“Sierra, wait.” Luke called after her, but she didn’t stop.
Fuck him.
She heard what he had to say. She knew he didn’t have any intentions of apologizing, so why the hell did she need to hang around? It would only make things worse. Instead, she pretended not to hear him and kept moving toward the front door. She only hoped Sam wouldn’t come out because she didn’t think her voice would work long enough to say goodbye. As she breached the front door, she heard Cole call out her name, but again, she didn’t stop.
She was fumbling for her keys in her purse as she reached her car. She clicked the remote to unlock the doors, but before she had her hand on the door handle, Luke’s voice bellowed from behind her.
“Sierra. Stop.”
She froze in place, trying to hold back the sob that threatened to tear from her chest. There was no way she was going to get all emotional. Not after what he had done. When she moved her arm to reach for the door handle, his big, strong hand clamped onto her wrist.
She twirled around, jerking away from him and taking a step back until she was trapped between his massive body and her car. “Don’t touch me.” She ordered, keeping her voice low and controlled.
“Luke.” Cole’s deep voice thundered from behind Luke, but Sierra couldn’t see him. “Let her go.”
She was surprised when Luke turned abruptly, an angry glare directed right at Cole. Seeing an opportunity, she reached behind her and gripped her door handle, pulling up until the car door opened. Thinking she might actually have a chance to sneak away from them unscathed, Sierra took a step to the side, trying to get the door open further.
Then that angry glare was turned back at her, and Sierra saw something else in Luke’s gaze.
“I need to go.” She stated, but it came out almost like a question. As though she were asking his permission. But that couldn’t be because Sierra didn’t give a shit what Luke wanted.
“You weren’t supposed to be here.” He stated.
That took her by surprise. “What?”
“You heard me.”
“Fuck you. I was invited.” Anger surged hot and fierce inside of her as she tried to figure out where Luke was going with this.
“I wouldn’t have come if I had known you would be here.” He looked thoroughly pissed, and Sierra would have taken another step back if she wasn’t already pressed up against her car door. When Cole stepped around to Luke’s side, she did her best not to tear her eyes away from Luke.
“Well, that makes two of us. Next time Sam invites me, I’ll make sure I ask so I don’t intrude. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to –” She was about to say go, but before she could get the word out, Luke was on her, his mouth crushing down on hers and damn her body, she couldn’t resist him as she threw her arms around his neck and pressed closer. The emotions were a whirlwind, sparking the flames and Sierra was lost, taken back to that night in the hotel room in Vegas.
Luke gripped her hair, twining it around his big fist, pulling her head back and breaking their kiss. Sierra could only stare up at him, her lips still tingling from his kiss.
“You don’t deserve this, Sierra.” Luke sounded tortured as he stared down at her. “But, I’m not strong enough to resist you.”
The strangled whimper that escaped betrayed her. She didn’t want to let him know just how much she still wanted him, despite what he had done. Despite everything. Sierra wanted him with an intensity she couldn’t control.
“Go home with me.” He said, and Sierra heard an underlying plea in his tone, even though the words were more a command than a request.
“I can’t.” She couldn’t. Damn it.
He brought his head closer, his lips hovering just above hers, his hands gripping her hips and pulling her flush against him until she felt his erection pressing against her belly.
“Go home with me, Sierra.” He demanded again.
Sierra wanted to stay strong.
She wanted to give in.
The pleasure she knew she would find in his arms, in his bed, was almost more than she could bear, but this was Luke. The same man who ran like a frightened child when things got too damn hot to handle.
“No.” She was startled by the conviction in her tone.
Luke took a step away from her, still staring down into her eyes, and though it was dark, Sierra could see the energy swirling in the green-brown hues. He wasn’t a man who was used to hearing that word, but as far as Sierra was concerned, he’d burned that bridge.
“I’m not as easy as you seem to think I am, Luke. I’m not one of those girls you can throw down on your bed, have your wicked way with, and then walk away from. I deserve better than that.”