Page 39 of Legends Luke

“How so?”

She closed her eyes to enjoy the feel of his fingers caressing her hair. “It’s been tense at the law firm lately. My boss is having some problems with her daughter, Erin. She was suspended from school. Sandra doesn’t trust Erin on her own with how she’s behaving, so she brought Erin to the office to keep an eye on her. Erin is not happy about it and is wreaking havoc any way she can. I caught her flirting with a guy in the office who’s too old for her. She told me she didn’t like him. She just wanted to see how far he’d go. What she wants is to push the boundaries as far as she can.”

“How old is she?”

“Sixteen. I guess everybody goes through a rebellious stage when they’re teenagers. I think the worst I ever did was sneak out to go to a concert. Lyric was a little more ambitious. She told ourparents she was spending the weekend at a friend’s house, but she and a couple of friends drove to the beach for the weekend. They hooked up with some guys who ripped them off. Lyric had to call Dad to pick her up because she had no money to come home. I get the feeling that our antics are nothing compared to what Erin is putting her parents through.”

“Everything all right at home?”

Melody opened her eyes as she thought over his question. “What do you mean?”

“Sometimes there’s more going on with a situation than we realize. I was being hit at home, but people only saw the kid who liked to pick fights with other kids. Not many looked close at the reason I had a chip on my shoulder.”

“Sandra has a picture on her desk of the three of them when Erin was younger. Their smiles are genuine. If there’s abuse, I’ve not noticed any signs. I mean, I’ve tried not to pry too much because it’s not my business, but Erin seems more spoiled than abused. I know Sandra’s husband recently changed jobs, and he travels more than he did before. Maybe Erin is upset because she thinks her parents are putting their careers ahead of her. It’s hard to know for sure.”

“There could be more going on than missing her mom and dad.”

She shifted in her seat, so she could look in his face. “Do you really think so?”

He kept his gaze averted. He wrapped one of her curls around his finger, allowed the silky strand to slide off, and then repeated the gesture.

“Maybe. All I’m saying is give Erin the benefit of the doubt. She may be trying to get their attention because she doesn’t know how to ask for help.”

Melody sat up straighter so she could face him. “I should have paid closer attention. I hate to think she’s hurting that way, and no one realizes it.”

“Don’t be too hard on yourself. Now you’re prepared for the next time you see her. You’ll know what to look for.”

She studied the sharp contours of his face — the slope of his nose, the curve of his lips, the angle of his jaw now shadowed with a faint hint of stubble. Unable to stop herself, she placed her palm against his cheek, the stubble tickling her skin and sending delicious sensations to her lady parts.

“You’re something else, you know that?” Her low tone sounded foreign to her ears, a little too husky and deep to be her normal voice.

He placed a hand over hers to hold her palm against his cheek. “How so?”

“You’re a paradox. Cool, tough, unapproachable on one hand. Caring, compassionate, and fun on the other. I’m sorry for what you’ve been through, and I don’t like to think about anything awful happening to you. But your past has made you able to understand people. It’s a rare gift. I’m guessing you don’t reveal this side of you to a lot of people, but I’m thankful you showed it to me.”

His irises darkened. The intensity caused her heart to pound, and her nerves were almost singing under her skin. Before she couldquestion the wisdom of her move, she leaned forward, her mouth hovering over his. His pupils narrowed, and she shut her eyes at the same time she closed the distance between them. Her lips brushed over his, the light touch lighting her body on fire. The sensation felt amazing enough for her to kiss him again. The contact was the slightest touch, like a feather caressing skin, but the impact was devastating.

She couldn’t stop. She could barely call what she was doing a kiss, but she was addicted to the feel of him against her. He was hard and soft where it counted. His hands rested on her waist, but he didn’t stop her. She placed her hands against his chest and felt his body stiffen. Her tongue snaked out to slide along the seam of his lips before she placed her mouth on his again.

Suddenly, it wasn’t enough. She shifted her weight so she could rise taller, her lips tasting his chin, his cheeks, his ear. She heard a low, sensuous moan, and she wasn’t sure if it was coming from her or Luke. She trailed a line of butterfly kisses back down until her mouth touched the rapid pulse at the base of his neck. She nipped at the salty skin before soothing the mark with a swipe of her tongue.

Luke gripped the back of her neck firmly but not tight enough to hurt her. He pulled her back, and she wondered if he could see the haze of lust washing over her. Could he see in her face the same desire burning in his eyes?

When his mouth crashed down on hers, it was both surprising and expected. Their flirting, their conversations, their texts were all leading up to this moment when their attraction exploded like avolcano. She welcomed the invasion of his tongue in her mouth and pushed her own to taste him. She swung her leg over his lap until she straddled him without breaking the kiss. His hands slid from her hips to cup her ass, pulling her toward him until she felt his hard length nudging her.

Her head swam when he finally broke their kiss. She breathed deeply only to have it escape on a breathless sigh when his mouth touched her neck. He bit and sucked and licked the skin, and the sensation was too much. Despite the overwhelming feelings, she tangled her fingers in his hair and held his head in place, seeking more of his delicious attention. Luke moved his hands to slide back and forth along her thighs, lifting the hem of her dress higher with each pass.

He raised his head as he uttered her name with a needy groan. “Melody.”

She rested her forehead against his, her breathing coming in ragged pants. “Luke, please. I want this. I want you.”

His arms wrapped around her firmly, and he stood, holding her weight against him, showing her his strength and power. She felt protected in his arms as he turned and laid against the couch cushions, her body splayed across him. He kissed her again, this time with less urgency. This kiss felt slow, sensual, and devastating. Her fingers found their way under his shirt, and she shoved the material up. She touched every ridge and firm plane of his toned chest and stomach. His skin was smooth, his muscles rock solid. He was her every fantasy come to life, and she planned to make the most of it.

So caught up with her own passion, she was barely aware of his hands exploring her body until they cupped her breasts. The pads of his thumbs teased her nipples through the fabric of her dress. He swallowed her moan as he continued to devour her mouth. Lord, this man could kiss! Everything about Luke was epic — their first date, their conversations, the way he made her feel, his kiss. He was gradually erasing every boring date and bad experience she’d ever had with a man and replaced them with him — his sexiness, his kindness, his strength, and so much more.

She broke the kiss so she could rise above him, her fingers fumbling with the zipper of her dress. She drew it down slowly, the closure’s release sounding oddly loud in the quiet. Slipping her arms from the straps, she pushed the bodice down enough for her breasts to tumble free. His eyes clouded over as he stared at her mounds.

“Beautiful,” he rasped. “Damn. You’re so beautiful, it almost hurts to look at you.”

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