Chapter Five

Emma never made it back to Cooks to retrieve her vehicle. Luke insisted that he drive her home, and she was more than fine with it. He helped her into the car, slipping in quickly behind her. His arm fell across the back of the seat and settled over her shoulder. Like he’d done in the diner and like he’d done in front of Rebecca last week, he took away her choice.

Yet she didn’t mind his high-handed attitude now.

Her body warmed at his closeness, heart beating fast and hard. A hot spicy scent settled around her, woodsy and warm. Stupid though it may be, she wanted to feel this man naked against her. She wanted to bury her head into that manly scent.

Luke turned off the freeway and onto her road, slowing into the parking space beyond her driveway. He stopped the vehicle and turned into her short drive.

“Are you changing your mind?”

He didn’t look at her. “I should.”

She laid her hand on his firm thigh, curving her fingers between his legs. “It’s crazy, I know.”

“Your lawyer won’t be pleased, Emma.”

Why did he have to bring that up? Mentioning her lawyer brought to mind the reason she needed one, and that made her remember that she wasn’t actually free to get involved with a man. Especially this one.

“Forget I said that, babe.”

“How can I forget, Luke?” Her caressing hand tightened on his leg, relishing the feel of its tautness. She needed to let him go, yet she couldn’t. “You need to go—”

A loud growl echoed in the fancy car a second before his arm squeezed around her shoulder and the second hand cupped her face, lifting it up to his hungry lips. His kiss devoured her, stealing both her breath and her senses. She groaned out a frustrated sigh and clamped her fingers on his thigh as he buried his tongue in her mouth. She moaned again, slipping her clutched hand from his thigh to his chest upward to the side of his neck. His heart beat rough against her fingers as she moved them over his heated skin to the back of his head, and pressed her mouth up to match his desire.

Why deny her body the man? Why allow the past to interfere with the present? She wanted to be with this man because she wanted him, nothing else.

Right or wrong, she needed him.

“Inside,” he growled out, releasing her mouth. He jerked his hand toward the door handle and pressed it open.

“Yes.” He pulled her out of the car, walking beside her up the short steps. Her keys were in her hands and unlocking the door before she heard the unmistakable sound of a car locking in the quiet air. It opened with a bang a flash of a second later and he pushed her into the dim living room, slamming the door hard. Her coat fell to the floor followed by his, and then she kicked off her shoes. They landed near his discarded shirt.

“Luke?” She grinned at his eagerness, placing both of her hands on his hard chest and spread the fingers wide. “Nice.”

This would be okay. She would be okay.

Her hands explored the width of his naked chest, down the hard abs to the button at the top of his jeans. He groaned when her hand rested on the bulge of his cock. Her legs weakened at the size of it, pussy going wet in anticipation of having him inside her.

“I never wanted…someone,” she whispered, stroking his length through the blocking barrier of his pants. “Maybe it’s because I’m—”

“Stop talking,” he howled, lifting her and heading toward the back hallway. She let out her breath and allowed him to take control. “Bedroom?”

“Open door,” she said, forcing in life-giving air. She sighed out the breath when he raced into the dark room and deposited her onto the bed, falling on top of her and covering her mouth once again with his. “Oh.”

Urgency trembled in him, a need so strong she felt it in her own body. He deepened the kiss and then slipped his lips along her cheek to her ear, nibbling on it with devastating hunger before continuing his journey to her neck and shoulder. He slid out the top button of her blouse and then the second and third until he pulled the material completely apart. He jerked off the material and threw it to the floor. A second later her bra followed the blouse, and he laid her on the mattress. Warm breath moved over her breasts and then his tongue flicked the nipple, sending her upper body up and into him.

“Beautiful.”

She wanted him. Now. “Luke?”

He lifted his mouth from her and looked into her eyes. “Don’t say no, Emma.”

All she could do was shake her head.

“It’s not wrong,” he whispered, placing both hands on the bed on either side of her head. “Feels…right.”

“Yes.” She moved her hands between their bodies, spreading them wide against his smooth, hard chest and traveling up to his shoulders. She grinned and pushed at his arm, toppling him to the side and twisting her body to land on top of him. He laughed at her maneuver before shaking his head and raising her easily off him to the floor. “Hey.”

“Stay.” He sat up and undid the button and zipper of her pants. They fell to the floor and she stepped out of them, leaving her in only small, light green panties. “That’s a little better.”

A delicious chill ran up her body. His hungry gaze overwhelmed her. That little voice deep inside tried to explain how wrong sleeping with him could be, but she silenced it. His seduction buried the memory of the last man she’d been with, as well as the reason for her out-of-character behavior that night. All she wanted to do now was enjoy this man, this one time. Then he would say goodbye and she would go on with her life. The way his brother had, the way her ex-husband had.

“Babe,” he said softly, trailing his fingertips down through the valley of her breasts and her still-flat stomach. He spread his hands there, covering her in a net of safety. Then he stopped his movement, with concern peaking past his desire. “Is it safe? For sex?”

She nodded. Her OB/GYN had said it was fine to have sex. “It’s safe.”

“Good. “A growl roared from him. He moved his fingers down into her panties, sliding the tips of them over her middle. “Nice and wet.”

And weak and ready, she pleaded whispered words as he tore off her panties and placed her on her back. Then he kicked out of his shoes, grabbed a packet from his pocket, and stepped out of his jeans. Her heart warmed in a different way when he tore open the packet and slipped it on his cock.

“Luke, that’s not…”

He groaned and attacked her breasts, flicking the edge of her nipples with a rough tongue. She swallowed the rest of her statement and moaned his name, pushing at the top of his head. He released the one he was working on and traveled his mouth and tongue over her stomach around to her outer thigh to her leg to her feet and back up the other side. She panted, aching with desire to feel his tongue on her aroused middle.

But instead of answering, he continued his journey back up her body until his mouth covered hers in a famished kiss. His hands held him a few inches off her, his hardness rubbing against her damp core. She opened her legs, delighting in the feel of him. He growled out his pleasure and eased slowly into her, a delicious, one glorious inch at a time until he was buried deep. He stopped then, lifting his mouth from hers.

“Don’t stop, Luke.”

He closed his eyes and pulled out of her, then thrust slow back inside. In and out, slow even strokes of pure pleasure, driving her just as slowly to the edge of fulfillment and then easing her back with the outward stroke. She moaned out his name and jerked her body, asking him without words to speed the process. He responded by thrusting hard and fast, lifting out quickly and thrusting again. With his quick, filling stroke her orgasm spread closer and closer to the surface, finally roaring out with his screamed name. She slammed up into him, taking all the pleasure he was willing to give her until he stiffened and thrust one last time. And fell on top of her, sweat mixing with her sweat, wood scent with her light floral perfume.

“Shit, babe.”

All Emma could do was agree.

****

Luke lay on top of her for a few minutes, too weak to move. He finally found the strength to roll, pulling her with him so she lay soft at his side. One smooth, long leg over his firmer ones and one soft arm along his chest, he put his hand at the back of her head and placed her face into the dip of his shoulder. Sharp, quick breaths warmed the chilled skin there, racing heart beating hard and fast.

His brother had been right about her, yet Luke sensed there was more to this woman. She had taken a chance being with him tonight, and so had he. Even though her mother thought the judge would be pleased, Luke wasn’t as sure. Maybe as her uncle, but definitely not as her lawyer. Luke’s selfish need to make love to her may have left the deal in limbo. Technically, what she and her brother signed concerned only the two of them. Only the two of them needed to stay away from each other, not members of either family. Yet Rebecca found out about her, and he’d foolishly joined them at their table in a public place. He may not be as well-known as a Benjamin in the community as his parents or brother and younger sisters, but he was still known.

A calm touch settled against his chin, stopping his frantic thoughts. She buried her head in his neck and sighed. Damn, but he could get used to this woman. “That was nice.”

“Just nice? A grin messed with her mock-serious voice. “You can do better than that, Luke.”

“Probably.” He traced his fingertips up her back and cupped her neck, kissing the top of her head. “Once my brain starts functioning again.”

Sweet laughter warmed over his shoulder. “That’ll work.”

His gruff laughter mixed with hers. He loved the sound of her laughter, not to mention her voice. Calm and comforting, warm and sweet and full of life, it gave peace. Peace he hadn’t realized he lacked. “I can listen to you laugh all day long.”

“Good,” she said, burrowing her head deeper into his shoulder. “Because you’ll hear me laugh a lot.”

“As long as you don’t stop talking to me.” He closed his eyes and relaxed into the bed. “That voice of yours really speaks to me.”

Her laugh deepened at his unintentional wording.

“Let me rephrase that,” he said, gathering her up tighter into his side. “What I meant to say is the sound of it, the warmth, surrounds me with peace. Like a serene waterfall or a crisp blowing wind.”

Her laughter stopped and she gazed at him through half-closed lids. “Thank you, Luke. That was sweet.” She hesitated for a second before adding, “Your brother never wanted me to talk at all. And my ex-husband—Frank and I seemed to talk everything out before we tried to have a baby. Then afterward—nothing.”

He didn’t want to respond, yet he sensed she needed him to react. “Sometimes people just…stop loving each other.”

“Yes,” she whispered, so low he barely heard. “Sad, but true.”

Emma didn’t say another word as the dim early evening light faded into darkness. Luke needed to leave now before someone recognized his car in her drive. Through his father’s work with the town council and his mother’s volunteering for every charity event held in the community, they knew many people. And with the planning of the annual Thanksgiving Festival—his mother’s overall favorite charity—more individual town members than ever might notice his vehicle. His mother liked to borrow his BMW rather than use her own vehicle. He never could figure out why, however.

Chilly skin greeted his sliding touch as he rolled her onto her back, and she curled in a fetal position, sound asleep. Heat filled his heart at her innocent look. He slipped off the bed and placed the corner of the blanket over her, stepping away a bit. She snatched at his hand and turned on her back, a pleading request speaking loud in her wide eyes.

“I need to go, Emma.”

Sadness lingered between them. “Just like Mark.”

“No, I’m not like my brother.”

“Leave then, if you want.” She twisted away. “But you don’t have to.”

And he didn’t want to go, yet. “Someone might see my car.”

“I don’t care,” she whispered. “So what? We’re not doing anything wrong.”

Luke glanced down at the half-asleep woman. If it didn’t bother her, why should it bother him? Did it really matter anyway? Rebecca knew about Emma, and no doubt she would mention it to Mark. No telling what his brother would do after finding out his Emma was the same woman he’d gotten pregnant.

“Stay, Luke.”

Could something so right be wrong? Easy decision. “Lift up so I can pull the blanket all the way down,” he said, yanking at the top of the heavy material. “You need to share it, you know.”

Emma yelped and rolled away, laughter ringing out in the room again.

Monday would be soon enough to face Judge Brown and his brother.

This weekend he would enjoy her.