Desire Too Wild To Tame: The Bad Baker Boys: Luke's Story

by Tonya Brooks

  Luke whistled softly. “I’ll bet that was brutal.”

  “Personally, I enjoyed watching my big brother get his ass kicked on a regular basis.” she grinned like a devilish younger sister. “But it was worth it. He’s lethal.”

  “Sounds like he’d be a good sparring partner for Matt.” His older brother was a fighting machine and as lethal as they came.

  Easy shook her head and her expression was completely serious. “There is no such thing as a sparring match once you reach Ace’s level. In Krav Maga, you’re taught to treat every fight as a fight to the death. Once those instincts become second nature, you can kill someone before you even realize what you’ve done. He hasn’t sparred with me in years because he’s too deadly.”

  Yeah, Luke knew exactly what she meant about that. Instinct took over and rational thought followed after the fact. Kind of like his response to Easy. That bad boy grin flashed and he asked, “So you’re telling me that you can kick my ass?”

  “I’d take you down just so we could roll around on the mat,” she said with a wicked smile and slipped into that sultry Southern drawl to add, “But I wanna spar naked with you, Sugah.”

  He groaned aloud at the erotic image and surged to his feet. Luke scooped her into his arms and headed for the ocean. “Now that you’ve got me all hot and bothered, we’re both gonna cool off.”

  They played in the surf like a couple of kids, walked hand in hand along the shore looking for sea shells and just enjoyed every minute of their time together. Easy knew the memories would have to last her a lifetime, because these few days with him was all she would ever have. The couple ate an early dinner at Angelo’s, an amazing authentic Italian restaurant, and then headed back to Lakeside to fix her bike.

  Luke replaced the battery and the Harley cranked like a champ. “You're a genius.” Easy said and gave him a kiss.

  He pulled away from her embrace and glanced around to make sure no one was watching them. “Save the gratitude for when we're alone,” he suggested with that bad boy smile.

  “Why did you do that?” she asked with a frown.

  “Do what?”

  “Look around to see if anyone saw me kiss you.”

  “This town is a hot bed of gossip and I have no intention of allowing our association to be the topic of conversation for the next month,” he said honestly. “So that means we behave like friends in public and nothing more.”

  Easy was surprised by that but didn't have a problem with it. “And when we're not in public?” she asked with a seductive smile.

  “Anything goes,” he flashed her that bad boy grin.

  “Anything?” she asked so wickedly that he felt a shiver run up his spine.

  “What did you have in mind?” Luke asked hoarsely.

  “Oh, Sugah. The things I’m gonna do to you,” she assured him in a tone so seductive he damn near took her right there.

  “Drop the bike off at Dizzy’s,” he instructed since he did not want his neighbors knowing that she was staying with him. “I’ll be right behind you.”

  “But I’ll need it to get home in the morning,” she pointed out.

  “Baby, from now on, the only thing you need is me,” Luke assured her. Yeah, his possessive streak was showing, but dammit, he wanted her to need him as much as he was realizing that he needed her.

  Her heart did a funny little flip. No truer words had ever been spoken. He was her only need. Easy swung a leg over the bike and said, “Get your butt in gear, Sugah. I’ve got a wild man to tame tonight.”

  ~~~~

  When they arrived at Luke’s house, he excused himself to take yet another call from a client, the third one today if she wasn’t mistaken. Easy walked out the French doors onto the back porch and leaned against a column as she enjoyed the view. His house was on the lake and the setting sun had turned the water a deep crimson streaked with orange. “This is heaven,” she sighed when she heard him walk outside.

  “This is heaven.” Luke corrected as he walked up behind her and slid his arms around her waist, pulling her back flush against his chest, his arousal pressed firmly against her delectable ass.

  Easy smiled mischievously because the well manicured yard was separated from his neighbors by a privacy fence and there was a free standing canvas hammock sitting between two trees. “You have a hammock.”

  “Um hmm,” he agreed as he placed kisses along her neck, one hand sliding up to cup a breast while the other slid down to cup her pelvis. “I also have a bed.”

  Tilting her head to give him better access, Easy rubbed her backside suggestively against his arousal and confessed, “I’ve always wanted to have sex in a hammock.”

  “Nice comfortable bed,” Luke countered persuasively between kisses and slid his hand inside the waistband of her shorts.

  “Wild monkey sex,” Easy added.

  “Great big bed,” he grinned and nipped her neck lightly.

  “In a hammock,” she clarified and moaned softly when his fingers slipped beneath her bikini bottom.

  Alright, he was intrigued, but still, it was a hammock. Damn things tended to flip when you least expected it. Having no desire to wind up on his ass in the grass, he countered with, “Itchy mosquito bites.”

  Turning in the circle of his arms, she arched an eyebrow in challenge and said, “I dare ya.”

  “Easy.” Luke warned and knew she was playing with fire. He was not the kind of man who walked away from a dare.

  “Double dog dare ya,” she grinned and was not gonna back down.

  “You want wild monkey sex in a hammock?” he growled and she nodded eagerly. “You got it.” Luke grabbed her waist, tossed her over his shoulder and took two steps before he realized that something was wrong. Easy had gone as stiff as a board and her nails were firmly embedded in his back. He quickly lowered her to her feet and saw that she was as white as a sheet and her eyes had that same glazed look as when she’d stared at the hummer.

  “Easy? Baby, what’s wrong?” Luke asked as he wrapped his arms around her and held her protectively, his hands rubbing her back soothingly. When she just stood there trembling and didn’t respond, he lifted her chin and placed his lips against hers in the tenderest of kisses.

  Easy became aware of Luke’s lips on hers, his arms holding her, his body sheltering hers, and a sense of peace washed over her, chasing the last vestiges of fear away. Her hands slid up his chest and around his neck to hold on and she sought to get even closer to him. She needed his warmth, his strength, his compassion. Hell, she needed him more than she had ever needed anything.

  Luke slowly broke the kiss and leaned back to look down at her beautiful face. “You okay?”

  “I am now,” she admitted shakily and felt foolish. Great. Twice now the man had seen her lose it. Yeah, she was doing a bang up job convincing him that she was wife material. Hell, at this rate Luke wouldn’t consider her lover material for long. No man wanted a woman who flaked out on him all the time.

  “What happened?” he asked in concern.

  “Flashback,” she said self-consciously.

  “From the accident?” he frowned.

  “The sol... man who got me out, he uh, threw me over his shoulder,” Easy confessed.

  Remorse stabbed like a hot knife and he tightened his hold on her. “I’m so sorry,” Luke groaned and felt like an ass.

  “It’s okay, Luke,” she assured him. “There was no way you could have known.”

  Yeah, but he should have, dammit. “Is there anything else I should know not to do to you?”

  Don’t break my heart, she wanted to say. Don’t ever let me go, also came to mind. Instead she flashed him that sinful smile and purred, “Oh, I think you know exactly how to do me, Sugah.”

  That wild glitter shone in his eyes as he gently lifted Easy into his arms and carried her to the hammock. “Wild monkey sex in a hammock it is,” he readily agreed.

  Chapter Five

  Monday, March 17, 2014

  The next mornin
g Luke was shocked to see Easy sitting in the spectators section when he entered the court room. Wondering what the hell she was doing there, he went directly to the defendants table to converse with his client and kept risking glances at her around the other man.

  God, she looked amazing and his mind couldn't help recalling just how good she looked beneath the leather. Before he knew it, he was aroused and that was definitely not something that usually happened to him in court. But damn, it was hard not to think about the last two nights that they had shared, especially since he could still taste her on his lips.

  Once the proceedings begin, he's rattled and not at all himself. Even the judge notices and asks if he needs a recess which Luke gratefully takes advantage of. With a subtle nod for her to follow him, Luke walks out of the court room and around the corner to the broom closet. He looked around to make sure no one was watching, and pulled Easy inside with him so they won't be seen. “What the hell are you doing here?” he whispered.

  “Why are we in a closet?” she whispered back in amusement.

  “So no one will see us, dammit,” he growled quietly. “You have to leave.”

  “Why?” she asked in surprise and had wanted to see him in action.

  “Because I can't concentrate with you sitting there looking so damn sexy,” he assured her. “The only thing I can think about is how good it feels to be inside you. I'm so hard it’s painful.”

  “Does the door lock?” Easy asked as she laid her hand over his arousal, and she was more than willing to help take care of that issue.

  God, he was so tempted it wasn't funny and that was the problem dammit. “You're impairing my judgment enough like it is, Easy.” Luke sighed in regret and eased her hand away. “Please go so I can get my mind back on the case and off of your breasts.”

  “Alright,” Easy agreed in amusement and opened the door a crack to make sure no one was in the hallway.

  When she would have left, he said, “By the way, you look incredible.”

  “Thank you, Counselor. You look pretty damn amazing yourself,” Easy assured him before she stepped out into the hall and closed the door behind her. The blue suit looked wonderful with his eyes and fit his gorgeous body like it had been made for him.

  Luke took several deep breaths to try and calm himself and then reached for the doorknob. Much to his surprise it opened and the janitor stood there staring at him as if he were insane. “Hi, Bill,” he said lamely. “Do you mind? I needed someplace quiet to gather my thoughts for a few minutes.”

  “Try the men’s room. I need to get to the mop bucket.” Bill said without sympathy.

  Feeling like a complete fool, Luke left the closet and went back into the court room. Without Easy there to distract him, the rest of the day went smoothly and his client won the case.

  ~~~~

  “I thought you were going to the courthouse.” Dizzy said when her sister entered the kitchen.

  “Luke made me leave.” she admitted with a mischievous grin. “Apparently my breasts were ruining his concentration.

  Dizzy laughed and poured them both a cup of coffee. “Alright, give.” she said as she handed her sister a mug and they both sat at the table. “Tell me all about the weekend and don’t leave out a single detail.”

  Easy wrapped both hands around the mug and could not stop smiling. “It was amazing.” she sighed. “He’s amazing.”

  “So, what happened?” her sister demanded and it was obvious that she was overjoyed that things had worked out between them. “How did you wind up with Luke Saturday night?”

  “When I left the bar, I rode down to the little park by the lake and had myself a pity party,” was admitted with a sheepish smile. “Then the bike wouldn’t crank which only made me even more depressed. So I started walking and Luke just happened to pass by and see me. He offered me a ride and when I refused, he picked me up and put me in the Hummer.”

  Dizzy’s eyes were wide and she couldn’t help laughing at the image her fertile writer’s imagination had conjured up. “I’ll bet that alpha male move went over well,” she teased and knew that her sister did not like being told what to do.

  “I didn’t give him hell,” she denied. “I was too emotionally wrung out to argue with him and the next thing I know, he’s carrying me into his bedroom.”

  Her mouth was agape in shock. For the life of her, Dizzy could not imagine the gentleman that she knew behaving in such a manner. “Luke Baker?” she queried to make sure they were talking about the same man.

  “Told ya he was a wild man,” Easy smirked. “God, D, it was so hot. He was so wild and untamed, and then he held me and kissed me so tenderly that I actually cried.”

  “Wow,” the youngest breathed and could barely wrap her mind around this insight into the character of a man she thought she knew well. “Just... wow.”

  “I know right,” was grinned happily. “Yesterday he took me to pick up a battery for the bike and we spent the day on the beach. Then we had dinner, dropped the bike off here and went back to his place to have wild monkey sex in a hammock.”

  “Dayum. That’s a pretty good first date,” was enthused.

  Easy frowned at that. “We’re not dating, D,” she denied. “This is just a fling, remember? Luke wants to keep it off the radar so we’re just going to act like we’re friends and nothing more.”

  Now that outraged her sister. “You mean he’s just after sex?” she demanded angrily.

  “I’m the one who suggested it and you know it,” Easy pointed out. “Besides, I can see his point. I’m just here for a few days so why get the gossips all stirred up?”

  This was getting more confusing by the minute. “What the hell are you talking about, E?” she questioned seriously. “It’s more than obvious that you’re in love with the man.”

  She shook her head sadly. “It’d never work,” Easy denied. “I can’t be the woman he needs.”

  “Well, you’re clearly the woman he wants,” she reasoned.

  “And I’ll gladly be his lover for as long as does want me,” she confirmed. “If this is all I can ever have of Luke, then it’s enough.” It had to be.

  “Knock, knock.” Harley said through the screen door.

  “Hi, come on in.” Dizzy invited.

  “We come bearing gifts.” Desi added as she followed her sister-in-law inside and placed a cake plate on the table.

  “Oh, God,” Easy moaned when she saw the light, flaky croissants under the glass dome. “I swear you’re gonna put fifty pounds on me before this trip is over.”

  “Do not mention weight gain to a pregnant woman,” the chef rebuked with a smile as she slid into a chair.

  Harley manned the coffee pot while Dizzy set the table. Once they were all seated, the ladies bit into the delicate pastries and moaned in unison. “Orange marmalade glaze is the bomb,” Dizzy sighed as she savored the flavor.

  “I know, right?” Easy agreed as she licked her sticky lips. “The only thing better than this would be Luke covered in honey.”

  The three women stared at her before they burst out laughing when they realized that Easy was completely serious. “God, you’re perfect for him.” Harley enthused.

  “So, how was your weekend?” Desi asked tactfully. Dizzy had already told them that her sister had been with Luke since Saturday night and they were dying of curiosity.

  “Fine, and yours?” She teased.

  “Oh, no you don’t,” Harley denied and waved her half eaten croissant at her. “Tell all.”

  When Easy stuffed a third of the croissant in her mouth instead of answering, Dizzy offered, “I heard it was amazing.”

  “Easy!”

  “Tell us!”

  Easy laughed and took a sip of coffee to wash the pastry down. “Alright,” she relented with a devilish smile. “It was amazing. Luke is... well, he’s...”

  “Amazing,” her sister filled in with laughter dancing in her eyes.

  “Well, he is,” she insisted in amusement. “He’s
so...” Words simply failed her.

  “I believe the words you used were wild and untamed,” the youngest prompted and saw the Baker women’s jaws drop in surprise at that shocking revelation.

  She shot her an exasperated look and then looked at the other two women to admit, “Suffice to say no man could ever hope to compare with Luke.”

  “Really?”

  “Wow.”

  “It seems he really is a bad Baker boy.” Dizzy assured them all.

  “That he is,” the eldest sighed in satisfaction.

  “I’m so happy for you.” Harley enthused as she leaned over and gave her a hug. “You guys make a great couple.”

  “We’re not a couple, Harley,” Easy denied. “This is just a fling.”

  “What?” the Baker women demanded in unison.

  “Oh, yeah,” Dizzy confirmed and her expression displayed her opinion. “Luke wants them to be friends in public and lovers behind closed door.”

  “What?” Harley and Desi squawked in outrage.

  “It is what it is,” Easy shrugged.

  “Why the hell would you agree to that?” Harley wanted to know.

  “Need I remind you that gossip is out of control in this town?” was pointed out. “Why put ourselves through all of that for something temporary.”

  “Why does it have to be temporary?” Desi frowned.

  “I’m just here for a visit,” Easy reminded them. “I have a life waiting for me back in Virginia.” Granted it was a life that she no longer wanted, but they didn’t need to know that.

  “I call bullshit.” Dizzy said as she licked her fingers. “You’d move if you thought you two had a future.”

  “Well we don’t so that’s a moot point,” she frowned.

  “Why don’t you?” Desi queried.

  “Because Luke wants to settle down with some nice lady and live the American dream,” she informed them as she rose to put her dishes in the sink.

  “And?” Harley pressed.

  “Do I look like a PTA mom to you?” she asked and gestured to her attire for emphasis.