Summer Lovin'

Summer Lovin' -- Part 5

Chapter 5

Mia rubbed at her nose. What smelled so good? She nuzzled her face closer to the scent, and the tip of her nose rubbed against skin. Her eyes shot open. She stared at Luke's chest, his bare, delectable chest where his shirt gaped open. She tried to sit up, but his arms squeezed her gently.

"Shh, it's all right."

His voice was soothing, yet sexy. Her hormones didn't know what to do with themselves. She was aroused, yet strangely comforted at the same time.

"When did I fall asleep?" she murmured, ignoring her brain's warnings to get up and go home. Instead, she snuggled closer. It wasn't like she was going to do anything foolish. And even if she did, there weren't that many days left before this summer interlude was over.

Her heart gave a little protest pang at that thought.

"We were watching the movie, and you got quiet, and then I felt you twitching." His laughter rumbled in his chest, and she liked the feel of it against her cheek.

"I'm sorry," she said with a laugh. "It wasn't because of the movie. Or you," she hastened to add.

"Maybe Hellboy wore you out."

"That's probably true." She glanced at the puppy sleeping on the floor, in the pile of blankets Luke had brought for him. "How did both of us manage to sleep through all those explosions?"

As if on cue, Hellboy moaned in his sleep, his legs jerking. Luke reached for the remote, muting the TV.

"He's probably chasing expensive footwear." Luke nuzzled Mia's ear, making her shiver once more. "I think he's out for the rest of the night."

"I feel bad," she said with a sigh. "I hate to wake him up to go home."

"Then stay here."

"I can't," she said, though her heart raced at his suggestion.

Luke kissed the top of her head. "I'm not ready for you to go home," he said in a soft voice.

She was so surprised by his response, her heart seemed to be stuck in her throat. She attempted to be nonchalant.

"I can leave Hellboy here to keep you company."

He chuckled, and then scooted on the couch so they were laying side by side, facing each other. Fortunately he had the spot on the outside, because the look he was giving her would have made her fall right onto the floor. She kept her arm around his waist and then sneaked a finger inside one of the belt loops on his jeans. Just to keep her balance.

"Mia, I'm really attracted to you."

"I'm very attracted to you, too," she said. Her breathy voice left no doubt of that.

His eyes darkened, and she heard his breathing speed up. She also felt his body stiffen in the most delicious place, right against the spot that ached for him.

"What should we do about it?"

He nibbled on her earlobe while he waited for her answer. She half expected to hear the Jeopardy theme song playing in her head while she contemplated all the reasons why they shouldn't do anything about their attraction. But she wanted to do something about it, and Luke clearly did, too.

Was it a bad idea? It didn't seem like it right now while his lips were warm against her skin, inviting her to explore something she hadn't felt for a very long time.

But she was nervous. What if she ended up emotionally bruised and battered afterward, the way her shoe was when Hellboy finished toying with it?

"I'm not sure," she finally answered, honestly. "I can definitely see pros." His lips grazed hers and she shivered. "As well as cons."

He lifted his head, his mouth puckered in an exaggerated pout. "Tell me the cons, and I'll see if I can turn them into pros."

She laughed. "I'm tempted to tell you the opposite, so you will have to twist them into cons."

"You're a devious one."

He planted a kiss on her collarbone. Mia felt her body soften and harden at the same time. She was turning into a rag doll on his couch, and they hadn't even gotten to second base.

"You're too sexy," she blurted. At his upraised eyebrows, she said, "That's the first con."

"Ahh," he said. "Well, does it help that you are so sexy I can't keep my mind on anything else?"

"So it counteracts your sexiness, you mean?"

He nodded. "What else?"

Mia couldn't remember any of her earlier protests. He was so warm, and sexy, and too delicious for words. The more time she spent with him, the harder it was to remember why she had vowed to leave him alone. She wouldn't see him after the next week or so was over, which was a good thing, and if she could keep her head on straight, it would be a fun little fling, with no serious consequences.

She could do that, right? Every girl should have at least one wild fling on her resumé.

"I can't remember what else," she confessed.

"I'll help you then," Luke said. His lips turned up into one of those smiles that made her close her fingers tightly around his belt loop. She wasn't falling off the couch, she knew that, but she was in danger of falling into something that made her excited and scared, all at the same time.

"Okay," she managed. "Am I supposed to refute them?"

"It's up to you." His eyes twinkled. "But I can be very persuasive."

"And I can be very stubborn." She couldn't stop the smile that sprang to her lips.

"Even when it's not in your best interests?"

She laughed. "I thought you were promoting your interests."

"That's the beauty of it. It benefits both of us."

"I see."

She pretended to be prim, but his playful growl made that disappear in seconds. She pulled his head closer, tangling her fingers in the long strands of dark hair, unable to resist the gorgeous maleness in front of her. She loved the banter, but right now she needed his mouth on hers, persuading her in a different way. He answered her need with a strong one of his own.

He slid one hand down her side, his eyes holding her gaze. She kissed him, to keep herself from groaning out loud.

A fling was the perfect way to spend the next couple of weeks. They were so compatible, and they were spending all their evenings together anyway. Why pretend that she wasn't interested in a grownup play date with him? She was tough enough to deal with the emotional consequences, when they eventually had to say goodbye.

What was the point of starting a new life if she did everything the same as her old one?

There was no time to answer, because Luke was kissing more insistently, driving out any desire to figure out what to do besides revel in the feelings. She wouldn't be able to say he'd swept her off her feet. She was doing this deliberately and would deal with any fallout later. This was too good to analyze beforehand. There would be plenty of time for that afterward.

Mia heard a whimper. She thought it was her at first, until she heard Luke groan.

"This can't be happening," he said.

The whimper turned to a bark.

"Guess Hellboy is one of the cons," she said.

Luke twisted around to look at the puppy, his tail wagging happily as his paw reached towards them. "You're not as cute as you think right now, hellhound."

Mia hid a laugh in Luke's chest.