“I said it isn’t working. I don’t like other men touching you. This whole thing about not being seen in public together, I’m not doing it. You’re with me, Naya. You’re with me, and I want to parade you around to our acquaintances and friends and shout it out to everyone that you’re my woman.” His hands moved up her back, then down again, cradling her bottom and pulling her hips in closer to his.
Naya felt his erection and reveled in the fact that he still wanted her. That he was here. She stared at the buttons on his tuxedo shirt. “I didn’t like it when you flirted with Tanya either.”
Luke pulled away slightly, trying to see into her eyes. “Who the hell is Tanya? I wasn’t flirting with anyone, honey. I was too busy trying to keep myself from punching every last man and waiter that tried to get your attention.”
She smiled slightly, flattered that he wanted to tease her. “There weren’t any men or waiters trying to get my attention. But Tanya, that blonde woman, was pretty determined. It looked like the two of you were having a very nice conversation together.”
Naya stepped back slightly as she put her hands on her hips, her chin jutting out as she confronted him with his interest in another woman.
Luke looked back at her, still confused. “Who is Tanya? I didn’t talk, let alone flirt, with anyone named Tanya.”
Naya rolled her eyes and crossed her arms over her chest, unaware of how the gesture plumped up her breasts that were barely concealed by the black, velvet dress with the low neckline. “Are you seriously trying to tell me that you weren’t interested in the blonde trying to climb into your arms?”
His hands fisted against his lean hips, he shook his head. “Naya, if there was another woman in that building tonight, I didn’t see her. I vaguely remember a woman standing beside me, trying to talk to me, but I couldn’t focus on anything she said. I was watching you. I was furious because you wouldn’t let me escort you tonight.” He ran a hand over his neck. “Naya, I don’t like this. I don’t like other men thinking they can come on to you and I definitely don’t like showing up at some stupid function and pretending that you’re not the woman in my life. I want you by my side.” He moved closer, watching her eyes turn softer. “I want to be the man who pulls you onto the dance floor.” Closer still. “I want to be the man to make you laugh, who makes sure you don’t drink four glasses of champagne in a half hour…”
“I had three,” she corrected him.
“You had four. In thirty minutes. I know because I was watching you.” He moved even closer. “And I want to be the man who takes you home at night, especially when you’re too tipsy.”
She gasped when his lips moved against her neck, but she shouldn’t have been surprised. The man had been coming closer and closer. Besides, he knew all of her weak spots and her neck was definitely highest on the list.
When he lifted her into his arms, carrying her to her bedroom before kicking the door closed, Naya didn’t have any arguments against his wants because she wanted them all as well. She might think differently tomorrow when her head was clear of the champagne and he wasn’t touching her. But right now, all she wanted was to scream out to the world that Luke was her man! All the stupid Tanyas of the world needed to find some other guy to mooch off of. Not that she was going to mooch off of Luke, but Naya had claimed him. For however long he allowed her to claim him, he was hers!
Chapter 10
“What are you thinking about?” Luke asked, his hand skimming over her shoulder. Naya was naked, of course. If Luke was around, her clothes seemed to disappear.
It was late at night or, she glanced over at the clock on her bedside table, early in the morning. Unfortunately, it was one of those times when she couldn’t seem to shut off her brain.
“I need to visit my mother,” she blurted out. Even Naya was surprised about that announcement. But Luke lifted his head, looking down at her, barely able to see anything in the glow from the moonlight streaming through her windows.
“Why do you need to visit her?” he asked.