Hope Flames

Chapter 7

EMMA WATCHED THE myriad of expressions cross Luke’s face as he talked about his ex-wife. A lot of anger and resentment, for sure, mixed with sadness, which she appreciated. He had obviously wanted it to work out with his ex, and it so clearly hadn’t. He and his ex hadn’t been well-matched.

That happened. Sometimes people weren’t honest about what they really wanted in a relationship. No one knew that better than her.

Of course her situation had been different, and the person she’d become involved with had been deliberately deceptive.

At least they hadn’t gotten married.

She shuddered at the thought. She’d been tied so strongly to him as it was. If their relationship had been legally binding . . .

She shook off the unpleasant thoughts and focused instead on the interesting revelation about Luke. His reticence about taking her out became so much clearer now. It wasn’t that he didn’t find her attractive. Not that she really cared about that—much. Okay, maybe she did, just a little, but she dismissed the thought. Her ego could rest comfortably now.

It was Luke’s fear of relationships that held him back. He was obviously a one-night-stand kind of guy, gun-shy about women since he’d been burned by his ex.

Now that she understood all too well. They were kindred spirits in that regard, though she didn’t do one-night stands.

Or any-night stands, for that matter.

She watched Luke with Boomer, his patience and affection with his dog.

Someday he’d make a great father. You could always tell. Guys who were great with animals would also be good with children.

Not that she was shopping for a father for her as yet nonexistent children. And if she was, Luke wouldn’t be on her list, since he was currently living in one-night-stand land.

“You went quiet,” he said, pulling her out of her thoughts. “I was thinking about you.”

He cocked a brow. “Yeah? What about me?”

“You, your ex-wife, the fact you’re afraid of relationships, and how good you are with your dog.”

He laughed. “That’s a lot of thinking. And I’m not afraid of relationships. I’m just not in the market for one right now.”

“Me, either.”

“Did you get burned by an ex, too?”

And there was a conversation she didn’t want to have with Luke. Not in detail, anyway. “I did. In the worst way. Who doesn’t have an ugly breakup in their past?”

“True. Were you married?”

“No. It was just a bad relationship.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Me, too. And now I’m too busy with the new clinic.”

“Oh, come on. You don’t live it twenty-four seven.”

“That’s true, but relationships take time and commitment, and I don’t have the time or the energy for one right now.”

“I understand. So coming out with me today is perfect. No strings attached, but you can still get out and have some fun.”

She liked Luke. “You’re right. We’re perfect for each other. Neither one of us has any expectations of the other.”

“Yeah. Exactly.”

And for some reason, that made her wish for more.

Which was the dumbest thing ever.

Damn that kiss, anyway.

After a short walk, they went back and caught the rest of the game. Fortunately, the home team won and even the dogs seemed to enjoy the day. She sure did. Luke took Emma back to her place. As he pulled into her driveway and she and Daisy climbed out of his truck, she leaned inside, not quite ready to let go of the day—or Luke—just yet.

“Without expectation, would it be all right if I fixed you dinner, or do you have a non-date date for tonight?”

He cocked a grin. “No, I cleared the whole day for you.”

“Now I feel special. Come on in.”

She held the door for him and Boomer.

“Nice place,” he said.

“Thanks. It was my grandmother’s. It’s small, but it’s perfect for me and the dogs.”

She let Annie out of her crate, which led to crazy barking and greeting. She let all the dogs out into the backyard, then shut the slider.

“Would you like a beer?” she asked.

“Sounds good. Thanks.”

She grabbed two beers out of the refrigerator and popped the tops off the bottles, then handed him one. She leaned against the counter and couldn’t help but watch him as he took a long swallow. In his jeans and long-sleeved Henley, he looked lean, yet the muscles outlined against his shirt were unmistakable. If she were in the market for a guy—which she wasn’ t—Luke McCormack would be one hell of a man to play with.

He caught her watching him, and cast a look at her that made her body tighten in all the wrong places.

Just friends, Emma, remember? It was more important for him to think of her as a buddy, as just one of the guys.

Unfortunately, with her nipples beading and everything south screaming for her to jump on top of him and unzip those very worn jeans to get to the goods, she wasn’t thinking of herself as one of the guys. She was thinking of herself as a woman who hadn’t had sex in a very long time, and as Luke who was someone she’d really, really like to have sex with.

Did he have to keep looking at her? He had to have the hottest mouth she’d ever seen.

She shuddered as she inhaled. “So.”

He licked his lips. She watched his tongue, and swallowed—hard.

“So. What’s on the meal agenda?” he finally asked.

Meal? What meal? She wanted to devour him for dinner. “Uh . . . right.” She turned and stuck her head in the fridge. “How do hamburgers on the grill sound? I make killer bacon cheese fries, too.”

“How can I resist that offer? What can I do to help?”

It would help if she hadn’t stupidly asked him to come in for dinner. Distance from men was her salvation. Or at least, distance from Luke.

“You can go wrangle the dogs while I get things started in here. Oh, and the grill is out on the back patio. Can you turn it on and get it ready?”

“I can handle that.”

As soon as he left the kitchen, she exhaled, grabbed her beer, and took several long swallows, needing the cool brew to relieve her parched throat. Unfortunately, there was no help for her other throbbing body parts.

Good Lord. What was wrong with her? She’d been cool, calm, and totally immune to men ever since . . .

Well, ever since. And now there was Luke, and there was something about him that got to her in a way that no man had gotten to her in a very long time.

She wasn’t ready for it. Not yet.

Though it had been a lot of years. Maybe it was time she did get ready for it.

She’d made a lot of vows once she’d escaped the worst relationship of her life. And the number one vow was to never get involved with a man who hit all her hot buttons again. She’d only do safe and boring in the future.

Luke McCormack was anything but safe and boring. She could go up in flames with him, lose her sense of self. If he crooked his finger at her, she’d come running.

She’d done that once, and it had been a disaster.

Never again.

She set the oil on to heat, then peeled and sliced potatoes, the activity clearing her head. By the time Luke came in with the dogs, she had the distance she needed.

Until he came up behind her, and she inhaled the scent of him. He smelled of outdoors and something distinctly male.

“Need help?” he asked as he leaned over her shoulder.

Her breathing quickened. “I’ve got this. How about you make the patties?” Preferably somewhere far away, like Texas.

He took the meat out of the fridge and made the patties standing next to her, while she concentrated on not cutting off her finger. Hard to do since she was acutely aware of him and his big body nestled beside her.

Her kitchen was small, which meant not much maneuverability with two people in it. His elbow bumped her arm, her hip nudged his, their shoulders touched. While it didn’t seem to bother him, it bugged the hell out of her, and not in an annoying way, either. Body contact with men was off-limits, yet she found herself inching a little closer, despite her self-mandate to stay as far away from Luke as possible.

Even with potatoes frying in oil and bacon sizzling in the other pan, she could still smell him.

And he seemed utterly oblivious of her.

After piling the patties on the plate she’d provided, he asked, “How about a spatula or something to flip these?”

“Sure.” She dug out the one she used for the grill and handed it over to him.

“How do you like your burger?”

“Well done.”

He grinned. “Me, too. I’ll be back soon.”

“I’ll be here cutting up condiments for the burgers and finishing up these fries. Also, if you aren’t tired of baseball, there’s a game on.”

“See? We make a great team. I’m game . . . for the game.”

She laughed, then slumped against the counter after he closed the slider.

He was funny, gorgeous, he smelled good, and he was great with animals.

And he had an awesome body, a killer smile, and hands she wanted all over her.

One hell of a time for her libido to wake up and decide it wanted men again. Especially since she and Luke had decided they could be buddies. Which put her firmly in the He’s Not Having Sex With You category.

She pulled the fries out of the oil and grated cheese, crumbled up the bacon she’d fried, then finished up making the cheese fries. By the time Luke came back in with the cooked burgers, she’d set up trays in the living room, the game was on, and she had lettuce, onions, and tomato set out on the counter, along with buns and all the stuff he could possibly want to spread on his burger.

“This is a feast,” he said, as he set the platter of burgers down on the counter. “You didn’t have to go to all this trouble.”

She smiled at him. “This was no trouble at all. You’re obviously very easy to please.”

“Hey, I would have stopped for take-out on my way home, so, to me, this is a very big deal. Thanks, Emma.”

“You’re welcome.” She didn’t entertain. In fact, Luke was the first person she’d had over besides her mom. In South Carolina, she’d never had anyone over to her apartment.

Again, she had no idea what had gotten into her.

She fed the dogs in the kitchen, then they settled into watching the game and eating their burgers.

“Perfect,” she said as she took her first bite.

“You don’t get your man card unless you know how to cook a burger,” Luke said, sliding a French fry into his mouth. “And these fries are awesome.”

“Thanks. I never have anyone to fix them for, and they’re my favorites, so you actually did me a favor.”

“So what you’re saying is that you had an ulterior motive in inviting me for dinner.”

She waggled her brows. “Maybe.”

He shoved in another, chewed, then cast a smile her way. “I can accept that I was used to satisfy your lust for bacon cheese fries. I’m glad I was here to help you out. You just let me know whenever the urge strikes. I’ll help you satisfy your cravings.”

She took a deep breath. Yeah, she had a list of services she’d like him to perform for her. “I’ll definitely keep that in mind.”

His gaze met hers, and suddenly, she didn’t believe either of them were thinking about fries anymore.

SOMEWHERE IN BETWEEN the ballpark that day and dinner that night, something major had changed in the atmosphere between Luke and Emma. He’d picked up some seriously hot signals from her, both at the park and over dinner. And yeah, maybe he’d inadvertently thrown out a come-on with that line about satisfying her cravings, but he’d actually been talking about food.

Until she’d shot him a hungry look that had nothing to do with French fries, and everything to do with sex.

He thought they’d been on the same wavelength. He’d had a great time with her. She was easy to be with. She was fun, had a great sense of humor, and for a woman, wasn’t demanding at all, something he found refreshing.

And she’d even cooked him dinner instead of making him dress up and take her out somewhere. Not much more he could ask for in a woman. Sure, he wouldn’t mind taking her to bed—after all, she was hot, but he’d resigned himself to the fact that Emma was off-limits in that department.

Until she started throwing out those sex signs. He knew he wasn’t misreading them, either. A guy had to be dead to miss that signal. He wasn’t dead, and neither was his dick.

He focused on finishing his food, likely better than thinking about how soft her hair looked, or the way she licked her lips every time she took a bite of her burger. Because if his thoughts kept leaning in that direction, it would only get him in trouble, especially since she kept looking at him in ways that were definitely not “Hey, let’s be best buddies” kind of ways.

And Emma seemed to notice he was looking back.

“I think I’ll go clean up in the kitchen.” She pushed back her chair and hightailed it out of the dining room. Now she was uncomfortable. He grabbed his plate and followed her into the kitchen. He leaned in to rinse his plate under the running water, catching a whiff of the sweet scent in her hair.

Vanilla, maybe?

She turned to glance at him, and there was that deer-in-the-headlights look again.

She snatched the plate away from him. “I’ve got that. Why don’t you—”

He waited, deciding she should figure out what she wanted. He quirked an eyebrow at her. “Why don’t I what?”

“Uh . . . never mind.”

Instead, he rolled up his sleeves, grabbed the pot she’d cooked the fries in. “Where do you want me to dump this oil?”

“I can do that.”

“So can I, Emma.”

“Trash can is fine.”

He dumped the oil, then brought the pan over to the sink. She washed it, and he grabbed the towel hanging next to the sink to dry.

“You really don’t have to help.”

“You really can’t stop me if I want to.”

She took a deep breath, then handed him the clean pot, her slippery hands colliding with his. “Thanks.”

Even being friends with a woman was complicated. They were better relegated to sex partners, and leaving it at that. He should have known this would never work out. He was way too attracted to Emma to be this close to her and not touch her, not want to kiss her.

And she seemed to be struggling with it, too, which made him wonder what the problem was—other than maybe she only had relationships, and she’d had a bad one, just like he had, so she’d like to steer clear of entanglements.

But it had been a long time since he’d had a fun day like he’d had today, and he’d like to see where it went with Emma. Not relationship-wise, but they had off-the-charts chemistry, and he sure wanted to explore that part of it.

So when she turned the water off and dried her hands, he made his move, stepping toward her as she turned around.

She moved into him at the same time he wrapped his arms around her.

Their lips met in a collision that rocked him hard in an instant. Her mouth opened and his tongue slid inside, and it was an explosion of fireworks. He pushed her against the counter with his body and her fingers tangled in his hair.

The room suddenly seemed devoid of oxygen, both of them gasping for breath as Luke deepened the kiss.

Yeah, it was just like he thought it would be—all hot and fiery passion. He let his hands roam her back, touching her the way he’d wanted to touch her since he’d first laid eyes on her, mapping every luscious curve while she tightened her hold on his hair, every whimper escaping her throat making him painfully harder.

And when he caressed her ribs and coasted his hand over the curve of her hip, she moaned against his mouth. He kissed his way along her jaw and down the column of her throat, listening to the hard and fast sound of her breathing.

He turned her around and pulled her against him, lifting her T-shirt out of her jeans so he could palm the soft skin of her stomach.

“Tell me yes,” he said. “Or tell me no. You decide.”

She flipped around to face him, twining her arms around his neck. He felt the hard thump of her fast heartbeat against his chest. “Yes. Now stop talking.”

He took her mouth again, that same frenzied need making him dizzy. He grabbed her butt and lifted her and she wrapped her legs around him.

“Bedroom,” he said.

She pointed, and that’s all the direction he needed. He found her bedroom, the only open door down the hall. He put her down next to the bed and pulled his shirt off. She was already out of her tennis shoes and unzipping her jeans.

He liked a woman of action. And as she shimmied out of her jeans, he really enjoyed the revealing of skin and the fact she seemed to be in as much of a hurry as he was to get clothes off.

He shucked his sneakers and jeans, then pushed her down on the bed, coming down on top of her.

Oh yeah. Now this was good, especially her legs twining with his.

She gasped as their bodies connected.

“Did I mention I’m a big fan of pink underwear?” he asked.

She reached up to brush her fingers through his hair. “No. I don’t believe that topic came up during the baseball game today.”

“Huh.” He lifted up and ran his fingers over the swell of her breasts where the cups of her bra met flesh. “I’m surprised. It was on my mind.”

He watched as her breasts rose and fell as she breathed. “It was?”

“Sure. I was sitting there, watching the game and imagining what color underwear you had on.”

She frowned. “You were not.”

He laughed, rolled over and dragged her on top of him, then pulled her ponytail holder out, letting her hair fall over her shoulders. “Emma, all guys think about women. And sex. Almost all the time.”

“You were thinking about baseball.”

He gripped her hips and arched against her, letting her feel how hard he was. “I’m not thinking about baseball now.”

“Neither am I.”

She sat up and unhooked her bra, letting it fall from her shoulders to reveal the most perfect breasts he’d ever seen. He pulled her down to him, taking a nipple into his mouth.

She was soft, but her nipple hardened into a tight bud when he sucked on it. And the sounds she made drove him crazy.

“Luke. Oh, Luke, that’s so good.” She surged against him, and he almost lost it.

It didn’t take more than a few minutes of licking her nipples to realize that Emma was very vocal.

He liked that, and wanted a lot more of it.

He flipped her onto her back and kissed her ribs, moving his way over her stomach. She smelled good, her skin was soft, and when he reached her panties, she arched upward, offering herself to him.

She might have been reluctant at first, but now that they’d decided to do this, she was more than eager. Luke liked a sex partner who wasn’t shy or hesitant, and Emma fit him perfectly. When he grasped her panties, she wriggled out of them, seemingly in a hurry to have him touch her.

Yeah, he was in a hurry, too. He pressed a kiss to her hipbone and spread her legs, shouldering his body between them to kiss her inner thighs.

He looked up to find her watching him, a combination of curiosity and hungry desire on her face. And when he bent his head to take a long swipe of her sex, she made those sounds again—a long moan followed by a whimper.

“Yes, right there,” she said, her head falling back against the pillow at the same time her hips arched up as she let him have access.

He tasted her, using his tongue and his lips to explore her. She was like heaven here, soft and warm and everything he’d expected. All he wanted to do was drive her right over the edge.

Emma gripped the sheets and dug her heels into the mattress, trying hard not to come so fast. But it had been a long time and, oh, God, Luke had a magical tongue. She knew as soon as he’d grabbed her, kissed her, and pushed her against the kitchen counter that this was going to be a slamming hot experience.

And now, as she hovered ever so close to a climax, she knew that she’d been right. He was a force to be reckoned with, and she was veering out of control. She came with a wild cry, bucking against him as wave after wave of orgasm crashed over her with dizzying effects, leaving her shattered.

She barely had time to recover when Luke loomed over her, taking her mouth in a kiss that left her breathless. Her body still quivered with the aftereffects of her mind-blowing orgasm, and the way he touched her, the way his body moved over hers, had her right there all over again.

The man was relentless in all the right ways.

A thought suddenly occurred to her, and she grabbed his arms. “Please tell me you have a condom.”

He gave her a devilishly sexy smile. “I have a condom.”

She quirked an eyebrow. “For those random, side-of-the-road hookups?”

“No, in case I arrest a hot perp.”

“Seriously?”

He cocked his head to the side. “No. Not seriously.” He reached for his pants and grabbed a condom out of his pocket.

“Surely that wasn’t for me.”

“It wasn’t. But I like to be prepared.”

She swept her fingers across his jaw. “Thanks for that. Now let’s get you inside me.”

He took a deep breath. “Happy to oblige, ma’am.”

He put the condom on, spread her legs and slid inside her, his gaze fixed on hers as he entered her, slow and easy.

Emma wasn’t prepared for this intimacy, would have much preferred he slam it home and screw the living daylights out of her, all fast and furiouslike. These slow and gentle movements, the way he glided in and out of her while holding his gaze to hers was about to undo her. It was . . . intimate. Emotional. And not just faceless, random sex, which was what she’d been all in for when he’d kissed her with such passion in the kitchen.

Now it was slow. Stirring. And it made her feel things more than just the physical. Though the physical part was pretty damned good. Luke knew how to move his body in such a way that when he levered his hips against her, she was already on the verge again, her breath catching every time he thrust. Add the emotional aspect to the passion, and it was overwhelming.

In both good ways and bad.

But when he bent and kissed her, she was lost, reaching for him and holding tight as control fled. Now it was need that took hold, Luke caressing her body with his hands as he moved faster within her, taking his movements deeper until she whimpered against his lips and tightened against him.

He lifted up and looked at her, and she shattered, coming with a moan, her body quivering around his. She watched him as he went with her, and it was a magical thing to see a man lose control like that. She clung to him as they both went over, and didn’t let go until long moments later after they both caught their breath.

Emma stroked Luke’s sweat-soaked back, reveling in the bliss of afterglow.

She hadn’t expected this. But she refused to regret it.

And when Luke looked down at her and smiled, it was obvious he didn’t, either.

But now it was over, and it was going to have to be a one-time thing.

“I have a lot to do tomorrow,” she said.

“Which is your cue for getting me the hell out of your house?”

“I didn’t say that, but it’s my only day off, and I catch up on paperwork. And I have to clean my house. I’m usually up really early. You probably like to sleep in.”

He rolled out of bed and stood, giving her a magnificent view of his very fine ass and spectacular body.

“No problem.” He grabbed his clothes and got dressed while she put on a pair of shorts and a tank top so she could see him to the door.

“I hope you’re not offended,” she said when he called for Boomer and headed to the front door.

“I’m not. I wouldn’t have stayed anyway. It’s not really my thing.”

“We’re on the same page, then.”

He turned to her and smiled. “We are. Thanks for dinner and . . . after dinner.”

“You’re welcome.”

“I’ll see you later, Emma.”

She leaned against the doorframe and watched him walk to his car. He waved good-bye as he drove away. She shut and locked the door, let the dogs out one last time, then brushed her teeth, washed her face, and climbed into bed.

The after-sex euphoria had faded, which was disappointing, but she was just being practical. Neither she nor Luke wanted a relationship. She was just being smart, to not get involved with him emotionally.

Smart didn’t feel very comforting as she lay in her now-cold bed.

Alone.