He stopped her with a hand on her arm before she got too far. “I implied I wouldn’t take you to the gas station. I never said anything about not taking you with me.”
She shivered beneath his touch. “Where are you going?”
“Not sure. Thought I’d get out of town to take some pictures and forget about anything wedding related for a while.”
“I’m wedding related.” She turned and looked up at him under long eyelashes and bright, twin pools of gold that screamed a challenge.
“For you, I’ll make an exception.”
“How nice of you,” she tossed back. “But I feel like taking a walk after all.” Her gaze darted to his bike.
“Suit yourself.” He stepped away, picked up his helmet.
A loud clap of thunder sounded from over the mountains, followed by another. Sela pressed up against his back half a beat later.
“On second thought, another motorcycle ride might be fun,” she said. “If you think it’s safe in this weather.”
“You always play it safe?” He gave her his helmet. “Wait. Let me rephrase that. Do you want to play it safe?” God, he hoped she said no.
She shook her head. “But you need a helmet, too, Luke.”
“I agree. So our first stop is the bike shop just down the road.”
“Okay.”
This time when she got on the bike, she wrapped her arms around his middle without hesitation. She put her chin on his shoulder. “Ready when you are.”
Oh, he was ready, all right.
They took a few minutes at Pete’s Cycle Works, Sela charming the tattoos off the guy behind the counter. The road was theirs after that, the empty highway an open invitation to adventure. They drove for quite some time before Luke decided to veer away from the coastline and head toward the mountains.
Sela wrapped around his back kept a permanent smile on his face. She was soft but strong, and he wished he could see her face. He had a feeling she wore a smile, too.
After a few miles they came upon some great rock formations. When Luke spotted a couple of guys on the turnout in the road gearing up for a climb, he knew he’d found the perfect photo op. He pulled over.
“I’m going to grab a few shots here,” he said to her. He glanced up. Clouds filled the better part of the sky, shafts of sunlight thinning.
“I’ll watch. Or, uh, walk around a little.” Sela put her helmet on the ground. She pivoted and meandered away.
“I don’t mind you watching me.” Hell, she was pretty when she looked over her shoulder at him. “I might even let you take a few pictures if you want.”
“Really?” She walked toward him. “You want me to handle your equipment?”
He stirred behind his zipper. Sela Sullivan was flirting and like everything else where she was concerned, surprising the hell out of him. “I want you.” He was done, but she kept looking at him expectantly so he figured he’d screwed up that announcement and added, “To have fun today.”
She took the camera out of his hands, stepped back, and aimed it in his direction. “I’ve never been a very good photographer, but I’ve always wanted to try something this…” She peeked from behind the lens. “Size. Seems like the bigger, the better. Or at least that’s been my experience. Smile!”
“You’ve had a lot of experience?”
“Oh, yeah.”
Luke smirked and took the lens cap off the camera. “Might have better luck without this.”
“I wondered why I couldn’t see you.” She pressed the correct button, at least, and took Luke’s picture. A close-up that he estimated included half his face and half of the rock behind him.
“My turn.” He took the camera and snapped one photo of her after another.
She reached an arm out to push him away and put her hand in front of her face. “I hate getting my picture taken. Stop.”
He didn’t right away. He enjoyed driving her crazy. More than one snapshot captured everything he knew to be true about her: she was gorgeous on the inside and out.
“I’m going to ask those guys getting ready to climb if I can tag along for a few. Wait here?”
“You’re not going to climb, are you?” Worry rang in her tone. “Because I don’t think it’s a good idea with you still—”
“We’ll see.” He turned to go before Sela’s concern unnerved him further. Danger had been part of what attracted him to his occupation, but maybe it was time to scale back.
“Luke.” She touched his arm. “Please be careful.”
“I will.” More careful than he’d ever dreamed of being. Because today he had a woman waiting for him who meant something.
Chapter Ten
“I’m not complaining,” Sela shouted. “But I can’t feel anything in my fingers.” She pressed her elbows into Luke’s side, hoping that would help her to hang on. If the bike took one wrong turn down the rain-drenched road, she might take a wrong turn, too.
Luke slowed and pulled over to the side. Light drizzle had turned into a full-blown storm within a matter of minutes and caught them off guard.
“I think we should find someplace to stay the night. It doesn’t look like it’s going to let up,” he said. “And we’re still a good two hours from home.”
Sela shivered against him. “Ooo-kkk-aaayy.” She wanted nothing more than to get dry and warm.
A few minutes later, Luke stopped at a bed and breakfast called the Baxter Inn. It could have been called the Bates Motel, and she would have still run for the front door. Lights blazed inside the quaint house and the smell of firewood tickled her nose.
Luke took her frozen hand and led her down the dark and very soggy path to the porch. Once there, they took off their helmets and put them on a bench.
The storm made it feel later than it actually was, the large grandfather clock in the entryway of the B&B chiming five times as she and Luke stood there dripping like wet dogs.
“Hello?” Luke called out.
Sela tried to stop her teeth from chattering, but it was no use. She wrapped her arms around herself and bounced up and down. Luke’s pained expression said he wished he could help, but he was just as waterlogged, his clothes clinging to his trim, muscled body.
“Oh my goodness,” said a petite woman with white hair and big blue eyes. Her apron said World’s Best Grandma. “Look at you two; you must be freezing to death. Come in and stand by the fire.” She motioned for them to follow her into a large living room where flames blazed in the fireplace.
“Thank you,” she and Luke said at the same time.
“Looks like you got caught in this unexpected storm,” the older woman said. “I’m Millie.” She extended her hand. “My husband Charlie and I own the inn. What can I do to help?”
“We were hoping you had a room or two available, Millie,” Luke said. “We’re on a motorcycle and didn’t plan very well.”
“I have a room.” Millie tried to be sly, but Sela could tell she was sizing them up. When the older woman’s gaze landed on Luke’s hands, Sela had a feeling the owner was searching for a wedding band.
The thought made her stomach clench.
“We’ll take it,” Luke said. He put his arm around Sela. “Right, sweetheart?”
Luke must have noticed Millie’s silent inquiry, too. Not that it was any of Millie’s business whether they were a couple or not, but it seemed she preferred things uncomplicated.
“Right,” Sela said, planting a frozen smile on her face.
“Follow me,” Millie said. She headed toward the front door and Sela thought she was going to tell them to forget it, but then she added, “The honeymoon suite has its own private entrance around the corner.”
Luke almost face planted, tripping over his own feet. Sela’s eyes bugged out of her head.
“The honeymoon suite?” Luke choked out.
“Yes.” Millie took them down and around the porch to a small, secluded sitting area. “Breakfast is served out here at nine o’clock sharp. There’s a space heater jus
t there.” She nodded in the direction of two upholstered chairs and a round iron table. “You’ve got your own bathroom with a sunken Jacuzzi tub and the only king-size bed in the house. No cable, but cell service.” She unlocked the door and flipped a light switch.
With a dark hardwood floor, cream-colored fur rugs, four-poster bed, fireplace, two oversize chairs and ottomans, and a separate bath suite, it rivaled the Four Seasons. Not that Sela had stayed at the Four Seasons lately. Or ever.
For a split second Sela envisioned Luke carrying her over the threshold—until a series of curse words filled her head. This might possibly be the worst thing to happen since the Kissing Booth. A night alone with Luke in this luxurious honeymoon suite terrified her. Luke seemed to agree because she could swear she heard him say “shit” under his breath.
“Dinner in an hour. Pot roast, potatoes, and vegetables, served in the main house.” Millie smiled at them. “Welcome to the Baxter Inn.” She turned to go. “Oh, there’re extra towels in the closet, and I’ll send Charlie here in a few minutes with something warm for you to drink.”
The door closed, and Sela looked down at the floor. Her jaw was there somewhere.
Luke stepped into the bathroom. “Why don’t you take the first shower or bath or whatever you want to do.” He came out holding a big, fluffy white robe. “There’s another one of these behind the door. Give me your wet clothes, and I’ll ask Charlie if he can throw them in the dryer.”
How did he sound so calm? She couldn’t speak. If she did, he’d know how rattled she was. She nodded and stumbled into the bathroom.
First thing she did was pull off her shoulder bag. Thank goodness she’d bought the waterproof one. She undressed and put her leggings, sweater, and socks on the floor outside the bathroom door. Luke had his robe on, and she flashed on being wrapped in it with him. She shut the door and hit her head against it. Twice.
“You okay?” he called out.
“Fine!” She slipped off her panties and bra, laid them on the counter, and hopped into the shower. Right now she just needed to get warm.
Sometime later a knock on the bathroom door startled her and her eyes snapped open.
“I hope you’re saving me some hot water,” Luke said through the door. “Unless this is an invitation to—”
“I’m done,” she shouted, not letting her mind go there. She’d been done for a while but couldn’t get her body to move. The water pressure and temperature were perfect. Plus, if she were being honest, she was hiding from Luke.
As she stepped out of the shower, her cell phone rang. She wrapped herself in the robe and fished the phone out of her bag without bothering to see who was calling. “Hello?”
“Sela! Oh my God. Where have you been? I’ve tried you a hundred times. Is my brother with you? Mrs. Witt ran into my mom at the market and she said she’d talked to the mayor’s wife and the mayor’s wife had told Mrs. Witt that Ben had said he saw you outside of town and tried to help when you ran out of gas, but Luke showed up and said he’d take care of it. So that put me a little ease, but now it’s six o’clock and our dance lesson is in an hour and I’d like the maid of honor and best man to be here.”
Sela wondered if Vanessa’s students glazed over like she did when Vanessa talked a mile a minute.
Then the fog cleared and—crap! Tonight was Wednesday. Dance lesson night.
“You’re not going to be here, are you?” Vanessa asked when she hadn’t answered.
“I’m sorry, Ness.” She sat on the edge of the tub. “We got stuck in this storm, and I’m not really sure where we are, but we thought we should stay the night. I forgot all about our lesson.”
Vanessa stayed silent; the only sign she was still there was the sound of her breathing. Sela bit her bottom lip. Hard. The thing she’d sworn not to do, she’d done—let Vanessa down. Her stupid wish that Luke keep his distance was an epic fail. And her heart was really pissing her off because she liked Luke. A lot. More than a lot. Even though her head told her she was a fool.
“Really sorry,” Sela said again. She’d say it a thousand times if necessary.
“Are you keeping your word?” Vanessa asked, her voice concerned, curious. Maybe a little angry.
Sela slid off the side of the tub. Ouch. “Yes.”
Another knock on the bathroom door. “Sela? You sure you’re okay? You’re talking to yourself,” Luke said.
“I’m on the phone with Vanessa. I’ll be out in a minute.”
“Are you hiding in the bathroom?” Vanessa asked.
“How did you know?” She pushed up and wiped the steam off the mirror with her robed arm. Her hair looked like a wet, knotted mess.
“I’ve known you practically our whole lives, See. Now tell me I don’t need to worry about this.”
“You don’t need to worry.” Sela scored a comb and travel-size toothbrush and toothpaste from a drawer. “Okay?”
“Sela, I’m getting married in eleven days. And as an almost married woman, I’ve decided not to overanalyze things. If you tell me you’re good, I’ll believe you’re good.”
Sela combed her hair. “So, uh, what are you going to tell everyone?”
“Were you not listening? Mrs. Witt already spilled the beans. But I’ll put everyone’s minds at ease that you’re both fine and will be back tomorrow. You will be back tomorrow, right?”
“I’ve got the afternoon shift at the hospital, so yes.”
“Okay. I’ll talk to you later. ’Bye. Love ya.”
“Love you, too.” Sela hung up, called her neighbor, and asked him to take care of Becks, then double-checked the tie on her robe before leaving the bathroom.
“I think your hot chocolate might not be so hot anymore,” Luke said. He’d started a fire and the flames cast a warm glow around the room. His eyes moved over her like he’d never seen a woman in a robe before.
Her breasts ached. Warmth unfurled in the pit of her stomach. “That’s okay. Did Charlie take our clothes to dry?” She sat at the edge of a chair.
Luke dropped his legs off the ottoman and sat forward. His robe gaped open and she got a peek at his chest. “He did. He also brought us some clean clothes.” Luke nodded toward the bed. “There’s a general store across the street and Millie sent someone to pick up a couple things.”
“That was really nice, but they shouldn’t have. And I didn’t even think to ask how much it is to stay here.”
“Don’t worry; I took care of it. ”
“No, Luke. I’ll pay my half.” The firelight did really nice things to his face so she looked away.
“Absolutely not. It was my idea to stay overnight. And my idea to take you with me today.” He paused, and Sela glanced at him. “I’m sure I can come up with a way for you to thank me, though.”
She jumped up and grabbed some clothes. “I’ll, uh, be quick and then the bathroom is all yours.”
The Oregon sweatshirt was soft and warm and the sweatpants comfortable, although big enough that she had to roll them over at the waist several times. At least she was covered. The robe had shouted intimacy, familiarity. It could fall off her body with one quick tug.
A shiver coursed through her body.
In a heartbeat, if Luke asked, she’d shed whatever she wore on her body. Her girlhood crush had morphed into full-blown lust. She paced around the bathroom and blew out a long breath. Maybe she just needed to kiss him. Get that out of her system. And if indeed he had forgotten about the Kissing Booth, then she could move on and never give it—or him—a second thought.
She left the bathroom with her bag and boots and no clear idea what the night might bring. “All done.”
“Thanks.” He stood and grabbed his clothes.
Sela kept her head canted down, her eyes on the grains in the hardwood floor as she put her bag on the bed. Luke stopped, lifted her chin with his warm hand. She lost herself in the gorgeous green wells of his eyes.
“I didn’t mean to make you nervous before. I’ll be a perfect gentlema
n while we’re here.”
She wanted to say, Don’t be, but simply nodded.
His gaze fell to her lips. Neither of them moved, but their breathing hiccupped. She knew Luke felt the chemistry between them as much as she did. Kiss me and put me out of my misery. He hovered so close. All he had to do was bend down and—
“I’ll only be a few minutes,” he said, dropping his hand and moving around her. The bathroom door clicked and she collapsed onto the bed.
No man had ever tied her in such knots. She’d known being Vanessa’s maid of honor meant being around him. But she could never have predicted that nearness intensifying into a burn for him that was as powerful as it was unsettling.
Rolling over, she pulled her laptop out of her bag. She’d planned on finding some out-of-the-way spot to write today, like a little coffeehouse where she could get her caffeine fix and spend a few hours alone. Now she’d have to try and finish her column without being distracted by the gorgeous man in the bathroom. She pressed farther up onto the bed so she could lie on her stomach and read what she’d already written.
Ladies, wearing nothing but one article of clothing your guy has left behind is freeing, sexy, and when he sees nothing comes between you and his T-shirt, tie, jacket, or whatever, he’ll be standing at attention in no time. To get him there quicker try these…
1. Tell him you want his opinion on the new pair of shoes you just bought. He’ll scoff until he sees you in nothing but his tie and high heels.
2. Ask him to paint your toenails. It doesn’t matter if he’s terrible at it, it will be fun watching him try when all you’re wearing is his jacket.
3. Do karaoke. Thekaraokechannel.com can turn your laptop into a singing machine and whether or not his belt stays in place is up to you as you belt out his favorite song.
The bed dipped, and Luke’s body heat and shower-fresh scent wrapped around her. She quickly closed her laptop and turned. He wore a long-sleeved navy blue T-shirt and gray sweatpants and looked mouthwateringly good as he combed his fingers through his dark, wet hair. “Hey. I think it’s dinnertime. Should we head to the main house?” she said.
Kissing the Maid of Honor Page 13
