Chapter 20
twenty
I’m kissing Luke.
My Luke. The man who has silently stood by my side through it all.
And he’s kissing me back like a man starved.
When he turned off the cell booster, and in turn quieted all the noise coming from our phones and the outside world, something inside him snapped.
“This is your two-second warning I promised you.”
“What?”
Luke swoops down and lifts me into his arms by the back of my thighs, giving me barely a moment’s notice to loop my arms around his neck and hold on for the ride.
“Bed or couch?” he asks gruffly.
My mouth answers before my mind can work itself into knots. “Bed.”
Luke doesn’t release his hold on me as he walks us over, then slowly lowers me to the bed, spreading my legs wider with his body as he crawls over mine, hovering over me without giving me all of his weight.
“You tell me when to stop and we stop. Got it?” he whispers gently over my lips.
“Yeah. Same. But I’m hoping that’s not anytime soon.” I pull him down to me with more strength than I knew I possessed, causing him to drop his weight onto me, and I reclaim his lips with mine.
I feel his hardness pressed between my legs and moan when he brings it closer to where I need him.
Is this really happening? Am I really going there with Luke?
He bites down on my lower lip, as though his thoughts are reprimanding mine for ever having any doubts.
Yes, yes, we are. They chant back to me.
“Talk to me. What do you need? Because if left up to me…” He slides his hands under my T-shirt and holds me by the waist, his fingers inching dangerously close to my bra.
“Off.” I nod.
“Yours or mine?” I spot the smirk he’s trying to hide, but I’m too far gone for subtleties.
I push against his chest, making him rise up on his knees. “Both.”
He pulls his shirt off easily with a practiced tug from the neckline behind his head and tosses it to the side.
He opens his mouth to speak, but I point my foot at his jeans. “Those go too.”
He grins as his eyebrows raise slightly.
“Bossy. I like it.” He slowly pops the button, then teases me with the unhurried pull of his zipper.
I sit up and manage to remove my shirt and leggings just in time to catch the scowl on his face.
“I was going to do that.” His eyes stay locked on my barely covered chest.
I purse my lips to keep a small laugh from escaping. “I could use some assistance with this bra if you’re still feeling helpful.”
His face turns predatory as he leans over me, placing rough kisses all over my chest, keeping his eyes on mine as he unhooks my bra and slowly slides it down my arms.
Having his attention is intoxicating. It’s unlocking a part of me that’s always felt too shy to ask for what I wanted. But with Luke, it seems as though I can’t stop doing just that. “I want to feel you everywhere.”
His eyes darken as they lower to my chest. “Like here?” His thumb brushes over my hardened nipple, and I bite down on a moan. “Like this?” He slowly traces the outline of my nipple three times before pinching it, eliciting a surprised gasp from my lips.
Then he lowers his head and continues his discovery of my body with his tongue.
I arch into his mouth as he moves over to my other breast, giving it the same attention.
He continues his journey lower, kissing my stomach as his hands play with the edges of my panties.
His hands stop moving. “You’re trembling.” His concerned eyes meet mine as he leans back on his haunches. “Tell me again, what do you want, Daisy?”
What I don’t say is that my body is vibrating with need.
With the knowledge that nothing will ever be the same after today.
That although I’m scared of ruining our friendship, there is no way in hell I am spending another minute of my life refraining from reaching for the things I want with both hands.
I don’t know if it’s the ache between my legs or the possibility of us stopping because Luke thinks I’m not ready for sex that has me speaking up, but I find the courage to spread my legs a little wider, showing the dampness coating my white cotton panties. “What do you think, Luke?”
My skin heats as his searing gaze focuses on the indecent scene between my legs.
“Fuck. Me,” he groans as he runs a single finger over the wet spot on my underwear.
My eyes almost roll to the back of my head at the sensation. “That was going to be my answer to your last question.” I raise my left arm and let my fingers trace over the tattoos that have been ingrained in my memory ever since I saw him shirtless and wielding an axe.
My fingers trail lower, following the path of light brown hair until reaching the waistband of his boxers. I’m about to tug them down when his hand wraps around my wrist, halting my movement.
“I don’t have any condoms, so these should stay on until I can head into town and buy an entire store out.” His voice sounds pained but steady.
“We don’t need them.” The words rush out of my mouth before I can explain properly. “I mean, if you don’t—I, uh.”
He goes still as he towers over me. “Daisy, be very careful about what you’re going to say right now.”
“We can wait, of course,” I rush. “But I wanted to let you know that I’ve been tested and I’m all clear, and I haven’t had sex since… well, it’s been a very long time. And you already know I’m on birth control.”
“Painfully aware.” He reaches down and readjusts himself as I carry on.
“I want to respect your boundaries, and it’s totally fine if you want to use condoms, but I wanted to let you know that I’m okay if you want to—”
He continues to grip himself through his boxers and grits his teeth as he speaks. “I’d never put you at risk, Daisy. I’m all clear as well and haven’t even looked at another woman since the second I laid eyes on you.”
“What? That’s so… so swe—”
I gasp at the sound of my underwear ripping. “Rude.”
“Yeah, well. I’m not feeling very friendly right now.” His eyes challenge mine as he rips the other side of my thong and pulls the lousy fabric out from under me. “Much better.”
“Just because you bought them doesn’t mean you can tear them.” My voice quivers at the end as I watch him stare down at my most intimate part.
“So fucking pretty. Just like I knew your pussy would be.”
He raises up to his knees, his eyes looking between me and the erection that’s bound to break through the fabric of his underwear. “Go on, then. Take me out.”
I don’t have to be told twice.
I pull his boxers down to his knees and watch in amazement as his hard length bobs mere inches from my face.
I know I shouldn’t stare. I already got an eyeful of him this morning.
But his dick commands all my attention as it juts out toward me, a thick vein running along the side of it as a drop of precum swells at his tip.
I wrap my hand around as much of him as I can, rubbing my thumb over that raised vein. He seems to grow harder when I give him one tentative stroke down, then back up. My jaw drops slightly as he twitches in my hand, and I lick my lips at the thought of tasting him.
He seems out of breath even though he hasn’t moved a muscle. “Careful, Daisy. You’re putting too many thoughts in my head.”
My hand squeezes at the word “careful.” That’s all I’ve been doing my entire life, and it has done me no favors.
So, no. I won’t be careful. And I’ll be damned if he tries to hold me back. “I don’t want you to be gentle.”
“Daze,” he warns.
“I want you to mark me. Leave evidence of every place you’ve touched along my body so I know that this is really happening,” I all but beg.
I give him one last tug before I release him and lean back on my elbows, leaving myself exposed and open for him.
“I want you to fuck me like you plan on breaking me, Luke. Because that’s exactly what I want to do to you.”