CHAPTER SIXTEEN
April had never been much of a morning person, but when the light streaming in through the window woke her as the sun rose, she found that she was wide awake.
Watching the beams of light creep farther into the room while Luke snored softly beside her felt otherworldly, like she was seeing a glimpse of the future of someone else’s life.
She sat up slowly and stretched, surprised at how rested she felt. Normally staying in a strange bed meant a fitful sleep tossing and turning. But whether it was Luke’s sinfully cozy bed or the soothing presence of him and Sadie, April wasn’t sure she’d slept as well as that in a long time.
Sadie yawned and then whined, sitting up on the end of the bed and moving closer so that she could place her head in April’s lap.
She smiled down at the dog, charmed by the warmth and softness of her fur as she combed through the calico strands.
When she’d first woken up, Luke’s arms had still been around her, like he’d held her all night, and the thought of leaving his peaceful little haven actually made her a little sad, despite her eagerness to get the shop finished and plan for the Spring Flower Festival.
In the golden light of the morning, Luke’s bedroom looked plusher than ever.
The carpet and covers were the same shade of cream as the walls, and his wooden bedframe, nightstands, and the artwork on the walls added color to the space.
He must have had a walk-in closet, because the room seemed to be missing one and she knew he had to have a closet at least as big as her own for his fairly extensive suit collection.
The guy loved his suits—and he didn’t look half bad in them, either.
The only thing she found strange was that the large window to the left of the bed didn’t have any drapes. There was a set of gauzy curtains but they did little to stop the light.
When she glanced outside, she realized why.
The view was … breathtaking. It was the same one depicted in the paintings on the wall, she realized.
A tiny stream of water ran in the distance amid acres of grass, but closer to the house there was a riot of color so beautiful it made tears come to her eyes.
Luke woke up every day to a field of wildflowers outside his window and April was officially jealous.
“Morning,” he mumbled, the sleepiness in his expression fading fast when he saw the emotion on her face. “What’s wrong?”
She nodded to the window. “It’s beautiful.”
He relaxed, smiling as he eased back against the pillow, once again half asleep. “Mm, thought you’d like it,” he mumbled.
What? Surely he didn’t mean that he’d planted them for her? He probably meant that he’d thought she’d like the view, that it reminded him of her.
Nope. She had to ask. Otherwise it would drive her crazy.
“Luke,” she whispered and he blinked blearily. “What did you mean, you thought I’d like it?”
For a second, confusion lined his face, and then comprehension bled in.
“Ah, fuck,” he mumbled, the pink in his cheeks looking bright against the creamy coverlet.
His smile was a little hopeful and slightly guilty, like he wasn’t sure how to play this.
“It was nothing. A slip of the tongue,” he said, and when he smirked she knew he was trying to change the subject.
She folded her arms across her chest and he sighed. “You’re as stubborn as your brother.”
“Did you plant a field of flowers for him, too?”
Luke rolled his eyes and she glowered, hating the way his eyelashes curled perfectly around his denim-blue eyes.
“I didn’t plant all of them. It’s not a big deal, OK?
I found this place when I was about twenty and it needed a lot of work, so Noah and I fixed it up.
But yes, when I saw the field of flowers, I thought of you. Even then.”
A tingle swept through her. What was she supposed to say to that? “You … liked me?”
He laughed and Sadie lifted her head from April’s lap to pant at him excitedly. “I’ve been half in love with you since we were twelve, when Lucas Broom pulled your pigtails and in retaliation you punched him in the balls.”
She grinned at the memory, smile fading as she tried to comprehend what he was saying to her. “But I thought—”
“I know what you thought,” he interrupted. “But I’d rather have your hate than nothing, April. At least when you were insulting me you were talking to me, breathing the same air as me.” He rolled his eyes. “You were oblivious, and that’s OK. This doesn’t have to change anything.”
But it did. For her, at least, it changed everything. Every interaction, every moment of tension, the vibe her friends were convinced she and Luke gave off …
Fuck.
Sadie whined and Luke sat up. “OK, OK. Come on, then.” He got up, pulling a pair of checkered pajama bottoms from his drawer and putting them on before leaving the room with Sadie at his feet. A few seconds later she saw Sadie run out the door and into the grass below.
It couldn’t have been more than ten minutes that passed as she watched Luke and Sadie from the window before he came back up the stairs.
“OK, Sadie has been fed and watered. I’m afraid I don’t have much in the way of tea, but I do have coffee if you want some?
” He paused to look at her for a reply but all she could do was stare.
In a way, she was relieved that he didn’t have her preferred beverage—things would have seemed too perfect otherwise. Unreal. “Jones? You good?”
April stood up from the bed and approached him, loving the way his eyes dropped to take in her bare legs beneath the hem of his t-shirt.
“Yeah, Pointer. I’m good,” she said, and then kissed him.
His hair was mussed adorably and she ran her fingers through it, pressing closer to his body as he groaned into the kiss.
Words were lost as they tasted each other, just the heat building between them and the movements of their bodies being used to communicate as Luke gripped the hem of the tee and lifted it up and over her head.
Their lips parted for a mere breath before rejoining, like any break in kisses was a loss, a waste.
Luke was already shirtless, and she ran her palms down his chest as his tongue teased hers.
She reached the waist of his pajama pants and, when he nodded, eased them down, along with the boxers underneath.
His erection sprung free, already hard for her, a bead of moisture at his tip that made her lick her lips.
“April.” The word was an encouragement and a warning as she tightened her hand around his thick length and slowly moved her palm up and down.
His fingers curled around her wrists, tugging them away as he walked her backward toward the bed.
He steered her body with his own, making her lie with her head pressed into the pillow, her hands, still captured in his, now resting above her head.
“I want this to last,” he growled and shuddered when she lifted her hips to rub him teasingly.
“I’m not feeling super patient right now, Luke.”
That familiar smirk crossed his face as he released her wrists and reached down to stroke through her wet heat. “So ready for me, April.”
Her legs widened, her feet pressing into the backs of his calves to encourage him closer. “What’re you going to do about it?”
His smirk fell away and left only heat and hunger behind. “I’m going to make you forget the name of anyone who came before me.” A rush of desire flashed through her, making her wetter, and he bit his lip as he felt the increase against his fingers. “Do you want that, April?”
“Yes,” she gasped and two fingers pushed inside of her, shallowly at first and then deeper. “Luke,” she moaned.
“Yes?” he said, tone innocent.
“Stop teasing me,” she begged and when she felt him hot and hard at her entrance, she writhed against him. “Yes, yes.”
Luke pressed into her, muscles tense as he tried to maintain some self-control, and that … well, that was unacceptable.
April canted her hips up and pushed into him, taking him deeper.
“Fuck,” he groaned and it was her turn to smirk as he withdrew almost completely and dove back into her, the friction making them both moan. Two fingers pressed against her clit, circling her with sure strokes in time with his thrusts, and Luke cursed as she tightened around him.
The bed creaked, the sweet smell of his detergent floating up around them as Luke pressed her into the sheets with one leg stretched up and out so he could hit an angle that—
“There, yes, fuck—”
Luke moved faster, the muscles in his stomach flexing as he fucked her, and the sight of him towering over her, body slick with sweat as he hit just the right spot—
Her body tensed and tightened and Luke cursed as she cried out, falling over the edge so fast it shocked her. “I-I came.”
He slowed, grinning. “You sound surprised.”
“Well, I didn’t mean to,” she whined and when he twitched inside her she groaned, grinding against him.
She rocked against him again, sparks flying through her body.
The low moan that slipped out of her mouth surprised her but she couldn’t help it, not when he was watching her with so much satisfaction that her desire kicked up another notch.
“I think …” Luke pulled out and she whimpered in protest. He flipped onto his back and placed a firm hand on each of her hips, lifting her up and positioning her so she was straddling him.
“You need more, Jones. You can give me one more, right?” She was already rocking against him, her legs spread on either side of his hips while he watched her take what she needed from him.
“Just one more,” he groaned and she placed her hands on his shoulders, leveraging herself up until he was positioned properly underneath her.