“Okay?” I parrot back in surprise.
“Sure, I can stay for a while.”
“Great. What can I get you to drink?” I offer awkwardly. Now that he is here, what am I going to do with him?
“Is that tequila I see on top of your fridge?”
“Yeah, my favorite. I’ll pour us some.” He gives me his feline smile and I don’t know how I’m going to manage to pour anything. “On the rocks?”
“No, I like it just the way it is,” he responds smoothly.
Everything he says sounds sinful, like there is some deeper meaning I should be able to suss out. I feel my face flush and busy myself returning to the kitchen and pouring him a drink, neat, and one for me with ice.
While I do, Luke makes himself at home on my couch, gracefully draping his arm along the back and crossing an ankle over his knee, an alpha male position if ever there was one. It suits him. No bravado here, just pure, powerful masculinity. I cross the room and hand him his glass and then sit safely on the opposite end.
“Well, now that you have me here, what are you going to do with me?”
Shit. Good question. I have no clue. I hadn’t thought about anything beyond asking him to hang out. Luckily, there is a knock at the door, saving me from having to answer. He quirks a brow at me as I stand up and answer it.
Nowthe locksmith is here. I had completely forgotten he was coming. Great timing dude. I cross the room and open the door to find a friendly looking older guy in overalls with his name and company logo emblazoned on the chest.
“You missing a big black dog?” He jabs a thumb over his shoulder.
“No,” I reply with a frown. “I don’t have a dog. I have a black cat.”
“Huh,” he grunts. “I’m here to change your locks,” he says, handing me a business card.
“Wonderful. Please come in.”
“No need. This will only take a minute.”
He leaves the door open and gets to work, rekeying the locks on the doorknob and deadbolt, while I stand there awkwardly between him and Luke. I can feel Luke’s heated gaze on me as I wait. After a few minutes, the locksmith hands me the new key and a copy.
“That’s it. Sign here.”
“Seriously? That was quick.”
I sign the screen on his tablet and off he goes. I toss the keys on the end table next to the door and turn around to see Luke sipping his tequila, his hot yellow-green gaze laser focused on me. Shockingly, Lucifer is curled up on the back of the couch at Luke’s shoulder.
“I can’t believe that cat is sitting with you. Lucifer hates everyone. Even me.”
“Cats always love me. Why did you name this sweet thing Lucifer?”
“After the mean cat in Cinderella.”
Lucifer lifts his head, looks at me haughtily as if he knows we are discussing him, and blinks his yellow eyes. After a brief stare off, he stretches, bumping his head against Luke before jumping down to stalk off. I glare after him. That damn cat I so kindly allowed to stay with the building has never even acknowledged my existence.
I shake my head and return to my seat on the couch and take a sip of my tequila, rolling it around in my mouth, savoring the flavor. I swallow and lick a drop off my lips with the tip of my tongue. Luke's eyes follow the movement, and he groans.
“Fuck it,” he mutters and uncrosses his legs, taking the foot that was resting on his knee and using it to kick the coffee table away from him. He scowls at the vase of roses as it teeters precariously. Turning his gaze back to mine, he points at the floor in front of him expectantly.
Oh, shit. I have a feeling I’m about to lose the lid to Pandora’s box completely. I take another swallow of tequila for courage and rise from the couch.
“Lieshe,” he draws out each letter of my name so that it falls like sin from his lips. “Je veux croquer la pomme.On your hands and knees. Crawl to me.”
Yup. There goes the lid. The French iskillingme. I drop to my hands and knees as gracefully as I can and crawl the few scant feet, so I am in front of him.
I hope to hell I look sexy, but what I feel is awkward as fuck. I’m trying to please him by following his commands, but I can’t help but wonder if there is a sexy way to crawl or if just the act itself is enough.
