Chapter 45

 

 

 

Afton

 

 

There is so much more to Luke Jones than meets the eye.

I knew that. I could sense it, but I admit that I had no idea that any of it involved a little boy with brown hair and glasses.

I glance over to where Luke is sitting with his laptop on his thighs. He’s been busy working on something for the past thirty minutes.

I asked him to give me a second to work on editing a photograph that the producer of Rise and Shine needs tonight. It’s another dish that went viral via social media.

Joel and I whipped it up together before I came over here.

“Afton,” Luke says my name quietly. “We got sidetracked. When you first got here, you said that a lot had happened. Tell me about that.”

I press send on the email with the edited photo attached before I close my laptop cover.

Luke follows my lead. After he places his on the coffee table, he does the same with mine.

“I saw my parents.”

His gaze searches my face. “You did?”

“Yes,” I acknowledge with a nod. “It went surprisingly well.”

The apprehension that was in his expression disappears. “Good. I’m glad, Afton.”

“They apologized for things. I did too.” I thread my fingers together in my lap. “We’re not going to go over everything that’s ever happened. We’re going to move forward.”

He points a finger in front of him. “Forward is always the best direction.”

I give him a small smile. “I think so too.”

He edges closer to me on the couch. “What else has been going on in your world?”

This feels personal, and it’s not my news to share, but I want him to know. “I’m going to be an auntie.”

His brow furrows before a wide smile takes over his mouth. “Seriously?”

I run a hand over my forehead, pushing back the one lock of my hair that always curls. “Joel and Nelson are having a baby. Their surrogate is almost four months along.”

“Fuck.” He jumps to his feet. “This is cause for celebration. I need to send them something. Cigars? Or is that for after the birth? Maybe a bottle of wine?”

I slide up to stand. “You can congratulate them when you come over for dinner this week. Unless you’re working and can’t make it.”

“I’ll make it.” He tugs me into his arms. “I’ll look at my schedule, and we’ll pick a night that works for all of us. I’ll bring champagne.”

This feels like another family celebration, and I love it.

I want him to be a part of all of them.

“We can start the celebrations early.” He kisses the corner of my mouth. “I know just how to do that.”

I tug on the bottom of my shirt. “Does it involve taking off my clothes?”

Before I get an answer out of him, he’s hauled me over his shoulder. “All your clothes and all of my clothes. Let the celebration begin.”

 

***

 

I cling tightly to him as he takes me with even, measured thrusts.

His eyes haven’t left mine since I sheathed him with a condom.

I did that after he ate me to an orgasm.

It was tender and slow. Each flick of his tongue over my core brought me closer to the edge. It was then that he shifted his focus to my inner thigh to plant kisses there.

He did that over and over again. I pleaded with him to make me come. He did, but it was at his pace.

I loved every moment of it.

“Tell me you love this,” he bites out with a clenched jaw.

“So much,” I whimper through a moan.

I want to tell him that it’s more than that. I don’t just love this. I love him.

He drops his lips to my neck. “It’s so much, Afton.”

I glide my hands to his head to guide him to look at me. With heavy-lidded eyes, I whisper to him, “It’s perfect, Luke. We are perfect together.”

He ups his pace, fucking me harder as his gaze sets on mine.

I see the man I adore when I look at him.

I feel my forever when I’m with him, and as I reach the edge and climax, I cry out with tears streaming down my cheeks because this is where I belong.

My place in the world is in his arms.