Page 208 of The Havenport Collection

Luke

B y the time we tumbled into the backseat of the car Jude had arranged, we were stinking drunk.

Nora had rustled up some Fireball, and we took shots and danced for hours.

At one point all of Havenport’s elderly were gathered around us chanting our names while we did the twist. It was one of the silliest, most memorable evenings of my life.

I escorted her to her doorstep, watching as she gripped the railing for balance.

“Thanks for a fun night, Luke,” she said, eyes gleaming.

“My pleasure, Fireball,” I replied.

She reached and placed her hand on my chest. Her gentle touch was enough to ignite a fire of lust within me.

“Do you want to come in?” She swayed lightly, her eyes hooded with lust and too much whiskey.

I became lightheaded. There was nothing I wanted more in that moment. My dick danced a jig in my pants, and my brain spun out every dirty fantasy I had ever had about this woman.

But despite my raging hormones and high blood alcohol content, I knew it was not a good idea.

The caveman part of my brain wanted to throw her over my shoulder and run up the stairs so I could have my way with her all night. I briefly imagined her legs wrapped around my head while she was wearing those sexy heels.

But then, the good guy part of my brain took over. We had both been drinking quite a bit. And as much as I wanted her, I didn’t want her like this.

I wanted her stone-cold sober begging for me. I wanted to see the desire in her clear eyes as I pushed inside her for the first time.

I tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, dreading what I was about to say.

“Not tonight, Nora,” I said gently.

Her face fell.

“You’ve been drinking.”

“So have you.”

“I have. And I think it’s best if I say goodnight now.”

She dramatically rolled her eyes. “You have got to be shitting me. Not again.”

“I want to,” I said lamely.

Her eyes were pure fire. “This is what I get for letting my guard down. This is what I get for a few minutes of weakness. I was having such a good time I temporarily forgot what a shithead you are.”

“Nora.” I grabbed her arm gently. “It’s not like that.”

“Thank you, Luke. Thank you for behaving exactly as I expected you to and confirming my suspicion that deep down you are a vile soulless demon.”

I stood there feeling awkward, not sure what to say. She was even hotter while drunk-yelling at me, and all the blood was rushing south, leaving my brain malfunctioning.

I grabbed her arm, pulling her so close I could smell the whiskey on her breath.

“Stop,” I growled. She froze and looked up at me. “I am not rejecting you. I am not fucking you for the first time drunk. When I finally have you, you will be sober as a judge so you can remember every single inch of my dick. There will be no question just how much I want you.”

I made it into my house and chased some aspirin with a large glass of water. I needed to take my mind off Nora and the disaster of this evening, so I headed up to my office to check some emails.

I wanted her. I had wanted her for years, that was nothing new. But this was more than physical. Over the last few weeks, we had begrudgingly become friends, and I didn’t just want her. I kind of liked her too. She was sassy and fierce and smart.

And she didn’t take herself too seriously, unlike most of the women I had dated. Nora was wild, and bossy, and knew what she wanted. I could only imagine her in bed. Playful and intense and willing to try anything. Fuck. How did I manage to insult her while attempting to be a good guy?

But it was probably for the best. Nora was not a one-night stand; she wasn’t a casual fling. I could imagine getting her naked and never letting her leave my bed. The list of things I wanted to do to her was infinite, and I wasn’t built for that kind of thing.

I was sitting behind my monitors, trying to calm myself with boring spreadsheets when I heard a strange noise.

It was a breathy moan. Barely audible, but definitely something.

I stood up and headed toward the far wall—the wall I shared with Nora—and listened.

Then I heard it again followed by a faint buzzing sound.

The old brownstones were solidly built, so it wasn’t as if I could hear a lot, but there was definitely something happening on the other side of this wall.

I thought back to the layout of Nora’s house. I didn’t see much when I ran up there during the fire, but I was pretty sure it was identical to mine. Which would mean the other side of this wall was…the master bedroom.

My pulse quickened at the thought of only a wall between us. Was she in bed? What was she wearing? What was she doing?

I pressed my ear to the wall, desperate for more. It was mostly a few small gasps and moans accompanying the buzzing sound. But then…then things got interesting.

Her moans intensified and I could barely stand. My cock was rock hard, desperate to break through this wall and get to her. But I resigned myself to listening to the most beautiful sound I had ever heard.

The moans and sighs got louder and faster, and I heard a faint thump of the headboard against the wall. I groaned, closing my eyes and imagining her with her gorgeous body spread out on that purple quilt, hands between her legs.

I was debating whether to take matters into my own hands when I heard the one thing I could never unhear.

“Yes. Luke. Yes,” she screamed.

Fuck.

I felt dizzy. My head spun and my heart raced.

I didn’t just want to sleep with Nora. I didn’t just want her to be my friend.

I wanted all of her.

I wanted to make her mine.