Page 86 of So Right
“I had to think. I’m sorry.” She shook her head and brought her hand to her chest. “I’m so stupid.”
He stood, frustrated that she would demean herself. “Don’t say that. I’m the stupid one. I’m so sorry about what happened. I scared you, didn’t I?”
She nodded. “You…surprised me.”
Cam had been right. Luke regretted what he’d done. “I wasn’t thinking. I only wanted to protect you. I hope you know that. I would never—”
She rushed forward and kissed him, cutting off his words. It was fast and hard. “I know you wouldn’t. I just needed to think things through, to process everything. Seeing Noah was a shock.”
He curled his arm around her waist and held her close. He never wanted to let go. “I bet.”
She tipped her head down, resting her forehead against his shoulder. “He followed me, and I let him talk to me.” Her voice was low and dark, tainted with a horrid emotion. It was self-loathing, he realized. “He apologized and asked me to forgive him. I explained that I already had.” She lifted her gaze to his. “That was part of my therapy—learning to forgive myself, which included forgiving him. I didn’t want to carry that burden any longer. But I still am, just in a different form. I’ve been so afraid to open myself up, to let myself feel love.”
His throat tightened. “I understand. I’ve been afraid too, just for very different reasons. I’ve held myself back in the fear that I might hurt you.”
“I know. And I’ve kept you at arm’s length—emotionally—in the fear that I might get hurt. But I don’t want to do that anymore, Luke. I’m in love with you. I feel it, I know it, Iwantit.”
Joy lifted his soul. “I love you too. I didn’t recognize it at first—it sort of snuck up on me. There’s just something about you, about us, that’s…right.”
She nodded, her mouth curving into the brightest smile. “Soright. I feel exactly the same. It’s like a song you hear for the first time. You like it, but with each listen you realize you can’t stop, that you’re in love with it.”
“Yes.” He kissed her, their lips sliding over each other for a brief, wondrous moment before he continued. “You’re the song in my heart, and I’ll be damned if I knew there was one in there.”
She laughed softly, then sobered, looking into his eyes. “I hope you don’t get tired of it.”
“I can’t predict the future, but I don’t think I will. Just the thought of that fills me with agony.” He framed her face in his hands and kissed her again. “You’re cold.”
She pressed herself against his chest, hugging him tight. “So are you. We should go inside.”
He swept her into his arms, eliciting a gasp from her followed by a giggle. Then he carried her into the house, where he set her down so he could lock the door.
She tossed her purse on the couch, and he picked her up again, this time bearing her toward the bedroom. She rolled her eyes at him. “I can walk.”
“Doesn’t mean you should.” He kissed her as he lowered her to the floor next to the bed.
He didn’t want to end this moment, but he wanted to know—had to know—where Noah was now. “I have to ask, where’s Noah?”
She blinked up at him. “I don’t know. I drove away and left him in the state park. That’s where he followed me.”
“Did you read my texts about him violating the restraining order and Brooke calling the police?”
“I did.” She sank down on the bed, her shoulders drooping. “It’s all so overwhelming. I just want him to go away. Back to Washington.”
Luke sat beside her and took her hand. “What if he doesn’t? I think you need to file a police report so they can charge him with violating the restraining order.”
She was quiet for a moment and stared straight ahead. Luke knew she loved him, but her silence was freaking him out a little.
At last, she turned her head to look at him. “Okay. Can I do it in the morning? I’m exhausted, and I just want you to hold me.”
That he could do. “With pleasure.” He gathered her into his arms and kissed her forehead. She nuzzled into him, hugging him around the waist and laying her head against his collarbone.
After a minute, she raised her head to kiss him. Softly at first, brief touches of lips and then tongue. She curled her hand around his neck and kissed him long and deep.
She pulled back and locked her gaze with his. “Make love to me, Luke.”
The long-ago echo of hearing those same words from Paige pulled at the back of his mind. With her, he’d felt a moment of panic, but now he only felt peace. And overwhelming desire for this woman who’d captured his heart.
He cupped her head and kissed her again, tugging her onto his lap. She pivoted, straddling him, and immediately began pulling at his clothing, trading garments until they were both nude. Luke began an assault on her body with his hands, lips, and tongue until she was panting and writhing beneath him. After insisting on helping him don a condom, she clasped his cock. Her fingers encircled the base before working up then down, bringing him to the edge of release.
