Ready for Love Read online

  “I want to.” He kissed her and tugged on the string that held up her top. “I really want to.”

  Luke watched her breasts spring free of the top and had to remind himself to keep breathing. He’d imagined this scene so many times, but his fantasies hadn’t come close to the reality of having her with him again. Everything about her appealed to him—from the silky softness of her strawberry-blonde hair, to the freckles that danced across her tiny nose to the pretty pink nipples that pebbled, waiting for him to lavish them with attention.

  He wanted her so badly he was almost afraid to touch her, almost afraid to let her see the full extent of his desire. Reminding himself this was a bigger deal for her, he pressed a much darker hand to the quivering white skin of her belly.

  “You’re even more beautiful than I remembered,” he said as he bent his head to taste her nipple.

  She gasped and squirmed beneath him, which only made it harder to hold on to the control he knew would be so essential to her this first time. Next time, he could lose control. Not this time, though. This time she needed tender and sweet.

  Sucking her nipple into his mouth, he held her plump breast in one hand and let the other slide down over her belly to cup her through her bathing suit. The heat of her core radiated through the fabric, and his cock strained against the confines of his own suit.

  He gave her other breast the same attention, reveling in the pants and moans that told him she was with him and not locked in the past. Kissing his way from her breasts to her belly, he nuzzled her center, breathing her in.

  “Luke,” she said, her voice unsteady.

  He tugged at the suit bottoms, getting her to raise her hips so he could remove them. When the garment cleared her feet, he tossed it over his shoulders and smoothed his hands over her smooth legs, inching them apart as his lips followed his hands. She was so sweet and soft and everything he’d remembered but so much more, too.

  The thatch of curls at the juncture of her thighs identified her as a true redhead, reminding him of the awe he’d experienced the first time he made that discovery as a boy. The man was no less awestruck. Just above the hairline, he noticed a thin white scar. Curious, Luke traced a finger lightly over it. “You had surgery.”

  “Two C-sections.”

  Since he didn’t want her thinking of anything but him and them, now wasn’t the time to ask the questions that cycled through his mind. Instead, he dipped his head and ran his tongue over her core, teasing and tempting.

  Her legs fell open, and her hips surged off the bed.

  Luke slid a finger into the slick heat between her legs and drew the throbbing center of her desire into his mouth, running his tongue back and forth. He added a second finger and took her to the precipice before backing off and doing it again.

  “Luke!”

  “What, honey?”

  She was panting, and goose bumps dotted her sensitive skin. “Stop teasing!”

  Laughing softly, he went back for more, and this time he took her all the way. She came with a sharp cry of completion that had Buddy scratching at the bedroom door and barking.

  “Should I let him in?” Luke asked.

  “No,” she said breathlessly. “He’d freak out even more.”

  While he gave her a minute to recover from the powerful orgasm, Luke shed his bathing suit and started to reach for a condom in the bedside drawer.

  “It’s okay,” Syd said, stopping him. “I’m safe if you are.”

  Luke’s heart skipped a happy beat. Sex without a condom? Sex with Syd without a condom? This might go down as the very best day of his life. Speaking of going down, was she, oh my God. . . “Syd.”

  With her hand to his chest she urged him to lie back and let her have her wicked way with him. And wicked didn’t begin to describe the sensation of her hot, wet mouth closing over the head of his cock. If she continued to do that—

  He all but launched off the bed when she sucked—hard—and stroked him at the same time. This was going to be over in about two seconds if she kept that up. “Stop. Syd. Stop.”

  She looked up at him with the eyes of a vixen, and he’d never loved her more.

  “Come here.” He sat up, reached for her and brushed the hair off her face, which was flushed from the sun as well as the orgasm. Arranging her so she straddled him, he ran his hands from her shoulders to her hips and back up again, noting her slight grimace. “Are you okay?”

  “My hips need a second to adjust,” she said, wincing.

  “Stop me if anything hurts.”

  “I will.” With her hands on his face, she urged him into a deep carnal kiss that made him want to beg. Sliding his hands down her back, he cupped her soft buttocks and used his legs to position her. “You’re sure we don’t need a condom?”

  She bit her lip and nodded, sliding back and forth over his erection. When had she turned into such a temptress? His Syd wouldn’t have thought of such things. But the last thing he wanted to think about right now was where—and how—she might’ve learned to tease and tempt a man. He held her hips and began to enter her, letting her set the pace, despite what it cost him to remain still.

  Her head fell back as she slowly took him in, gripping him like a tight, hot velvet fist.

  Nothing in his life could compare to this. Nothing. “God, Syd, I missed you. I missed this.”

  She wrapped her arms around his neck, pressed her breasts to his chest and settled into a rhythm that had him fighting off a fast finish.

  He looked up, met her gaze and was floored by what he saw there—love and trust and peace. “Kiss me.”

  Her mouth came down on his, slick and warm and tasting of strawberry lip balm. If she continued to rub her tongue against his that way, she would finish him off.

  “Luke,” she whispered against his lips, “I’m going to. . . Oh.” Her head fell to his shoulder, and she came apart.

  He held off as long as he could, riding the waves of her release. When he finally let go, he exploded, coming harder than he had since the last time with her. While sex with other women had been satisfying, sex with Syd was a religious experience, and he wanted to worship her for the rest of his life.

  A sniffling sound caught his attention.

  “Syd, baby, look at me.” With his hands on her face, he forced her to meet his gaze. The tears in her eyes broke his heart. “Did I hurt you?”

  “No, no,” she said. “I’m sorry. I’m fine. Really.”

  Except she didn’t look fine. Not at all. “Talk to me.”

  She shook her head, and tears spilled down her cheeks. “I don’t know why I’m crying. I’m so happy to be here with you. I couldn’t have done this with anyone but you. I hope you know that.”

  He knew she meant it as a compliment, but the comment filled him with fear. “I don’t want to be your bridge guy.”

  Her brows furrowed. “What does that mean?”

  “If you’re on your way somewhere else—”

  “There’s nowhere else I’d rather be. No one I’d rather be with.”

  “For now.”

  “For as long as it works for both of us.”

  “And then what?”

  “I don’t know that, and neither do you.”

  “Don’t tell me what I know,” he said, his tone harsher than he’d intended.

  “Are we really doing this? After we just made love?”

  Her eyes filled again, and that broke him. He lifted her off him and arranged her so her head was on his chest and his arms were wrapped around her. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said that. It’s just the thought of losing you—again—makes me crazy.”

  “I’m here, Luke. I’m not going anywhere for a while yet.”

  He wondered if she remembered saying those exact words to him once before.

  Chapter 11

  They dozed the afternoon away. For once, Sydney’s racing mind had quieted, and she gave Luke credit for that. It was hard to be around him for any period of time and not be drawn in by
the calm that surrounded him.

  Most of him, anyway. The part of him that was anything but calm pulsed against her back, letting her know he was ready for more.

  Sydney laughed softly. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d been so carefree or relaxed. “You’re insatiable.”

  His hand shifted from her belly to cup a breast. “Only with you.”

  “Were there many others?” She had no right to ask, but she hoped he hadn’t been totally alone.

  “A few. Here and there. Nothing serious.” His thumb moved back and forth over her nipple, sending an electrical current to her sex and making her squirm against him. “No one like you.”

  “Luke.” She started to turn over to face him, but he stopped her.

  He pushed his erection into the cleft of her bottom. “Stay. Like this.”

  Sydney’s entire body hummed with tension and desire, as if she hadn’t already been thoroughly satisfied—multiple times—in the last few hours. Waiting to see what he would do had her holding her breath in anticipation.

  His hand traveled slowly from her breast to her hip and down her leg. He curled his fingers under her knee and drew her leg back to rest on him. As he placed soft, strategic kisses on her neck, his fingers traveled up the inside of her thigh, making her quiver.

  She arched her back into him, seeking him.

  Finding her slick and ready, he buried his fingers inside her and pressed his erection into the cleft of her ass.

  Sydney gasped at the dual sensations. Sex with him had always been earthy and almost primitive. They’d tried everything at least once—more than once, if they’d liked it. Without ever exchanging a word on the subject, he somehow knew what it took to make her scream.

  Acknowledging that he was the only man who’d ever known her so well made her feel guilty and disloyal. But his tender ministrations gave her no time for thoughts of anything but right here. Right now.

  As he slid his fingers in and out of her, he continued to pump against her ass. Until he shifted his focus to the tight bundle of nerves at her core, and she climaxed so suddenly that she cried out her pleasure in a keening moan that came from her toes. She was still in the throes of it when he moved her onto her hands and knees to enter her from behind.

  Sydney gasped and fought to accept the length and width of him. He filled her so completely, so thoroughly.

  “Is this okay?” he asked.

  “Yeah.”

  “Nothing hurts?”

  She shook her head.

  He held her hips carefully and pressed into her hard and fast.

  She rested her head on folded arms and gripped the sheet to keep from flying off the bed.

  Using his knees, he urged her legs even farther apart as he slowed the pace. If he was out to drive her crazy, he was doing one hell of a job. Then she felt his hands on her bottom, smoothing over the cheeks in a gentle caress that made her legs turn to jelly. Her breath got caught in her throat when his finger slid into the cleft, teasing, pressing, exploring.

  Sydney came again, screaming as the powerful release rocketed through her.

  Luke slipped an arm under her hips and surged into her one last time, grunting as he let himself go. He collapsed, half on her, half off, his lips pressed against her back as they recovered.

  For the longest time, they lay there joined, cooling, breathing, throbbing with aftershocks.

  He nuzzled her hair aside, his lips brushing against her ear. “God, Syd,” he said so softly she almost didn’t hear him.

  She nudged at him, encouraging him to let her up.

  He withdrew from her and shifted onto his back. Gathering her close, he kissed her forehead. “We’ll make it work this time. One way or the other, we’ll make it work.”

  Sydney closed her eyes tight against the rush of emotion. She wanted another chance with him, but first there was something she needed to tell him.

  “Maddie called while we were in the shower,” Sydney said, catching the heated look he sent her way when she mentioned the shower. Just when she’d been certain they’d worn themselves out, he had proven otherwise, taking her fast and rough against the wall. She’d never had so much sex in her life, and even though she was tender in a few interesting places, she was enjoying every minute with him.

  “What’d she have to say?”

  “She left a message that she and Mac are going with Joe and Janey to the Tiki Bar at McCarthy’s tonight. Something about a guy playing there they want to see.”

  “Owen Lawry. He comes through a couple of times every summer. Plays the guitar and sings. He’s really good. You want to go?”

  “I wouldn’t mind getting out for a bit.”

  He turned away from the grill and came over to where she stood looking out at the sunset. Putting his arms around her from behind, he nuzzled her neck. “Because I’ve worn you out?”

  Sydney laughed and covered his hands with hers. “Partially.”

  “What’s the other part?”

  “Maddie was worried when I talked to her earlier. She wants to see that I’m okay.”

  “And are you? Okay?”

  Sydney turned to him and slipped her arms around his neck. “I’m fine.”

  “Are you feeling, you know, guilty at all?”

  “Some. My therapist said I should expect that the first time.”

  “If it makes you feel any better, I’m a little guilty, too.”

  “Why?”

  “I’m so damned happy to have you back in my life and in my bed, but I know how difficult this step is for you.”

  Sydney reached up to brush the hair off his forehead. “I’m glad I took the step with you.”

  Luke hugged her. “So am I.”

  She drew back to look up at him. “There’s something I need to tell you.”

  His entire body went rigid. “What?”

  Taking a deep breath, she tried to calm the nerves that suddenly gripped her. “Remember when we talked about whether or not I want more kids?”

  He nodded. “What about it?”

  “Well, the thing is, I can’t have any more. Not naturally, anyway.”

  “Oh.”

  “I know I should’ve told you sooner. It just didn’t seem like the right time the other day. But I wanted you to know.”

  Luke looked over her head at a point off in the distance.

  “I’d understand if that changes things for you—”

  He brought his gaze back to meet hers. “It doesn’t change anything.”

  “You must want kids of your own someday.”

  “I haven’t given that much thought, to be honest. I’ve never come close to being married, so it hasn’t been an issue.”

  “You’d only have kids if you were married?”

  “I didn’t know my own father, so I’d never want a kid of mine to grow up that way. Marriage seems to seal the deal.”

  “You should think about this, Luke, and be sure how you feel about it.”

  He drew her into a hug. “If I had a choice between five kids with someone else or no kids with you, I pick you.” He brushed a soft kiss over her lips. “I pick you every time.”

  Overwhelmed by him, Sydney rested her forehead against his chest.

  “Were you worried about what I might say?”

  She nodded.

  “That’s good.”

  Looking up at him, Sydney laughed. “Why?”

  “It means you care.”

  “I do care.”

  He kissed her nose and then her lips. “I know you do. Come on, let’s eat.”

  Luke and Sydney arrived at the marina just as Big Mac was pulling the garage doors closed on the dockside restaurant.

  “What’re you still doing here?” Luke asked him.

  “Linda had a thing with the ladies, so I stuck around to have a beer with Owen.”

  “Syd, you remember Mr. McCarthy, right?” Luke said.

  She extended a hand to the older man, who enclosed hers between both of his. “Nice
to see you again, Mr. McCarthy.”

  “That’s Big Mac to you, and it’s good to see you, too. I was so sorry to hear of your terrible loss.”

  “Thank you.”

  “Good day off?” Big Mac asked Luke.

  “It was. Thanks for the time.”

  “You don’t have to thank me. In fact, take tomorrow, too. We’re slow this week.”

  “Are you sure?”

  “Absolutely. Everyone needs downtime once in a while.”

  “I won’t say no to that.”

  “I’m heading home. They’re all down at the Tiki Bar. Have a good time tonight.”

  “We will.” Luke reached for Sydney’s hand and escorted her to the bar Big Mac had installed off the main pier in another of his successful schemes to expand the business.

  Maddie waved to them from the corner of the crowded outdoor bar.

  On the way past the small stage, Luke waved to Owen, the blond surfer dude with an incredible voice, who loved to boast of his vagabond existence in an old van with an even older guitar.

  Owen stopped singing when he saw Luke but kept strumming his guitar. “Is that Luke Harris? With a girl? Did hell freeze over since I was last here?”

  Luke flipped his friend the bird, which drew laughs from the table in the corner. He looked over at Sydney in time to catch the blush that flamed her cheeks.

  The group made room for Luke and Sydney. Maddie dragged Syd down to the chair next to hers and gave her a big hug.

  “How’re you doing?” Maddie asked.

  “Better. Thank you—both of you,” she said, including Mac.

  “Anytime,” Mac said.

  “What’s a guy gotta do to get a beer around here?” Luke asked, looking around for a waitress.

  Mac gestured to the bar. “It’s quicker to help yourself tonight,” Mac said, gesturing to the bar.

  “Anyone need anything?” Luke asked.

  “We’re good,” Joe said. “Just got a new round.”

  Luke leaned over to Sydney. “Wine?”

  “Actually, light beer is looking good to me tonight.”

  “You think you know a girl,” Luke said with a smile for her as he made his way through the crowd to the bar. He found Big Mac’s best buddy, Ned, the island’s number one cab driver, leaning against the bar. “How goes it, Ned?”