Chapter Five

Rachel

When a blast of thunder boomed and rattled the windows, Rachel awoke, sitting bolt upright. A scream died in her throat. Where was she? The room looked familiar but it wasn’t her room. Then she remembered not only inviting Luke to spend the night, but crawling into his bed, too.

She let out a trembling breath.

“Hey.” His voice, edged with concern, filled her with gratitude but she couldn’t help feeling embarrassed, too.

“I don’t usually do this.”

“I’m sure you don’t. I don’t usually do this, either.”

She lay back down. “I’ll still respect you in the morning.” Another blast rocked the house. “Holy shit, Luke. I can’t stand it.”

“You need a distraction?”

She could hear the smile in his voice.

“It’s a little late for that. You should have distracted me right away.”

“Better late than never.”

“What are you going to do?”

“Kiss you.”

A thrill went down her spine, but she couldn’t help feeling a little vulnerable next to the big cowboy, especially after she’d hopped in his bed. She found him aggravating and arrogant and sexy and handsome. He had to know she was attracted to him.

She’d wanted to know what his lips felt like since she first caught sight of him. “Remember, you said you were going to be a gentleman.”

“I am. I’m only going to kiss you. I’m not going to fuck you.”

She gasped, feigning indignation. “Luke, I didn’t ever think I’d here you say the f-word. I declare, such salty language.”

He pulled her against his chest and lowered to kiss her. “Shut up, Rachel,” he said against her lips.

She let out a small moan, part surprise, part pleasure. His kiss was tentative, at first. A gentle question. The way his warm lips brushed hers drew a response from her body. She lifted her arms, looping them around his neck. He deepened the kiss, stroking her wickedly, pressing against the seam of her lips until she submitted.

If the first touch of his lips was a spark, the kiss that followed blazed like a wildfire. His hands trailed down her body to explore. She should stop him. She should push him away. Who knew where this might lead? Nowhere good.

She’d been kissed before, but never like this. Her thoughts spun out of control as she tried to comprehend this was Luke kissing her. Luke Hardeman. He demanded nothing less than total surrender as he took her breast, cupped and brushed the nipple with his calloused thumb.

Writhing beneath his touch, she clung to him as waves of pleasure ebbed and flowed through her body. He pressed against her, his iron-hard erection branding her.

Another roll of thunder shook the house and for a moment, Rachel directed her attention to the storm raging outside the window. Tension gripped her and Luke felt it, too, growling softly next to her ear.

“I won’t let a tree fall on you,” he said.

She could hear the smile in his voice.

“I could help you relax.”

“You could?”

“Mm…there are ways of forgetting everything. Do you need me to explain this to you?”

“Of course not.” Panic flared. “I’m not on the pill.”

“No one said anything about sex. I’m just going to give you something else to think about, darlin’.”

His voice was rough, and that growl, combined with his sexy offer, made her want to know more. He unbuttoned her shirt but she stopped him. She didn’t want him to see her breasts. A flash of lightning could illuminate her imperfections.

“Not the shirt,” she whispered.

“No?” he murmured against her lips. He ran his finger along the hem of her shorts. “What about these?”

Her breath caught. This was entirely new territory for her, but her heart thrilled that he wanted her in this way. She could let go. Just this once. He’d show her things she didn’t know and she’d keep her scars a secret from him.

“Yes,” she answered.

When he tugged her boy shorts down, she helped him by lifting her hips. He pulled up her shirt to bare her breasts and kissed the tight bead of her nipple. Heated pleasure shot down her spine. Nothing had prepared her for the feel of his mouth on her tender skin. Threading her fingers through his hair, she held him to her breast.

Her scars were on her back, and as long as she stayed this way, lying on her back, he wouldn’t see or touch them. His touch on her breasts made her writhe with pleasure.

Leaning over her and holding her in his arms, he seemed huge. Powerful and sheltering. She felt small and vulnerable, yet protected. She knew what he intended to do and every cell in her body was lit with desire.

Trailing kisses down her body, he nudged her knees apart. His mouth on her breasts, a moment before, had driven her wild, but this would make her lose her mind. He kissed her, teased her with his tongue and pinned her to the bed with his strong grip.

His mastery of her body stole all rational thought. She belonged to him. He brought her close to the edge and then kept her from falling into bliss. He teased until she writhed and begged and then slowly, deliberately, built her up and made her come. Before she could recover, he made her shatter once more.

She arched beneath him, and cried out his name. “Luke…”

Pleasure ripped through her body, her second orgasm even more powerful than the first. She struggled to regain her breath. She was lost to him, even to herself. Her thoughts were not her own and her body wasn’t either. As wave upon wave of pleasure coursed through her body, she was only aware of how helpless she felt, gripped in his powerful embrace.

Thunder exploded nearby but she didn’t even flinch. Sinking into the bed, bathed in oblivion, she let him tuck her into his arms. His heartbeat was strong and fast, but slowed as he held her.

“You’re a virgin,” he said.

She could hear the edge of surprise in his voice. All her friends had lost their virginity years ago. They’d probably fall over from surprise if she ever confided in them about what she’d just let Luke do to her. A flush of awareness came over her.

“I don’t feel like a virgin.”

His chuckle rumbled in his chest as he stroked her back and held her. Despite the blasts of thunder, she felt herself drifting towards sleep. She awoke sometime later when the storm was just a distant rumble. In the inky darkness, she fumbled for her shorts and slipped them back on. He lay beside her and somehow, she knew he wasn’t sleeping.

In her confusion, she hadn’t given any thought to his pleasure and she wondered what the etiquette was on this type of thing. Should she offer? Should she slink off to her bed?

“Don’t go,” he said, simply. His hand wrapped around her wrist and he tugged her back down. “I want you here beside me.”

She allowed him to pull her close. Closing her eyes, she thought about his words. I want you here beside me… His words soothed and comforted her. What had she gotten herself into by coming to Luke’s bed? In the morning, they’d hear the reading of the will and he’d tell her goodbye. She was certain of that, but at least she had tonight with her protector. Tomorrow, she’d have to figure out what to do. If she had the money, she’d offer him a bigger salary, but she had the feeling the man was after a lot more than money.