"Mmm," she said. "I can see that." She giggled, her eyes still closed. "You know what I mean."
He grinned, loving her playfulness. This was going to be fun, for both of them, with no repercussions later. It made him even more excited. He had no idea how much he'd been missing out on by not taking vacations. Of course, it would be tough to top this one.
"Come on," he said, "before we spend the rest of the night in the hallway."
Luke spun her so she was facing forward, her back against his front. It gave him a chance to nibble on her neck and the smooth curve where it met her shoulder. They walked slowly while he fantasized about everything he wanted to do before the night was over.
All at once, she stopped, and his heart lurched.
"You okay?" he whispered against her skin.
She nodded. "I don't know which room it is."
The relief swamped him. "Oh, it's here."
He leaned forward, pressing his arm around her waist so she stayed close, and pushed against the door with his free hand. He flicked the light switch. Thank God it was vacation time because his bed was made, and everything was orderly, unlike the times he came home late at night and threw clothes everywhere.
She glanced around, and he could see she approved of the simple bachelor décor. All he could focus on was the bed, a king, which was going to be put to good use. She walked toward it and then sat on the edge, looking up at him.
He tried to swallow, but his mouth was dry. Why was he so nervous all of a sudden?
"Maybe we should go back to the couch and make out," he joked, running a hand through his hair.
Mia stood up, and Luke wished he hadn't made the comment, especially if she had taken him seriously. But to his relief, she kept her eyes on his and then lifted the bottom of her shirt, pulling it off slowly. He caught his breath, staring at her lacy pink bra as if it was the first one he'd ever seen. She chuckled, which made his face heat up, so he stood up abruptly, grabbing the back of his shirt and tugging it over his head in record speed.
"You are so gorgeous," she said right before putting her mouth on his bare chest, thrilling the hell out of him.
"I was just about to say the same thing."
He stroked her hair, the summery scent wafting upward. In the next instant he felt her hands on his butt. It seemed like a good idea to unhook her bra, and she stepped back so he could see it slipping down her arms, revealing two delightfully sassy nipples.
He dipped his head to pull one of them into his mouth, swirling his tongue around the puckered flesh. He had never tasted anything so delicious. He loved how it got even harder as he sucked. But what he really loved was how her hands kept a tight grip on his butt.
"Can you let go of that for just a minute?" he teased. "I need to take off these jeans."
"Now that's what I call an incentive."
She smiled up at him, and he couldn't resist another kiss, one that had them both breathless. He yanked his jeans and briefs off in one motion, kicking them out of the way. He reached to help her out of hers, but she had beaten him to the punch.
She stood there in the sheerest pink panties he'd ever seen. Her eyes widened when she saw him naked, and the slow sexy lift of her lips made him stop breathing.
"Mia, come here before I have a heart attack."
"I might be having one."
She hesitated and then wrapped her fingers around him, her skin soft and cool against his heated flesh. He couldn't take more than a few strokes before he laid her down on the bed, moving her hand away. She pretended to pout.
"I have plenty of other treats," he said. "Don't worry."
She laughed, stretching her arms up towards him. "Give me a treat now then. I'm not good at waiting."
"I usually am," he said. "But not tonight."
He laid down on top of her, devouring her so-sexy mouth. He usually thought of himself as a cool, deliberate lover, but Mia made him way too hot.
She smoothed her hands down his back, setting off a riot of sensations, and then grabbed his butt again.
"I can't keep my hands off this," she said. "It's so firm and smooth and—"
He moved against her and she moaned, right in his ear. If he thought he was too hot before, he was wrong. Now his blood was overheated, as if he'd been left to boil for days. He didn't want to rush, but he didn't seem to have any way to slow down. She moved in such a sexy way, her hands rubbing him in all the right places. He could feel his heart thud every time she breathed his name in response to his touch.
"Luke," she murmured again. "Tell me the condoms are close by."
He scrambled for the nightstand, nearly yanking the drawer out entirely. He grabbed a strip of condoms and tore one off. He had it ripped open and on with blazing fast speed. He didn't want her to cool down or change her mind, but one look at her and he knew he didn't have to worry about that.
She watched him, her eyes sparkling, her lips tilted up seductively as she stripped off her panties. He couldn't believe how beautiful and sexy she was. Actually he could believe that. He'd known it from the first time he saw her on his doorstep. It still seemed like some kind of fantasy, all of that beauty and sexiness in his bed, eager for him.
He slid inside her, closing his eyes at how good she felt, especially her hands on his ass pulling him deeper. He loved how her breasts flattened against his chest, her softness reminding him of his strength, her hard nipples revealing how aroused she was.
He tried to slow down, but she shook her head, whispering, "Please." He couldn't do anything else. He wanted to please her, however she wanted it.
"Oh, God, yes," she said as he pressed harder. She slid her hands to his shoulders and wrapped her legs around his waist. He knew he wasn't going to be able to stop, though if she begged him to, he'd try. He'd do just about anything for her right now, especially with the sexy sounds she made, just for him. Her skin was flushed, her hair wild around her face, her breasts bouncing against him with each of his strokes.
"Don't stop," she said. "Don't—"
Before he could reassure her, she started to moan. He'd never seen or heard anything more exciting. She cried out, completely uninhibited, lost to the sensations. Her body pulsed on his, squeezing so tight he nearly couldn't move.
In the next instant, his head dropped back and he yelled her name, flooded with an incredible pleasure unlike any he'd ever known.
Chapter 7
"Go away," Mia grumbled. She waved her hand to stop the licking. Who would be licking her hand anyway?
She lifted her head, her heart thudding as she tried to get her bearings. That was the problem with sleeping in someone else's house. Panic set in when you didn't see the things you were used to seeing when you opened your eyes.
She was laying on her stomach, in a bed. She glanced around the room, taking in the tan striped sheets and the wooden blinds. This wasn't Sondra's house. This was—
She dropped her head back into the pillow.
Hellboy barked. Several times.
"Shhh, don't be so obnoxious. It's too early for that." She raised her head again. "How did you get in here anyway? Have you learned how to use doorknobs, too?"
His tail wagged back and forth, as if he'd heard her warning as some kind of compliment. She obviously needed to learn the finer points of doggy-speak.
She also had to figure out how to get home, acting like she was used to waking up in a man's bed after a wild night of hot sex. Too bad she hadn't read The Newbies' Guide to Summer Flings beforehand so she would know exactly what to do right now.
Hellboy came closer, his adorable face grinning at her.
"Stop being so cute," she said, stifling a yawn with her hand.
"I'm not sure I can."
Mia gave her head a brisk shake and then blinked a couple of times. "I know I didn't have that much wine last night."
Luke ambled over to the side of the bed, and she scooted over so he could sit next to her. His eyes were sparkling, filled with amusement, but it didn't
seem it was because she looked like a goofball with hair sticking out everywhere.
No, that expression definitely leaned toward indulgence. He was happy to see her there, wrapped in his sheets.
She hadn't really known what to expect of the morning after, but that surprised her. It might have knocked her to her knees if she wasn't already prone on the bed.
His hand landed gently on her hip, and he leaned over to kiss her cheek. "Would you like some breakfast?"
Hellboy came bounding over, putting his paws on Luke's knee, wagging his entire body. Luke chuckled and patted the puppy's head.
"I think he was talking to me, hellhound," Mia said. "And the answer is an emphatic yes."
"Good. I'm sure we can find something that will satisfy everybody."
Mia blushed. She wasn't sure she could handle being satisfied again. Her voice was raspy from expressing all of her satisfaction last night. Over and over.
Luke scooped up the puppy and stood, both of them looking at her. It was such an endearing tableau, Mia nearly melted. What was wrong with her? Clearly her blood sugar was depleted. It had to be if she was mooning over a hunky guy and a puppy after her first-ever fling.
"I'll be glad to help," she said, sitting up and almost tossing the blanket aside. She stopped, looking for her clothes, and then she spotted them in a wrinkled pile where she'd dropped them last night. She finger combed her hair and then blasted Luke with a big smile, pretending she didn't know she looked like a hot mess.
"I'll get dressed and be out there in a minute."
"Great," he said, the corners of his eyes crinkling in the sexiest way. "You can be my sous chef."
"What's that?"
"A fancy way of saying I get to boss you around in the kitchen."
***
Luke watched Mia cutting the potatoes for the home fries. She was cutting them slowly, and deliberately, and it was going to be next week before they had breakfast.
Next week. He wouldn't let his mind go there. Especially since he had other plans for the rest of the day. Plans that involved the both of them, and the bedroom, not the kitchen.
"You're doing a great job," he said. "But we need to go a little faster or the lunch crew will be arriving for their shift."
She chuckled. "I was just trying to make sure we didn't have a trip to the emergency room before we ate."
She had piled her hair into some sort of bun, with strands of hair dangling down, and she'd put on one of his T-shirts. She looked fresh-faced, and sexy, and disheveled, and it made his heart skip a beat at the happy expression she wore. He wouldn't mind seeing that every morning.
"Okay," he said, mentally clearing his head, "if you want a free lesson like they have on the cooking shows, here goes."
He put his hands on her waist and slid her over a few inches. He heard her gasp, a soft sexy sound, one that made him remember plenty of things from the previous night.
He wiped his forehead with the back of his arm.
Mia handed him the knife and slid the cutting board closer to him, her lips tilted up in a smile.
"So what you want to do is keep the knife moving, like this." Luke balanced his fingertips on the potato and began rocking the blade over it.
"You're like a machine," she said. "That took me forever and you were done in seconds."
He winked. "I've done this once or twice. Here, you give it a try. I need to stir this."
He moved to the stove, picking up a spoon to stir the sauce starting to bubble in a pan.
"I'm really impressed," she said.
"It's just a simple dish really."
"No, I meant that you're standing upright. I thought I had knocked you out last night for a long while."
He chuckled. "I'm almost world-class, remember? And I decided to plan ahead so we could have leftovers. I didn't plan on cooking dinner tonight."
He waggled his eyebrows suggestively.
She laughed, setting the knife aside so she could squeeze him around the waist. "I'm glad Hellboy broke your car."
"It was the second best thing that's ever happened to me."
"The second best?" She tilted her head back to look at him. "What was the first?"
He turned away from the stove, wrapping his arms around her. "That thing you did last night—"
She swatted his arm, laughing.
Hellboy started scratching at the door to go outside. His tongue was lolling, and his tail was wagging like he was getting wound up.
"I'll let him out," Mia offered.
Luke dropped his arms, but it was reluctantly. He watched her walk toward Hellboy, and then she bent over to talk to the pup, forgetting that his shirt only covered everything when she was standing up.
Luke gasped the same way Mia had earlier. She spun around, and her expression of concern swiftly changed to amusement. Obviously he hadn't hidden the look of bliss on his face.
He shook his head for a second, and then tore his gaze away, stirring the pan vigorously while muttering about their dinner being burned.
"Don't worry," she said, opening the door so Hellboy could race past her. "I don't mind just wine for dinner."
Luke twisted the knob on the front of the stove and covered the pan with a lid. "If you keep doing that in my shirt, I'll be lucky if I can make toast for dinner."
He couldn't help himself. He pulled her into his arms. His mouth was on hers in the next instant, and heat blazed between them instantaneously. Unquenchable. His pulse raced, and then it went into overdrive at the come-hither look on her face.
"What about breakfast?" she asked, though it didn't seem as though food was the most important thing on her mind right then. Not from the way she was wrapping herself around him.
"We can have brunch instead."
He raced them towards the bedroom, intent on making time stand still.
Chapter 8
How had two weeks gone by so fast?
Luke stared at the suds dripping off his car, and then at the neighbors' house, where Mia was packing. He wished she would come outside, even for a little while, so they could talk.
It felt like she was avoiding him, but he couldn't figure out why. She had definitely enjoyed their two weeks together. He was sure of that. They'd laughed and played and had mind-blowing sex day and night, and he'd never in his life felt so happy to be with someone every minute of the day.
Today, though, she'd seemed so cool, announcing she was going to stay next door tonight, so Hellboy could get used to his own place again. Luke had done his best to change her mind, but she'd gently resisted his kisses, peeling his arms from around her waist. He couldn't even tempt her with dinner, where he'd hoped to—
Luke picked up the hose and blasted the fender with water.
He'd gotten what he wanted—a two-week fling—only to discover he wanted more. More time, to spend with Mia. But with her leaving tomorrow, and his excessive work schedule, more time was next to impossible. She'd sneaked into his heart, making him realize he'd spent too many extra hours at work because there wasn't a good reason to come home earlier. Now he'd found a good reason, but she had dashed right out of his life.
What had ever made him think a fling was a good idea?
A succession of sharp barks broke into his thoughts. He turned to see Hellboy with his paws on the fence, his backside wagging ferociously, as usual.
"Hey, buddy. You're awful feisty today."
Luke strolled over to the fence and leaned down, picking up the puppy. Hellboy started licking Luke's face to show his gratitude at being rescued. Or to demonstrate how much he missed Luke.
Somehow the little mutt had wormed his way into Luke's heart, just like Mia had.
"You know you're not the kind of dog I would have picked," he said, tucking the animal securely under his arm.
Hellboy yapped, his tongue lolling to the side, that crazy-ass grin on his face.
Luke sighed. At least when the two weeks was over, Hellboy would still be around.
It was bet
ter than nothing. But boy, did he want more than that. A whole helluva lot more.
***
Mia picked up another pair of pants and folded them before stuffing them in her suitcase.
How had two weeks gone by so fast?
She had spent nearly every moment at Luke's house, starting with breakfast, and cooking lessons, and swimming in the lake, and laughing constantly. She'd never had so much fun in her life. And then there was each day ending with a scrumptious dinner, making love, and then falling asleep with Luke's arms holding her close.
But now it was done.
She sniffed, determined to keep the tears at bay. That's why she was here, packing her clothes instead of having another leisurely afternoon with Luke. She needed some practice dealing with the ache lodged near her heart. She didn't want to get all teary-eyed around Luke, and it was too hard to pretend to be happy and carefree.
So she'd told him she needed to spend her last night at Sondra's house, rather than his, using Hellboy as her excuse.
He'd tried to convince her they should celebrate their last night together, with him cooking, but she'd declined. She knew their fling was over, but she just couldn't bring herself to feel festive about it.
She sighed so hard it was a wonder she didn't blow the suitcase off the bed. She heard Hellboy barking outside, but a quick glance out the window showed he was just playing near the fence, not scaring off big bad intruders. Or tormenting another of her shoes.
She managed a smile as she turned back to packing. Surprisingly, she was even sad at the thought of not seeing Hellboy every day. How had that happened? Maybe she was a long-term kind of gal after all.
If only she had discovered that before jumping into the first fling of her life.
Mia wiped at her eyes with the back of her hand. She didn't regret any of it. In fact, she was proud of herself for taking the risk, just like when she'd left her job and the safe boring life it represented. The two weeks with Luke had been worth it. It just made her wish for more.
An insistent buzzing distracted her, confusing her momentarily. Her cell phone. She threw clothes off the bed until she found it, but it had stopped ringing by the time she answered it.
Summer Lovin' Page 4
