“Okay.” Paisley got out of the car and waited for him to do the same.
When he stood, she rested a hand on his arm, stopping him. Her thoughts had gone many places while she was riding in the car and he was making calls, and she had made up her mind. She didn’t want to let his father spoil any of their time together today. Tomorrow was soon enough to let the worry back in. Maybe it was the wine she had at dinner.
“Can we deal with this tomorrow? Like, is there anything we could actually do tonight or think that he would be able to do so quickly?” Paisley asked him as they stood at the curb.
Luke seemed to think about it as he ran his free hand through his hair, mussing it even further. “I don’t even know what to think. But Garrett is safe with Catherine and Ryker.”
“Let’s go check on him and then go home?” she offered.
Luke looked down at her and into her eyes. She could only hope that her feelings for Luke were showing through. This man had crawled into her heart, and despite her pushing it away, she knew she was falling in love with him.
He seemed to relax a bit and took her hand, leading her toward their neighbors. “Let’s talk to them and make sure that they don’t have a different opinion than us, but I think you’re right. We can just continue on with our night for now. Tomorrow is soon enough to worry about it.”
Their visit to check on Garrett was short and sweet. He was happy and enjoying his time with his aunt and uncle. Paisley would never not be amazed to walk in and see Ryker’s tall and tattooed body stretched out on the floor, playing with a baby, much less hers.
“It’s weird, right?” Luke asked, opening their front door.
“What?” She followed him inside.
“To see Ryker like that,” he clarified.
Paisley set her clutch down on the entry table. “That was exactly what I was thinking. I also think you’re going to have another niece or nephew soon.”
Luke smiled. “April and Cade seem so happy. I wish we saw them more, but I think he’s still mad at me.”
“If he is, he will work through it. No one has been openly angry at you, and most of your friends don’t seem like the type to keep their thoughts to themselves,” she reassured him.
He stepped closer to her, and Paisley let him back her against the wall as his lips crashed into her own. She wanted, needed him tonight. As he lifted her, she wrapped her legs around his waist, letting him carry her up the stairs, barely breaking the kiss as they did.
Chapter Nineteen
Luke
Luke laid her down on the bed, hovering over her as he did. Paisley smiled up at him, waiting for him to continue the kisses.
He didn’t disappoint and after only a moment, he covered her lips with his again. Luke didn’t linger though, traveling from her cheek to her ear and the side of her neck. His feather-light kisses spurred her need higher as he moved.
“Luke,” she whimpered.
“Do you need more, baby?” Luke asked.
She wasn’t one to speak her needs in bed, or really anywhere, but she nodded anyway.
Luke pulled away from her, standing up and taking off his shirt. He dropped his hands to his belt but stopped, and instead his hands went to her.
Painfully slowly, Luke undressed her like he was unwrapping a gift. Paisley moved her hands to help speed things up but he stopped her, wanting to do it his way. She lay there until she was fully exposed to him, naked on the bed, watching.
She wasn’t the only one watching, though. Luke’s eyes roamed her body, burning a trail down as he took her in.
“Mine,” he said.
“Yours,” she agreed. She had no idea that she would like her lover possessive, but it turned out she did.
Luke finally removed his pants and boxers, never looking away from her, and with no condom needed to slow down the process, he came back to her.
His kiss was less hurried this time. No, there was no rush. It was passionate and lingering. Paisley found no reason to go faster, even as her need continued to build. She felt his, too. He was rock-hard and pressing against her.
She broke the kiss, turning her head and taking a deep breath in. Him, his presence, everything about him overwhelmed her in the best way possible.