Basic Attraction (18 page)

Sheri groaned. “Oh, wait a minute. I said that backwards. What I meant is that you’re rubber and I’m glue and whatever I say bounces off you and sticks on me. But that doesn’t rhyme.”

Damn, she was adorable. Even spouting a bunch of nonsense. He fought desperately against the urge to kiss her.

“I still have no idea what you’re talking about.”

Shifting on her stilts that called themselves shoes, she said, “Uhhh! I’m messing this up. What I mean is that I had no right to be criticizing you and asking you to make changes when I wasn’t prepared to do the same. I asked you to change your occupation when I wasn’t even willing to change apartments.” She took a deep breath. “I’m sorry. It was really selfish of me.”

This sounded good. This sounded like she wanted to work things out. This sounded like he might be moving south after all. “I think we both said a lot of things without thinking them through. We put a lot on the table all at once, you know what I mean? It was scary to feel so much, to be moving so fast.”

“Well, I was hoping you could forgive my little moment of insanity and start back up where we left off.” She took his hand and squeezed. “I don’t just like you, Luke, I
love
you. Exactly the way you are—bar, tattoos, and dirty laundry. Maybe I love you because of those things. You’re kind, loyal, and generous. And the best thing that’s ever happened to me. And being apart made me realize how much that is true.”

That was damn near the most wonderful thing he’d ever heard in his life. A massive lump was lodged in his throat. “I love you too,” he said softly, returning the pressure of her hand. “I’ve missed you like crazy.”

She sighed. “Thank goodness. So where do we go from here?”

It might be bad timing. It might make more sense to take things slow, get to know each other inside and out, but his heart told him not to be a wimp. To take a chance and go for broke. She loved him, and he loved her so much he felt like a Celine Dion song.

“I was hoping you’d agree to let me live with you when I’m in Pigeon Forge.” He said it slowly, praying that it sounded casual, but he was really holding every ounce of breath inside his lungs. “Which I’m hoping will be quite frequently. Maybe even full time here in the near future.”

Tears came to her eyes. “Oh, Luke. Do you mean it?”

He nodded, wondering how long he could go without oxygen.

“Yes. That would make me very, very happy.” She flung her arms around him, and he released his air and sucked in a huge breath.

Pulling her into his arms, he relished the feeling. It had been hell without her. He was the luckiest man alive that she had decided to accept him for what he was worth after all and forgive him for having bolted when he’d gotten scared.

“So what do we do now?” she whispered into his shoulder.

He grinned. “I have an idea.” While she swiped at her teary eyes with her finger, he said, “Miss me, miss me, now you gotta kiss me.”

She let out a startled laugh.

“See? You’re not the only one who knows those childhood sayings. Now come here.”

He dropped his lips over hers and tasted her eagerly, pouring his heart and soul into the kiss, into her. Sheri made him feel alive, happy, and content. He couldn’t ask for anything more.

Gripping him tightly, she kissed him back deeply then sighed. “Oh, I did miss you.”

“I missed you too.” He glanced down and saw the eye-popping shirt again. “And what’s the story with the outfit again? I never thought I’d see you in something like this.”

She flushed. “It was to get your attention. And to prove the point that you hadn’t asked me to be something I’m not, so I shouldn’t have asked it of you. Though honestly, I wasn’t really asking that. I was speechless because I was feeling insecure. I was worried that I was attaching too soon.”

God, he was so glad they were talking. He would have never in a thousand years figured all of that out. “I think it was a mutual attaching. Which means if we were both feeling it, maybe it wasn’t too soon.”

“Maybe not.”

He couldn’t help but reach out and touch the one shoulder of her shirt, momentarily distracted by all that smooth, tan skin. “I’m sorry. I’m just in awe of what you’re wearing.”

She shrugged. “It’s Dixie’s outfit.”

He had to give his sister a hefty bonus and a big hug later. “I should have guessed.” He could even forgive Dixie’s scrubbing his face and finger-combing his hair. “Was Hannah in on it?”

“Oh, yeah. She did my makeup.” She tilted her head back. “Take a good look, because it’s doubtful you’ll ever see me looking like this again.”

“I don’t care what you wear,” he declared. Though he’d be sorry to see that sunflower dress back on her again someday. “I think naked is your best color anyway.”

Her fist connected with his arm. “Let’s not talk about clothes. After all, I haven’t even said anything about that shirt you’re wearing.”

He glanced down at himself and read the shirt upside down. Oops. “I haven’t gotten around to doing laundry in a while.” Try four weeks. “And this was the last clean shirt I had. It in no way reflects my personal feelings.”

She laughed. “It’s okay.” She gave him another searing kiss that made the rubber on the bottom of his shoes melt.

“Oh, baby, let’s get out of here.” He was in the mood to celebrate. Already heading for the door, he stopped when Sheri didn’t follow him.

“Luke?”

“Yeah?” He drank in the sight of her standing there, one hip out, head tilted coyly.

“How far is it to your place?” She smiled at him in a way that made his toes curl.

“Fifteen minutes.” Which suddenly seemed like an insane waste of time. “But I do have an office in the back. With a door that locks.” If that’s what she was asking. Which he hoped she was.

“Show me?”

Who was this sex kitten standing there in high heels and beckoning so coyly to him? Luke was pretty damn sure he would explode if he didn’t get to take her in the next thirty seconds.

“My pleasure.” Taking her hand, he had her in his office and up against the freshly locked door. She wobbled a little on those insane shoes as he brought his mouth down on hers. “Steady, Sheri. Hold on tight.”

“What’s going to happen?” she murmured.

He couldn’t prevent a groan from escaping his mouth. Brushing his hands from her waist to her breasts and back down again over the front of that sexy skirt, he said, “I’m going to make you feel really good.”

“I feel so good already I think I’d agree to just about anything.” Her fingers curled around his ass, squeezing tightly.

Damn. That’s all he could think. Just
damn
. “Anything?”

“Anything.”

“Give me a second to come up with a list,” he said, pulling down the front of that ridiculous shirt and sucking the swell of her breast. “In the meantime, I’d just like to kiss you. Everywhere.”

“Talk to the hand,” she whispered.

Luke laughed. “What does that even mean?”

She just shook her head. “I have no idea.”

So he slipped his hand under her skirt and murmured in her ear, teasing at the lobe, “How about
you
talk to the hand?”

“Make me.”

So he did.

Thank you for reading Basic Attraction! If you enjoyed it be sure to check out the first book in the series, Back To Basics.

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