SIX
Ana
After dragging myself out of bed and into the shower sometime around noon, I’ve been camped on my couch, only getting up when I absolutely have to. A half-empty bottle of red wine and an almost-empty pack of honey roasted cashew nuts are on the table beside me. I’m reading a novel on my tablet. This is how I plan to spend the rest of my Sunday evening. I’m not leaving this couch unless it’s to go to bed.
My buzzer goes off as I’m pouring myself some more wine. I flirt with the idea of ignoring whoever it is. I know Rae is in Edinburgh with Cole, and after their balloon ride yesterday, Gavin somehow managed to convince Mia to go to a gallery opening with him today. The buzzer goes off again.
“All right, I’m coming,” I mutter to myself. Pressing the microphone button, I say, “Hello?”
“Hey, Ana. It’s Luke. Can I come up?”
Luke? Luke Charlton? He’s at my door! Butterflies flutter in my stomach. I can’t believe he sought me out.
“Yeah. Sure. Come on up,” I say, trying to sound unaffected but my voice sounds slightly breathless.
I unlock the main door and look down at the tiny shorts and thin tank top I have on. I’m not even wearing a bra. I can’t let him see me like this. I make a quick dash to my bedroom and trip on a pair of shoes in the hallway.
“Shit!” My toe is throbbing. How did the fucking shoes get there?
I make it into the bedroom without further incident and quickly take off my top. I grab the first bra I see and put it on. It’s a pink lace bra – one of my favorites, thank goodness. Not that Luke is going to see it. Next, I pull on a black scoop neck T-shirt. I need mouthwash to freshen my breath. I’m in the bathroom when I hear him at the front door. Running my fingers through my hair, I make my way back to the living room and to the front door.
Taking a deep breath to steady my racing heart, I open the door. Luke is standing in the doorway looking all kinds of gorgeous in dark jeans and a fitted white polo shirt which emphasizes his broad shoulders and sculpted chest and abs. He is too damned attractive. I can’t believe he’s at my front door.
“I was in the area, and I thought I’d stop by and see you. I hope I’m not interrupting anything.”
“No. No, I was just reading. Come on in.” I move aside to let him in and catch a whiff of his heady masculine scent as he moves past me.
He glances around my living room and open-plan kitchen which has a dining table and four chairs. My one-bedroom apartment is significantly smaller – like a million times smaller – than his house but more than suitable for me. I have enough space for everything I need.
“So this is where you live,” he murmurs, then turns back to me with a smile. “I like it.”
“Thank you. Please sit. Can I get you anything to drink?” Why the hell am I feeling nervous?
He sits on the couch I was sitting on, and looks at the almost full wine glass and nearly empty bottle.
“You’re drinking alone?” He looks back up at me and notices what’s showing on my TV. “And you’re watching La Liga.” There’s a Spanish match showing. I tried to watch it but I lost interest and decided to read instead. I left the TV on but put the volume on mute.
“Not really. I put it on but I wasn’t paying attention to it.” There’s no way I’m going to tell him I’ve been watching more football than usual because of him.
Even though he looks relaxed sitting on the couch, his eyes are anything but. Rimmed with long, dark lashes, they are greener than normal and focused on me with such passionate intensity, conveying some emotion I can’t comprehend. I need to do something that'll distract me even if it's for a minute. Feeling self-conscious standing in front of him while he’s looking up at me with intense green eyes, I ask, “Can I get you a beer? Or I could open another bottle of wine?”
“Beer is fine.”
I grab a bottle of beer from the refrigerator and go back to the living room. Luke takes the bottle from me but he doesn’t open it like I expect. He doesn’t even glance at it. His eyes are fixed on me. He places it on the table next to my wineglass.
His eyes skim my body leisurely. My heart races at the look in his eyes when they come back up to meet mine. “I’m hungry,” he says. His voice sends tingles through my body.
From the way he’s looking at me, I know he’s not talking about food. I gulp. I wonder if he can hear how loud my heart is beating.
“You are?” I ask, my voice tremulous with arousal. “I could order –” He doesn’t let me finish. Luke pulls me to him and my ass lands on his thighs. The next thing I know, his mouth crashes down on mine, and the earth moves beneath me. I give myself over to fervent delight and open my lips to let him deepen the kiss. His kiss unravels me. I silently beg him for more than his lips. With an expert move, he flips me so I’m lying on my back. His hand is under my T-shirt, squeezing my aching breast. I moan onto his mouth in response. My hands are pulling at his polo shirt, desperate to get it off.
Breaking the kiss, he says, “I can’t stop thinking about you.”
My heart almost stops beating. Did he say what I think he did?
My T-shirt and bra come off, and his hot mouth is on my hard nipple. His fingers are squeezing my other nipple, making me almost delirious with pleasure.
“Luke,” I moan, my hands in his hair. “Oh god. Yes.”
He lifts his head. “Open your eyes, Ana.”
I immediately do as he says. “Tell me you want me.”
“I want you so much, Luke.” I’ve never spoken truer words.
His fingers release my nipple, and he sits up, quickly removing my shorts and panties. He opens my legs wide. I don’t have time to feel self-conscious before his mouth covers my clit. His tongue swirls slowly, and then he licks and sucks me until I fall apart, coming so hard in his mouth.
Luke stands up and takes off his clothes, not taking his eyes off my naked body. He tears open a foil pack he took out of his pocket, and deftly rolls on the condom.
“Fuck me,” I beg, my voice coming out small, breathless and wanton.
“With pleasure,” he says with a gleam in his eyes.
He drives into me and almost fucks me into oblivion. After two more mind-blowing orgasms, I lie engulfed in his arms trying to get my breath back. My head is resting on his chest, listening to his not-quite-steady heartbeat. We stay this way for a few minutes.
“I thought this was supposed to be a one-time thing,” I murmur languidly.
“So did I,” he says, his voice also a murmur.
“I think I gave my neighbors an earful.” I’m too happy to feel embarrassed right now, there’ll be a lot of time for that later.
Luke laughs. I love the sound. I love the feel of his arms around me. I love the way he looks at me. I love –
“Now about dinner . . . Pizza?”
We have pizza and then spend the next couple of hours on my bed. By the time Luke leaves, I feel exhausted but also warm and satisfied. Hours later, my body is still pulsing with the aftershocks of his possession.