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Chapter 14
‘Go to sleep,’ Luke yawned, looking majorly cute to Ruby’s way of thinking. ‘I’ve got to get up early to start painting the lobby tomorrow morning.’
But as he flung off the duvet, she grasped his arm. ‘Why don’t you stay here tonight,’ she murmured sleepily, her gaze snagging on the broad expanse of her lover’s back as he glanced over his shoulder. ‘You could get started sooner.’
‘Do you really think that’s a good idea?’ Luke asked.
‘Absolutely,’ she said, ignoring the wary tone. ‘It’s silly, you going back to your house every night.’
She saw him hesitate.
‘You sure?’ he said as he slung an arm around her and sunk back into the pillows.
‘It’s no biggie,’ she made herself say as she gazed up at his profile from her favourite spot snuggling against his shoulder. The spring rain outside, chiming against the fire escape, only made the moment feel more intimate. And special. ‘And it’s raining.’
It really wasn’t a biggie, she told herself staunchly, it made sense for him to stay.
In the past nine days, ever since their walk back from the ’Bello had triggered a whole new phase in their friendship – which Ruby had secretly titled the shag-like-rabbits phase – he’d got into the habit of appearing on her fire escape after the final screening each night. After making fast furious love, they would eat whatever they could rustle up from the usually meagre supplies in her fridge and then settle in for more sex – after which Ruby had been unable to prevent herself from nodding off in his arms.
Because being madly in lust, she’d discovered, was actually quite exhausting. She’d had more orgasms in the last week than she’d had in her entire life – vibrator dates included. But when she’d woken up again, he was always gone. The bed beside her empty.
Tonight she’d managed to keep her eyes open while lounging against Luke’s naked body, the musty smell of sex mixing with the scent of the grilled cheese sandwiches he’d made for their midnight feast while she basked in the sudden, delicious detour her life had taken – and waited for him to sneak out, so she could ask him to stay.
As he leaned down to place a kiss on her forehead – something he did every night before she went to sleep – arousal pulsed.
‘It’s tempting,’ he said, around a jaw-busting yawn, as he played absently with her hair.
She resisted the urge to purr. She adored it when Luke played with her hair, twirling the curls round his fingers, testing the texture, as if he couldn’t bear to stop touching her. When had anyone ever been this into her? Maybe it was only on a physical level, but she still found the attention intoxicating.
‘But I don’t want to take advantage of your hospitality,’ Luke continued.
Ruby tried to concentrate on what he was saying, instead of the feel of his thigh brushing against her hip, or the resilient thud of his heartbeat against her ear.
Chillax Rubes. You’re both too knackered for another shag-athon, anyway.
‘But I love it when you take advantage of my hospitality,’ Ruby teased, determined to keep things light and non-committal, the way they needed to be.
She ran her fingers through the three hairs growing around Luke’s belly button – hairs she’d become quite attached to in the last nine days – concentrating on why she wanted him to stay. This wasn’t about intimacy, it was just about comfort. And practicalities. It made no sense for him to head out now, in the rain, w
hen he could sleep here.
‘And anyway the least I owe you is a warm bed on a rainy night,’ she added.
Hadn’t he ridden to the rescue of the theatre, turned up every single day on schedule and worked his arse off for no reward for close to a month? And wasn’t he the best lover she’d ever had, his imagination and enthusiasm in bed only outstripped by his generosity? She suspected – from the few things Luke had told her about his childhood – he’d had so much responsibility in his life, he didn’t want to add anyone else to the list. And being indebted to her, would add her to the list, because Luke always paid his dues. But she wanted him to know that didn’t apply here because he’d already paid any dues to her a hundred times over.
‘How do you figure that?’ Luke asked. His hand stopped stroking her hair. ‘I hope you’re not referring to the work I’ve done on the theatre.’
‘Well, yes, that and …’ She sent him what she hoped was a slutty smile. ‘Your services to my sex life.’
His eyebrows shot up, but then he laughed. A deep, rumbling laugh that relaxed his face and only made him more sexy.
His foot brushed hers and his hand trapped her fingers against his belly button. ‘Who knew British girls were so naughty.’
His six-pack rippled as he sunk down to join her under the covers. And something stiff and exciting got trapped against her hip.
‘’Fraid so,’ she said, as his callused palm cupped her naked breast – sending endorphins careering through her system. ‘So are you staying to help me with my sex addiction?’
‘I guess I am.’
