Chapter Eighteen #2
He sighed. ‘I know.’ He gently pushed her hair behind her ear, lingering to stroke the soft skin there.
He did know, maybe too well, where Blair’s priorities had always been.
Her family was more important than her future, her dreams, and more important than him.
Blair closed her eyes, leaning into his touch.
‘Blair,’ Luke whispered, leaning to kiss behind her ear. ‘God, you’re so beautiful. Take the weight off your shoulders for a while.’ He kissed her neck. ‘Let someone take care of you, okay?’
Blair couldn’t make words while he was kissing her neck, so she moaned and let herself fall into him. She needed this so much. Smiling, Luke nudged her to stand, bringing her straight to his bedroom. Blair sat on his bed.
He lifted the hem of her short floral skirt. ‘Now that this isn’t a secret,’ he said as he peeled off her tights, ‘maybe we can go to your place next time.’
Blair exhaled. Bianca and Belinda weren’t the only reason why Blair couldn’t invite Luke to her house. Blair was about to make an excuse, when Luke slid down her underwear.
Blair started unbuttoning her cardigan, but he stopped her.
‘Leave it on. I love your cardigans,’ he said. ‘You’re letting me live out my sexy librarian fantasies.’
Blair started to laugh, but then Luke parted her legs and pressed a kiss to her inner thigh. She shuddered, eyes rolling back. He kissed her other thigh, letting his teeth drag against the soft skin there, and Blair drew in a sharp breath.
He was teasing her – slowly kissing and licking her thighs, everywhere except where she needed him most. Blair squirmed, trying to shift herself closer to his mouth, but he only laughed gently.
‘Patience, Blair.’ He held her hips down, pressing a kiss a little higher on her inner thigh while his fingers made slow circles on her hips.
This was the sweetest torture Blair had ever experienced.
She propped herself on her elbows to look, and the picture of Luke in his flannel shirt and jeans, crouching between her legs with her skirt wantonly tossed up over her T-shirt and cardigan was an unexpectedly arousing sight that only made her more desperate.
‘You’re a tease,’ Blair said.
He laughed softly, face inching closer to where she wanted him. ‘Do you want more, Blair?’
‘You know I do.’ His warm breath between her legs made her shudder. ‘Please, Luke.’
‘Well, since you’re asking so nicely.’ He draped her legs over his shoulders and licked straight up her centre.
Blair moaned, her head falling back on the pillow.
He was so, so good at this. He licked again, his tongue parting her folds, and Blair fisted the bed sheet, biting her lip to prevent herself from screaming.
Every stroke of his tongue sent ripples of pleasure coursing through her.
How was he doing this to her? She put a hand on the back of his head, fingers running through his soft waves, as he feasted on her.
He was still teasing though – still being soft and gentle when Blair wanted so much more.
‘Harder, Luke,’ she panted.
‘Yes, ma’am,’ he said before plunging two fingers inside her while sucking hard on her bundle of nerves. Blair was finally pushed over the edge, her back arching off the bed. Her orgasm seemed to go on forever, her hand clutching the back of his head as she cried out his name over and over.
This particular act wasn’t something they’d tried when they were young and figuring out how to make each other feel good, and as she caught her breath, Blair said a silent thank you to whoever Luke’s teacher had been.
He gave her a smug look, resting his chin on her thigh, like he’d climbed a mountain for Blair.
She laughed as she pulled him up to her so she could come back down to earth while hugging him.
How had she ever let this man leave her life?
Maybe a better question, how was she going to let him leave again?
* * *
Later, Blair was wrapped in Luke’s arm with her head on his chest. They’d finally removed their clothes, and she was running her fingers very lightly over his skin, just as he liked it. ‘So, question, Luke,’ she said.
‘Yes?’
‘Um, we haven’t been in touch since you left Moonbeam Hollow . . . and I have to assume that, based solely on your levelling up in certain skills, you’ve dated a lot?’
He beamed, tightening his arm around her. ‘I’m glad you’ve noticed my skill-ups.’
‘Oh, I definitely have.’ Blair didn’t have an issue with the fact that he’d been with other women since they were teens, because it had been twelve years, and she’d been the one to break up with him.
And Blair wasn’t the jealous type, anyway.
But she still wondered about his past. Had he been in serious relationships?
Had he been in love? Had he had other friends-with-benefits arrangements?
‘Just . . . wondering where you acquired them.’
He didn’t say anything for a few seconds. ‘Um,’ Luke finally said. ‘Are you looking for names, or other defining characteristics?’
Blair wasn’t doing this right. ‘Never mind,’ she said.
‘No, Blair, what are you really asking here?’
She propped herself on her elbow so she could see him. ‘I guess I’m curious. Have you been in a relationship since you left Moonbeam Hollow?’
‘I’ve dated here and there. Lived with someone for a while.’
‘Why’d you break up?’
He shrugged. ‘Didn’t feel right. What about you?’
‘Same. Except I haven’t lived with anyone except my sisters. But I’ve dated. Nothing super serious.’
‘Do you see yourself ever . . .’ He paused. ‘I mean, I know you’re a secret softy who loves her romance movies, but you said your life is too complicated for a relationship right now. Do you think you want a happily ever after one day?’
‘Define happily ever after.’
‘Commitment,’ he said. ‘Marriage. Mortgage. Maybe kids.’
Blair exhaled. ‘Honestly, I don’t know. You?’
‘Commitment, yes. The rest of it? I thought I did once. But now? I don’t know, either.’
Blair didn’t say anything to that because she didn’t really like where this conversation was going.
It was steering too close to relationship talk for their casual fling.
This situationship had been going on for a while now, and the fact that they’d had to steal moments here and there, hoping that Blair’s sisters wouldn’t find out, meant that they’d spent most of their time together here in his apartment.
It didn’t feel like a relationship – they hadn’t even had a meal together until this weekend.
They’d never fallen asleep together. There was no getting to know each other and no promises for a future.
But still. Her sister’s words from last night rang in her ears: ‘you can’t be friends with benefits with an ex.’
Bianca had meant that it’s impossible to get physical with someone who you once cared deeply for without those feelings coming right back.
Blair had thought she was protecting herself by keeping this fling physical only.
She was letting out some sexual tension and having fun with someone who knew how to make her body sing like no one else had ever managed to do.
But two weeks into this fling and Blair wasn’t sure her heart had been protected at all.
And also? She wasn’t sure Luke was considering this casual, either. He cared about her – in addition to the lovely things he’d said about how she sacrificed for her sisters, he always prioritized her in bed. And he always moaned her name like it was sacred.
But there were layers and layers of reasons why falling for Luke again was a bad idea.
He was building a bakery that could ruin her café.
Also, he was only in town temporarily. And of course, she still didn’t know what his part was in all the things happening in town.
Whoever this vengeful spirit was, they weren’t done wreaking havoc on Moonbeam Hollow and the festival.
Blair took a deep breath. She needed to put her feelings for Luke, whatever they were, aside, and figure out what his role in all this was. ‘So . . . how is the construction coming downstairs?’
He shrugged. ‘Fine. There was a bit of a slowdown last week – Iris couldn’t come for a few days because of jobs in the city. I’m leaving all the complicated woodworking to her.’
‘The festival opens in two weeks. You still on track to open then?’
He nodded. ‘Yeah, I think so. Still don’t have a stall, though.’ He huffed a laugh. ‘May just have to go ahead and build it.’
Blair bit her tongue. She still wasn’t happy that he was launching the bakery at the festival. But . . . if they didn’t figure out what the hell was going on, there wouldn’t be a festival at all. ‘Any chance I could see it?’
‘The stall? I haven’t started it yet.’
‘No, the bakery.’ She laughed self-consciously. ‘I mean, I’m curious about your progress. I’ve been up here so much, but haven’t seen the actual bakery downstairs.’
‘Of course.’ His eyes narrowed. ‘Is this like a know your enemy strategy?’
Blair laughed, then kissed him briefly. ‘I think we’re far beyond enemies at this point.’
‘I’m glad you see it my way.’ He paused. ‘What are we then?’
‘Friends.’ Blair brushed her lips against his.
‘I’ve never quite had a friend like this before.’ He pulled her closer. ‘But I like your definition of friendship.’ Luke kissed her.
‘So . . . can I see the bakery?’ Blair asked when she came up for air.
‘Like, now?’
Blair nodded.
‘Of course.’ Luke got out of bed. ‘Your grand tour awaits, friend.’