“Y’know,” I say, “this is the stupidest thing I’ve ever experienced with anyone in my life.” I’m trying so hard not to laugh, but the huge smile on my face gives everything away.
He goes through the motions of taking his balls back and then, to my surprise, fits his hands about my waist and pulls me onto his lap. I become breathless. My nerve endings stir and race, sending a tingling sensation like a wave through my limbs. He leans forward and grazes the side of my neck with his lips. My heart thrums behind my rib cage; my mouth feels dry, my lungs empty, my heart full.
“Stupid, maybe,” he says and presses his lips against my neck, “but it feels right.”
I turn a little on his lap so I can see his eyes and he looks deeply into mine, one of his hands fixed against my thigh, the other fitted at my waist just above my hip.
“I’m glad you decided to stay,” he whispers, his eyes lingering on my lips for an intense moment before finding my eyes again.
“So am I,” I whisper back.
Luke’s lips part mine slowly, and it feels like my whole body sighs as his mouth searches mine, carefully, yet with passion and intent. The heat of his warm tongue tangles around mine, making my insides tremble and shiver. I feel like I’m going to come apart in his arms, lose complete control of my muscles and become mush on his lap. I inhale his breath, feeling like I need it as much as I need my own, and my hands somehow find their way to his neck, where I probe the muscles under my fingertips. Luke kisses me hungrily, one hand fitted underneath my throat, the other holding tighter onto my waist; I can feel the tips of his strong fingers pressing into my flesh, and his hardness beneath me, which practically sends me over the edge with need.
Gasping, I pull away, breaking the kiss, and just stare into his eyes.
I can’t let this happen.
I could sleep with him. I could take advantage of this vacation and everything it has to offer. There’s nothing wrong with a brief sexual encounter every now and then as long as we stay safe about it. But that’s not what this is. And Luke’s not the kind of guy I could sleep with a time or two on vacation and then never see him again when it was all over.
Luke is different. I knew that from the moment I met him. And I’ve never been so confused about anything in my life.
“What are you thinking about?” he asks, smiling faintly up at me with a heat in his eyes I’ve never seen before.
His left hand squeezes my hip once.
I smile back at him. “Nothing,” I lie again and lean down to touch my lips to his once more. “But I should probably be getting back to my hotel.”
“Why don’t you stay here?” he suggests, and then adds. “Y’know, while you’re on vacation.”
Surprised by how quickly and casually that came out—then again, I should be used to him doing that by now—I can’t find an answer.
He pats my thigh. “You can sleep in my room and I’ll take the couch. No expectations. I swear.” He puts up both hands and his smile is bright and innocent, laced by mischief that I completely expected of him.
“I don’t know,” I begin. “I mean it’d be kind of weird, don’t you think? You have a roommate. He might not think it’s such a good idea.” I know I’m grasping at straws here and that my excuses are lame, but it’s all I’ve got.
Luke pats my thigh again and then lifts me carefully from his lap so he can stand up.
“Seth won’t mind,” he says. “Besides, it’s my house, not his. And why would it be weird?” He laughs lightly.
I shrug coyly. “I dunno.”
He takes my hand and walks with me into the house and through the kitchen.
“Think about how much money you’ll save on the hotel alone,” he says. “Two weeks in a beachside hotel in Hawaii of all places—what’s that costing you, a few thousand dollars?”
I follow him down the hallway toward his bedroom while he continues to go on about all the reasons it would be better that I stay in his house while I’m here. And every single one of them is spot-on and I can find no argument. While I’m standing in his room, checking out his simple little bed with a simple nightstand and a chest of drawers and a clothes hamper pressed in one corner, Luke is stripping the sheets and pillowcases from his bed. He tosses them across the room with ease and hits the hamper almost perfectly.
“But what about when you have to go to work?”
Snapping a clean sheet open, he begins to make the bed, bending over to fit the corners around the mattress.
“I work at the surf school when I’m available, for the most part,” he says as he gets on the bed and fits the sheet on the corner against the wall. “If Allan needs me one day, then we can head over and you can hang out on the beach for a few while I do my thing, if you want to. As far as Big Wave Surf Shop, Braedon won’t mind picking up my slack for a while—we own the place together.”
“Oh, really?” I ask, surprised.
He nods with a shrug. “Yeah, it’s nothing like the business I owned with Landon, but I like things simple.”
He begins to slide the first pillow of three down into a green case, wedging the pillow underneath his chin.
“So whadya say?”
“I guess that wouldn’t be so bad.” I’m still trying to convince myself that this is a good idea.
“Then it’s settled,” he says, and tosses the last pillow down. “You’re my guest while you’re in Hawaii and you might find your stay at,” he waves his hand dramatically across the room, “the Everett House pleasant and relaxing, not to mention free—you’ll have to give it a five-star rating on that alone.” One side of his mouth tugs into a grin.