29. Scarlett
Scarlett
Cold water splashing across my face was the invigorating boost I needed to start my day.
Black flecks from my mascara still dotted under my eyes.
After getting home from Charlie and Sheila’s house last night, I fell asleep waiting for Luke to get home again.
I hadn’t even washed my face before getting into bed.
“Morning. What time did you get home last night?” I asked Luke. His bare back was begging for my hands to climb it as he stood at the coffeepot. His body was so warm. Even shirtless in late October, he pumped heat off his skin like a space heater.
He turned around and pulled me to his chest. A sexy growl purred in my ear.
“Just after 9:00 p.m. After we talked to Monroe, Wes and I went back to his garage to go over everything. You were already passed out in bed when I got back.”
“Mmmm. You should have woken me up,” I said. Luke’s hand slipped up the front of my sleep shirt, his thumb making slow circles around my nipple .
“You’ve needed the sleep,” he said. “But you’re not sleeping now.” The sting of his nip on my ear sent a shot of desire through me.
“Don’t you have to get to work?” My voice was breathy, my pulse quickly rising.
“We’ll just have to be quick.” His hand slipped into the waistband of my underwear. His fingers parted my slit, and he swiped through my wetness while his mouth clashed with mine.
It wasn’t five minutes later that stars blinded my vision as Luke slammed into me, his thrusts finding the sensitive spot along my inner walls. His movements picked up pace, his breath hot on my skin where he sucked on the pulse point in my neck. He followed me over the edge on a groan.
What a way to start the day. And he wasn’t even going to be late for work.
Luke wet a paper towel and kissed a path up the inside of my thigh before gently wiping away the evidence of our passion.
When he finished, he helped me back into my panties, sliding them up my legs for me.
“Is it weird that I get just as much enjoyment out of helping you dress as I do helping you undress?” he said with a laugh.
“I love… that you about you.” Luke’s mossy green eyes brightened, his gaze roaming my face.
I tried to redirect. To catch myself before I said the words that I really wanted to say.
I never wanted him to feel pressured, especially just coming out of a marriage before he and I got together.
He deserved to take as long as he needed without feeling rushed to meet me where I was.
“I love you, Letty. You know that, right? That I’m madly in love with you. That I have been for longer than I think I knew.” His hand pushed into my curls, his other hand on my hip. Butterflies erupted in my belly. I laughed in part astonishment and part relief. His words went straight to my heart.
“You do?”
“Yes. More than anything.” He whispered his words against my lips. I closed the infinitesimal gap between us with an urgency I felt in my bones.
“I love you, Luke.” I breathed in the scent of him. “I love you too.”
He’d just brought me to climax minutes ago, but I was already feeling ready for more. I let my mouth do the talking as I pulled him by the waist of his police-issued pants closer to me.
“Baby,” he growled. “I have to get to work, and you’re making it really hard.”
“I like when it’s hard,” I teased.
“Jesus, Letty,” he sighed. “I will give you everything you need when I get home. I’m going to make love to you on every surface of this house, that’s a fucking promise.”
“I guess I can wait. But just know that I’ll be thinking about it all day.” My finger dragged down his still-bare chest, stopping just below his belly button.
“You and me both,” he groaned.
He grabbed his shirt from the back of the couch and finished dressing while I made myself a cup of coffee. I didn’t dare give him a goodbye kiss. I didn’t trust myself to stop. He had me more fired up than I had ever felt. I didn’t think I could ever get enough of him.
* * *
Luke was certainly a man of his word. All week, he had made it his mission to christen every surface in his house—Wyatt’s house—although we weren’t going to tell him that.
It was Halloween tonight, and since it fell on a Friday this year, Harpoon’s had put together a big costume party. I’d roped Luke into a couples costume with the promise of a blowjob, which had him agreeing easily—but even that wasn’t even to convince him to wear the wig.
“Are you sure you don’t want to wear it? Fred is supposed to be blond.” I tried to sell it, but Luke’s unimpressed glare told me he wasn’t buying it.
“It’s itchy and uncomfortable. Tonight, Fred’s got brown hair. Besides, you aren’t wearing a wig.”
“That’s because Daphne has red hair.”
“Mhm. A coincidence, I’m sure.”
“Fine.” I feigned annoyance, but a smile stretched across my face as I took in the bright blue shirt under a too-small white sweater, an orange neckerchief tied around his neck.
“I look like an idiot, and you look hot as hell. This is so not fair.”
“Purple really isn’t my color. It clashes with my hair.”
“Shut your pretty little face. You’re gorgeous in anything, including this short, tight dress.”
I put my hands on Luke’s pecs and let my lips brush against his.
“I’m not a fan of it. Maybe tonight you can help me ruin it.”
Luke’s fingers bit into my skin where his hold on me tightened .
“I love when you talk like that, Letty.”
“Tonight,” I promised.
We ended up getting there later than we said, but not for any fun reasons. Luke had to circle the block a few times, ending up on a side street down the road with how busy it was. People came in costumes of every type, from funny to classic, sexy to scary.
Luke held my hand as we weaved through the throng of people, working our way to the bar. I caught sight of Claire and Reid. Reid had a pitcher of beer at the table, so we diverted course to meet them instead.
“Oh my goodness, you look amazing.” I hugged Claire, even knowing that I was bound to come away with glitter.
Her green dress was paired with a set of fairy wings, while Reid was grumpily wearing a matching green woodland outfit, including a green paper hat and… please tell me he had on a pair of tights .
I looked around the table to see him better since he was sitting.
“Don’t look,” he grumbled.
“Are you wearing tights?” Luke laughed.
Reid flipped him the bird without answering, which had all of us cracking up. Claire moved onto his lap, awkwardly trying not to stab him with the points of her wings. He tried to keep up the annoyed face, but when he gazed at Claire, his whole face glowed.
“You two don’t know how to have any fun.” Seb came around the table from behind us, another pitcher of beer for the group. “Ladies, you look lovely, as always. Love the Tink getup.” He winked at Claire before turning to me and Luke. “Fred doesn’t know how lucky he is, Daphne. ”
Luke’s arm came around my middle, holding me close to him. “Oh, he knows.”
“That tracksuit sure is something,” I said. The blue-and-purple polyester was perfect ’80s wear. He had the jacket half unzipped, his chest tattoos completely contrasting the neon vibe of the outfit.
The sea of people around us parted as Wes navigated his way through the crowd to get to us, a drink already in hand.
“This is ridiculous,” he grumbled as he sidled up to the table next to Luke. “If it wasn’t for Ronnie, I’d still be waiting for my drink.”
“You’re not even wearing a costume,” Claire complained.
She was right—all of us were dressed for Halloween, except for him.
In a pair of dark jeans, a gray flannel shirt with the sleeves rolled up, and a black leather vest, he looked like he strolled in here accidentally, not expecting it to be a costume party.
“Sure I am. I’m a member of a motorcycle club.” His subtle smirk widened into a full grin as he looked from Luke to Reid in their full-blown getups.
“Don’t even start.” Luke glared at Wes like he was getting ready to throw down, not that Wes looked like he cared.
“I thought Fred was a blond,” he said. Luke’s gaze found mine from the corner of his eye, and I nearly lost it.
My skin prickled with the sensation of being watched.
I glanced around the space but didn’t see anyone specific.
My gaze caught a couple of guys wearing full face masks, standing by the back wall.
A shiver ran down my neck, and I hurried to turn away.
Something about them unsettled me, but they weren’t causing any trouble or really even socializing.
When I scanned the room again, I found a familiar face in the massive crowd.
Daisy was dressed in a bunny costume, but not one of those sexy ones with a bunny ear headband and little cotton tail.
No, she was in a zip-up, one-piece pajama outfit with a bunny hood, black whiskers, and a little pink nose painted on her face.
She bounded up to our table with the energy of five Red Bulls and wrapped me in a hug.
“Scarlett! You. Are. Awesome. Have I told you that?” She pulled back, and I could smell the liquor on her breath. She was well on her way to being drunk off her ass. “You guys, you guys,” she yelled to the group. “This lady is the best.”
Everyone around the table sent up their agreement as they placated her drunk love fest.
“Thanks, Daisy,” I said. “You look like you’re having a good time.”
“I am. My friends are here. Where are my friends?” Someone dressed like a tub of popcorn had come up to the table and was standing right beside her.
“Um, I think you have a friend right here,” I said.
She turned her hand and sucked in a surprised breath. “I do. Christa, this is Claire. She’s the best.”
“I heard,” she replied with a smile before leading Daisy back to the rest of their group.
Sebastian took off a little while later. His new female friend seemed keen on making conversation with him someplace quieter. He rapped his knuckles on the table as he passed, his arm thrown around her bare shoulders.
The noise level was higher than ever, making it hard to hear each other, even sitting three feet apart.
Maeve and Wyatt had the right idea, staying home this year with their girls.
After a couple of hours of screaming to be heard and constantly repeating ourselves, I was beat and ready to get out of there.
I turned to check Luke’s thoughts about taking off when a scream sounded near the bathrooms. I caught Luke’s eye, but it didn’t seem like anyone else was concerned.
Or maybe they didn’t hear the faint yell through the music and conversations.
It could just be someone getting scared by their friend, but it struck a chord in my gut that I didn’t like.
Luke must have thought the same because he was up in an instant.
“You hear that?” Wes said.
“Yeah, I’m going to check it out.”
Wes nodded, unfolding himself from the barstool. “I’m coming with you.”
When I looked back where they were headed, to the back corner of the restaurant, the guys from earlier were gone.
I saw Wes move first, Luke following behind as they sprinted down the dark hallway. I hopped out of my seat, weaving through the crowd to follow them. Another scream sounded.
It took a second for my eyes to adjust to the dim lighting of the back hallway. Luke was crouched on the ground, Daisy crumpled up on the floor in front of him. The swinging door to the kitchen pendulated rapidly. Wes was gone.
I rushed to Daisy’s side, falling to my knees next to her.
“What happened? Daisy? Are you alright?”
She pushed to her elbows, trying to sit up. Luke held her arm, steadying her, until she was fully seated. I rubbed my hands along her shaking arms and turned to Luke with a questioning gaze.
His head swiveled to the door and back to Daisy.
“I’ve got her. Go,” I told him. I didn’t know exactly what happened, but the only reason Wes would be gone was because he was chasing after someone.
The kitchen door crashed into the wall just as Luke was getting to his feet. Wes held a guy by neck, his other hand holding the guy’s arms behind his back.
A crowd was forming behind us. I looked over and saw Reid trying to keep the audience back.
Wes pushed the guy into the wall, handing him off to Luke. With one hand on the guy’s arms, he pulled the black mask off his face.
My stomach dropped. I shouldn’t have been surprised to see the same guy who had been borderline harassing me.
“Tyler?” Daisy asked.
“Tyler Cress, you are under arrest for assault. You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to an attorney. If you cannot afford one, one will be provided for you.”
“Backup is on the way,” Reid shouted. “Should be here in three minutes.”
Luke locked eyes with me, a silent apology at how this night was ending warring in his gaze. I nodded softly, keeping Daisy pulled close to me.
He hauled Tyler through the throng of people, Wes leading a path to the front. As soon as they were gone, a group of girls ran toward us. I recognized one of them as the girl who came to get Daisy when she was at our table earlier. Her friends gathered around her.
“Do you want me to stay with you?” I asked her softly.
“No. I’m fine. I just… I wasn’t expecting that.” She looked down the hallway and into the bar and restaurant, her eyes fo llowing the path that Luke and Wes had taken Tyler down just a minute ago.
“Daisy! What the hell happened?” one of her friends asked. I was interested in hearing that answer too.
“Can we talk about it tomorrow? I just want to go home now,” Daisy said.
The girls bundled around her in support, ready to take her out of there.
“Are any of you okay to drive?” I asked.
The girl dressed as a 1940s woman’s baseball player lifted her wrist for me to see the purple band around it.
“Designated driver. I’m not twenty-one yet.”
I wasn’t naive enough to think that she hadn’t had a drop of alcohol despite being underage, but she seemed perfectly sober.
“Daisy, call me if you need anything, okay?” I squeezed her tightly before releasing her back to her friends.
“Thanks, Scarlett. And tell Luke and Wes, as well.”
I sent a text to Luke, letting him know that I was heading home. In the chaos and urgency, he had left with his car keys, but Reid agreed to give me a lift.
My thoughts circled around poor Daisy. About the audacity of the guy. Not only to attack someone, period… but to assault her in a crowded bar with people all around. That behavior spoke to a level of entitlement and brazenness that would only lead to disaster.
It almost had already.