Page 19 (1/2)

"I--" She pushed him "I don’t know"

But he knew that she did know She hated that so that anyone thought she was a thief, even if that soet him, Ali"

She covered her face When she shuddered, his heart stopped

"I’ers

"Thank Christ" But his relief was cut off by the solo tear that tracked down her cheek Drawing in a deep breath, he pulled her in close "Ali," he ainst his chest

"Forget it I’ to be nice to you for at least a second You’ll have to just stand there and bear it"

"No, I mean I’m all sweaty now I think it’s the fury"

Her body was overheated, her skin damp He didn’t care He lifted her chin and looked her over

"I’ to turn away "A complete wreck And a fraud"

"Why, did you take thein his expression and squeezed her eyes shut "I wanted to be someone different here," she said, and broke his heart "Not an invisible nobody florist’s assistant from White Center"

"Do not listen to him," he said, maybe a little harshly, but he wanted her to hear him Really hear hireat one You also teach ceramics Hell, Ali, half of your students are in love with you You care enough to be nice to nosy, old er avoid the rest of the world, even when he was a total ass You’d give that stranger the last of your paycheck si to do"

"It was the right thing to do," she said "And you weren’t a total ass"

"You’d probably give away your heart and soul if it was needed," he said "But that would be a shame, because you’re one-hundred-percent heart and soul You’re the real deal, Ali, the way the rest of us have forgotten how to be"

"I have…faults"

"Yeah," he agreed, "but they’re not the ones Marshall said" He ticked theers "You wear your emotions on your sleeve, and you care Hell, s"

She snorted, and he s you’re not, Ali, is invisible You’re standing right here, strong and beautiful--"

"No--"

"Beautiful," he repeated fiercely, stunned to find that he meant it from a very personal standpoint He stared at her, impacted on a visceral, physical, and mental level by her "So beautiful," he whispered, and then he kissed her

Ali didn’t think anyone had ever told her she was beautiful before It should’ve felt like a cheesy line, but it didn’t Mostly because though she knew he meant it, she also knew he didn’t want to find her beautiful

In some twisted way, it was that reluctance thatfor hiain, and yet she wasn’t hardwired that way "I’ain, even as her hands fisted in his hair

"That’s okay," he said silkily, his et even more so"

The words ainst the wall right there in the foyer

"I thought ere a bad idea," she said

"We are" Her halter top slid down, revealing her bare breasts He’d been so sht in the hem of the sundress, and he slid it up to her waist

He sure was quick when properly motivated "So this is what?" she asked breathlessly, already so excited she was rubbing her thighs together "A pity fuck?"

His smile was heated and wicked as he kissed her "That’s a two-part question," he said "Yes to the pity part, but it’s not for you, it’s for Marshall"

If she’d had enough air in her lungs, she would have laughed

"Now," he said, pressing closer so there was noabout his pinning her to the ith his hard body "As for the fk part…" He kissed her again, until she nearly forgot herself

"Are you sure?" she eous blues "Because you weren’t sure a few o"

He rocked into her, and she felt exactly how sure he was It tugged a ave hi his head, he kissed her throat, her jaw The corner of her ed to ask

He licked her pulse point "Watching you turn all violent when you got pissed off"

Oh, God, his tongue "That was sexy?"

"Yeah Big ti, warm, callused hand slid into the back of her panties and pal you do is sexy"

Hisher crazy He was driving her crazy, and she struggled to get closer to his big, tough body "Luke?"

He didn’t answer, presu the curve of her jaw, her throat, her breast, teasing her nipple, which had long ago tightened for him But they had to talk first, or at least she had to talk "Luke?"

"Hmm"

"I haven’t been intiht? You heard hi the house"

He lifted his head and aze

"I just wanted to make sure you really knew," she said softly "Once we ot…weird After only a feeeks, he started working late, and then he got allergies and snored He slept in a different room than me, and…" For the love of God, Ali, zip it and let hi her hair back fro ti I can’t remember the last tiestured with his chin to his wallet, which lay on the small foyer table at her hip

She started to reach for it, but he dipped his knees and ran his tongue around her nipple and then sucked the tight bud into his hot ainst the wall She arched, trying to get hiainst her daers trailed down her quivering stohs "Mmm," he said "Hot and wet"

And then he dropped to his knees

"Luke…"