Midnight Daffodil (Poisonous Petals #1)

Chapter 32Olivia

thirty-two

OLIVIA

E ach evening with Luke became the highlight of my week. His presence felt like home and a vacation all at once. Every time he wrapped me in his arms, warmth spread through me.

Luke made the parts of me that were hardest to love seem so easy. He held me close as we lay in bed, and my mind wandered. The evening before, we went sightseeing and found an adorable bookstore. He bought me a few books and let me keep them here, making his home feel like mine, too. Luke showed genuine interest in the things that I loved the most.

Luke and I then went to a home décor store, where I picked out throw pillows and blankets for the living room to brighten the place up a bit. Making room for me in his life felt like second nature. Luke made it seem like it was easy to love me.

If he loved me…

We hadn’t said those three words yet, but as time passed, I often found them on the tip of my tongue, waiting to tumble free.

“Good morning, angel,” I felt the rumble of his voice against me. Immediately, heat rushed between my thighs. “I had a dream about you last night.”

My head perked up on his bicep as his tattooed arm ran circles up and down mine. “Oh yeah? What about me?”

“We went on a trip together, back to the Midwest to visit your family,” his sleepy voice drawled. I recently reconnected with my parents since leaving Matt after years of seclusion. I fiercely missed them with an intensity I didn’t realize was possible.

“That would be nice. It’s been a while,” I purred, “Is that something you’d wanna do?”

“I’d do anything for you.”

Luke adjusted himself so his body was over me and kissed me. Slowly, our tongues met, swiping across one another before the kiss turned hungry. I felt him harden against my leg. My body didn’t know the difference between having him hours ago or weeks ago.

“I want you, angel,” he breathed against my neck as he sucked on the sensitive skin.

His hand snaked up to my chest, squeezing a handful of my tits, rolling my nipple between his fingers. A flush of liquid coated my thighs, the same hand that elicited pleasure from my breast moved around my throat. His thumb rubbed over the pulse point of my neck. He looked down at me, his ocean eyes ablaze.

His expression darkened.

“I love seeing you wear my hands like a necklace.” He squeezed a bit more, and a strangled moan escaped my lips as he plunged into me in one fluid motion. “You’re so fucking gorgeous, baby.”

The explicit sound of my wet pussy taking his entire cock in one thrust filled the room. His free hand slid down my stomach to play with my swollen clit. Rubbing circles playfully, forcefully, tenderly, switching up the pace until my thighs shook.

“Oh, God, Luke, right there!” I spread my legs wider around him. “I need to feel you deeper. I need more.”

His tongue dipped into my mouth at the request; his abs flexed against me with every thrust. He planted his hands next to my face and looked down at me as he pounded into me. His eyes softened, taking me in, his kiss tender on my lips. The powerful strokes continued.

“Your pussy was made for me.”

I twitched around him, ready to come. My clit pulsed with every slide of his cock while he plunged himself in and out of my body. Coming around him, I felt the first squirts rush out of me. He pinched my clit as his thunderous pace continued.

“I could watch you come all day.” He bit my neck between the words. “I’ve never seen something so beautiful.”

I wanted his body to interlock into mine so we never had to be apart. “I want you to fill me with your come.” It was my turn to kiss him; our tongues slid against one another.

He broke our kiss and grinned, putting his body weight on his elbows. He planked over my body at the most delicious angle. I cried out, clawing down his back, pulling him closer to me. I wanted to feel every single ridged vein in his dick as it penetrated me. My body stretched to accommodate his size as he moved above me. My pussy clenched around him again as the blood rushed back to my aching clit. A more powerful orgasm crashed down on me, kissing every single nerve ending. He stiffened, and a wave of heat rushed through me.

I felt the hot liquid seep out of him in an endless stream. “You take all of my come so well. Your tight cunt was meant to be filled completely.”

He rested his head on my forehead as he pulsed inside of me. Feeling him throb inside me took our intimacy to new heights. In his embrace, I felt a connection like never before. His eyes held all the pieces of my life I'd been searching for.

My thighs quivered around him as he pulled out of me. We both looked down to where our bodies parted, a string of come attached us.

He pressed kisses to my chest and face, stroking my body with simple and light touches. Luke rolled off me and switched our position so I rested on his chest. I playfully traced my finger from his collarbone, following the path down to his inked arm.

Maybe I was in love.

The kind that you got once in ten lifetimes. The kind that connected you with an invisible force that wouldn’t relent regardless of the circumstance. The kind you don’t put down.

“I sometimes can’t believe how lucky I am to be with you, Olivia,” he whispered. “You’re more than I ever thought I deserved.”

“I can’t remember my life without you,” I told him, and that was true. My old life, the old me , was slowly fading away.

He kissed me slowly. “Good.”

I lay against his chest and listened to the strong thump of his heartbeat. The rhythmic sound soothed me, wrapping me in a sense of safety. He cherished me in his embrace.

“Let me make you breakfast!”

He cocked his head to the side. “You know I love cooking for you, angel. I don’t mind.”

“I’ve never made breakfast, though.” I kissed his soft, full lips. “Please, let me show you how much I appreciate you.”

“I can think of several ways you could do that,” he said, claiming my mouth again.

I smacked at his chest playfully. “Luke, please! You cannot possibly want to go again.”

“Are you kidding? I’m always ready to be inside of you,” he laughed.

I dressed in one of his shirts and panties, and he put on the swoon worthy gray sweatpants that left nothing to the imagination. While cooking in the kitchen and trying something new, I felt a sense of domesticity and femininity with him.

I wanted to make him happy enough to never let me go.

Rev panted in the hallway as he followed us to the kitchen, where I got started. I tried to emulate the same breakfast Luke made me. It looked easy enough. It was just eggs, meat, and cheese.

I could totally do that.

I followed how Luke did it all those mornings before while he sat sipping coffee, watching me. The scenery was beautiful. Him at the table, Rev on the floor chewing noisily on a toy. My heart was full.

“And breakfast is served!” I plated the omelets, which weren't nearly as pretty as his, along with the toast and a side of bacon.

I looked down at mine and admired my first home cooked meal. Cooking had never been a necessity to me before, but making my first meal for Luke turned out to be more fun than I thought it would be.

My eyes studied the plate in front of me. The eggs were slightly watery, and the bacon was a little floppy, but it looked edible. I took a bite out of mine and grimaced.

This is not how it tasted when Luke made it.

I snuck a glance at Luke who ate the runny, dippy, eggy mess, expressionless.

“Thank you for cooking for me, angel,” he said, smiling at me. The piece of bacon he was holding flopped and sagged in his fingers as he fought to bite a piece off.

“Is it good?”

“It’s delicious.”

Something told me that was a lie.

“Is it?” I asked again, looking down at my wet egg that soaked through the toast.

He nodded and took a sip of his coffee. He finished nearly the entire plate. Rev finally noticed we were eating breakfast without him and came bounding over.

He stood next to me and sat down like the goodest boy. He whined and handed me his paw. I gave him a piece of bacon, and he sniffed it and licked it once. Tentatively, he took it in his mouth and set it on the floor across from me. I swore I heard Luke laugh, but he wore the flattest expression when I looked over at him.

Rev tossed the bacon in the air, flinging it around like a toy.

Luke got up, rinsed his plate in the sink, and loaded it into the dishwasher. Rev still played with the flaccid bacon before Luke took it from him, shaking his head.

“So, did you honestly like it?”

“It was one of the best meals I’ve had in a while, angel,” Luke said without missing a beat. I was prepared to argue more when a knock sounded.

Rev pointed his nose towards it, his fur rising as he growled.

“You two kids gonna answer, or did I catch you doing the nasty?” Vera’s voice shouted from the other side.

Luke chuckled as he answered the door shirtless in his gray sweats. Vera stood staring in leggings and a sweater. We were going Christmas shopping together and I couldn’t wait to celebrate my first Christmas not hidden away.

“My, oh my, hot bod in the gray sweats, you know how to get a girl bothered,” Vera laughed, pushing her way inside, fanning herself.

“Please,” Luke scowled, “come in.”

She bounded into the kitchen, where I sat, and grabbed my fork. “Oh, we got breakfast? Hell yeah!” She scooped up a forkful of eggs and bacon, shoving it into her mouth.

The satisfied expression twisted until her skin bloomed several shades of queasy green.

“Ma’am, you told me he could cook? This shit is disgusting.” She gagged, spitting the contents of it into a napkin, turning to Luke. “Is this what you’re feeding my girl? I bet the dog wouldn’t eat this.”

Luke said nothing.

My eyes widened as Vera called Rev over and handed him some soggy egg toast. He sniffed at it and walked away.

“See. The dog won’t touch it, Luke,” Vera said, placing her hands on her hips.

“Actually,” I chimed in, “I made it.”

If I thought Vera was pale before, the hue deepend to a ghostly white.

“Oh.”

“And you!” I turned to Luke. “You said you liked it and ate it all!”

Vera made an obnoxious gag sound. “God, he ate all of that? Christ, Olivia, he must fucking love you.” She pretended to hold back vomit. “Good thing you’re pretty cuz you can’t cook. Period.”

“Luke.” I fixated my stare back onto him. His eyes met mine in another unreadable expression.

Luke had a special talent for maintaining a perfectly stoic expression, no matter how awkward or absurd the situation.

He smiled, stepping closer to me to lean down and kiss my forehead. “You’re more than pretty. You’re breathtaking, angel.”

He turned and practically ran out of the kitchen.

Vera laughed and teased the sentiment, gathering dishes with me. “He’s probably gonna throw up.”

She cackled maniacally, pulling a giggle from me. “Was it that bad?”

“The dog who licks his own ass and puts his mouth on dirty criminals wouldn’t eat that,” she taunted, looking down at Rev, who tilted his head to the side.

“I should’ve got a cookbook at the bookstore,” I joked as Luke came back out fully dressed, this time in a white v-neck tee and dark wash jeans that hugged his sculpted ass. I stared at him as he sat on the couch surrounded by decorative pillows and fuzzy throw blankets. He watched something on his phone, completely unaware of the profound impact his presence had on me.

“And you said he ate all of that shit?” Vera asked, following my stare. “Yeah, if that’s not love, I dunno what is. You got yourself a good one, girl.” Her voice hushed for only me to hear.

She was right.

“I’m gonna get dressed, and we can head out.” I dried my hands off on the dish towel hanging by the sink and ran upstairs to get ready for our day.

Being at my boyfriend's house with my best friend felt surreal. The absence of awkward silences or furtive looks didn’t diminish the butterflies in my stomach; my inner euphoria remained unabashedly tied to Luke. My mind couldn’t fathom the light feeling blooming within me. Every day, I was grateful that Matt let me go. I could have a chance at happiness.

I pulled on a pair of ripped jeans, a tank top paired with an oversized cardigan, and my favorite fuzzy black boots. I closed the drawer that Luke designated to me. His home felt more and more like mine.

My life was finally falling back into place.

I was falling in love.

Everything was perfect.