Chapter 33

 

 

 

Luke

 

 

I hold her against me becausefuck,I am losing it. My heart, that is. I’ve obviously fucked women before. More than I care to admit as the gentleman that I strive to be. Through all of that, I found release and fun, but never this.

This is different.

This is my heart, and it’s not on my sleeve or however that saying goes. My heart is in Afton’s hands. In those hands that held onto my shoulders as I fucked her and gripped tightly to my ass when I came.

The hands that are now clinging to me as I hold her against me.

I’m terrified that when I look in her eyes, I won’t see what I feel reflected there.

I’ll see a woman who liked the fuck and wants more of that. A woman whoonlywants more of that and nothing else.

She stirs against me. “Did I drift off?”

She might have. I have no fucking clue what time it is. All I know is that dusk is settling over the city, and I’ve yet to have my first taste of her.

I tied off the condom in her bathroom, tossed cold water on my face, and then hightailed it back in here to get in bed with her.

After that, I lost track of everything.

“I can cook us something,” she offers in a soft voice. “I’m an expert at making a five-star meal with whatever is in my refrigerator.”

“I want to taste you.”

That lures her gaze up to meet mine. “Now?”

Now and then again and again.

I nod.

Her hand moves over my chest to cup my chin. “You’re perfect.”

I smile. “Says the most perfect person I’ve ever met.”

I expect a smile in return, but her face drops. “I’m not perfect, Luke.”

“You’re close to it.”

Her eyes search my face. “It makes me happy that you think so.”

I study her, wanting to save this to memory. The way her left eye is a slightly different shade of blue than the right, and the mole that sits just beneath her nose. I take a mental snapshot of the curve of her plump lips and the one lock of her hair that never is completely straight. It always curls under itself, just as it is now.

“What are you thinking?” she asks in a whisper.

“That I like you.”

Her lips part in a smile. “I like you too.”

“You’re going to like what I’m about to do.” I skim my fingers over her hip.

Her gaze darts to their path. “I have a feeling I’m going to love it.”

Not as much as I will.

 

***

 

“You cooked?”

I turn at the sound of Afton’s voice to find her wearing my T-shirt.

Fuck.I could get used to that.

She steps closer to where I’m standing behind her kitchen island. I tugged my boxer briefs and jeans on after I fucked her for a second time. That didn’t happen until after I ate her out twice.

I savored every second of all of it.

I still want more, but I want her to eat.

“I’m sorry I fell asleep.” She pads across the floor on bare feet.

“I’m not.”

She licks her bottom lip. “You should never wear an apron when you cook.”

I glance down at my bare chest. “The guys at the firehouse would have a problem with that.”

Plopping herself on one of the stools, she laughs. “I don’t.”

I turn my attention back to the stove and the vegetable stir-fry I’m working on. I cooked some wild rice and a chicken breast I found in the fridge before she appeared to distract me.

“You made all of this?”

I glance up to wink at her. “I told you I could cook.”

“I know, but this is a feast.” She rubs her stomach through the T-shirt. “I’m famished.”

I carve thin slices from the chicken breast. “You worked up an appetite.”

Bowing her head, she laughs. “That was one hell of a workout, Luke.”

I agree.

That was the best sex of my life.

I finish with the chicken breast before I divide it between two plates I found in a cupboard. Then I add some rice and vegetables to each before I hand one off to Afton.

She wiggles her fingers in the air. “I need a fork unless you want to feed me every bite.”

I’d do it. I’d do anything for her, but I spin around to the utensil drawer and yank out a couple of forks.

When I turn back to her, tears are welling in her eyes.

It hits me hard enough that I feel that same emotion charging through me, but I bite it back because I want to comfort her, not burden her with my overwrought emotions.

I drop the forks on the island before I round it to take the seat next to her. I gather her hands in mine. She’s shaking.

“Afton,” I say her name softly. “Tell me what you’re feeling. Tell me what I can do to help you.”

Her bottom lip trembles. “I’m fine. It’s nothing.”

That’s bullshit.

“It’s something,” I insist. “I want to know what’s going through your head right now.”

She nods with her gaze still cast down. “Today has been….Luke, it’s been more than I ever imagined a day could be.”

Resting a fingertip against the bottom of her chin, I coax her head up, so her gaze meets mine. “It’s been the best day of my life.”

A single tear falls from her eye unto her cheek, so I scoop it up with the pad of my thumb.

“It’s not over yet,” I remind her. “We’re going to eat dinner, have dessert, work on that fucking puzzle, and then I’m taking you back to bed.”

“Forget the puzzle. I’m close to throwing it out.”

I shake my head as I drag my plate closer to where I’m sitting. “I’m not a quitter. It’s a challenge I’m going to overcome.”

She smiles. “It’s a challenge we will overcome together.”

I fucking love the sound of that.