Come Away with Me (With Me in Seattle, #1)(17)

“Thank you.”

His lips find mine, gently now, lingering and caressing my mouth as if we have all the time in the world. I shift my hips and grind myself against his thigh, and he groans low in his throat.

My blood is on fire. I’ve never wanted a man like I want Luke. I want to consume him. I want him fast and hard, and I want him to take all day. I love how tender he is with me.

He sits up, pulling me with him and grabs the hem of my shirt. “I want to see you.” He’s breathless and needy and in this moment I’d do anything he asked.

I lift my hands above my head, but before he can pull my shirt off, I feel drops of water on my face. I glance up and realize the sky has clouded over and it’s starting to rain, the water seeping through the branches of our oak tree.

“I’m getting wet,” I whisper against his mouth.

He grins, his eyes laughing at me. “I hope so.”

I can’t help but laugh at him, and I wrap my arms around his neck. “That too, but we’re about to get rained on.”

“Damn it,” Luke murmurs, kissing me chastely. He runs a hand down my back, from my neck to my ass, and I think I purr.

“We should go.” I raise an eyebrow at him.

“Don’t think I’m not going to discover your tattoo secrets.”

“What ever happened to taking this slow?” My breathing is starting to calm, but my heart is still beating fast. Oh, what this man does to me!

“I think I’ve changed my mind.” He’s perfectly serious.

Thank God!

“And why is that?” I run my hands through his hair, completely happy on his lap, with his arms tight around me.

“Because I can’t keep my hands off of you. I don’t know what you’re doing to me, but I’m under some kind of spell.”

He gives himself a shake, and looks around us at the darkening sky.

“The rain is getting heavy, let’s head back.” He lets me go and we gather our things, jogging into the woods and to the car. By the time we get there, we’re wet and laughing like kids.

“I don’t want to get your leather seats wet!”

“Don’t worry about it, just get in!”

He opens the door for me. “I don’t want you sick, baby.”

Baby? Baby! Am I okay with him calling me baby? He guides me into the seat, slams the door and runs to the driver side. He looks over at me, his hair and shirt soaked, breathing hard, his beautiful blue eyes full of humor.

Oh, yes. I’m fine with it.

“Let’s get you home and dry.” He starts the car and pulls out of the parking lot, toward the freeway.

“So, tell me more about yourself.”

Luke merges onto the freeway and glances over at me.

“What do you want to know?” I ask.

“Favorite music?”

“Maroon 5.” I respond easily.

“Favorite movie?” he asks with a grin.

“Hmm…

we’ve

had

this

conversation.” I laugh. “I still like The Way We Were.”

“Ah yes, you’re a Robert Redford fan.” He kisses my hand and I sigh.

“I am.”


“First boyfriend?” he asks, his eyes turn nervously to mine again, and I freeze. How do I answer this question?

“You know, I don’t do this.” I turn in the seat to face him.

He glances at me, then back at the road. “Do what?”

I shrug, trying to find the words, and wondering why I feel the need to explain myself.

“Hey,” he links his fingers with mine and kisses my hand before resting them both in his lap. “What is it?”

“I don’t usually spend much time with men. I don’t make out. I don’t share meals. I don’t spend time playing the twenty questions game. I just… don’t.”

This is coming out so wrong!

He gazes at me again, surprised.

“Okay, what do you do with men?”

He squirms in his seat and I think he’s mad.

“I f*ck them.” There. It’s out there.

“What?” Oh, yeah… I think he’s really mad.

“Luke, I don’t date.” Oh, how do I explain this? I have never wanted to date anyone before. Before him.

“Are you brushing me off?” his voice is incredulous and he lets go of my hand.

“No!” I close my eyes and shake my head. “Before I met you, I mean. I just don’t want you to think that I’m promiscuous or that I go out with guys into the woods after knowing them for less than two days.”

“But you f*ck them.” He snarls.

“Well, I used to.” I turn back in the seat and stare out the windshield.

“Before my parents died…”

He grabs my hand again and I whip my head back to him, surprised.

“Go on.”

“Before they died, when I was in college, I didn’t think much of myself.

And therefore, neither did anyone else. I didn’t date as a choice, Luke. But sex was something I understood. I’ve never wanted to feel anything else for a man.”

I swallow hard and close my eyes in shame.

“Did something happen to you to make you feel like that?” His voice is dead calm. Too calm.