by JA Low
“Hey… don’t shut down on me, it’s Christmas.” Yep, pulling out the ‘it’s Christmas’ guilt card.
Luke lets out a sigh and turns around. “I’m sorry, Lilly. The phone call was from my family. They want me to come home.”
My stomach drops. “Oh.”
“Like you, I kind of left in a hurry.” I know that feeling, so I get it. “But, honestly, it’s too soon to go back. I need more time away, especially from them, they are very controlling.” I nod in understanding, my parents are the same. “I want more time with you.” He grabs my hand and kisses the delicate skin of my wrist. “The more time I spend with you, Lilly, the more I find myself.”
Boom. There go the butterflies in my stomach. The cage that’s been holding them in just exploded, and I can feel them flittering around.
“Oh…” Yeah, that’s a brilliant answer when a man tells you that you make him a better person.
“I’m moving too fast…” Luke takes a step away from me, running his hands through his silky, black hair. “Forget what I said…” He pushes past me and heads to the front door where our boots and jackets are located.
“Hey,” I call out after him, he slowly turns around, and I can see the tiniest bit of hurt across his face. I run to him and jump into his arms, nearly barreling him over. I place a sloppy wet kiss on his face, which makes him laugh.
“You’re crazy, Lil.” He chuckles.
“Yeah, about you.” The words slip out too easily, and he stills.
“Yeah?” The cocky smirk crosses his face.
“Yeah.” My arms wrap around his neck. “I think you’re a bit of all right.”
He raises an eyebrow at me, which makes my eyes roll.
“Now… enough feelings for the moment. Let’s get cooking, so you can work these calories I’m about to eat off me.”
Luke’s palms squeeze my ass. “I like the sound of that.”
11
Lilly
Okay, when I said he was going to help me work off my Christmas lunch calories, I thought it was going to be by the fire or in our bed, not walking through the damn snow. I cooked a brilliant Christmas lunch, not traditional at all, but it was still delicious. I made spaghetti carbonara even though Luke burned the bacon.
Like, seriously, how do you burn bacon?
Well, now I understand how one burns bacon when they have never cooked before.
I think Luke might be a mommy’s boy. He is Italian, and their moms are notorious for looking after their sons. But we survived. I also made bruschetta to start which Luke complimented me on, and I even attempted tiramisu with the awful instant coffee which didn’t turn out too bad. Luke ate it all so that’s a win. He was pleased I had gone to the effort to make him feel at home today. I haven’t really celebrated Christmas the past two years—sick people don’t usually stop for us to celebrate.
“Hurry up,” Luke calls ahead of me.
“My legs are little, and the snow is deep,” I call back. I don’t have stilts for legs like him, in some places I sink down all the way to my bum. I’m not made for this. Luke makes his way back to me, picks me up, and hauls me over his shoulder like a fireman.
“What are you doing?” I squeal.
“It will be quicker if I just carry you,” he tells me as he makes quick work through the snow. He’s right, he’s walking quicker without me straggling behind him.
We don’t get far until I start complaining about being ill—hanging upside down isn’t a great idea after a big meal.
“Jump onto my back.” He crouches, and I jump on—now that’s better.
“Giddy up.” I pretend Luke’s a horse and slap his bum, he’s not that amused, but I’m having fun. We eventually make it down to the lake, called Loch Leven, which is a famous lake in the area. Some of it is frozen over, while some of it still has running water. There isn’t a person out, we’re the only crazy people out in the cold like this. But, it’s peaceful, relaxing, soothing, and great for the constitution.
“This is beautiful.” Luke looks out at the white landscape. “Peaceful.” Both of us take in the majesty of the mountains, snow, and lake. “Do you think Rob will want you back?” Luke’s question surprises me—it’s come out of nowhere—and I draw my brows together.
“He can try, but as far as I’m concerned, we’re through. I wasn’t in love with him. I think…” I hesitate, kicking the snow in front of me with my foot. “I think I dated him to get my parents’ approval.” There it is—the truth.
Can I really fault Rob for cheating on me when I was never really in the relationship? That I was never in love with him?
Luke is silent as if he’s contemplating something.
“I understand that. My business… it’s the family business, and I have a lot of responsibility on my shoulders.” He’s finally opening up about himself.
“Are you the oldest?”
“No, thankfully. So, I have a tiny bit of freedom compared to my brother, but I’m next in line.”
“How many in your family?”
“I have an older brother and two younger sisters.”
“Are you close with them?” I don’t want to ask too many questions and spook him, but I like him telling me more about himself.
“With my brother and youngest sister, yes, but the other one…” He shakes his head. “She… she’s best friends with my ex.” His ex? I knew he could possibly have one, but it still shocks me hearing him say it out loud.
“She chose sides?”
He huffs. “Very much so. From her text messages, she is very much on Team Rachele.” Luke kicks some snow in front of him. “She cheated on me…” My stomach sinks. Who the hell would be stupid enough to cheat on this man? “With my best friend.”
“What! Oh, no.”
“Yep.” He shoves his hands into his pocket.
“That’s the worst kind of disloyalty because they both betrayed you.” He nods. “Why?” I don’t understand why people cheat with best friends.
“I don’t know. I didn’t stay around long enough to find out.”
Guess we’re more alike than I thought.
“Did you love her?”
Luke contemplates that question for a couple of moments. “I thought what we had was love, but I realize now that it was just what was expected of us… to be together. I guess like you and Rob, our families are friends and had been for a very long time, and everyone just assumed we’d one day get married.” I know exactly what he means. “Like you, I had to get away, and I’m glad I have. It’s given me a new perspective on my life.” Luke holds out his hand to me, I take it, my cheeks warming at the simple gesture.
We both sit together in silence, at one with nature.
After a short time, my body starts to shiver, so I declare, “I’m so cold.” I am trembling all over when we finally make it back into the warmth of the cottage.
“Let me run you a bath.” That sounds like a fantastic idea.
As I slowly take off my frozen outer clothing, then hang it on the clothes rack near the door, I hear my phone ringing in my room and make a mad dash to it as I haven’t heard from Lauren yet.
“Hello,” I answer, grabbing it before it rings out.
“Merry Christmas, Lilly,” Lauren and Alistair shout. Hearing their voices today makes the holiday feel right.
“Merry Christmas, guys. Where are you?”
“We’re in Zanzibar,” Lauren squeals.
Oh, wow!
“It’s beautiful there… very romantic.”
“I know…” there’s a pause, then she continues, “… it totally was because Alistair proposed,” she screams down the phone.
“No way,” I squeal back.
“Yep, yep, yep… I’m going to be a bride.” I can feel Lauren’s enthusiasm, and it warms my heart.
“Oh my God, guys, I’m so happy for you.” Tears are falling down my cheek because I miss my sister and wish I could give her a big hug to celebrate this momentous occasion with her.
<
br /> The line crackles. “We better go. The line isn’t too good,” she says, now fading in and out.
“Love you.”
The phone goes dead, and I’m not sure if she heard the last part. I sit on the bed, tears rolling down my cheeks.
“Lilly, are you okay? What happened?” Luke asks, wrapping his arms around me, not realizing it’s exactly what I need at this moment as I cry into his chest.
“My sister is getting married.” I sniffle.
“That’s good… no?” he asks, confused by my reaction.
“It’s good. So good. I’m so happy…” I burst into tears again.
Yeah, poor Luke is most definitely out of his depth at the moment.
“Come, come… a hot bath will do you good.” He picks me up in his arms and walks with me to the bathroom. I like the way he just picks me up as if I weigh as much as a feather. It’s so manly being shifted around like this. He slowly undresses me, not in a sexual way, but in a caring way. He too undresses, and we both ease into the hot water, my extremities burning at the heat until I sink in and lay back against Luke’s chest. He runs his fingers through my hair, soothing me.
“I’m so happy for her…” I start, holding in my emotions. “I just wish I was there to celebrate it with her.” I close my eyes as Luke massages my head.
“I understand you want to celebrate with them. But they are in Africa, a very romantic place. It’s nice that they have this moment between the two of them.”
He’s right.
I’m being selfish.
They need this time together.
I can celebrate with them both when they get back. I don't have to do it seconds after she announces her news.
I sink deeper into the water. “You’re a wise one, Mr. Luke.”
I hear him chuckle beside my ear. “That would be a first.”
We lay in the warm water and talk. Luke tells me all about his travels abroad, and I tell him about the exciting things I did while in Kenya, funnily enough, most of the time without Rob. He wasn’t interested in the culture of the country unless there were diplomats or ambassadors coming to visit, and we were being invited to VIP dinners. Working in Africa was a once-in-a-lifetime achievement, something I’d never trade in a million years.
Maybe fate does have a hand in things.
Oh, no, is Lauren’s influence sinking in? Am I seriously contemplating fate?
Maybe that’s why Luke was brought into my life, to pull me in another direction, to show me there are other options.
Perhaps there’s something to be said about fate.
12
Luca
After our bath, I took Lilly to my bed where I showed her how much I appreciated the Italian Christmas she put together for me. I showed her repeatedly. She’s currently snoring softly beside me, her light brown hair spread out all around her. The sheet has fallen, exposing her breast, and all I want to do is suck on that nipple, but that would wake her, and she’s exhausted after our hike earlier in the day.
I didn’t mean to tell her about Rachele because if she googles our names, my cover will be blown and, in all honesty, I know things will change between us once she knows who I am.
My phone rings, and I pick it up. “Ciao,” I answer without looking to see who it is.
“Lilly?” the male voice says down the line.
Oh shit! This is Lilly’s phone which I have picked up by accident. Looking down at the screen, I see the word ‘Rob’ staring back at me. Fuck.
“Lilly? Hello, is this Lilly’s phone?”
Dammit! What do I do?
I don’t think she wants Rob to know about me, especially because of the family drama she has told me about.
“Lilly, are you there? Are you okay?”
I do the only thing that’s right and hang up on him. Moments later, her phone rings, and it’s him again, so I hang up on him, but he calls again and again and again.
“Luke?” Lilly opens her eyes and looks up at me. “What’s going on?”
My stomach sinks. “I accidentally answered your phone.”
Her face turns a little pale when it starts ringing again, and she sees whose name it is on the other end.
“I didn’t say anything other than Ciao. I thought it was my phone. Sorry, I was half asleep.” She grabs the phone angrily out of my hand and sits up in bed.
“What do you want, Rob?” Anger laces her voice.
“Who the hell answered your phone?” I hear Rob scream down the line at her.
“No one.”
Why does her calling me no one sting?
“I heard a male’s voice, Lilly.”
She rolls her eyes at his question. “So.”
“So?” he screams at her. “My fiancée shouldn’t be entertaining other men.”
“Really? And when was the last time you fucked someone else?” Lilly asks Rob. The line suspiciously goes quiet for a couple of moments. “That’s what I thought.”
“You left me,” he screams at her. “You walked out on me. What was I supposed to do?”
Is this guy serious? What a fucking dick.
Lilly closes her eyes and bangs her head against the headboard in frustration, then answers, “Anything you want, Rob.” As I watch her, she sounds eerily calm. “I don’t care who you screw around with, just like you shouldn’t care who I’m screwing around with.”
“So, you’re screwing him? I knew it. I knew you were a fucking slut. A worthless fucking lay. It won’t take him long till he’s fucking someone else because you’re fucking shit.”
I see the moment Lilly shuts down over his words. That each one of his barbs hits her right in the heart, and he fucking knows it. Asshole.
I see red.
Reaching over, I rip the phone from her.
“Now, listen here, you little piece of shit. Just because a pin dick like you couldn’t keep a woman like Lilly satisfied doesn’t mean anyone else can’t. She’s the most amazing woman I have ever met, and the fact that you have no idea the fucking gem you had right in front of you, means one man’s loss is another man’s gain. I can tell you something… there’s no way I’ll ever want to fuck another woman because there is no one on this earth who’s like Lilly Simpson.” With that, I hang up the phone and throw it across the room. “Oh shit, Lil. I’m so sorry, I …”
The next thing I know, Lilly’s jumping into my arms and kissing me. Thankfully, we’re both still naked.
“Thank you,” she tells me through kisses.
We fall back against the bed, me on top of her. She wraps her legs around my hips and pulls me closer, my dick nudging at her entrance—my unsheathed dick. I’ve never wanted to fuck someone bare more than Lilly in this moment, but I can’t.
Breaking our kiss, I lean over and grab a condom.
“Let me just…” I fiddle with the latex, and once I’m sheathed, I enter her, and then everything feels right in the world.
13
Lilly
I’m awakened by Luke entering me, and it feels so fucking good. Arching my back as his hands palm my breasts, I don’t think I’ll ever get sick of sleeping with this man. He takes his time this morning, slow and steady, a little less frantic than our session last night.
I can’t believe he came to my rescue like that. It’s going to cause a shitstorm of problems for me once Rob runs off to my parents and tattles on me, but right here, right now, I don’t care. Maybe it’s the bubble of the cottage that’s made me throw caution to the wind, but no one is going to ruin this good mood I’m in.
It doesn’t take us long until we both find our release.
“Morning…” Luke nuzzles my neck.
“Good morning to you, too.”
“I like being able to have you when I want,” he whispers against my neck, his warm breath sending shivers all over my body.
“I like it, too.”
“Come… let’s grab a shower. I then want another round of Monopoly because this time, I’m going to kick your ass.”
The bed dips as Luke slides out of it.
“Oh, someone’s feeling cocky this morning.” Turning around and looking at a very naked Luke before me, my eyes dip to his impressive dick that’s still hard after our morning session.
“You just can’t seem to keep your eyes off my cock. So yes, I’m feeling awfully cocky.”
My mouth falls open in surprise before bursting out laughing.
“It’s not my fault you keep boosting my ego.”
Picking up the pillow, I throw it at him in a fit of laughter. He, of course, catches it easily and throws it to the floor, stalks toward me, and pulls me from the bed. I have the sheet wrapped around me as he hauls me over his shoulder again.
It’s so primal the way he does that.
Is it an Italian thing?
I’ve never had a guy throw me around so much.
He places me gently down on the bathroom floor, then slaps my ass. “Get in the shower, Lilly.”
After another session in the shower because, hello, running your hands all over that spectacular body it’s way too hard not to get turned on. Honestly, I have never had so much sex in my life. Italian men are incredibly giving. I get the nickname Italian Stallion now because Luke’s stamina is phenomenal.
We finally emerge and set up a game of Monopoly.
“You’re going down,” Luke tells me as we begin the game.
“Oh yeah, I am…” I wriggle my eyebrows at him.
“Don’t you try and distract me with your feminine wiles, I’m not going to fall for it.”
“I think I remember you were the one who distracted me last time.” I smile over at him.
“I didn’t see you complaining about it.” That cocky smirk he gives me gets me every single time.
We’ve now been playing the game for an hour or so, one very heated hour as the competitiveness between both of us takes over.
“No, I’m not going to do a deal with you. Then you would have a set,” Luke moans.
Not my fault I’m awesome at this game.
