Unbroken (The Disclosure Series Book 2) (22 page)

She felt his head shake against hers and relief flooded her system.

“No. You didn’t deserve my anger,” he said, his voice thick. “I was the reason… you never would’ve left if…”

Embry twined her fingers with his, tugging on his arm and pulling him tighter against him. “I’m sorry, too.”

“The thought of you with someone else, his hands on you—” Luke drew his fingers over her shoulder, down her side, following the naked curve of her hip and eliciting chills all over her body. “—seeing you how I see you, I couldn’t handle it.”

“I’m yours, Luke,” she assured him. “Nothing happened.”

“Mine,” he said huskily. He buried his face in the crook of her neck, trailing his tongue up to her ear and nibbling lightly as he pushed against her, his erection nudging her from behind.

“Only yours.” She sighed as she pushed back against him.

His breath was hot on her neck, and his arms wrapped tight around her as he sunk into her, reclaiming her, stealing her pleasure and reminding her where she belonged.

Embry woke in the dark, gulping in deep breaths, trembling and calling out for Luke.

“Whoa, hey, I’m here,” he soothed, cradling her in his arms.

She pressed her face against his chest, inhaling him. “I had a bad dream.”

He traced his fingers down her spine, drawing lazy circles around contours of her back. “What happened?”

She shook her head. The moment she’d awoken, the images of the nightmare had already begun to fade, but the sick feeling in her stomach remained. “I can’t really remember. I think it was about us. You not coming home.”

He tightened his arms around her and brushed his lips across the top of her head. “I’m sorry.”

“No, don’t be. It was just a dream.”

He let out a heavy sigh. “I shouldn’t have left, but I was too wound up. I was angry and hurt, and I didn’t want to take it out on you.”

“I know.” Luke was all about dealing with things head on, talking them out, not running away from a problem. She knew that if he left, it was to handle his temper, to cool down, not because he was leaving her.

His mouth connected with hers, his lips soft and warm, as his tongue stroked in, swirling and exploring.

“Mmm,” she hummed. “What was that for?”

She felt him shrug. “We’re going to get mad and argue, Bree. It happens. But I promise you, even if I leave, I’ll always come back. As long as you’ll have me, I’ll always be here.”

She snuggled closer and nestled into his chest once more. “Thank you.”

“For what?”

“Being the best Valentine,” she whispered.

“It’s still dark out.” She heard the hint of a smile in his voice. “Valentine’s day hasn’t even begun.”

She grinned into his chest. “Well, thank you for starting it out so nicely.”

His arms left her, and he rolled away. She felt empty and cold at the loss. Then the lamp on his nightstand came on, and she slammed her eyes shut against the intrusion. “What’re you doing?”

“Getting something.”

She pulled the covers over her head and hid. “Can you get it without that horribly bright light?” She called, her voice muffled by the comforter.

He chuckled. “Don’t think so.” The mattress shifted as he rolled back toward her and she felt the covers being pulled from her head. His lips tickled her cheeks, her eyelids, then the corners of her mouth. “Open your eyes,” he whispered.

She let out a long groan, scrunching her face up and keeping her eyes shut tight. “I don’t want to.”

“You have to,” he argued.

“Why? Why are you torturing me for Valentine’s Day,” she whined dramatically.

“Because I have something for you.”

Before he could even finish his sentence, Embry’s eyes popped open. She squinted for a moment, allowing her eyes to adjust, then turned to Luke. “You have something for me?” She was beaming.

Luke shook his head, mumbling something about only children as he reached behind him on the nightstand. He came back with a small mason jar filled with the most gorgeous pink peonies and a card. “Happy Valentine’s Day, beautiful.”

Embry blinked. “I thought you said it wasn’t Valentine’s Day yet?”

He shrugged and smiled sweetly. “It’s V-day when we say it is. And who says we can’t celebrate at—” He checked his phone on the nightstand.“—three-nineteen in the morning.”

She pulled the jar to her face, inhaling the sweet floral scent. “My favorite,” she sighed, looking up at smiling blue eyes. “How’d you get peonies this time of year?” Her favorite flowers bloomed in the spring and very early summer, but somehow he’d managed.

“Special order. I’ve had them hidden in my fridge since yesterday.” The admission rolled off his tongue as if it were the simplest thing in the world, but no one had ever gone out of their way for her like that before.

She stared at him in astonishment. “I don’t know what to say.”

“Open the card,” he encouraged, taking the mason jar and setting it back on the nightstand.

She tore open the red envelope and pulled out the card, her eyes going wide. “I’m only in this for your cute butt,” she read aloud, then narrowed her eyes at him. “Really, Luke?”

He gave her a cheeky grin before crawling on top of her and pushing her into the mattress. He reached beneath her to cup her butt. “It’s true,” he laughed, nuzzling her neck. “I love your ass.”

She tried swatting him away, but he stayed put, teasing kisses up her neck.

“Open the card, baby,” he urged. She held the card up over his head as he continued his exploration of her neck and then moved to her collarbone. She was expecting to find more silly comments and maybe a line or two of something sweet, but what she found left her speechless.

Embry,

How do I do this? Explain to you what you mean to me. I’m not sure it’s possible, but I’ll try. Without you, my heart would continue beating, but I don’t think I’d ever feel alive again. You give my life meaning. Your heart, your laugh, your gorgeous smile… You’re so goddamn beautiful, some days I have trouble believing you’re mine. All I want is to have you in my life, my bed, to feel your body beneath mine. Always. I’d give up the Dawgs, root for the Gators, and swear off macaroni n’ cheese if it meant you’d be mine for the rest of my life. I’d give it all up for you, and more. Happy Valentine’s Day, beautiful. Every day is Valentine’s Day to me with you in my life. I love you.

Luke

Her heart to swelled in her chest, tears lightly falling into her hair as she read it again. “Luke?” she whispered.

“Mmmm?” he hummed against her neck.

She set the card down and pushed at him until he rolled over. Climbing on top of him, she crushed her lips to his, pouring all of her feelings into the kiss. “I love you so much,” she said between kisses. “So, so much.”

“I love you too, baby.” He grinned. “Always.”

Luke walked into the living room, searching for Embry. She was curled up on the couch, snuggled into one of his Georgia sweatshirts, and he couldn’t help but smile. He loved it when she wore his clothes. Her laptop was resting on her thighs, and she was so engrossed in whatever she was looking at that she hadn’t heard him. He watched as a sexy half smile lifted her lips and pink stained her cheeks. 

Goddamn. What is she looking at?

As he stalked toward her, he finally got her attention. But the minute her eyes met his, they widened in surprise, and she slammed the laptop shut.

“What were you looking at that put that sexy smile on your face, baby?” He picked up the laptop and set it on the coffee table.

Embry tucked a piece of stray hair behind her ear and stared at her lap, trying to hide her smile. “Nothing.”

“Doesn’t look like nothing,” he countered, leaning in and dropping a sweet kiss on her lips.

Embry swatted at his chest and pushed him away. “You ruin everything.”

“Me?” he asked innocently. “What’d I do?”

Her cheeks turned an even darker shade. “What you did for me last night… the card, what you said… I just wanted to do something special for you. I was looking up ideas and…” Her face was bright red now. “It got a little steamy.”

“Steamy, huh?” he asked, his eyebrow raised.

“Hush,” she giggled. “You ruined it. No steam for you.”

He grinned wickedly. “I’ll give you a steamy Valentine.”

“Go ahead. Try me,” she challenged with a smirk.

Luke sat down, grabbed her waist and planted her on his lap, her legs straddling his thighs. “Gators are blue.” He wrinkled his nose in mock disgust at her team. “Bulldogs are black.” He pulled the sweatshirt up and over her head, exposing a lacy camisole. “I’m gonna get you on your back.” Before she could respond, he had her flipped back onto the couch. A sexy, self-satisfied smile stretched across his lips as he hovered over her.

She laughed breathlessly, but her gaze held a challenge. “That’s all you got?” Her lips parted, and her breasts heaved beneath him. He knew he was affecting her, but apparently she wasn’t going to make it easy.

His eyes narrowed, sheer determination taking over. Running his hand up her body, he leaned in and placed a trail of hot, wet kisses up the side of her neck. “I’m just warming up.”

She sucked in a sharp breath, and he smiled to himself. He was winning.

“Violets are blue,” he whispered against her ear. “Roses are red.” His fingers snaked beneath her camisole and dragged it over her head. “I want you naked in my bed.”

“Oh, I like that one.” Embry groaned as he kissed his way down her stomach.

“Yeah?”

“Yeah. That was a good one.”

“Glad you liked it,” he said distractedly as he fiddled with the button on her jeans.

“But you missed one thing.”

He looked up, eyebrow raised. “What’s that?”

Her grin was mischievous now. “Well, we’re not in your bed.”

“No, but nothing steamy rhymes with couch,” he chuckled.

“Try one more,” she taunted.

He narrowed one eye. “Last one, then you’re mine.”

She shrugged. “We’ll see.”

“The Dawgs are awesome. Gators suck. No more Valentine’s, it’s time to—” He nibbled his way up her neck, then whispered the last word in her ear.

“
Luke
!” She turned bright red to the tips of her ears.

A lopsided grin spread across his face. He popped the button on her jeans and dragged them down her legs. “What, baby?”

“Nothing,” she sighed shyly. “I like that one best.”

He laughed. “Thought you would.” He sat up, pulled his shirt off, and crawled back up her body.

“But I haven’t given you a Valentine yet,” she pouted.

He reached between her legs, and pushed aside her panties, smoothly sliding a finger through her wet heat. She arched her back, letting out a small moan. Quickly undoing his jeans and kicking them down his legs, he slid into her, his cock growing harder by the second as he felt her, tight and warm, around him. “You’re all the Valentine I need, baby.”

Embry shoved through the classroom door in a flurry, thinking she still had a few minutes to spare before class began. She was wrong. Her classmates stared at her silently as her professor eyed her from the front of the room.