Trust in Me (4 page)

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Authors: Cassia Leo

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“Thanks for everything. I hope I didn’t make Luke too uncomfortable.”

“Don’t be silly. Luke is not easily flustered. Trust me, I’ve tried.”

“Thanks for talking to me. It’s good to know that there’s someone out there who knows what it’s like.”

I squint at him. “What what’s like?”

“To fight off the demons; the voice that tells you Ryan had it all figured out. That’s the shit you have to fight because he was probably just as clueless as we are.”

I don’t know if I want to smile or cry, so I hug him. He laughs as it takes him by surprise. I let go quickly and he’s staring shyly at the paved stone driveway.

“I guess I’ll see you around the center,” I say and he nods as he rounds the front of the car and gets into the passenger seat.

It doesn’t take long to find Luke sitting outside on the deck overlooking the lake with a cup of coffee. I sneak up behind him, wrap my arms around his neck, and lay a hard kiss on his scruffy jaw.

“Happy birthday, baby.”

“Too late. I already found another girl who’ll give me presents on my real birthday.”

“Darn. I was just going to give you a birthday blowjob.”

“Well, I guess one belated birthday gift is forgivable.”

I scoot around the chair and sit in his lap. “Well, I’ll have to save that gift for later.” I plant a soft kiss on his lips as he pulls my legs over the arm of the chair so I’m closer to him. “I told Ben yesterday, now that the center is up and running I have to cut back on the hours I spend working on stuff for the foundation. No more than thirty hours a week now.”

Luke’s eyebrows scrunch together over his gorgeous aquamarine eyes. “But I thought you were working long hours because you found it fulfilling. Don’t cut back your hours for me if it’s only going to make you unhappy.”

“It’s not just for you. It’s for the kids. I need to spend more time with them; especially Lucas.”

“That kid is all you, B. Stubborn as hell.”

“Please don’t call me B. You know how much I hate that. And he may be stubborn like me, but he’s jealous like you. When he woke up last night, he told me he didn’t want me to back to bed with you.”

“That’s because you’ve got the softest pillows,” he says as slides his hand under my shirt and squeezes my breast.

I roll my eyes at his inability to focus. “I’m cutting back on my hours for both of us.”

His hand slithers over my ribs and I shiver as he kisses my neck. “Thank you,” he whispers against my skin. “But there’s one more thing I need from you.”

“More than changing my work schedule and a birthday blowjob?”

“Yes. I want you to promise me that you won’t allow any more projects to keep you away from the kids. I can carry on without you, sort of, but the kids need you here more than I do. I don’t want you to be a fucking housewife. But I’ve been trying really hard to get home by four o’clock every day.”

“You have?”

“Yeah, you just haven’t noticed because you’re never here.”

I grab his face to make him face me. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

“I didn’t want you to feel like I was trying to guilt-trip you. I guess I thought you’d figure it out on your own.”

“I’m sorry.” I kiss him and he laughs. “Why are you laughing? It’s not funny. I’ve been totally neglecting my husband and kids.”

“Don’t start beating yourself up. The important thing is you did figure it out on your own. And
I
learned not to get pissed about your lost puppy dog complex.”

“Lost puppy dog complex? Is that what you call it when I bring home a homeless human being? That sounds awful, Luke. I am very disappointed in that comment.”

“Okay, you’re right. That sounded bad. You can bring home as many lost puppies and humans as you want. I promise not to make any disparaging comments or get jealous when you give them my clothes.”

“How about when I sleep with them? The puppy dogs, I mean.”

“Well, you
are
spayed, so the more the merrier.”

“The most trusting husband of the year. I think you deserve two birthday blowjobs. One this year and another one next year.”

“You spoil me too much.”

I kiss him slowly, drawing out the moment in hopes that we can stay like this all day. Beneath me, his erection is growing and I begin to dread the next words out of his mouth as he pulls his lips away.

“Want to call in sick?”

I smile at his suggestion because Luke has never called in sick. He doesn’t have to.

“Are you neutered?” I ask playfully.

“Hell no. You know my dream is to make it onto Maury Povich.”

“Well, I’m sorry to break it to you, but there is a 99.999% chance that Rhianne is your daughter. That means there’s a 99.999% chance you’re going to have to change a diaper today if you call in sick.”

He stands from the chair while still holding me in his arms. “I always knew you’d have me living life on the edge.” He kisses me tenderly and I bite his lip as he starts to pull away. “Do you trust me?” I nod and he grins mischievously. “Bad idea.”

He carries me across the deck and down the steps to the slip where he keeps his speedboat. I only have a second to scream before he jumps into the lake. I resurface quickly with what is probably a look of utter and complete disbelief at the shockingly cold water.

“Now you have to call in sick,” he says as he pulls me toward him.

My teeth instantly begin to chatter. “Only you would throw me in a freezing lake to get me to stay home.”

“I’ll do anything to spend more time with you.”

“Well, how about you start by getting me out of this lake and getting me into the shower before I freeze to death.”

“Then… can I tie you up?”

“Yes, Luke, you can tie me up, tie me down, tie me to the train tracks. Do whatever you want with me. Just get me out of here.”

“Deal.”

I wrap my legs around his hips and pull him in for one last cold, wet kiss because I know Luke will get me out before I freeze.

Luke can always be trusted to do whatever keeps the kids and me safe and happy. And now I can trust myself to do the same. Being needed by the foundation feels great and I’ll never give it up as long as I have the energy and means to sustain it. If Ryan were here, I think he’d finally understand. Our families need us far more than we think they do.

Other books by Cassia Leo

LUKE Series
(Erotic Romance)

CHASE Series
(Erotic Romance)

Relentless
(New Adult Romance)

A
USA Today
Bestseller

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Cassia Leo loves her coffee, chocolate, and margaritas with salt. When she’s not writing, she spends way too much time watching old reruns of
Friends
and
Sex and the City
. When she’s not watching reruns, she’s usually enjoying the California sunshine or reading—sometimes both.