Everything Ishouldn’twant.
“Harriet…” He pushes his hands into his hair and tugs in frustration, until it’s sticking out at crazy angles. “This is killing me. I’ve done everything I can to fight my attraction to you and it’s not working.”
I nod, wanting nothing more than to take his agitated hands in my own and soothe him, kiss him. I should look away, but I can’t. I’m pinned in place by the desire burning hot in his eyes.
And just like that, the final thread of my self-control snaps.
23
“Ithink we should have sex,” I blurt.
Luke’s eyebrows spring up. “What?”
I repeat myself with less certainty. “I, er, I think we should have sex.”
“Are you serious?”
“Yeah.” I push away from the counter, pacing as I think aloud. “There’s so much sexual tension between us and it’s making things impossible.” I recall Alex upset in the bathroom at the bar last night. I can’t let her down, but I also need to be practical here. I turn back to Luke. “Maybe if we sleep together—just once,” I add, raising a finger for emphasis, “it might help to… I don’t know. Defuse it. Then we can get on with the wedding.”
“Defuseit?” Mirth colors his tone. “You make it sound like a bomb.”
“Well—” I huff a laugh. “I do kind of feel like I’m on the brink of exploding when I’m around you. And I know it’s not just me.”
“It’s not.” We share a loaded glance, then he scrubs a hand over his jaw, considering my words. “So… just once?”
“Yes. We’ve agreed that the wedding is what matters most.”
“Yeah, and I want that to be our number one priority. But…” He steps closer, heat simmering in his eyes. “I also wantyou.”
I breathe out in sheer relief. “I want you too, Luke. You have no idea how much.”
“God, I love hearing you say that.” He takes my face and tilts it up to his. When his lips meet mine, all the nerve endings in my body tingle with anticipation. I relax against him, sliding my hands up his chest, gripping onto his shirt again.
Then I pull back enough to meet his gaze, narrowing my eyes. “Just to be clear,” I say, thinking of him teasing me last night, “this isnotme begging you for sex.”
He chuckles, dropping his hands from my face and taking his glasses off, placing them on the counter. I’m about to protest when he turns back to me. “Okay. How about I even the playing field a little bit?”
“What?”
He forces a serious expression. “Harriet, can Ipleasekiss you?”
“Well, alright,” I say with mock reluctance, when what I really want to say is,Fuck yes, do it now and don’t stop.
I wait for his mouth to land on mine again, but he buries his face in my neck. “Harriet, can Ipleasehave sex with you?”
My knees weaken as his lips move over the sensitive skin below my ear, and I giggle, feeling woozy.
“Pleaselet me touch you.Pleaselet me take your clothes off.Pleaselet me do dirty things to you.”
My giggles die away as heat trickles down through my middle. Now I’m not laughing; I’m practically gasping for breath.
He draws back to gaze at me. “Please?”
“Shut up,” I mutter, standing on my tiptoes and circling my arms around his neck.
He grins, lowering his mouth back down to mine. He kisses me softly, teasingly, nibbling my lip, grazing my jaw, kissing the corner of my mouth—all while keeping his mouth closed. I grumble against his lips in frustration, wanting nothing more than to thrust my tongue down his throat.
“Shhh,” he whispers between chaste kisses. “I’m trying to kiss you.”
