Page 43 of Necessary Roughness

I had never seen this look from him before.

He smiled. “We don’t have to talk if you don’t want to.”

I swallowed hard, my pulse hammering in my throat.

Luke pointed upstairs. “I had been meaning to show you the view from the second floor. Funny enough, you can see directly into Leonard’s house.”

He wants to show me his bedroom, I thought.And I’m pretty sure he’s able to see into my boss’s house as well. Which means he can see me.

But I already knew that. I had known that all along.

Somehow, it felt different now.

Seconds later, we were upstairs walking toward the primary bedroom.

The halls were adorned with beautiful works of art. For me, these kinds of houses were places I’d spend a few months as a favor to someone rich. For Luke, this was normal. Absolutely, positively, banal.

As we walked the dimly lit hallway, the differences between us only grew clearer.

Still, I couldn’t help but follow him like a lost little puppy being led to play.

What if he genuinely just wants to show me the view?

My mind raced with possibilities.

Inside the bedroom, the open window welcomed in the sounds of waves cascading onto the beach.

Luke paused by the open French doors, beckoning with his fingers for me to come near.

“What do you think?” he asked when I finally stood beside him.

But before I could respond, Luke’s hand brushed against my arm, sending a shiver up my spine. It was just a simple touch, but it ignited a spark in my chest. I sucked in a breath, my eyes flicking to Luke’s mouth just as he dipped his head slightly, our faces only inches apart.

“I’ve wanted this for months,” Luke murmured, his breath ghosting over my lips.

For a moment, I felt the world tilt on its axis as Luke’s fingertips traced a line up my neck, stopping just under my jaw where his finger rested. His movements were gentle yet commanding, as if he was in total control and I was just along for the ride.

I couldn’t resist anymore.

I leaned in, closing the space between us and letting our lips meet in a slow, sensual kiss.

Every bit of nervousness—every ounce of tension I had carried over the past few months—melted away as we kissed.

Our kiss deepened, slowly and insistently.

It was painfully evident that our relationship had changed forever and there was no going back.

My rational side wanted to kick in and remind me that there was no returning from this point. Luke and I were going to connect in a new way, and we couldn’t snap back to enemies afterwards.

A growl let loose from my throat, and I pulled him in to kiss me again.

I can be in charge too.

I reached down and unzipped his pants.

Luke towered over me. He always had. But now, it was much more pronounced. Our size difference was clear as he loomed inches above me. He could bend and move me to his whim. He could contort my body with minimal effort and toss me around like a ball on the field.

Next to him, I was like a plaything.

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