"What greater thing is there for two human souls than to feel that they are joined to strengthen each other, to be at one with each other in silent unspeakable memories." — George Eliot

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Chapter 27
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Maggie

I nodded at the customer. "Have a nice day."

I stared after him a moment later, my mind drifting for the umpteenth time today.

When I woke up yesterday morning, I thought I was sleeping on a cloud. Out of all my years, I had never slept so good.

Until I realized why, and until I remembered everything that had occurred before that.

Luke saw my nightmare.

He comforted me, and he held me in his arms until I fell asleep.

My fingers tightened around the counter in order to have some type of grip on reality. Because the longer I thought on it, the more I wondered if I were losing my shit. Because, if I wasn't, it meant that Luke had actually helped something that had never, ever, been fixed before.

I had never experienced awkwardness like the one we had yesterday morning, though. When I woke up, his arms were around me, and he was staring down at me with those big, blue eyes. I had jumped out of bed so quick, I nearly tripped over the sheets.

Then, I spent the entire day on edge. I knew that, at any moment, he would bring the nightmare up, and tease me about it. I'd given him the perfect ammunition against me to use.

But, he didn't.

Instead, he asked if, and what I wanted for breakfast. That was it. Those were the only and last words he'd spoken to me.

I tried to push the nightmare to the back of my head along with the others. I'd had more than enough, to which only myself, Granny, and Jax had witnessed. Luke being added to the list was never the plan.

But, here we were. He knew, and he was there to witness it. He had actually helped me. I'd never been able to reach that calm as quickly as I had when he pulled me into his arms.

I'd never admit this out loud; hell, I had repulsion just saying it in my head but...when he held me, I had never felt so...peaceful.

It was driving me insane. I didn't want that feeling with anyone, let alone him. I couldn't understand any of this in the slightest.

I scrubbed a hand down my face with a sigh. "I need a drink." That was my twentieth time claiming the fact, but just like all of this other times, I still couldn't have one.

As awkward as it was between Luke and I right now, I couldn't let that mess with my progress when it came to his building. Feelings, or whatever the fuck was blocking my stability right now, didn't alter our deal.

The sooner I finished his building, the sooner we could go back to what we'd always been. Nothing.

Involuntarily, dread swarmed my system at the thought.

Shrugging it off, I turned to clock out of the system. I'd worked an early shift at the mechanic shop today for the extra money.

I swiveled to leave this hell, and enter the next one, but was stopped.

Lowen was leaning against a wall, arms crossed and eyes attached to where my ass previously was. He raised his gaze to my chest, before ending on my eyes.

To refrain from ripping his head off, I crouched to grab my keys from under the desk. "Need something?"

"Mhm." His tongue darted out to lick a dry lip. "You heading out?"

I was more than used to older men creeping on me, but Lowen was probably topping the list. The shithead didn't have any shame. He almost acted as if I owed him something other than the work I came here for.

I gave a curt head nod. "Yep."

He lifted his usual hat, some old scalp flakes littering to the floor as he did. "Alright, well..." He ran a hand through the thin hairs before nodding. "Drive safe out there. I wouldn't want to lose my favorite employee; who else would put up with me?" What he actually meant was: 'who else wouldn't report me for the weird shit I do?'

I was soon to be off of the list the moment he touched me. If it weren't for the pay, I would have long ago took the shot. He hadn't touched me though, not physically, so I refrained, and carried on through it.

"Will do," I confirmed with a small eye roll. Without another word, I tightened a hand around my key ring, and stepped past him. I felt his eyes linger on my backside even after I was outside.

I paused to inhale a string of the late February air. It swept right through me until I exhaled past my shaky chest. I never realized until now how anxious I'd been about everything.

I couldn't even place where to start.

Instead of dwelling, I hurried off to my car. The engine clicked a couple of times, before it finally rung to life.

I chuckled, patting the dashboard. "Good girl." This thing may be a piece of shit, but it pulled through when I needed it most.

I didn't even play my music on the drive to Lukes, that was how I knew I was screwed. Instead, I tried to push and arrange my mess of a head.

And, shit were we both a mess.

I didn't know why I couldn't just bring the nightmare up with Luke. I wouldn't even know what to say exactly, but something was perhaps better than nothing at all. I could tell him that the nightmare was nothing, and that it wasn't anything more than a random night terror. That I overreacted, and so did he for trying to help me the way he did.

That was it.

My foot nearly drove through the brake as I stopped in front of his shop. The damaged Mercedes was still in the same spot, but it was alone.

I wasn't sure why I checked, but since I'd pissed off his tempered father to another level, I was kind of skeptical. Not for me, but for Luke.

The adrenaline had definitely worn off from the event, and the reality was here to stay. In the span of a couple hours, I'd pissed off his entire family, and I was sure it would come back to bite Luke in the ass.

I'd written a couple checks that my ass couldn't cash before, but this one wasn't my own. I just wrote it, and gave it to Luke.

Maybe that was why he hadn't spoken to me since then. Or, maybe it was because I had pushed him away when I woke up. Was he mad? Was he scared? Annoyed? Disgusted? I couldn't blame him if he was.

Fuck. I needed to breathe before I sent myself into hysteria from all of this.

I pulled in a breath through my nostrils. Jax had taught me a helpful breathing exercise, but when the memory of Luke's voice coaxing me through the nightmare, I felt everything drown out other than that. When I exhaled, I heard his voice in every direction I turned: that's my girl.

My eyes snapped open at the thunder building in my chest. He had said it, and I found a sense of calm washing over me the longer I rehearsed it in my head.

With a curse, I shoved the back of my head against the creaky headrest. I never thought I'd be so agitated at being calm, but it was entirely different when the source of my peace was my fucking enemy.

It shouldn't, couldn't, and wouldn't be like this. I wouldn't accept it, I couldn't have it, and I shouldn't want it.

My hand pulled the loose driver handle back until it opened. Once my feet hit the concrete, I felt my legs wobble from under me. Jesus.

Was I nervous?

I didn't get nervous. Until today, apparently.

Pushing the foreign notion to the pit of my mind, I carried along to the front door. It was already wide open, a cinder block propped up right at the bottom.

I contemplated on picking it up, and tossing it at Luke in a game of 'catch' just to make sure that we were both on the same page. I'd already caused enough trouble, though, so I carried on past it, and right into the chill of the building.

I glanced around, but saw no sign of Luke. Only boxes, light furniture, scattered cans of paint, and other equipment.

I stepped past one of the brooms to get a closer look at the boxes. They weren't open but from the covers, I knew they were flat screens. At least four of them.

Glancing around, I caught sight of the glitter in the corners of the room. I thought I got it all when I swept, but apparently not.

After I finished sweeping through the front of the building, I went to the back. I remembered—when I first trashed the place—asking myself if I had enough time to hit the other rooms, as well. Now that I knew of the consequences, I'd do anything to go back, and tell myself to go the hell home.

The place looked large on the outside on its own, but it spoke no justice for the inside. There were six rooms I believed, three bathrooms and an office. It was only one story, but there was enough layout to achieve the space.

I glanced around the office with curiosity. I wondered what he intended to do with all of the rooms. I had a couple ideas, but it probably wasn't my place to give it.

I knew he'd mentioned the use of the building. To train and aid children. Now that I had insight on his life, I knew exactly why. He wanted to give what only Kade and Levi had offered him all of his life.

It was beautiful to me. I hadn't thought on it too much but now, I found a ghost of a smile finding my lips at the thought. If I had the money he did, I'd do the same thing for victims. I'd do it without a second thought.

"Norris!"

I was yanked away from my thoughts at my name. Well, not my name, but with the way Luke said it...

I shook my head at myself. My eyes landed on the shut doorway for Luke, but he wasn't there.

"Maggie!" came again from him. "Where are you?"

I rolled my eyes at his ignorance, propping the broom against the wall. "I'm back here!"

"Right, because that really fucking helps!"

I leaned against the wall, not even bothering to make it any easier for him. "Come on, Scooby-Doo. Use your context clues."

His footsteps grew closer and closer until he finally appeared in my sight. He paused down the hall, glancing me over with an exaggerated eye roll. "You didn't make that any easier for me, you know."

I chuckled, crossing my arms. "My work is done, then." My attention went to the large bag in his hand. "What's in there?"

He shook it with one hand, making a face back at me. "Food."

I rolled my eyes at him. "Oh, thank fuck." I drawled out an exaggerated sigh. "I thought it'd be a bomb or something. I heard they were on sale today."

"Maybe next time if you're lucky." Amused, he turned away from me to face the threshold. "Come on. Don't worry about cleaning, right now."

I nearly spoke my shock, but the smell of fresh fries had me trailing on his heels. Once we were back in the main room, I noticed the change. I wasn't sure how I hadn't heard him.

He had pulled out one of the flat screens, and set it up on the closest table to the wall, right in front of the scattered chairs. It was already hooked up, with American Dad playing across the screen.

I took a seat, sending an odd glance his way. He swept the chair around so that he could sit on it with his chest to the front of the chair. After he was situated, he reached into the fast food bag, and handed me mine first.

"Is this poisoned?" I glanced down at the steamy fries then back to him, but when I did, he was handing me another thing of fries. I cast a glance down to it, then to him.

His eyes were already on mine. "I got you another one just in case you're extra hungry, or some shit." He nodded at the extra carton with a shrug. "And, I requested your food to be laced with poison, but they couldn't accommodate, so no, not today." He pulled his own food from the bag. "I'm not giving up, though, trust me. I'm gonna keep trying until I get it."

A chuckle skipped past my lips, but it didn't feel the others. It felt detached from my own mouth. Did he hear it? Did he feel it, too?

With his free hand, he passed a fuck-ton of mustard packets to me. He remembered. I glanced up to him with shock, but he paid it no mind, at all.

I stared after him for a moment, but his attention remained either on the burger or the show. His usual cool demeanor didn't lack, not one bit, of normalcy.

My lips parted to say something, anything, but nothing except a lone sigh came. Suddenly, everything that I had wanted to say to him never even existed.

So, I remained silent. He did the same, but didn't seem to mind it, so I pretended to be just as nonchalant. Both of us focused on either the food or the television. I usually chuckled at the show, but right now, my mouth was as dry as the Sahara desert.

Maybe I was overthinking it. Maybe he didn't care about the hotel, or the near-kiss, or anything before that. He had been with an abundance of women before so, why would I, the girl who cursed his very name, be an exception?

I wouldn't.

My attention returned to the television before it was interrupted. I had to refrain from jumping out of my seat at his voice.

The bag crinkled under his hand as he shoved it in. "Here," he said around his bite, handing me a boxed apple fritter. "Jax told me you liked those."

I went to thank him before pausing. "Jax?" I leaned up in my seat. "Wait. My brother Jax?" I didn't know which one to be more shocked over: Luke asking my brother about me, or Luke talking to my brother.

"No, no, your practitioner—of course your brother, Jax." He rolled his eyes, reaching down to grab his drink. "Who else?"

"You've been talking to my brother?" It was a mix of a statement, and a confused question. "Why?"

"He's been letting me try his food, and shit," he responded so casually. "Even sent me a few recipes to try out."

I had to lock my jaw to stop from dropping it. "Of course he has." That little backstabbing, pathetic excuse of a twin. He hadn't mentioned a word of it to me.

"Mhm," he mumbled around a fry. "He's cool, though. Funny as shit, too."

I rolled my eyes, pressing my back against the seat even harder. "Of course," I repeated. Jax was the better twin, it was expected of him. He was a ray of sunshine without even trying to be.

While I drunk, my mind raced for a source of conversation, but it was much harder than it'd ever been.

Finally, I cleared my throat. "So...why'd you do this?" I motioned to the food.

He took an extra moment to answer before shrugging. "I didn't do anything," he said. "I promised you lunch, so you got lunch."

"Yeah, but..." There was no use. I was turning it into something it definitely wasn't. I forced my gaze back to the television, mumbling off a, "Nevermind."

I finished the rest of my food despite the newfound lack of appetite. I couldn't place it, but of course, it all resulted back to Luke. I still had plans to burn the name from my dictionary as soon as I was able.

I saw him shift in the corner of my eye. He swung his tattooed arms over the top of the chair, one hand sweeping down his mouth as he looked at me.

His head tilted for a moment until he shook his head. I caught glimpse of a conflicted expression before I shifted my attention forward, fully.

I repeated the action when it became unbearable, but when I did, I caught his eyes. He'd already been staring at me.

We both paused as his mouth opened. My own did the same, but nothing came out. His eyes bounced over my face before both of our chests fell.

"Can I talk to you?" We both asked the other, literally at the exact same time. It happened so quick, we both jumped.

I released a breathless chuckle, snaking a hand through my hair. "You first."

His lips fell into a frown as he shook his head. "Why not you?"

Was he serious? He was the most confident man I'd ever seen walk this earth. Yet, here he was, scared to say whatever was on his mind.

I couldn't say too much, though, since I was an exact copy.

"Are you scared, or something?" I retorted, despite my own fear. "Man the hell up."

"Aren't you the founder of blunt talk?" he threw back. "Then you go—"

"Do you hate me?" I blurted out before I could let the fear stop me.

His expression fell, soon overcome with shock. "Of course I do."

I thought the answer would help clear my mind, but it didn't. I couldn't pinpoint his response too clearly, and it was fucking with me.

I guessed he picked up on it, too. His hand swept over me with a wave. "Not because of what happened," he clarified. I heard his chair scrape closer until his knee hit mine. "I hated you before that for many reasons, and I still do for those reasons, and those reasons, only. Nothing else." His tone was telling me everything I needed to know. That he hadn't found any disgust, or annoyance in what he'd seen of me.

A breath I never realized I was holding flew past my lips in relief. I nodded to both myself and him, raising my eyes to meet his. His own were skeptical, watching me a little too carefully.

His hands locked together, a thumb rubbing at his lightly bruised knuckles as he watched me. "Did you seriously think I was mad at you, or some shit? About what I saw?"

I shrugged, attempting to avert my eyes due to the subject, but the intensity of his gaze brought me right back. "I don't know, I just..." I shook my head. "Is there any way you could keep what you saw to yourself?"

I didn't want him to tell Kade or Levi, because if he did, it would get right back to Kimberly and Raven. Then Jax. And, if Jax found out, he'd piece everything together. It was a cobweb of lies.

Luke nodded, chewing on the inside of his cheek. "Yeah," he responded. "I got you."

I nodded as a thanks, pulling my fingers back until they popped. I was shocked they didn't slip from my grasp. I hadn't even realized how sweaty my hands were until now.

"So," Luke started, popping his neck. "Do you still hate me?" His eyes already told me he knew the answer, but the amusement in his expression led me on. He was trying to break the ice.

"You didn't think a silly dance or two would change anything, did you?" I gave a silly face, reeling back a grin. "Trust me, my hatred still stands."

"Why?"

I raised a brow at him. "Why what?"

"Why do you hate me?" he asked curiously. "I mean...you've called me so many fucking names, I've had to look some of them up, but you've never given me an exact reason."

I thought over it for a moment, before tilting my head to take him in. He was actually curious. I'd been concentrated on how badly I disliked him, that I hadn't thought back to the direct why in a while.

I motioned to him. "I first heard of you from Kimberly, and Raven, and that set me off of you before I even met you."

Luke's head bobbed. "I'll admit it, I deserved that one for how much of an ass I was to her." He scratched his chiseled jaw in thought, then shrugged. "When Kade and Levi visit, though, I'm gonna own up to my shit, and apologize. I'll even let her deck me in the jaw, again, if she wants." With a chuckle, he added, "With how Kade trained her with her punches, though, I might end up with a fucked jaw."

My lips stretched into a smile. Kimberly was too sweet to do it, but if she needed the backup, I knew Kade or I would take the shot.

"Can I get one, too?" I teased him.

Luke chuckled with a shake of the head. "Nah, this one's for her." He waved a hand to me. "Any other reason, though?"

I nodded, recalling over my memories, "I met you for myself at Levi's party. You and your friends were asses to mine at the time, all cocky and shit when you came up to our table." It was the party we fucked at. "You thought you were the shit, and it annoyed the fuck out of me."

"Ah, that's right," Luke recalled, running a hand down his jaw with a chuckle. "You threw a drink in my face."

"I did," I confirmed with a laugh. "From that moment on, I thought I had you figured out. A spoiled playboy who thought his shit didn't sink. Turns out I was wrong about some of it, but I got the prick, snarky—"

He waved me off with a hand, his lips fighting back a grin. "Okay, Norris," he stopped me. "Trust me, I get it."

I laughed, shrugging. "You were the one who asked." Pulling my drink from the ground, I sipped until the question struck me.

Placing the cup in between my thighs, I nodded at him. "Your turn. Why do you hate the most lovable woman the world has ever seen?"

Luke snorted. "Easy. You were a smart-mouthed brat who never took no for an answer. I didn't like your attitude, and fuck me do you have one." I chuckled at that; it was how we had ended up in bed together that night. Luke and Kade had gotten into a fight, I talked shit to Luke when I saw him icing his nose, he got pissed, I got pissed, and the rest was obvious. "But, I'd never had to fight or argue with anyone else other than Kade or Levi, so I guess you threw me off." He flicked his head at me with a small grin. "Well...that, the drink you threw in my face, and your right hook."

I rolled my eyes at his claim. "In other words, you weren't used to being called out on your shit?"

He glanced down for a moment, considering it. "Maybe. But, you're on a different level." He nodded at me. "You destroyed my building over a misunderstanding, I heard you put Icy Hot in the cheerleaders' outfits back in school, you jumped in front of three lunatics, you punched Kade for hurting Kimberly last year, I'm pretty sure you beat my brother's ass—"

Past my laughter, I caught onto that. I nearly kicked his knee in as I jumped up.

Luke eyed me warily. "I know reminiscing of your lunatic tendencies might have gave you a little tingle, but I don't think I can take shit else from you without pressing charges this time."

A chuckle whooshed from me as I reached for my phone. "I can't believe I forgot to show you this."

Luke swept his unsure gaze over me. "Why did that make my stomach fall?"

I rolled my eyes, clicking at the phone until I came across the video. "You're too mistrusting."

"When it comes to you, I have more than enough reason to be," he clarified. "Knowing you, you're probably about to show me a clown taking it up the ass or some shit."

"As much as you'd probably like it, you're going to love this."

The video finally loaded up. I shoved it into Lukes' hands until he was forced to take hold.

The audio replayed the night of the event, but while my own laugh built at the reminder, Luke's didn't join in as I expected. Instead, his jaw locked tight the longer he watched it.

Before it even got to his brother's apology to him, he shoved it back to me.

I frowned. "You didn't even get to the best part."

"If I keep watching it..." He swept a hand down his face, blowing out a frustrated breath. "I should have fucking killed him for putting his hands on you."

"I think I did pretty good on my own. I even managed to stomp his dick in a couple of times."

His anger filled expression slowly shifted. "You serious?"

Standing, I pulled my chair right beside his before plopping back down, and pressed play until the video started up, again.

When the view went to my palm slamming into his broken nose, Lukes' lips slowly tilted. "Fuck," he hissed to himself, peering closer.

I laughed. "It was even better up close, trust me."

The video continued on until it got the part I told him about. A laugh boomed from Luke, the depth of it ringing right through me. I watched him with a smile before biting it back, and returning my attention elsewhere.

"I think you may have amputated the fucker's balls," Luke laughed. He shook his head down at the screen, a big, prideful smile dancing across his beautiful face. "That's my fucking girl."

I paused at his statement, but he hadn't paid it any attention, nor had he caught onto it. That was his third time saying something like that, and my third time not correcting it. I tried, but with the the flutter of somethings in my stomach, it forced me silent every time.

Did I like it?

"Shit," he chuckled as soon as the video ended. "I should be pissed at you for not getting away as soon as you were able to, but I'll thank you first. I really appreciate it." He shifted to face me entirely, the smile still stuck on his lips. I found my own building before I could stop it. "I didn't even think the son of a bitch was capable of saying sorry."

"Crazy what an old fashioned whooping can do to a person, huh?" Vance deserved much worse, but with what Luke and I gave him, he did get a lick of it.

Luke nodded in agreement, shifting until our knees were touching, again. I glanced down at the contact, feeling my skin tingle until I pulled my eyes away.

With one hand around my phone, he swept the other through his hair. "Mind if I send this to myself? I wanna send it to Ryder and Wallace. They've always wanted to do that shit to Vance."

I nodded with a shrug. "Yeah, go ahead." The words had slipped out before I knew it, but I didn't find myself correcting it. There wasn't anything too obvious to hide in my phone, but giving Luke permission to it felt odd. He did let me use his, though, so I guess this was technically payback.

He clicked at the phone for several seconds before looking to me. He pulled a smirk, and an eyebrow, bouncing between me and the screen. "My contact name is Rip My Sanity? Seriously?"

I shrugged. "That's nothing compared to what I really planned to call you. What's mine in yours?"

"Why are you assuming I saved your contact?" he questioned with a chuckle. "Obsessed with me, are you, Norris?"

I rolled my eyes at his arrogance. I'd give some of my own in return, though. "When I called you about my tire, you answered my call way too quickly for an unknown number."

"Hold the fuck on," he interrupted, tugging at his lip to stop from laughing. "That's crazy as shit. How do you know Kade didn't warn me you were gonna call?"

I rolled my eyes. "There's no way he did it that quick. Plus, I never mentioned Kade giving it to me." My smirk built. "Which means that you had to already have it saved. Which, of course, means that you had to ask Kade or Levi to get it from my girls." I crossed my arms with a cocky grin. "Now, who's the obsessed one?"

Lukes' eyes had widened at my observation, his expression full with shock. As quick as it came, though, it just as quickly left.

To hide his grin, he dropped his gaze. "You know what? I'm adding this to my list of reasons why I don't like you: you're a little know-it-all."

"Takes one to know one," I mumbled, peering over his shoulder to see what was taking him so long with my phone.

Once I did, my eyes widened. I made a reach for my phone, but he stood so quickly, I nearly tumbled over.

I stood up, as well. "Give it back."

"Why?" he taunted with a growing grin. "I just wanted to make some changes to my name."

I attempted to snatch it, but the man was quick. "I named you that for a reason, you son of a bitch. Give it back."

His head tilted at me, a half-smirk building across his lips. "Ask me nicely, angel." He pulled his arm up into the air, far from my reach.

His pretty blue eyes gleamed down at me. Pretty pink lips lifted into a shit-eating grin. I nearly tumbled over myself at the sight. This man was sexy without even trying.

I shook myself out of it, mirroring a glare at him. "I'll be damned," I snapped at him. "Give me my phone. Now."

I had to basically paw at his chest to try and get it, but it was no help. His expression grew amused down at me before I pushed him out of frustration.

His face fell as he stumbled against one of the boxes. I tried to move out of the way, but it was too late.

The motherfucker grabbed my hand so that I'd go down with him. And, I did.

With an oomph, we both landed on the hard ground. I wasn't sure if it were intentional, but his hands locked around my waist to stop me from taking the worst of the fall. I fell right on his chest.

When I realized my position, I knew that I had technically taken the worst. I was on top of him.

My head raised from his chest, immediately finding his eyes. His own were hooded, watching me. Both of our chests shook against one another's as our gazes collided.

I huffed, fighting back the whoosh of energy that surged right through me. "You're an ass, Luke," I managed to force out. "You're such an ass."

A small smile passed his lips as he shrugged. Without a response, I saw his hand in the corner of my eye.

His fingers swept the several strands of hair from my face, tucking them behind my ear. That same hand hung around my the underside of my cheek, his fingers lingering right under my ear.

It shocked me, how quickly it happened. A breathless gasp slipped from my lips as the burning, hot electricity rung through me. My vision blurred for a moment, but I managed to keep a clear image of the man in front of me. The skin he just touched had warped under flashes of heat in a matter of seconds.

Fuck.

My head shook loosely at myself, as well as whatever the fuck that was. What were we doing? What was I doing?

I shifted on top of him, earning a groan from Luke.

I paused, casting a confused glance his way. "What's wrong?"

He shook his head, pressing his lips together until the skin was white. "Nothing. Just...stop moving for a second."

"Why?" I questioned, shifting my hips to get myself off of him even quicker. "Are you hurt?"

Another groan came from him before it nearly morphed into a moan. "Maggie, shit." His hands landed around my hips, training me in my spot. "Stop." Just as I paused, I felt something press into my thigh. I got it, then.

A small gasp slipped from me. "Are you seriously hard right now?"

That wasn't what got me. It was the fact that I wasn't disgusted, not in the slightest bit.

His cheeks had gone pink, his lips pursing. "I can't help it." With a huff, he planted his head against the ground. "You won't stop grinding on my dick; the fuck else did you think would happen?"

Xander. I needed to think about Xander.

I shook my head, a scowl pulling at my lips. "I'm not—" Before I could finish, he thrust his hips up, digging his cock right into me. With its size, it wasn't hard to achieve a reaction.

Heat pooled at my center at the friction, and before I could stop it, a squeak of a moan had slipped out. Shit.

"You are," Luke grunted out with frustration, his fingers squeezing my waist so tight, he went against his own claim. "So, unless you want me to take you in the middle of this fucking building then I suggest you get off of me."

With a flustered figure, I leapt off of him, taking my phone with me. Luke remained in place for a moment, his expression hardened, and glazed over. I saw his erection poking through his pants, but I swung my body in another direction to stop from losing any more of my breath.

I hadn't even fucked him, but as I walked to the other side of the room, I thought my legs would give away. Just feeling him against me had my knees wobbling.

I mentally cursed him, and every single one of his actions as I walked over to the paint cans. I needed a distraction. I needed a million in order to get over the trouble he'd caused.

If he had just given my phone back in the first place, that wouldn't have happened. I wouldn't be so flustered right now, and he wouldn't be so frustrated. It was all his fault.

At least, I tried to make it out to be.

The truth was clear, though. It was to my own accord that I'd gotten turned on. At the hotel, I nearly kissed him back. I could blame it on anatomy, but in all honesty, I knew that was far from the truth.

It was wrong, it was so fucking wrong. I had a boyfriend. I had a life that I'd made on my own. Luke couldn't fit in that.

In the corner of my eye, I saw him finally raise up. His expression had calmed down, so I suspected that his cock had, as well. Good. Maybe he'd gotten both heads together, and realized how important it was that one thing remained clear: it was all merely a matter of physical attraction, and that was it.

That was it.