by Cat Miller
The following day, Luc had to work. She wasn’t surprised. He was a busy man. She’d returned to her suite to relax for the day. She was still feeling stiff, so she didn’t venture out.
She was also more than a little worried about running into Archie again. Luc told her he’d taken care of the problem. That she didn’t need to worry. He didn’t want to expand on exactly how he’d dealt with Archie, and she couldn’t relax without knowing. The man had scared the hell out of her.
Archie had promised to do terrible things to her in the name of recovering what her father owed him. Until Archie was repaid in cash, she wouldn’t feel safe out alone.
While Luc was in the office, Dolce and Rourke’s wife, Jennifer, came to check on her. They brought lunch and conversation. They told Jennifer the story of their harrowing night out on the town with loan sharks.
Of course, Rourke had filled Jennifer in, but he didn’t have all of the minute details. It was nice to have some girl time. Everly forgot her worries for the time and laughed and ate good food with two awesome ladies.
The next day, Luc cut out of the office early. He’d collected Everly from her suite and took her out shopping and to dinner.
Everly wasn’t at all comfortable with Luc spending money on her. He’d dragged her from store to store and selected a few things for her when she wouldn’t pick anything out on her own. It was amazing how the sales people could just look at you and know what size you needed.
She had enjoyed the visit to a fancy lingerie store though. They put Luc in a chair outside of a private dressing room. She tried on some scandalously skimpy little outfits for his pleasure. Luc watched her with hungry eyes while she paraded around modeling for him.
By the time they left La Perla, Luc had been reduced to speaking in grunts. He was barely civil when he told the sales lady what to wrap up and send to The Inferno. He mostly just growled at the poor woman.
Afterward, he took her back to his suite. He allowed her to enter his room for the first time that evening. He’d bought a new bed and was itching to try it out. Everly was happy to help test the bed’s coils. He wasn’t the only one feeling a little savage after their shopping trip.
Luc took her to his bed and made a meal of her. He fucked her from one side of that bed to the other and from top to bottom. It was a good bed. After a room service snack in bed because they’d worked up a hunger, they snuggled down and fell asleep with the television on.
On day four Luc took another day off of work. He asked her how her knee was healing. It was much better really. She barely noticed any pain now. Luc seemed pleased. They got up super early and drove out of town. She had no idea where they were going.
Luc drove for just under an hour to Red Rock Canyon. The sun was just rising when they parked. He took her hand, and they walked until they reached a spot he was happy with and spread out a blanket over a boulder for the two of them to sit on.
In the quiet of the desert, he held her in his arms while they watched the sun rise over the magnificent red stone peaks of the Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area. It was a beautiful gift. Luc was sharing the love of his home with Everly.
She didn’t tell him watching the sunrise over the peaks made her miss her own home in Colorado. She wondered if she’d ever get to show him all the places that were special to her. She hoped she would. The desert was beautiful but hot. But the mountains? They were awe inspiring.
They enjoyed a picnic breakfast Luc had the kitchen pack for them before they did more exploring and sightseeing when the sun was higher in the sky. It was a perfect day that Everly would never forget.
Each day seemed to be bringing Everly and Luc closer to each other. She had real hope in her heart that he could be more open to the idea of a real relationship. This felt real to her, but Luc hadn’t made any suggestion that she might stay longer. They’d been avoiding any talk of her family, her home, or the contract.
With only a few days to go, Everly hoped Luc was reevaluating his position of a committed relationship. Because if he wasn’t ready to talk about it in the next three days, she would be going home with her heart in tatters. She needed some sign from Luc that she was more than a short-term fling for him. She needed his love.
EIGHTEEN
Everly was having so much fun. She’d complained that he never let her go into the club. He explained that it was because most of the women in the private area were employees. There were only a handful of female members, and the men knew who they were. She’d already caused a ruckus in Hell once. He didn’t want to have to ban a member for looking at her too long.
It was an insult and a compliment wrapped in one. He thought she had a knack for finding trouble. If he only knew she’d never seen a day of trouble in her life until she met him. He also thought she was too lovely for other men to behave themselves when she was around. It wasn’t true, but knowing he thought so made it hard for her to argue with him.
Luc suggested they spend the evening in Hell that night. That sounded like far less fun than it actually was. She and Luc had gone from room to room in his private club sampling a few drinks and playing card games. She was getting very good with Luc’s tutelage. They’d danced in one of the bars. They’d even spent a short time in that scandalous hall that was lined with rooms where people who enjoyed being watched could find a willing and eager audience to witness their sexual exploits.
It was shocking to her small town sensibilities, but it was exhilarating too. At first, when she’d come to The Inferno, Everly thought that it was dirty. Now she understood more about the needs of other people. Luc provided a safe place for them to explore their sensuality; it was as simple as that. See a need, fill a need. That was how Luc operated.
On the way back up to the penthouse, the sexual tension in the elevator was thick and delicious. Everly’s heart beat loud in her ears. Luc was watching her from where he leaned in the corner of the swiftly ascending car.
“I want you, baby. I want to tangle my hands in all of that silky red hair and ride you until we both scream for mercy.”
The sensual promise in his words thrilled Everly. She sauntered over to Luc getting in his personal space. She had to look up to see is face. He was holding onto the safety rail with a white knuckled grip.
He was holding himself back. Trying to contain his passion. That just wouldn’t do now, would it? This was the last night of the crazy agreement that had brought them together. She’d already decided to lay it all out in the open. This was her last chance to discover if they had a chance to really be together.
Everly was going to tell Luc she loved him tonight. That admission would either bring them closer or send Luc running back to his life of one night women and casual bed buddies. Either way, things were about to change. They had to.
Everly rose up on her tiptoes to place a kiss in the hollow of Luc’s throat. He was breathing deeply. His pulse thrummed visibly at his neck. She licked that pulse. Tasting Luc’s delicious salty essence.
Luc groaned and cursed. His hands released the railing to grasp her hips and pull her body against the straining arousal contained in his expensive trousers. He leaned into the wall heavily. Letting it support his weight so he could bend into her tender ministration. She was licking and sucking at his skin. Tasting him.
“Maybe I’m going to be the one riding you. Maybe I’ll be making you scream my name.” She nipped Luc’s earlobe. “Maybe you’re about to get fucked, Luc.”
The elevator chimed and the doors slid open. Luc wrapped his big muscular arms around Everly and hauled her up against his chest. His mouth crashed down on hers in a hot wet embrace. He carried her blindly to her door.
Everly fumbled in her bag for the keycard. It was made more difficult considering Luc refused to give up her mouth while she hunted blindly in the bag. She finally found the card, and Luc took it from her. He opened the door and carried her inside.
They were all lips, tongues and hands as they stripped each other. Everly was in the
moment with Luc when thoughts of wanting their last night together to last forever. This was likely the last time they’d share a bed. Because after she told Luc she loved him, the difficult man would probably pull away from Everly in a hurry.
It would be hard to make a relationship work. She had responsibilities at home in Colorado that she couldn’t avoid. Kennedy still needed her at home. The graduation party was coming. Mills needed her help on the ranch. They would have to start the business over again.
There seemed to be an unspoken agreement between Luc and Everly that they would avoid the subject of her family and the business. They hadn’t spoken at all about her leaving or the contract. Nothing had been mentioned at all in the week since she and Dolce had run into trouble at Harlot.
Tonight, Everly would have to break the silence. If Luc wasn’t looking for something more permanent, Everly wouldn’t hang around. No matter what, she had to leave in the morning. She had to get back to her family and the business.
It would take a massive effort for both Luc and Everly to continue their relationship. They would both have to travel and sacrifice. Everly would have to find a way to make her family understand that she was in love with Luc. He was a good man. It wouldn’t be easy to convince them. They wouldn’t accept him at first. There was too much animosity there for the man who had tried to destroy them.
“Hey, hey, where’d you go?” Luc asked.
They were both half naked and bouncing off of the walls in a hurry to undress each other and get to the bed before they combusted. Luc cupped her face and brushed a thumb over her lower lip. Everly became so caught up in her inner turmoil that Luc had felt the change in her. She left the haze of lust to ponder the broken heart she feared was waiting to greet her before the night was out.
“I’m sorry, Luc. I was just thinking about tomorrow when I’ll be leaving,” she admitted. She didn’t want to ruin the moment, what could be their last moment, but he knew she was distracted.
Luc nodded, acknowledging the changes the morning would bring.
“Let’s not think about that now. Let’s just be together. You and me.” He kissed her again. Reigniting the fire in her belly.
He was right. If now was all they had Everly intended to enjoy it.
Luc lifted her against his chest, and she wrapped her legs around his lean waist. In the bedroom, he toppled over onto the bed with her under him. Everly squealed. Luc chuckled against her ear. He’d kept his arms stiff so she wasn’t crushed under his weight.
“I’m going to have my wicked way with you now, Ms. Parker,” he told her against her ear. His hot breath sent chills skittering over her body.
“I thought it was my turn to be wicked.” Everly didn’t care either way. She didn’t want him to stop that thing he was doing with his mouth.
“Later. When I’m ready.”
She had to smile at that. The man totally missed the point of letting someone else have control. He’d never be the kind of man to really let someone else have free reign. That was okay with Everly. He made her feel so feminine, so wanted, when he was in control of her body. In the end, it was always about their mutual pleasure. He left her exhausted and satisfied. Who could complain about that?
Luc let his lips travel over her skin from one shoulder to the other. His tongue lightly traced the lines of her collarbones while his hands ventured lower to free her breast from the extremely expensive lace bra he’d bought her.
Luc crawled further down her body, and he stopped there to stare at her full breasts. She wasn’t a big woman, but she was overly endowed in the cleavage department. She squirmed under his intense stare.
“You’re so fucking beautiful.”
His eyes traveled down her body and back up to her face. Everly couldn’t help preening a bit under his appreciative gaze. Luc was a stunning man, and he found her to be beautiful. It was the kind of thing that could make a girl’s head swell.
“I think I need to take my time down here, baby. Please do make yourself comfortable. I’ll be back to you shortly.”
He grinned devilishly and turned his attention back to her breasts. Luc lightly traced her nipple with his tongue causing it to peak and ache for more thorough attention. He dipped his head a bit lower to give the underside of her breast some attention. It was amazing how sensitive that neglected area could be.
Luc turned his attention to the other breast. Giving it the same maddeningly attention to detail. Everly moaned.
Her hips gyrated. Wanting his mouth on her aching girl bits. But he just chuckled and continued on past her panties to her legs. He kissed the tops of her thighs before flipping her over onto her belly.
He slid her panties down to bear the round globes of her ass. Luc pulled on Everly’s hips until she lifted onto her knees. The panties slid down just far enough to reveal her ass without uncovering her heated core. Again, she might be a petite woman, but a booty she had, and Luc seemed to enjoy that very much. He massaged and groped her muscles. He laid wet kisses here and there. When he finally made it around to cover her womanhood Luc pressed his face against her and breathed heated air through her panties. He gave a lick over the material, and she thought she’d climax right then. She was so hot. Just one good lick to the right spot would set her off.
But Luc wasn’t feeling generous yet. He pushed her forward to lie on her belly again.
“Luc,” she groaned. Everly wanted him deep inside her to relieve the intense ache he caused.
“I know, baby. I know.” He rubbed her ass and moved down to her legs.
Damn it! If he knew, why wasn’t he doing something about it? She was going to go up in flames at any moment.
Luc caressed every inch of her skin from her ass to her ankles, paying special attention to the backs of her knees. Another very sensitive and surprisingly erotic zone. By the time he’d kissed his way back to her neck, Everly was writhing with need.
“Please. Please. Please.”
“This isn’t going to be nice, baby. I need to be inside you now.”
He’d seemed so unhurried. So unrushed that Everly had thought him a bit unaffected until she heard the snarl in his voice. Luc was as close to madness as she was.
“Please. Please. Please.” Everly clutched at the sheets and ground her ass against his erection.
Luc growled. It was times like this when he made those savage noises that Everly knew Luc was beyond the ability to maintain that stoic, cold façade he’d perfected with the rest of the world. In these moments with Everly, Luc was animalistic. She loved his loss of control.
Luc pulled her up to her knees and placed her hands on the headboard of the bed. He bent over just far enough to give him the angle he wanted.
“Don’t you let go. I’m going to give you what you’ve been wanting, Everly. Can you take it?” he asked and positioned the head of his cock against her entrance.
“Please.” Everly pushed back against him.
Luc thrust forward in a steady strong thrust and claimed her fully. He was so deep in this position. He stretched her. The slight burn was so good. Everly gripped the headboard tighter and braced for the coming storm.
“Now. I have to have you now,” he said aloud but she wasn’t sure he was speaking to her. It was just a statement of intent before he did just as he’d promised.
Luc covered her body, arching over her back. His fingers gripped her hips so tightly she was sure she’d wear his fingerprints in the morning. He set a brutal pace that left her unable to do anything but take what he wanted to give her. What she’d begged him for.
Luc did things to her she’d never experienced before. He wrapped a huge hand in her sweat dampened hair and held her still for his invasion. He twisted and turned, changing the position of his hips to come at her from different angles. It was intense. Just like Luc. He was giving her his all, and she struggled to accept it. He was so much man.
Everly knew Luc was close to his breaking point when that big hand slid from her hair to brush against her
clit. It was a tender caress at complete odds with his demanding position.
One stroke. Two. A firm tap with those long fingers, and Everly was gone. She collapsed onto the bed. Her arms were no longer able to support her through the intense climax. Luc kept pumping. She knew she screamed his name. She heard it over and over as if from a distance.
Luc shouted then. He was swearing and heaving through his own storm. When it was all over and they both lay incapacitated in the wake of their loving, Everly smiled. He held her tight against him in spite of the heat of their bodies and the sweat. It felt so right, and she never wanted it to end.
They napped for a short time, sprawled awkwardly across the bed. When Everly woke, her body still hummed with pleasure. That was for a good reason. Luc’s hand was between her legs, teasing and playing. She was already heated and ready for more of his attention.
“Mmmmm . . .” she moaned.
“Finally, she’s awake.” Luc rolled them on the bed until she was positioned above him, straddling his hips. “Ride me. Ride me hard, baby. I want to see this fucking you promised to give me.”
She gave him a coy smirk.
“Do you think you’ve earned a fucking, Mr. Christianson?”
Luc growled. Her nipples tightened at the sound. She loved that impatient, animalistic side of Luc that reared its head from time to time.
“Alright. Alright. I guess you’ve been a good boy today.”
He growled again. She tried not to giggle.
Without any further teasing, Everly lifted to her knees to fit him to her already wet entrance.
Everly twisted her hips, slowly screwing her way down Luc’s impressive length. Drawing him in over and over. Easing up and down. Driving them both past the point of reason. Luc moaned her name and held her hips in a tight grip. Guiding her movements and watching his shaft disappear into her welcoming body.
They breathed together through the rioting sensations. Everly had threatened to fuck Luc and make him scream her name. He was the one who had her screaming. This time, she wanted to take it a little slower. This joining was nothing close to fucking. Everly was giving Luc all that she was. Her body. Her heart. Her hopes for the future. She was giving Luc her love and hoping he would love her in return.
