Page 98 of Beautiful Storm

“Thank you. And don’t worry. These hands were made for precision.”

He laughs but my mind goes where it shouldn’t, imagining the way his fingers worked my core. The way it felt to have him buried deep inside me and—God, not again. “I’ll grab the box.”

“Thanks,” Luke calls out, thankfully oblivious as I walk away.

We’re halfway through the wall design when I give up. Luke wasn’t kidding. Every one of his stickers is beautifully aligned, not an air bubble in sight. Meanwhile, I’ve done two and had to carefully peel one of them off when it got a crease. “I’m done. How the hell are you doing that so easily?”

“I told you, these hands—”

“Yep, I don’t need a reminder. But can we finish this tomorrow, with the crib?” I fake a yawn, but it instantly brings on a real one, making Luke laugh.

“Tomorrow is good. I’ve got the morning off but I have to be at practice by eleven. Can I come by early?”

“Yeah, of course. I’ll be up. What time is it now?” I reach for my phone but he beats me to it.

“It’s two.”

“Two. We’ve been working at this for two hours.”

“Yep.”

“Jesus.” I fall back on the bed and cover my face with my pillow before blowing out a breath. That explains why I’m tired.

The pillow disappears and I find Luke leaning over me, staring as he bites back a smirk. “I’m going to go. Get some rest. I’ll let you sleep in and come in the afternoon instead. Deal?”

I stare up at him, my gaze locked on his mesmerizing eyes that even as a child I could get lost in. And my heart stops as a flutter takes over my chest.

When I don’t respond, Luke reaches out and jokingly pats my cheek, the warmth of his hand making my skin tingle and my heart race. “Are you okay there?” he asks, snapping me out of my daze as my head spins.

“You should stay.” I blow out a breath, unsure if I’m making the right decision, but unequivocally knowing that I don’t want him to go. “Let me return the favor.”

“Really?” His brows lift.

“Yes, really. But you’re sleeping on the couch,” I rush to clarify when he eyeballs my bed. Baby steps. I’m not sure I can trust my emotions. It all scares the hell out of me.

“Of course.” He smiles. “Thanks, Wifey. I’ll take it.”

Ismile to myself as I curl my arm farther around his waist, shuffling closer until the heat from his bare skin radiates through my body, warming me from the inside. A soft contented mewl escapes my lips as he rolls over to be closer to me, the movement making my hand brush against his hard—

My eyes shoot open, and I spring away from Luke so fast that I almost fall off the bed. Luckily, or not so luckily, Luke’s sharp reflexes kick into action and he reaches out to grab me before pulling me into his arms.

“Easy there,” he says, his voice all gravelly and hot. “Why the freak-out?”

“Because of this. You.” I wave my hand back and forth between us as I move out of his hold. “In my bed. I was cuddling you.”

“I know. Did you happen to note it was one-sided? I was sleeping.”

“What?”Ugh. “Please explain how this could possibly be my fault?”

“I don’t know.” He bounces his shoulders. “You must have sought me out in your sleep.”

“Sought you out? As in I got out of bed, walked into the living room, dragged you in here, lifted you onto the bed and positioned you comfortably so that I could wrap my arms around you?”

“What?” He stares at me like I’m the crazy one, yet he’s the one that ended up in my bed. “That didn’t happen.” He shakes his head. “Your couch is really uncomfortable, so I got into bed next to you but stayed close to the edge. And at some point you must have rolled over to cuddle me.”

“Well, obviously I thought you were—”

“If you say your ex-husband, so help me God…”

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