying.
