Her Christmas Wish ; Designed by Love

by Sherelle Green

  Luke frowned. “That was a low blow.”

  “And the truth,” she muttered, placing a soft kiss on his neck. “Now we can reminisce more about all the ways you passed up on the best woman you’ve ever known, or we can participate in an activity that allows us to get naked and behave like savages. Personally, I think we’ve talked enough for one night.”

  “I’ve always preferred sweatier activities,” he said.

  She smirked. “Good choice.” And just like that, he thrust inside her, causing her words to get caught in her throat. Inch by inch, he branded her, marking territory that as far as she was concerned was already his years ago. She’d compared every man she’d dated to Luke. None of her exes had measured up to the man she’d never been with, but always imagined she would.

  Luke had no idea the way he’d impacted her life, but now wasn’t the time for her to dwell on that. Now it was time for her to focus only on the pleasure he was bringing her way. When he was fully inside her, he stilled. Both of them breathing a sigh of relief that they were finally both in the right place at the right time of their lives.

  “This means everything,” Luke whispered. “Thank you.”

  She closed her eyes at his words. “You’re welcome,” she finally said as she began to move her hips. For a second, she thought Luke wasn’t going to join in, preferring to stay still a bit longer. Thankfully, he put her out of her misery and began meeting her movements. Soon he was running the show and all Kyra could do was soak in every moment of it.

  She wasn’t sure how long she lasted, but her next orgasm snuck up on her quick and fast, her warning for Luke to get his first falling on deaf ears. She convulsed as her orgasm shook her to her core, causing her to cry out his name. She was thankful that Nash wasn’t in the house to hear how unusually loud she was being. As the tremors subsided, she wasn’t sure she could even take much more because every single nerve in her body felt alive. So she was thankful when Luke grunted and pulled her even closer as he welcomed his own release, the moment being much more erotic than any Kyra had ever had in her life.

  Using his upper-body strength, he stayed positioned above her, careful not to crush her. “Are you okay?” he asked.

  “Perfect,” she replied, the sincerity in his eyes touching her heart. She pulled his head back down to hers and kissed him passionately, hoping that he understood how much this moment meant to her without her having to say the words. Judging by the way he kissed her back, he knew.

  “Round two?” she asked, surprising herself. She wasn’t the only one surprised as Luke looked at her, his eyes wide.

  “Are you sure you don’t need a break?”

  She shook her head. “Nope.” This time, when she kissed him, he was smiling and shaking his head at the same time.

  Chapter 12

  Kyra would have paid good money to see city-boy Luke out on the water fishing with Uncle Ralph, but she’d passed on the opportunity. As amazing as last night was and as much as she wanted to spend it in bed all day with Luke, she knew he needed some quality time with his uncle.

  So instead, she’d decided on another mission. One that she hoped would help her traveling companions.

  “What are you doing here?” Nash asked.

  “I asked Maceo to give me a ride to the same hotel he’d dropped you off.”

  Nash stood aside and motioned for her to come inside. “How did you find my room number?”

  Kyra shrugged. “A little flirting, a little French and voilà.”

  Nash raised an eyebrow. “Since when do you know French?”

  “Since I picked up some words to help me communicate with those who may not speak English. Now are we gonna debate all day or are you going to let me be a friend and help you.”

  Nash took a seat on the edge of the bed while Kyra took a seat at the only chair in the room. “Help me with what?”

  “Help you not spend the rest of the vacation sulking in your feelings.”

  “I’m entitled to some time to think,” he said.

  “I get that. I just want to make sure that you also realize this is the best time for you to get some of those answers you need. Ms. O’Connor may not be able to tell you exactly what you want to know, but she’s a sweetheart and if you want to know more about your background, she’ll be able to tell you the St. Lucian ways. Plus, this is still the country where your birth father was born and raised, meaning it’s in your blood. Get to know your people.”

  Nash was silent for a few minutes until he finally said, “You’re right. I should make the most of being here. It’s just, sometimes I get frustrated when I think about how different my life could have been if I’d grown up with Luke. If his dad would have chosen to be in my life. If my birth mother would have chosen to keep me. It almost seems wrong to have had a good life but still wonder ‘what if?’”

  “I think that’s a natural reaction,” Kyra said. “We live in a society where we’re always thinking about what could have happened or should have happened. When, honestly, we should be paying attention to what is, not missing moments that may otherwise seem unimportant.”

  Nash nodded his head. “You know, that sounds like something Luke would say.”

  Kyra laughed. “Yeah, well, he’s a lot like my brother Taheim in that way. The two of them together probably rubbed off on me.”

  “Probably,” he said, eyeing her with a curious look on his face.

  “What?” she asked.

  “Not sure,” he replied. “Something seems different about you.” He looked her up and down again. “I know what it is.” Subconsciously, Kyra ran her fingers through her hair, thinking there was no way he would guess. “You and Luke finally had sex, didn’t you?”

  “What?” she gasped. “Why would you say that? And what do you mean ‘finally’? I think you’ve been in this hotel room too long already.”

  Nash lifted an eyebrow. “Damn, Luke didn’t waste any time putting on the charm. And when I say ‘finally,’ I mean the two of you are good together and I know you both have feelings for each other, so it’s nice to know y’all had a good night.”

  Kyra shrugged. “What if the night wasn’t all that great?”

  “Uh, was it not great? Because I don’t mind kicking my brother’s ass if he did something stupid.”

  She smiled. “I appreciate that, but there’s no point in lying. So yeah, we finally had sex and it was pretty damn amazing.”

  “It always is when feelings are involved,” he said. “Or so I’ve heard.”

  Kyra dropped her head into her hands. “We haven’t really talked about things, so I have no idea where we stand. But today isn’t about me, it’s about you.”

  “Nah, this is more interesting,” he said. “I know I warned you not to hurt him, but I don’t want you getting hurt, either. This is probably breaking bro-code, but he talks about you a lot and if he finally made a move, it wasn’t a temporary thing. When Luke commits to something, he does so fully. When the time is right, y’all will talk it out.”

  Kyra lifted her head. “Thanks, Nash. I’m sure whatever it will be, it will be. In the meantime, I’m trying not to make a big deal about it.”

  “But it is a big deal,” he said. “Luke knows that, too. I didn’t know y’all back then, but something tells me that you two were going to end up together in some way eventually. If it’s happening now, it’s happening at the time it should.”

  “Wow, look at you,” she teased. “Being all prophet like and whatnot.”

  He popped his collar. “You know me. I try my best.”

  “Okay, Nash, I see you.”

  They started talking about random topics, Kyra hopeful that the light conversation eased Nash’s mind after all the deep thinking he’d been doing. She was glad when he walked her to the door and finally told her, “Thanks for this. I really needed it. And you’re right, I’ll call Luke
later and take advantage of this chance to get to know more about our family and St. Lucia.”

  Kyra gave him a quick hug goodbye. “I think that’s a great idea. And if at any time, you need to talk to someone who’s not related or semirelated to you, just let me know.”

  Nash laughed. “Are you, though? Not related. Because I gotta admit, it kinda feels like you’re my brother’s wife giving me advice right now. I’m getting mad sister-in-law vibes.”

  “Wife? Ha!” Oh, how many times I’ve dreamed about being that man’s wife. It was sad when she thought about it. Completely unhealthy. Out of nervousness, she started to awkwardly laugh. “Boy, please. How about you just admit that our friendship is blossoming and leave it at that.”

  “Deal,” he said with a smirk. “But when y’all do end up together, remember this conversation because I plan to tell you I told you so.”

  Kyra shook her head. “I can’t wait to meet someone you like so I can tease you.”

  “Hate to burst your bubble, but I’ve never been a one-woman kind of guy and I accepted that years ago.”

  “That doesn’t mean there isn’t a woman out there crushing on you,” she explained.

  “Nah,” he said. “I’m clear up front with any woman I’m feeling, so they know the deal.”

  “Do you hear yourself?” she asked. “Men are so dense sometimes.”

  Nash stuck out his arms. “I’m just spitting facts. I even brought two girls to prom and they were cool with it.”

  Kyra shook her head. “And just when I thought we were getting somewhere in this friendship, you do something to remind me that you’re an idiot. I’m not knocking the game because I’ve been known to be a bit of a playa in my day, but Nash, just because you think you’re laying out the rules doesn’t mean they’re being followed.”

  Kyra spent the next hour debating with Nash the pros and cons of playing the field. And just like most topics they discussed, they couldn’t agree on much. Kyra left the hotel thinking that Nash had nailed one point right on the head... This thing—whatever it was—between her and Luke had been a long time coming, and for the first time in years, everything felt perfect.

  * * *

  Luke glanced at his phone for the tenth time in the past hour, wondering when Kyra was going to get home. He was on one of his favorite places in his home—his rooftop. But his mind couldn’t settle until he saw Kyra after the night they’d had.

  He’d had a great day with his uncle and his mom and she’d picked up on his attraction to Kyra right away. In fact, she told him he’d always known, which didn’t surprise him. A part of him thought a person would have had to have been blind not to catch the way he started looking at Kyra the older they got.

  Except Taheim. He wasn’t sure if his best friend just chose to ignore it, knowing Luke would never cross that line, or if he’d been oblivious. When they’d had the conversation about him never messing with his sister, they’d also been talking to their friend Jaleen and others. Taheim had seemed to be talking like any big brother would, but looking back, Luke wasn’t sure if he’d actually had a clue. Even Kyra’s brother Ajay had picked up on it once and called him out a few years back at Taheim’s wedding, but Luke had denied it. Mainly because he’d been in a serious relationship at the time and thinking about Kyra would have been heading down a bad path.

  He glanced at the time again, thinking she should have been home by now. Unable to help himself, he called Maceo again.

  “Yes, Luke,” he said dryly.

  “Did you pick up Kyra yet?”

  “This is crazy, you know,” Maceo said. “You’ve been calling me most the day. The only reason I told you that I dropped her off at Nash’s hotel was so that you wouldn’t worry. Not so you could blow up my phone.”

  “Sorry, man. Just wondering where she’s at.”

  Maceo sighed. “You know, after this trip—better yet, on this trip—you better tell Kyra how you feel because holding in your feelings for this long ain’t healthy.”

  “It hasn’t been that long,” Luke lied.

  Maceo snorted. “Brotha, who are you kidding? You think I don’t remember you coming to St. Lucia and going on and on about this woman you’d known since you were younger who you compared every woman you’ve ever dated to? You’ve been in some pretty serious relationships and you’ve never brought any of them to St. Lucia. Yet you brought Kyra.”

  Luke grew quiet, then said, “I see your point. I’ll talk to her before we head home.”

  “Thank God,” he mumbled. “And by the way, I dropped her off there about twenty minutes ago.”

  “She’s here?” Luke asked, getting up from his chair.

  “Yeah, she’s there. Seemed just as anxious to see you, too, if it helps.”

  Luke got off the roof and went into his house, finally spotting Kyra outside by the pool, sitting in one of the lounge chairs. “Found her. Thanks, man.”

  Maceo laughed. “Anytime, man.”

  Luke hung up and walked outside, noting that she seemed to be watching the sunset.

  “It’s beautiful, isn’t it?” he asked.

  She grabbed her chest. “Jesus, you scared me! I saw the car, but couldn’t find you, so I thought you went on a walk or something.”

  “I was on the roof,” he explained. “Thinking about you and wondering when you’d get here.”

  She smiled. “I’ve been thinking about you, too. Nash says hi by the way and that he’ll be here tomorrow.”

  Luke nodded. “I’m glad you went to talk to him. I think he needed a friend.”

  “He did,” she said. “And he’s fine. Just needed a moment to reboot.”

  Luke sat down on the lounger beside hers. “My mom told me to tell you hi as well and that she’s glad we finally stopped ignoring our feelings toward one another.”

  Kyra’s eyes widened. “You told your mom about last night?”

  “Hell nah, but she said she could tell something was up between us when we were at her place.”

  “But we hadn’t even had sex yet when we were over there.”

  “Our relationship started changing way before that,” he told her, lightly running a finger up and down her arm.

  She glanced down at his hand. “Yeah, that’s true. But it’s still crazy to me to think that last night happened after all this time. A few years ago, I’d finally accepted the fact that you and I would never be together.”

  “I thought you’d come to that conclusion after the night of your twenty-first birthday.”

  “Nope,” she said. “I was hurt as hell, but I didn’t finally drop it completely until Taheim and Winter’s wedding.”

  Luke thought back to their wedding and couldn’t think of anything that happened. “Why was that the turning point?”

  Kyra sighed. “Right before their wedding, I’d been hanging out with my girl Cheyanne and she’d told me that there was a friend of hers that she wanted me to meet. She’d barely had time to warn me who I was meeting before your ex-girlfriend popped up. Apparently, Cheyanne had just found out that her coworker was dating you.”

  “Crap,” Luke said. “You must mean Meeka, right? We’d just started dating. I think we were only like a month in. I almost didn’t even bring her to the wedding, but she’d been going through a lot and needed a break, so I took her as my plus-one.”

  “I know,” Kyra said. “She told me all about you when we met and even though I admitted that I knew you through my brothers, I refrained from acting like I’d always looked to you like a friend, too.”

  “Cheyanne knew how you felt about me?” he asked.

  Kyra nodded. “Yeah, she did. But just like any friend would, she was pissed that I still seemed hung up on you despite how you’d treated me years prior. She said she’d been talking to Meeka at work and found out she’d be at the wedding. She didn’t want me to be blindsided. Pl
us, she didn’t want me to hold out hope for a relationship that may never happen.”

  “I get that,” he said. “But Meeka and I weren’t that serious back then.”

  “It didn’t matter,” Kyra said. “Meeka was a little on the crazy side, but in a good way. She was my kinda girl and we all had fun that night. Eventually, I asked her how old she was and when I realized she wasn’t that much older than me, I suddenly got very annoyed. I mean, here I was hanging out with a pretty great woman, who even a month into her relationship seemed crazy about the same man I’d had a crush on growing up. I don’t know what came over me, but at the end of the night, I told Cheyanne that I was done chasing after a dream relationship that would never happen. I needed to move on and, unfortunately, that meant letting any ideas I had about me and you die.”

  “That’s why you were acting so nonchalant at the wedding, right?” Luke asked. “I hadn’t seen you in so long and I’d been excited to finally catch up and apologize in person, but you were chumming it up with Meeka and Cheyanne most the day and it felt strange trying to steal your attention away given the circumstances and the fact that you were connecting with my current girlfriend. She was the only one you never disliked.”

  “She wasn’t the type to get threatened,” Kyra said. “Her and I clicked instantly, so, yeah, I didn’t dislike her and she didn’t dislike me.”

  Luke smiled. “Even though it was nice to see y’all getting along, I was glad when we finally did get a few minutes alone.”

  “When we almost kissed,” Kyra stated. “I’m glad we didn’t.”

  “Me, too,” he said. “Even so, I’d wanted to. Badly.”

  “But you’ve never been that guy,” she said. “You’re loyal. Faithful. As much as I hate to admit this, I wasn’t the one who stopped that kiss, but I was the one who started it. Yet before I even got close, you stopped me. In my mind, it was going to be a goodbye kiss, but it would have been messed up on so many levels.”