by Cathryn Fox
Luke bent down to rub Rex when he came sauntering back from his quick exploration in the trees surrounding the cottage, his tail waggling like mad. “How about a swim, boy?”
Emery reached for her bag in the back of the truck, and Luke took it from her, along with his and the bag of groceries. A floodlight flicked on as they made their way along the gravel walkway. Luke opened the front door and guided her in while Rex planted himself outside, sniffing the air and waiting for Luke to take him swimming.
Standing in the small kitchen she glanced beyond the island counter to find a huge living space with two windows overlooking the lake. A fireplace sat in the corner where the windows met, and on the opposite side of the room there were three doors and a small loft above.
“This place is gorgeous,” she murmured, taking it all in.
A loud thud had her turning around. Luke dropped the bags at his feet, and pulled her to him. He ran his hands through her hair. “You’re gorgeous,” he said, and planted his mouth on hers again.
Her body instantly responded, heating in all the right places as he devoured her. He backed her up, out of the kitchen and into the living space. Her knees hit the sofa. Luke growled.
“I’ve been wanting to do this all day.”
“We almost did in my office,” she said.
“Yeah, I was just about ready to push your pants to your ankles, bend you over the desk and pound into you from behind.”
A gasp caught in her throat, and she put her hands on his chest, and pushed him away.
He tilted his head, his eyes narrowing. “Emery?” he questioned, worry lingering in in voice.
She turned her back to him, and braced her hands on the back of the sofa as she tipped her ass up. “It’s not my desk, but I think it will work.” She cast him a glance over her shoulder and spread her legs in invitation. “And it’s the least I could do, considering I was responsible for all your swelling.”
A growl ripped from his lungs. “Jesus Christ, sunshine. You’re killing me.”
A split second later he was pressed against her, his hands circling her body. He cupped her breasts and leaned over her, pressing his chest into her back. In that instant she made the snap decision to temporarily shelve her worries and just enjoy this weekend for what it was.
His fingers worked the buttons on her blouse, and after he removed it, along with her bra, he slipped a hand inside her pants, brushing her clit and pulling open her lips to swirl his fingers through her slick heat. She pushed against him, trapping his hand against the sofa as she gyrated.
“Fuck, girl,” he said into her ear, then pulled his hand free. Feeling needy, and out of control, she looked out over the moonlight ocean and listened to him shed his clothes behind her. A shiver moved through her, heat reverberating through her blood at the sound of a condom being ripped open. He made deep guttural sounds as he slid it on, and the next thing she knew he was stripping her pants from her hips and pulling them down her legs. She kicked them free, and as they both stood there naked, overlooking the water, a melee of emotions moved through her. A beautiful view, a beautiful man, doing beautiful things with her.
He settled himself over her, his chest pressed against her back as his cock slipped between her thighs. “I want you so much,” he whispered, the raw ache of lust in his voice performing some mysterious alchemy on her soul as he pressed his mouth to her neck.
Her nipples tightened with arousal, as he crushed his body to hers. He reached between her legs and positioned his cock at her opening.
She moaned and tipped her ass up a bit more, providing him better access. His hands slipped up her back and he gripped her shoulders. A hard thrust later, he was deep inside her. Her sex muscles clenched and Luke mumbled heated curses behind her.
He held her tight as he pounded, driving in so hard and deep the sofa began moving across the room. But she didn’t care. All she cared about was the incredible way this man made her feel.
One hand left her shoulder and slipped around her leg. He stroked her clit as he hammered into her. A whimper escaped her lips and she could feel herself growing slicker with each swipe. Soon pressure began building, coming to a peak.
“Oh, Luke,” she cried out, trembling from head to toe as he swelled inside her.
She moved against his finger, seeking what her body craved and a second later her body went up in a burst of flames.
Luke fell over her back, his fingers biting into her shoulders as he joined her in release. They remained like that for a long time, like neither wanted to be the first to move. Soon he grew flaccid and pulled out. She listened as he discarded the condom but was in no hurry to move. He came back to her and pulled her against him, his mouth going to her neck.
“Has the swelling gone down?” she teased.
“Yeah, but it’s only temporary.”
Rex barked from outside, and Luke panted hard against her neck. His fingers moved up and down her arms. “How about we take Rex for a swim? I think he’s waited long enough.”
She nodded. “Good idea, and I think we could use something to cool us off. Just give me a minute to change into my suit.”
“The hell we do.” He spun her around and dropped a kiss onto her mouth. “And forget about the suit. It’s just going to get in my way.”
Chapter Nine
Luke looked at the woman sitting on the dock beside him as she stared up at the stars and sipped on a glass of wine. They’d been enjoying the lake and each other for nearly twenty-four hours now, and he could already see her shoulders relaxing, the tension leaving her body. She really needed this.
They’d spent the better part of today boating, swimming, having sex everywhere and anywhere, and just doing nothing and everything, and as he looked at her now, he knew he wanted…needed…her again.
He threw his arm around her like it was the most natural thing for him to do. “Hey,” he said. The moonlight spilled over her face as she smiled up at him, lighting up the flush on her cheeks, and honest to God it was cliché, but damned if she didn’t take his breath away.
“You okay?” he asked.
She exhaled. “Better than okay.”
He brushed his thumb along her shoulder. “This is the first time I’ve really seen you relaxed.”
“It must be the wine.”
He arched a brow. “Or all the incredible sex.”
“Ego,” she teased.
“Seriously, though. Do you like what you do?”
She nodded, and her eyes lit. “I actually really do love my job. I love running the market, talking with customers and bringing in special orders for them.” Luke rubbed one of her shoulders, lightly massaging the muscles. She leaned into him. “Once security is in place, I’m sure I’ll be back to my old self.” She turned the conversation to him. “I can tell you love your job. You should have seen your face when you were explaining all the security measures to me.”
“I do love it,” he said. “I’ve been saving for a while now, and I’m getting ready to expand. There are a couple of my comrades who are discharging next month and I’m looking to buy another van.”
“You did security in the military?” He nodded. “How did you get interested in that field?” As soon as the words left her mouth, her body tightened, like she was remembering his past. He could only assume her father’s words were running around inside her head. But he didn’t want to think about that right now. Right now he just wanted to enjoy the cottage and their time together.
Instead of answering, he drew her mouth to his, and savored the sweet wine on her tongue. His cock thickened, and just as he was about to lay her out on the wooden dock, and climb over her, the sound of a car door closing reached his ears.
“What the hell?” Another door slammed and he glanced over his shoulder. Rex jumped up, barked a couple times then sauntered toward the cottage to check things out. From where they were sitting on the dock, Luke couldn’t see who’d just pulled up to the cottage, but their voices carried and he knew from
the teasing jibes and easy camaraderie, it was a few of his buddies along with their wives. “Shit.”
“What?” Emery followed his gaze. “Who is it?”
“A few of my friends.” He listened for a moment as Matt said something crude to Caleb. Just then Sky intervened and they all laughed. Then he heard Garrett and Josh talking and he bit down hard enough to break bone.
She gave him an uneasy look. “Is this bad?”
“I didn’t know they’d be coming here.”
“Luke, where the hell are you?” Matt called out.
“Get your sorry ass up here,” Caleb added.
“Guess they saw my truck.”
“Or Rex,” she added. She nudged him with her shoulder and toyed with the stem of her wine glass. “We should probably go say hello.”
His stomach tightened. “I’m not sure it’s a good idea.”
Her eyes moved over his face. “Why?”
“I don’t think you’d fit in so well with them.” He paused for a moment, then added, “Just like I wouldn’t fit in so well with your friends. We both know we don’t run in the same circles.”
“You fit in me, so that’s all that matters,” she said. “And I don’t have to worry about you fitting in with my friends, because—” She stopped speaking abruptly, like she’d said too much, and looked away.
He read her body language and took in her discomfort. Unease gripped him as he placed a finger under her chin and turned it until their eyes met. His heart tightened as he took in the pain in her eyes, the sadness that ran deep.
He brushed his thumb over her cheek. “What are you not telling me?” he asked quietly.
“Nothing.” She frowned, and tried to move away but he wouldn’t let her.
“You’re not going anywhere until you talk to me.”
She forced a smile. He could tell she was trying to make light of the situation, and redirect the conversation when she said, “And you accuse me of being the stubborn one.”
“I’m serious. What about your friends?”
She sucked in a breath and let it out very slowly. “Luke—”
“I want to know.”
“It’s nothing. It’s just that I don’t have any. Not really.”
Okay, that took him by surprise. Although, now that he thought about it, it shouldn’t have shocked him. He’d spent an entire week with her and had yet to see her take any calls or texts, or get together with any girlfriends after work.
“What are you talking about?” he asked.
“I just…I don’t have friends.”
“I don’t get that. You’re smart, funny, kind and beautiful. What’s not to like?”
What’s not to like indeed.
“You don’t have to say things like that.” She stared at her lap, and the vulnerability he saw in her—an emotion she hid so well—hit him harder than a blast of C-4. “Not to me.”
“Jesus, are you serious?” He shook his head, hardly able to believe what he was hearing. It brought out the protector in him and he hugged her tighter, but she shrugged like it was nothing.
“It’s okay. I get how things work. I learned early on not to have any expectations of people.” Her eyes met his, and a rush of tenderness moved through him. “People use me for one thing or another and then move on. It’s fine. Really.”
Like fuck it was fine.
His gut clenched because as she continued to look deep into his eyes, it suddenly occurred to him that she’d lumped him in with everyone else. And why wouldn’t she? Really, when it came right down to it, he was no different than anyone. He had no intentions of forging anything deeper with her and planned to leave when the job was over. She expected that, and had blatantly told him so.
When he stayed quiet, she went on to explain. “When I was young, kids avoided me because of my brother, but then when they found out I was a Taylor, from Taylor’s Market they befriended me, but only because they wanted something from me.”
He worked to talk around the lump in his throat. “Is that why you dropped that from your last name?”
“Partly.”
Luke’s heart thumped and all he wanted to do was take her into his arms, make sweet love to her all night long and show her she was important…to him. It occurred to him that in some ways she was as damaged as he was. Which made him wonder if she hired him because his past didn’t matter to her, that she believed in him, that she gave second chances.
Because she wasn’t like her father.
Footsteps on the dock caught Luke’s attention and he spun to see Matt coming his way.
“So you got my messages after all,” Matt said, then stopped in his tracks. “Oh, shit, sorry. I didn’t realize you had company.”
Luke stood and helped Emery up. She brushed her hands over her shorts, and twirled her wine glass in her hand.
Luke shot Matt a hard glance. “And I didn’t realize you were all going to be here this weekend.”
“Check your phone once in a while why don’t you. I’ve been leaving messages for you to meet us here.”
Shit. He’d left it in the truck when they arrived.
Matt gave him a knowing grin. “But I can see you had better things to do with your hands than check your phone.” He winked. “I would have turned mine off too.”
When Matt’s glance left him and went to Emery, Luke felt a flash of possessiveness. He pulled her closer, and said, “This is Emery.”
“Hey, Emery. I’m Matt.”
“Nice to meet you, Matt,” she said. “I’ve heard all about you.”
“I’ve heard about you too.”
That seemed to surprise her. “Really?”
Chatter followed behind Matt and Luke looked up to see Tallulah, Sky and a girl he didn’t recognize walking toward the dock.
Sky ran forward and jumped onto Matt’s back, just like she used to do when they were kids, and Matt grabbed her legs to give her a piggyback ride.
“Hey, Luke,” she called out over his shoulder, then her glance went to Emery. In a reaction much like Matt’s, she said, “Oh I didn’t realize you were bringing someone.”
He introduced Emery, and in turn Tallulah introduced her friend to them.
“This is my friend Kat Stiller from back home,” Tallulah said. “She came in with my parents for a visit.” She gave Kat a hug. “I’m so happy to have her here.” She nudged Matt. “Maybe we can convince her to stay.”
“Where’s Lexi?” Luke asked. It was rare to see Garrett and Tallulah without their little girl.
“The folks wanted her all to themselves so we thought we’d sneak away for a little adult time.” She winked at Matt. “Seems like you beat us to it.”
Emery shifted, and sensing she was uncomfortable he came to her rescue and said, “We should probably get going.”
Sky gave him a confused look. “What are you talking about, you two aren’t going anywhere. Caleb’s getting the fire going, and the beer is chilling.” She jumped off Matt’s back and grabbed Emery’s hand. “Come on and help us unpack.” She shot a glance over her shoulder and added, “And I have all kinds of childhood stories about Luke to share with you.”
“Sky,” Luke warned, but it was too late, Emery had been whisked away from him. As he watched her go, his stomach tightened. He was worried that she wouldn’t be comfortable around his group of friends. Then he thought about what she’d told him, about having no friends. It made him want to share his with her. To bring her deeper into his world.
Oh boy…
“Lucy, you got some ’splainin’ to do,” Matt began, and put his hand on Luke’s shoulder. “Is this the girl that had you all mopey the other day?”
“Matt…” he warned.
“Well you don’t look so mopey anymore. In fact, you look downright smitten.”
“Mopey? Smitten? ’Splainin’ to do? Jesus, Matt, I told you, you’ve been hanging out with your grandmother too much.” Turning the subject around, Luke gestured with a nod to the girls. “And speaking of sm
itten. When are you going to ask Sky out anyway?”
The grin fell from Matt’s face. “We’re just friends. And I think Tallulah is trying to hook me up with Kat.”
“She’s cute, in a she’ll eat you alive kind of way.”
“Yeah. I met her at the wedding last year, but I just wasn’t in the mood, you know.”
“Believe me, I do know.” Oh, yeah, he knew. Luke threw his arm around his buddy. “Let’s go drink some beer.”
Matt grinned, and put his arm around Luke. “Now that’s the best thing I’ve heard you say all night.”
They walked along the dock and back up the cottage, neither one discussing the girls who were getting under their skin, and when he spotted Emery chatting easily with the others, a big smile on her face, his heart tightened. Jesus, he hated the thought of her having no friends, of everyone in her life using her for one thing or another.
The girls disappeared inside and Luke and Matt plunked themselves down by the fire. Garrett reached into a cooler and pulled out two beers. “Where were you?” he asked Luke. “Down by the water playing in the sand?”
Luke shook his head, but the shit-eating grin on Garrett’s face was contagious and he found himself grinning right along with him. He scrubbed his hand over his jaw, grabbed the beer Garrett was holding out for him and said, “You’re an asshole, you know that right?”
Garrett laughed. “And that would be one of the nicer things people have called me.”
Luke twisted the cap off and took a long pull from the bottle. “Be nice to her.”
“Hey, I’m always nice.”
“Me too,” Josh said.
Luke pointed the tip of his beer bottle at Josh. “You,” he began, “can stay away from her.”
“Stay away from who?” Sky asked as she came out and plunked herself down on the arm of Matt’s Adirondack chair.
Instead of answering Matt handed her his beer and she took a drink and passed it back. As Luke watched it occurred to him that the two had no idea how intimate they were with one another. The rest of the girls came out and sat around the fire as Caleb got it blazing.
