Remembrance: A Contemporary Erotic Romance (Iris Series Book 4) (47 page)

She was quiet and looked down at her plate.  How on earth did she get this lucky?

“You okay?  I didn’t mean to throw you.  Should I have waited to say something?”

“No,” she looked at him.  “I just continue to be amazed at the turn of events in one day.”

“I’ve thrown a lot at you, I know.  I tend to make decisions and move quickly. It takes people off guard sometimes,” he said dryly.

“Actually, I think I love this about you.  You get things done.”

His eyes took on a predatory gleam.  “I like getting
you
done.  So,” he said, letting go of another cleansing sigh, “now that that conversation is out of the way, let’s talk sleeping arrangements.”

She warmed under his gaze and laughed.  “Nice segue, Daniels.”

Their next course arrived and once the waiter was gone, he said, “You haven’t told me what your thoughts are about having potentially new living quarters.”  He took her fingers to his mouth and nibbled.

“Um,” she said then took a huge breath.  “I’m not gonna lie.  Thinking of going to sleep with you every night makes me very, very happy.”

He turned her hand to kiss her palm.  “Then what else is there to think about?” he murmured.

Was it really this easy?

“I guess,” she stammered.  “I guess there’s nothing else to think about.”  She let out a nervous laugh. 

“Only a couple more things but they can wait,” he said with promise.

She shook her head at him. “Steamroller.”

“That’s me,” he smiled.  “I figure if I force people to make decisions then move quickly, they won’t have time to change their minds.  And out of all of the negotiations I’ve ever been in,” he paused, “this one is by far the most important.”

“I wouldn’t change my mind,” she said with a quiet happy look on her face.

He stroked her cheek.  “Stay at my place tonight.  We’ll figure out the details as we go.”

“Well,” she said dramatically, “since you’ve twisted my arm.”

He looked at her dryly and tweaked her nose.  “Let’s finish this course then have dessert.  That pineapple cheesecake is callin
g my name.”

She agreed and an hour later when the meal was finally complete, they headed out the door to Kenneth, who was waiting at the curb for them.  Out of nowhere, a photographer stepped from the shadows and began snapping shots.  To her absolute astonishment, Luke slowed their steps and actually pulled her to him, kissing her fully on the lips right there on the sidewalk.

He saw her look of surprise and smiled, whispering in her ear.  “It’s probably time to let the public know, don’t you think?”

“Well, in that case,” she said and grabbed his face to kiss him back.  Then she whispered in
his
ear, “Time to let the public know that I’ll no longer be sharing you with any other redheads.”

“I was always yours, baby.  My heart was always yours,” he said against her lips.  He turned them to smile at the camera that was madly going off sounding like a machine gun.  Then Luke took her hand and into the limo they went, with Kenneth beaming from ear to ear.  “Kenneth, we’ll head to Janie’s to get a few things, then go to my place.”

“Yes, sir.”

Once inside the limo, Luke moved all the way in until he was practically on top of her.  He put his arm around the back of her seat and leaned in to her ear.  “I like it when you grab me and have your dirty girl way with me right there on the street, Janie Callahan.”  He began kissing her neck while his hand moved to her breast, touching her over her coat.

“Yeah?”  She closed her eyes and sank into the feeling of him pressed to her in all the right places.  “See what you do to me, making me grab you in front of a photographer like that?  Do they follow you all the time?  How did that guy even know we were there?” she murmured, moving her neck for him to kiss more.

“Hm.  Good question.  Maybe you can use that dirty girl brain of yours and figure it out.”  He was looking at her breasts appreciatively.

She stopped and looked at him.  “You planned that?” she exclaimed, completely surprised and feeling exhilarated.

He wiggled his eyebrows, licking his chops and looking like he hadn’t just eaten a huge meal.

“Well,” she said huskily, “in addition to the street corner, your dirty girl would love to have her dirty girl way with you right here in the limo.”  She removed his hand from her breast then moved to her knees before him on the open space between his legs.              

“Shit,” he said, looking a little shocked and a whole lot aroused.  “Baby,” he breathed out.

“Luke, unless you plan on talking some sweet dirty talk to your
dulzura
, I’m just going to expect you to shut up, lie back and let me finish what I started last night.”  She moved his coat flaps out of the way and unzipped his slacks, moving fast before he could stop her.  She knew she only had about fifteen minutes before they hit her place.

“Y
ou are the hottest, most fucking gorgeous thing I’ve ever seen, do you know that?”  His hands went to her hair.  She looked up and licked her smiling lips.

“I’ve wanted to do this ever since you stopped me last night.”  Once he was unzipped and out of his boxer briefs, she took a long lick up his shaft.  He was huge and beautiful, completely erect.  “My hands are cold so I might need a little help,” she teased.

His eyes glittered as he held himself for her just as her mouth grasped at the tip then swallowed him whole.

He let out a huge whoosh of air.  “Shit,” he said again.  He gripped her hair even harder.  “You go
ing to fuck me with that dirty mouth of yours,
dulzura
?  That sweet, delectable, feisty mouth?”

She looked up at him through her lashes and nodded, massaging her fingers into his thighs, then sucking him hard into her mouth.  She let her lips pull all the way to the tip and then she nibbled there.

He gritted his teeth, trying to remain quiet and controlled.  Even through his coat, she could see the quick rise and fall of his chest due to his excitement.

She continued to slowly torture him with her tongue, her lips, until she could tell he was on the verge of exploding.  She released him with a soft pop and murmured around him, “I wan
t to swallow all you have for me.”  She gave him a pointed look before saying, “Come in my mouth,
mi rey
,” she whispered with a smile.

His look of surprise and shock at her use of the nickname ‘my king’ was immediately covered with an expression of lust so powerful, Janie almost came just watching him.  She put her mouth around him one last time and tugged with her lips and tongue.

He exploded in her mouth only moments later and growled low and quiet through clenched teeth, obviously trying not to yell in the car.  He was taking in air at an erratic pace, and once she had swallowed every last drop of him he hauled her up his body and went at her like an animal, kissing her voraciously.

“Are you trying to kill me?  We just find each other and already you’re trying to get rid of me?” he said while inhaling her.

She giggled against his mouth.  “You know me.  When I know what I want, I go after it.”

He ground his forehead into hers.  “Did you mean it?” he whispered.

“I’m pretty sure,” she joked, “since I just swallowed –”             

He gripped her hair tighter, his eyes glittering.  “You called me your king, Janie.”

She looked into his eyes sweetly then rubbed her nose into his.  “Yes, Your Highness, I did call you my king,” she confirmed, a teasing smile on her lips.  “You Spaniards and your nicknames,” she said with a roll of the eyes.

“Did you mean it?”  He was still waiting.  “Because you know what that means to me if you
did
mean it.”

“I do,” she nodded, knowing full well he wanted his ‘forever’ woman to see him as her king, and for him to see his woman as his queen.  He’d yet to call her that.

“I’m hoping to hear those two words from you again,
dulzura
.  Very soon.”

She was about to question him, especially on the small detail that he hadn’t even theoretically
asked
her to marry him yet, nor had he called her his ‘reina’ or ‘queen’.  He stopped her before she could speak, his facial expression showing her that he already knew what she was going to ask.

“Patience.”

She looked at him, annoyed.  “Don’t tease me, Luke.”

“I would never tease you about the most important thing in my life. 
You
are the most important thing in my life.  Be patient.  I have a plan,” he said, his lips forming a grin.

She smirked, but couldn’t help but feel like she was floating.  “Take me home.”

He raised an eyebrow. 

“Our new home,” she clarified. 

He kissed her again and murmured, “I can’t wait to come home to you every day.”

“I’m countin’ on it, buster.  Time to clean out a drawer,” she chuckled into his mouth. 

He grinned and then she moved to her seat so he could fix himself.  When they pulled up to her door, they went in for her to get some clothes and toiletries, then headed the short distance to his place. 

When they arrived, Luke introduced her to the concierge, whom she remembered from a few nights before, in addition to security so he would know who she was.  Then they took the elevator to the top floor which held his loft.

She’d been to his place only once before with Tiffany, and remembered how gorgeous it had been; tastefully decorated in neutral tones with splashes of color and beautiful art pieces. She remembered him having two master suites, a large living and kitchen area with a dining nook, and tall windows throughout.

He was quiet as they entered the loft and turned on some lights.  She dumped her things at the door and he removed her coat.  They both seemed to realize this was a momentous occasion and were silent as the weight of it hit both of them.

They walked the space hand in hand, still quiet, slowly perusing the various nooks and crannies.  Janie was thrilled to see a little Christmas tree on a table top in the corner.  A man who lived alone rarely went through the rigmarole of putting up a tree.  Knowing he loved the holiday as much she did made her feel warm and happy.  She wandered the floor, running her hand over the hand carved wood mantle she knew was made by Jem, which had been attached into the brick wall that encased the fireplace. 

On it sat multiple family photos, all picturing her favorite people in the world.  One in particular caught her eye.  It was a group shot of all of the families at the opening of Jem’s art gallery,
The M Gallery
, from several years earlier before she’d lost her weight.  She had only been 24 years old in the picture.  Luke stood next to her in the photo and had his arm wrapped around her neck pulling her close, a bright smile on both of their faces. 

She blinked back tears.  The love she saw there was palpable and caused her to take a deep shaky breath.  He walked up behind her and pulled her back into his chest, kissing the top of her head in the process.  After a moment, she turned and kissed him softly, then continued her wanderings, peeking in closets, checking out the kitchen appliances, flopping on the sofa to check the squooshy-ness factor. 

Then, smiling like the Cheshire cat, Luke took her hand and led her into the bedroom.

He hadn’t been kidding about the king size bed.  The huge piece of furniture sat against the center of the far wall.  Covered in a billowy looking cream comforter which looked like it had cost a fortune with its 1000 thread count, the bed beckoned Janie to jump on it.  She couldn’t wait to do just that as she loved it.  She was seriously looking forward to trying it out. 

The walls were a mixture of exposed old rose colored brick along with others painted a deep Old World navy blue.  Under her feet sat an enormous multicolored rug on the wood floor, tying all of the various shades of color together that were throughout the room.  All of it seemed antiqued and wonderfully lived-in.

He stood against the door frame watching her quietly, a look of expectation on his face.  She smiled enigmatically at him and walked into the bathroom.  Roomy and cream white with pale slate blue paint on the walls and wooden floors, it held a tub, a shower stall, a large vanity and toilet.  She could easily have fit two of her bathrooms inside of it. 

She glanced back at him indicating she’d be heading into the walk-in closet which was attached to the back of the bathroom.  He pushed off the bedroom door frame to follow her in.  Upon entering the closet, she stopped at the archway and her hand flew to her mouth.  She looked back at him, questions all over her face.

He watched her, waiting for her to say something. 

She looked back into the closet.

He had cleaned out one half of it already.  All of his things were neatly hung and stored on the left side as if they’d always been there, his shoes just so.  In the center sat a huge chest of drawers, the left side closed, but the right side of drawers opened showing their emptiness.  The right side of the closet hanging area, similarly, was completely bare.