Come Away With Me (34 page)

I shake my head. “Let’s eat.”

“Okay.”

We enjoy our delicious meal, and the mood lifts considerably. I’m relieved that the conversation isn’t forced or uncomfortable after my altercation with Sam. She continues to eye me speculatively from across the table, but she’s no longer glaring at me, so I figure we’ve leaped one hurdle.

“Natalie, let me see that ring.” Lucy leans toward me and I show off my beautiful ring, a silly grin plastered on my face.

Lucy smiles at her son. “I did such a good job raising you.”

Luke laughs and I nod. “That you did.

He has good taste.”

Luke kisses my hand and smiles at me, his eyes soft and loving.

After breakfast we clear the table.

Lucy, Sam and I clean up the mess and join the men in the living room with fresh coffee.

“Presents!” I jump up and down and clap my hands, excited to give Luke’s parents their gifts. Everyone laughs at me and I grin. “I love giving presents.”

“You didn’t have to get us anything at all.”

“You only celebrate your thirty-fifth anniversary once.” I decide to give this olive branch thing another try and turn to Sam. “Will you please help me bring their gift in from the other room?”

Her eyes widen in surprise, but then she shrugs good-naturedly. “Okay.”

I smile and lead her down to Luke’s office where the large box sits on his desk.

“Holy shit, that’s a big box.”

I laugh. “I know, I had a hell of a time wrapping this sucker. Here, you take that side and I’ll take this one.”

We lift it together, it’s really not that heavy, just awkward, and carry it out to the living room.

“What did you do, buy them furniture?” Mark asks dryly. I stick my tongue out at him and Sam and I set the box on the floor in front of Neil and Lucy.

“Open it.” I sit next to Luke on the couch and he drapes an arm around my shoulders.

They attack the box from opposite sides, tearing the paper and pulling the lid off.

“Oh my.” Lucy’s hand covers her mouth as she gazes at the contents. She begins pulling the black framed photos out of the box, one by one, and Neil takes them from her, arranging them on the floor. At the bottom of the box are the two larger frames of their wedding day and at my birthday party.

“These are wonderful.” They hold the image from the party in front of them and gaze at it. “Natalie, you’re very talented.”

I blush, delighted that they like their present. “Thank you.”

Luke kisses my hand. “There’s more.”

“What?” Neil frowns, not privy to this part of the present and I giggle.

“We’re sending you on a second honeymoon to the South of France. It’s all paid for, you can go whenever you like.”

Their mouths drop and Lucy looks back at their photos and starts to cry.

“Jeez, Mom, what’s wrong?” Mark awkwardly pats her back, clearly uncomfortable with a woman in tears.

“I’m a bit overwhelmed, I guess.

First last night’s party, then my son is giving me a beautiful daughter in law, and now we’re going to France. It’s a lot to take in in such a short time.”

Neil kisses her forehead and hands her a handkerchief. I didn’t know men still carried those.

I freshen everyone’s coffee, and we sit and chat about weddings for the better part of an hour.

“Have you set a date?” Lucy asks.

“No,” I chuckle and look at Luke.

“He asked me twelve hours ago.”

“Winter weddings are lovely.”

“I’m going to need help. Also,” I frown and peer at Luke and he runs his hand over my back.

“What’s wrong?”

“I don’t want the paparazzi to get wind of it.”

“Do you want a big wedding?” Neil asks.

“No, just family and close friends.” I shrug. “I’ve never really thought about it.”

“Every girl thinks about her wedding.

It scares us men to death,” Mark smirks.

I shake my head. “I’d never planned to get married. This wasn’t even on my radar.”

“I have an idea,” Sam says softly.

“What about a destination wedding?

You can fly everyone somewhere and have a small wedding somewhere lovely, like Tahiti or something.”

The idea takes hold in my brain and I smile. I look over at Luke and he’s smiling at me.

“What do you think?” I ask him.

“I’m the man. You just tell me when and where to show up and what I’m supposed to wear and I’ll be there.”

I grin at Sam. “I like that idea. Let’s talk about it some more later.”

Sam smiles at me –
smiles at me!
–and I have visions of Luke and I getting married on a white sandy beach with crystal clear blue water surrounding us.

***

“So what are your plans for tomorrow night with Jules?” Luke and I are snuggled up on the couch. It’s Tuesday night, and he leaves for his trip tomorrow, which I’ve been trying very hard to not dwell on. I don’t want him to go.

“I think we’re going to be in the studio.”

Luke raises his eyebrows and looks down at me. “Why?”

“She wants me to do some photos for her.” I shrug. “I’m not sure why, she already has quite a collection.”

“What do you mean?”

“You must not read Playboy.”

“Not since I was a randy teenager.

Why?” He looks perplexed as I turn on the couch to face him, then realization dawns and his eyes go wide.

“You’re kidding.”

“Nope. She posed for them in college.” I laugh as I think back on that time. “She’s the person I practiced on the most to get good at what I do. She did some work for Playboy for about a year, and then abruptly stopped. She said she was over it, and it was time to move on.”

“Wow.”

“Do not go on the internet and try to find naked pictures of Jules.” I narrow my eyes at him and cross my arms over my chest.

Luke laughs. “No thanks. She’s beautiful, but I’ve grown to feel very brotherly toward her. I do not want to see her naked.”

“I’m glad to hear it.”

“No, there’s only one woman I want to see naked.”

“Oh?” I ask innocently. “Who could that lucky woman be?”

“Just this gorgeous brunette I know.

She’s all curves and has the sexiest tattoos I’ve ever seen in my life.” He pulls me onto his lap, so my knees are straddling his hips. I’m dressed in one of his t-shirts and my panties because we’ve been watching TV before bed.

“Do I know her?” I ask.

“I don’t know. She always steals my shirts, and she’s wearing a very fetching ring on her left hand.” He pulls the shirt over my head and nuzzles a nipple with his nose.

“I think I know who you’re talking about,” I whisper and close my eyes as he sends chills down my back with that nose.

“You do?”

“Hmm… she’s hopelessly in love with you.” I grind my center over his erection, reveling in the feel of his jeans against me.

“Fuck, baby, I can feel how hot and wet you are through my damn jeans.”

His hands are on my hips and he’s pushing up against me.

“I want you.” I kiss his lips. “Now.”

He slides me back to his knees, opens his jeans and shimmies them down around his hips. His large hands cup my ass and lift me over him, then down onto him.

“Oh, God! Luke, you feel so good.” I begin to circle my hips, riding him, looking down into his molten blue eyes.

His mouth is open, his breathing coming hard and fast.

He sucks a nipple hard in his mouth and I cry out. My nipples have been extra sensitive lately.

“Gentle,” I pant and he releases the nipple from his lips and lightly runs his tongue over it.

“Okay?” he asks.

“Oh yes, more than okay.”

He stands in one fluid motion, me still wrapped around him and without breaking our precious contact. He lays me down across the length of the couch and covers my body with his. He lifts my left leg, pressing it against my chest and over his shoulder, spreading me wide and begins to hammer into me.

“Luke,” I cry out as sensation rolls through me. My hips are moving against his, and he’s gazing down at me with such possession, such feral need I come fiercely.

“Yes,” He lets go of my leg and pulls out of me abruptly, flipping me onto my stomach. He pulls my ass in the air and slams his cock back inside me, slapping my ass in the process.

“Holy shit!” I squeal and grip the cushions in my fists.

He reaches down and grips my hair in a strong hand and pulls back, just enough to tug, and grips my hip with his other hand, pulling me back hard and fast on his hard cock.

I love it when he fucks me.

His breath is coming hard and fast.

“Come again.”

“I can’t.” If I come again now I’ll pass the hell out.

“Come. Again.” He pulls harder on my hair and slaps my ass again and I can’t stop it. My muscles tense and shudder in the most intense orgasm I think I’ve ever had. I scream incoherently, pounding my fist on the couch as my body bucks back against Luke and he roars my name as he explodes.

“Fuck me.” He pulls out of me and pulls me to him, kissing my face, my cheeks, nose, eyes, cupping my face in his hands. “Are you okay?”

“Of

course,”

I

frown,

not

understanding. “Why wouldn’t I be?”

“I’ve never been that rough with you.

Jesus, Nat, you devastate me. I forget myself with you.” His hands run down my back, soothing me.

“Honey, I like rough sex with you.

You know that. I trust you completely.

I’m fine.” I smile at him. “You can slap my ass any time. It’s fucking hot.”

Luke laughs, still catching his breath, and crushes me to him. “God, I love you.”

I haven’t slept all night. My stomach has been churning, and I feel slightly queasy. I know it’s because Luke is leaving this morning, and it makes me nervous. I’ll worry about him until he’s home safely. I hate that he’s flying.

It’s not like he can drive to L.A. for the day.

The green glow from the alarm clock says it’s five a.m. Luke will want to get up and get ready for his eight a.m. flight, so I start waking him up.

I love waking him up.

I kiss his cheek and run my fingers through his hair. “Wake up, my love.”

“Humph.”

“Come on,” I reply, laughing at him.

“Wake up. You have to get ready to go.”

He turns to me and wraps me in his arms, burying his face in my neck.

“Go back to sleep,” he murmurs.

Oh, I love being in his strong arms.

“If we go back to sleep, you’ll miss your flight.” I kiss his lips and continue running my fingers through his hair.

“I wish you were coming with me.”

“You’ll be home tomorrow.”

“I don’t like leaving you.”

I smile and my heart gives a little lurch. “I’ll be okay.”

“Will you drive me to the airport?”

“Of course.”

He sighs, his eyes serious as they take in my face.

“Are you okay?” I rub his rough cheek with my hand.

“I miss you already.”

“Oh, you have it bad, Mr. Williams.”

Luke laughs and rolls me onto my back. He runs his knuckles down my cheek and kisses me in that gentle way he has that makes me all gooey. “Yes, I’m afraid I do.”

“I do too,” I whisper.

“I’m glad to hear it.”

He sweeps his nose down mine as I raise my legs up and around his waist.

We’re still naked from last night’s lovemaking. He shifts so his hard cock is lying against my folds and rocks gently back and forth.

I know this will be much different from the way he fucked me on the couch last night. This will be slow and sweet.

He’s kissing me tenderly, his eyes open and on mine. He pulls his hips back, and then slides inside me oh so slowly.

“Luke,” I sigh against his mouth.

“I love you,” he whispers.

He doesn’t increase the tempo, he just continues a steady, slow rhythm, in and out, cupping my face in his hands and it’s so beautiful I can’t stop the tears from falling out of the corners of my eyes.

“Don’t cry baby.” He brushes the tears away with his fingertips and rubs my nose with his again.

“I love you so much,” I whisper back to him. “Please, be safe.” His eyes widen, and I know he can see the vulnerability in my eyes, and he finally understands my fear about this trip.

“Oh, baby.” He closes his eyes tightly and buries his head in my neck. I wrap my arms around him, holding him to me, as he gradually increases the tempo and pressure inside me and I come, pulsating around him, as he empties himself into me.

***

“They’re going to be calling your flight. You’d better get through security.” Luke’s wearing a baseball cap and glasses in hopes that he won’t get recognized in the airport. He looks hot.

He always looks hot.

“Have fun with Jules tonight.” He pulls me to him and kisses me long and slow.

“Be good.” I raise an eyebrow at him and he laughs.

“I’ll see you tomorrow. I’ll call you when I get to the hotel.” He kisses me again, then rests his lips on my forehead and takes a deep breath, like he really doesn’t want to let me go.

“Okay. Safe travels, my love.” I run my hands down his chest and step back and watch him walk toward security and his terminal.

***

“Natalie?” Jules calls as I open the front door to my house. I have hardly been here all week.

“Yeah, it’s me.” I really don’t feel well, and I don’t think it has anything to do with Luke’s trip.

“Did Luke leave this morning?”

I walk into the kitchen. Jules is buttering a bagel and as the aroma hits my nose it turns my stomach.

“Oh, shit.” I run for the hall bathroom and throw up, barely making it in time.

“Hey, are you okay?” She’s standing in the doorway, watching me. Jules is one of the only people in the world that I would let stand there and watch me hurl.

“I think I must have the flu. I’ve been feeling queasy all morning. I thought it was nerves, but apparently not.”

My stomach convulses again and I grip onto the toilet as I violently retch.

Jules disappears and comes back with a glass of water for rinsing my mouth and cool wash cloth. She sets the glass on the sink and presses the cloth to my neck and I moan.