by Julia Devlin
Chin tilted up, shoulders back, she sidestepped him, snapping, “Word to the wise, your tactics could use some work.”
He grabbed her around the waist, hauling her back. Of course he was already hard. Did the man walk around with a perpetual hard-on?
“Hmmm…is that so?” He nipped her earlobe and an involuntary shiver raced through her. “It puts you on your back often enough.”
“Ha!” She pried his hands off her stomach. Over her shoulder, she tossed him a smirk. “Arrogance will get you nowhere.”
She walked up the front steps and slipped her key into the lock, trying to ignore the spark of anticipation.
Hot on her heels, Lukas laughed, his evil, mischievous laugh that made her bones turn liquid. Damn traitorous body.
The lock clicked open and she strode through the door, tossing her work stuff onto the foyer table. Behind her, the door slammed with a loud bang, and her heart leapt with excitement.
She opened her mouth to say something scathing only to be grabbed by the arm and spun around with lightning-fast speed. Lukas pressed her against the wall, mouth hard on hers. He kissed her like a starving man, as if he couldn’t get enough.
As though he’d missed her.
When they were both panting for breath, he pulled back.
“Maybe I should rephrase.” He unhooked her belt and it clattered to the floor. “You look hot as hell.”
“Oh.” Pleasure swelled in her chest. She knew it was pathetic, but she couldn’t help it—no one had ever called her “hot as hell” before.
“I don’t want the men at work getting ideas because you’re driving them crazy.” He pinched her nipples through the fabric.
She gasped, arching into his palms. Her hands clenched his shoulders as her lids drifted closed.
“The only man you’re allowed to drive crazy is me.” He ran his hands up and down her body, pausing at the open vee of the dress. The sound of fabric tearing filled the air as he ripped the dress with both hands.
In shock, her lids snapped open in time to see buttons arching through the air.
“That was new!” Despite the exclamation, the woman in her loved when he got all possessive and territorial. She was so easy.
His mouth skimmed over the curve of her neck. “Mmmm…sorry.”
“No you’re not.” Her blood heated as he licked at her nipple through her lacy black bra before biting at the tip.
“I’ll buy you another one,” he murmured.
She dropped one hand to the erection tenting his jeans and squeezed. “The same one?”
“Will you wear it to work?”
“Yes.”
“Then no.” With a flick of the wrist, he undid her bra, freeing her breasts to his seeking palms. Deft fingers stroked and abraded her sensitive nipples.
Unzipping his jeans, she arched and groaned when he rolled the hard buds.
“Are you jealous?” she teased, reaching inside his boxer briefs to circle the head of his cock.
He let out a hiss that made her heart beat fast. “Hell yes I’m jealous.”
She blinked at him, her hand stilling. “You’re serious.”
“Yes, Abby, I’m serious.” He kissed her hard, and before she knew what hit her, he had her hands restrained above her head. He broke away, biting her bottom lip. “I want you to myself.”
All her anger evaporated. She’d get him back later, right now, she just wanted him. She whispered, “You have me. Now fuck me—hard and fast.”
“I’m supposed to give the orders here.” He kicked her legs apart, sliding his thigh between them and rubbing her swollen clit. “But I’ve been craving your hot, wet cunt since you left this morning and I can’t wait anymore. I’ll make you pay later.”
She smiled at him, trying not to think of the emotion swelling in her chest. “Right back at you.”
One brow cocked and that dimple winked. “I can’t wait for that, little girl.”
He covered her mouth in a hot, possessive kiss, and Abby didn’t have to think about anything but the way he claimed her body for a long, long time.
Much later, they sat at Abby’s small kitchen table eating gooey grilled cheese. Abby gave an appreciative moan. “This might be the best sandwich I’ve ever had.”
Lukas, who had made the culinary masterpiece, laughed. “I’m pretty sure you’ve just worked up an appetite.”
She swallowed her bite, savoring the buttery flavor on her tongue. As much as she loved sex with him, she loved this as much. Sitting in the kitchen half naked, eating and laughing while they talked about their day. After, depending on their mood and how vigorous their activity had been, they’d either go back to bed or snuggle up on the couch and watch TV.
She smiled, fluttering her lashes. “You cook, you do lawn work, you’re smart, gorgeous and give killer orgasms. I’ll keep you after all. Although, I insist we discuss the havoc you wreak on my wardrobe.”
He affectionately pinched her bare thigh. “That dress was a menace, I did you a favor.”
“I’ll dig out my receipt so you can fund a new one.”
He grinned, lone dimple flashing. “Oh, all right…but I’m not going to like it.”
“Too bad,” she quipped. “It’s a great dress.”
He swiped his thumb over her bottom lip. “I can’t disagree there. I might have to show up at your work one day to scare all those bean counters.”
An image of Lukas beating his chest while walking through rows of cubicles sprang to mind, causing a giggle to escape. “You’re crazy. You make it sound like the dress was fit for a Vegas showgirl. Don’t forget, I’ve watched the women you date traipse up and down your walkway for a year. Now there’s flash for you.”
She took another bite of her sandwich.
His brown-eyed gaze zeroed in on her. “Maybe, but what you have is far more captivating.”
The grilled cheese lodged in her throat. Why did he keep saying stuff like that? He made her hope. Dream. Plan. She swallowed her bite as irritation rose in her throat. “You don’t have to butter me up, Lukas.”
The lines on his forehead creased. “I’m not. Just because you don’t believe it doesn’t make it untrue, Abby.”
“I know we’re having fun here.” One thing she’d learned about Lukas was how his mom had reared him with a strict moral code when it came to nice girls. She appreciated it, but his comments were digging into her heart. She cleared her throat. “But I’m realistic. I know I’m not your type and it’s not your job to bolster my self-esteem.”
A muscle in his jaw ticked, and he threw his napkin onto the table. “Okay, fine, you’re not my type.”
The words stung even though they were the truth. “Yes, and that’s my point.”
“You’re right. I’ve never been with anyone like you.” The lines of his face took on an aggressive edge.
“You’re doing me a favor. I get it.” It was better to get this in the open. At least then she’d stop getting confused. “So you don’t need to keep saying all these nice things to me.”
He studied her for a long, tense moment. “I see, so you want me to tell you the truth, is that it?”
“Yes,” she said, but her throat was tight and scratchy.
He nodded. “Okay. Here’s the truth. Like a typical guy, until you showed up on my doorstep in those tight jeans and tank top that showed off a body I sure as hell never noticed, I wasn’t attracted to you. Is that what you want to hear?”
“At least it’s honest.” It sucked and it hurt, but it was true. Tears stung the corners of her eyes and she blinked them away. Honesty blew big-time.
He leaned forward, putting his elbows on the table, his expression unreadable. “Since you’re so interested in honest, let me spell it out for you.”
Even though she’d brought it up, she didn’t want to hear this. His first statement was more than enough. “Please do.”
“I pick the women I do because they like to have fun and aren’t looking for commitment any more th
“I understand.”
“No you don’t.” Expression hard, he ran his hands through his hair. “I want to bring you home.”
She blinked. “What?”
He shook his head. “The truth is I can’t get you out of my mind. I want you constantly. Hell, I can’t wait to see you. And I don’t mean the sex, which is unbelievable, I mean you. All of you. In fact, you scare the shit out of me, but I keep coming back for more. I don’t know what I’m going to do with you.”
Her jaw fell open. “Are you serious?”
Anger flashed in his dark eyes. “I am dead fucking serious, Abby.”
He wasserious. “Oh!”
“That’s it? Oh?”
“Um…” She had no idea what to say. She was speechless. “Thank you.”
He gave her a hard, long stare then a bark of laughter. “What? No questions about my intentions? Don’t you want to probe into my every thought and analyze my feelings?”
The heavy weight that had her shoulders slumping lightened. She offered a tentative smile. “If you want me to, I’m sure I can muster up a few questions.”
The chair scraped the white tiled floor as he pushed away from the table and stretched out his legs. His strong, capable hands slid into the pocket of his jeans. “What about you, Abby? Are you using me to cross the things off your list?”
Appalled, she shook her head vehemently. “No! Of course not. How can you think that?”
A brow rose. “I thought we were being honest. When you showed up at my door, were you thinking about me as a person? Or someone to fulfill your fantasies?”
Sheepish, she looked down at her half-eaten grilled cheese.
“So, I’m just a good time?”
Her head shot up. “No, of course not. That’s insane.”
“Why?”
At a loss for words, she blustered, “Because, I’m me…and you’re you.”
Chest bare, the muscles in his biceps bunched and, if possible, his jaw took on a more stubborn line. “I don’t know what that means.”
“We hardly match,” she said, simply.
“Why do you think that?”
“Please, the women you date are practically supermodels.” She waved a hand and shook her head. “I’m…well…I’m an accountant. The last guy I dated thought going to a Star Trekconvention constituted a good time.”
“What do our past dates have to do with us?”
She blew out a breath that sent a lock of hair flying. “Why are you doing this? You know what I mean. When people see us together, they’re not going to believe I’m taking pity on you.”
“Why do you underestimate yourself like that?” His frown turned positively fierce.
She shrugged. “I’m not underestimating myself. I’m a realist.”
“That’s bullshit.” His harsh tone made her wince. “You’re convinced you’re ordinary because that’s what your family wanted you to be. But trust me, Abby, ordinary is not who you are.”
While being compared to Eden may have warped her self-perception, it didn’t change who she was. She’d learned a long time ago she couldn’t compete. Figuring out early on it was best to play on her strengths, vixen wasn’t one of them. “I’m quiet and bookish.”
He had the gall to laugh. “Please. You may be smart as hell, but you’re not bookish. Oh sure, you wore all those drab clothes—which, by the way, don’t look so bad to me in light of your current wardrobe choices—but you couldn’t ever hide your smart-ass nature. The only thing that’s changed is your exterior matches who you are on the inside. And for the record, you’re not quiet. Hell, half the time I’m worried someone’s going to send the cops after me because they think I’m beating you, you scream so loud.”
A hot flush spread up over her chest to warm her face. She titled her chin. “There may be a kernel of truth in what you’re saying, but don’t pretend we’re in the same league.”
“You’re crazy.” He closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose with his thumb and forefinger. “This is what I get for getting involved with a pragmatic accountant.”
The statement seemed to be to himself so she didn’t comment, choosing instead to pick at the corner of her sandwich.
On a long, put-upon sigh, he scooted his chair back under the table and placed his elbows on the wood surface. “Okay, you need some sort of proof since my word isn’t good enough.”
She opened her mouth to protest, but he held up his hand to silence her.
“We’ll deal with your lack of trust. For now, let’s stick to the point at hand. When I took you to the party last week, no one questioned why I was with you.”
“I’m sure they were being polite.” Her tone was prim as her stomach flipped over. She didn’t like where this conversation was going.
He gave a bark of laughter. “You don’t know firefighters. We practically live together, and they’re never polite. If they wondered what I was doing with you, they would have asked me why I needed to take my charity fuck out in public.”
That stopped her cold and she raised a brow.
A cocky smile splayed over his gorgeous face. “Do you want to know what they did say?”
The mature, sensible part of her wanted to say no, but the giddy female in her couldn’t help but wonder. In an attempt to be casual, she shrugged.
“You don’t fool me.” He slid his fingers around her wrist, his thumb stroking the pulse point. “Let’s see, Trevor would have stolen you right out from under me if given half a chance. Then there was Bobby, who couldn’t stop talking about your killer body. Oh, and Jimmy asked me if I’d be interested in a threesome.”
“Oh!” A purely feminine thrill shot through her. Smile quivering on her lips, she straightened.
“Now I’ve got your attention.” He chuckled, his grasp turning into a vise grip. “For the record, Trevor wouldn’t have gotten two steps with you, I told Bobby to shut the fuck up, and I will nevershare you, so get that idea right out of your wild little mind.”
The grin grew until it hurt her cheeks. Was it possible they matched after all? “I wouldn’t do that.”
Like a bolt of lightning, he shot out from the chair, causing it to skid across the floor. He hauled her up, making her heart pound. With a sweep of his arm, he pushed the plates to the floor. Dishes crashed and clattered around them as he put her on the table. That intense, territorial gleam in his dark brown eyes. “Damn straight you won’t.”
Chapter Nine
“Look, he’s pussy whipped.” Trevor’s amused voice startled Lukas from his Abby-centric thoughts.
Lukas shifted in his chair and tried to work up some interest in the conversation around the station’s kitchen table. He thought Trevor, Jimmy and Charlie were talking about some bar they’d gone to the other night. “What?”
“You’re pussy whipped.” Trevor repeated in a slow voice, as though Lukas might be dull-witted.
“No, I’m not.” The rejection was automatic, but the idea didn’t appall Lukas the way it once would have. In fact, he wasn’t sure the statement didn’t hold merit. He’d been with Abby for one month and wanted her now more than ever.
Their relationship had progressed to the next level. Tomorrow they were going to brunch with Abby’s family, and then heading to dinner at his mom’s on Sunday, figuring it was best to get the stress of meeting each other’s families over within one weekend. His mom, who’d been waiting for this day since he’d been born, was beyond excited.
But he hadn’t been thinking about tomorrow. Or the guys’ exploits. No, his mind had been on the phone sex he’d talked Abby into earlier. A horrible idea. Forced to sit in the office, staring through the big, clear window overlooking the main floor, while he talked so dirty he’d surprised even himself. She’d eaten it up, and his cock had ached listening to her breathy moans and pants as she rubbed her responsive little clit until she came.
Since the call, he’d been unable to concentrate on much else.
“I don’t know.” Charlie rubbed the dark scruff on his chin and jaw. “How long’s it been since you’ve been out with us?”
Lukas didn’t have the heart to tell them he had no desire to go out on the prowl with the three musketeers.
“Is he talking about that chick you brought to Bobby’s birthday?” Jimmy asked.
“That’s right, sweet Abby,” Trevor said, with a grin.
Jimmy nodded his appreciation. “Hmmm…she was pretty sweet. Nice rack.”
Lukas tilted his chair back and rocked, shooting Jimmy a warning look. “Not another word.”
“Oh really.” Jimmy’s tone rang with amusement. “So that’s how it is?”
“Yes, that’s how it is.” Standard station rules, casual lays were open to detailed discussion, wives and girlfriends were not.
To his left, Charlie reached back and dinged the gold bell hanging on the wall. “And he’s down for the count.”
Jimmy laughed. “Never thought I’d see the day.”
“Does this mean Saturday is off?” Trevor smirked. “Now that you’re officially declaring her girlfriend material.”
Lukas frowned. He’d avoided thinking about the exclusive sex club where Trevor was a member. The last place he wanted to take Abby. He didn’t want to share her. He didn’t want anyone watching them. Fuck, he didn’t want anyone even looking at her.
But it was on her list, and he wanted to make her happy.
He’d first told Trevor he’d wanted to take Abby there when he’d started checking items off her list, but their weekends off hadn’t worked. As time went on, he’d been thankful for the schedule conflict, but then the stars had aligned and now he was stuck. “No, we’re still on.”
“You sure?” Trevor asked. “You don’t look happy about it.”
Lukas raised a brow. “Don’t think you’re going to touch her.”
Trevor chuckled. “You’ve made yourself perfectly clear on that subject.”
The trick would be to fulfill the fantasy while making sure she didn’t actually participate in anything. He was still scratching his head, trying to figure that one out. He scoffed.
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