“What, no, you have to continue. Your sister thinks… what?”
I roll my eyes. “Lolly thinks running into you at the cottage is fate.” His eyes widen. “See, you think I’m crazy.”
“I think I told you last night I thought you were.” He smirks at me as I bury my face into the armchair, utterly embarrassed.
“Ugh, I’m still so sorry about last night. About the whole… you know…” I wave my hand around.
“Checking out my dick?” His accent caresses the words.
How on earth does the word ‘dick’ sound so sexy from his mouth and not creepy like it usually does when other guys say it?
“But I understand now. It’s been a while.” He laughs. “You were only human. It’s impressive… no?”
I pick up the cushion behind my head and throw it at him, playfully. It knocks the glass of wine in his hand and spills all over his white T-shirt.
“Shit, I’m so sorry.”
That was so stupid, Lilly.
What the hell do you think you’re doing?
But Luke surprises me and slowly starts peeling the soaking T-shirt off his body. My teeth sink into my bottom lip, my pulse starts beating out of time, warmth washes over my skin, and a tingle settles itself between my legs.
No, no, no… this is bad.
“What are you doing?”
“Taking off my shirt.”
My chest becomes heavy as I try to swallow while my mouth turns dry.
“But… you can’t sit there without a shirt.” I wave my hand furiously in front of him.
“Why? Will you not be able to keep your hands off me?” He smirks.
Luke’s not far from the truth because the man’s chest is a thing of beauty—tanned, toned, a little glossy from a sheen of sweat settling over his skin from sitting close to the fire.
Shut it down, Lilly.
Shut it down.
Right now!
“As if. I’m not desperate,” I reply, rolling my eyes, which only serves to make him laugh.
“The flushed cheeks tell me otherwise.”
My jaw drops, did he just…
“That’s from the wine. Most definitely not from you.”
“Are you sure about that?”
What a cocky bastard.
“Of course, I am.”
“Last night says differently.” He raises a brow.
“I was jetlagged.”
“You couldn’t keep your eyes off my dick.”
“That’s because I was in shock at finding a naked man in my home.”
“Wasn’t because it’s been a while?”
“Excuse me?”
“When was the last time someone touched you, admired you, satisfied you?”
“You stop that right now. Stop it with that Italian sex voice. I’m sure it works on hundreds of ladies, but it’s not going to work on me. Yes, you’re a very good-looking man. I’m sure you know this because you own a mirror, but do not assume because I haven’t had sex in six months…” his eyes widen at my statement, “… that I’m some easy prey for you. I’m not one of those girls.”
“Six months?”
“Of course, that’s what you focus on. Yes, it’s been six months, and I don’t see that ending anytime soon.” I glare at him. “When was the last time you had sex?” I ask, crossing my arms in front of me defensively.
“A week ago.”
Of course, look at him, he probably has a different woman each night.
“Ugh… men,” I reply while throwing my hands up in the air. I stand and walk into the kitchen, grabbing myself a glass of water to cool down.
“Please, tell me you self-love,” he yells from the living room.
I still. He didn’t just ask me that. Turning around quickly, I stalk toward him, stabbing my finger into his hard chest. “Of course, I do, and it’s so much better than any orgasm any man has ever given me.”
“Then you have been with the wrong men.” Those chocolate eyes look up at me, and that cocky smirk infuriates me.
“And guess what? There’s no way in hell you’re going to be the right one, either. Good night, Luke.” I turn on my heel and stomp to my bedroom, slamming the door like some spoiled brat.
5
Luca
Stupido. Stupido. Stupido. I pushed her too far. I took the flirting and joking too far, especially after the story she told me about why she left Africa. Her ex? He’s a moron. Lilly is a fun, smart, feisty, easy-going, beautiful woman. She is so far from the women I usually date. I mean, she has a proper job for a start. She’s a doctor. And the charity work she’s doing isn’t some gala put on by rich people. She’s in there, hands-on with underprivileged people, making their lives better on the ground.
“Lilly,” I whisper, knocking on her door. I need to apologize to her. I let the wine go to my head, and the craziness of the last couple of days might have caught up to me and made me act in a way I wouldn’t normally. The door creaks open, and I see her eyes are a little red.
Shit, I’ve made her cry.
“Lilly… I’m…” But I don’t get very far before she’s pulling me into her, her lips touching mine in a frantic kiss. I instinctively open for her, my hands finding her body and pulling it flush against me. Our tongues dueling, neither willing to give up control.
Tiny mewls fall from her. “Please, don’t say a thing.” Lilly keeps kissing me, her hands roaming all over my bare chest. “Just, please… don’t speak.” My hands squeeze her ass through the thin material of her leggings.
“Not even if it’s to tell you that I want to pick you up and lay you down on your bed, strip you out of your clothes…”
“Nope.” She continues kissing me as I pull her T-shirt over her head, throwing the offending material to the floor. Her lips are on me again before I get a chance to take in her naked torso.
“Not even to tell you that my lips and tongue want to kiss and lick every inch of your body, starting here…” I suck on the delicate skin right under her ear, “… then moving along to here.” I kiss along her collarbone to the other side
