Chapter Twelve

I love his hair. It's just the right length for me to run my fingers through the softness, over and over. Luke sighs in contentment, his cheek resting against my sternum and I cradle him in my arms. We stay this way for a long while, in companionable silence.

When his breathing slows, and I think he's gone to sleep, he raises his head, kisses my chest where his cheek has been and our eyes meet.

"Stay with me this weekend."

"I thought we'd already established that," I reply.

"Damn right." He kisses me quickly then rolls off me, and strolls into the bathroom. Yes, he has a fine derriere.

"I have a question," I call to him in the bathroom.

"Shoot," he calls back.

"Did you have a butt-double in your movie?" I pull my dress over my head and begin finger-combing my hair, tying it back in a ponytail.

"Uh..." I hear water running in the sink and he pokes his head out the door.

"No."

"Oh." How do I feel about this?

"I thought you didn't see the movies?" He flashes his half smile at me. Swoon!

"I didn't. That was a particularly favorite scene of Jules'." I explain.

"Ah." He disappears back into the bathroom for a few minutes then reappears in fresh red boxers—drool!—and pulls on his discarded jeans and white button down shirt.

"I don't know how I feel about that." I murmur as I watch him dress.

"Why?"

"I don't think I like it that everyone in the free world has seen your ass."

He pulls me off the bed and against his solid chest, linking his hands at my low back.

"Why, Natalie, are you jealous?"

"Of about a hundred million girls ogling you?" I raise an eyebrow. "What's to be jealous of?"

"Absolutely nothing." He gently sweeps his lips over mine in that way he has that makes my knees all weak. "Your hands and eyes are the only ones I want on my ass, baby."

"Okay," I whisper against his mouth. "If I'm going to stay here this weekend," I step back out of his arms and grasp his hands in mine. "I need to run home and grab a few things. I hadn't planned on a weekend vacation."

"Let's go do that now, then come back here."

"You want to spend all weekend here at the house?"

"Most of it, yes." He brings my hands to his lips. "We can hang out here today, do whatever you want. Let me cook for you and take care of you."

My jaw drops, I'm unable to articulate words.

"And tomorrow, I want you to go to my parents' house with me for dinner."

"What?"

"They do a family thing every Sunday, and I think my brother's in town for the weekend."

"I can't meet your family!" I pull my hands out of his and wrap my arms around my stomach. Meet his family!

"Why not?"

"You've known me less than a week!"

"So?"

"So? So! Luke..."

He quickly grabs my hands again and smiles lazily down into my panicked eyes. "It's just some burgers on the grill, Nat. It's no biggie. I want you to meet my family."

"Aren't we moving kind of fast?"

He scowls and looks down at our hands then back into my eyes. "You're staying the weekend with me. Part of my weekend is spending an afternoon with my family. I want you to come."

He wants me to meet his family! I just can't quite wrap my head around this. But he looks so hopeful, and I must admit, part of me is very curious to meet his parents and see where he grew up.

"Okay, I'll come."

His eyes light up with boyish excitement. "You will?"

"Yes, I can't seem to resist your charms," I mutter sarcastically.

"Come on," he slaps my ass and ushers me toward the stairs." Let's go get your stuff before I rip that dress off you again."

I am sitting at Luke's dining room table editing photos. We spent an hour or so gathering my clothes, necessities and my computer, camera and memory cards from my house, then spent another half hour cleaning up our breakfast.

Things would have progressed faster had we not been too busy touching, kissing and stealing glances at each other the whole time.

Suddenly, Katy Perry's song Teenage Dream makes a whole lot of sense.

I gaze across the brightly lit living space to Luke's couch, where he's lounging casually, his bare feet crossed at the ankle, a stack of movie scripts on the ottoman. He's got one of the scripts open on his lap, and he's biting his thumbnail as he reads.

Visions of me straddling his lap and throwing the script over the back of the couch make me smile, but I turn back to the image on my computer screen.

I'm editing the photos I took while Luke and I were at the falls the other day. There are about twenty five of them that are my favorites, and I'll print and frame them, offering them for sale around town.

As I close the file containing the falls photos, I sense Luke get up and head for the kitchen.

"Would you like something to drink?"

"Just some water, thanks." I smile at him and open the next file of photos to edit. These will be much more fun.

The couple I photographed yesterday fills my screen. Luke steps behind me and sets my water on the table.

"Wow."

I look up and grin. "They're good looking, aren't they?"

"They are. They need to loosen up a bit."

I laugh. "The first twenty images get tossed out of every shoot. It takes at least that long for the client to relax."

I page through about twenty photos and stop.

"See? They don't even know I'm there anymore." The blonde woman is in a black barely-there teddy. The dark man is sitting on the bed, legs crossed, and she's straddling his lap, arms around his neck and fingers in his hair, kissing him.

"Yeah, much better." He starts to rub my shoulders as he watches me work. "When did you take these?" he asks.

"Yesterday." I lean into his hands and moan. He's amazing with his hands.

"After our fight." It isn't a question.

"Yeah. Oh God, don't stop doing that."

He kisses my head and I feel him smile. "I prefer hearing those words come out of that sexy mouth of yours when you're naked."

I laugh and lean my head back, looking up at him upside down.

"Later. I have to finish these. The client's already getting a refund, and I want them to have their pictures as soon as possible."

"Why are they getting a refund? Nat, they're fantastic."

"Because it wasn't my usual fun session. I feel bad."

"I'm sorry." He kisses my head again.

"Don't be. They'll be happy with the shots, and with getting their money back. Give me an hour."

"Okay, take your time baby." He goes back to reading his script, running his hands through his unruly hair, and I can't help but grin, enjoying our easy camaraderie.

I put the finishing touches on the last sexy photo of my too-good-looking clients and grin in satisfaction. Despite my horrible mood yesterday, I rocked these pictures.

"Okay, come look."

Luke rises gracefully from the couch and stands behind me again. I page through each finished image, proud of how they turned out.

"They are amazing." He kisses my cheek gently and I smile wide, glowing in his praise.

"Thank you. I hope they like them."

"They'd be idiots not to. Are you finished for today?"

"Yep, that's all of them. I'm all caught up until my session Monday." I close my computer down and stand up, stretching.

"How is the reading coming?" I ask, gesturing to his stack of scripts.

"Tedious. It's all been crap so far today."

"No blockbusters in that pile?" I run my hand down his cheek, unable to keep myself from touching him.

"Definitely not." He turns and places a kiss in my palm, and I feel my blood start to hum.

"I'm sorry I've been a boring companion this afternoon." I smooth both of my hands up over his shoulders and around his neck, pulling him in close and kiss his chin.

"There is nothing boring about you, baby." He turns his head, giving me access to his throat and I place chaste kisses down to his collar bone. "Although, now that we're both done with work..."

"Yes?" My fingers are in his hair now, pulling his lips down to mine.

"We could do something a little more energetic."

"What did you have in mind?" I love the way his hands feel against the small of my back as he pulls me closer to him.

"Are you still naked under this dress?"

"I don't know," I say sarcastically, and widen my eyes. "Maybe you should check."

"It's a tough job, baby." He gathers the skirt with his fingers, hiking it up around my hips and cups my bare bottom in his hands.

"I love your ass." He's nibbling my lips and kneading my butt rhythmically. Mmm...feels so good. He slides one hand down between my legs and slips a finger inside me from behind and I arch against him.

"Oh, Luke..."

"You're so ready for me, honey."

"I kept picturing myself attacking you on the couch while you were reading."

"You did?" His smile is delighted and he continues to torture me with his finger.

"Yeah, it got me hot."

"Fuck Natalie, looking at you gets me hot."

"Come here." I lead him back to the couch and motion for him to sit. He complies and gazes up at me with bright blue, lustful eyes.

Instead of straddling him, I kneel between his knees and reach for the clasp on his jeans.

"You're wearing too many clothes." My voice is breathy.

I open his jeans and he lifts his hips so I can pull them down and discard them. His erection springs free, and he's already hard and ready for me.

I lick my lips.

Even his cock is pretty, which is a thought I never thought I'd have. It's large, and hard, nestled in a small patch of curly blond hair. No manscaping here, but he doesn't need to.

I run my hands up his thighs and grip him in both hands. He sucks breath in through his teeth, his jaw clenched and his eyes are on fire.

My hands start to move up and down, and I lean down and brush the very tip with my tongue, tasting the bead of liquid at the end.

"Shit baby."

He pulls my hair free from my ponytail and pushes his fingers through it, and I get bolder with my mouth, moving faster and pulling him in deeper, rubbing my tongue up and down the impressive length of him. My left hand moves lower and cups his balls and he goes mad.

"Enough!" He grips me beneath my arms and pulls me on top of him, straddling his lap and pushes into me swiftly, and I'm so thankful for my lack of panties beneath this dress.

"Ah!"

"I. Need. You." Our eyes meet, his hands on my hips, moving me up and down in a punishing, sweet rhythm, pushing so far inside me that it's just almost painful. I pull my dress over my head, and Luke's lips find a nipple, pulling it relentlessly into his mouth, and suckling.

I am gripping the back of the couch above his head, and I lean back, giving him unfettered access to my breasts, and surrender to the tightening of my womb, the flexing of my thighs, and I explode around him, my body singing in sensation.

Luke pulls me down on him, hard, and empties himself into me. "Oh yes, baby!"

We are stretched out on the couch, lying side by side. Luke is tracing the letters up my ribs with his fingertip.

"It's for my parents," I whisper.

"Why this phrase?" he whispers in response.

"Because it's important to remember to be in the moment. It can be over so fast."

"And why on your left side?"

"Because it's close to my heart."

He kisses my forehead and runs his fingers up and down my back, soothing me.

"Can I ask a question about them?" God, when he whispers like that, he can ask me anything he wants!

"Of course."

"What happened to them?"

I sigh and kiss his chin. "They were killed in a plane crash about three years ago. My dad used to fly, and he had a small plane that they would use to take weekend trips."

"That's an expensive hobby."

"Yeah, he could afford it." I take a deep breath and look up into Luke's relaxed eyes. "I think I mentioned the other day that he was a high profile lawyer."

"Yeah."

"Well, he was good at it. He did very well, and when they died together, I was the only beneficiary."

"Hey, I wasn't asking you about your financial situation." He grazes my cheek with the backs of his fingers.

"I know." I shrug. "Anyway, they were going down to Mexico for the weekend. I was supposed to go with them."

Luke's arms tighten around me and I run my fingers through his chest hair.

"I decided at the last minute to stay home because I had finals at school the following week."

"I'm so sorry." He's resting his lips on my forehead now, and I'm curled into him, absorbing his strength, his heat. "They must have been amazing people."

"Why do you say that?" I lean back and search his blue eyes.

"Because you're amazing, baby."

Geez, charming doesn't even begin to describe this man.

"They were amazing," I whisper. "I know that my dad always wanted me to be something grander than a photographer, like a doctor, or a lawyer, or go into finance; something that would make a lot of money. But you know what?"

"What?"

"Neither of them even batted an eye when I said I was going to take pictures for a living. They just loved me. They just wanted me to be happy.

"My dad's job was ruthless and demanding, and he could be a complete asshole in the courtroom. I went and watched him once, and I didn't even recognize him. He almost scared me.

"But when he was home, he was so gentle. He was a big man, tall, with big hands. And he always smelled like fabric softener and coffee. And even when I was grown, he would let me curl up in his lap and hold me."

Luke swallows hard.

"What?" I ask.

"You don't have anyone to take care of you anymore."

"I've been taking care of myself for a long time, honey. Even when my parents were still here."

He briefly closes his eyes and clenches his jaw, as if he's angry, or frustrated. What did I say?

He leans in and sweeps his lips across mine, slipping me beneath him, and gently, tenderly, makes love to me.