“Ready for the performance evaluation?”
Luke’s deep vocals startled Aleen out of the peaceful place she had drifted off to. Not sleep, exactly, but an island far, far away.
“You give your conquests performance evaluations?” She rolled her eyes and wondered if this was a side of Luke she didn’t want to know about.
“Not all. Just the ones who need them.”
She hoisted herself to her elbow. “What are you saying, Luke? You’d better tread carefully. I keep pepper spray in my night stand.”
His finger drew circles around her breasts, teasing the nipple without indulging.
“Don’t you want to know what I think of your orgasm face?”
She lifted the pillow and buried her face under it.
“I think you should go to your own room now.”
When she wouldn’t easily release the pillow to his tugging, he wrapped his lips around her nipple, startling her into loosening her grip.
She squealed. “You’re not afraid to use tactics, huh?”
“I didn’t want to overwhelm you with my superior strength, so I figured the pleasure route was the best way to disarm you.”
“Wow, an orgasm brings out the Superman in you.”
“Hell, yeah. Didn’t you see me fly?”
A fresh round of moisture gathered below. Dang, he had a way of affecting her that she had never given any real consideration to. What had she missing out on with him all these years?
“Anyway, you were saying something about a performance review?”
“Oh, yes. I think you should know, that in spite of your initial reluctance to find carnal pleasures in the arms of your best friend, you have surpassed every other woman who has ever meandered through this territory before.”
She snorted. “Yeah, okay.”
“Are you arguing with me? Haven’t I tamed you with my caresses?”
“Something like that.” Unable to resist the urge, she allowed her fingers to play with the hair above his ear.
“And might I also say, your orgasm face is the most outstanding face I’ve seen—and I’ve seen—”
“Okay, okay—you don’t have to talk about all of the orgasm faces you’ve seen. I’m well aware of every single one of your conquests.” She tugged on his hair for good measure.
“I was going to say that I’ve seen all of your faces. That one just might be my favorite.”
His grin ate her insides.
“So what’s the story with your insecurity about it?”
She shrugged and rolled over, away from him. She didn’t feel like talking. She’d rather drift off to sleep and wake up to find their relationship had resumed its normalcy.
But she also didn’t want him to leave her side. She liked the way his skin felt against hers. The way his scent permeated every memory depot in her brain. The way his touch felt familiar and new all at the same time.
He wrapped his arms around her, cocooning her in the circle of his arms.
“Talk to me, Leeni.”
She hesitated. The more she held back from him, the more relentless he would become.
“It’s really no big deal. Remember that guy I dated a year or so after the whole thing with Adam? Well, he made a joke about my orgasm face at a dinner party we attended together. Absolutely mortifying. Ever since then, I’ve made sure to keep that face private. I didn’t want to set myself up for that kind of humiliation ever again.” She peered at him over her shoulder. “So if you say one negative word, I’ll probably kill you, since I can’t dump you like I dumped him.”
“I always hated that guy.”
“You always hated every guy I dated.”
He hugged her tighter, pulling her closer to him.
She wondered at his silence. His lack of a cutesy retort.
She was about to ask him, but then his energy shifted again and he rolled her over on her back, imprisoning her with his hand on her hip.
“He was crazy. Certifiable. I happen to love that face. In fact, I’m ready to see it again.”
“Ha. We have to get up early. I’m working a double, and you have early appointments every day this week, remember?”
He pushed his erection into her thigh.
“I can’t sleep with this thing. Help out a friend, would ya?”
As his best, best friend, and one whose horniness stirred as intensely as his, she couldn’t turn him down.
***
The next morning, Aleen was greeted with the delicious aroma of freshly cooked French toast.
She stretched out in her bed, sore in muscles she didn’t know she had. Her night had gone from one workout to another, and she couldn’t stop smiling. She had never been into the whole fitness thing, but if Luke was her gym, she’d get her money’s worth out of a membership.
But now came the moment of truth.
Though she had loved every decadent second of a night spent with Luke in a non-platonic way, she had to be sure they could go back to where they were safest and closest. They couldn’t afford to play with this intimacy—she needed to find a relationship, and she couldn’t lose sight of that goal simply because he had gifted her with the best freaking sex of her life.
She didn’t want him to feel awkward, either. She had to let him know that things were still friendly between them, and that she could look at him like her best friend and not like a juicy piece of steak.
She tossed her robe on, not ready to wash away his scent, and unable to bear the thought of putting scratchy clothes against her well-loved, sore skin.
She tightened the belt so no skin showed and slipped into her fuzzy slippers. She didn’t bother combing her hair. He was used to her horrible morning look—best not to worry about impressing him. Best friends. Not lovers.
“Wow, you woke up with some energy, huh?” She eyed the breakfast he had spread across the counter—French toast, cut fruit, bacon. Home fries sizzled on the stovetop in the cast iron skillet he favored.
She snatched a piece of watermelon out of the fruit bowl. Spatula in hand, Luke leaned over to—gulp—kiss her. Oh no. There would be none of that.
She turned at the last second so his kiss landed more appropriately on her cheek.
He looked at her for a moment. She distracted herself with more fruit.
“What are you up to after work tonight?”
Simple question. Why couldn’t she answer? Maybe because he was cooking for her on her barely used stove, dressed in nothing but his boxer briefs.
Boxer briefs which outlined his assets way too clearly.
She shook her head to clear away thoughts of what they had done together. She couldn’t be thinking of him as Luke the Lover.
She had to think of him as the guy who spent an hour in the bathroom after dinner. The guy who burped the alphabet when he had a few beers—even now that he was a well-established vet and no longer a college student. The guy who hit on every single one of her friends over the years.
The guy who broke hearts because he could never make his feel the same way.
“I don’t have plans.”
“No wild dates?” He turned and winked, a gleeful and boasting smile on his face.
“Not tonight. I thought I’d take a short break.”
He turned off the burner.
“I’m glad you’re done with that dating website. I don’t like the way those guys think. You’ve already had some woozies, I dreaded what would happen next.”
“Who says I’m done? I said I’m taking a break. There aren’t a lot of ways for a single, professional woman to meet a guy these days.”
He stiffened and glared.
“Where are you taking Carrie this weekend?”
Aleen leaned across the counter, doing her best to feign an interested expression. Doing her best to pretend that knowing he planned to take Carrie out again didn’t send a bullet into her gut.
“You really think I could see her again?”
His tone was dark, measured. He looked at her like she was a wild dog and he needed to tame her before trying to give her a vaccination.
“Of course you are.” She bit into a slice of bacon. Ick. He had bought the turkey stuff again. “Why wouldn’t you?”
He slammed the spatula into the skillet, spilling potatoes on the stove as he sloppily transferred them into a serving bowl.
“She’s really excited about it. I think it’s nice that you decided not to blow her off after the first date.”
“Nice?” His eyes drew together, and a storm brewed behind his normally friendly irises.
“Yeah. Nice. She’s a good girl. A little on the bubbly side, but I think you guys make a cute couple.”
He moved his jaw back and forth as if in pain.
“Is this about Adam?”
“What would Carrie and you have to do with Adam?”
“Sabrina mentioned you were looking into reconnecting with him. Is that why you’re pushing me into this thing with Carrie?”
She stammered, searching for a response. Light and fluffy wasn’t working.
Rather than pulling him back into the friendship zone, she had a sinking feeling that she had pushed him away.
“You know what? Don’t answer. I have to go.”
“Luke, wait a second.”
She slid off her stool and tried to follow him, but he slammed his bedroom door shut behind him.
So he needed space.
He was always sensitive about her enthusiasm for his dating life. Maybe she shouldn’t have pushed so strongly.
Maybe she should have gone straight to work without stopping for a friendly morning breakfast.
Maybe she shouldn’t have been such a horny she-devil last night.