Chapter 10
By 3:00 a.m., Luke pulled into the hotel parking lot. He didn’t see a single person in the garage. Leona had fallen asleep.
He leaned over and unbuckled her belt. “Leona, you’re here. Should I come up? Tuck you in?”
Her big dark eyes fluttered open. “Hmm?” Her gaze latched onto his. “Oh, um…” Her breath hitched.
“I’m not going to take advantage of you. Let me get you upstairs.”
Blinking, she yawned, then nodded.
Luke hurried out of the car. Thankfully he’d been smart enough to stop drinking around ten. He hadn’t had that much to begin with. Leona, however, drank far more than she should have.
Not that he was judging, but he carried her from the boat to the car.
He opened her door and took her hand, pulling Leona to a stand.
She leaned into him and breathed deep. “You smell like sun and chocolate.” They’d had plenty of it thanks to Raven’s obsession with the stuff. Leona seemed to share the same addiction. And he wouldn’t mind supplying her with plenty of chocolate.
“That’s good. You seem to like both.”
“I like you.” She giggled.
Laughing, he latched an arm around her waist before leading her to the elevator. “Where’s your room key?”
“Hmm?” she murmured.
“The key. So we can get in.”
She dug around in her purse, found her key, and folder it came in. “Here.”
He pressed the button for the seventh floor and pulled her against his side.
She gulped. Then those dark eyes latched onto him and a slow grin spread across her face. “You shouldn’t come in. I won’t behave.”
He tipped her chin up. “I will. I’m getting you in bed, then I’ll leave. Tomorrow, I’ll pick you up. We’ll find something to do away from the city, where we won’t be ogled.”
“You’re sweet.”
“And you’re sexy, but I’m not done with you.”
“I want you,” she admitted in a husky whisper.
“I want you so damned bad, but not while you’re drunk.”
She pouted.
He couldn’t help taking a kiss. He managed to keep his hands to himself, but only barely.
Her hands landed around his waist. Shit, that only made the craving worse, but he was determined to do right by her, and that meant not fucking her silly when there was a good chance she wasn’t going to remember every last detail the next morning.
He managed to move back but keep his hand on her lower back. Luke plucked the card from her hand and easily found her room. He let them in and she pushed him toward a bedroom in the small suite. He noticed her laptop on a desk and smiled.
She would have worked her ass off if he hadn’t taken her out.
“I’m tucking you in, giving you a good night kiss, then going home, alone.”
“You don’t need to be an angel,” she purred, the words slightly slurred.
“Don’t want to be a demon in the morning,” he murmured, pushing her toward the room. He grabbed the silky nightgown as she unhooked the top of her bathing suit.
Fucking hell, she was gorgeous. Full breasts that called to his hands and mouth. But he bit his tongue and pulled the slip over her head. “Don’t, Leona. If you’ll have me tomorrow, without the wine, I’m all yours.” And he meant it with every cell in his body.
She reached under the silk nightie and pulled the bottoms down her long legs. Then she reached for his belt and he caught her hand.
“Leona, not like this.” Might kill him not to give her want she wanted, but he wanted her sober the first time.
“Then tuck me in, party-pooper.”
“Oh, I’ll give you a party tomorrow.”
“You say that now,” she teased, blinking up at him. “I’d rather you show me tonight.”
“Tomorrow.” He pressed a kiss to her forehead and moved the blankets as he pushed her toward the bed.
She laid down with a sigh. He covered her and backed toward the door.
“It’s late. There’s another bedroom.” She yawned. “If you won’t stay here, with me, sleep there. You don’t have to leave.”
“You won’t try to change my mind?”
A big yawn escaped as she turned on her side and closed her eyes. “Once I’m out, I’ll stay out until morning.”
“Sweet dreams, Leona.”
“Nighty-night, Luke.” She blew a kiss.
He took her up on the offer, but left long enough to grab the overnight bag he had stashed in his car.
* * * *
Leona woke to her phone pinging away like crazy. She opened it up to find texts from Mona.
Mona - He’s in your room, isn’t he?
Mona - Did he rock your world?
Mona - Come on, how was yesterday?
Mona - Must have been good, he’s there with you now.
Mona - OMG! TELL ME!
And that wasn’t the end of her nonstop string of texts that pulled Leona out of her slumber.
She dialed the number.
Mona squealed. “Is he amazing?”
“He’s a knight. He slept in the spare room.”
“Why the hell did he do that? Did you make him?”
Leona stifled the laugh. “No, he made himself because I drank too much. In fact, I’m not sure I want to sit up yet. My head might start pounding if I move.”
“How much did you drink?”
She thought back. “Couple bottles of really good wine over the course of the evening?” She wasn’t totally sure.
“Wow, really?”
“Unless he left, but I don’t think he did. He wants to make sure I remember all of it.” She sighed dreamily.
“And here I figured he would be a good romp or two in the sack, but no, he’s going to make you fall in love. I hope you can handle him.”
“Shut up!” she squealed. No thinking about love, long-term. Nothing but fun and pleasure. That’s all either of them had time for.
Mona sighed. “Think you might order breakfast to your room for all of us?”
“Just you?” Leona managed to sit up and winced.
She laughed. “Just me. The bouncer was hot, but I can’t see it going anywhere. He’s a gym rat. I need some intelligence mixed in with all that brawn. Not a lot, just enough for a real conversation.”
“Your normal breakfast?” Leona asked.
“Yes, please.”
Leona looked down at herself and gulped. Flashes of how she got into the silk nightie rushed through her head. Shit.
“Give me thirty minutes.” She hung up and ran to the bathroom to brush her teeth. Her headache came roaring in. She took two Advil and the quickest shower of her life.
Then she rushed back to her room to dress in a summer dress.
Taking a deep breath, she knocked on the other bedroom door and closed her eyes.
The door opened and a warm hand curled around her waist, pulling her inside.
Her eyes flew open as she got a good look at every muscle on his abs, chest, and arms. Then she was in his arms.
“Nearly forgot my promise to let you sleep.” His mouth crashed over hers.
She thanked the stars she thought to brush her teeth first. God, he tasted good. And he was hard, his erection trapped between them as he cupped her ass and pulled her even tighter.
She got her hands between them, regretting Mona’s request.
He broke the kiss and looked into her eyes. “Change your mind?”
Shaking her head, she blinked, then found her words. “I’m starved for you, but Mona’s coming over for breakfast.”
His brow pinched. “Kicking me out?”
“Oh no. You’re staying. Came to find out what you want to eat.”
His hand went to her thigh, where her summer dress ended. “You.”
His hot mouth trailed down her throat.
Goddamn, she was going to implode in a firestorm.
Someone pounded on the door. Probably Mona.
He leaned back with a wicked smile. “Your friend?
She nodded. “Think so.”
He blew out a breath. “Mind if I shower?”
She shook her head. “Go for it. And I didn’t invite her. She invited herself.”
Stepping back, he grinned. “I promised to savor you. I’d only fuck your brains out right now.”
“That sounds perfect,” she breathed.
His eyes sparkled with mischief as he grabbed his bag. “Bacon, eggs, and sausage. Doesn’t matter how they cook the eggs.”
She left the room and opened the door.
Mona stood on the other side with a smirk. “You look flustered.”
“I said thirty minutes,” Leona snapped. “Little-Miss-Always-Late couldn’t be late the one time that would be a bonus?”
Mona held up her hands and batted her eyelashes. “I was trying to be good.”
Sighing, she stepped back and walked to the room’s phone. She quickly placed the order.
“So, where is he?”
“Shower.”
“Damn, now I’m sorry I interrupted. He’s probably in there giving himself some relief.”
Leona could see it in her head and flipped off Mona. Then she closed her eyes and let out a sigh. God, she wanted to be the one providing some relief.
“You’re an evil bitch,” Leona hissed.
Mona lifted a shoulder. “Honest, I wouldn’t have come if I thought he would get you naked in record speed.”
The door cracked open. “Payback is a bitch,” Luke announced. And the door shut again.
Mona’s eyes widened. “He’s listening?”
“Hasn’t had a chance to get in the shower,” Leona answered.