by Elle Linder
They strolled back to the table hand in hand. Luke fought the desire to walk with a swagger and sport a cocky grin for having Julia on his arm. That would be beneath him. He might be a proud man, but he wasn’t haughty.
“Hey, Luke,” Tami greeted. Every pair of eyes was on Julia.
“Tami, Aaron, how’s it going,” Luke casually returned. He pulled Julia’s chair out and sat down. As she turned away to grab another, he quickly pulled her onto his lap. “Is this okay?” he whispered into her ear. They were face to face, and every nerve in her body screamed, yes.
She nodded her approval, feeling the flush in her cheeks. She could argue that the heat billowing out of her was from the wine, but that would be untrue. The swept-away expression on her face was all because of Luke.
“You two looked so good out there on the dance floor.” Erika nudged Luke’s elbow.
He winked, acknowledging her.
Julia leaned toward Erika. Luke’s hand found its way under her outer thigh. To hold her in place, of course, nothing more, she told herself. But the reason didn’t matter when a bolt of titillating lightning shot into her panties.
“Do I have a ridiculous grin on my face?” she whispered in Erika’s ear while trying to keep from giggling.
“Mm-hmm, since the moment you saw him.” Erika hissed laughing.
“That’s what I thought.” Julia moved back, her hand covering her mouth.
“I like the ridiculous grin I put on your face,” Luke flirted. His cocky confidence thrilled her as she bit down on her lip.
“Thanks for stealing my dance partner.” Calvin scowled at Luke.
But Luke only smirked.
“I haven’t seen you around in a while,” Tiffani said, her voice sounding above the music and general chatter. She sat across from them, giving Luke a hardened stare. “Where’ve you been hiding?” she asked as if he owed her an explanation.
A nervous tension filled Julia when she glanced at Tiffani. It caused her to lean into Luke’s chest for no other reason than to show that she was with him. Even though she had decided to stay out of Tiffani’s way, now that Luke was in the picture, she would not be stepping aside.
“I’ve been around, mostly at the resort,” he answered in a gruff, "you’re bothering me” tone.
Julia’s eyes darted between them. Tiffani looked pissed, as if she had some claim to Luke.
“Well you should come out to play more,” Tiffani enticed with a fluttery batting of her eyelashes.
“I have other priorities I’d rather give my attention to,” Luke replied. Then he cupped Julia’s knee and lightly stroked the inner part with his thumb. Little electric currents shot from the spot he touched straight up to her delicate parts, and she wiggled on his lap, trying to contain her feelings. He stared into her eyes knowingly as she put her hand over his, stopping him.
“Priorities? Then I’ll be looking for you in three months,” Tiffani shot back.
Julia sat confused. Did Luke mean her? She was his priority?
Tiffani’s expression turned to hatred and determination. Julia needed to find out their story. She searched Luke’s face for a reaction, but he didn’t have one. Before she could think anything else, he slid his hand into her hair and drew her ear to his mouth.
“Let’s go,” he whispered as he brushed his lips across her earlobe, leaving his warm breath on her ear. He toyed with her, and it about did her in.
Julia stared at him, stunned stupid.
“Shall we go?” Luke asked once again with an expectant glint in his eyes.
Julia could only nod, lost for words.
They stood while Tiffani scowled, but she didn’t faze Luke at all. And Julia was too enthralled by Luke to give Tiffani another ounce of thought.
He helped her with her coat, showing what a gentleman he was down deep. A rare show, she guessed, from what little she knew of him.
“Aww...are you guys going?” Erika asked, a mischievous grin on her face.
“Yes,” Julia answered. “But I had fun. Thanks for inviting me.” She glanced at Tiffani, who glowered at her. Then she turned her attention to Tami, the nicer sister. “It was nice meeting you and Aaron.” Luke’s hand snaked around her waist, and a gentle tug pulled her back.
“Yes, we’ll have to do this again,” Tami returned. “Have a good evening, you two.” She raised her eyebrows at Luke.
Julia waved while Luke guided her to the exit. Waiting for them was Bruce, who had Luke’s jacket in hand. Julia looked at them both curiously. When had Luke let Bruce know they were leaving? Had she missed the signal? A look? A jerk of the chin? Bruce seemed to be an observant bartender, but standing at the door with Luke’s coat? Nobody was that good. Or maybe Bruce was that good.
“Oh wait, I need to pay for my drinks.” Julia reached into her handbag.
“I got it.” Luke slipped a couple of bills into Bruce’s hand after putting on his jacket. “Thanks.” They shook hands.
“You bet. It was good to see you again, Julia. Don’t be a stranger.” Bruce smiled.
“Thank you, Bruce. I had fun.” She waved as they left The Peak.
The instant shock of wintery air did nothing to stop the thoughts running rampant in Luke’s head. They walked out to the parking lot and straight to her Lexus. Once there, he leaned against her car instead of opening the door. Before she could say anything, he cupped her face. Seconds passed. With each tick of his heart, her eyes grew brighter with anticipation.
From the moment he saw her shake her thang on the dance floor, he had needed to kiss her. And now he was going to do just that, starting with a light peck. But sweet kisses wouldn’t be sufficient. The moment her soft lips separated, they unwrapped hidden desires, setting Luke free. He threaded his fingers in her hair, gripped her scalp, and devoured her mouth. He kneaded and tugged on her lips, slipping his tongue into her mouth. Her natural sweetness overshadowed the lingering remnants of wine.
The faint sounds Julia made were music to his ears. They drove him wild, breathy gasp after breathy gasp. Julia may not have known it, but she turned him on in a significant way. It threatened the promise he had made himself not to sleep with her tonight, but he had underestimated her feminine wiles. The way she tempted him, it might be near impossible to stop himself from going further than kissing.
After what had to have been the longest, most rousing make-out session in the history of make-out sessions, surrounded by peering eyes and temperatures in the low twenties, Luke brought their first kiss to an end. Julia wobbled a bit, and he steadied her, grinning at her flushed face, which clearly had nothing to do with wine.
“Let’s get out of here. I’ll drive your car back to the resort.”
“What about your truck?” she asked, handing him the keys.
“I’ll get it tomorrow.” He kissed the tip of her nose and helped her into the car. Luke closed the door, inhaled, and adjusted himself. “Easy there, Marine… You do right by her,” he mumbled as he walked to the driver’s side.
***
Julia’s lips missed his terribly as she indulged in recalling that amazing first kiss and then the dance and his commanding presence.
Leaning her head against the headrest, she turned toward him. She studied his profile—the downward arch of his brow, the way he pursed his lips together, and his beard, which had tickled when he’d kissed her breathless.
The mature, rugged man was nothing like the other guys she had dated. Just like her mom had said, she had only dated men in Armani suits. But now, a suit played second fiddle to the desire burning inside her. She reached her hand up to his face and lightly ran her fingers along his jaw.
He took her hand and pressed her palm to his lips.
“Mmm,” she hummed, smiling back at him.
NINE
Grateful for a Chance
The drive back to the resort cooled Luke’s jets, some. But it wouldn’t take much to get him amped up again. In the silence of the car, it felt like their thoughts filled t
he air. Luke wondered if they were thinking the same thing…now what?
He had excellent peripheral vision. The Marines had trained him well to see everything around him, so he saw Julia ogling him as he drove. Any man would love to have a woman stare at him with admiring eyes, including Luke. He also liked holding her soft hand and how her thumb stroked the top of his hand.
There was something intimate about the comfortable quiet he felt with her. It didn’t make sense. He had never felt truly peaceful with Renee. Like there had been a piece of him missing. What he wouldn’t do to change the course of time. But then, he wouldn’t have his kids or this moment with Julia.
It occurred to him then that he didn’t know her age. He only knew she looked to be in her twenties. And if he was correct, while he had been attending college, Julia would have been in elementary school. Changing the course of time wouldn’t have led him to her any sooner than now.
Luke pulled into Julia’s designated spot and put the car in park. She unbuckled her seatbelt, then twisted toward him. She didn’t have to ask or act on what she wanted; he moved on her with a searing kiss.
Everything seemed so easy with her. They managed to get lost in each again, kissing and pawing until Luke slowed them to a stop.
He exited the car, welcoming the icy punch of air. It hit him hard, which he needed. He absorbed the frigid air and adjusted himself for the second time tonight. Now wasn’t the time for her to see his raging hard-on.
That would come later.
They entered the lodge holding hands and he fought the urge to kiss her as they exchanged glances. Chip didn’t turn their way while he helped a couple at the front desk. All appeared quiet as they discreetly passed through the lobby.
During the winter months, guests tended to retire for the night after nine o’clock, whereas the hallways buzzed with activity well past midnight during the summer months. So when they were halfway down the hallway, Luke pressed Julia up against a wall and smothered her with kisses. Her response told him she wanted him right then and there.
Except Luke had other things in mind, like doing right by her. And what that meant to him was taking it slow, no matter how much he wanted to carry her straight to bed and make love to her until morning.
How had Julia captured his heart so fast? Somehow, she had managed to find a way into a place he hadn’t known existed. It spoke to her alluring magnetism. Not only did she spur strange feelings in him, but he also looked at her differently than other women. As insane and cliché as it sounded, she made him want to make her his, forever.
How had he gone from zero to a hundred with a woman he’d only just met?
People didn’t fall head over heels for someone without knowing their favorite color or middle name, or their deepest fears and secrets.
Did they?
At his age, he wasn’t up for playing games. What he felt for Julia was more real than anything he had ever experienced before. Could it be his maturity, having lived for almost forty years? After being with the wrong person for fifteen years, maybe these were the feelings of being with the right person.
The second her door opened, they fell into each other’s arms. The force of him kicking the door shut jolted her in one instant, and in the next, a ravenous hunger for him unfolded. With their lips locked in a desperate kiss, they stripped off their coats, walking toward the bed.
Her eyes cried yes, yes, yes while her luscious mouth teased him relentlessly, and he froze before acting on his sexual instincts. Without skipping a beat, he backed her up to the loveseat and stopped the kiss to turn on the gas fireplace.
“Let’s talk.” His suggestion received an arched brow from her.
“Talk? But we were just about to—” He placed his finger on her lips, quieting her. He sat down with his hand out to her. She took it and sat next to him.
“I know where we were headed, believe me. I want to…very much. But I don’t want this to be a one-night stand or a romp in the hay. I like you, Julia, a lot. I want to get to know you better before we…get naked.” He winked, then kissed the tip of her nose.
“Wow. O-kay.” She inhaled as if to calm the fire he had ignited in her.
Luke stared into Julia’s eyes. Her stunned expression told him that his ideas were not the norm for her. But he wanted to talk, and she seemed fine with it.
“What do you want to talk about?” she asked, leaning against his chest with his arms wrapped around her.
“I want to know about you. Like, what’s your middle name? What’s your favorite color?”
“Hmm, interesting questions. Well, my favorite color is azure blue, like the sky and the name of the inn I own. And my middle name is Rebecca, after my Aunt Becky. What about you?”
“Elliot, after my great-grandfather on my dad’s side, and I don’t really have a favorite color, but I guess Marine blue.”
“That’s awfully specific for a man to say instead of navy. I mean, ‘marine blue’ is a deep, blackened navy, but you could have just said navy.”
He laughed. “No, sweetheart, I guess I should have said Marine Corps blue, as in the military.”
“Oh.” She turned to face him. “And why would that be your favorite color?”
“Because I’m a Marine.” Her dreamy hazel-green eyes were filled with intrigue.
She wrapped an arm around his neck and studied him. From his muscular arms to his chest, she looked him over. When she lifted her eyes to his, she placed her hand on the side of his face with care. “Thank you for your service.” She kissed him softly, and he responded with the same tenderness but didn’t let it go long before he pulled back. “I appreciate that you want to get to know me better, but my God, I want you badly.” She let out a frustrated sigh. “So are you still in the Marines?” She leaned back against him, arms crossed.
“No, I got out after twelve years. And for the record, you have no idea how difficult this is for me too. But I don’t want to have sex with you… Well, I do,” he corrected, “but I want to start something with you, Julia Rebecca Greene. I don’t want just sex with you.”
“It wouldn’t be just sex.” She pulled his arms around her tighter. He leaned his head against hers. “How long do you want to wait? I’ll be leaving in three months, you know.”
Her words hung in the air between them.
In three months, she would return to Los Angeles and her life. And he already knew he didn’t want her to leave him. If there were any way to change her mind, to keep her in Faithful Falls, he would find it, or he would move to L.A. with her.
“Let’s just follow the natural course of things.”
“Really? If that were true, you’d be tearing my clothes off right now, Mr. Lumberjack,” she teased. “Are you sure you don’t want to see what’s under all these clothes?” She ran his hands over her body.
“Baby, I have to hold firm on this, just for a while longer. And then, I’m going to blow your mind,” he teased back in a low, husky voice.
“Not nice, Luke. Now you’re messing with me when I really, really want you.” She sighed, pushing out her lower lip. “What if we just fooled around but didn’t go all the way?” A twinkle of hope appeared in her eyes.
“I wouldn’t be able to resist you if your clothes were off.” He kissed the side of her head.
“Yeah, I look damn good without clothes on.”
He let out a hearty chuckle. Already, Luke loved the way she sassed him, and it about killed him to put her off. But down deep, he knew he had found a rare gem, and he would not squander his chance with her.
“I’ll make a deal with you.”
“I’m listening.”
“Give us two weeks to learn about each other, and then I’ll have you come out to my lake house. What do you say?”
Julia pondered his suggestion. “Your level of restraint is impressive, Marine. I like that you want to know me better. So, I’ll grant you two weeks of discovery…but you better make it productive, Mr. Lumberjack. Find out all you can about me,
because I’m expecting a big payoff.” She looked up at him and fluttered her eyelashes.
Luke grinned, brushing her hair away from her face. Lifting her chin, he kissed her softly. As he moved over her mouth, he inhaled her intoxicating essence until the urge to go further gripped him and he pulled back, leaving Julia panting.
“Wow.” She let out a heavy sigh. “Let’s start this marathon ‘get to know you better’ session with you, Alaska and the Marines. Can you be called back to active duty?”
“Fair enough. Yes, I can be called back. It isn’t likely, but it isn’t impossible.” She shifted in her seat. He sensed she didn’t like that he could be called back. “And Alaska is my home. I love it there, but it holds a lot of bad memories, so I decided to move away. As luck would have it, Becky needed a grounds manager just when I needed a job.”
“Bad memories?”
“Yeah. I’m divorced, and I have two kids.” He paused a few beats when she went tense against him. “Heather is fourteen, and Brice is nine. They live in Alaska with their mother.” He watched the flickering flames in the fireplace as he waited for her to say something. This bit of information might be a deal breaker.
“You were married? And you have two kids?” She sounded dumbfounded.
“Yes.”
“Luke, how old are you? I have to be honest, I didn’t peg you for a divorced man or father.”
He swallowed as his innards twisted. It was no surprise this bit of information had piqued her curiosity. Julia didn’t appear to be the kind of woman who would shy away from questioning him about all those bad memories he mentioned. A smart, business-savvy woman like her wouldn’t act in haste. She would want to make an educated decision about him.
