Текст книги "Undone"

Автор книги: R. E. Hunter

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Текущая страница: 11 (всего у книги 20 страниц)

19

Embry stared across the club, unable to take her eyes from Luke. What is he doing here? He sat at the lounge bar talking to a man she didn’t recognize, swirling a drink in his hand. She watched him tip the glass back, empty the contents into his mouth, and push the glass toward the bartender. A frown marred Luke’s perfectly sculpted lips, and she saw the tension in his shoulders. The other man had a sympathetic look on his face as he talked to Luke. Part of her wanted to go and ease Luke’s tension; another part knew she was probably the cause.

Morgan grabbed her shoulders and spun her around. “I know what you’re thinking. I can see it in those dreamy doe-eyes you’re giving me, but I’m not letting you do it. Tonight is about you. Do what you have to do, pretend he isn’t here, but don’t let this ruin your night.”

Morgan’s pep talk snapped Embry out of her daze. She was conflicted over Luke, but nothing would be solved in a noisy club with alcohol involved. She grabbed Morgan’s drink, tossed it back, and called to Jeremy and Brett. “Let’s go dance!”

They made their way across the club, past the lounge, and up the stairs to the second floor. The energy upstairs was completely different. A slow, sexy beat thumped through the speakers as the people on the dance floor writhed in one large mass. Muted lighting illuminated the dance floor and cast shadows across the crowd. Everyone was in masks, making the mood more sensual and mysterious.

“Now this is a masquerade party,” Morgan said, dragging Embry out onto the dance floor.

Brett and Jeremy followed, and soon they all melted into the crowd, just more bodies moving to the beat. A club remix of Lana Del Rey’s “Young and Beautiful” played in the background as Jeremy pulled Embry toward him. His hands landed on her hips as she shimmied around in front of him. He was a surprisingly good dancer and kept up with her easily as she spun around the dance floor. She was finally loosening up and enjoying herself.

“Let’s grab another drink,” she suggested after they’d been dancing for a while.

She and Jeremy left Morgan and Brett on the dance floor and headed to the bar. Jeremy paid for their drinks, and they leaned against the bar to talk.

“So I have a question,” he said.

“Nope. No questions,” Embry teased. A mischievous smile crept across Jeremy’s face.

“What’s your deal?” he asked.

“This sounds eerily reminiscent of the first time we met,” she said.

He leaned in close to speak over the music, and his proximity made her squirm. “It is. But I mean, really, B. You’re beautiful. Why don’t you date anyone?”

Embry hadn’t expected Jeremy to go there. He’d become one of her best friends, and they never crossed that line. As she looked into his handsome face, she couldn’t help wishing she could just fall for him. He was sweet, good-looking and had an amazing sense of humor, but she couldn’t force herself to feel something that wasn’t there. She couldn’t feel anything for anyone other than Luke. Things would be so much easier if she could.

She let out a long sigh. “It’s complicated, Jer. I had a rough relationship. I’m just focusing on me right now.” At least that was partially true. That was her plan when she got to law school. Unfortunately, she hadn’t planned for Luke Brody.

Usher’s “Euphoria” started playing, and Embry took the opportunity to drag Jeremy back onto the dance floor and end their awkward conversation.

“I love this song!” she shouted as she hopped up and down, waving her arms and shaking her ass.

“I can see that,” joked Jeremy, falling into step with her and accepting that the conversation was going no further.

They danced through a few more songs before a beautiful brunette in a feathered mask walked by and stole Jeremy’s attention. He darted off but returned in a flash, towing her along and letting Embry know he was leaving with her. She waved him off and went back to dancing. Morgan and Brett were somewhere nearby, but she wasn’t concerned. The alcohol was having its desired effect, erasing any reservations she may have had about dancing by herself.

The crowd had thinned out a bit, and she was about to take a break when a slow electronic beat thumped through the speakers, setting her hips in motion. She let herself sway in time with the music as Robin Thicke sang about putting lovin’ on him. She ran her hands down her body and let loose as she lost herself to the beat. Strobe lights flashed, casting shadows off the other dancers and making their movements appear in slow motion. The music pulsed through her and she gave herself over to the rhythm. She felt good, hips swaying and body moving, as she owned the dance floor.

Strong hands landed on her hips, and a warm chest pressed against her back. Her body responded immediately. She knew without looking who was behind her, but she couldn’t help herself. Stealing a glance over her shoulder, she saw a gorgeous man in a black Venetian mask. No one else would know it was him, but those piercing blue eyes gave him away. Luke.

“Nice mask, professor,” she quipped.

“Thought you’d like it,” he said as his lips grazed her ear. He gripped her tighter and pushed his hips into her backside as they began to move to the music.

Embry thought Jeremy was a good dancer, but he had nothing on Luke. Luke wasn’t simply following her moves. He led her with his hips and hands, guiding her body with his. Suddenly she couldn’t remember why she’d avoided him earlier, why she was trying to stay away at all. The fog of alcohol, combined with her heightened emotions, had erased all logical thought. His hands left a trail of fire on her skin as he skimmed her curves, and she rocked her hips from side to side, keeping with his perfect rhythm. She was suddenly consumed by the thought of his dance-floor abilities and how they’d translate in the bedroom. She was desperate to know how good Luke’s body would feel moving above and inside of hers. Embry reached back and hooked her arm around his neck, pulling him closer. His mouth landed on her nape, licking and kissing up to her ear.

“You look downright edible tonight, Miss Jacobs,” he rasped as he pushed forward with his hips again, letting her feel just how edible he thought she was.

He was leaning so close, she couldn’t resist turning her head and letting her lips graze the corner of his mouth. Just that simple touch sent a bolt of desire straight to Embry’s core. Luke spun her in his arms, and her hands landed on the solid wall of his chest as she caught her balance. The left side of his mouth pulled up in a delicious smirk before he brought his lips to hers igniting the fire in her belly. His arms tightened around her as he licked into her mouth and she tasted whiskey sweet on his tongue.

Pulling back slightly, Luke nodded toward the bar and grabbed her hand. “Follow me.”

She shook her head in agreement and he led her toward a hallway beyond the bar. She’d follow him anywhere. At least in her current hazy, lust-filled state. They pushed through groups of people dancing and mingling and made their way past the bar. The hallway was dimly lit and flashes of the strobe lights from the dance floor exploded before them. The muffled bass beat pumped through the hall as they walked. Embry focused on Luke’s back, the way his muscles flexed and jumped as he moved down the corridor. He gave her arm a tug, and she was pulled into an alcove.

Before she could get her bearings, he had her up against the wall. He caged her in and slanted his mouth over hers. Their masks crashed together as their lips collided, hungry and desperate. Her hands ran over every inch of his body as his tongue stroked hers. She would have climbed inside of him if she could.

Luke tore his lips from hers, panting. His eyes were filled with desire. “Embry.”

She coaxed his mouth back to hers. “Shhh,” she said, between kisses. “No talking. For one night, let’s just pretend—”

He pulled away, a pained look crossing his face. “Pretend what?”

Pushing up onto her toes, she pressed another kiss to the corner of his mouth. “Pretend for one night that you’re not my professor and I’m not your student. That we’re just us.”

Luke’s body stiffened. He dropped his hands from her hips and stepped back. His entire demeanor changed. “I’m done pretending, Embry.”

She was completely thrown. He was giving her whiplash with the speed in which his mood changed. He went from seductive to pissed off in the span of a two-syllable word. “What?”

“You want to pretend. Why? So you can push me away again?”

Embry’s eyes widened. She crossed her arms. “Push you away? You mean like you did to me last night?”

“I heard you lie to Morgan about being with me. You were getting ready to give me another one of your ‘We can’t do this, Luke,’ speeches, so I figured I’d save you the trouble.”

Her jaw dropped. The bitterness in his voice cut her to the core. “Why did you come here tonight? Why did you find me on the dance floor? Why did you kiss me?”

He ripped off his mask and ran his hand through his hair. “I came here to get away from you. I had no idea you’d be here. I just wanted one night without having to think about you … about us. But then you walked in, and I couldn’t stay away. I can never stay away.”

He had such a look of disgust on his face, Embry felt as though she’d been slapped. “There is no ‘us,’ Luke, so don’t let me stop you from whatever it is you came here to do.” The words flew out of her mouth before she could stop them. She didn’t mean a word of it, but she wanted to inflict as much pain on him as he had her.

She wanted him. She wanted everything. But she couldn’t tell him that. Pushing past him into the hallway, she tried to hold back the tears threatening to fall. Embry made a beeline for the bar. Time to drink away the tears and get the night back on track after being derailed by the freight train that is Luke Brody.

Luke followed her out and came up beside her at the bar, his mask back in place. He leaned forward to get the attention of the beautiful bartender. She walked over and leaned in, practically shoving her cleavage in his face. Embry couldn’t hear their muted conversation over the music, but soon the woman put a shot of whiskey in front of Luke. He slammed it back, winked at the bartender, and threw a few bills on the bar before walking off.

Embry’s head spun. She was pretty sure it had nothing to do with the alcohol and everything to do with her run-in with Luke. She scanned the dance floor for him and saw Morgan and Brett. She waved, and they made their way off the dance floor.

“Where’ve you been?” Morgan asked. Brett headed to the bar for more drinks. “We saw you dancing with Jeremy, and then you disappeared.”

“Oh, I found another dance partner,” she said.

Morgan must have picked up on her tone because she rolled her eyes. “Seriously? You just can’t help yourself, can you?”

“What can I say, I’m a masochist.”

“Clearly,” said Morgan, looking around the club. “Where is Mister Tall, Dark, and Academic?”

Embry shrugged. “Not sure. We had a bit of a blow up.”

Morgan eventually turned back to Embry with sympathy pouring from her eyes. Grabbing Embry’s hand, she walked away from the dance floor. “I think we should probably head out.”

Embry pulled against Morgan. “What? I just found you guys. Why would we leave?”

“Trust me, let’s just get out of here.”

Embry wasn’t buying it. She looked over Morgan’s shoulder and into the crowd, trying to find what her friend had seen. She scanned the sweaty, euphoric faces, their bodies swaying to the slow beat of Blackmill’s “Let it Be,” until she found him.

She wished she hadn’t. Embry couldn’t look away as she watched a girl grind against Luke. Her back was to his chest, her ass rubbing into his groin. His hands gripped her hips as he moved behind her, but his eyes were trained on Embry. His stare was unwavering and intense, a million emotions in his steely gaze. She saw every feeling she was experiencing mirrored in his eyes: desire, frustration, pain. She realized in that moment that no matter what they did, they were helpless—slaves to their feelings for each other.

The girl spun around to face Luke, clueless to the fact that his attention was elsewhere. She ran her hands up and down his chest, causing a pit to form in Embry’s stomach. Seeing someone else’s hands on him was more than she could take. The pain it was causing her was reflected in his eyes, but she saw something else as well … determination. As much as it killed him, he wouldn’t pretend anymore. He wouldn’t play games. It was all or nothing.

Tears streamed down Embry’s face as she realized, with complete certainty, that she was losing him. Even as the tears fell, she felt her anger brewing. How dare someone else put their hands on Luke? How dare he let her? They weren’t over. They weren’t finished. They were just getting started. Those thoughts tried to break through her drunken haze, but at the moment, she couldn’t process anything except another girl’s hands on Luke. All Embry could think of was removing those hands and giving him a piece of her mind.

Ripping off her mask, she started toward Luke and his dance partner, ready to unload all of the emotional turmoil that had been tearing her apart inside. She made it all of two feet before two large hands clamped down on her arms and pulled her back.

“Cool it, sweetheart,” Brett whispered. He wrapped his forearm across her collarbone, trapping her against him.

Morgan came up in front of her, blocking her view of Luke. “Whatever he’s doing, however much it’s hurting you, you cannot do this here. I know he has a mask on, but if you make a scene, someone is bound to notice. Neither of you can afford to take that risk.”

“I don’t care,” Embry snapped.

“I know you don’t, but when you’re sober, you will. You both will. You and Luke will figure things out, but this is not the time or the place to do it.”

Morgan was right. Embry couldn’t do anything other than hope that things between her and Luke weren’t beyond repair. A drunken fight at a club wouldn’t help anything. She let Morgan and Brett lead her out, but not before sparing a quick glance over her shoulder to see Luke’s pained eyes following her across the floor.

20

Embry slept fitfully, constantly waking up to check her phone to see if Luke had called. She wasn’t sure why she thought he would, but she couldn’t help hoping. After waking up with those hopes dashed, she was thankful to have a study date with Jeremy. He showed up at her apartment with a bag of greasy egg sandwiches and her favorite coffee. She was so happy for the distraction she could have kissed him.

When Jeremy left, Embry was finally alone with her thoughts. There was nothing left to keep her mind from wandering to where it really wanted to be … Luke. She’d slipped on his sweatshirt and made her way out to the balcony. Sitting on the mesh chair, she watched the rain fall, one drop chasing the next onto the pavement below. Pulling her knees to her chest, she snuggled into the sweatshirt, fighting the chill in the air as the wind licked at her cheeks and blew her hair in every direction. Overwhelmed by her thoughts, she played and replayed the events of the previous night in her head. She’d reached for her phone numerous times, desperate to connect with him somehow, but she didn’t know what to say. She eventually resorted to staring, unseeing, into the stormy sky, trying to make sense of her muddled feelings.

Somewhere between the raindrops, she realized the truth. Memories crashed into her like waves assaulting the shore—every touch, every interaction, every moment they’d shared—and she realized she’d been kidding herself. Her thoughts from the night before floated through her mind. They weren’t over. They weren’t finished. They were just getting started. She realized now how true that was. They’d never been friends. They’d never not been together. Every decision she’d made was because she wanted, no needed, to be close to him.

She’d fooled herself into thinking that if she fought her feelings, held them back, they’d fade or go away. That if she pulled away before their kisses went too far, didn’t cross too many lines and ran from her feelings, they weren’t doing anything wrong. But everything they’d done had crossed lines, pushed boundaries. She suddenly realized with stunning clarity that Luke had known that all along.

He’d let her do it. He’d humored her. He knew from the start where they stood, how he felt. He’d never denied his feelings. But for whatever reason, he’d stepped back, let her believe what she needed to believe to be okay with spending time with him. He’d done it for her, and all it had brought him was pain. He had been waiting for her to admit her feelings, to realize that it didn’t matter what job he had but that they were supposed to be together. She shot out of her chair, worried that it might be too late.

Embry couldn’t move fast enough. She brushed her teeth, ran a brush through her hair, and stepped into her flats. She was out the door and on her way to Luke’s in a matter of minutes. She couldn’t bear the thought of him not knowing how she felt. She didn’t want to lose him. He’d worked his way into her heart in such a short time, she couldn’t imagine her life without him. But she couldn’t worry about that just yet. All she knew was that she had to tell him how she felt, how she really felt. No more running.

Embry pulled into Luke’s driveway. His car was parked out front and lights shone through the windows. He was home. She tore out of her car, running through the rain to reach his front door. She was frantic. The drive over had done nothing to help her anxiety. Her heart pounded in her chest as she pounded on his door. No answer. She rang the doorbell and knocked some more. Nothing. She fought back tears as she continued to slam her fist on the door, calling his name. He was home. He had to answer.

After what felt like an eternity, the porch light turned on, blinding her. When the spots cleared from her vision, she saw Luke in the doorway, shirtless. All thoughts left her brain, and her eyes traveled greedily over his smooth, muscled chest. She took in every inch of his carved torso down to the delicious v that disappeared beneath his jeans.

“Embry?”

Luke’s voice brought her back to reality. Rain was pouring down on her. She was soaking wet and freezing, shaking uncontrollably. Her hair was plastered to her head, her makeup surely streaming down her face, but she didn’t care.

“Hi,” she squeaked out.

“Hi yourself,” he responded.

She stared at him at a complete loss for words.

“You want me to believe you’re standing out in the rain, pounding on my door like a lunatic, just to say hi?” he asked.

“No.” Embry shook her head, steeling herself. “I came to say I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.” Her voice cracked, and tears clouded her vision. “I don’t want to lose you. I don’t want to pretend anymore. I can’t. I’ve been fooling myself thinking we were just friends. We’ve never been just friends. I don’t care if you’re my professor. I don’t care about any of it. I don’t want to lose you, Luke. I can’t lose you. I … I …”

She stopped, trying to catch her breath. She stood in the cold, crying and rambling, while he silently stared at her. The rain splashing against the pavement and Embry’s short inhales were the only sounds as they stood, eyes locked on one another.

Luke’s cobalt gaze gave nothing away, and then slowly, so slowly, one side of his mouth turned up in a smile. “Are you finished?”

“Am I … am I finished?” she asked, bewildered.

“Yes,” he said calmly, giving no hint of his feelings. “Are you finished?”

“I-I guess so. Yes … I’m finished.”

“Good. That’s real good.” He reached out to push the wet hair from her forehead and stepped closer. Framing her face with his hands, he gently brushed his thumbs across her tear-stained cheeks.

Embry was at a loss. She had no idea which way was up. She didn’t know whether to laugh or cry, but Luke’s hands were on her and that was all that mattered.

He stared down at her, his eyes filled with adoration. “I love you, Embry,” he whispered.

Her lips parted and her eyes widened. She gaped at him, completely astonished at the words that had come out of his mouth. Those three words had caused so much pain in her past. But hearing them from Luke, she felt no fear. Pressing up onto her toes, she grabbed his face and got as close to his eye level as she could. “I love you too.”

He bent his head slightly to capture her mouth in a soul-shredding kiss. Their chemistry had always been off the charts, but something about that kiss was different. Nothing stood between them anymore. No more walls, nothing to stop them. Luke dragged his fingers through Embry’s hair. Pulling back, he took in her appearance.

“You’re soaked. Let’s get you out of these clothes,” he said gruffly, the strain evident in his voice.

She nodded and followed him inside. As soon as she entered the foyer, he was on her.

“Nice sweatshirt,” he said, tugging the wet sweater over her head as she kicked off her flats.

His eyes burned with desire, lingering on her torso, naked except for a black lace bra. Lifting her effortlessly, he pushed her back against the door. Embry thrilled at the feel of his skin against hers. Wrapping her legs around his waist, she pulled him closer. She couldn’t get close enough. Tunneling her hands through his hair, she deepened the kiss.

Luke groaned into her mouth. “God, I missed you.”

“I missed you, too.” She panted as he traced a path down her neck with his tongue. ”Take me upstairs, Luke.”

“Are you sure, baby?” he asked, nipping her bottom lip.

Baby. She’d missed that so much. Suddenly feeling shy, she leaned into him, burying her face against his neck and hugging him closer. “Yes.” She nodded against his shoulder as butterflies swooped and dove in her stomach. She hadn’t been with someone, really been with someone, in a long time. She wanted Luke, needed him. Pulling back, she tried to convey all she was feeling with her eyes. “Make love to me.”

Luke’s mouth came down on hers, hot and hungry, as he carried her toward the stairway. His warm hands ran up her back, stopping when he reached the clasp of her bra. He made short work of it, dragging it down her arms and dropping it to the floor. He started up the stairs, stopping every few steps when he got too distracted with her to move.

Every kiss, every touch, set Embry on fire. She squirmed against Luke, causing him to lose his balance. Catching their bodies against the wall, he ground his hips into her, his hardness connecting deliciously with her core. She couldn’t wait to remove the layers between them. “Luke, please …”

“Please what, baby?” he said, licking and kissing down her neck.

“You know,” she moaned, throwing her head back against the wall.

“No, I don’t. Why don’t you tell me?” He nipped at her collarbone.

“Bedroom, please,” she said, her voice thick and throaty. She tugged on his hair, forcing his eyes to hers. “I need you.”

He sprinted up the few stairs left, pushed into the bedroom, and had Embry on the bed within seconds. “You have me, Embry,” he said as he covered her body with his. “All of me.”

He dropped a delicious kiss on her lips before making his way back down her body. Starting with her neck, he kissed and sucked his way to her collarbone. His hands found her breasts, and Embry’s back arched at the contact. He pinched and rolled the hard bud of her right nipple as his hot mouth came down on her left. He licked and sucked, swirling his tongue around her sensitive flesh before dropping kisses down her flat stomach. He nibbled at her hip bone as he painstakingly unbuttoned her pants and dragged them down her legs. Eyes smoldering, he stood back to take her all in. She was naked save a black, lace thong.

“Have I told you how beautiful you are?” he asked, devouring her with his stare.

“Not lately,” she said shyly, pushing herself up onto her elbows.

“So fucking beautiful.”

He reached for his belt, but she shot to the edge of the bed, her hands moving to his. “No. Let me.”

He watched her as she unbuckled his belt, pulled it from his jeans, and dropped it to the floor. Looking up at him, all green-eyed innocence, Embry worked the button on his jeans. She slid down the zipper, pushed them off his hips and watched them fall. He must have stepped out of them, kicked them to the side, but she didn’t notice. Her eyes were glued to his tight black boxer briefs, his hard cock straining against the soft cotton.

Luke bent toward her, caging her in on the bed. She smoothed her hands up and down his arms, feeling every dip and ripple of his biceps before moving on to his shoulders, and eventually digging her hands into his hair.

“So.” He planted an open-mouthed kiss on her collarbone. “Fucking.” He ran his nose up her neck, nuzzling her. “Beautiful.” Then his mouth was on hers. His arm wrapped around her back, dragging her body up the bed beneath his.

She groaned, loving the weight of his body on hers. “More, Luke,” she pleaded, pushing her hips up into his. “Touch me.”

He clearly didn’t need to be told twice. Snaking his hand between them, he pulled her panties aside and slid his fingers through her slick, wet heat. Embry writhed as he worked her over, his fingers moving in a delicious rhythm against her clit.

“So wet for me,” he groaned as he slipped a finger inside of her. Embry clenched around him, begging for more. “So tight.”

He dragged his finger back out of her, and she nearly cried out at the loss. A sexy smile crossed his lips as he explored her body further. He kissed and licked his way back down her stomach, hooking his thumbs in the tiny scrap of lace and pulling it down her legs. He left a fiery trail of kisses, worshipping her body with his mouth and hands. He grabbed her legs, pulled them apart, and kissed his way to the apex of her thighs. She squirmed closer to his mouth, and he took the hint. Sliding his finger back inside of her, he nipped and kissed the insides of her thighs, teasing her relentlessly.

“Luke …” she sighed impatiently.

“I know, baby.”

His hot breath against her core was almost too much for her. Then he replaced his finger with a long, wet stroke of his tongue, and Embry cried out in pleasure. Gripping his hair, she moved against him as he made love to her with his mouth. She was getting close, her insides coiling and clenching, begging for release. Then suddenly his mouth was gone, moving back up her body.

“Please, Luke,” she pleaded.

She was everything and nothing all at once. Ruled by lust and love, she saw nothing else, felt nothing else. She rolled her hips against him as he brought his mouth back to hers, and she tasted herself on his tongue. Feeling the cotton of his boxer briefs and wanting nothing else between them, Embry pushed impatiently against his shoulders. Luke rose up on his knees, and Embry scrambled onto hers to face him. She slipped her hands into the elastic band of his boxers and dragged them down his hips. His cock jutted forward, thick and long.

Towering over her, he watched her take him in with hungry eyes. Then he was on her, his mouth everywhere, his cock sliding against her slickness. No more teasing. No more foreplay. “I need to be inside of you, baby. I want to feel you when you come.”

“Yes,” she whispered. He lifted off of her, reaching toward the nightstand, but she pulled him back. “I’m on the pill.”

He studied her for a minute, his eyes burning into hers before he relaxed against her. He rested his elbows on the bed on either side of her head, the muscles in his shoulders bunching with his weight. He framed her face with his hands and brought his mouth to hers. “I love you.”

She saw the truth in his eyes. “I know.”

That earned her a huge grin that soon faded into a determined look as he positioned himself at her core and slid in with one long, smooth stroke. “Fuck.” He groaned into her neck. “You feel so good.” Luke lifted his eyes to hers. “Is this okay?”

She felt herself stretching to accommodate his size, and she nodded, wrapping her long legs around his waist and pulling him in deeper. She was right about his dance moves—he was even better in the bedroom. She sighed with pleasure as he moved inside of her, a slow, punishing rhythm that hit every spot. Embry felt a delicious sensation build in her belly.

“Oh God, Luke,” she said breathlessly. She felt as if she would explode. He had already worked her up so much—they’d both wanted it for so long—that she didn’t know if she could control herself much longer.

He increased his pace, joining their mouths once more as his tongue stroked and teased hers. Small noises of pleasure escaped him as he continued his rhythm. His movements became faster and less controlled, and she could tell he was getting close. He was having just as much trouble holding back as she was.

“Let go, baby. Come with me,” he whispered.

Those words were all Embry needed to hear. Her head flew back as she closed her eyes and cried out, exploding around him. Luke followed her over the edge seconds later. She wrapped her arms around him and held him tight as he came. He dropped light kisses on her lips and eyelids as he continued slow, lazy strokes inside of her. Finally slowing to a stop and pulling out of her, he looked at Embry, his blue eyes sparkling.

“Be right back.” he said, planting a quick kiss on her forehead.

Embry lay on the bed, trying to stay awake. She was completely drained, emotionally and physically exhausted. But she was happy. Luke had gone into the bathroom, and he came out with a damp towel. He helped her clean up before climbing back into bed and pulling her to face him.

“Hi,” he said, smiling.

She ran her hand over his stubble, returning the smile. “Hey.” Until that moment, she hadn’t seen what a toll the past month had taken on him. She couldn’t remember ever seeing Luke so happy, but the dark circles under his eyes were hard to ignore. She’d come over to tell him how she felt, and she had. But they still needed to talk. “Luke, I …”