Awakening (22 page)

"Lean back," he commanded, as I fell backwards onto my elbows, keeping my head elevated so I could still see him. The silky sheets were cool, and felt amazing against the heat of my skin.

"You are so beautiful
, Caroline. You deserve to be told that every day."

Luke lifted one of my legs over his shoulder and then the other. I watched as he slowly put two fingers into his mouth and then slid them, with perfect skill, over my swollen clit. As soon as he touched me I was on fire, slave to the white hot burning sensation he evoked from me. He continued his assault until I thought I would explode, only pulling away when he sensed I was close to the edge.

"Luke, please!" I pleaded with him.

"Begging already?" He asked with a wicked grin.

"I'm not sure how much more I can take," I whispered breathlessly, heat pooling at my core. I couldn't focus on anything except Luke and the incredible feelings he was drawing from my body.

"I hope you don't mean that, because I am nowhere close to finished." He slid
his fingers through my wet folds, drawing a gasp of pleasure from my mouth. "Damn, Savannah."

"This is what you do to me Luke. I've never felt like this before," I confessed as he slid his fingers in and out, driving me to the brink again
, as I ground into his hand.

This time, when I was on the verge of imploding, he slowed his fingers and brought his glorious mouth down over me, rolling his tongue back and forth until I screamed his name with wild abandon, waves of euphoria washing over me finally, as I collapsed onto the bed.

"Oh. My. God." I could hardly catch my breath.

"That good, huh?" All I could do was nod as he stood, then kneeled over me
, bringing one arm around my waist and lifting me towards the pillows.

He fell on top of me and his weight felt incredible. Warm solid steel. I ran my hands over his shoulders and the muscles in his upper back as he leaned in to kiss me. His tongue was gentle
, yet firm, prodding at my lips to gain entry. I felt his hand come up to cup one of my breasts and I arched my back, forcing it further into his hand. He rolled my nipple between his fingers and then pinched, sending sparks straight to my center.

Hi
s mouth grew more urgent against mine as he forced my legs apart with his knee, settling his body between them. I reached down to stroke the thick length of his arousal and felt him shudder. My heart thrilled at the power my touch seemed to wield over him. I angled my hips upward, poising the head of his shaft at my entry and opening my eyes to look into his. He paused, reaching behind me he fisted his hand into my hair and forced my nose to his.

"I love every fucking inch of you Savannah, but you
can't leave me again. There's only so much I can take. Do you understand?" He asked me gruffly, emotion pouring out of him.

"Luke, I..."
Love you.

"Do you understand!?" He asked again, this time more forcefully.

"Yes, I understand," I said, doubting I could ever walk away again.

No sooner had I answered than he plunged into me, stretching me, filling me completely, pain mixed with pleasure. I cried out, writhing against him, trying to get closer, feel more. As soon as he felt me relax underneath him, he began to move above me, drawing a whimper from my lips as white heat again pooled quickly in my belly. He kissed me slowly, languorously, as if savoring each moment
, before turning his hot mouth to my breasts and rolling my nipples, one and then the other, between his teeth, tugging gently. I grabbed handfuls of his dark hair, holding him to me as bursts of pleasure coursed through me.

His slow thrusts were driving me mad. The tension in my core was burning, building slowly, but fiercely. I couldn't take any more. I pushed at his shoulders with my hands, and shoved at the bed with my feet, rolling him over and straddling him. I felt on fire, ravenous for him, and for the release that was so close I could taste it. He looked at me, a little surprised I think, but more than a willing victim. I arched my back, letting my sweat laden, shower dampened hair fall behind me as I raised my face to the ceiling. I brought my hands up to my breasts, feeling their weight in my palms. I rolled my nipples between my thumbs and forefingers as I rocked against him, slowly and then more quickly, until I lost all control.

Luke grabbed my hips, slowing my pace. A long guttural groan escaped my lips as my climax slipped slowly from view. "Oh no you don't," he said.

"Please Luke, I'm dying."

He laughed. "You are very much alive."

I tried to move against him again, but he held me tight. I could feel his pulse inside me and I knew he was just as hot as I was. It was sheer torture. "What do you want?" I asked him, willing to give him anything he wanted if he would end this sweet torment.

"Admit you belong to me. Your body was made to fit against mine. Our lips were made to kiss each other’s. I've known it since the day we met and now I want to hear you say it." He looked deep into my eyes and I gave in.

"I belong to you," I said, a single tear streaking down my face.

He moved quickly, rolling me onto my back and thrusting into me, so hard and deep that my senses were on overload. In seconds I was soaring again, molten lava burning from my core and streaking outwards to my fingertips and toes. With each driving thrust, I couldn't breathe, I couldn't think, all I could do was feel. The enormity of my orgasm ripped through me, shredding me to pieces. I cried out Luke's name over and over as the waves of pleasure pounded over me. He followed a moment later, driving forcefully into me one last time and groaning with his release.

He collapsed beside me onto the bed, pulling me into his arms and kissing my temple as he snuggled my head against his chest. As I lay there, silently crying, I realized there was no denying that my body belonged to Luke. I had never experienced anything so amazing before, and somehow I doubted I'd ever find it again. I had sealed my fate when I came here tonight. My body
and my heart were his.

~~~~

I woke with a start in the middle of the night. Luke slumbered peacefully at my side, with his arm around my waist. I slowly slid from beneath the weight of it, and crept to the bathroom. I surveyed myself by moonlight in the mirror, what a mess. My lips were swollen from our lovemaking and my hair was a matted mess from the same and our earlier shower. I ran my fingers through it, trying to calm the tangled disarray. I splashed some water on my face and picked up Luke's discarded undershirt, pulling it over my head. It smelled of him and I sighed.

As I came out of the bathroom, I realized I was thirsty so I headed to the kitchen for some water. I was careful not to wake him as I padded through the bedroom. I had to squint against the bright light of the fridge as I searched for a water bottle. When I found one I quickly closed the fridge, opened the bottle and drained about half of it. The moon was still high in the sky, so I walked out on the deck.

The warm summer air felt incredible against my skin. I sank into one of the cushioned chairs as I tried to commit this night to memory. I wanted to remember every detail, so I could look back on it in the years to come. Luke made me feel things I never dreamed existed. Not only was he a smart and skillful architect, but he was funny, charismatic, and let's face it, an expert in the bedroom. I shifted uncomfortably in my seat just thinking about his hands on my body.

While I sat there, staring at the river, Tomcat jumped into my lap, startling me.

"Hey, old friend, where'd you come from?" I asked him quietly as I stroked his back. 

He meowed.

I heard a branch crack in the distance, and looked into the darkness beyond the trees, trying to see if anything moved. After a moment I turned my attention back to Tomcat, stroking his back. Suddenly the air seemed more dense and a tingling sensation was climbing up the back of my neck. Luke was behind me now, I could sense him.

"Is that Tomcat?"

I looked up into his smiling face. "It is. You know him?"

"He was Mark's cat. Or rather, he was Emily's cat, but he never liked her much. Always hanging all over Mark when he
visited at home. With Emily out of the house my parents didn't care for having him around, so I brought him with me when I moved down here. Lots of room to roam."

I smiled, a cat that loved Mark.

"He's been hanging out at my grandmother's house, sleeping in my bed."

"Traitorous cat," Luke said, swatting at Tomcat, who ran through the open door into the house.

I stood, walking to the railing, shivering a little and suddenly feeling naked in just his t-shirt. He walked up behind me, and snaked his arms around my waist, nuzzling my neck. He was warm and I leaned into him, closing my eyes and resting my head on his shoulder. Slowly, he moved one of his hands to cup my breast, while the other slid under the shirt and dipped between the folds at the apex of my thighs. Suddenly I was shivering again, but this time it was from his touch.

"Mmm, Luke, stop," I said as I squirmed against him.

"You're not very convincing, Savannah." He said, thrusting his fingers deeper and then withdrawing to circle the sensitive bead of my clit.

I was about to melt into him and let him have his way with me again when he pulled back. "There's something I've been meaning to
talk to you about," he said with sadness in his voice.

I turned to look at him inquisitively
. I was a little frightened by the tone of his voice. I had just accepted him into my life, but I felt like I had been waiting for the other shoe to drop. Now he had me worried. He pulled me back to the chair and down onto his lap, locking his arms around my waist.

"
I already told you how I felt about Mark dating you, and how jealous I was that he had the very thing that I wanted," Luke began. "At first I didn't really think it would last, so I tried not to worry about it, but as time went on, I grew more and more aggravated. I stopped talking to him as much and rarely made any effort to spend time with him because I couldn't stand seeing the two of you together. I never told him, but I hated him for having you."

I tilted my face
up at him wondering why he was retelling me this story, I already knew most of it. He read the confusion on my face.

"Savannah, this whole thing is my fault," he said, emotion welling in his eyes. "If I had just
told you how I felt in the beginning, if I had been honest with him about my feelings for you, you and Mark never would have dated."

"Mark was one of the best people I've ever known. I'm glad he was a part of my life, even if only for a moment," I said, still not understanding exactly what he was getting at.

"But, don't you see?" He asked, storms brewing in his green eyes. "If you and I had been together, he wouldn't have been on the road that day trying to get to Athens. If I'd have done something differently he would have lived. And we would have been together this whole time."

"What?"

"When he died I felt so guilty. Guilty for my part in his death and guilty for hating my own brother because we loved the same girl and he had her."

Luke hung his head and squeezed me tight.

Understanding sank into my bones. Luke blamed himself for Mark's death, and hence, for the turmoil in my life. Suddenly all the emotions I had been feeling for Mark, all the pining I had been doing, all the unwillingness to let go had a name. Blame. I knew how Luke felt because I had also been blaming myself. There were many times I had thought about how my choices had caused Mark's death. That's why Martha's words rang so true to me. I may not have been cheating on him with Luke, but still, I played a part in his death through the choices I'd made. What if I had done something differently? Would Mark still be here?

"He was my best friend, my brother, and
my decisions changed the course of all our lives. I'm so sorry."

Just hearing Luke trying to convince me that things
could have been different struck home the absurdity of it all. I sat up perfectly straight, finally realizing, after all this time, that I wasn't any more to blame than Luke was. I felt relief flood through me, a weight was lifted off my shoulders that I had been burdened with for too long.

"Luke, look at me." I put my hand under his chin and tried to get him to lift his eyes to mine. When he did, I saw a sea of torment
roiling in them.

"Mark's death is not your fault Luke. There were a million other decisions and choices made between you not
telling us how you felt and his death. Any one of them could have affected the outcome. What if I told you how I felt all those years ago? What if I never went to Georgia? It could easily be my fault too."

He stared, unseeing and unhearing. I wasn't getting through to him. Did he think I would blame him?

I grabbed his face between my hands. "Luke, it's not your fault. Do you hear me?" I shook him. "Luke!" I looked at the emotion on his face. "I don't blame you," I said finally, kissing his lips. "It isn't your fault, and I don't blame you," I repeated softly, hoping my words would sink into his skin and heal his heart as they were healing mine.

Then
I kissed him again, turning to press my body to his and show him without words that I meant what I said. After a moment he returned my kiss, feverishly. He dug his fists into my hair and bruised my mouth with his. Once he finished ravishing my mouth, he turned his attention to the rest of me. Pushing my shirt up, he pinched my nipples and drew them both to hard peaks. He was much rougher than he had been in the past, but I didn't protest because I knew he needed this, and it was senseless to resist. My body was already responding to him, melting into him.