Destined Hearts Ch. 02

The bed was warm despite the lack of any covers but the sheet. A damp, almost sex-laden, air hung throughout the room. Luke was having one of the best dreams he could remember. What made it better was that it had actually happened. A beautiful woman had laid beneath him, played a very active role in their lovemaking, and had eventually clung to his shoulders and come with his name on her lips.

Then his mind took it to the next level. Camryn was on all fours, her face buried in a plush pillow to muffle her moans as he thrust into her over and over. In and out, harder and faster...building until his hips were a blur.

Her muscles would start to tighten up, his cock becoming even thicker to announce that it too would be satisfied soon. He would hold back using all of his self-control—thinking about boring, non-sexual things like filing your taxes—in order to hold back until she began bucking against him. Finally he would release, and the two of them would sink onto the bed in post-orgasmic bliss.

A smile curved his lips at the thought of holding her again. It had been a new experience—feeling that satisfied. Not only sexually, but deep inside—where it counts. For a long time they had talked afterward. They'd both grown up in small towns, and had just about everything in common. He even remembered telling her about how his father had been abusive. The nights he spent purposely keeping his sleep light so that he could hear when the old man came home. Slowly he would creep to the top of the stairs and watch the scene unfold. It was always the same.

The arguing that led to harsh words from his father. His mom would whisper for him to shush so that the kids didn't wake up. That was always the breaking point. For a reason Luke would never understand, his father had harbored the idea that Luke and his kid sister Nellie weren't his. Countless times Luke had mentally begged his mother to just not bring up the kids. Just once. That way he wouldn't have to bound down the stairs and get in the middle. The following days he would go to school with one type of injury or another. He always shrugged it off as a football battle wound, and that made everyone just nod and chuck him on the shoulder—praise him for being the hero quarterback.

Only when the coach himself got suspicious did anything close to the truth come out. From then on Coach Carson—a man with power in the community—had "suggested" to Mr. Masterson that he stay in line. Rarely was there a problem after that. Unless you counted the fact that Luke had felt so indebted to the Coach that he'd dated LeAnna Carson throughout high school. Warm and bubbly on the outside, but cool and hard inside, LeAnna wasn't what he'd ever wanted.

No, he wanted someone like the woman he'd brought home tonight. A little shy and hesitant on the outside, but warm...oh so warm...not to mention tight and slick...on the inside.

With the thought of how amazing she was, Luke rolled to the side—wanting to pull her back against him. Feel her firm round ass nestled in against his groin.

But she wasn't there.

Luke's eyes flew open. He sat up fast, no longer relaxed, but completely on-edge. Had she left? No. She wouldn't. Would she?

He jumped out of bed and pulled on a pair of nearby boxers. Ignoring the cool floor on his feet Luke padded out into the living room. "Hey...you still here?"

The bathroom was empty, as was the kitchen and living room. She was gone.

Luke took a deep breath. Ironic how fate worked. It let you have one exquisite taste of perfection, and then it yanked it away. With a self-loathing chuckle, Luke leaned against the counter of the bar in the kitchen and looked out the large sliding glass doors. The skyline was still lit as some of the suns rays were just starting to peek over the horizon.

Movement off to the side caught Luke's eye.Holy Hell. She's still here. With renewed energy he moved for the balcony and toward the one woman who intrigued him like nobody else ever had.

--

Camryn stood looking out at a beautiful New York skyline. To think that this view greeted Luke every morning. She'd never had such beauty in her life. Unless you counted the past few hours. The ones during which she'd been wrapped in his protective embrace. Sex with him had been like one very long, very intense, andverysatisfactory roller coaster ride. It was scary, intense, but at the end of the day...all she wanted to do was hop back in the front car and ride it again.

And again and again and again, Camryn thought with a sly smirk. She couldrideLuke for a looooong time.

It had startled her to learn about Luke's past. To think that nobody had ever known. How hard must it have been to keep that burden hidden? Sadly enough...she was just the person to know. If only she would've known back in high school. Maybe they could've talked...related to one another.

The second the thought entered her mind, it was replaced by a cold sadness. There was no way that Luke would've given her two looks back then. He and LeAnna were two peas in a pod, and she was the mushy lima bean that everyone had just pushed to the side of the plate. She frowned. Why couldn't things be different?

"Mind if I join the party?"

Camryn jumped at the sound of Luke's voice. Spinning around she was faced with a very shirtless Luke. The mere sight of his abs made her salivary glands start doing what they do best. Images of her hands caressing those very muscles as he moved deep inside her flashed through her mind. "No, you're fine."

He moved over slowly, as if she were a skittish animal that he didn't want to startle. "Thought you were afraid of heights."

Their hands came together immediately, Camryn's forehead against the hollow of Luke's throat. "You promised I'd be safe with you."

Gently a finger came below her chin and tipped her gaze up to his. "I just want you to know...that I keep my promises." Camryn didn't know what to say. Every fiber of her being wanted to believe what he was saying. A part of her did. But she'd been lied to and hurt so many times before. How could she trust herself to be a good judge? "Look, the sun is coming up..."

She turned in his arms, and gave a sigh of happiness when Luke pulled her in close against him. The oversized button-down shirt she'd borrowed from Luke's closet slipped off one shoulder. She reached to pull it back up but stopped at the feel of Luke's tongue. He traced a spot and then kissed tenderly, giving her hand a light squeeze. "I love your tattoo. I've never been able to get it out of my mind since the first time I saw it." Camryn's heart was thumping erratically in her chest as she dissected what he'd just said. "It's so sexy," he breathed, nipping at the tender flesh of her upper shoulder.

Camryn wasn't delusional. She knew what she'd heard. It just didn't make sense. Turning in Luke's arms she put a hand on his chest and pushed him a step back. Her eyes met his head-on, searching for a truth that she needed to know. "What do you mean 'since the first time you saw it'? I just met you last night."

His hand went to cup her cheek but Camryn stepped back. She held up a hand. "Luke, don't fuck with me." He smirked at that and she had to laugh too. "Dammit you know what I mean. Just answer the question.—and don't you dare lie to me."

The dark blue eyes that she loved turned serious. "I will never,ever, lie to you...Camryn."