He must have seen something in her eyes because he leaned over to kiss her cheek. She sat up, and he set the book aside, hands going to her waist. His eyes burned into hers, and she leaned in for a kiss.
Heat poured through her as his lips pressed against hers, her pulse quickening in response to his touch. She held onto his shoulders, and he pulled her onto his lap, bringing her closer. She slotted over him, her knees on either side of his hips as he deepened the kiss.
His movements turned frantic, his fingers digging into her hips. He slipped his tongue into her mouth and her stomach flipped, desire pooling low in her belly.
She reached for the edge of his sweatshirt, and he pulled it off, revealing his bare skin. She moved her hands across his chest, feeling every contour and dip, greedily exploring the solid feel of him. He made a desperate sound as her hands went lower.
Then, in a quick maneuver, he had them flipped until she was flat on her back, resting against the pillows, his body hovering above hers. His teeth scraped against her skin as he kissed her throat.
Her body was pulled taut, aching as he trailed kisses over her collar, down to her heart. She held onto his shoulders, nails digging into his bare skin. He lifted up her sweater, pressing a kiss to her stomach.
She made a soft whimper, and his hands went to the waist of her skirt. Her heart pounded against her chest. She brought her hand over his, urging him to continue. He lowered her skirt an inch, kissing her below her belly button, and desire pulsed through her, making her dizzy.
“Please,” she whispered, throwing her head back.
He pulled her skirt and underwear down to her ankles. He kissed her between her legs, and she gasped, holding onto his hair. Heat poured through her, gathering in intensity as he continued to kiss her and kiss her until she was overcome with pleasure.
After, he lifted up, a smug smile on his face as he looked her over. He touched her cheek. “Em,” he said, voice rough. “I really, really like you in pink.”
She felt her cheeks growing warmer, her blush surely deepening, and he smiled.
Her chest tightened. And she knew.
She was falling in love with him. She suspected a part of herself had fallen in love with him all those years ago, but she had buried it so deeply, and now it was rushing to the surface, impossible to ignore.
Chapter 29
Talking about the proposal with Emmeline had been a little awkward for Luke.
She had plans to expand while his business was failing—it was embarrassing, almost, but he knew she wasn’t looking down on him. He could see she was concerned for him.
Even though they were vying for the same investment, she was still worried about him.
Ridiculous woman. He was falling in love with her badly. A part of him had loved her since that very first night, but now the force of it was tenfold. He couldn’t believe his luck. More than a week later, it still felt as if he was living a dream.
She was so loving and caring, with such a big heart. It was as if all of her defenses had stripped away, and he had been given the immense privilege of seeing the truth of her core.
He had seen her as a fierce and ruthless businesswoman, someone who was always in control, who was never fazed. But now he saw that beneath her armor, she was just as human as anyone else: she could be shy and nervous.
He loved her already, but with every new layer to her that he discovered, he loved her more and more. There was no one else in the world like her, and there never would be again.
Luke checked his phone; it was Sunday evening, and she was supposed to meet him at the Baby Dragon Cafe fifteen minutes ago. He was out on Main Street, looking up at the festive lights decorating the cafe’s storefront. It was cold out, but he didn’t mind waiting.
He had waited all these years, after all.
Then, his phone rang. His heartbeat quickened. He wondered if it would ever stop being exciting, being the object of her attention. He knew it wouldn’t, at least not for a long time.
“Hey,” he said, picking up.
“I’m sorry, I know I’m late, I...” she started, and his brows furrowed. She sounded frazzled.
“What’s going on?” he asked.
“I’m sorry, I was heading out, when Motu created this huge mess,” she explained. “I’m trying to clean up and—”
“Hey, take a deep breath,” he said. “Do you want me to come over and help you clean up?”
She paused. “If you wouldn’t mind...” She stopped herself. “No, it’s okay. I can do it.”
