Tempting the Crown (The Crown 1)

Luke looked away. “We have some more to see?”

I nodded. “The entire hallway. But you don’t have to. It’s okay if you need to leave. I understand.”

He shook his head. “No way. I’m just starting to learn these songs. And at least now I know if I get injured I have an alternate career.”

“And what’s that?”

“Lexi Wilde’s backup singer.”

I burst out laughing. “Okay, let’s pray you never get hurt.”

I tapped on the next door and we started our show all over again.

***

Luke walked me to the parking garage after we had visited every child on the floor. I promised Jake I’d meet him at the airport. There wasn’t much he could say in front of Luke, and he begrudgingly let me walk away. I wasn’t sure where we were headed. Drinks at his place again sounded perfect.

I hoped drinks was code for more mind-blowing sex.

“I can’t believe you got me to sing.” Luke puffed out his chest as if it restored some of his masculinity.

I laughed. “I think your voice is adorable.”

“Adorable?” he huffed. “There is nothing adorable about me.”

“Why? Because you’re a strong, domineering quarterback?” I challenged.

I didn’t know why I was provoking him, only that the hours we spent upstairs not touching, drove me insane. I wanted him more than I wanted him last night. I sang, knowing his eyes were on me, burning into my skin, and reminding me of everything we did together.

He pulled me against his chest, pinning my arms behind me, roughly. “Call me adorable again,” he dared me.

I studied the strong jaw, the cut of his cheekbones and those green eyes that haunted me all day. “Adorable,” I whispered. “You’re adorable, Luke Canton.”

His lips crashed on mine, and his mouth moved wildly, sucking, biting, twining his tongue deep in my mouth. He let go of my hands as I reached up to wrap them around his neck. His hands snaked under my shirt, clawing at my back.

“Oh, God,” I moaned. I was going under again, being pulled by my animal need for him.

He bit my lip. “Can we go back to your place?” He nipped at my throat, grabbing a handful of hair at the nape of my neck.

“I checked out this morning.” I breathed. I looked around for a place to hide. A place to be with him. But we were in the bottom of a parking garage. There was nothing down here but concrete and cars.

“My place.” He kissed me harder, reminding me how tender my lips still were from last night. It was a beautiful kind of torture.

I nodded. “I have some time before we fly out.” I couldn’t let go, though. My lips were seared to his in a heated kiss. I swear there was fire in his lips. They were glazed in cinnamon.

Somehow my one-night stand, my one night to fly my hellcat sex flag, had slowly started turning into something else. Luke had compassion under that tough exterior. Under the tatto

os and the chiseled muscle he wasn’t selfish. And as much as the bad boy image had drawn me to him, I knew the new things I was learning about him were the reason I wanted to stay longer. There was more to him than the dangerous fire he lit inside me.

I clung to him, wanting all of it. The kisses. The fucking insane sex. I wanted my body gliding over his. We had to get back to the ranch before we both burst into flames.

“Luke, I want you,” I whispered.

“Me too. Last night all over again,” he growled, his hands dragging through my hair. “I want to fuck you here, Alexa. Right here.”

I moaned, feeling him press his erection against my hip bone. He was hard as steel. Steel that knew no limits. I wobbled on my knees thinking of how he could use that steel to make my toes curl. To make my limbs tremble. To make me claw out for more.

“Take me home, now,” I urged.