Beautiful Storm (San Francisco End Game #1)

CHAPTER THIRTY

Luke

I raise an eyebrow in challenge, acting as though I could take it or leave it while I’d do anything for her to trust me with this. I’ve seen her watching me. Her desire. And while I know it’s possible she feels that way because of her pregnancy hormones, I can’t deny the way I want her all the same.

Before she has the chance to talk herself out of it, I step closer, leaning in until my lips are a breath away from her ear. “Lie back and close your eyes,” I whisper, pausing when she gasps ever so slightly. “For whatever my word is worth, my hands won’t touch any part of your body. I promise.”

“And after?”

“What do you mean after?”

“Will you go before I open my eyes?” What? Jesus Christ. Is she about to pretend I’m someone else? Or pretend it never happened? I’ll take the latter if I have to choose.

As much as it pains me, I know I’m not in any position to question her, so I give in, meeting her gaze as I do. “Deal,” I agree, and while she visibly relaxes, her eyes never leave mine as her breathing increases. I was wrong. She’s not picturing someone else. She wants me. She just doesn't want to want me. And the feeling is mutual. It would be so much easier if the desire wasn’t there. But I can’t fucking shake it.

Amelia squirms again, and when I catch the rise and fall of her chest, it breaks the spell she has me under, snapping me into action.

“Lie back,” I demand. “Eyes closed. And before you argue—”

She does as asked without further comment, and my heart races. I’m aware that no touching means I won’t be getting any action, and yet, I have never wanted to please someone more than I do right now.

I want her writhing under my gaze. I want her puffing and panting from my words. I want her screaming my name as she comes apart.

And I know exactly how to do it.

She lies awkwardly across the bed and I can’t help but smile. She may have been married before, but she has this innocence about her that makes me want to corrupt her, but at the same time, it’s her innocence that sets her apart. I’m used to confident women throwing themselves at me. Thinking I want them to show me every skill they’ve got to offer. And I’m not going to lie—that works for a good fuck. But this, having Amelia on the bed—vulnerable and trusting me with her pleasure—hits differently, and I can only imagine it’s that.

I grab a pillow and walk to the other side of the bed, positioning it behind her. “Lift your head. This will make you more comfortable.”

Her eyes flash open as she stares up at me before lifting herself and lying backdown. “Thank you. That’s better.”

She closes her eyes again and I take my time, slowly removing the sheet from her body until she’s no longer able to hide. She clenches her legs, briefly drawing my gaze to the top of her thighs, but it’s the little sliver of her stomach that really catches my attention, my eyes widening as I take in her bump. My heart jumps and I suck in a breath. Fuck , I knew women felt random emotions during pregnancy, but no one talks about the men. Amelia’s beautiful. Always has been, but now… God, she is breathtaking.

She shifts uncomfortably and opens her eyes again, raising an eyebrow. The movement snaps me out of my daze and I huff out a laugh. “Sorry, but I’m not going to lie. You are fucking glorious right now. I want to savor this.”

“Luke,” she scolds, squeezing her eyes shut as I continue to get my fill, but when she groans, I shake myself out of it again, my attention returning to her face.

“Okay. I’m focused. Back on task. Ready.”

“Luke.”

“ Okay .” God, this is harder than I thought it would be. “I’m going to grab a pair of your panties, and what you feel next will be them, not my hands.”

“What?” There’s a panic in her voice as her legs clench once more, but her eyes remain shut, telling me she’s still with me.

“Trust me,” I say, but while it’s not a question, of course she sasses me.

“I want to. I just—” Her words stop when I open her top drawer, instantly finding a pair of pink lace panties among a sea of black. A pair that looks like they’ve never been worn before, making me smile—I have no qualms pretending she bought these for me.

She opens her mouth to speak again, but I cut her off when I repeat my words. “Trust me,” I say, knowing that she already does. I just haven’t made things easy on her when it comes to that.

Amelia takes a deep breath before nodding and relaxing into the bed.

“Thank you. Now I need you to remove your panties for me.”

Her lips thin but she does as asked, lifting her ass off the bed before sliding her panties down and holding them in the air. “Do you want them or—”

“Nope, I’ve found another pair.”

With her eyes still closed, Amelia nods and releases the pair from her hands as she waits for me to continue. Her breath quickens, and I watch her chest rise and fall. While I’ve wanted more than anything for her to blindly trust me, it blows my mind to know that she is.

Sliding the panties onto her right ankle, I pull her leg to the side, before doing the same with her other leg, repositioning her so that she’s spread for me. And fuuuck … a vision of me licking her beautiful pussy flashes across my mind, and I have to stop myself from reaching for my cock. What I wouldn’t give to taste her again. Just a little—

Amelia kicks her foot out of my hold, and the movement cuts into my thoughts. I’m about to argue until she repositions herself with her feet flat on the bed and drops her knees toward the mattress, opening herself up for me, putting her pussy on full display for what I wish was my own pleasure.

But other than the view, this is all for her.

With her bunched satin thong in my hand, I take a moment to enjoy her beauty as I move slowly onto the bed, positioning my face as close as I can without touching her. She’s dripping in anticipation, and it takes everything in my power not to give in and break her rules.

I bite back a groan before pulling myself together. This was my idea. I can do this. I want to do this. For her.

“Whatever you do,” I say, my eyes glued to her reaction, “do not touch yourself until I tell you to.”

“What? Um. Shit. Okay.” Her words are frantic but she nods and sucks in a breath, her fingers curling into the sheet beside her as she tries to relax, handing over complete power.

As I study her, I lightly blow on her clit and smile when her hips buck and her mouth drops open. She clenches again but instantly relaxes as if anticipating my desire to scold her.

“Good girl. I need your legs open if I’m going to make you come.”

“Oh God, Luke.”

“I know. It’s coming.”

I blow again and she squirms, but this time she stays open for me, letting me slowly brush the satin across her center, moving it up and down, back and forth, around, teasing, but never giving her enough until she’s a writhing mess in front of me.

After a minute of torment, she moves her hand to her stomach before pulling it away again and shaking her head. “Luke, I can’t. I need—”

“Don’t touch,” I scold, causing her to whimper as her head falls back and her ass lifts off the bed.

“God, Luke. This is…”

“What. What is it?”

“It’s too much but it’s not enough and I don’t know. God, I don’t know.”

“Is it good?”

“So good.” She moans before lifting her arm and biting down on the flesh of her shoulder, silencing her cries.

I remove the panties, but keep blowing on her clit until she’s frantically shaking. “I need to touch. Luke, please. I need…”

“Okay.”

“What?” She pants, pausing as her breath stops.

“Okay. You can touch yourself now.”

“Oh, thank God—”

“But I want you to listen to my directions. Can you do that?”

“Yes. Please. Tell me.”

I don’t make her wait, needing to see her come apart just as much as she needs it. “Okay, Amelia, slowly run a finger through your pussy. Imagine it’s mine. Teasing you, making your body come alive.” She does exactly as I say, while I swallow back a lump in my throat, working hard not to let her hear how affected I am.

“Good girl. Now roll my finger over your clit. Once. Twice.”

She lets out a mewl as her ass lifts off the bed again and she wriggles under her touch. Under my touch. While I lose my mind watching her.

My hands clench at my side to stop myself from touching her or myself. I’m desperate to palm my cock, but more than that, I’m desperate to run my tongue through her wet pussy. I want to be the one eliciting her moans—not just my words, but me.

“Do it again,” I whisper as I stare at her center, my own breath picking up speed. “Again, Amelia.”

“Oh God. Yes.”

Fuck. “That’s it. Now a little faster, harder. If I could touch you right now I’d be lining my cock up to that beautiful entrance. Would you be ready for me? Ready for me to sink inside you? Imagine it. Can you feel me there? Can you—”

Her body spasms, cutting me off as she cries out, spreading her legs wider to give herself better access and me a better view.

Witnessing Amelia come apart like this is a new kind of torture I never knew existed, but at the same time there’s something so fucking beautiful about it. Because it’s her. By now I’d usually be thinking about what comes next, but I’d do anything for her to keep going, to see more.

Her movements pick up, and her whole body quivers as she rides her hand, pleasuring herself. No, as I pleasure her. And my cock hardens to an unbearable level. But I hold strong. That wasn’t the deal.

I keep my focus on Amelia, my gaze locked on her every move, and when she’s teetering on the edge of her release, I help her fall. “You are a goddess, Amelia. Fuck, it feels incredible inside you. So tight. So warm. Now come.”

“ Jesus , Luke. Holy shit.”

She screams out my name over and over as her body thrashes around, and all I can think about is the sound of my name on her lips. The pure ecstasy in her voice. And I want more.

She slows her movements as her ragged breaths deepen, and I stay still until her body stops pulsing and she closes her legs, a tightness building in my chest. This is it. It’s over and now I have a decision to make. I can walk away before she opens her eyes. Just like she asked. Or I can beg her to let me stay, but I’d risk breaking her trust.

Without a word, I collect my clothes and get dressed before slowly walking to the door, my balls so fucking blue there’s a chance they’ll fall off, but I did this. It was all me, and as much as I'd love to turn around and ask her to return the favor, I promised her I’d go as soon as she came, and that’s what I’m going to do.

I hold my breath until I reach the elevator, and it’s not until I’m inside that I let out a loud sigh. “Fuuuck. That was intense,” I whisper to myself, laughing like I’m crazy.

My phone buzzes when I reach my truck, and when I see Amelia’s text, my laughter intensifies.

Amelia: Thank you

Luke: Anytime. And I mean that. It was my pleasure

But now I need to fix the little problem I have. And the way I see it, just like when I was back up in Amelia’s room, I have two options—find some way to relieve this tension, fast, or work it off at the gym. I start the ignition in my truck and stare straight ahead, unsure which way to go. But I have my answer within seconds. If it wasn’t broad daylight right now and I wasn’t parked in the busy street, I’d be tempted to help myself, but that’s not an option, and since I don’t want anyone else to help, it’s gym time.

Wait. What?

I don’t want anyone else? Since fucking when? Until now, my thoughts have been that I can’t have someone else. Because of the deal I made with Amelia. But suddenly I’m thinking I don’t want anyone? What the hell is going on?

Amelia. Amelia. Fucking Amelia.

I let her get under my skin. Again. I could have anyone I want. I could be an asshole right now and break our deal. But I no longer want to.

What I want to do is sink inside Amelia, just like I described to her. I want to—

Jesus, I want her .

My mind whirs as I drive, and before I know it, I’m pulling into the stadium parking lot, desperate to work out this messed-up tension consuming me.

I don’t bother warming up since Amelia did that for me, and instead, jump straight onto the treadmill with my earphones in, hitting go on my playlist as I move, increasing the speed until I’m forced to run.

I stare at the windows in front of me, but rather than see through them, it’s like they’re projecting images back to me. Amelia telling me she’s pregnant, Amelia and me getting married, Amelia screaming my name. The events of the past few months keep rotating through my mind until I’m completely spiraling.

I increase the speed again and turn up my music, hoping to distract myself, but it doesn’t work. I can still visualize her. Still feel her and it’s driving me crazy.

I run faster, pushing myself to the limits as a song I don’t recognize blasts my eardrums, finally drowning out the nerves.

My legs shake, but I keep going until Easton appears in my line of sight, making me jump as he holds his hands up in front of me.

He mouths something, but I don’t hear him until I slow my machine and hit stop on the music.

“Jesus, Luke,” he barks when I reach a comfortable jog. “You’re going to hurt yourself.”

A sharp pain radiates through my calf, but I shake my head, pretending I’m fine.

“What do you think you’re doing? Are you okay?”

“I’m fine,” I lie, slowing the machine again until I’m at a fast walk, easing the cramp in my leg.

Easton scoffs. “My bad. Great. I’ll be on my way then.” He turns around, and I huff out a laugh. Easton usually keeps to himself, but I’ve seen his protective side a couple of times now, more so since he became a dad. But something he never does is fuck around and joke. The sarcasm is dripping from his words. But I pretend not to notice.

“Good. And I’ll get back to it.”

Easton’s nose flares as he spins back around, his fists clenched at his sides. “Do you think I’m stupid? You are not fine. Do a proper cooldown, get showered, then meet me at the door. We’re going out.”

“I’m fine.” That’s the last thing I need right now.

“We’re going . Pretend you’re doing it for me if it helps. I’ve had a bad couple of days and I need a friend.”

“Shit. You do?”

“No, fucker. Just hurry up.” He folds his arms over his chest and waits for me to respond. I want to tell him no, because I can’t imagine anything worse than spending time with a guy that’s always grumpy, when I’m already in a mood, but I could use his help. Since he knows a little about what I’m going through.

“Fine,” I toss out like a child, while Easton doesn’t bat an eyelid. “Give me fifteen minutes.’

It pains me to do as he asked, but I take my time to cool down properly, stopping when my leg is back to normal. And when it comes time to shower, I slow my pace further, something I’m sure he didn’t want, because I’m petty like that.

But when I finally walk out, a smirk on my face, I get no reaction.

Easton’s waiting exactly where he said he’d be, talking on his phone, not at all put out by my tardiness.

“You ready?” he says when I reach him, his gaze averted as he pockets his phone.

“As I’ll ever be. Where are we going?”

“That new bar at the Westerly Hotel?” Great, the same place I shared my night with Amelia.

“So, East wants to go West.” I laugh, instead of letting myself spiral again.

Easton finally meets my stare, making sure I note the lack of amusement in his eyes. “Are you going to be a fucker all your life?”

“Probably,” I say honestly, because this version of me comes out when I don’t want to be myself. And right now, I don’t know who the fuck I am.