Loose Ends (Magnolia Series Book 1) Read online

  However, Luke surprised her by coming up behind her, wrapping his warm arms around her. “Tell me, please?” His voice held genuine concern.

  Ava stayed silent for a few moments, willing the tears to go away. “Every time we had sex, he would roll over and light a cigarette. And with that cigarette, he would burn me,” she admitted.

  Feeling Luke tense up behind her and squeeze her just a fraction tighter, Ava tried to break free of his hold.

  “Don’t,” he held her. “Don’t try to run away, Ava.”

  “I shouldn’t have said anything,” She shook her head while tears streamed down her face.

  It felt like Luke held his breath while he contemplated what she was telling him. “How long did this go on?”

  “Only the last two months we were together. I always made excuses why I couldn’t sleep with him. I tried to keep it from happening.”

  “How many times did he do it?” It sounded like Luke was interrogating her.

  “Eight times. I made sure we weren’t together more than once a week.”

  Luke spun her around. “Thank you.” He looked into her eyes. “Thank you for telling me.” She nodded. “Are you working tomorrow?” he asked, throwing her for a loop.

  “No. I closed the shop this weekend because of the Founders’ Day Parade, why?” She cocked her head to the side in curiosity—feeling like an inquisitive puppy as she did so.

  “I’m not taking you back to your car tonight,” Luke stated matter-of-factly. “You’re staying the night with me.” He intertwined his fingers in hers. “I’m taking you upstairs. I want to touch every inch of you while you’re laid out on my bed.”

  Ava sucked in a breath, her faded arousal sparking to life abruptly. Every response and argument died on her tongue as Luke all but pulled her through the house. When they reached the grand staircase he shocked her once more by sweeping her into his arms. Her head immediately rested on his shoulder as she let out a sigh of contentment. Feeling safe wasn’t something normally assimilated into her daily life. She always had an eye on everything and one foot out the door. It was pure survival—an instinct she’d developed over the past two years. But right now, feeling Luke’s arms under her, feeling his heart beating a thick staccato in his chest; she felt safer then she had in a very long time.

  Luke held her secure as he carried her up the staircase and down the hall to the left. It was dimly lit but she could see urgency shading his handsome face; coincidently, she felt the same way. His bare feet patted the hardwood floor and soon they were in front of a door. Luke toed it open to reveal a room that stunned her. This is his bedroom? Ava thought. Luke softly put her on her feet as she looked around.

  “This room is amazing.” She spun around, taking in the splendor before her. Against one wall rested a massive antique bed, its intricately carved four posts reaching high, almost touching the even higher ceiling. The furniture was all original, dating back to the same era as the home itself.

  “Doesn’t look like much of a guy’s room does it?” Luke looked unsure of himself for the first time since they’d met.

  “No. But I love it.” Ava smiled. It was cute how he was leaning against the wall looking like he was waiting for her approval. Maybe it was time she surprised him for a change. She slid off her shoes and walked barefoot to where he was standing. His gaze raked over her body, making her feel the weight of his stare.

  He raised an eyebrow. “What are you doing?”

  “Just coming over here to see you.”

  “What if I don’t want you right here? What if I want you over there,” he pointed to the bed, “in my bed?”

  Ava felt sure and playful. “What will you do to me over there?”

  “What do you want me to do?”

  Ava didn’t feel like she was winning this little game of cat and mouse. Seduction wasn’t her strong suit. But she did have an answer for him. “Everything,” she whispered as she made eye contact in the barely-lit room.

  Luke’s only response was to grab her face and begin to explore her mouth with his. Again Ava felt each stroke of his tongue to the depths of her soul. He swept in and out, causing a fucking motion with his tongue as he walked her backwards to the bed. He broke the kiss before the back of her knees hit the mattress.

  Luke began to lift the bottom of her shirt. “I need to see every inch of you.” He pulled the fabric over her head and tossed it to the floor. Once her upper body was on display, Ava became self-conscious about the burn scars littering her otherwise pristine skin. She reached down to cover them with her palms but Luke stopped her midway. “Don’t.” He warned.

  “I don’t want you to see them. Can we turn the lights off?” Damn she hated how insecure she sounded.

  “The lights are staying on. I want to see everything. The good and the bad.” His voice softened on the last word.

  “Okay,” she whispered.

  Dropping her arms she waited while Luke raked his gaze over the ugly marks marring her skin. She was ready for him to become revolted at them but he didn’t. Instead his fingers moved between the cluster of raised skin as if he were mapping out the pattern. “Do they hurt?” his eyes connected with hers.

  Ava shook her head. “No. Not anymore.” She smiled just a little bit.

  “Good to know.” He then dropped to his knees and began lightly pressing his lips to the affected area. Ava’s eyes rolled back as he whispered kisses down on the area that made her feel less of a human being. She’d let the scars consume her for far too long. Not anymore.

  When he was finished with his treatment, he stood to give her a soft kiss on her lips. “Now these.” He quickly unfastened her jeans and pushed them down her legs, letting her step out of the rough denim. “You’re every man’s wet dream,” he complimented as she stood there in nothing but her bra and panties.

  “I need to see you, too.” Ava pressed her palms against the firm skin of his chest and worked her way down to the button on his pants. She flicked it open and rasped the zipper down. Luke shuddered as she shimmied the jeans down his legs along with his boxer briefs. He stepped out of them and left her with a prime view of his assets. “You’re a work of art,” she mused.

  “Touch me, Ava.”

  “Where?”

  He grabbed her hand and wrapped it around his shaft. “Here.” He laid his rough palm on top of hers and began to stroke himself with her help. “Feel that? That’s what you do to me.” Ava licked her lips in response. “I want you to taste me.” He wasn’t ordering her, he was almost begging, hoping she’d say yes.

  “Lie down for me.” She stepped out of the way to let him past her. She watched as he laid down on his back, his cock lying on his stomach waiting for her to do as she pleased. Crawling on the bed with him she straddled his legs and bent forward.

  “You have no idea how sexy you look right now.” He fisted the duvet as she once again took him in her hand.

  “I could say the same about you,” Ava didn’t want to waste time. She kept her eyes locked with his as her tongue darted out and teased his slit.

  “Goddamn. More,” he grunted.

  “Like this?” She felt daring. She became brazen as she opened her lips and took him inside her mouth.

  “Yeah, just like that.” His hips began to lift off the bed as she sucked and licked him closer to completion. “Your mouth is heaven.” He spurred her to continue. “Do you want me to come?” he asked, the question coming out pained. Ava nodded while her lips were fastened around him. “Want me to come inside that sweet little mouth of yours, Ava?” Another nod. She wasn’t stopping. She wanted to him to explode. She needed to feel what she’d done to him. “No.” He reached forward and pulled himself free of her. She wasn’t sure what was happening but soon found he’d turned the tables and she was on her back with him looming over her. “The only place I’m coming is inside you.” Luke reached across the bed and grabbed a condom from the bedside table. Ava’s eyes were focused on his cock as he rolled the latex over himsel
f. He stroked himself a couple times before pushing her legs apart with one of his knees. He didn’t tease her this time instead he thrust forward in one stroke causing her to scream out. “Yeah? You like screaming for me don’t you?” He pulled out and shoved back in. “Scream again for me, sweetheart.” He deepened his strokes.

  “Luke!” Her voice wasn’t her own as she screamed each time he pounded into her.

  “Again! Scream my name!” he shouted.

  “Luke! Oh fuck!” Her hands were now fisted in the sheets.

  “Is this how you like to be fucked? Do you like me pushing my cock deep inside you, like this?” He plunged again and her entire body tightened up. “That’s it. Arch that back for me.” Her legs fell open a bit more. “Fuck. Are you trying to get me deeper?”

  “Yes, please,” she moaned.

  “Spread them as far as you can. Take me in deep.” She used her thigh muscles to move her legs apart as far as they would go, feeling Luke sink further inside her.

  Ava’s eyes closed as she reveled in the sensations that filled her. The connection they shared seemed as if it were even deeper than only a physical one. But that was crazy. She hadn’t known him that long. There was no way she could be feeling anything for him. This was lust. Pure, carnal lust.

  Luke must’ve sensed her pulling away. He slowed and leaned forward, his face only inches from hers—his warm breath fanning her face. “Look at me, Ava.” She kept her eyes tightly sealed and shook her head. “Dammit, Ava. Look. At. Me.” He thrust into her harder to get her undivided attention.

  Her eyes flew open and connected with his. Something about that moment spurred her into the beginning pulsations of release. “Mmmmmm.” She bit her lip to keep from crying out.

  Luke reached down with his thumb and tugged her lip free. “Don’t hold back on me. I want to hear every moan and scream from those delicious lips.” Ava arched her back again as the orgasm subsided, she wanted more. “Oh no, you don’t. I want another one. Give me one more, sweetheart.”

  “I can’t,” Ava whined.

  “You can. And you will.” He reached between them and began to massage her clit.

  Sparks of a new wave washed over her, the feeling starting at the tip of her toes and working its way north. It had always amazed her how an orgasm could make you feel so out of control but so alive at the same time. Every nerve was focused on reaching that peak. Every ounce of energy was place on her body gripping that feeling. When her second one crashed into her, she felt Luke’s thrusts become uneven. He was close. She knew it by the change in his breathing and the way his cock seemed to grow within her.

  “Luke, come for me,” she pleaded just like he had. She wanted to own his release as much as he wanted to own hers.

  “Right now?” He pushed further in. “You want me to come for you right now, Ava?” His voice took on a hoarse quality, like he was trying to hold back and failing miserably.

  “Yes. Come now,” Ava demanded. She wasn’t a taker; she gave more than she got in return, but for some reason, being in this bed with him in between her legs, she wanted everything he had.

  His answer came in the form of an animalistic growl that echoed around them in the antiquated bedroom. The low tones bled from his throat, bouncing off the plaster covered walls, and landing in her head. She’d never forget the way he sounded in that moment. She’d never forget how it felt to make Luke lose control. In a way, she wanted to erase it because nothing could ever compare to this. She was ruined.

  ***

  Luke was always an early riser. It didn’t matter how tired he was, he’d get up before the sun peeked over the horizon and start his day. Hell, some nights he didn’t sleep a wink due to his job. There wasn’t a set schedule; he did what was needed to pay the bills. After this job was done with his current employer, he’d be able to sit comfortably for the foreseeable future. But there were still questions plaguing him. Ones that needed to be answered now that he’d gotten to know Ava on a much more personal level. He’d tried not to let being with her become a roadblock between him and this massive payday, but now, he wasn’t so sure he could. And didn’t he feel like the biggest pansy ass for thinking like that.

  Leaving her in his bed all alone made him twitchy inside. She looked so peaceful lying there curled on her side, blonde hair spilling over the pillow like a halo of spun gold. When he’d glanced back one more time before leaving the bedroom, he had to blink to assure himself that this wasn’t a dream. That the breathtaking scene before him was in fact an honest-to-God reality.

  Last night was one of the best of his life by far. The crazy thing though? It wasn’t about the sex. It was more than that. He didn’t want to put a label on it now, or even ever if he had his way, but being around Ava was like breathing in the most glorious breath of fresh air. On the outside she was strong and resilient; a woman who could go toe-to-toe with anyone. But inside was a vulnerability that made her human. He’d learned a long time ago to shut down his emotions and do his job, but for some reason Ava was making him throw everything out the window. Luke wasn’t going to think about that right now though; he’d take this one day at a time and in the end, he would wash the blood off his hands and walk away like he always did.

  “Good morning,” he heard a small voice—Ava’s voice—behind him.

  Luke turned around to see her standing in the kitchen doorway. Her lightly tanned legs were smooth and bare, only partly concealed by the t-shirt she wore. His t-shirt. Blood flew to his groin as he lifted his gaze to see her hair quite the mess and her face free of makeup. Had she been wearing it last night? He couldn’t remember. “Morning. Did you sleep okay?” He didn’t do the whole morning after thing so this conversation was beyond his realm of understanding.

  “I did until you got out of bed. Where did you go so early?” She entered the kitchen and took a seat across the table from him. He immediately stood to grab her a cup of coffee.

  “I took a morning run; had to clear my head a bit,” he answered as he filled the ceramic cup with dark brown liquid. Truth was, he’d gotten a phone call and didn’t want to her to overhear it if she’d woken up.

  “You still on her?” the nameless man asked.

  “Yep, what now?” Luke was all business with his employers. Most of them were assholes who didn’t give a damn if you had an opinion about things anyway. There was no use arguing or trying to change their mind about something.

  “Plans have changed. Stay on her for a few more weeks.”

  “Listen, I’ve got more shit to do than babysit for you,” Luke bit out.

  The other man grunted into the phone. “You want me to find somebody else to do this shit? I have ten other guys on speed dial who would do this shit for half your price.”

  That wasn’t what he wanted at all. In fact, if they found out he’d lied about her being in Phoenix, they’d both find themselves at the bottom of a lake. “Fuck no, I’ve got this.”

  “Good. I thought you’d see it my way.” The guy hung up.

  What was it with these types and them hanging up? Must’ve made them feel tougher to do shit like that. But honestly, not much intimidated Luke.

  “Earth to Luke,” Ava cut through his mental replay of the morning’s phone conversation.

  He spun around with her cup of coffee in his hand. Setting it on the table in front of her, he leaned down and gently kissed her forehead when she looked up. “Sorry. I was thinking about some projects I need to start this weekend.”

  “Oh. Do you need any help? Since I closed the shop until Monday, I could stick around and lend a hand.” She lifted the steaming cup to her lips and made a sipping sound as the hot brew hit her mouth.

  Luke took a drink from his own mug, laughing internally at himself. This shit was way too domestic for his liking. Ava sitting across from him, drinking from a matching coffee cup; when had he sold out to normalcy? “You don’t have to help,” he chuckled.

  “You didn’t have to help me fold towels that day in the shop e
ither, but you did.” She shrugged. Okay, the woman had a point. “Or is it that you don’t think I can do manual labor because I’m female?” Her lips lifted at the corners in a teasing smile.

  “Oh, I know you can work hard. I saw the evidence of that last night,” he teased back.

  “You hardly made me work for an orgasm,” she said without making eye contact. Was she embarrassed to talk about things like this?

  “I could make you work for it, though.”

  “For you, I’d be willing to put in the time.” Now she snapped her gaze to his, her amber eyes full of heat.

  “Stop it, Ava.”

  “Stop what?” she feigned innocence.

  “You know exactly what. If you keep up the mischief, I’ll have no choice but to drag you over here and make you work the hardest you’ve ever worked for an orgasm,” he warned.

  “Told you already, I’m not afraid of a little work,” she stated matter-of-factly.

  “Oh, there’s nothing little about this job, sweetheart.” Luke winked.

  “Then it’s a good thing I have experience. Would you like to see my résumé’?” The saucy minx then stood and peeled his t-shirt off her flushed body. Tossing it to the floor, she stalked to where he sat and threw one of her legs over him, straddling his lap. Luke caught the scent of himself that still lingered on her from his shirt—that, mixed with her sweetness was doing nothing to help his self-control. There was also the fact that she was now grinding on his groin, showing him just how hard she was willing to work.

  “Ava,” Luke warned, although he didn’t know why he’d protest such a thing, it was heaven having her like this.

  “Yes, Luke?” She stopped her motions and cocked her head to the side like a curious puppy.

  “Don’t you think it’s kind of early for this?”

  Ava peeked over her shoulder and out the kitchen window. “Nope. There isn’t a good or bad time to do this. But I can stop if you want me to.” She went to stand back up and Luke pulled her to her previous position.