Chapter Sixteen

Salty's sits on a pier on Puget Sound. It offer great views and great food. The hostess seats us near the windows looking out on the water and we are busy reading the menu. I glance up at Luke and can't help but sigh just a little. He's just so disarmingly handsome. He's biting that thumbnail as he peruses the menu.

"Can I have your hand, please?" I hold my hand out.

"You can hold my hand any time, baby." He shoots me a sexy smile but gives me the wrong hand.

"No, the one you're biting, please."

He extends his hand to me with a frown and I lean over the table and kiss the thumbnail. "You're going to make this bleed." I look up into his sea-blue eyes, and am pleased to see that his breathing has changed and that my touch is turning him on.

"Don't start this here, please." His voice is low and sexy and my stomach clenches.

"I don't know what you mean." I widen my eyes innocently. "I'm just making sure you'll have an appetite for your lunch."

"I'll tell you what I have an appetite for." He grins wolfishly, but before I can respond the waitress is at the tableside.

"What can I get you two today? Would you like to start with an appetizer?" She glances up at both of us with a smile, but she freezes when she sees Luke, and all the blood drains from her face.

"Luke Williams! Oh wow! I'm such a big fan, Luke...er...sir. I've seen all of the Nightwalker movies like forty times. Oh my god, they are so good. I can't believe you're here! Can I get an autograph? Can I get a picture?" The words all come out in a rush and I can't help but sit back and drop my jaw.

Luke glances at me, but seems to find his balance quickly and pastes on a dazzling drop-your-panties smile, just for Miss Gushy, but it doesn't reach his eyes, and I know that this is the smile he uses for fans.

It's fascinating.

"I'm sorry, I don't give photographs, but I'm happy to sign something for you."

"Oh great! Here." She shoves her notepad and pen at him.

"What's your name, sugar?" Oh, he is really laying it on thick.

"Hilary. Oh my gosh, wait until my friends find out I met you! They will be so jealous." She's practically jumping up and down and Luke's smile never falters.

"Well, I'm glad you enjoyed the movies. Here you go." He passes the pad back to her and she clutches it to her chest, her face all gooey and swoony and I have to look down to keep from laughing and rolling my eyes at her.

After a few lengthy seconds of her just standing there, staring at him, I decide to rescue him.

"So, um, we'd like to order now, if that's okay with you, Hilary."

She shakes herself out of her trance and blushes, but doesn't meet my eyes. "Oh, of course. What can I get you?" She stares expectantly at Luke and he smirks.

"What would you like, baby?" And my man is back.

"I'll just have the salmon Caesar salad, please, with extra lemon on the side. What kind of white wines do you have?" I am still staring into Luke's eyes and am relieved to see that his eyes are dancing with humor.

"Oh, um..." She rattles off the white wine list and I order a sweet Riesling to go with my salad.

"And what can I get you, Mr. Williams...er...sir?" Her face is on fire.

"I'll actually have the same as my girlfriend. Sounds delicious."

Girlfriend!

"Okay, let me know if I can get you anything else. Thanks again for the autograph!" And off she goes.

"Are you okay?" I ask when we're alone.

"Yeah, that wasn't so bad. How are you?"

"Amused. I didn't know whether to laugh at her or feel sorry for her."

"Hey, are you saying that I'm not a heart-throb? I'm hurt." He sits back and clutches his chest, right over his heart.

"Oh no, you definitely make my heart throb, along with a few other areas, Mr. Williams...er...sir."

"You have a sassy mouth, Natalie."

"I'm glad you noticed."

We settle in to enjoy our lunch, but other waitresses and kitchen staff keep stopping by the table to get autographs or gush about how much they loved his movies, and ask him why he's not acting anymore. Thankfully the restaurant isn't terribly busy, so there aren't many customers bothering us.

Finally when I've lost count of how many employees have come to interrupt our lunch, I excuse myself.

"You okay?" Luke asks me.

"I'm fine, I'll be right back." I give him a bright, reassuring smile, and leave the table.

I find Hilary near the bar. "I need to speak with the manager, please."

"Oh, sure. I'll grab her." She disappears into what I assume is the kitchen and reappears with a tall redhead, about my age, who hasn't managed to make it to our table yet.

"Can I help you, ma'am?" Geez, when did I become a ma'am?

"I hope so. Luke Williams and I are having lunch here, and your staff has been interrupting us to ask him for autographs and to speak with him. I'd really appreciate it if you'd ask them to stop."

She frowns as she listens to my complaint. "I'm sorry, they shouldn't have approached you at all. That's against policy. Can I comp your lunch?"

"It's not about the money, it's about the lack of privacy. I'm sure he's not the first celebrity to come to your restaurant."

"Of course not. I'll take care of it. I apologize on behalf of the staff."

I walk back to our table and overhear Hilary apologize to her boss.

There's a bus-boy standing next to our table when I return and I tap him on the shoulder. "Your boss would like to see you."

"Oh! Okay. Thanks for the autograph!" He grins and leaves.

"That won't be happening again," I inform Luke.

"What did you do?"

"I went to management. Other customers are one thing, but it's not appropriate for the staff to interrupt us every five minutes."

"Nat, this is just how it is sometimes."

"Well," I shrug. "They've had enough of you. This is my lunch date with my boyfriend, and I'm done sharing him."

His eyes light up and the smile he gives me is even brighter than the drop-your-panties one he gave the waitress and I melt just a little inside.

"Your boyfriend is enjoying this lunch date with you."

"I'm glad." I smile shyly and take a sip of wine.

The rest of the meal is delicious and we aren't bothered at all, unless it's to ask if we want more wine or dessert.

Hilary places the leather check holder on the table and walks away.

Luke opens it and frowns, then smiles and passes it to me. Instead of a check, there is a note.

We appreciate your patience and generosity toward our staff. Today's lunch is on the house, and please accept this $250 gift card to join us again, uninterrupted, soon.

—The Management

"Oh my. I guess my chat with the manager worked."

"Looks like a date night is in our future." Luke grins and slips the card in his wallet.

"Natalie, I had such a good time tonight. I know my husband will love these photos." Darla gives me a smile and a hug before leaving the studio.

"He's going to swallow his tongue when he sees these, I guarantee it."

"Maybe we can come in sometime before the holidays and do a couples session. It sounds like a lot of fun." Darla slings her black Coach handbag on her shoulder.

"I would love that! Just let me know when you'd like to set it up. I'll walk you out."

I wave goodbye to Darla and start cleaning up from our boudoir session. Darla was a lot of fun; very pretty and flirty, and she had some great ideas too. I gather some lingerie that will need to go to the cleaners and push furniture back in place, turning off the bright photography lights when my phone pings.

My heart leaps, and I can't help but hope it's Luke. He dropped me off at home after our lunch date and said he had some work to take care of at home, which was fine because I needed to do some laundry and work myself.

But I miss him, and the thought of not seeing him until tomorrow morning when I go to the gym with him—which still fills me with dread—is a depressing thought.

Are you finished with your session, baby?

I do love it when he calls me baby.

Just finished, going inside now. What are you doing?

I lock up the studio and head into the house. Fall is in the air now, and after the sun sets it's really chilly, so I hug my hoodie around me as I cross the back yard.

Jules left the kitchen light on for me, and I stop at the fridge to grab myself a bottle of water and a handful of grapes before heading up to my bedroom. As I climb the stairs, I hear Adele crooning, and wonder briefly if it's coming from Jules' bedroom.

I walk into my own room and stop.

Holy shit.

The music is coming from my room, and there's Luke, sitting on my bed, barefoot, in black basketball shorts and a black T-shirt. He's frowning at his laptop and biting his thumbnail.

"So this is what you're doing."

He smiles and looks up at the sound of my voice. "I hope you don't mind, Jules let me in. I thought I'd just wait for you here."

I walk over to the bed and crawl up next to him, offering him my last grape. "I don't mind. I was just thinking about you."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah."

He closes his computer and sets it on the floor and when he sits back up I climb on his lap.

"I was afraid you'd think I was being presumptuous."

I hear the smile in his voice as he kisses my head, and I settle in and nuzzle his chest. It's just so good to see him, to touch him. "You are being presumptuous, but I don't mind."

"I missed you today."

I pull back and run my fingers down his face. "You saw me at lunch."

"So I did. But that was hours ago. I can't seem to get enough of you, baby."

"Are you staying the night?" I ask breathlessly.

"If you'll let me, yes."

"Good."

I reach up and kiss the side of his mouth, his chin, his nose, while running my fingers through his soft hair. His beautiful eyes are watching mine, and he's patiently letting me touch and kiss him. His hands are softly rubbing up and down my back and desire is lazily unfurling through me.

I grip the hem of his shirt in my hands and lean back so I can pull it up over his head.

"I love your body," I murmur as I run my hands over his shoulders, his chest and down his arms and his hands tighten on my ass.

"Do you?"

"Hmmm..." I kiss his neck and nibble up to his ear. "You're fucking hot."

"Jesus, baby, I want you."

I feel powerful and sexy, knowing that I'm making him crazy with my touch, and I just want us both naked. Now. "I'm yours, Luke."

His eyes smolder. "Damn right you're mine."

He makes quick work of my hoodie, top and bra, and then pushes me back onto the bed so he can strip me out of my pants and underwear. His mouth is all over me now, on my breasts, my neck, my side. My hands are in his hair as he shimmies out of his shorts and boxers, discarding them onto the floor.

"Oh Luke." My blood is thrumming now and I have to have him inside me.

"Yes, baby, what do you need?"

"You, in me. Now."

He smiles against my stomach and laves my piercing with his tongue. "Not yet."

I groan and move my hips under him.

"Not yet baby." He stills my hips with his hands and climbs up my torso, leaning on his elbow at my side. He kisses me deeply, slowly, his tongue doing incredibly delicious things to my mouth. His strong hand is stroking up and down my side and I grasp his face in my hands and return his kiss with equal ardor.

I gasp as his fingers find my nipple and pull relentlessly, sending little zings of pleasure down to my groin. I can't help but resume moving my hips and I run my hand down his side and around to cup his ass, pulling him to me.

"Fuck Nat, you're so beautiful." His wicked mouth is making its way down my throat. He runs his hand down my back, over my ass, and hitches my leg up around his hip. He pushes forward and slowly, barely, slips just the tip of his cock inside me.

"Oh God yes."

"Is this what you want?"

"Yes!" I wrap my arms around him, pulling him to me. Suddenly he rolls on top of me, and I hitch the other leg around him and he thrusts into me, all the way. I roll my hips and he groans, his lips on mine, his elbows at the side of my head and hands buried in my hair.

I grip his ass in my hands but he stops abruptly and gazes down at me, his eyes are molten blue, the look on his face absolutely serious and almost reverent.

"What's wrong?" I ask breathlessly.

He shakes his head and closes his eyes as if he's in pain, and a sliver of panic pierces my heart.

"What is it?" I smooth my hand down his cheek.

"I just..." He opens his eyes again, pinning me in his intense stare and starts to move his hips once again, pistoning in and out of me like there's more than just desire pushing him.

"You just feel so good, baby."

I groan and move my hips, meeting his, and then he sits back on his heels quickly, taking me with him, not breaking our precious contact. I wrap my arms around his neck and plant my feet beside his hips and he guides me up and down his shaft, his hands planted firmly on my ass.

I feel the oh-so-familiar tightening of my body as my orgasm nears, and he must feel it too because he picks up the pace and pulls me down on him harder.

"Give it to me, baby...Come on, beautiful...Come for me."

And I shatter around him, completely exhausted.

He pulls me down one more time and erupts beneath me, calling out my name with his release.

Luke is wrapped around me in my bed, his front pressed against my back. It's warm and comfortable and just... safe.

"You've become quite insatiable since I met you, Natalie."

I can't help but laugh. "Yeah, I'm just using you for your body."

"I knew it!" He tickles my ribs and I squirm in his arms, turning to face him.

"Are you going to kick my ass in the gym tomorrow?" I run my fingertip over his lower lip.

"No, I'd prefer to watch your ass." I giggle and kiss his chin.

"You can do that anytime, you don't need to take me to the gym to do it."

"It'll be fun to work out together."

"Okay."

"Trust me."

"I do, implicitly." The honesty in my voice is absolute. I do trust him, and it fills me with a warmth I've not felt since before my parents died.

Luke kisses my forehead and tucks me in against his chest. "Go to sleep, beautiful girl."