streak she knew was still inside him, to look into those dark, captivating eyes and see him looking back with desire.
He backed away for a moment, breathing hard, his lips still hovering over hers. “I can’t stay. You know I can’t stay in this town. So if you need to say no, say it now. Say it now before—”
She took him by his shirt collar and yanked him forward, slamming her mouth against his. She knew the warning was because he cared about her, but she didn’t need it. She knew who they both were, what they wanted, and how this had to end. She didn’t care about later. All she wanted was right now.
But hadn’t she warned herself about this? Over and over, until she was sick of hearing her own voice inside her head? The closer you get to him, the more you’ll regret it later.
Then he’d taken her to his secret overlook tonight. Talked to her so tenderly. Held her while she cried like a fool. And suddenly she couldn’t let one more night pass without being with him.
“No,” she said breathlessly. “I’ve wanted this for a long time. Such a long time.”
The words were barely out of her mouth before Luke grabbed her hand and they hurried up the porch steps. When they reached the door, he looked over his shoulder and spit out a curse.
“Keys—shit. Give me yours.”
Shannon fished through her purse. She’d barely located her keys before Luke yanked them out of her hand and unlocked the door. He pushed it open and pulled her inside.
“Wait,” she said. “Yours are still in your truck. Somebody could drive off with—”
“Don’t care.”
He barely took time to click the lock before dragging her toward his apartment. As she ran along behind him, she dropped her purse and it hit the tile floor. She heard a clink and a clatter. Looking over her shoulder, she saw half its contents spilled out beside it, but she couldn’t stop. Didn’t want to stop. He pulled her into his apartment and spun her around, kissing her at the same time he backed her against the door and it slammed shut.
Yes, she thought. Yes! More, more, more…
He pulled the elastic out of her ponytail, and her hair cascaded to her shoulders. He slid his hand into it and closed his fist, holding her steady and kissing her with the kind of self-assurance she’d never felt from any other man. That voice inside her head—the one that always told her to slow down, to stop, to think, to consider—began to fade away in the heat of passion, until it finally fell silent altogether.
Then suddenly he pulled away. She reached for him, only to realize the only reason he’d stopped was to rip off his T-shirt and fling it aside. Her gaze went directly to that gorgeous chest, but her view was cut short when he reached for the hem of her shirt and pulled it off over her head. He unclasped her bra, swept the cups aside, and took her breasts in his hands. He lifted and squeezed them as he kissed her again, strumming her nipples with his thumbs. With her arms looped around his neck, she closed her eyes and dropped her head back against the door. When her knees buckled, he caught her, swept her into his arms, and lay her on the bed.
Soon they had shed their clothes, and Luke was beside her on the bed, his hand gliding across the bare skin over her hips, her belly, her ribs. Then he lifted one breast and closed his mouth over her nipple, swirling his tongue around it. He moved to her other breast and gave it the same treatment, and the feeling was so powerful she almost couldn’t stand it.
Still teasing her breasts with his tongue, he moved his hand between her legs and began to stroke her there. First gently, then harder. Then he backed away for a moment, waiting until she arched her hips up to meet his touch, begging for more. She’d never been with a man who was so in tune with her smallest movement, her slightest moan. Luke listened and reacted, kissing her here, touching her there, pressing his fingers between her legs, stroking her relentlessly.
“Luke,” she said, barely able to find her voice. “Please. Now.”
But now he didn’t seem to be listening at all. He just kept teasing and tormenting her until she couldn’t speak. She couldn’t breathe. Good God. She was going