Spent - Part 1 (Spent, a New Adult Romance, MMA Series) (10 page)

“You probably shouldn’t visit mine, then.”

“I wouldn’t mind seeing yours, he grins, “I like these older apartments because they tend to have high enough ceilings for me to not constantly bump the top of my big head. That’s all I really care about. I don’t really own much, so don’t need a lot of space.”

I roll my eyes, “You don’t have a big head. It’s perfectly proportioned to your body. You’re just big everywhere else.”
 

“Am I now?” He winks.
 

Sighing, I move past him to give myself a tour of his apartment. It’s sparsely decorated, but exceptionally clean. Far cleaner than I would have expected from a fighter. A few photos along the wall catch my eye. I’m immediately drawn into the pictures of Luke surrounded by three bikini clad women. I groan. Luke notices what I’m looking at and quickly jumps in.
 

“Those are my sisters. That was a few years ago right when I went pro. We celebrated by going to Hawaii,” he smiles.
 

I let out a breath, trying to calm down the sudden surge of jealousy that was beginning to build, “They’re pretty.”

“Yeah, they’re great. Amy,” he points to the one on the far right, “Just finished high school and is getting married. Christina and Jess are both nurses in Jersey.”
 

“I didn’t know you had sisters.”

“I don’t get to see them much anymore. They’re all busy with their own lives now,” Luke continues to stare at the picture, a soft smile etched across his face, as if he’s remembering a happier time.
 

“I’m sorry.”
 

Luke shakes his head, “Don’t be. I’m happy they’re all finally doing well.”

“Finally?” I ask.
 

Luke sighs, “Life was rough on the streets, Tash. My sisters and I are just lucky to be alive, let alone going to college and being productive people.”
 

“I’m sorry, Luke,” I whisper.
 

“Don’t be. I know the journalist in you always has to ask the hard questions,” he smiles, “Want a drink? Something to eat?” he asks as he walks towards the kitchen.
 

“Both. Whatcha got?” I shrug off my jacket as my eyes, now by habit, keep a firm lock on his tight butt as he walks into the kitchen.

Setting my jacket down across the back of a chair, I take another look at Luke’s photos. Something glistens from behind the end table Luke has wedged against the wall under his pictures. Stooping over, I reach out and pick it up. It’s a small golden picture frame covered in dust. It’s clearly been sitting behind the table for some time. Turning it over, I look to see what picture it holds.
 

“Um, I’ve got protein shakes and ramen noodles?” He calls from inside the kitchen.
 

The Luke that’s in the picture appears different than the one I spend almost every day with. He’s a little younger, but not by much, and his eyes don’t have the same downtrodden gaze that present Luke has when he’s not looking at me. The woman leaning into his arms looks happy. I quickly glance up at the photos of his sisters. All of his sisters have the same copper hair that Luke does, but the woman in the picture has a jet black bob. Her face is cute and young, but I still don’t see any resemblance between her and the three women in the other photo. My thoughts immediately turn to the woman who cheated on him.

Claire...

From the next room, I can hear him rummaging through the cupboards, “And, I’ve also got some oreos.”
 

I grimace, quickly stuffing the photo back where I found it, “Sounds divine.”

Luke emerges through the kitchen doorway, holding two cups, his hulking body covering nearly every corner of the small opening, “Does ordering in sound better? The China King does a delicious Sweet and Sour Chicken.”
 

“Anything sounds better than ramen and protein shakes,” I chortle.

“Pass me my phone,” he grins handing me a cup.

As he orders what sounds like more food than we need, I allow my eyes to gently explore Luke Richards. In this light, I can see the small knick along his cheek that Donahue left behind. I smile at him, admiring the man standing in front of me and how much he has accomplished today.
 

“Sorry that’s only water,” Luke concedes, after he completes the call, “and in a coffee cup at that. I don’t actually have any glasses.”
 

“It’s okay,” I smile softly at him as I take a sip, “I’m used to drinking out of a mug thanks to Cameron’s coffee addiction.”
 

“Oh!” His eyes widen, “Speaking of Cameron.”

Oh God, what has she done this time?

“She came up to me the other day at the cafeteria and, I kid you not, said, ‘I’m so glad you’re not a walking dildo’.”

“Ugh,” I roll my eyes, “That woman needs to get on some medication.”
 

Luke chortles, “I thought it was funny. I think she’s just looking out for you.”

“I know she is,” I sigh, “But she’s just got some crazy ways of doing it. I love her to death, though. She’s like a big sister to me.”
 

“She’s cool. I like that she sticks up for you. Anyway,” Luke sits down on the couch, causing the old piece of furniture to sag tremendously against his weight, “Wanna hit the books before dinner gets here?”
 

“Might as well,” I shrug, taking the single seater. “I don’t foresee me being anymore eager to study Bio after dinner than I am right now.”

***

After an hour of study and mental gymnastics, I’m relieved to hear the doorbell ring. My mouth begins to salivate at the thought of food. I hadn’t realized just how much of an appetite I had worked up from watching the fight.
 

I clear away the papers from the table while Luke answers the door, and move to the couch so Luke and I can attack the delivered food side by side. Immediately, something sharp pokes me in the butt.
 

“Ouch! Fuck,” I rub my sore bottom with my hand, “Is that… is that a spring poking through?”

“Yeah, this couch is a little old. Sorry ‘bout that,” Luke apologizes as he sits beside me, boxes of Chinese food in his hands.
 

“There is no way I’m letting you sleep on this tonight. I’ll just go home and endure Cameron once we’re done eating,” I mutter as I scoot to the edge of the seat.
 

“How late’s her party?” Luke looks at me with concern, handing me some chopsticks.
 

“Knowing Cameron, it won’t end until around 4,” I sigh, dread filling my body as I think about the total lack of sleep I’ll have when I wake up for school in the morning.
 

“Then just spend the night. Honestly,” Luke pats the space of the couch that’s between us, “I sleep on this thing all the time.”

“Not happening,” I shake my head firmly, and try to coax a soy soaked piece of pork between my chopsticks, “I’m either heading home or you’re finding someplace other than your couch to sleep on tonight.”

“Fine,” Luke waves his hands in defeat, “I’ll sleep on the ground.”
 

I roll my eyes, “Just… sleep with me. I think we can both behave for one night.”

Luke’s blue green eyes stare down into mine as he processes what I just said to him. Realizing what I just asked him to do, my anxiety level jumps through the roof, and I drop my piece of pork.

“I’ll do my best,” he whispers.
 

“At?” I arch an eyebrow.
 

“Behaving.”
 

“Are you sure about this?” Luke asks as I follow him to his bedroom.
 

“Yep,” I try to make my voice sound calm and collected, “We’re just friends. We’ll be fine.”

“Okay. Just kick me or something if you need to,” he leads me through a door.
 

“Gladly,” I smirk, as Luke turns on the bedroom light.
 

A dim glow casts down over the small bedroom. Luke’s bed fills up nearly the entire room and it’s not a very large bed to begin with. I shake my head slightly, realizing right away that this sleeping arrangement is going to be a little awkward.  

“Can you fit on your bed?” I ask as I look over the small bed that might be a queen sized bed, at the largest, “You’re kind of a big guy…”

“It’s a little small, I know. I just kind of curl into a ball or sleep on the couch,” Luke smirks.
 

I arch an eyebrow, “Mister six foot five just ‘curls into a ball’? I’d like to see that.”

Luke smirks, “All 247 pounds of him.”

“This is going to be interesting,” I mutter as I climb into bed.
 

“Really, I can always sleep on the floor. I’ve got a sleeping bag,” Luke motions towards the rolled up sleeping bag in the corner of the room.
 

“No, no,” I wave him off, “Sleep with me. I’m starting to realize why you were losing so often.”

“Oh?” Luke arches an eyebrow, a soft grin etched across his face as he climbs into bed beside me. The bed squeaks and sags under Luke’s large frame.
 

“There’s no way you’re getting enough rest sleeping the way you do. Not to mention how much your body must ache when you wake up every morning,” I mutter as I pull the comforter over my body.
 

“Meh,” Luke shrugs as he pulls off his shirt, “Most of my furniture was taken last year, so I’ve had to pick up things from garage sales to make it by until I can get new stuff.”
 

“Robbery?”

“In a manner of speaking,” Luke’s voice trails off.

I’m too distracted by his bare torso to process his words. My eyes hungrily scan over his firm chest as he sinks down beside me, pulling the comforter up over his legs. Noticing that I’m staring at him, Luke’s expression changes into something along the line of amusement.
 

“I can put my shirt back on, if you’d like? I just sleep better without it.”

“It’s cool. I usually don’t sleep with a shirt on, either,” I grimace as soon as the words tumble out of my mouth.
 

Luke stares at me with humorous eyes, “You’re more than welcome to take yours off, too.”

I wrap my arms around my chest, “I think it’s best for both of us if I leave it on.”
 

His expression turns serious, as if he has just been reminded of our ‘arrangement’, “You’re right. Sorry.”

I frown. Luke has been giving me so many mixed signals ever since we fucked, I have no idea how to process it. I’ve done my best to respect his ‘just friends’ request, but the way his hazel eyes look at me tell me that he’s holding back. A chill runs down my spine as I wrap my arms around me tighter. I need to know what Luke wants out of all of this, but I also need to know what I want, too.
 

“Cold?” Luke mutters as he reaches over to turn out the light.
 

Goosebumps etch across my skin, “A little.”
 

“Come here,” Luke stretches out his arms.
 

The way my muscles are tightening causes me to hesitate. I’ve got to figure out what Luke and I are, because I can’t keep going like this. I need to know if he feels the same way for me that I feel for him.
 

“What are we, Luke?” I whisper, my voice broken.
 

A dim light shines through the bedroom window, casting a beautiful aura around Luke’s bare physique. Staring at him, I can see that his brow is furrowed, as if he’s sorting the question through his mind, trying to figure out its meaning.
 

“Friends, I think,” Luke mutters under his breath.
 

“Is that all that you think of me?” I whisper, my mouth too dry to speak any louder.
 

Luke sighs. My breathing slows down to a minimum while my heart beats rapidly. I close my eyes, waiting for the words that I don’t want to hear to cut through me like a knife. Suddenly, I feel Luke’s strong arms wrap around me. I nestle my head against his chest, my body yearning to hear what he’s about to say.
 

“You’re much more, Tasha,” the words roll slowly off of his tongue, barely above a whisper.

His words wash over me like a cleansing rain. I let out the breath that I was holding in and wrap my arm around his lean waist. Running my hand across his back, I feel his muscles tighten, responding to my touch.
 

“Then why do you keep pushing us back to being just friends?” I ask as my fingertips brush along his shoulder blade. A soft moan escapes Luke’s mouth when I touch him, making my vagina dampen with desire.
 

“My last relationship didn’t end so well,” he mutters after a long pause, “I just haven’t been able to move past it, not until I met you.”
 

I lean in closer to him, “My last relationship didn’t end so well, either,” I look up into his eyes, “We can start off slow.”

Luke looks down at me, his copper hair glistening against the moonlight shining through the window. The look in his soft hazel eyes gives me hope, but I can also see the trepidation behind them. I hold onto him tightly, waiting for him to say the words that I hope will come out of his mouth.
 

A gentle smile slowly eases across his face, “I’d like that.”

My racing heart begins to calm at the sound of his words. The anxiety that's been building inside of me over what he and I mean to each other slowly flutters away, leaving my tense and aching muscles some space to finally relax. Smiling up at his handsome face, I plant a tender kiss on his chin. Luke closes his eyes, a relaxing sigh escapes from his lips, bristling against my hair.
 

I move my arm off of his waist, placing my hand against his strong pec. My lips lightly brush against his jaw as they slowly ease their way down along his chest. Against my thighs, I can feel his dick quickly coming to life, letting me know that he’s enjoying my sensual touch. I smile against his neck at the sensation, continuing my path of kisses down along his collarbone.
 

When my lips reach the pec that my hand is resting upon, I stop. Sitting up in the bed, I reach for the hem of the shirt that I’m wearing and slowly ease it over my head. Luke watches me with lust filled eyes as my top slowly lifts away, revealing my ivory skin concealed underneath. His root quickly bulges against the comforter, giving me a mesmerizing display of the massive tent his pelvis is constructing along with the blanket.