Page 50 of Bluebird

11

We sheepishly made our way back to the house, hand in hand, covered in mud and soaking wet. Without saying a word, Luke directed me up the stairs into his ensuite. He adjusted the temperature of the shower, and let the hot water run, filling the room with steam.

I smiled timidly as he ran his hand slowly down my cheek. Luke unlatched my belt, and let my dress fall to the tiled floor. I sucked in my breath as his eyes lingered on every curve of my body.

He unbuttoned his ruined shirt as my hands moved around his waist, tugging his pants over his persistent bulge. They dropped to his ankles and he kicked them away with a grin. I unclasped my bra and removed my soaked underwear as Luke stalked me into the shower.

I sighed contentedly, as the falling hot water caressed my shoulders. Luke kissed my neck as he ran a bar of lavender soap over my body, exploring every part of me. I returned the favour, until he could take no more.

Luke laid me down on his four-poster bed, and pulled a foil packet from his bedside drawer.

His face turned pale as he remembered something. “Shit, Blue, we forgot to use…”

“Oh, shit,” I winced, until I remembered I was on birth control. “It’s okay…I’m on the pill and I’m clean.” I hadn’t been with a man since Stefan and I certainly got myself tested after him.

Luke exhaled. “I am too, but we should—”

“Yes, definitely,” I agreed, before he could finish his sentence.

Our lips met once again and ignited our bodies. We spent the next few hours wrapped up in Luke’s bed, trying to slow down the urgency of our lovemaking.

* * *

“You’ve been holding out on me, Luke Easton,” I teased, looking up into his gorgeous blue eyes. I lay in his arms, resting my chin on his bare chest, enjoying the rhythm of his heartbeat.

He tucked one of my lose curls behind my ear. “Blue…I’ve been holding out for you.”

My heart quickened when I realised the depth of what he meant. I shifted to my own pillow and Luke rolled over to face me, brushing his fingers tenderly up and down my arm.

I frowned. “Why didn’t you ever tell me?”

Luke lowered his gaze “I didn’t want to be the reason you stayed.”

“I would have made you come with me,” I said, poking him in the ribs.

He attempted to smile, but his eyes were full of anguish. “But I couldn’t. Not with Nan and the business to look after…I had to let you go.”

I rolled onto my back and let out a sigh. “And all this time I thought you just wanted to be friends.”

Luke chuckled. “I haven’t wanted to be friends with you since I returned home after footy.”

My mouth dropped and Luke smirked at my ignorance. “But when I heard you sing, I knew you had to leave Fairleigh…Plus, you were all wrapped up in that jerk of a boyfriend.”

I rolled away from him and shoved my face into the pillow, muffling my groan. “I only got back together with Jake because I didn't think you were interested.” I crinkled my nose. “You weren’t jealous, were you?”

“You have no idea.” He grimaced.

“But what about Kate?” I asked, suspiciously.

Luke winced. “I still feel pretty shitty about that,” he confessed. “It was getting harder to fight my feelings for you, especially when I knew you felt something too. So, I kind of used her as a deterrent, to keep you focused. But I guess it all backfired in the end anyway.” He threaded his fingers through mine. “I never wanted you to leave the way you did.”

I drew a deep breath. “So why now? After all these years?”

“I don’t know…maybe because you’re in town for longer than an hour this time.”

I pursed my lips and nodded.

His expression held more emotion than his words. “I’ve been waiting a long time for you to come home, Blue.”