Page 36

Not that I’m surprised, but I was right.

The bananas Foster old fashioned was a ten out of ten, top marks, best old fashioned I’ve ever had.

And if it weren’t for the feel of Luke’s body pressed next to mine and the way he listened to me so intently, hanging on my every word, it would’ve been the high point of the night.

Well, that and when the Broncos won and a very enthusiastic man came over and pulled me out of the booth and threw me into the air.

I mean, that wasn’t fun. It was actually kind of scary.

What was fun—and still a little scary—was how fast Luke was out of the booth and standing between me and the football guy.

Luke can call himself a nerd all he wants, but he’s also at least six feet tall and has a body like a superhero, and as that guy learned tonight, he’s more than capable of defending himself and whoever he’s with.

“Oh wow.” I stand behind him while he unlocks his front door. “You and Isla weren’t lying, this is close to my house.”

After dinner was over, I wasn’t anywhere close to ready for the night to end.

I was trying to think of any reason to keep our time together going when Luke asked if I wanted to see how Mister Bubbles was doing.

Of course I jumped at the opportunity. As a Barkery volunteer, I’m obligated to always say yes when it comes to seeing one of our animals.

Also, since he already knows where I live, it only seemed fair that I see his place.

“It’s a great area, but it’s been an adjustment moving from my old house.

” He pushes open the door and flips on the hallway lights.

“I knew that neighborhood like the back of my hand. I miss walking to the bakery down the street and grocery shopping at the little mom-and-pop shop that’d been around forever.

And it had a huge backyard where Isla and I used to garden together every spring and summer.

There’s a small space in the back where we added some planters, but it’s not the same. ”

The thought of him gardening shouldn’t be so freaking hot, but I’m learning that anything and everything this man does turns me on.

Most especially, the way he looks at me.

“It’s not the same, and I’m sorry you had to go through that.

” I’m even more sorry that the thing Jacqueline signed up for, thinking it would be good for her and her family, ended up being what tore it apart.

“But it looks like you’ve done a lot with this place.

I’m sure Isla and Mister Bubbles love it here. ”

When I think of what a divorced man’s home would look like, I think of cold, almost clinical spaces filled with a lot of leather, white walls, and a TV that’s so big, it’s a miracle it fit through the door.

But even though I’m just at the entrance of Luke’s home, I know that’s not the case here.

Three framed black-and-white photos of Isla at different ages line the walls and little tchotchkes sit atop the entryway table.

To be honest, there’s more personality than I saw in Jacqueline’s entire house in just this small space alone. Her home is beautiful. His is lived in. Both are wonderful, but lucky for me, I much prefer Luke’s route.

“Thank you.” He kicks off his shoes and tosses his keys into the little homemade clay tray on the table.

“The transition wasn’t easy, but I wanted this place to feel like home for Isla, not just some place she visited to see her dad.

Mister Bubbles was the final piece to the puzzle and now she loves it here. ”

Freaking hell. This man is going to kill me. Could he be any sweeter?

“I’m sure she does.” I follow his lead and take off my shoes too. “And I’m sure you hear this all the time and it won’t mean much coming from me, but you’re an amazing dad. Isla’s so lucky to have you in her corner.”

“Why wouldn’t it mean much coming from you?” He cocks his head to the side and his brows furrow together. “You’re her teacher, it honestly means more coming from you than just about anybody else. Thank you for saying that.”

“You’re welcome,” I whisper back, not knowing what else to say.

“Alright then.” He leans down and touches his lips to mine before taking my hand and pulling me behind him. “Now let me show you around before I try to pull your sweater off in the entryway.”

Oh. Nice.

I don’t think I’d mind the entryway now that he mentions it…

“If I remember right, we didn’t make it much past your hotel room door either.” My hand tightens around his as I think back to our last night together. “I’m not sure we should break away from tradition so easily.”

Seeing him almost every week, knowing what his mouth feels like against mine, what his beard feels like rubbing against my thighs, has been damn near torture.

It didn’t matter how much I told myself I hated him, my body refused to forget how much it loved him.

Dinner was great, but I spent almost all of it waiting for it to be over so we could be alone together.

It’s been months of me closing my eyes and seeing his body on top of mine.

Now that we’re here again, I don’t want to wait a minute more.

“Tradition, huh?” He slows and turns to me, his eyes dropping to my cleavage and the lace edge of my bra that’s peeking from beneath my sweater. “I wouldn’t want to be the one to break that.”

My breasts fall heavy under his intense gaze and goose bumps rise across my skin in anticipation of feeling his hands on me again.

I take a step toward him, needing his touch more than I’ve ever needed anything in this world, but before I can reach him, I’m up in the air and thrown over his shoulder.

“Luke!” I scream his name through my breathless giggles and wrap my arms tight around his waist as he runs through his condo and reaches the stairs, taking them two at a time. “What are you doing?”

“Hush,” he says, but I barely register it over the sting of his hand splayed across my ass before I’m off of his shoulder and flat on my back. “I needed to see you on my bed and fuck, Em, what a sight it is.”

The fight dies on the tip of my tongue when I see the way Luke is watching me. He’s looking down at me like I’m a work of art, something precious and beautiful to be treasured. Like he can’t believe his fucking luck that I’m lying in front of him, sprawled across his bed, ready and waiting.

“Luke,” I whisper into the quiet of his room, fighting the urge to squirm beneath his intense gaze. I’m fully clothed, but I’ve never felt so exposed in my entire life.

“Hold on, baby,” he whispers back. “I didn’t take you in last time.

I didn’t appreciate what was right in front of me and I’m not making that mistake again.

I’m not going to forget a single detail about tonight.

Not the way your cheeks flush the same color red as your chest when I tell you how beautiful you are.

Not the way your curls look fanned across my pillows.

And never, not ever, will I forget the way you’re looking at me right now. ”

I know people are into athletes and financiers or whatever, and while everyone is allowed to have their own interests and opinions, they’re all wrong. The only man anyone should ever date is a writer. Because…oh my god? Did he really just say that to me?

“I really hope you’re not planning on going anywhere now.” It’s hard to talk with the need building between my thighs. “Because after that, I’m not sure I’ll be able to let you go.”

“Good.” He climbs on top of me, his body boxing me in underneath him. “I let you walk out my door once, Em, but I’m going to do everything in my power to make sure that never happens again.”

“That sounds good to me.” Flutters of excitement build in my belly as I let the promise of Lucas Miller sink in…a promise, I realize, that will still never measure up to the man above me.

He drops his head into the crook of my neck and his tongue traces a path until his teeth nip at my ear.

“I’m glad you like the way it sounds, but now,” he whispers, and the heat of his breath against the shell of my ear sends shivers down my spine, “I’m going to make sure you like the way it feels.”

He says no more. His mouth at my ear disappears and suddenly, so does my sweater.

“My god, Em.” His breathing deepens as his fingertips dance along the scalloped edges of my bra. “I knew when I saw this sticking out of your sweater it was going to be good, but it’s better than I imagined. You’re better than I imagined. Everything about you is a dream come to life.”

I don’t know what to say or even how to begin to respond to that, so instead, I do the only thing I can do. I wrap my arms around his neck and bring his mouth down to mine.

The kiss starts out gentle. His warm hands roam down my arms and across my bare stomach.

His soft lips move against mine until he coaxes my mouth open and his tongue tangles with mine.

I pull him closer, moaning into his mouth as I feel the weight of his body, his hard press against my soft causing something in both of us to snap.

Our hands turn frantic.

My fingernails claw at his back while his hands twist into my hair. He pulls my head back, exposing the delicate skin of my throat, nipping and biting his way to my chest. The quiet sting of his teeth only intensifies the pleasure pooling deep in my belly.

He lets go of my hair, his hands not hesitating before they find the cups of my bra and he yanks them down. He palms my breasts with his hands, rolling and tugging my nipples between his thumb and forefinger until I’m writhing beneath him, begging for more.

“Please, Luke.” I’m desperate for more. Desperate for him. “I need you.”

“You have me,” he murmurs against my breast before sucking one of my nipples into his mouth hard and fast. “I knew it from the first night we met, that you’d be the one to unravel me.”