Page 22 of Forbidden Fiancé

Chapter 13

Natalie

Luke wrapped me in a towel and carried me over to the bed. I went willingly, my body and mind putty. I curled to my side and was reminded of how I had done the same thing less than two hours ago. How so much had changed and yet not since then.

I felt the pressure of the bed as Luke moved onto the bed with me and wrapped his arms around me. I leaned into him and let out a content sigh. We didn’t speak. There was so much we needed to say and yet I had no idea how to begin.

After a few moments, Luke kissed my neck and whispered in my ear, “I love you.”

I smiled and squeezed his hand. “I love you too.”

“That is all that matters. That is all I care about. I want to be with you. I need to be with you. I must be with you.”

I sat up and rolled so I was looking at him. He had put a towel around his waist but it had come undone slightly when he came to bed. I could see a glimpse of him under the towel and my eyes lingered there for a second before looking up at him.

Luke was smiling at me. “You have no idea how a look from you can turn me on. I have never had a woman look at me the way you do. It is both exhilarating and terrifying.”

“Terrifying?” I asked.

“I’m not a young man. I thought I had seen it all, done it all, and understood everything in life. I had given up on ever thinking the love, the passion, the raw need that I have for you existed. All it took was one night with you for me to know it not only exists but is worth fighting for. I feel that I’ve been waiting my entire life for you. Everything that I have done was to bring me to you, to this moment. Wouldn’t you consider that terrifying?”

“Luke,” I stammered. I was too overwhelmed by his words to say anything more.

He reached up and put his hand on my thigh. Heat and need filled me. It was as if he was trying to prove his point. All it took was him touching me, I actually didn’t even need that, for me to want him. He was right; I had never felt this way. I had never thought something like this could exist. And yes, it was worth fighting for.

“You are mine. No one else will have you,” he said.

It was turning into his mantra. I was slow to realize it was his way of telling me how much he loved, cherished, and cared for me.

“So, you keep saying,” I said and squeezed his arm.

“I will say it until you understand. I’m not letting you go. You will be my wife.”

“How? How would that work?” I asked and then smiled at him as he opened his mouth to protest. “I’m not saying I don’t want that too, but how?”

“We will figure it out.” There was a finality in his voice.

“Okay. But how? What does that mean for your family?” I asked.

“They will understand.”

I tilted my head and glared at Luke. I hoped my look told him that I didn’t think it would be that easy.

“They will come around, eventually,” he muttered

“At what cost? I won’t be the reason that you don’t have a family or that it gets torn apart. I can’t do that to you.”

“You wouldn’t. I would love and support them with whoever they wanted to be with. Hell, I was nothing but supportive of Gwyn and Charlie when they got together. Ethan has seen that two people can still be friends after their relationship ends. He will do the same thing with you,” Luke said.

“Are you sure? He isn’t good at losing.”

“You aren’t a prize. You can’t be won. You love me, you don’t love him. That’s the way it is. He will need to accept it and move on.”

“Do you think he will?” I asked.

“Ethan and even Gwyn love me. They would want me to be happy. No one and nothing makes me happier than you.”

“How and when do you want to tell them?” I asked.

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