by Lea Coll
“You haven’t seen it all yet,” Luke said, in a lower voice, which got my attention. He leaned against the deck railing, pulling me to stand between his spread legs. I felt his desire for me pressing against my stomach. His hands went to my hair and he leaned down. All I could think with the blood rushing to my head and the pounding of my heart was: Finally. This was finally happening.
I stepped up on tiptoe to get closer to him and my hands went to his chest for balance. His tongue sent shivers of desire racing through me. One of my hands traveled up to his hair, pulling him even closer to me. I couldn’t get enough.
“You want the rest of the tour?” he asked, pulling back slightly, slowing us down.
I stepped back smiling. “Sure.”
He took my hand and led me into the house and up the stairs to show me the two guestrooms and bath. His room was at the end of the hall.
“I knocked out a wall and made this one large master bedroom and bathroom. I added a walk-in closet too. I can always add on to the house later if I need more bedrooms.”
“It was a great idea.” I took in the dark gray walls and the large light gray bed. His bedding was a dark gray with orange accents. A large flat screen hung on the wall directly across from the bed and above a fireplace. It was masculine and trendy. It was tidy just like I would have expected from Luke. Then I noticed the wall of windows facing the back of the house. “Another beautiful view.”
“That was my first priority when I renovated, adding windows to let in all of the light. The house was so closed off before.”
“It’s almost as if we’re standing outside. This is amazing,” I said, glancing over at him.
He looked pleased with my compliments. “I’m glad you like it, Emma.”
I loved that he called me by my name. His phone pinged with an incoming text. I looked outside at the view while he read it.
“Jack wants to know if he should bring over crabs to celebrate?” he looked at me to see what I thought.
“Sure, that sounds like fun.”
“I’ll tell him to invite everyone, if that’s okay?”
“Sure, I don’t mind.” It would have been nice to have him to myself but I knew the time would come. Today was his day to celebrate.
“He said he’s bringing the refreshments and crabs. He’s going to ask Samantha to grab some sides and baked goods. So we don’t have to worry about anything.” He put his phone back in his back pocket. “Unless you’ve never eaten crabs before?” he asked, teasingly.
“Of course I have. I’ve lived in Maryland for awhile, you know,” I said, rolling my eyes. “Crabs are one of the best parts of living here.”
“When did you move here?” he asked, guiding me back downstairs.
“I moved here for law school and then stayed for a job.”
“Want to go out on the deck?” he asked, pausing in the kitchen.
“Sure,” I said. I’d wanted to sit out there since I came in.
“I’ll grab some beers, unless you want something else?” he asked.
“Beer is fine, thank you.” I walked out onto the deck and sat in one of the Adirondack chairs.
He came out and sat next to me handing me an open beer. “Thank you.”
Hunter trotted behind him and lay down at his feet. “So, are you liking it here yet?”
I didn’t know what I should say. “I am. I’m surprised that I like it so much.”
He looked up at me surprised. “Oh?”
“I liked my job and life in the city.” I didn’t mention that my job was my life in the city. “I think I told you I never wanted to live in a small town again.”
“I’ve been thinking about that since you told me. I think your issue is following in your parents’ footsteps, not so much the size of the town.”
“You might be right,” I said, smiling. I was probably over thinking it. The town was growing on me and I liked the people.
Feeling a little uncomfortable that I hadn’t discussed my temporary living situation, I changed the subject, and asked, “When is everyone coming over?” I glanced at the time on my phone.
He glanced down at his phone, which had been resting on the arm of his chair. “Any minute now actually. I had better get ready.”
I jumped up, happy to have something to do. “I’ll help you.”
I’d missed another opportunity to tell him I was only staying here a few short months. I vowed to bring it up later when we were alone again.
“HEY, LADIES,” JACK SAID, AS he sauntered into the kitchen. “I was sent to see if you needed any more help carrying things out.” Samantha blushed when he looked at her. This was interesting.
I answered, since Samantha looked flustered. “Yeah, can you bring out more beer from the mudroom and put it in the cooler outside?” The more I got to know them, it seemed to me that they liked each other but something was holding them back.
“Sure thing,” Jack said, and with one last glance at Samantha, who was still looking down at the countertop, he walked over to the mudroom area by the front door. He picked up a case of beer and carried it outside.
“Let’s take the rest out so we can start eating.” I handed the silverware and napkins to Ashley. Samantha carried out the veggie tray, and I picked up the rolls and watermelon to walk out the French doors to the deck. Everyone was milling about, talking. Luke had started the bonfire already, since it was starting to get dark.
“Let’s eat,” Luke said. We’d placed the sides on one table so people could help themselves to the food. Then he dumped crabs in the middle of the two picnic tables so that people didn’t have to get up. The crabs were still steaming and the air was filled with the aroma of Old Bay seasoning. I grabbed a beer and watched everyone sit down and start grabbing crabs.
Luke gestured to the space next to him, and said, “Come sit, Emma.”
“This reminds me of the bonfires you had here when we were kids,” Tanner said.
Luke looked at me. “I told you that I didn’t participate in a lot of the activities in school because I helped out on the farm a lot. So my parents let me invite people here for bonfires.”
“Ha!” Sawyer said. “It was a way to keep an eye on what we were up to.”
I couldn’t help but be impressed by the man Luke had been, even in high school. I was a little jealous of the history everyone had together. But if I’d grown up with Luke I doubted he would have looked at me twice. I was so quiet and shy back then.
I grabbed a crab and dropped it onto the paper plate in front of me. I started to rip off the legs and drop them in the bucket at our feet. I noticed Luke was watching me with interest. I pulled open the crab and split it in half and then in quarters to reveal the white meat. I popped it into my mouth and dropped the useless shell into the bucket. “You didn’t believe me when I said I knew how to eat crabs?”
Luke chuckled. “No, out-of-towners usually don’t. I’m surprised.”
“I’m hardly an out-of-towner. They have crabs in Baltimore, you know,” I said, chucking a shell at him. He ducked and laughed. Hunter scrambled on the patio for the shell and immediately starting sniffing it for leftover meat.
For awhile, the only sound was the cracking of the hammers on the shells and the sound of the discarded shells dropping into the baskets. Hunter was wandering from one bucket to the other looking for crab meat. The shells were sharp though and he would whimper in pain when one scratched him.
“You know, Brad is telling everyone he had Mayor Good’s support,” Tanner said.
Luke looked up in surprise. “Really? Why did he think that?”
“He said the mayor told him he would be supporting him but then changed his mind. Apparently, he was blindsided at the press conference,” Tanner said sucking meat out of a crab claw. These guys were eating the crabs like machines.
“So, Brad thought he had the mayor’s support. That’s why he was so pissed,” I said.
“What are you talking about?” Luke asked, turning his head t
owards me.
“Brad was angry after the announcement. It definitely seemed like he expected a different outcome. Then he walked out.”
“Yeah, I saw that too.” Stella nodded in agreement licking bay seasoning off of her hands and then gave up, grabbing paper towels.
“Why would the mayor tell Brad he was backing him and then change his mind?” Luke asked. He seemed to deflate a little. He had been feeling great about the election since Mayor Good announced his support. To find out that Mayor Good promised his support to Brad first had to be a blow.
“He could be lying too. I wouldn’t put it past Brad,” Ashley said.
“Yeah, but you didn’t see his reaction to the announcement. He went from smug to angry pretty quickly. Maybe they had a falling out?” I suggested, dropping a crab claw into the bucket by my feet. Hunter was on top of it sniffing for any leftover meat.
“Maybe Mayor Good didn’t like the way he handled his campaign?” Stella asked. “It’s primarily mud-slinging. Half the time I’m not sure what his actual platform even is.” Several people nodded in agreement to that.
“Who knows with Brad? He’s difficult, period,” Ashley said.
Luke still looked a little upset by the news, so I placed a hand on his arm. “Don’t worry about it. Who knows if it’s even true? Brad could be making up stories to get more support.”
Luke sighed. “You’re right. I wouldn’t put it past Brad to make something like that up.”
After the crabs were cleaned up and everything was carried back to the kitchen, Luke grabbed the prongs and fixings for s’mores and Jack stoked the fire. It was the perfect night for it. The sky was clear as I looked up at the stars. I definitely didn’t notice the stars in the city.
I had just settled next to Luke in one of the chairs when he got a call.
“Hudson,” he answered. We all listened to his one-sided conversation.
“You got him? Are you sure? Okay, be right there.”
I looked up at him as he rose from his seat. “Brad arrested the man they think is responsible for harassing and assaulting you.”
“Really?” I asked. There had been no developments in my case until now.
Tanner Green stood up across the fire from us. “Who was it?”
“Brad thinks it was Mitch O’Connell,” Luke answered.
“Wait, isn’t he supposed to be in rehab?” I remembered that Mitch was one of my recent clients who received a stint in rehab instead of jail time. It was a sweet deal for him, if he complied, of course.
“That was the issue. He had a warrant out for his arrest because he never reported to rehab,” Luke said.
“He’s the one whose supervisor showed up for court right? Ben Harris?” Ashley asked.
“Yes,” I answered. “Why does Brad think he’s responsible?”
“Apparently he confessed to everything. He was pulled over for a traffic violation and Brad arrested him on the open warrant. Then he noticed copper in his truck bed. One of the construction sites reported copper stolen tonight. Mitch waived his Miranda rights so they were able to question him. He apparently confessed that he was the one stalking you,” Luke said.
“So he offered that up on his own?” I asked.
“Yes, although I’m not sure why. Brad had no reason to suspect it was him. He hadn’t questioned him about you,” Luke said.
“But when the man assaulted me he said ‘Did Mitch tell you?’ Why would he refer to himself like that?” I asked, confused about the development.
“Maybe so we wouldn’t think it was him?” Tanner asked.
“It’s a possibility,” Luke said.
I felt like I was missing something important. Why hadn’t I seen any warning signs if it was Mitch? Mitch had always been cordial when I dealt with him. Why had he threatened me?
Luke held a hand out for me to get up. “I don’t know anything else yet. I want to go in and get all of the information.” He looked down at me. “Walk me out.”
I held his hand as he walked through the house grabbing his service weapon and the keys to his car. He stopped at the door to his car and leaned down. “I don’t know how long I will be, okay? You are welcome to stay here tonight.”
“Are you sure? My car is still in town but I can get someone to drive me home.”
“No, I want you here when I get back. That way I can tell you what’s going on.”
I nodded in agreement. He leaned down to place a chaste kiss on my lips. “See you later,” he said, opening the door and getting in.
“Bye, Luke.”
The party dissipated pretty quickly after Luke and Tanner left. Jack snuffed out the fire. Ashley and Samantha offered to stay with me, but I told them to go home. I wanted to be alone so I could think back to all of my interactions with Mitch. What had I missed?
A few hours later, I was sitting on the couch watching HGTV with Hunter’s head in my lap when Luke came in the front door. Hunter jumped up to greet him. “Hey, boy,” Luke said. He placed his service weapon on the counter and came over to me on the couch.
Luke sat down on the couch and faced me. “Mitch confessed to sending the texts, assaulting you, and vandalizing your car. He had some infatuation with Penny Shaw and didn’t want you taking over her position.” At my confused look, he added, “he showed me tons of pictures he had of Penny on his phone and in his car. It was creepy.”
“Does Penny know he was obsessed with her?”
“No, Brad went to talk to her and she had no idea.”
“Is he the father of her baby?” As far as I knew she hadn’t told anyone who the father was.
“No, Penny denied even knowing him outside of work. He met her through the court case and became enamored with her. He had pictures of her in his wallet and truck. He had some crazy idea if he scared you off that she would come back and he would see her again. Obviously it sounds crazy but maybe he’s not stable.”
“He does sound crazy. I can’t believe I didn’t see any signs,” I said. I leaned into Luke and he wrapped his arms around me.
“Penny said the same thing. He seemed normal to her.”
The fact that Penny didn’t see any signs either made me feel better.
“He also admitted that he stole the kegs from the pub and the copper we found tonight from the construction site. He was traveling to other states to sell the metal for quick money.”
“I guess he couldn’t sell to Archer since he worked there.”
“Exactly. If you are willing to drive, you can make good money selling these metals to recycling companies. He said he saw people selling metal to Archer and getting a lot of money for it. That’s how he got the idea.”
“I’m relieved he’s behind bars and can’t bother me anymore.” I felt a weight lift off of my shoulders now that we had figured out who was sending the text messages and who attacked me. I could finally enjoy Luke’s company without this hanging over us.
“I am too,” Luke agreed, as he glanced at the TV and we watched in silence for awhile. I enjoyed the feeling of his arm around my shoulder and being tucked into his side. After awhile he turned a little more towards me and he placed a hand on my bare leg. I looked up at him and he leaned down, capturing my mouth with his. It was slow and sensual. Then he tugged me over until I straddled his lap, both hands now resting on my bare thighs under my dress.
“I finally have you all to myself.” At his touch, my heart immediately quickened.
“You sure do,” I managed, as a delicious shudder went through my body and I settled into his lap. The only thing separating us was my panties and his jeans. Luke’s eyes flashed with desire as I placed my fingers on the back of his neck and tangled them in his hair. I leaned toward him, touching my lips to his. It started out gentle and searching until he took over, and then the kiss became more insistent. I almost groaned when I felt his erection between my legs.
He pushed my hair to the side and placed kisses slowly down my neck. I tilted my head to give him better access and
instinctively ground down on his cock. We began a delicious slow grind. I was panting already, desperate to get closer. His mouth paused at the shell of my ear whispering, “Is this what you want?”
“God, yes.” For once I was in the moment. I wasn’t worried about how I looked or if this was right. Nothing had ever felt more right. Luke was hot, and I was going to enjoy every moment of this. I focused on the sensations of his touch and the feeling of him between my legs.
At my answer, Luke stood up abruptly, and I circled my legs around his waist. He carried me effortlessly up the stairs and laid me gently on the bed. He placed his knee on the bed and then slowly came to hover over me. I looked up at him in anticipation as he slowly lowered his body over mine. I moved my legs apart to accommodate him. He slowly rubbed his erection on my core and lowered his head capturing my lips with his. His tongue explored the recesses of my mouth. I couldn’t believe I was this worked up and we were still clothed. I moaned as the friction of his jeans on my core began a slow build.
At the sound, Luke leaned back and pulled off his shirt with one hand. Then he stood up, shucking off his jeans and boxer briefs. I licked my lips as I looked at his cock. My eyes rose up to his face and I found him watching me intently. I realized I was still fully dressed. I rose up on my knees to take my clothes off, but he placed his hands on my arms to stop me. “No, let me,” he said in a soft voice. He had been in a rush to take his clothes off, but he seemed to want to go slower with mine.
The blood was pumping through my veins so loudly I would have sworn he could hear it. I placed my hands on his chest and let them travel down his stomach. He was hard everywhere. He interrupted my perusal to pull my dress over my head. I knelt there in my lacy bra and panty set, self-conscious all of a sudden. Men had referred to me as cute, but that seemed to be more in reference to my small size, not my looks. Luke seemed to sense my change in mood and placed his hands on either side of my face. “Emma, you are beautiful. Let me see you.” He kissed me gently on my lips. It was seductive and designed to get me back in the moment.
