Chapter Fourteen

"Samantha!"

"What the hell!"

"Oh my God!"

The Williams family all start yelling at Luke's sister in unison, but she remains firm, her eyes blazing at me. Amazingly, I take a deep breath and find a zen-like calm that is very un-me.

I grip Luke's thigh when he starts to come out of his chair in fury.

"Samantha, what the hell is wrong with you?"

"Luke, stop."

"No, Nat, I will not have you spoken to like that, least of all from my own family!"

"Hey," I grip his thigh again and I feel all eyes on me as I look up him.

I turn my gaze back to his sister and I know my eyes betray my outer calm. I'm just so pissed.

"First of all, and I mean no disrespect to your family, Luke, how dare you say such a thing about your brother."

Samantha gasps and I continue.

"Not only are you intimating that I'm a whore, but you're also insinuating that your brother has the intelligence of a mud fence to be with a woman who would take advantage of him because of his celebrity or his money, and be perfectly okay with that.

"I don't need or want Luke's money. Not that it's any of your business, but I do just fine, thank you. I've never seen his movies, but I don't doubt that he's very talented. What I do know is that he's amazingly smart, he is honestly the kindest man I've ever met, and he is beautiful, inside and out. I will not tolerate anyone speaking about him like that, Ms. Williams."

I scoot my chair away from the table and stand.

"Natalie," Luke grabs for my hand, and I squeeze it reassuringly.

"Is there a restroom nearby where I can regroup?" I ask Lucy.

"Of course, dear, down the hall to the left."

I look down at Luke and then throw caution to the wind and lean down to kiss his lips. "I'll be back."

As I walk, more calmly than I feel, down the hall I hear the table erupt in anger at Luke's sister. Good. She deserves everything she's about to get.

I find the bathroom and lock myself inside. Leaning my hands on the vanity, I hang my head, trying to keep the shaking at bay. I know it's from the adrenaline, but I can't make it stop.

Maybe I should have kept my big mouth shut, but she just made me so mad! I don't know what her problem is with me, but she's been openly hostile all night. And the last comment just pushed me over the edge.

I'm sure his parents now hate me for verbally castigating their daughter at the dinner table. Although, they seemed to be more shocked than anything when it was happening, and Mark had a wide grin on his face as I walked away from the table.

Oh, how am I going to go back out there and face them?

I take five deep breaths. The shaking starts to subside, and I don't know how long I've been locked in the bathroom. I open the door and start the journey back to the table.

Before I can turn the corner I hear Lucy's soft voice. "Honey, she obviously loves you."

I stop in my tracks and listen.

"Mom..." Luke starts to speak but Lucy interrupts him.

"I know, it's none of our business, but it's pretty clear how she feels about you, honey. Why else would she defend you like that?"

"She's a keeper," this is Mark's voice, I think.

I decide to stop eavesdropping and walk into the room, noticing that Samantha is no longer at the table.

Luke stands and quickly walks to me, wrapping me in his strong arms. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine." I pull back and smile up at him, then turn to his family. "I'm so sorry for the way I spoke to your daughter..."

Neil holds up a hand to stop my speech. "No, Natalie, we are sorry for her behavior. Please, come finish your meal. Samantha won't be rejoining us."

I look up into Luke's eyes, and he looks nervous and unsure, his eyes searching mine.

"Okay."

"You're sure you're okay," he murmurs.

"Yes, let's finish dinner." We sit back in our places and continue eating.

"This is really delicious," I smile at Neil and he grins back at me.

"I'm glad you like it."

"I love a man who can cook." I grin at Lucy, who beams back at me, and settle in to enjoy the rest of our evening.

Luke is quiet on the way back to his place after dinner. He's biting his thumbnail, which tells me that he's thinking. He's not touched me since we left, and I can't help but start to feel a little apprehensive.

"Are you okay?" I ask, breaking the silence.

He glances over at me and frowns. "Of course."

"Okay. Good." I clasp my hands in my lap and stare at the lights from the city in the distance out my window. As we pull up to his house, the silence is deafening. He opens my door for me and escorts me up his front steps to usher me inside. He turns on a light as I walk to the kitchen and lay my purse on the breakfast bar.

I turn to look at him, and am surprised to find that he's not in the room. Where did he go?

I frown as unease starts to unfurl through my stomach. Oh my God, I really screwed up. He must be mad at me for the way I spoke to his sister at dinner. Where is he?

Maybe he wants me to leave, and he's giving me space to pack my things.

I climb the stairs and head for his bedroom, willing myself not to cry until I get home. I'll just pack my things and get the hell out of here. Then I can fall apart.

Just before I cross the threshold into his bedroom, my phone pings in my pocket. I pull it out, and I have a text.

From Luke.

Natalie, would you please join me in my bathroom?

Huh?

I walk through the bedroom and to the entrance to the bathroom and stop in my tracks.

He has drawn a bath in that huge egg shaped tub of his and the scent of lavender is hanging in the air. There are candles lit on the vanity and the side of the tub. Luke is standing next to the tub wearing only his jeans, the top button undone.

Finally, I find my voice, but all I can say is, "Hi."

"Hi."

"I thought you were mad at me."

"Why?" He walks over to me and grips my chin in his thumb and forefinger, tilting my head back so I can look him in the eye.

"Because you've been so quiet since we left your parent's house."

"I've just been thinking." His fingers caress my cheek and he tenderly kisses my forehead.

"About?" I whisper.

"Let's get in the bath." Oh! I want him to keep talking.

"I'm overdressed for a bath."

"So you are, baby." He peels my jacket off my shoulders and down my arms and sets it on a nearby chair. He pulls my dress over my head and gently folds it and places it over the jacket.

"Step out of your shoes."

I comply, unable to take my eyes from his. He wraps his arms around me and leans down to kiss my shoulder, while unclasping my bra and pulling it down my arms. As he steps back, I hook my thong in my thumbs and push it off my hips, letting it drop to the floor. I stand before him and flush with pleasure at the way his eyes go glassy with desire as he runs them up and down my nakedness.

"You're overdressed too," I whisper and my stomach clenches as I see his pupils dilate.

"So I am." He unzips the jeans and pulls them and his boxers off in one smooth motion, leaving him gloriously naked before me.

"Come." He holds his hand out to me so he can help me step into the water. I sink down and sigh as the hot water envelops me.

"Aren't you going to join me?"

"Yes." He steps in and sits facing me, his legs on either side of mine, and leans against the opposite side.

"This is nice." It's the truth. The water is soothing after the difficult encounter with his sister, and he's naked, which makes everything nice.

"It is."

"You're very monosyllabic tonight, you know."

He grins at me almost shyly. "I'm sorry. I have a lot going through my head."

"Spill it."

He shakes his head.

"Oh no you don't. What's going on in that handsome head of yours, Williams?"

"I'm really sorry about the way my sister treated you tonight."

Oh.

"I'm just sorry for the way I reacted, Luke. I'm sorry that I made you uncomfortable, and for speaking that way to your family."

"No, don't apologize. She was way out of line. I had a bad feeling that she'd act like that, that's why I called her last night."

"Luke," I pick up one of his feet and start to rub. His eyes widen and then he closes them and leans his head against the tub with a groan. "I don't have siblings, but I can understand wanting to protect someone I love. What I don't understand is, why the blatant hostility? I don't get it."

"Well, something you said tonight hit a little too close to home," he murmurs, then opens his eyes and sighs, looking everywhere but at me.

"What?"

"The part about me being stupid enough to be with someone I know is using me because I'm rich and famous."

I gasp and drop his foot. Oh my God, this is mortifying. "I don't understand."

He takes my right foot in his hands and rubs his thumb over my tattoo, frowning.

"My last relationship was with a woman who was with me for all those reasons."

"Oh." I do not want to hear this.

"Yeah."

"How long ago?"

"I broke it off over a year ago."

"I thought you said that you've never introduced anyone to your family." I lean my head back on the tub. I just can't look at him when I'm feeling jealous and nervous and unsure.

"I haven't. They never met her. They knew of her, more so after the fact."

I'm staring at the ceiling, listening to him, trying to find that zen-like calm I found at this parent's dining room table.

"Why?" My voice is calmer than I feel.

"Because she went to the tabloids and said that she was pregnant when I decided to break our engagement."

"What the fuck?" My head snaps up and I hold his gaze. "You're a father?"

"No!" He tightly closes his eyes and shakes his head in frustration. "She sold the lie to the tabloids to get back at me for breaking up with her."

"You were going to marry her?" I feel like I've been kicked in the stomach.

"Yes." He's watching me warily, no doubt gauging my reaction to all of this.

"And you never introduced her to your family?"

"She never had much interest in meeting them. Whenever I'd arrange it, something would come up." He shrugs.

"And you didn't find that odd?"

"I do now."

"Why did you break it off?"

"Because she wasn't right for me."

"That's a lame answer."

"It's the truth." He shrugs, and then sighs. "I guess I finally realized that had I not been famous or wealthy she wouldn't have given me the time of day. She didn't like it that I'd stopped acting, and hoped that the producing thing was just a phase and I'd miss being the center of attention. She wanted to be a celebrity wife, and that wasn't something I was interested in."

"Do you still talk to her?"

"No."

I lean my head back again and look at my now wrinkled fingers. The water is starting to cool. Time flies when you're trying to hold a calm conversation about your lover's ex-fiancée.

"I guess that explains a lot."

"Nat..."

"Hold on." I hold my hand up to stop him. "Give me a minute."

"Okay," he frowns and continues to rub my feet.

Why do I feel so betrayed all over again? And then it hits me.

"I must have looked pretty stupid to your family when I didn't know about your ex-fiancé."

He abruptly leans forward and pulls me onto his lap, ignoring the water sloshing onto the floor and wraps his arms around me.

"You were magnificent tonight. I didn't know if I should be proud or emasculated at the way you jumped to my defense like that."

"You should have warned me."

"I know."

I run my fingers through his hair and sigh. "We still have so much to learn about each other."

"We'll get there, baby."

"It made me crazy when your sister was talking about you like that."

He shakes his head and laughs ruefully. "Ironically, she was talking about you, baby."

"I know, but in doing so she made it about you, and I couldn't stand it."

"No one has ever jumped to my defense like that. You were so calm and sure of yourself, and so pissed off. Your green eyes were on fire, and you just looked so beautiful. I wanted to fuck you right there at the table."

"Luke Williams!" I pull back and stare at him, shocked.

"It's true. You turned me on, big time."

"I don't think that would have been appropriate with your parents sitting at that same table."

"I don't think I would have cared if the Pope and Elvis were sitting at that table."

I laugh and snuggle up against him again.

"Oh, baby, what am I going to do with you?"

"Anything you want."

"Come on." He stands me up out of the water, and then climbs to his feet behind me. I can't get over how strong he is. He moves me around like I'm nothing at all.

He slings a towel around his hips, and grabs another soft, white, fluffy towel off the towel warmer and wraps it around me. He pulls me against him and kisses me deeply, passionately, before letting go so he can dry my body.

Oh my.

He runs the towel up and down me, soaking up the extra moisture. I can't resist leaning forward and kissing his sternum and I hear his quick inhale.

When I'm dry, I take the towel from around his waist and return the favor, enjoying the intoxicating sight of his muscular physique.

"There, all dry," I whisper.

"Thank Christ." He pulls me to him, his hands in my hair, and kisses me deeply. I wrap my arms around him and drag my nails down his back.

"God, baby, you'll unman here in the bathroom."

"Good." I scrape his back again and he growls against my neck. He abruptly spins me around and plants my hands on the vanity facing the wide mirror over the sinks. I look up and am taken aback by the sexy sight that is Luke standing behind me, about six inches taller than me, all golden hair and bronze body, leaning down to kiss my bare shoulders. He cups the back of my neck in his hand and smoothes it down my spine, hovering for a moment over my tattoo, watching his own hand's progression, and his breathing increases. He pulls my hips back so I'm bent over and I just can't stop watching his beautiful, expressive face as he touches me.

Finally he runs a single finger down my bottom and slips it inside me.

"Oh, Luke."

"Baby, you're so ready." I feel him position the head of his cock on my lips and slowly, oh so slowly, push inside me. His eyes meet mine in the mirror as he pushes farther until he's buried completely in my folds.

"Spank me." Fuck! Did I just say that?

"What?" He stops, his hands on my hips and he's gaping at me in the mirror.

"Spank me."

"You like it rough, baby?" He grins quizzically at me.

"Not until I met you." His face changes from curiosity to pure possession in the matter of seconds and I can't help but clench around him.

"Fuck, Natalie." He raises his right hand and brings it down on my buttock.

"Yes!" I circle my hips and he starts moving in and out of me, holding my hips. I'm backing up against him and we find our rhythm. Finally, he raises his hand again and slaps my ass and it's so fucking hot!

"Again?" he asks breathlessly.

"Yes."

He obliges, and I feel the tension beginning low in my belly. My legs clench, and I tighten around him, my orgasm ripping through me.

"Oh baby, yes."

I watch in fascination as Luke tightly closes his eyes and grips my hips harder, his own orgasm pushing through him and he empties himself into me.

He runs that beautiful hand down my back again, his breathing still choppy, and smiles at me in the mirror. "I had no idea you liked it rough."

"It's a newly acquired taste."

He slips out of me, and leans down to kiss the tattoo on my upper thigh, below my buttock and I gasp.

"I think this is the sexiest tattoo you have."

"You do?"

"Mmm hmm." He's tracing it with his finger and chills run up my back.

"Why?"

"Well, it looks fucking sexy."

"I'm glad you like it." I grin down at him, still through the mirror.

"I love them all," he says earnestly, and I can't help but fall just a little in love with his honest face.

"I want you happy, Nat."

"Oh." I turn around at his words and he stands up, wrapping his arms around my shoulders and pulling me into a big hug.

"I don't know what to do with these feelings I'm having for you," I whisper against his chest.

"We're just going to take this one day at a time, baby." He pulls back and gives me his tender kiss.

"Okay, I can do that."

"Good, let's get some sleep." He picks me up in his arms and heads for the bed.

"You know, I can walk." I laugh and press my face in his neck.

"No need, I have you."

"I love how strong you are."

"Do you now?"

"Yes. Speaking of, I have to get up early tomorrow for yoga, and then I have a session at eleven."

"Okay. Want me to pick you up for lunch?" He pulls the duvet back and lays me down on the bed, climbing in behind me and pulls me into his arms.

"Aren't you sick of me?"

"Are you sick of me?" He pulls me around so he can see my face.

"Well, no."

"I want to see you for lunch tomorrow. Please."

"Okay," I mumble and curl up into his arms to sleep.