Calling Me Home (2 page)

“What about you, Luke?” Jake interrupted, saving me from further embarrassment. “Have you manned up and asked Fiona out?”

I sucked in a breath. What would he reveal? “Should I take this to the table?” I asked Haven, gesturing at the salad, and trying to cover up the fact that I wanted to hear every last sound that came out of Luke’s mouth about Fiona. Haven glanced at me, a sympathetic look on her face, and nodded. She must have thought I didn’t want to hear about Luke dating Fiona. I wandered over to the other side of the living space with the bowl.

“Yeah, we went out a couple of times.”

“What?” Haven asked. “You’ve been dating and you’ve not told me? Do you like her? Are we going to meet her?”

“Yes I like her. She’s a nice girl.”

Even though I was pretty sure Luke didn’t have feelings for Fiona, my stomach twisted. I hated that he’d dated her. It wasn’t that he’d done anything wrong—he’d been doing what I’d wanted him to do—but it would have been better if she’d turned out to be a complete crazy person. After all, they still worked in the same office. He saw her regularly. It took every ounce of willpower not to blurt out that Luke and I were together. I wanted to claim him. To stop Haven from talking about other women who would be good for him. I was good for him.

Despite my curiosity, I excused myself to go to the bathroom. I needed to take a beat, get my shit together. Staring into the mirror, I pressed my fingers along my eyebrows, straightening out my frown. I was used to being envious of Emma, but I’d always taken some comfort from the fact that she didn’t see the side of Luke that I did. She didn’t have the same shared history, couldn’t make him laugh the way I could. I didn’t know anything about Fiona. She had the triathlon thing in common with Luke, which he seemed to love. And she saw him at work, which I never did. Could she make him laugh? Had I become another Emma to Fiona?

As I wandered back to the living room, everyone had taken their seats around the dining table. I sank into the free seat between Luke and Jake. I tried to convince myself there was an invisible barrier between Luke and me. Touching was an impossibly bad idea if we didn’t want Haven and Jake to catch on.

The problem was, my barrier was faulty and acted more like a magnet. Being so close to him made me want to be closer still. I wanted him to hold me. I crossed my arms in front of me, so I didn’t lose control and accidently reach for his floppy hair or smooth my hands across his broad back.

I startled when his leg brushed against mine as he reached for the jug of water—was he trying to torture me? I wanted to climb into his lap and feel his arms around me. His hand came to my thigh, and I melted.

He looked at me, and I widened my eyes at him in warning. What was he doing? I was worried Haven would see his hand. He squeezed my leg and removed his hand, leaving my skin buzzing. I glanced across at Haven. Had she seen that?

“So when do you hear about business school, Ash?” Jake asked.

I hesitated as I tried to concentrate on something other than Luke. “Soon, I think.” I’d forgotten that I should have a decision this week.

“How are you going to manage to study and work at the same time?” Haven asked. “Sounds impossible.”

“Yeah, I think it will be tough. Richard suggested I go part-time, but there’s no way. I mean, no.”

“How did he suggest you pay your rent?” Haven asked. “Honestly, men have no common sense.”

Jake rolled his eyes, and Luke shook his head at Haven’s dismissal of the male species. They both handled her perfectly.

“Oh, he had a solution for that. He said I should move in with him.”

Luke had his wineglass to his lips and spluttered into his drink at my revelation. “He said what?” His voice was tight.

I focused on Haven, afraid to meet Luke’s eyes. I probably shouldn’t have shared that without having mentioned it to Luke first.

“What, he was offering you his spare room?” she asked.

“In return for your vagina?” Jake added.

“It’s never okay for you to say vagina,” I said, grinning at Jake while Haven playfully smacked him on the arm. Luke didn’t join in, but his clenched fists told me he wasn’t happy. I desperately wanted to reach across my invisible barrier and drop a small kiss on his shoulder. He had nothing to worry about.

Luke

I believed Ashleigh when she said nothing had happened with Richard, but that didn’t stop me from feeling homicidal. Ashleigh was mine, and everyone needed to know it. I’d been a second away from announcing it to Haven and Jake. The only thing that stopped me was the thought that Ashleigh and I might take two steps back. I didn’t have time to do anything but move forward with her. I wanted to start our future together. I just wished she were as eager as I was.

I tried to think of reasons that would persuade her to stay with me tonight. I didn’t want to be without her, especially not with conversations of Richard and Fiona on our minds. I didn’t want her focused on what might have been. I wanted her focused on us.

“I’m going to head home. I didn’t get much sleep last night, and I don’t want to start the week tired,” Ashleigh said as she closed the dishwasher. She leaned forward to program the machine and gave me an excellent view down her top. Was she wearing a bra? I’d been trying to control my hard-on all night, but my dick was getting sick of holding back. I was close to dragging Ashleigh home to get naked.

“You’ll stay for another beer though, right?” Jake asked me.

I wanted to say no, but I glanced at Ashleigh and she gave me a small nod. “Sure,” I said. Better to be here with Jake and Haven than at home, on my own, wishing I was with Ashleigh.

I relaxed when Ashleigh left. I’d been on edge all evening, trying to make sure I wasn’t giving away how I felt about her. More than once I’d been about to touch her and had to stop myself. It felt so unnatural to be acting as we had for the last two decades.

Things were different now.

“So, you didn’t say anything more about Fiona; what’s going on there?” Jake asked as we collapsed on the sofas with our beers. Haven followed, bringing her wine.

“There’s nothing to say. She’s a nice girl, but she’s not for me.”

“She’s not? Does that mean you know who is?” Haven asked.

“Haven, you know that the ball is in Ashleigh’s court.”

Haven sighed. “I wish you two would just sort it out. Richard clearly isn’t any competition. Do what you have to do, Luke. Make her feel special. If she’s the one for you, she needs to know that. Take action.”

It was good advice. Advice I’d already followed. I just needed Ashleigh to understand we had nothing to hide, that she had nothing to be afraid of. She could trust me.

My phone buzzed.

Ashleigh: Hey.

Me: Hey yourself.

Ashleigh: Did you have a good night?

Me: It would have been better if I’d been able to touch you openly.

Ashleigh: I appreciate your patience.

Me: I’m not sure how long it will last. You’re too beautiful to resist and you’re mine now. You know you are.

Ashleigh: I am.

Me: Glad you agree.

Ashleigh. I miss you.

Me: Already?

Ashleigh: Already. How about dating starts tomorrow night. Come round when you leave?

I grinned. There was nowhere I’d rather be than with Ashleigh, and she couldn’t resist what there was between us anymore than I could. Who was she trying to kid?

Luke

I’d left Haven and Jake’s as soon as I’d finished my beer. Maybe it was obvious why I left so soon after Ashleigh, but it was hard to give a shit.

I pressed my forehead to Ashleigh’s door, willing myself inside. My heartbeat quickened as I heard her unlock the door.

I’d stopped at a late-night supermarket and picked up chocolate and a small bouquet of flowers. As she opened the door, I held them out to her.

“What’s this?” she asked.

“Well, flowers and chocolates are what you bring for dates, aren’t they?”

“You are ridiculous.” She grinned. “Thank you.”

“As long as you’re into ridiculous, that’s fine by me.”

She put her arms around my neck and held my gaze. “I’m very into ridiculous.”

It was so good to have her in my arms—evidence that she was mine and not some other man’s. My head knew Richard wasn’t a threat, but that didn’t stop it feeling like a dagger to my stomach every time she talked about him—particularly when she’d said he’d suggested she move in with him. I’d only managed to get my cool back just in time.

I couldn’t hold back any longer. I’d waited all night. I crashed my lips into hers, enveloping myself around her. Her moans muffled the sound of flowers and chocolates falling to the floor. She tasted delicious. I just couldn’t get enough of her. I wanted to devour her in every way. I couldn’t kiss her for long enough.

Everything she had to say was mesmerizing to me—all her little phrases, the way she talked with her fingers . . . Some people talked with their hands, but Ashleigh punctuated almost every sentence with a movement of her fingers. I’d never noticed before.

I started to walk her backward, lost patience and pushed her up against the wall.

“Richard is never touching you again.” I circled her waist and pulled her top from her skirt—I needed to feel her skin. “If you’re moving in with someone, you’re moving in with me.” I brushed my hands up her bare back. “Jesus, you were braless all evening. Fuck.” I’d suspected as much. My hands roamed to her chest, just to make sure. Double fuck, her nipples tightened under my touch, and she shuddered. I couldn’t help but groan against her mouth. Blood rushed to my cock, and I had to get closer, had to see them. I fiddled with the buttons on her shirt, but my fingers weren’t working. Something close to panic washed over me. I needed her naked. While I’d been fixating on her chest, Ashleigh had managed to undo my shirt completely. In desperation, I pulled at the fabric of her blouse, then tugged, sending the buttons flying and spilling out her amazing tits.

“These are my reason for living. Right here.” My eyes focused on her chest.

Ashleigh messed with my fly. She wanted me naked as much as I wanted her. My dick twitched at the thought. I kicked off my jeans and shrugged off my open shirt.

I took a step back so I could take her in. Naked from the waist up, she looked at me, her hair disheveled, mouth swollen and red from my kisses. She was a goddess. Fuck, I was a lucky guy. How could she not understand that I got how precious she was? She could trust me.

“I’m going to keep you up all night, and you’re not even going to remember Richard’s name when I’m done.” I reached under her skirt and pulled off her underwear in one swift movement. “I have to be inside you right now.” I would make it up to her later, but there wasn’t time for foreplay—my dick wouldn’t allow it. I grabbed her ass, lifting her up against the wall. She wrapped her legs around me.

“Please,” she breathed. “Please, I need you.”

It was exactly what I needed to hear. I plunged myself into her. It felt perfect. “It feels like forever since I’ve had you like this,” I whispered against her cheek. Even though we’d only been together this morning, it had been too long. She was so wet and ready, and I slid in and out with just the right amount of friction; it was as if I were made for her.

She tilted her head back against the wall, allowing me access to her perfectly smooth neck. I trailed my tongue up the soft column of skin, desperate to taste her. Every part of her was so delicious.

“Luke, it’s so deep.”

I could do nothing but growl in response as I started to thrust into her. I knew I was being rough, but I couldn’t hold back. Seeing her pushed up the wall by my hips, her body yielding to mine, was exactly what I needed. “You’re so fucking beautiful, so fucking perfect. I love this feeling of being buried so deep inside you, Ashleigh.”

She grasped at my shoulders, then chest. I didn’t understand what she wanted until she brought her eyes to mine.

They were wild. For me.

Needy. For me.

Feelings of relief and power swept through me.

This was the Ashleigh who was new to me. Naked Ashleigh. Panting and moaning Ashleigh. She was new but sexy and oh-so-sweet. Delicious. Mine.