Because of Luke Read online

  Roscoe walks into the kitchen, just as shirtless and sexy as his brother and, with the memory of last night still fresh in my mind, I have to avert my gaze. But the heat has already crept up my neck and onto the tips of my ears. I focus my thoughts on Luke, and the conversation I just overheard earlier, and like magic, I'm no longer blushing.

  "What's wrong? Ass eatin' your panties?"

  I glare at him. The more I get to know this guy, the more I wonder what I saw in him in the first place. Sure he's nice to look at—let's face it, he's incredibly hot, but practically every word that comes out of his mouth is insulting—or degrading.

  "Classy," I respond.

  He walks over to the fridge to retrieve a bottle of beer.

  "You ever eat anything else?" I ask.

  He shrugs. "A little whiskey here and there."

  I roll my eyes and continue spreading jelly on my toast.

  Roscoe walks back over to the kitchen island to stand across from me. He leans forward until his face is only inches from mine. "What's wrong with you?"

  "Nothing."

  He scoffs.

  "What's that look for?"

  "That's cute," he says. He tips the bottle to his lips. "Sparkles has got herself a little crush."

  "Don't call me that." I frown, then stick out my chin. "And I have no idea what you're talking about." I lick the jelly off my finger, as he watches me closely.

  "Don't worry. You're not the first one to try and fail."

  I scrape off a hunk of butter and start on the other piece of toast, doing my best to ignore him.

  "Luke Black is a mystery to us all. Don't let it hurt your feelings. He's been immune to girls since he graduated from high school."

  I sigh. If only that were the case. Clearly, it's not.

  "I admit, it's totally fucking weird. Cause he's not gay or anything. He fucked one of the strays I left in his room once, so there's that." Roscoe's eyebrows pull together. "I'm not sure what his deal is, but if you're trying to get his attention, the best advice I can give you is the give up while you're ahead."

  "I'm not trying to get his attention," I snap, holding his gaze.

  "I don't know why you'd have to try." Roscoe reaches out and twirls a lock of my hair around his finger. I expect him to let go, but he doesn't. He just keeps twirling, as though he's completely fascinated with it. Then he says, his gaze still locked on mine, "Who are you dressed like that for then? Is it me?"

  I open my mouth, but I close it quickly pulling back so my hair falls from his grasp. "Of course not. Haven't you noticed the heat wave?"

  He watches me, clearly amused by my reaction. So I gesture toward him. "What? You guys can walk around half-naked but I have to dress in a freaking parka?"

  "No one said that." He crosses his arms over his bare chest.

  I huff. "Well you better get used to it. I'm going to be around for a while."

  "I'm counting on it," he says with a wink. I'm still trying to figure out exactly what he means by that, when he crosses to the other side of the island, just to walk by me on his way out of the kitchen. "And I can definitely get used to that."

  "I am seriously going to miss you." Coco stretches out in the middle of the living room floor, staring up at the ceiling.

  For the first time since I moved in here, we've got the house to ourselves. The guys are out at yet another party, this time at Chagrin's but I just didn't have it in me. Plus, there's no way I'm not spending my last night with my best friend doing the girly stuff we know and love.

  I was tempted to call Shannon. I almost did. I still want to. But even though most of our fights only last a few hours, I just can't let this one go. Besides, maybe freezing her out will teach her not to sell me out anytime soon.

  "I still can't believe you're not going to be around this summer," Coco continues, rolling onto her stomach. "And that you're going on tour with Roscoe Gold tomorrow. This is insane. You have to be freaking out right now."

  "Actually, I'm oddly calm," I reply. "The guys are great and they've really made me feel like I belong. I mean I'm still nervous. I have like zero experience and no idea what to expect."

  "Yeah, but neither do they. This is new to all of you, right?"

  I shrug. "I guess. It's just...I don't know. I really want to pull this off. It's like a dream come true and I'm so afraid of screwing it up."

  "You won't." She smiles. "You're Sheila Carlson," she adds, mocking Roscoe's deep voice.

  I force a laugh. I can only hope my name will carry some real weight someday.

  "So, how goes the Luke quest?"

  I wrinkle my nose.

  "That bad, huh?"

  "I think he has a girlfriend or at least a girl he likes."

  "Yeah, but how long is that going to last with him out on the road with a hot momma like you?"

  This makes me laugh for real, and I get down on the floor next to her. "Maybe, but I think he might have some competition."

  "What do you mean?"

  "I think Roscoe's flirting with me," I say.

  All she does is laugh and reach toward the tray of brownies on the coffee table. "You think?"

  "What's that supposed to mean?"

  "It's what he does. But you get used to it. It's his way of showing affection to the female race. It's like he's physically incapable of doing it the normal way."

  I sputter. "That's the way he shows affection? I thought he just took them all up to his room for a night or two."

  Coco joins in with my laughter. "I mean friendship. He's so weird around girls it's kind of funny. He's always been like that. Since before the band. It's almost like he gets stuck in high school mode and doesn't know how to react when he sees a pretty girl. So he gets all flirty and inappropriate instead."

  "Well, it's weird," I say, popping a piece of brownie into my mouth. Slightly flattering but still weird. I never know how to react around him. So most of the time I just play it off with sarcasm. "And, get this, he was playing with my hair today. Like twirling it around his finger."

  Coco's eyes go wide for a second. "Seriously?"

  "What?"

  She waves it off. "Nothing. It's just...well he doesn't usually do stuff like that. He did with Maya, but that's different. He usually just says stuff to make you blush. But...maybe he's just trying to get used to you, you know? You are going to be traveling around with him in a tour bus for three months. That's pretty huge. I still can't believe it." Her face lights up again.

  "I know. I feel like I'm living in a dream." But to be honest, I'm struggling with the reality that my so-called dream has the potential to become a huge nightmare.

  Shannon

  I breathe a sigh of relief. My last official night at this damn library. No more finals, no more disgruntled or confused students to direct, no more books, no more labs, no more tests. The summer is mine to do whatever I want with.

  I glimpse through the rearview mirror, prepared to pull into reverse and gasp, throwing the gear shift back into park.

  "What the hell?" My gaze shoots up again, but there's no one there. "Nice, Shannon. Now you're hallucinating. Just great," I mumble as I grip the gear shift again.

  My VW GTI shakes into action, as I release the brakes and I glance to my left, just as Lucas appears in my window.

  This time I scream, slamming back down on the brakes, my whole body jerking.

  It takes several moments for me to compose myself before I roll down the window and shoot him a glare.

  "What the hell?" I ask him the question this time.

  "Hey." His grin stretches wide across his face, his gray eyes glistening with mischief. "How was work?"

  "What are you doing?" I sigh and rake a hand through my hair. "You scared me half to death."

  "Sorry." His eyes go wide and he leans into the window. "I thought you saw me back there."

  "What are you doing here, Lucas?"

  He licks his lips and the simple action sends a chill through me. Why couldn't he just leave and f
orget about me? Is he really standing in front of my window right now?

  "You have a sexy voice, Shannon. Anyone ever tell you that?"

  I can't help but giggle, as stupid as it makes me feel. By the look on his face, it's clearly the reaction he wants.

  "I can't say anyone's ever pointed it out before."

  "Well you do. It's not high pitched and whiny like some girls, or bubbly and ditzy like others. You don't rush through your sentences or say 'like' after every word. You know what you sound like?"

  "What I sound like? I sound like a thing?"

  He nods. "Like Middle C."

  At this I laugh. "That's seriously cheesy." A blush creeps onto his face and I bite back another laugh. "But sweet. Thank you." We stare at each other for a few seconds before I look away. "So you came here to tell me my voice sounds like a musical note?"

  He props both hands on the roof of my car, leaning further into the window. "I came here to tell you that as sweet as you sound, hearing your voice isn't enough. I needed to see you. To say a proper goodbye." He nods over his shoulder. "Wanna get out of here with me?"

  "I..." This was supposed to be the night. I was going to go home, sneak the Peach Schnapps I snagged earlier in my backpack, go upstairs and drink my misery away. Maybe even touch myself while I thought of him. That was my goodbye. I was home free. I'd managed to avoid any more time spent alone with this guy and maintain my reclaimed good-girl badge. Now here he stands, practically begging me to do things I know I'll regret in the morning. The worst part? I can't think of any excuse not to.

  "Shannon?"

  I clear my throat. "Um..."

  "I figured since it's Saturday night…" He glances at his watch. "And still kind of early, we could go do something. I leave in the morning, remember?"

  I nod. "Yeah, I remember."

  "So do you want to do something or not?"

  I press my lips together, like it will somehow keep the answer that's at the tip of my tongue from slipping out.

  Of course I want to. It doesn't mean I should though. I should just peel out of here right now, while I have the chance. It'd be totally lame, but at least there's a good chance I'll never see him again.

  Lucas doesn't give me the opportunity to respond. "Your choice, you can follow, I can drive, or..." His gaze shifts to the passenger’s seat. "I can hop in."

  It's one night Shannon. And like you said, there's a good chance you'll never see him again.

  I pull the corner of my bottom lip into my mouth and clear my throat. "Hop in."

  Luke

  We're back at the scene of our first date and even though I had no intention of doing anything but talk, it's currently the furthest thing from my mind. Shannon sits with her legs folded off to the side. She's got on one of her famous turtle necks tonight, only this time it's sleeveless and she's wearing one of those jean skirts. It's not super short like the ones I've seen on most girls. But it does come up past her knees and shows most of her thighs when she sits like that.

  I've completely forgotten what I was saying and she stares at me expectantly, before bursting into laughter.

  "Are you okay?" she asks.

  I nod. "Uh, yeah."

  "So what time?"

  "Huh?"

  "What time do you leave in the morning?"

  I scratch my head, and let out a deep sigh. "Um, like five a.m. or something crazy like that. My brother bought a bus."

  "A bus?"

  "A tour bus. Hired a driver too. He's a little on the extravagant side. We could have just stayed in hotels like normal people, but he's really getting into the experience so to speak. He thinks we're actually a bone fide rock..." Shit. Her comment from the other night is fresh in my mind. Something about rock stars ruining her life. Maybe she dated one or something. Either way, there's no point in associating myself with the enemy. After all, I'm not really one of them. I'm just pretending for a few months. "Never mind."

  "You're going on a family trip in a tour bus?"

  "Uh, kind of like an RV."

  Shannon smiles. "That's so cool. My dad used to talk about that all the time. Dropping everything for a month and driving across the Northwest. Of course he was always too busy with the church to bother doing it. Then my sister and I grew up and my mom never really wanted to go—she's too high maintenance for a trip like that. To be honest, my sister is too, which is why I really don't see how—" She suddenly snaps her lips shut and closes her eyes. "Sorry. I'm doing it again."

  "Doing what?" I reach out to brush her hair from her face.

  "Rambling."

  I shrug. "I thought I told you I liked that."

  We lock gazes for a long moment and I spend every millisecond of it urging myself not to kiss her. Not yet, Luke. Just let her talk. You said you just wanted to talk.

  "So," she sighs. "Five a.m., huh? We probably shouldn't stay out too late then."

  "Probably not." My gaze lingers on her lips as she looks out over the rooftop.

  She's nervous and I can't blame her because I'm practically shitting myself. I have no clue why I chose this, of all places for what could possibly be our last date. Then again, I think I know exactly why I chose it. As she lies back on the blanket, staring up at the sky, memories of our first night come rushing back. And I get the feeling she knows too.

  I join her, clasping my hands at my waist.

  "This really is an amazing spot," Shannon says, quietly. "Have you ever thought about opening this place up again? I mean, after school? You're a Business major. You could pull it off."

  "I don't know," I say. "Maybe. My brother's got other plans right now."

  When her hand brushes against my thigh, it surprises me. And when she rolls onto her side, her blue eyes shining in the moonlight, every organ in my body melts.

  "So?" she asks. "What do we do now?"

  Before I can respond, we've met somewhere in the middle. Her lips are as soft as I remember them, but somehow taste sweeter. She sighs into me when I touch her and, as my hands grip her waist, pulling her on top of me, she lets out a little gasp.

  We lie like that for the longest time. I can't get enough of the way she tastes. Or how soft her skin feels at my fingertips. The way her hair tickles my face and the soft little moans she's breathing into my mouth. I can't imagine going an entire three months without kissing her. I won't be able to do it.

  I tug her closer, craving the scent of her. I breathe in so deeply, I get dizzy and I have to pull back for air.

  Shannon's eyes are still closed, and she opens them slowly, a drunken expression on her face. I can't help but grin at this, knowing I feel exactly the same way.

  She sits up, straddling me. Her hair is like a thick black curtain. It hangs at the sides of her face, draping over her shoulders. I twist my fingers at the hem of her shirt urging her closer, but she resists.

  Just when disappointment is about to overtake me, she smiles, mischief shining in her eyes. Then she pushes my hands away, crosses her arms in front of her and tugs that sexy turtle neck upwards.

  When it gets stuck on her head, and I can't help but laugh. I reach up to help free her and toss it to the side. I quickly give up on the button fly of her skirt, hiking it up around her waist instead. I'm sitting up, her legs still wrapped around me, and I pull her closer, my hands cupping her neck.

  She watches me as she kisses me, her bright eyes never leaving mine. And it does things to me I can't even describe. Every nerve in my body is acutely aware of every part of her body that's connected with mine. Shannon's hands grip my hair, as she pulls my head back and nips at my chin.

  I pause, for a moment, holding her at arms’ length.

  "Wait," I say, trying to catch my breath. "I didn't bring you here to..."

  She laughs, then narrows her eyes, playfully before reaching back to unhook her bra. "Yes, you did, Lucas. You absolutely did."

  Shannon

  After Lucas has stripped down to nothing but his boxers, I link my arms around his neck, and r
oll back onto the blanket, pulling him on top of me. Our steamy bodies readily reconnect and I hear the jingle of his belt as he reaches above my head, fiddling with his jeans. By the time he's ready to go I can barely contain myself. Lucas feels his way toward my clit but it isn't enough for me. I push his hand out of the way and wrap my own around his cock.

  "Oh, my goodness." The words escape me before I can stop them and he laughs.

  "Should I take that as a compliment?"

  I grip him tightly, with a satisfied grin. "I can't even touch my fingertips," I whisper.

  Lucas lets out a little moan and I spread my legs apart, pushing my hips forward. I hold my breath, allowing him to enter me inch by painful inch, until he freezes hovering above me.

  "I thought you said you were..."

  "What?" I ask, anxious to continue.

  He frowns. "You're really...tight."

  "Or maybe you're just really big."

  He grins his crooked grin and I smile back sheepishly. I can't believe I just said that.

  "All right then, Shannon. Are you sure you can handle me?"

  "I'm not sure about anything other than the fact I want to try." I place a hand on either side of him and pull him toward me again.

  Lucas buries his face in my neck, letting out breathy moans as our bodies fit together. I clench my teeth until he's all the way inside, then tighten my thighs around his hips.

  He moves slowly at first, rocking back and forth at an even, easy pace. But as I grow hotter and wetter, he increases speed, hiking the intensity to a nearly unbearable point. I grip him tighter, my nails digging into his skin.

  Lucas rises up, hovering over me again his gaze fixed on mine. As he continues his quick rhythm, he hits a spot so deep inside me I didn't even realize it existed. Every time his cock strokes it, pins and needles course throughout my legs and I feel like I'm floating. But I can't look away. I keep my eyes trained on him, translating every bit of desire behind the smoldering gray canvases.

  I come first. It's a violent spasm that nearly knocks him off me, and even though I can tell he's far from finished, he lets go shortly after, when I tighten around him. His arms encircle me, cementing my body to his and he lets out a ferocious moan that delights me so much I thrust my hips forward again, wishing it didn't have to end. We hold each other for several minutes, before Lucas finally rolls to the side.