Raising her hips to help, a wave of electrifying desire covered every inch of her as he slid the offending garment down her legs, then tossed them over the side of the bed to the floor. Her wildest fantasies could not compare to the erotic thrill Luke created every time he removed her clothes.
“I don’t know why you bother with them anyway. You know I’m just going to take them off of you,” he said, pulling her against him.
“But you told me you enjoyed doing just that.”
“Getting you out of your clothes is part of the fun.” He frowned suddenly. “But I don’t want to dwell on that now. Where were we before getting you out of your clothes became the big issue?”
“I believe you were going to explain why I don’t need nightgowns and panties,” she reminded, suddenly feeling quite breathless.
“No, I believe I told you that I intended to show you.” He lightly brushed her lips with his as he pressed himself even closer.
Her eyelids drifted shut as she relished the feel of their bodies pressed close. His hard contours against her much softer curves excited her as little else could and sent a tremor of sheer delight straight through her to gather into a pool of need deep inside.
“Open your eyes, Haley.”
When she did, the intense look in his eyes caused her heart to pound erratically. Hunger, urgent and undeniable, sparkled in the vivid blue depths and just knowing that she’d created such deep need in him as well sent threads of heated passion twining throughout her entire being.
He continued to hold her gaze with his as without a word he slowly slid his hand down to her knee, then back up along the inside of her thigh. Ripples of desire skipped over every nerve in her body and an extreme restlessness began to overtake her. She needed to be one with him, to have him buried so deeply inside her that she lost sight of where she ended and he began.
“Please…Luke,” she said, amazed at the sultriness in her own voice.
“Only if you promise me something,” he warned, lifting her leg over his.
“What?” At that moment, she would promise him almost anything if he would quench the fire threatening to send her into total meltdown.
“I don’t want you to close your eyes.” Taking her hand in his, he helped her guide him to her. “I want you to look at me while I’m inside you, Haley.” Easing his hips forward, his jaw tightened and his eyes began to blaze with a feral light as he slowly began to enter her. “I want to see the moment when you realize there’s no turning back, that I’m going to take you over the edge and put my baby inside of you to love and nurture.”
“I promise I’ll try,” she whispered, placing her hand on his chest. The steady rhythm of his heart matched the beating of her own and in that moment she’d never felt closer to him.
Her soul filled to overflowing with love as he completely joined their bodies, then slowly began to move within her. His gaze continued to hold hers as he built the bond between them to a fevered pitch and sensations, exquisite and sweet, flowed through her.
But all too soon the connection grew, changing, evolving into something that Haley never wanted to end. A sudden delicious tightness gripped her body, then quickly shattered to send her spinning out of control. Shivering from the force of her release, she heard herself whimper his name as every cell in her being melted with pleasure and she clung to him to keep from being lost.
Feeling the sweet languor of fulfillment wash over her, she watched Luke’s eyes darken a moment before his body stiffened and he crushed her to him. He thrust himself into her one final time and as she felt the honeyed warmth of his life force flow into her, she knew that she could never love any other man the way she loved Luke. He owned her heart, her body and her soul.
On Saturday evening as he waited for the doorman to announce his and Haley’s arrival to the guests at Emerald’s reception, Luke glanced at her and wondered for at least the hundredth time in the past three weeks why it had taken him so long to see how beautiful she was. Her long blond curls cascaded over her bare shoulders like a golden waterfall and the strapless black evening gown she wore accentuated her slender feminine form to perfection.
“Mr. Luke Garnier and Miss Haley Rollins,” the doorman finally announced to the crowded ballroom.
He thought he felt Haley’s body go rigid a moment before she placed her hand in the crook of his arm and they walked toward the receiving line where Emerald and several others stood waiting to greet them. But glancing again at her, Luke decided he’d imagined it. She looked as serenely beautiful as she had the day she’d walked down the aisle of the little chapel in Pigeon Forge to trustingly place her hand in his and become his…wife.
His heart stalled. Why had that particular word come to mind? It was one that, over the course of the past several weeks, he’d been extremely careful to avoid.
“Lucien, darling, I’m so happy you decided to attend,” Emerald greeted him, placing her bejeweled hand on his cheek and bringing him back to the present. Turning to Haley, she smiled. “And what a lovely young woman you’re with this evening.”
“This is my executive assistant, Haley Rollins,” he introduced automatically. “Haley, I’d like you to meet Emerald Larson.”
“How do you do, Ms. Rollins?” Emerald replied, lightly kissing Haley’s cheek.
“L-lovely. It’s a pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Larson.” Was his mind playing tricks on him or had he heard a slight quaver in Haley’s voice?
“I hope you don’t mind, but I’m going to steal my grandson away from you for a few moments,” Emerald declared, smiling. “There are a few people I would like for him to get acquainted with.”
Luke could have cheerfully choked the old girl for dropping that little bomb. He’d avoided telling Haley that Emerald was the grandmother he’d mentioned. For one thing, theirs was a business arrangement and he hadn’t felt it pertinent to their situation. And for another, he hadn’t gotten used to the idea himself. Now, short of creating a scene, there was nothing he could do but allow Emerald to lead him away from Haley and over to the three men standing across the ballroom.
“Of course, I don’t mind,” Haley murmured, but her look clearly stated otherwise.
“I’ll be right back,” he whispered in her ear. “I promise that I’ll explain all of this later.”
She leaned away from him a fraction of an inch. The movement was ever so slight, but he’d noticed it just the same as if she’d fully recoiled from him. “Don’t worry about me, I’ll be fine. Take all the time you like,” she professed, turning to walk in the opposite direction.