He frowns again, looks around the bar and back to me, his eyes narrowed and apprehensive.
“What? What did I say?”
“Nothing. You’re just very unexpected. What are you, twenty-three?”
Why does he want to know my age?
“Twenty-five. You?”
“Twenty-eight.”
“So, you’re old then.” I giggle.
“You have a great laugh.” His eyes are shining with happiness, and I mentally hug myself again, forgetting to be nervous, and I realize I’m just really enjoying him. He’s just so easy to talk to.
I check my watch and gasp at the time. We’ve been sitting here for three hours!
“I should go.” I smile up at him. “We’ve been here a long time.”
“Time flies when you’re with someone beautiful.” He leans over and grabs my hand, and I am so caught up in his spell right now. My eyes focus on his lips, and he licks them, making me squirm. Before I know it, he retracts his hand, and I’m left feeling frustrated and missing the warmth of his touch.
“Right back at you.” I put my sassy smile back on my face and reach for the check.
“Oh no. That’s mine.” Luke pulls the check from my fingers and digs out his wallet.
“I’m happy to pay for my own drinks.”
He glares at me, and I’m stunned that he looks genuinely mad. Whoa.
“No.”
“Okay. Thank you.”
His smile is back as he says, “You’re most welcome.”
Luke settles the bill, and we head back out onto the sidewalk. He hastily puts his sunglasses back on and is visibly aware of who’s around us. My heart flips as he takes my hand, and we start to walk toward my car.
The sun is just starting to set, and I look out over the gorgeous sound, the blue water, the boats and the mountains, and long for my camera. I glance up at Luke, and his jaw is tense. He’s looking down, and we’re walking briskly.
“Hey, slow down.” I tug on his hand a bit and deliberately slow my steps. “Are you in a hurry to be rid of me?”
“No, not at all.” He looks around us again, then grins down at me, slowing his pace.
“It’s going to be a great sunset. Wanna walk along the water? I promise, no camera.” I hold my free hand up to show him it’s empty.
Luke smirks, and then looks around once more, and I follow his gaze. There are a lot of people out and about enjoying the beautiful day on Alki Beach. Luke shakes his head and looks forlorn for a moment.
We stop by my car, and I think he’s looking down at me, but it’s hard to tell through his dark glasses.
“I don’t like crowds, Natalie. It’s kind of a phobia.” He shakes his head again, runs his hand through that sexy hair and releases my hand, putting his hands on his hips.
“It’s no problem.” I feel sorry for him in that moment and want to comfort him. I’ve never wanted to comfort any man before, ever. I’ve never had soft feelings toward a man. They’ve always just been a pleasant diversion, or my worst nightmare. Confusingly, I find myself reaching up and cupping his face in my palm to soothe him.
“Hey,” I say softly. “Don’t sweat it, Luke.”
He leans into my touch and exhales, puts his hand over mine, then clasps it and kisses my knuckles.
Oh my.
“Come on.” I deliberately interrupt this lovely moment, needing just a little space. “I’ll drive you home.”
Luke’s jaw drops open.
“I’m not going to make you walk home, carrying these brilliantly genius photos, through the crowds. Hop in.”
He flashes me his sexy, face-splitting smile and hops into the passenger seat.
Oh, Natalie, what are you getting yourself into?
Chapter Three
Luke’s home is a very short drive along the coast, and it strikes me that his place is less than a quarter mile from mine. He directs me to pull into a gated driveway. I can see only a single-lane drive ahead of me. There is no house in view.
“The code is 112774,” he directs me.
“Wow, you trust me with the code to your gate?” I am trying to keep the banter between us light to mask my nervousness of going to his house. Will he even invite me inside?
“You’d be amazed at what I’d trust you with, Natalie.” I glance back at him and catch his frown. “In fact, so would I.”
I ignore his comment and pull through the gate, winding to the left, and gasp at the beautiful modern home before me. It’s not huge, it’s simple, but the view of the sound is breathtaking, and the white home itself is newer, with clean lines, tons of large windows, beautiful purple and blue hydrangeas lining the front of the house, and pruned shrubs lining the driveway.
“Wow, Luke, this is beautiful.”
“Thank you.” The pride is back in his voice, and it’s evident that he loves his home. I smile at him, completely understanding the feeling.
I park so the passenger side is facing the front door and don’t make a move to take my seat belt off. Luke has already jumped out and, to my surprise, walks around the front of my car to my door and opens it.
“Please, come in.” He holds a hand out to me, but I pause.
“I should go…”
“I’d really love for you to come inside.” He gives me that charming grin, and I feel myself softening. “Let me show you the view. Maybe make you dinner. That’s all, I swear.” His eyes shine with mischief, and I just can’t resist him.
I don’t want to resist him.
“I’m not keeping you from anything?”
“Nope, I’m a free man, Natalie. Come on.”
I shut off the car and take his hand. Wow. The electricity from his touch is still there, and my eyes widen as they find his. His smile is gone, and he’s staring intently into my eyes. He pulls my hand up to his lips, then closes my door behind me and leads me up to his door without letting go of me, as if I could run away at any minute.
I can’t help but appreciate the way his jeans hang on his hips, molding around his very fine ass. His white T-shirt is untucked and hugs the muscles of his shoulders and arms just perfectly. I want to hug him from behind and sink my nose into his back, inhale his scent, and kiss him there between his defined shoulder blades.
It should seriously be illegal to be that beautiful. He clearly takes very good care of himself. Suddenly, I feel out of my league. He is a ten, and I’m lucky if I hit a seven after I’ve been buffed and polished at my favorite salon. Not to mention, I have hips and an ass and a bit of a belly bulge that no matter how many sit-ups or yoga exercises I do, it just won’t go away. I know I’m not fat, but I’m not supermodel thin like Jules, either.
And, until today, that never bothered me.
Luke unlocks the door and turns to me, and the look in his eyes tells me that he’s not looking at my flaws. He seems to be just fine with what he sees, and hope starts to spread through me.
“Welcome, Natalie. Make yourself at home.” I follow him inside and can’t stop the face-splitting smile that comes at the sight of his magnificent home. The great room is large, with double-height ceilings and pale khaki-colored walls. The back wall is all glass, and the view is of the Puget Sound. The furniture is big, in blues and white and a touch of green. I could curl up in his love seat and stare outside all day.
I wander through the room, my sandals echoing on the dark hardwood floors, and gaze out the windows for a few moments. The sun is hanging low, just above the mountains, reflecting on the choppy blue water, and pretty white sailboats are coasting along gracefully. I turn to see Luke still on the other side of the room watching me, his arms crossed in front of him. I wish I could read his mind.
“What?” I ask and mirror his stance, crossing my arms in front of me, pushing my cleavage up a bit, exposing it through the V-neck of my red T-shirt.
“You are so beautiful, Natalie.”
Oh.
I drop my arms and open my mouth to speak, but nothing comes out, so I just shake my
head and look to my right at his very lovely kitchen.
“You have a great kitchen.”
“Yes.” It’s a simple agreement, and Luke is on the move, slowly walking toward me. There’s no humor in his eyes now. It’s hunger. Hunger for me.
I couldn’t move if I wanted to.
“Do you like to cook?” My voice is higher than normal, and the nervousness is back, but this nervousness is not fear. I’m definitely not afraid of him. I’m a bit intimidated by him.
“Yes,” he says again, and as he approaches me, he raises his long-fingered hand to run the backs of his fingers down my cheek. I swallow hard and hold his blue gaze.
“You don’t want to talk about your kitchen?” I whisper.
“No,” he whispers back.
“Oh.” I look down at his mouth and back up into his blue eyes. “What do you want to talk about?”
“I don’t want to talk, Natalie.” Since when has whispering been so sexy? My thighs tighten, and I’m suddenly wet and hot and panting.
Luke grasps my face between both of his hands, still gazing intently into my eyes, as if he’s trying to convey some kind of deep message, or perhaps he’s asking my permission? I slightly tilt my head back, and he oh so slowly lowers his lips to mine. He rests them there for what feels like minutes, chastely kissing me, loosely resting his soft lips on mine. I reach my hands up and grab his forearms, and he groans as he takes the kiss deeper, persuading my lips open and tickling my tongue with his.
Oh God, he smells so good, and his expert lips are a drug that I just can’t resist. He nibbles at the sides of my mouth, nibbles my lower lip then invades my mouth again. He pulls the hair tie out of my hair, spilling my long, chestnut hair around my shoulders, and plunges his hands in it.
“You. Are. So. Beautiful.” He murmurs against my mouth, each word between his sweet kisses, and I am completely intoxicated. I run my hands up over his shoulders and twist his hair in my fingers and hold on for dear life.
Oh, this man can kiss!
He slows the kiss down again, gently cupping my face in his hands, and leaves sweet kisses on my jaw, cheeks, my nose, then plants his lips on my forehead and takes a deep, deep breath. I run my hands back down his shoulders—holy shit, is he toned!—over his sexy arms and hold on to his forearms, and I am more than just a little dizzy.
And I don’t want him to stop.
As my blurry sight clears, Luke leans back, still cupping my face, and smiles gently down at me. “I’ve wanted to do that all day.”
Where is that music coming from? I realize my phone is ringing inside my purse, still slung across my body, and I break our intimate contact to rummage through and find it. Maroon 5 is whaling on about being at a payphone, and Luke’s smile breaks into a big grin as I answer the call.
“Hi, Jules.” I mouth roommate at him at his raised eyebrow.
“Nat! You haven’t answered my texts. Are you okay?” She sounds annoyed, and I roll my eyes.
“I’m fine. Sorry, I didn’t see your texts. My phone has been in my bag, I must not have heard it.” I take another step back from Luke, trying to clear my head, and he rests his hands on those lean hips.
“Do you have dinner plans?”
“Dinner?”
Luke leans in and whispers in my free ear, “I’m making you dinner.” He winks at me—winks!—and then walks around me toward the kitchen, leaving me to my call.
“Um, yeah, I have dinner plans.” I wince, knowing that I’m about to get the Jules Third Degree.
“Oh?” I know her expertly plucked brows are raised. I so do not want to have this conversation with Luke in earshot. I hear Adele start to sing and turn to see Luke has paused by a sound system, fiddling with his iPhone.
“Yeah, something just came up. Why? What’s going on?” Luke is now in the kitchen, rummaging around in his fridge, and I have a great view of his jean-clad ass. Holy crap.
“I was going to invite you to go to dinner with some of my coworkers, but if you have plans, I’ll just see you tonight.” There is a pause. “Is it the mugger?”
I gasp. Leave it to Jules! “Maybe.”
“Awesome! Have fun, be safe, take pictures if you can. Toodles!” She’s hung up, and I can’t help but laugh at her. Oh, to have my friend’s carefree attitude.
“So, that was your roommate?” Luke asks as he pours us both a glass of white wine. I take a sip and am pleasantly surprised by its fruity sweetness.
“Yeah, she was checking up on me.” I sit at the lightly colored granite breakfast bar and page through my texts. I have three, all from Jules.
Hey, Nat, wanna go to dinner tonight?
Nat? Turn your phone on!
Natalie, I’m making reservations…dinner?
Oops. I lay my iPhone on the counter top and take another swallow of wine. Luke’s watching me.
“Sorry, that was rude.” I smile apologetically. “She was worried when I didn’t respond to her texts.”
Luke shakes his head. “You are definitely not rude, Natalie. So, how do you feel about Alfredo sauce?”
I grin at his flirty tone. “I have a long-standing love affair with Alfredo sauce.”
“Really?” He chuckles and tucks a strand of my now messy hair behind my ear. “Lucky Alfredo sauce.”
He turns again and starts pulling out pots and pans and ingredients from his pantry and fridge. He’s so…competent in the kitchen.
When he whips back around to start making order of his chaos, he sees me watching him and gives me a half smile. “What are you thinking?”
“You’re very competent in the kitchen.”
“Why, thank you.” He bows grandly and makes me laugh.
“Who taught you to cook?”
“My mom.” He puts a pot of water on to boil and starts grating cheese.
“What can I do to help?”
“Sit there and be beautiful.”
I blush. “Really, I want to help.”
“Okay, you grate this cheese, and I’ll get the chicken going.”
I happily come around the island and take over the cheese grating, watching Luke move about his kitchen with ease. Soon, the room smells of grilling chicken, making my mouth water. Luke moves up behind me and puts his arms around me, checking the cheese status, without actually touching me.
My skin is on fire. Touch me! Hold me! But he doesn’t. Before I know it, he’s moved away, and my body is almost quivering with need.
I don’t remember ever feeling this physical pull toward a man before. It’s a little scary, but it’s a lot of fun.
“Okay, I think we’re almost ready to dish up. Can you strain this pasta?” I gladly assist him as he finishes the sauce, and my stomach growls.
Mmm…a sexy man who can cook!
Luke pulls down plates, silverware and napkins. “Let’s eat outside, enjoy the view.”
“Great idea.” I smile as we dish up, grab our wine and head out to the deck off the great room. The outside eating space is spectacular. Warm tones of reds and browns, the table seats six, and there is a huge stainless steel grill with outdoor kitchen counters, fridge and sink.
We sit, and my nerves from our earlier delicious kiss are gone, and I’m just plain hungry.
“Hungry?” he asks, reading my mind.
“Starving!”
“Dig in.”
I take a bite and close my eyes. “Mmm…s’really good.”
I cover my mouth with my napkin and laugh.
Luke’s eyes dance, and he smirks, taking a drink of his wine. “I’m glad you like it.”
“So”—I scoop up another bite—“your mom taught you to cook?”
“Yeah, she always said that all of her children needed to be able to feed themselves after we left the nest.”
I watch him stab some chicken with his fork. “How many siblings do you have?”
“I have one brother and one sister.”
“Older, younger?” I ask. God, this man can cook.
“Older sister, younger brother.”
“And what do they do?”
“Samantha, my sister, is an editor for Seattle Magazine.” Luke’s eyes are full of pride. “Mark is wasting his college education as a fisherman in Alaska.”
“I take it you don’t approve?” I raise my brow at him as I take a sip of wine.
“Well, he’s young. I guess it’s good he sows his wild oats now.” Luke shrugs.
“Your parents?” I like hearing him talk about his family. He clearly loves them very much.
“They live in Redmond. Dad works for Microsoft, and Mom is a homemaker.” He glances down at my empty plate.
“It was delicious, thank you.” I lean back in my chair and stretch out my legs.
“You’re very welcome.” He looks so young with his shy smile. “Would you like some more?”
“Oh no, I’m full.” I pat my belly and gaze out at the water. “This is a fantastic view.”
“Yes, it is.”
I look over at him, and he’s gazing at me. My cheeks warm. “You’re very complimentary.”
“You’re easy to compliment.”
I smirk.
He tilts his head to the side and picks my hand up in his, bringing it to his mouth. This is the first time he’s touched me since that thigh-clenching kiss, and I sigh at the heat of his touch.
“You are quite beautiful, Natalie. Why don’t you believe that?”
I’m stupefied. No one has ever called me out on my insecurities because I’ve never shown them to anyone. I shrug. “I’m happy you think so.”
He frowns at my answer but doesn’t press me. “I do.”
“I wish I had my camera.” I don’t realize I’ve said this out loud, and I feel him tense beside me.
“Why?” His voice is cold, and looking into his eyes, I see they’re arctic.
“Because of this view.” I gesture out to the water. “This would make a wonderful image.”
He relaxes beside me. “Maybe one day you’ll be able to capture it.”
“There’s that ‘one day’ again.” I grin at him, and he grins back.
“One day.” He says again, and I can’t help but feel a little giddy inside. I shiver a bit as a breeze rolls through his patio. The sun has set, and the sky is all purple and orange, and it’s cooling off.