20. You Could Stay
You Could Stay
Dani
"My God, Archer. That was fucking orgasmic." I wipe my mouth with the napkin he placed on my lap before we started eating.
Luke chuckles as he cleans up. "I’ve never had anyone say my food was orgasmic."
"Then they’re stupid." I finish off my beer and pop the top of another one. I should slow down on the alcohol, since I’m driving home later but it has been nice to sit with Luke and not fight.
"I don’t cook for many people. Mostly Gabe."
"See? Stupid."
Luke chuckles and opens his own beer. I look across the rooftop, the city is lit up and I can see the CN Tower from where we are.
"This view is stunning," I sigh blissfully.
"Not as stunning as the view I have."
My eyes snap to Luke’s. My chest tightens as what he said sinks in. "Are you flirting with me?"
"Yes."
Well, that’s straight to the point. "I’m blaming the beer." I grin but Luke doesn’t, however.
"This has nothing to do with the beer," he admits.
Fuck me in the backseat of your car. Luke just might get lucky.
He reaches across the table and moves a piece of hair out of my eyes. "You’re fucking stunning, Dani and I’m absolutely floored every time I lay eyes on you."
I flush from my hair to my feet. I don’t take compliments very well.
"Th—thanks." I stammer.
His fingers snag my chin, and his thumb brushes my bottom lip. I nip the tip of his thumb and earn a growl. Luke presses it against my lips and I suck it into my mouth.
"I want to kiss you," Luke confesses, removing his thumb.
"I want you to kiss me too." I admit.
He smiles and leans across the table. His lips brush mine. Once then twice, and I find myself leaning into the kiss. Luke pulls away and I whimper. He stands and rounds the table, holding out his hand and I take it without thinking. I’m pulled to my feet, his large arm wraps around my waist, holding me flush with his hard chest. His mouth meets mine again and this time he doesn’t hold back.
Luke dives in with his tongue, deepening the kiss from the get-go. I hold onto his waist, pressing myself closer to him. This is the king of kisses. The passion, the hunger. My toes curl as his hand wraps in my hair, holding me to him. I savor the taste of him, the smell of him. It’s an assault on the senses and it sends me into a spiral. His mouth goes on the move, across my cheek and down my neck. I tilt my head to give him more room to explore.
When his lips grazes the welt on my neck, I move my hands up his ribs and over his chest, pushing back a little. "I really should get going," I whisper.
"You could stay." He mutters, running his fingers down my cheek.
"I can’t." Although I very much want to.
Luke moves my hair away from my face. "I’ll drive you home."
"Oh, no. I can’t ask you to do that. I’ll call a cab. Or walk."
"If you won’t let me drive you, I’ll walk you home. Don't waste money on a cab."
I open my mouth to argue, but Luke silences me with a soft kiss.
"Do not fight me on this, Sweetheart." He says against my lips before breaking us apart and collecting the basket.
Okay, he needs to stop this or I’m going to fall in love with him.
Luke hit the button for his floor. "I’ll make sure your car is at your home by the morning." He places the basket on the counter. "Give me a moment." He walks into the other room and comes out wearing a baseball hat. Which knocks his sexiness into the thousands.
Is there anything this guy can’t wear.
The walk to my house is a quiet one. Luke makes sure that I’m always walking on the inside of him. His hand lands on my lower back periodically whenever we’re crossing the street.
My house is dark when we arrive. Probably should have left a light on but I didn’t expect to stay out this late.
"Thank you for dinner," I say as I search my purse for my keys.
"You are very welcome. It was nice having someone to cook for besides my brother."
"Oh, I’m sure he makes the perfect dinner date," I say sarcastically.
Luke grunts. "Gabe eats the food as I’m cooking, leaving almost nothing to plate. Worst dinner date ever."
I snort out a laugh. "Sounds like Mason." I shove my key in the door, not knowing how to end the night.
Luke takes my face in his hands; his thumbs stroking my cheeks, over the scar—always over the scar—before he kisses me softly. The kiss has me almost asking him inside.
"Oh, gross! Ma! The neighbours can see you."
I jump back from Luke and find Mason strolling up the walkway, his duffle bag hanging at his side. My face catches fire. This is humiliating. My son just caught me swapping spit.
"I thought I was picking you up tomorrow night from Nanny's." I say louder than necessary, my face heating up even more.
"Nanny said I could hang out with Clay's today, so I figured I'd save you the trouble and walk home tonight." He says, coming to stand next to me. "What I didn't expect to find was you sucking face with some man on the front step. That was something I could've went my whole life without seeing."
He unlocks the door and hands my keys back. "I'll let you get back to sucking face. Night, Ma."
The door shuts and I burst out in a fit of giggles, burying my face in my hands.
Luke clears his throat. "Well, that hasn't happened to me since I was a teenager."
I giggle even harder, my stomach begins to hurt.
"Although, it wasn't kissing I was doing when I got caught." Luke states.
Tears stream down my cheeks and I raise my hand, trying to tell him to stop.
"I was pulling the pork when my Mom caught me," he bows his head and shakes it in mock shame. "She told me she now knew why my socks were all stiff."
"Stop!" I laugh. "I…can't handle…anymore." I wrap my arms around my stomach.
I take a few soothing breaths to calm myself. I blink the rest of the tears from my eyes and wipe my cheeks. "Thank you for tonight." I say, reaching for the doorknob.
Luke bends at the waist and kisses my cheek. "You're very welcome. Goodnight, Sweetheart."
"Goodnight, Dimples."