He stilled inside of her, panting heavily as he reached up to brush her hair back from her forehead. She held his gaze, her chest heaving as the waves of her second orgasm slowly ebbed. Luke leaned forward, pressing a gentle kiss to her lips which she responded to without hesitation, wrapping her arms around his neck and drawing him closer. He broke away, resting his forehead against hers, as they let their breathing slowly return to normal.
After several long minutes, Luke pulled away, his deep blue eyes meeting hers. “Is there something I can get to help you, ah, clean up?”
April nodded, smirking slightly at how gentle he was being with her, a million miles from the arrogant boy she’d grown up with. “There should be some paper towels by the register, just under the counter.”
He moved to retrieve them, handing a few to April and watching her with a mounting hunger as she cleaned up the wetness that had pooled between her legs.
“Don’t give me that look, Pointer. One more orgasm like that and I might stop breathing,” she chided playfully. A self-satisfied smile passed across his lips, although she also saw his cheeks turn a little pink.
They dressed in comfortable silence, Luke helping her retrieve her panties from where they’d fallen down the side of the counter, April ruefully watching him button up his shirt until his chest was hidden from view.
When they were fully clothed again, April looked around: paper for wrapping bouquets, ribbons, and string had all been knocked from the counter. She sighed quietly, thinking it was going to take her at least another hour to get everything cleaned up again.
Luke cleared his throat, and she looked up at him, her hands longing to reach for his face once more. The look he leveled her with was full of unspoken feelings and she knew what he had to be thinking: this changed everything between them.
“I have to get back to work, I’m afraid. The client’s got me working my weekend to make up for the delay,” he said and disappointment made her swallow hard.
“Well, you know what they say: leave them wanting more.” She laughed but the sound was flat. Luke paced forward, cupping her face in his hands and pressing a kiss to her forehead that made her pulse flutter.
“Do you want to come back to mine later?” There was a sweet earnestness in his voice that made her heart speed up. “I can pick you up from here at six?”
Relieved, she nodded. “I’d like that.”
“Six it is,” he said, smiling as he tugged his jacket back on and then paused before the door. “Oh, and April? Youalwaysleave me wanting more.”
The rest of the day passed quickly as April cleared up the mess that she and Luke had made that morning, added some finishing touches to the walls in the store, and checked that everything was ready for her stock to arrive the next day.
Splattered with paint and feeling oddly nervous, April headed back to her mom’s to shower and change before going back to the shop to wait for Luke.
She wasn’t sure what the expectation was—would she be there for the night? The weekend? Was this a booty call or something more?
It certainly felt like more to her, and that was terrifying enough without having to consider whether Luke was feeling the same way.
In the end, she’d settled for pretty, but not too dressy. Light on the make-up, heavy on the lingerie under her clothes, and a comfy casual outfit of faded blue mom jeans, boots, and a cream roll-neck jumper that was so soft it begged to be touched—and she was hoping Luke would be the one doing the touching.
She’d finished the look with a gold headband that matched the gold buckle on her belt and a pretty pink lipstick that was a new favorite. The jeans were versatile enough that she could re-wear them if she didend up staying, and the sweater was warm enough that she didn’t need to bring a jacket. Trying not to let her uncertainty spiral, she’d grabbed her slightly bigger tote bag and slipped a change of top and underwear in there, as well as her toothbrush, a hairbrush, and some make-up. Enough that she could stay if she wanted to, but not so much that things didn’t still feel casual.
Maybe she was overthinking this.
Her phone vibrated in her hand and she instantly checked it, trying not to laugh at her eagerness to receive a text from Luke Pointer, of all people. If someone had told her a month ago that she’d be anxiously awaiting a message from her childhood rival, she’d never have believed them. But look at her now.
Unfortunately, the name that flashed up on the screen wasn’t Luke’s.
Ty:
Are you really going to just ignore me, April?
Ty:
Come on, be mature about this.