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

by Tonya Brooks

  Luke sighed wearily and shot a glance back over his shoulder to where Easy was leaving the restaurant with carry out bags. “Bro, I am in over my head,” he admitted and seriously needed to talk to someone who might understand.

  His brother thought he was crazy to try and hide his relationship with Easy, but what the hell did he know about maintaining an unblemished reputation? Hell, Matt was proud of his bad boy status. Since he and Tony shared similar goals, Luke knew the other man would understand where he was coming from and hopefully help him get his head back in the right place.

  “Want me to take her off your hands?” Tony joked. The look he received promised dire retribution and he held up both hands in surrender. “Just kidding.”

  Luke shook his head in resignation. He was possessive as hell over a woman he wasn’t even sure he had. What the hell was up with that? “I am so screwed,” he breathed wearily.

  “Hell, it can’t be that bad.” The other attorney denied. The woman was hotter than hell and she had looked at Luke as if she could eat him alive. What could be wrong with a situation like that? Unless… “Don’t tell me she’s married.” Tony was the consummate playboy but even he drew the line at married women. That shit would get you killed.

  “Worse,” he sighed. “She’s a biker chick with a leather fetish who just wants a wild fling.”

  Tony stared at him as if he’d just grown two heads. “That’s bad?” Hell, it sounded pretty damn good to him.

  “Dammit, Tony, you know the plan.” Luke said grumpily. “Something like this could ruin everything I’ve worked for before it even begins.”

  Ah, the plan. While at Harvard, he and Luke and Vic had planned out their entire futures one night over a couple bottles of tequila. Since the two of them had gotten completely trashed, Vic had gleefully reminded them of their grand plans the next morning over coffee. Lots of coffee. “Yeah, well, plans change.” He pointed out dryly.

  Luke knew what he wasn’t saying. Tony’s former roommate, Victoria, had landed a job with an international company and now spent most of the year globetrotting instead of getting a job locally like they had planned. At the time, Tony had been thrilled for her and had encouraged her to take the job. They had been perfect for each other and Luke was pretty damn sure that she had broken his friend’s heart.

  “How is Tory?” he asked hesitantly.

  “She’s great,” he admitted with a lopsided smile. “Talked to her last month. She was in Australia buying an electronics company.”

  “Read about it.” Luke nodded. What had been predicted to be a nasty takeover had ended on amicable terms all around. ‘The Ice Queen’ as Tory was dubbed by the press had done a fantastic job negotiating the deal. “She did good.”

  “Yeah, she’s the best,” he said proudly and then became serious. “So tell me how you see this woman as a problem.”

  The unsubtle change of topic wasn’t unexpected since Tony did not like discussing the infamous Victoria Landers with anyone. Luke raked a hand through his hair and didn’t even know where to start. “Hell, you saw her. She’s perfect for me,” he pointed out. “But being linked with a woman like her would be political suicide.”

  “So just have the fling and keep it under the radar,” was suggested.

  “That’s what I’m doing, but… what if I want more than a fling?” he queried. “She’s under my skin, bro. It’s like I can’t breathe without her.”

  “Are you telling me you love her?” Tony pressed in surprise.

  “I don’t know,” he admitted and blew out a frustrated breath. “Maybe.”

  “Bro, when you find the one woman for you, you fight tooth and nail to keep her.” Tony said in complete seriousness and it sounded like the voice of experience talking. “Because once you lose her, she’s gone.”

  “And if I keep her my career goals are down the drain,” he pointed out.

  “Then it just comes down to a choice.” Tony replied. “Which one is more important, the woman or the job?”

  He just didn’t know, and that was the problem, dammit.

  ~~~~

  “I love it.” Desi enthused as she looked at the wallpaper samples for the nursery that Harley had dropped off.

  “Aren’t they perfect?” Claire Baker agreed and then suddenly turned as white as a sheet and went very still.

  “Mom, what’s wrong?” Harley asked anxiously.

  “The baby is more active than usual today.” Claire said with a weak laugh and rubbed her rounded belly.

  “Are you alright?” Desi asked with a worried frown and scooted a chair behind her mother-in-law.

  “I’m fine, really.” Claire laughed self-consciously as she sat down. “It’s been a long time since I’ve done this. I’d forgotten how… Oh!”

  “Mom!” Harley exclaimed anxiously when her mother bent over double in pain.

  Claire gripped her daughters hand and there were tears shimmering in her eyes when she said, “It’s too early.”

  That could only mean one thing. “Oh, God. She’s in labor.” Desi announced as she stared at the horrified face of her best friend.

  “I’ve got to get her to the hospital.” Harley announced in a full blown panic.

  There was no doubt of that, but neither mother nor daughter were capable of driving right then. “I’ll drive.” Desi decided as she opened the door to her office and instructed her assistant to take over the dinner rush for her if she wasn’t back in time. Once he realized what was happening, he easily lifted Claire into his arms and carried her out to the car while Desi and Harley quickly followed.

  ~~~~

  Jedidiah Baker burst through the door of the emergency room and his wild eyed gaze landed on his daughter-in-law. “Where is she?” he growled.

  Desi was shocked at his appearance. The loveable growly bear had been transformed into a warrior, every inch of his muscular body primed for a fight to the death. The black as night eyes were as cold and flat as a vipers and his expression was terrifying to say the least. If she hadn’t known him, he would have scared the hell out of her.

  “Exam room C,” she quickly informed him. “Harley’s with her.”

  Without another word, Jedidiah pushed through the double doors and found the room. Shoving the privacy curtain aside, he barely glanced at Harley as his eyes sought his wife. Relief washed over him when he saw her. His Claire looked so small and vulnerable lying there, but she was alive. Thank God, she was alive. The fear he saw in those big blue eyes ripped his heart to shreds.

  “Jed.” Claire said brokenly and held her trembling hand out to him.

  Jedidiah took her hand in both of his, dropping to his knees beside the bed as he pressed his lips against her knuckles. “Are you alright?” he asked, the sound a harsh rasp that conveyed the depth of his emotional state. Harley slipped quietly from the room but neither of them even noticed.

  “I can’t lose our baby, Jed.” Claire said brokenly and placed their joined hands protectively over her swollen abdomen. The doctor had warned them that this was a high risk pregnancy since she was over fifty, and she had followed his instructions to the letter. Jedidiah was so happy that they were having a child and he had coddled and pampered her to a ridiculous degree. She couldn’t bear to disappoint him.

  When her voice broke on a sob he gathered her into his arms. “She’ll be fine,” he whispered gruffly and prayed it was so.

  They both knew the risks to herself and the baby if she went into premature labor. The doctor had warned them of the possibility from the beginning. “It’s too early,” she barely managed as tears streamed down her cheeks. “Please don’t let them...”

  Jedidiah was thrilled that he had been able to give Claire another child, but if a choice had to be made, if he had to sacrifice one to save the other, there was no way in hell he would lose his wife. He’d never survive it a second time.

  “Now you listen to me, sweet lady,” he said in his gruff but loving tone. “I love our little angel just as much as you
do, but she’s in God’s hands. He’ll do with her as He sees fit so you stop upsetting yourself and let Him handle this.”

  She nodded and offered a weak attempt at a smile as he wiped her tears away with gentle fingers. “I love you so much.”

  Jedidiah framed her beautiful face with his hands and placed the tenderest of kisses on her lips. “Sweet lady, you’ll never know how much I love you,” he vowed brokenly.

  ~~~~

  The entire Baker family was gathered in the waiting room when the Grayson sisters arrived. Easy’s first impulse had been to go to Luke, but since they were just supposed to be friends, she followed her sister to Harley first.

  Dizzy gave her friend a hug and asked, “How are they?”

  “Mom’s scared half to death,” she admitted shakily, concern for her mother evident in her tone. “Pop looked like he was ready to take on the fires of hell with a water gun.”

  “And the baby?” Easy asked as she hugged the other woman.

  “We don’t know yet,” was admitted. “If they can’t stop the labor...”

  When her voice broke, Matt pulled his wife into his arms and held her fiercely. He could not bear to see a woman as strong as Harley reduced to tears. “It’s gonna be alright, baby.” he soothed and prayed he was right. God, he couldn’t even imagine what his father was going through. The thought of losing his wife and child were too much to bear.

  Mark was obviously having the same thoughts as he had not released his own pregnant wife from his arms since he arrived, and if his expression was any indicator, he wasn’t going to do so any time soon. Fortunately, Desi appeared more than content to remain in his lap for as long as he wanted her there.

  John was restlessly pacing the floor and Luke was sitting over in the corner, elbows on his knees, head resting in his hands. Easy walked over and sat down beside him. “Are you okay?” she asked gently and wasn’t sure what to expect. Luke raised his head and his incredible blue eyes glittered with that wild gleam that never failed to take her breath away.

  “You need to go get coffee,” he said quietly and just stared at her, waiting for her to comply with the bizarre command.

  “Yeah, sure. I can do that,” Easy said as she rose, not sure why he wanted her to, but more than willing to do whatever he asked.

  “I’ll help,” he said as he stood and then announced to the room at large, “Easy volunteered to go get coffee. Who wants one?”

  Once she had everyone’s order, John stopped pacing to ask, “Need some help?”

  “I got this,” Luke assured his younger brother and led Easy down the hall toward the cafeteria.

  Easy knew that everyone dealt with life and death situations differently, but Luke’s method seemed particularly odd until he pulled her into the empty chapel and shoved her up against the wall to kiss her senseless. At that point she decided she liked the way he handled stress.

  When they were both trembling with need, he lowered his forehead to hers and breathed huskily, “I needed that.”

  “More than coffee?” she teased since he had obviously used the coffee run as a ruse for them to be alone.

  “Hell yeah,” he flashed that bad boy grin and kissed her tenderly. “Sorry for dragging you in here like some caveman.”

  “Don’t be. I love it when you get all primal on me,” she said with her own grin.

  He laughed a bit self-consciously and lightly nipped her bottom lip. “I just needed to feel something other than helpless.” Since she was Harley’s mother, Claire had been a part of their family long before his father married her and all four bothers adored the woman. The possibility of losing her or her unborn child was a nerve wracking experience.

  “It’s a typical reaction,” Easy assured him. “People who find themselves in life and death situations usually wind up having sex as a form of release afterward. It’s an affirmation of life and a great way to burn off stress.”

  Luke stared at her in amazement. “How the hell do you know that?”

  “I had to talk to a therapist after the uh, accident,” she admitted. “I wasn’t physically able to ride the bike, which is how I normally release stress, so the shrink was suggesting alternative methods.”

  “Tell me the quack didn’t suggest sex,” he demanded in a possessive tone.

  “He did,” she agreed with a wicked smile. “And I have to admit, it is more therapeutic than riding the bike.”

  Luke was getting pissed now. “You had sex with some guy because the doctor recommended it?” he demanded jealously.

  “No, I had sex because I met the man of my wettest dreams,” she clarified with a saucy smile and rubbed her lower body against him suggestively. “So unless you plan to do me right here in the chapel, I suggest we go get coffee.”

  The damnable thing was that he actually weighed the possibilities before he sighed in regret and said, “Coffee it is.”

  Once they arrived back at the waiting room, Jedidiah came out and informed the family that the doctor had managed to stop the labor. Claire and the baby were both fine but she was going to have to stay in the hospital as a precaution. Everyone started hugging each other in relief while Luke walked away to take a phone call. His voice was low, and he didn’t seem pleased with the interruption when he came back to hug his father and tell him he had to go meet a client.

  Easy was simply amazed at Luke’s dedication to his clients. She’d seen him get calls and texts at all hours of the day and night and he never failed to go when he was needed. He’d even left her alone in bed last night to go bail someone out of jail. At least she assumed that was what he had been doing at two o’clock in the morning. The man was just too good to be true and she lost a little more of her heart to him every day.

  ~~~~

  It had been a hell of a day and all Luke wanted to do was unwind. He needed the sense of freedom that fast speed and open wind provided and he wanted his woman to experience it with him. Easy was in full agreement and he found her waiting for him on the Walker’s front porch. She ran down the steps and jumped up in the hummer before he had a chance to get out and open the door.

  “I did it,” she announced in genuine excitement and then laughed in delight. “I got in all by myself.”

  Luke knew she wasn’t referring to her ability to physically climb up in his vehicle. Easy was stoked because she had been able to do it without panicking. He was thrilled at her victory over the traumatic memories. He hauled her to him and kissed her hungrily. “I knew you could do it,” he praised.

  “Now you don’t have to load me up like a child,” Easy teased.

  “Woman, don’t you doubt for a minute that I enjoy every opportunity to hold you,” he warned as he put the truck in gear. “I’m glad that you can get in by yourself, but you will not deprive me the pleasure of putting you in this truck.”

  “Ya know,” she began in a conversational tone. “I’ve never particularly cared for bossy men.”

  “Is that a fact?” he asked with a brow arched in challenge.

  “It is.” Easy agreed and then flashed him a wicked smile. “But for some strange reason when you do it, I get all hot and bothered. It seriously turns me on.”

  Luke groaned aloud. “Woman, you’re killing me,” he complained because there wasn’t a whole hell of a lot he could do about it in the hummer. He drove straight to the marina and Easy sat obediently in the passenger seat until he opened her door. Then she wrapped her arms and legs around him and he kissed her breathless.

  “Wow,” she breathed as he carried her down the dock. “Seriously turned on.”

  “Tell me about it,” he muttered and lowered her into the boat before he untied the rope and sat behind the wheel. For the next twenty minutes he guided the boat along the river and let the peace and serenity wash over him. Then he cut the engine, dropped anchor and began to remove his clothes.

  Easy leaned back in the passenger seat and enjoyed the view. “Is this the part where you ravish me?” She teased and really hoped it was.
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  “Not yet,” he denied and dove over the side.

  Easy shot to her feet and leaned over the side of the boat to stare anxiously at the inky black water until he finally surfaced below her. “Luke, you scared the hell out of me,” she accused in relief.

  “I needed to cool off,” he admitted with a grin. “A certain lady had me all hot and bothered.”

  “Well that lady isn’t through with you yet, wild man,” she assured him as she stood and shucked her clothes before diving in.

  They romped and played in the moonlit water until Luke caught her and pulled her into his arms for a kiss. Both of them forgot to tread water and they sank like a rock. The pair broke apart and surfaced laughing. “Water sex might get us drowned,” Easy admitted.

  “Boat sex it is,” he decided and they swam to the stern and pulled themselves up. Luke moved to the bow, pulled the cushions off of the bench seats and placed them on the deck. They made love leisurely and just lay there afterward staring up at the stars as the water gently rocked them.

  Easy had never felt such contentment before. Just being with Luke did that to her and she dreaded the day that it would be over. She also hated the woman he would one day marry and share his wonderful life with. No, she didn’t hate her. “I envy her,” Easy said quietly, honestly, and wasn’t aware that she had spoken aloud.

  “Who?” Luke queried and settled her more fully against his side.

  “The lucky woman who gets you,” she admitted.

  His heart began to pound wildly. Did that mean she loved him; he wondered but could not summon the courage to ask. Instead he attempted to keep the moment light by teasing, “Because of my brilliant legal mind?”

  “Nope.”

  “Then it must be because I’m one of the bad Baker boys.”

  “Uh-uh.”

  “I know. It’s because Miss Emma Jean Purvis, whose at least eighty and blind as a bat, insists on calling me the most eligible bachelor in town in her gossip rag.”

  “Wrong again.”