Joanne could tell by the expression on Luke’s face as he took in the expanse of landscape around them that Kiawah had grabbed his attention just like it had grabbed her.
Stepping from the rental car, Joanne watched him as he gazed out over the water, inhaling the scent of salty oceanic air. The midday temperature was exceptionally warm, a brilliant sun sitting high and full against an equally exquisite canvas of bright blue sky.
Luke abandoned his necktie and jacket completely as he made himself comfortable. He undid the top buttons of his white dress shirt and rolled up his long sleeves. “This is nice,” he said, following behind her as she headed for the front door of the home. “Very nice.”
Joanne tossed him a quick glance over her shoulder. “Thank you. This is one of my favorite places in the world to come to.”
Luke nodded his understanding as he stepped through the home’s entrance behind her. Looking around, he took in the home’s heart pine floors that extended from the foyer into the great room with its mahogany ceiling and beams, stone-surround fireplace and three sets of French doors that opened onto an expansive patio and deck.
Luke stepped out onto the deck, which overlooked the marsh. Joanne followed behind him.
“This place is haunted,” she said with a soft chuckle. “Kiawah was originally inhabited by the Kiawah Indians. They say the British came in and purchased it for a sum of cloth and beads. When the British took over, the land became inhabited by hundreds of African slaves on two plantations. Hundreds of black men, women and children died here, and it’s whispered that their spirits roam through the lagoons.”
Luke’s eyebrows were raised as he listened intently. When Joanne had finished, he shook his head. “I swear, woman, you’ll say anything to get me into your bed,” he teased, a sly smirk on his face.
Joanne laughed. “I’m not afraid of ghosts. You’re the one who likes to sleep with all the lights on.”
He laughed with her. “And if you ever tell anyone, I’ll deny it completely.”
She shook her head. “My lips are sealed.”
Changing the subject, Joanne moved toward the rear door. “We need to run into town to get some food. There’s nothing in the pantry and even less in the fridge.”
Nodding, Luke followed her back inside and out the front door.
Luke pushed the grocery cart as the two meandered through the grocery store. As Joanne collected the staples that would last them for their extended weekend, Luke tossed sugary junk food into the cart that they really wouldn’t need.
“I swear!” Joanne exclaimed, removing a box of chocolate crunch cereal from the carriage. “You don’t really eat this stuff, do you?”
“This stuff is good. It flavors the milk chocolate,” he said, putting the box of cereal back in.
“But I’m cooking French toast for breakfast.”
“This isn’t for breakfast. This is for a snack.”
Joanne smiled, shaking her head. “You’re killing me!”
An hour later, after the food was situated in the large kitchen pantry and the refrigerator, Luke was pouring himself a large bowl of chocolate-flavored flakes. He poured a second bowl, covering it with milk and pushing it across the counter toward Joanne.
“Taste this. This is the best.”
Still shaking her head, Joanne lifted a spoonful to her mouth, slowly savoring the flavor. A wide smile pulled at her lips. “This is so wrong,” she said, laughing. She took a second mouthful, settling herself on the cushioned stool beside him.
Luke’s mouth was full, milk dripping over his lips, as he nodded his agreement. “But so good,” he said after swallowing.
Two bowls later, they both pushed their dishes away from their bellies and themselves away from the counter.
“That was dinner,” Joanne said.
Luke rolled his eyes. “That was an appetizer. Food foreplay for us connoisseurs of fine dining.”
Joanne crossed her arms over her chest. “Really? Food foreplay?”
The man grinned, his expression teasing. He leaned in toward her, his voice dropping to a deep whisper. “You do remember the foreplay, don’t you, Joanne?”
Joanne felt her breath slipping from her. Heat suddenly flooded her body, belying the cool air filtering from the central air conditioning. The silence grew thick and heated between them, until Luke chuckled heartily, breaking the quiet.
“Why don’t you show me where I’ll be sleeping,” he said, rising to his feet. “Before it gets dark and I see a ghost or something, okay?”
Joanne laughed with him. “I definitely wouldn’t want you to get spooked.”
Luke grabbed her hand, clasping her palm beneath his own. “Me neither.”
As she gave him a tour of the house, heated anticipation seemed to tease her senses. Joanne found herself quivering with anxiety. Despite their rising comfort levels, the man hadn’t made any overtures for something more romantic. As he stood next to her admiring the second-floor master suite with its his-and-her walk-in closets, lush spa bath with gold limestone countertops and the beautiful gas fireplace, she’d wanted nothing more than to strip them both naked and make love right where they stood.
Instead, she watched as Luke surveyed the surroundings before asking if there was a second bedroom on the floor.
She nodded. “Yes, it has two master suites.”
Guiding him to the end of the hallway, she opened the door to the second bedroom. Luke walked the room’s perimeter, admiring the apothecary-influenced cabinetry, granite shower and impressive marsh views.
Turning to face her, he was suddenly overwhelmed. Her expression mirrored the wealth of emotion he was feeling. He’d hated the tension that had split them one from the other. He’d missed her so hard that it had felt as if he’d lost his heart, the muscle ripped from his chest. Now he was hungry for her. He’d been fighting the sensation since she’d stepped on the plane, and now, as she stood staring at him, his restraint was failing him. He took a step in her direction and stopped.
The longing that had risen between them was tangible. It was overwhelming and copious, leaving both of them shaking with anxiety. Luke took a second step when Joanne turned abruptly, almost racing back to the other end of the hall.
“Joanne!” Calling her name softly, Luke moved quickly behind her, catching her by the arm. He gently pulled her back to him, wrapping his arm around her waist and holding her close against him. “Joanne!” he whispered into her hair, brushing his lips to her forehead.
Joanne closed her eyes, allowing her body to relax into his. Tears suddenly burned hot against her lids. Luke’s strong hands closed around her waist as she spun around in his arms. Pressing her back against the wall, Luke dropped his mouth to hers, his kiss urgent with desire. Joanne’s hunger kissed him back as she wrapped her hands around his neck. Eager tongues danced one against the other as roving hands glided from one body to the other.
Luke’s attention moved to her shoulder, pushing her blouse out of his way as he trailed wet kisses to mark his path. He reversed his course, meeting her mouth a second time. Neither was interested in relinquishing their embrace of the other, both holding on for dear life. Then Luke paused, taking a step away from her. His eyes had misted as he stared deep into her gaze.
“I’m sorry,” he whispered, contrition seeping from his stare. “I should have trusted you, and I’m sorry I didn’t. I don’t want anything to ever come between us again. I love you so much!”
Joanne’s tears slipped past her lashes, dampening her cheeks. Luke wiped the moisture from her face, his fingers gently caressing her cheek. He kissed her again and then pulled her along beside him as he moved into the bedroom.
Laying her gently against the mattress, Luke stood tall, staring down at her. She was angelic, sheer perfection personified. Joanne’s mouth was parted slightly, desire seeping from her gaze. It was obvious that she wanted him as much as he wanted her, and his appreciation pressed hard and firm in his slacks.
Sitting u
pright on the edge of the bed Joanne parted her legs wide enough for Luke to stand between them. She clutched the back of his thighs, her fingers grazing his buttocks as she pressed her face to his abdomen. She kissed his belly button, her heated breath burning hot against his flesh.
Luke clasped her face between his hands, dropping his mouth back to hers. His kisses were soft and sweet, intermingled with gentle, light caresses that crossed her shoulders and billowed down her back. Words weren’t needed to express the emotion sweeping between them, her moans and his sighs speaking volumes for them both.
Luke pushed her back against the bed. He eased his knee against her side, lifting himself above her heated body. Kissing her through her clothes, he pulled at the buttons that held her blouse closed, then undid the straps of her brassiere until all her secret charms hidden beneath were fully exposed. Dropping his body down against hers, he resumed his kisses against her bare flesh.
Starting at her belly, he kissed his way up to the luscious mounds above, running his tongue from one to the other. The wetness of his kisses as he lashed at the nipples, which had bloomed full and hard, sent tiny ripples of delight through Joanne’s body, cascading over her spirit.
She whispered his name again and again, the sweet mantra like music to his ears. Pulling at her clothes, Luke stripped her naked in no time. Equally eager, Joanne tugged at his shirt and the waistband of Luke’s slacks until she’d freed him from the confines of his clothes. His naked beauty was intoxicating and Joanne inhaled him, drinking in every square inch of his incredible physique.
Dropping down onto the bed beside her, they lay side by side, their bodies interlocked as they kissed and caressed each other, savoring the sensations being drawn from their bodies. Luke explored hidden recesses and Joanne stroked hardened flesh. Both were damp with perspiration, succulence attesting to their excitement. The moment was simply surreal.
A mutual exclamation filled the warm evening air. Outside, the sounds of mating echoed their lovemaking, seeping through the opened window. Joanne would have sworn the wildlife was singing them a love song.
Luke sheathed himself, the quick gesture coming before she’d even realized he had pulled away from her body and was back again. She cried at the pleasure of his entry, arching her back off the bedside as his sex kissed her own.
Bodies pressed tightly together, they rocked back and forth against the massive bed. Sweat dripped into sweat as short, breathless pants spilled from their mouths. The resounding waves of passion grew quickly as one body fed from the other, both nourishing the other’s rising need.
The sweet music of his moans and her cries filled the night air. Again and again, Luke pressed himself into her, his strokes deeper and deeper, filling her with ripples of lust that exploded in quick, heated bursts. When neither one could take another minute of the pleasure, Joanne screamed his name and Luke screamed hers, both writhing in ecstasy.
From where she stood on the deck outside, she could hear him sleeping soundly, his breathing heavy. He inhaled deeply, then exhaled, his snores low and deep as his chest heaved up and down. Moving back inside the bedroom, Joanne stood in the doorway watching him.
The blankets had tangled around Luke’s feet, the taupe-colored bottoms shining in the dim light. He looked peaceful and relaxed, his expression content. The warmth of their bed beckoned her back beneath the covers, but she needed a few more minutes of quiet before she went.
The alarm clock on the nightstand blazed its neon lights into the darkness. It was shortly after three o’clock in the morning and Joanne hadn’t been able to sleep as soundly as Luke seemed to. She’d risen from the warmth of his body and had wrapped herself in her silk bathrobe. Slipping her pedicured feet into a pair of oversized slippers, she’d been drawn to the outside and the cool, early morning air.
Moving back outside, Joanne stared out over the landscape. A quarter moon barely illuminated the outdoors. Night sounds swept through the darkness. Joanne wrapped her arms around her torso, hugging herself snuggly.
Closing her eyes, Joanne said a prayer of thanksgiving. She had much to be grateful for. She and Luke were slowly rebuilding the connection between them. But she understood it wouldn’t happen overnight and it wouldn’t happen quickly. Communication was coming slow and steady as the two rediscovered the balance that had existed between them.
Making love to the man had been a sweet release. His touch had moved her spirit and invigorated her desire to make things well between them. Luke had touched her heart like no man before him. She loved him and she would do anything to show him how much of her heart belonged completely and totally to him.
Back inside the bedroom, Joanne eased herself back into the bed, drawing a sheet up and over both their bodies. She turned to face him, curling her body close to his. Adjusting the bedclothes over his shoulders, Joanne tilted her head up to kiss that spot beneath his chin.
She was surprised when Luke reached out and wrapped his arms around her, drawing her closer to him. A sleepy smile curled at the edge of his full lips.
“Everything okay?” he whispered softly.
Joanne nodded her head into his chest. “Everything is perfect,” she said warmly.
Giving her a quick squeeze, Luke brushed her hair against his cheek. “I love you, Joanne. I never stopped. And even when you thought I didn’t, I did.”
For three straight days, Joanne and Luke wrapped themselves around each other, quenching a thirst for something neither had realized they needed. The atmosphere was soothing, detoxing the frustration and anger that had existed between them.
Luke stared out over the upper deck of the home, watching as Joanne slowly strolled the outskirts of the property. He smiled as she stopped to stare up at him, waving her hand in greeting. Above them both, a large bird cawed in a tall tree, the creature voicing its annoyance at their intrusion.
Young love had gripped them hard, both so enthralled with each other and the thought of where their love might take them that they could think of nothing else. Thoughts of family and friends intruded ever so briefly, the fleeting emotions quickly dismissed with a kiss, a caress or a look. Luke savored the feelings.
Watching her in that environment, Luke felt a sense of home like he’d never known before. It was comfortable and engaging, moving him to want to do and be better for her. They’d spent hours nestled together, talking about their future, their individual dreams entwining together into a singular, common goal. He now understood fully what Mark and John had wanted him to understand about the intricacies of love.
As he’d been lost in thought, Joanne had made her way back inside the home. She joined him on the porch, two bowls of chocolate cereal in hand.
“I thought you might like a snack,” she said as she passed him a dish.
Luke smiled. “You’re hooked now, aren’t you?”
Joanne laughed. “I am not hooked. We just need to finish off the milk before we leave,” she said as she spooned a mouthful past her lips.
“Admit it. You’re hooked. I told you this stuff was addictive.”
“Okay,” Joanne said as she ate another mouthful. “It might be kind of addictive, but once we’re finished with this box we’re quitting cold turkey. My hips can’t take but so much of this junk.”
Luke laughed warmly. “I’m sure your hips will be just fine.”
The plane ride home was as quiet as the plane ride there. This time though, the wall between them had imploded, nothing left of it but the last molecules of dust billowing through the air. As they sat in silence, they touched with their eyes. With a simple gaze, Luke had caressed the length of her arms, her shoulders, the nape of her neck and the small of her back. Sheer pleasure had risen deep within her as she felt him enveloping her in his arms. The two sat intoxicated by the swell of emotions sweeping between them.
Sometime later, as the plane continued to soar through a mist of bright white clouds, Joanne reached for the briefcase she’d left in the aircraft’s overhead compartment. Pullin
g the large envelope from inside, she laid it on the tabletop and pushed it toward Luke. He looked from her to it and back again. “What’s this?”
“You’re going to need these for the meeting tomorrow.”
“I don’t understand.”
“My father likes to buy me things. Things that will be good for my future. This envelope contains statements detailing the shares of Stallion stock that my father purchased for my future. You’re going to need these for the vote. I was supposed to sign over power of attorney to my dad so that he could vote them on E-Kal’s behalf, but I never did.
“Also inside is my signed proxy giving that power of attorney over to you. You might need it to win this battle. Do whatever you have to do with them to help you and your brothers.”
“Joanne,” Luke exclaimed excitedly, his hand falling atop the folder. “Are you sure about this?”
Joanne smiled, leaning over the table to press a kiss to his lips. “I love you, and I am more sure about that than anything else in this world.”
Chapter 22
A special meeting of the Stallion shareholders had been called to vote on the E-Kal bid to take control of Stallion Enterprises. The hotel conference room was filled to capacity. Edward, Juanita, Marah, Mitch and Vanessa sat in the rear of the room, listening intently. Joanne sat in the front row, one leg crossed over the other, her gaze cast down to the floor. Every so often she’d stare up at Luke and smile.
Luke and his brothers sat side by side as they listened to Charles Lake plead his case before the hundred or so interested investors. John had already gone over the state of their business operations, boasting of their substantial profit margins and increased productivity within all the company’s divisions. He’d also stressed his capability and ardent willingness to continue running the company to the best of his ability. But concern still blanketed the older three brothers, who sat tight-lipped and tense. Luke, however, was the epitome of calm, cool and collected.
Lost in a Stallion's Arms (Kimani Romance) Page 17
