Elle’s eyes, his fingers delicate against her drenched eyelids. He took her mouth in his, his tongue stroking hers as he moved her hips against his.
“You’re so close. Let go, baby.”
Elle threw her head back in ecstasy as her orgasm took over her entire body. Pulses of pleasure consumed her and she felt her muscles clench against Luke. Knowing how close he was as well, she didn’t allow herself to slump into his shoulder, weak from her orgasm. Instead, she quickened her pace, lowering her hands to grip the muscles of his back, thrusting harder and harder until Luke growled into her ear, finding his own release.
With a sigh, Elle collapsed into his chest, satisfied and exhausted. Luke smoothed her hair and kissed the top of her head.
“Worth the wait?”
“It was.” She breathed heavily against his cool, wet skin. “It most definitely was.”
“Come on. Let’s go back and get warm.”
As if she weighed no more than a feather, Luke lifted Elle and placed her on her feet. With one last gentle kiss, they joined hands and ran into the cool evening air. Elle gasped as a chill collected on her skin. By the time they climbed the steps of his deck, her teeth were chattering and her chin was quivering in the cold.
“Here, put this on.” Luke pulled her to the hammock, which held several towels and two white terrycloth robes. He wrapped one robe around her, and she pushed her shaking arms into the sleeves. Before dressing himself, he handed her a towel. She promptly flipped her hair toward the deck and wrapped her soaked tresses in the towel. Luke wrapped himself in the other robe, before pulling Elle into his chest. Her heart raced as he eased her into the hammock, his hands stroking her back to warm her.
“You planned this, huh? Towels and robes at the ready.” Her chattering teeth were coming to a halt as Luke’s body heat engulfed her. The hammock rocked back and forth as Elle eased her hand into Luke’s open robe, running her fingers through the silky hair of his chest.
“I guess you are rubbing off on me.” Luke kissed her forehead and lay back into the hammock.
“We’re rubbing off on each other. I like it.”
“I do, too. I can’t believe you went skinny-dipping. I’m so impressed, it’s ridiculous.” Luke laughed, running his fingers through her hair. Elle joined him in laughter.
“You have that effect on me, I guess.” Elle deepened their embrace, pulling his midsection in for a tight squeeze. Somehow, when she was wrapped in Luke’s arms, the rest of the world just fell away. She was safe, protected, cared for.
“Good.” Luke’s hand stroked the soft cotton of Elle’s robe, pulling her close. “We’re yin and yang, huh?”
“In some ways, yeah.” Elle took a deep breath, exhaling the brisk evening air. “But I think at our core, we’re more similar than we think. You have such a good heart, Luke.”
“I like to think so.”
“Tell me something,” Elle began. “Where do you see yourself in five years?”
“That sounds like a pretty loaded question.”
“It’s not, I promise. I’m just curious. I want to know your goals, your dreams. I want to know more about you.”
“Hmm, five years. Well, I’ll be . . . geez, I’ll be almost forty. I’d like to think I’ll be acting. Maybe television, or movies.”
“I could see you in movies. Especially an action movie or a thriller.”
“Not a chick flick? I’m disappointed in you, Ms. Riley. I think I could play one of those swoon-worthy guys.”
“Oh, of course. I mean, you make the ladies swoon already. But I think you’d shine in other genres, too.”
“Well, thank you. I did receive a film offer, actually. But I’m not sure if I should do it. Wanted to get your opinion on it.”
Elle couldn’t help cringing at the idea of a film offer—at the idea of Luke’s path turning into Nolan’s before her very eyes. She swallowed hard and did her very best not to lump him in with her contempt for Nolan. “A film offer? Seriously? Why didn’t you tell me earlier? This is a huge deal.”
“You distracted me.” Luke let out another laugh. “Actually, it’s an indie film. Ben Stevenson is directing and—”
“Are you serious? Ben Stevenson is incredible. You should do it.”
“You haven’t even heard anything about it yet.”
“I don’t care—he’s brilliant. You should do it.”
“I don’t know . . . I mean, the timing is good. I’d be filming while we’re on hiatus for the show, so