Page 8 of Luke: The Bears

Damn, he loved how his name sounded when she said it.

“Valley, if you come inside with me, I’m going to want to kiss you again.”

“Good.”

“Oh?” he asked with a chuckle.

“I was hoping you would.”

The words left Valley’s mouth before she could think twice about what she was saying. And that was okay.

Because all day, all week, really, she’d been thinking about boxes and moving and her plans. But standing in the driveway with Luke, a sky full of stars above and faint music from The Howl drifting across the lake, the last thing she really wanted to do was think.

She just wanted to feel.

Luke was all broad shoulders, muscles on top of muscles, and the sweetest smile. Every time he smiled at her, she felt her whole world settle.

She did want to kiss him.

She wanted everything.

“If I kiss you inside my house,” he said, cupping her face, “I’m going to want more. You smell so good to me that you’re wrecking my control.”

She wrapped her hands around his wrists. Suddenly, she was the boldest girl around. “If I want more too?”

His thumb brushed over her cheek and sent a shiver down her spine.

He exhaled with a growl, and kissed her, his fingers slipping to her neck and down her shoulders, drawing her close until she could feel every inch of him.

Every. Inch.

He kissed her like he’d been waiting a hundred years for her.

She curled her fingers into his shirt and kissed him back, pushing everything away but this moment.

When the kiss broke, their panting breaths the only sound she could hear over her pounding heart, she slid her hand into his and followed him into the house.

Hell, she would have followed him anywhere.

He opened the door for her and they walked inside.

When he shut the door behind them, she turned and found him standing with his back against the door, his eyes glowing softly with an amber light.

She’d never been so wildly attracted to a guy before.

And in the daylight, she might want to think about the possible reasons.

But for now, all she wanted to do was enjoy this time with him.

Her sexy bear.

She followed him to the couch, her pulse tripping faster with every step, and when they sat, they didn’t speak right away. They only looked at each other, his knee brushing hers, his gaze moving over her face like he was trying to memorize her. Valley’s breath caught when Luke leaned closer. His mouth touched hers softly at first, but then she kissed him back, and the restraint they were both holding onto snapped.

Luke made a low, growling sound in his chest and cupped her cheek, deepening the kiss as heat rushed through her, until all Valley could think was that she had never wanted anyone the way she wanted him.

His mouth left hers, and for a second he only stared at her, breathing hard, his hand still warm against her cheek. “Valley, if we don’t stop now, I’m going to want you in my bed.”

Her breath caught, her heart hammering in her chest. She could have been sensible in the moment, taken the break for what it was and asked to go home, where stacks of boxes waited to go with her to the new life she was starting two hours away in one week.