27. Natalie

Chapter 27

Natalie

“You look so pretty.”My aunt smiles with her wineglass lifted before her. “That dress is so pretty.” She takes a sip. “Really pretty.”

“Thanks.” I accept her drunken compliment as I smooth my hands down the skirt of my dress.

The lightweight material is peacock green with wide straps and a plunging V-neck. The empire waist is elastic, so there are no zippers, which is great. And the floor-length skirt has pockets.

“Here.” My aunt grabs a drink from a passing server and hands it to me.

I should say no.

This isn’t my first.

But the best thing about the reception is these custom cocktails. And since I don’t know what’s in them to recreate them, I might as well have another.

The fruity rummy drink slides down my throat, and my belly heats with each swallow.

I shouldn’t get drunk tonight.

Or at least I shouldn’t get more drunk tonight. Because I want to see Luke.

I want to see him, and I want to sleep with him.

I dig my teeth into my lower lip.

Is it rude to check the time?

The reception is firmly in the dance phase, meaning the food and obligations are done.

My dad is sitting off at a table with all the uncles, puffing on cigars like a bunch of dorks, so he won’t be looking for me anytime soon. And everyone else… none of them are Luke.

I want Luke.

I’m wondering if I should go look for him when I feel my phone buzz with a notification.

After shifting my drink to my left hand, I reach down and pull my phone out of my pocket.

There’s a new message for me.

From Luke.

I click to open it.

Luke: You look fucking stunning.

My eyes jump up to the foliage past the edge of the reception area, and I see him.

He’s a dozen yards away, standing in the dark, backlit by the resort a short distance away.

Just a shadow.

But there’s no mistaking him.

That’s my hockey player.

My aunt is already gabbing at someone else, so I take the opportunity to walk away.

My sandals slap against the wooden flooring—the same platform reception design they have all over the property—as I make my way toward the dark.

Luke doesn’t move closer. Doesn’t draw attention to himself or the fact that I’m leaving.

My footfalls become silent once I reach the sand, but my heartbeat becomes loud.

This is what I wanted.

What I still want.

But my nerves are going wild.

When I’m a few steps away, I can make out his details. And holy hell… he looks good.

His suit is perfectly cut. His white button-down shirt is open halfway down his chest. And his hair is a bit unruly, like he took the time to dance vigorously before coming to find me.

I bite my lip. He lifts a finger to his. Then he holds his other hand out for me to take. And I take it.

Of fucking course I take it.

Luke grips my fingers firmly and brings me with him as he turns around.

We make our way down the path, with our hands and hips bumping since it’s narrow and hard to see the pavers beneath our feet.

He doesn’t speak until we get to the first fork in the road. “I’m not sure you’re allowed to take those.”

I look up to see him looking at the drink in my other hand.

“Oh, whoops.” I didn’t even remember I was still holding it.

“I’m gonna be honest, Princess. I’ve had a couple. I’m not exactly drunk, but I’m not exactly sober.”

His deep voice vibrates right through my body.

I lift the glass and take a sip. “Same.” I take another sip, then hold the drink up for Luke. “I think I’m more on the drunk side than the sober side if you’d like to have the rest. Even us out.”

I know it’s not great to have drunken sex with a practical stranger, but if we’re both tipsy… I’m not going to stress about it.

Luke takes the drink from me, his other hand flexing around my fingers. “What’s in it?”

“No idea,” I answer honestly.

He shrugs and lifts the rim to his lips.

He’s about a head taller than me. I hadn’t noticed as much when we were in the water, but standing here, he makes me feel the good kind of small.

There’s enough light for me to watch his throat bob as he downs the rest of the drink in one gulp.

God, that’s attractive.

A small sound crawls out of my throat.

And Luke brings his gaze to mine as he lowers the glass.

“Princess—”

Whatever he was about to say gets cut off by loud laughter.

We both look forward, seeing a group of people heading our way on the narrow path.

“Fuck.” Luke’s grip on my hand tightens. “This way,” he whispers as he pulls me off the walkway.

We cut between some artistically shaped bushes, duck under a short palm tree, and take a few more quick strides away from the lighted path.

There’s a low row of bushes between us and the path, and a few seconds later, we end up on the deserted beach.

“Luke,” I whisper through a laugh as he keeps dragging me forward.

But he doesn’t stop. Not until we’ve found another cluster of trees. Then he halts and pulls me to face him.

“Sorry,” he says, with only the moon illuminating his handsome face. “Those were some of my cousins, and they would’ve held us up forever.” He gently tosses the glass into the sand, then lifts his hand to the side of my neck. “And I’m not waiting any longer.” He leans in closer. “You’re all mine tonight, Green Eyes.”

The hummingbird inside my belly is flapping her wings so fast I feel dizzy. But it doesn’t stop me from reaching for him. It doesn’t stop me from lifting onto my toes.

Right now, nothing could stop me from kissing Luke.

Our lips press together.

And it’s softer than I expected.

It’s sweet.

It makes my knees weak.

Luke brushes his thumb across my jawline. “Open for me.”

My legs sway.

I let go of his hand so I can cling to his suit jacket. Then I do exactly what he says.

I tilt my head and open my mouth, and it all changes.

There’s nothing soft about the way he plunges his tongue into my mouth.

Nothing sweet about the way I suck on it.

Nothing gentle about the way I feel about him.

I slide my hands higher, his chest flexing under my touch.

Then I slide my hands lower, feeling that same flex in his stomach. The expensive button-down shirt does nothing to hide the feel of him.

His hands aren’t still either.

He grips my hip, holding me in place with one hand, as he slides his other palm down my neck, down my collarbone, then lower. Down the bare skin until the heel of his hand is pressed into my cleavage, between my breasts.

“Tell me I can touch you.” His demand spears through me.

“If you don’t touch me”—I arch into his hand—“I’ll drown you in the ocean.”

His lips curl into a smile against mine.

And then, as his tongue invades my mouth, he twists his wrist, his fingers rotating with the movement, sliding beneath the fabric of my dress, beneath my bra, until his hand is cupping my bare breast.

Not just cupping.

Squeezing. Feeling.

Luke pinches my nipple with his calloused fingers, and I groan into his mouth.

“Fuck,” he breathes.

Then his mouth leaves mine.

I try to grab his shirt before he can pull away, but instead of stepping away, he leans down.

Luke tugs the fabric of my dress to the side, shoving the cup of my bra down in the process, and the cooling night air ghosts over my flesh a second before his mouth closes over the peaked tip.

My moan is louder this time.

“Naughty girl.” His tongue twirls. “You trying to get us caught?”

I reach my hand down and palm his length through his pants.

Luke tips his forehead against my shoulder, letting out his own groan.

I squeeze my fingers around his length, and his size has my core pulsing.

“Naughty boy,” I whisper. “You trying to hurt me with this thing?”

“Never gonna hurt you.” Luke turns his head and licks a streak across my neck. “Promise you’ll like it when I stuff you full of this dick.”

Good god.

If words alone could get me off, I’d already be done.

“I’m gonna need a closer look before I agree to anything,” I tell him as my other hand joins the first to work on his belt.

Luke’s hand flexes against my hip as he closes his mouth over my nipple.

His tongue is hot against my skin, while his exhale sends goose bumps dancing down my arms.

I tip my head down and close my eyes when his belt loosens.

Listening to the sounds of our heavy breathing, with the waves lapping at the shore a few strides away, I feel like I’m someone else.

This feels like something from a movie.

My fingers work, and I get the button on his pants undone at the same time Luke tugs the other side of my dress over, and the hand that was on my hip is now pinching that nipple. Plucking at it.

A dirty, dirty movie.

When I close my fingers on the tab of his zipper, I open my eyes.

And as I pull the zipper down, I lower to my knees.

The movement dislodges Luke’s mouth from my breast, and he lets out a sound that might be disgruntled, but the tone changes when I start to tug down the front of his boxer briefs.

“You don’t—” he starts.

But I pull the band down farther, reach in with my other hand, and wrap my fingers around the base of his cock.

Luke says some sort of prayer, but I’m not listening.

It takes a little more work to free him. And when I do…

My body reacts on its own.

I’m pulled to him, like a magnetic force, finally close enough to react.

My mouth opens, and I close my lips around the head of his cock.

He’s thick. And hard. And even in my buzzed state, I know I won’t be able to take his whole length into my throat.

But I want to try.