Chapter 17
They bypassed the lobby to go to the garage. Luckily, they didn’t run into anyone on the way.
Leona paused. “Wait, why don’t I follow you? That way, when it’s time to get lunch, I can go and come back.”
“Better not ditch me,” he teased.
“You have my laptop. No way I’m leaving you alone with that for too long.”
He laughed. “Afraid I’ll read something too early?”
She lifted a shoulder. “Maybe, but I’m more worried about having access to my computer when I’m ready to write.”
“Am I hogging too much of your time?”
Grinning, she shook her head. “No, not yet. I needed a break after the negotiations.”
“Go. I’ll see you at home.” He backed toward his car, and she climbed into the Jeep.
If anyone could take her mind off Russell, he could. Thinking about the mess back at home was exhausting. She needed to put the house on the market, pack, and find another home. Nothing she wanted to deal with.
She followed Luke back and didn’t miss the paparazzi on the street, snapping pictures as he passed. Her stomach bottomed out.
Could she handle the rumors? She wasn’t sure.
Shaking her head, she thought about calling Mona, but she’d tell her to live a little. And she was holding onto that motto with both hands.
The drive seemed to pass in no time. He opened both garage doors, and she took the hint, parking beside him. She climbed out as he pulled her stuff out of his car.
Their eyes locked as the garage doors went down. Relief flowed through her. They were there, alone, no one else.
Finally.
They had those few hours, but this was different somehow.
“You’re going to sleep in my bed tonight, right?” he asked, teasing.
One corner of her mouth tipped up. “I think I proved how much I want you when I’m sober. You were the one who didn’t want to stay in my room last night.”
“Oh, I wanted to, but I don’t want to give you any reason to doubt me or my motives.”
“What are your motives, Luke?” She barely held back the wince.
“To show you how good it can be.”
“You already are,” she admitted.
“Come in, Leona. Please.”
She went to the door and he reached past her to unlock it.
She turned, her head cocked. “You lock the garage door?”
He nodded. “Can’t ever be too careful.”
“Anyone ever try to let themselves in?”
“A couple times.” He lifted a shoulder. “A good alarm helps with that.” As soon as they were inside, he shut off the alarm. “Don’t worry, no one has gotten inside, unless invited.”
“So, do I get a tour now?” she asked.
He dipped his head. “First stop, my bedroom.”
“Going to keep me there all night?”
“A tour first. Then maybe. Unless you find something you want to do before we get back there.”
“Tell me you don’t have any secret rooms I should worry about.”
He laughed. “No. Not my style.”
“That’s a relief.”
He took her hand and pulled her toward the living room. The kitchen was fully stocked and had appliances she could only guess at. The living room was neat, with an impressive entertainment system.
“You can pick a movie later, if you’re interested.” He nodded to the rack full of DVDs.
“Anything I want to watch?”
“Anything.”
Grinning, she nudged him. “Come on, I’m sure you don’t want to carry my stuff all night.”
“No, getting you naked sounds like a better plan.” He took her up the stairs and she paused to look at all the books in the alcove. Large alcove. It was a library, complete with two chairs and a fireplace.
“So, you really do read a lot?”
“Not as much as I used to, but yes.”
“I love this.”
“I hoped you would. Come on.” Down the hall were three doors to the right, and one to the left. He took her to the one on the left first.
And his bedroom was simple and elegant. Not a bachelor pad, more like a grown man’s house. And then the age thing hit her again, but it wasn’t so weird.
He dropped her bags on a chair as she went to the window where he had a nice view of the valley.
His arms came around her and she leaned into his embrace.
“It’s a beautiful house.”
“My dad designed the house. My mother decorated.”
“Your parents sound amazing.”
“What about yours?”
“They own a bar and restaurant. It keeps them busy, but they like it.”
“Oh, what kind of restaurant?”
“Shay’s Pizza Pub. Nothing fancy. Local, hometown, ma and pop place.”
“The best kind. That’s what I took you to tonight.”
“True. But you’re also talking about taking me somewhere nice tomorrow, which I don’t need.”
“No, but you deserve it, and I like the idea of pampering you.”
She turned toward him and fell into his gaze. It would be so easy to fall for Luke.
Shaking his head, he stepped back. “Let me show you the rest.”
Nodding, she let him take her hand and lead her to another bedroom. “The guestroom.”
And again, it was a nice room.
He opened the door to a bathroom. Then took her to another room that had display cases full of various comics. And that made her smile. “Comic fan?”
He nodded, light dancing through his eyes. “Think I’m a geek?”
“Oh no, I love comic books. I thought about attempting one, but I’d have to find an artist. I can’t draw.”
He pulled her closer. “You’re full of surprises.”
“Really? Why?”
He shook his head. “I knew I’d like you, but the more I learn, the better I do.”
“Yeah, well, I can say the same about you.”
“Because I’m normal?”
“That’s part of it. But you take my breath away. And not just because you’re gorgeous. And you are. You’re a genuine person, and you make me feel things I didn’t think I could.”
“Like what?”
Things she didn’t want to admit. Instead she wrapped her hand around his neck and leaned closer. “Like I’m the only woman who exists with you around.”
“You are. You take all my attention.” He kissed below her ear and took her hand, placing it over his hard length. “I’ve wanted you from the moment I laid eyes on you, and after having you, I want more.”
“I need more,” she answered.
He pulled her toward the bedroom. “Me too.”
She pushed him through the door and opened his pants while he pulled her shirt. She let him take that, before dropping to her knees, bringing his pants and briefs down and taking him into her mouth.
Even his cock was gorgeous, and that wasn’t ever something she loved the look of. Not until Luke. She pushed that thought aside and flicked her tongue over the ridge.
He made a sound full of need, followed by a hoarse protest. “Leona, shit, you don’t need to do that.”
She pulled back, making a popping sound, and looked up at him. “Want to,” she answered.
He slipped his fingers into her hair and she sucked as she took more in, swirling her tongue. He made the sexiest sound and she took his cues, what he liked.
Watching his muscles jump in response to her touch was empowering. Seeing his eyes hooded, his bottom lip caught in his teeth was sexy. She did this to him.
His hand tangled in her hair, gripping tight. “Oh fuck, gonna cum.”
That didn’t stop her. No, she kept right on, going until his taste filled her mouth and she swallowed him down.
He backed up to the bed and fell back with a satisfied sigh.
She got rid of her clothes and climbed up beside him. With one arm, he pulled her against his body.
He groaned. “Too many clothes.”
Smiling, she sat up and stripped him down, taking her time tracing muscles as she went. He must have just finished another movie because he was cut.
She got the shirt off and climbed off the bed to remove his shoes, then his pants and briefs. The man was hard again. Luke might just be able to keep up with her sex drive.
Her ex couldn’t, which meant she had plenty of toys he despised. She kept them hidden because sometimes, she needed another orgasm or two to be sated.
Luke watched her with a deep, dark, sexy stare. “What’s on your mind?”
“Do toys intimidate you?”
He sat up and pulled her into his lap.
“Toys for who?”
She bit her lip, realizing where she just took their conversation. Fuck it, she may as well throw it out there. “Either, but I have a stash of things to help me when I’m not satisfied.”
His brow arched. “Would you let me use them on you?”
She nearly came at the thought alone. “Yes,” she whispered.
“I don’t see a problem, unless you turn me down in favor of these toys.”
A nervous laugh escaped. “No, you’d be my first choice. But you wouldn’t always be an option.”
He caught her face and smiled. “What if I were?”
She froze, her breath caught. “Don’t do that, Luke. We’ve known each other a few days. I like this, but it’s too early to expect a future.”
“And it’s too late to lie about hoping for one.”
She started to climb out of his lap.
He held on tighter, pulling her back down against his hard length. “Fine, I won’t bring it up again, until our last day before my shoot. Promise me you’ll stay until I have to leave.”
“Fine. Until you leave.”
“I promise not to bring it up until then. But we will discuss it before we leave.”
Closing her eyes, she nodded. Only to shut him up. This seemed like a bad idea all the way around, but he wouldn’t listen to reason. And she didn’t have the energy to argue when she could have something far better.
Choosing to focus on the present and not the future, she ground over him until he flipped her over and kissed his way down her body.
“Luke, what are you doing?”
He looked up her body with that delicious smile. “About to feast on you. And I’m not stopping until you can’t move.”
“You won’t have any argument from me.”
He nipped her thigh, just hard enough to make her gasp, then laved his tongue over the sting. “Good. I didn’t get to do this properly earlier.”
No waiting, no teasing, his tongue found her bundle of nerves. He flicked and circled, teased and tasted. She writhed beneath him, his shoulders between her thighs, his hands on her ass. And as she finally came apart, he thrust his tongue into her, making her scream his name.
Luke didn’t stop. He kept right on, going until she thought she would lose her mind. He held her thighs in his big hands, keeping her wide-open while she bucked and thrashed on the bed.
“Oh God, oh God, oh God, stop, stop, stop.”
Then she erupted, pleasure overwhelming her. She couldn’t see, couldn’t breathe, couldn’t think. Her body hummed as she floated in a sea of bliss.
Tearing foil never sounded so good.
He kissed her, and she could taste herself on those full lips. Luke held her down, kissing her slowly, savoring, exploring. She trailed her hands up his sides, trying to find words, trying to figure out what to say or do.
Then he glided into her and she thought she would come all over again. He kept his pace excruciatingly slow.
The intimacy was too much.
She gripped his ass, urging him to move faster.
He kissed her ear. “Want you all night long. Don’t want this to end.”
“Luke, please. Need you.”
He sucked her earlobe and finally started to move faster. A slow burn started as he pressed deeper each thrust. Emotion hummed through her with the climbing sensation. The feeling was too much, too big. And she was afraid to look too closely at the connection they shared.
Then climax hit her and she cried out her release as he followed.
He rolled to the side, breathing heavy as he pressed his face against her neck. She clung to him, needing him as much as she needed air in her lungs.
God, that scared the hell out of her. She wasn’t sure she believed in love anymore, and there she was, falling hard. Terrified, but unable to push him away, she closed her eyes and breathed him in.
“You feel that, don’t you?” he murmured.
“Boneless? Yeah. I don’t think it can get any better than that.”
He let out a breathy chuckle. “No. I mean, we fit together like interlocking pieces. You were made for me.”
She couldn’t help laughing. Don’t you mean you were made for me? I am older.”
“You’re perfect for me.” Luke pulled her closer and she snuggled in, letting exhaustion take her.