Page 55 of The Edge of Summer
“I haven’t—” I cut him off with a sharp look. “I’ve been busy. Working.”
My brow arches. “Really? It has nothing to do with what happened at Dockside the other night?”
“What we did?—”
“You mean when you stuck your hand up my skirt and made me come? Don’t be shy now, Chief. You can say it.”
His jaw tightens. “It can’t happen again,” he says gruffly.
Maybe it can’t. Maybe we should both cut our losses and try to move on. But I want to knowwhy. Not whatever flimsy excuse he’s telling himself to get by, but the real reason. The pesky voice in the back of my head is telling me it has everything to do with me.
“Was it not good for you?” I ask quietly. Some of the anger has leached from my voice, making way for insecurity.
His eyes soften. “That is not an issue. Don’t think that for a second.”
I throw my hands in the air, altogether exasperated. “Then what’s the problem? If you liked it, then why can’t we do it again?”
If I wasn’t so mad, the look on his face would give me pause. He looksdefeated. But I’m angry enough to keep pushing. “You don’t want what I have to give,” he replies.
At this, I scoff. “Oh,please. I thought we were past you making assumptions about me,” I say as I take a step toward his desk. “Don’t be a martyr, Chief.”
The look Luke gives me now is nothing more than a glare. “I’m trying to be smart about this. I can’t give you a relationship. I’m not looking for that.”
I laugh bitterly. “Guess what? I’m not some naïve little girl who expects to be swept off her feet.”
At least not by Luke. He has made it clear that he finds me attractive, but that is where his affections end. He doesn’t need to be my Prince Charming. I’m not sure I would want him to be anyway. But he can give me what I crave—a distraction. An outlet to chip away at some of the tension I accumulate throughout the day.
“You didn’t even ask me. Ask me what I want, Luke.”
His facial expression is nothing short of pained, and I don’t care. I want him tohearme. I spent way too long with a man that never did. Even if nothing comes of this, I want Luke to know where I stand. I need him to.
Finally, he sighs. “What do you want, Delilah?”
“I want to feel good. You made me feel good. You don’t want a relationship? That’s fine. I can handle casual.” I hazard another step closer. “Can you?”
He leans back in his chair. “Delilah…”
I take this as an invitation to round his desk. “Can you handle that?”
When he doesn’t answer, I plant myself on the surface of his desk and loop my feet through the armrests on his chair, bringing him to rest between my legs. My skirt inches up my thighs, exposing more of my skin. A tattoo—floral like my shoulder—peeks out from the hem. It runs from my hip to halfway down my thigh. Almost inadvertently, Luke reaches out and traces the design with his finger. All my nerve endings catch fire, alighting at his mere touch. My body remembers what it’s like to have his hands on me, and it wants more.Iwant more.
“I didn’t notice this before,” he murmurs.
“You had a bit of a one-track mind that night, Chief.”
Now he touches the hem of my skirt and a groan slips free. “Did you wear this just to torture me?”
A smirk curves my lips. “You’re easy to torture.”
As he watches his finger run along my skin, I can almost hear his mind whirring, trying to find a way to say no. I hate that he’s thinking so hard—I don’t want him to think at all. I want him to throw aside his sense andlive. I don’t want to be alone on this side of mindless pleasure-seeking.
Stupid. My father would say I’m being stupid. After what happened with Mitchell, I could hardly blame him. It wasn’t just me that was affected when my pictures got leaked. But I need this. I need something that is mine—something that hasnothing to do with my family or the hobby I’m too scared to pick up again.
I glance over my shoulder, ensuring the door is locked, as I left it. Then I turn back to Luke. “Are there any cameras?”
He shakes his head. When he speaks, his voice is strained. “Not in here.”
Somehow, I know he’s telling the truth. He didn’t hesitate to delete the security footage at Dockside that night when he saw how uneasy I was, and he didn’t even know the reason why. So I know he wouldn’t lie to me about this. Besides, Luke is nothing like Mitchell. I wouldn’t be here if he was.
