Page 27 of Gwen's Delta
“Well, you’re the sexiest librarian I’ve ever seen, and I’ve seen my share. I think you should put your glass down, so you don’t spill it.”
“Why would I spill it?” Then Gwen saw the look in his eyes. The smoldering amber color exuded enough heat to melt her into a puddle of goo.
He didn’t wait for her to put it down. Gently, he took it from her and placed it on the coffee table then pulled her onto his lap. His erection nudged her hip and need pulsed in her core.
Hot breath blew over her ear just before he licked and nibbled her lobe. Then he kissed along her jaw until he reached her mouth, slanting across her lips with wicked intent. His tongue demanded access. Moaning, her lips parted. Their tongues dueled, tasting each other.
Gwen squirmed against him as she slid her hands into his thick, silky-brown hair. She needed more and groaned when he pulled away. Worried he would stop, she was about to protest. Then he lifted her like she weighed nothing and angled her, so she straddled his lap.
Luke’s eyes burned with desire and his erection throbbed hard and hot against her crotch. Her clit pulsed as her panties flooded with her desire, and she wondered if he could feel her heat. Then his mouth possessed hers in a scorching kiss, and all she could think about was how much she wanted his hands on her.
As she wriggled against him, he moaned. “You’re killing me, princess.”
Her heart melted at the endearment as she tried to catch her breath. His erection twitched against her, and her clit answered. Luke’s lips were magic, and she’d fallen under his spell.
Gwen had never been so aroused, and they’d only kissed.
“You’re doing the same to me. Did you put something in my tea?” she teased.
He lifted her off his lap and pulled away. As she looked up in confusion, his chiseled features hardened to granite, and amber sparks lit in his caramel eyes.What had just happened?
Luke rose and walked across the library to lean against his desk. Anger rolled off him in waves. She tried to rewind the last few minutes in her head, but her brain was still fuzzy from the passion racing along her nerve endings.
“Maybe this was a mistake,” Luke said, his expression closed.
“Wait. Whatever I did, or said, I’m sorry.” Gwen’s words tumbled out of her mouth. “You had me so turned on, I’m not sure what I said. But I never meant to make you angry or hurt or…” They needed to fix this before they lost something precious. She knew it to the center of her being.
“You really don’t know what you said?” Disbelief colored his words.
“Really. Luke, I have never reacted to a man’s touch or kiss this way. Ever. My heart is still racing, and I can’t think straight. Whatever it was, please forgive me.” Desperation filled Gwen as she waited, afraid to move, to breathe.
“You asked if I put something in your drink.”
She winced.Stupid, Gwen. “I’d never believe you’d do that. It was just…a stupid joke. To laugh off the way you make me feel.”
“Over the years, I’ve seen too many women hurt or worse. These men thought nothing of drugging them. That you thought I could be capable of that...” He leaned against the desk and ran his hands through his hair in agitation.
Gwen reached for her glass and took a sip of the tea, searching her brain for something to say to fix this. Her horrible choice of words had ruined the most passionate afternoon of her life, and she didn’t know if their fledgling relationship would recover. Luke looked like she’d stabbed him.
“Luke, I don’t know what else to say except that I’m sorry. I wasn’t thinking clearly. I know to the bottom of my heart that you would never hurt me or any other woman or child. You’re one of the good guys. It was obvious the first time I met you.”
At first, she wondered if he’d heard her. He didn’t react. Didn’t say anything. Just watched her, his brown eyes boring into her soul.
She rose. “I really enjoyed today—until now. Thank you, and I hope you can forgive my faux pas, because that’s all it was.” Her heart cracked as she grabbed her purse.
The longer he didn’t respond, the tighter the knots got in her stomach. Tears welled in her eyes as she wondered how everything had blown up so fast. Then her Irish temper kicked in.
Dammit.She would not walk out of there like a puppy with its tail between its legs. “It was a mistake, Luke. People make them all the time. I make a ton of them.” It pissed her off that he was so…alpha.
Before she made it to the door, Luke stopped her, his hand on her shoulder. Relieved, she closed her eyes, hoping to blink away the tears, and she turned around.
“Wait, Gwen.” Luke sighed heavily, and his eyes softened, losing the burning embers of anger. “You’re right. Now, I need to apologize. I turned it into a big deal. That’s on me and my baggage.”
The anger drained out of Gwen as fast as it’d flared to life. She hoped someday he’d share what he’d been through. Or maybe she didn’t want to know.
Exhaustion settled heavily on her shoulders. She was emotionally and physically drained. They’d run the gamut of emotions in such a brief time.
“Do you think you can forgive me? That we can move beyond this?” Luke asked.
