Pretend You're Mine: A Small Town Love Story (35 page)

He hadn’t thought of anything but seeing those hungry gray eyes since he got his orders. Somehow she was more beautiful than when he had left. It had been a long time since he was this eager to come home.

Harper wrapped her arms around his neck and stared into his eyes.

“I can’t believe you’re here,” she said, finally.

“Miss me, baby?” He tugged her off the path through trees and brush.

“Only every second of the last 189 days.” She brought her hands to his face and ran her thumbs over the stubble. “How is it possible to love you even more right this second than before you left?”

Luke let out the breath he didn’t know he had been holding. Was that relief? Deployment could and did change people on both sides. The thought that she wouldn’t wait or wouldn’t want him the way he wanted her when he came home had crossed his mind a few times in the long, dark hours of the night.

There had been too many nights that stood between him and those words.

He crushed his mouth to hers until he felt her knees give out.

“I need you.” The words sounded harsh to his ears, but he couldn’t soften them. He was rock hard for her. His hands cruised over her body, unzipping her thin jacket and tugging up her long sleeve shirt so they could roam over her skin. Her breasts were bound by a sports bra.

“How do you get this off,” he growled against her mouth.

Harper’s husky laugh had him forgetting to be gentle. “I need my hands on you, Harper. Do you trust me?”

She drew back a fraction of an inch, wide-eyed, but nodding.

Luke pulled the pocketknife from his pocket and yanked the fabric away from her skin. “I’ll buy you a new one,” he breathed, slicing the fabric cleanly in two. He tossed the knife to the ground as her breasts tumbled into his palms.

He hefted her soft flesh and said, “Baby, we’re not going to make it to the truck.”

“I was hoping you’d say that,” she said, spreading hungry kisses down his throat and tugging at his belt.

He needed to be inside her, to feel her close around him. He wanted to watch her eyes go dreamy as she slowly came down from the high.

Luke stayed her busy hands and dragged her back into the trees. He yanked off his shirt and dropped it on the mossy ground. In a single fluid motion, he swept Harper’s feet out from under her and took her to the ground. She gasped into his mouth and he got impossibly harder.

It would be a miracle if he could last beyond the first thrust. Luke tore his mouth away from Harper’s and moved lower. He pressed a kiss to her sternum before turning his attention to one perfect breast.

“I’ve dreamed about this,” he whispered against her straining nipple before taking it into his mouth. She arched against him, and he could feel her heat through the layers that separated them.

“Are you wet for me?” He already knew the answer, could almost feel it as he pressed his hard-on against her. He moved to her other breast and licked and sucked until her nipple stood at attention. She was so responsive to him. One touch, one taste was all it took. He took the taut peak into his mouth and worked it with his tongue until she moaned his name.

He had waited so long to hear his name on her lips like this again.

“Once I start, I won’t be able to stop, baby,” he warned.

“Please, Luke. I just want you inside me. Please.” Her breathless plea had him ripping open his nylon belt and thanking God for the Velcro fly of his pants. Freed, his thick cock strained toward Harper’s heat.

She wriggled under him, trying to free herself from her running tights. With his help, they wrestled them down to her ankles before peeling off a shoe.

Unable to wait any longer, Luke pushed her back against the forest floor and positioned his erection at her wet entrance. He paused for just a second. He wanted to memorize her face. The devastating need. The desire she had for him to fill her, to take her over the edge. She belonged to him.

Luke drove into her in one fierce stroke. Harper buried her cry in his shoulder.

He was finally home.

He didn’t give her a chance to get used to him.

“Jesus, baby, you are so fucking tight,” he grunted as he thrust into her again. All the way to the hilt, every inch of him was surrounded by her. Again and again he drove into her, his heavy sack slapping against her. Already he could feel the flutter of her muscles around him. She was so close to coming apart.

He leaned down and took her nipple in his mouth, suckling hard enough that he knew she felt both pleasure and pain. His thrusts became shorter, faster. Harper hitched her legs up higher on his hips.

He heard the snap of twigs, the rustle of leaves, but it didn’t matter. Harper’s eyes widened and she turned her head toward the direction of the trail just feet away, but Luke clamped a hand over her mouth and turned her gaze back to him.

He shook his head and continued his assault, looming over her, driving into her, changing the angle at the last second. Harper’s eyes glazed over as he slammed into her again, grazing the sensitive ache in her deepest center.

It was a small group of joggers that thundered by on the path, but all Harper saw was Luke mouthing the word, “Come,” as he drove into her again. Her quivering muscles obeyed, clamping down on him as he let loose inside her. He let those beautiful squeezes milk him dry before collapsing on top of her, her bare breasts crushing into his chest.

She locked her legs around him to keep him inside of her. “Don’t leave me,” she whispered.

“Never again, baby.”

He rolled over so she was on top of him and stroked whatever bare skin his hands could find.

“I don’t know if I like you running with other men dressed like that. Remind me to get you some really baggy sweats.”

“I run with Aldo. Not every man wants to drag me behind a tree and ravage me,” she teased.

“Any man with a dick and half a brain would have those thoughts.” He pinched her hip as he helped her work her running tights back up. “Let’s go home so we can do this for the rest of the day.” His voice was husky as he placed a kiss to the flat of her stomach.

“We will, but first we have to make a pit stop.” She grinned at the thought of the surprise Luke’s family was about to get.

T
hey pushed the glass door of the diner open and Harper spotted their group. A weekly breakfast had taken shape after Luke left. The participants varied depending on schedules, but today, they had to lay claim to a table plus a booth to accommodate the breakfast crowd.

“Sorry I’m late! Do we have room for another,” Harper said as she pulled Luke with her. She watched with pleasure as Claire looked up to greet her and froze. A shriek exploded from Sophie’s lips as she frantically climbed out of the booth over a stupefied Ty holding Josh. Claire shoved her chair back, almost tripping Sophie as they fought to get to Luke first.

Harper let go of Luke’s hand and stepped back as the women rushed him.

“For Pete’s sake, you just saw the girl two days ago, what’s all the ...” Charlie turned in his seat to see what all the commotion was.

Spotting his wife and daughter wrapped around Luke, he stood slowly. James jumped into the fray hugging his brother and the diner patrons broke into applause.

Charlie put his arm around Harper’s shoulders. “Good surprise, kiddo.”

She wrapped an arm around his waist. “I had no idea. He surprised me in the park on my run with Aldo the Sneak over there.” She jerked a thumb in Aldo’s direction.

Aldo winked from his seat with Gloria grinning next to him.

Charlie cleared his throat and leaned in. “You got twigs and leaves in your hair.” He winked and made his way over to Luke, leaving Harper frantically combing through her ponytail.

Wiping away tears, Claire and Sophie stepped back and let Luke and Charlie have their moment.

“Dad.” Luke extended his hand.

“Son.” Charlie took his hand and yanked Luke in for a hug. “Welcome home.”

Charlie released Luke and Harper saw shock register when Luke realized who the next person in line to greet him was.

“Joni.” Luke said quietly. His gaze flew to Harper’s face and she saw a war of emotions wash over him.

“Hi Luke,” Joni said quietly. “Welcome home.” She took a deep breath and opened her arms to embrace him.

Harper sniffled and Claire put a steadying hand on her shoulder as they watched Luke stiffen at Joni’s touch and then carefully put his arms around her.

Luke’s gaze never left Harper’s face.

“I’m so sorry,” Joni whispered into his shoulder.

Harper squeezed Claire’s hand. “Why don’t you two take a minute to talk and I’ll order you a coffee, okay Luke?”

Luke stepped back from Joni’s embrace and into Harper’s space, cupping her face gently in his hands. “I’m so sorry,” he whispered so that only she could hear.

Harper pressed her lips together and gave him a teary nod.

“Go talk, I’ll be here when you get back.” He leaned in as if he was going to kiss her and at the last second changed his mind. He dropped a chaste peck on her cheek instead and turned to hold the door open for Joni.

Harper sat down with the rest of the group and tried to ignore the sinking feeling in her stomach. This is what needed to happen for both of them. Regardless of what it meant for her, Joni and Luke needed this to move on.

Claire claimed her attention, demanding to know why she had leaves in her hair.

***

L
uke hunched his shoulders against the chill on the steps of the diner and shoved his hands in his pockets. He was the one who was supposed to do the surprising, yet here he was talking to his dead wife’s mother. How had his past and present collided while he was gone? And what the hell did it mean for all of them?

“I had no idea you were home,” Joni started. “Otherwise I would have given you and your family space.”

“You are always welcome, Joni,” Luke said, skating a hand over the back of his head.

“You’re probably wondering what I’m doing here with your family.” She cracked a smile. “At least, I would be if I were in your shoes.”

“The thought had crossed my mind.” He felt his mouth lift slightly.

Joni took a deep breath, her brown curls dancing in the chilly wind. “It all started a few months ago when I ran into Harper. When I found out who she was, I laid into her something fierce.”

Luke tensed and Joni held up her hands. “Don’t worry. She set me straight. Told me I was being stupid, but that sometimes grief makes people do stupid things. And she was right. When I lost Karen — when
we
lost Karen, I felt like I died that day, too. You had your family and your business, and the Guard, but she was my life. I was scared that you were going to move on and forget about her. That her life — and mine — meant nothing in the grand scheme of things. I blamed you.” She choked out the last words and Luke crossed his arms, but said nothing.

“I wanted it to be your fault, but the truth is it was mine.”

“Joni, you were right to blame me. If I hadn’t asked her to meet me —”

Joni was shaking her head, tears threatening to escape. “I texted her. Told her I was running late. She was reading my text when she crossed the center lane. It was me. It was my fault.”

Luke’s breath rushed out of him. He shook his head. “It’s not your fault. It was an accident.”

“How many people have said that to you over the years? And how many times has it made you stop feeling guilty?”

“A lot. And zero.” He leaned back against the railing. “I don’t blame you, Joni.”

“I don’t blame you either, Luke. I don’t think I ever really did. I’m so sorry for what I said at the funeral. I’m sorry for shutting out your family when all they tried to do was help. And I’m sorry for saying what I said to Harper even thought she told me if I apologize one more time she was going to smack me.”

Luke cracked a smile at that.

“Anyway, after Harper and I hashed it out, she invited me to Sunday dinner at your family’s and ... well, here we are. I’ll understand if you don’t want me ... around.”

“You’re family.” He said it and meant it.

They glanced through the glass of the diner window to their little group passing plates of pancakes and eggs. “I know coming from me and our situation, this might be awkward, but I like Harper. A lot.”

Luke nodded. Yeah, that was awkward.

She put her hand on his arm. “There’s one more thing.”

“I’m not sure if I can take anything else right now.” Luke was only half kidding.

“I knew about the baby. Karen told me and swore me to secrecy. I just wanted you to know that I know all that you lost that day.”

***

H
arper watched anxiously through the window. At least there wasn’t any screaming or storming off. That had to be a good sign.

She took a deep breath. When she crawled out of bed this morning, she had no idea what an emotional day she would be facing.

Joni and Luke returned. Joni was smiling, but Luke’s expression was unreadable. His gaze locked on to Harper’s face. He took the seat next to her, but instead of hauling her up against his side, he maintained a careful distance. She wished they were alone and turned her attention back to her eggs.

He was home and that’s what mattered. They would figure everything else out.

The happy breakfast crowd lingered over coffee and stories. Everyone was eager to fill Luke in on the last six months, and he was happy to listen. Harper listened with half an ear and tried not to worry about all the things she and Luke would have to catch up on.

Joni left first to tackle a list of errands.

Luke’s hand snaked under the table and gripped her knee. Harper put her hand on his and squeezed. His touch made her entire body hum.

“Let’s get out of here,” he whispered in her ear, lips brushing her sensitive flesh.

H
ome. Luke had thought of this house and what it held more times than he could count in the last six months. The bones were the same, but the passing of time was evident in the small details.

A lot had happened in six months. And he wasn’t sure how he felt about some of it. He wasn’t sure how a lot of people felt about it. Harper had been unusually quiet during the ride home. He didn’t know how Joni had come into the picture, but he did know what it meant. Harper knew about Karen.