“This is really delicious,” I smile at Neil and he grins back at me.

“I’m glad you like it.”

“I love a man who can cook.” I grin at Lucy, who beams back at me, and settle in to enjoy the rest of our evening.

***

Luke is quiet on the way back to his place after dinner. He’s biting his thumbnail, which tells me that he’s thinking. He’s not touched me since we left, and I can’t help but start to feel a little apprehensive.

“Are you okay?” I ask, breaking the silence.

He glances over at me and frowns.

“Of course.”

“Okay. Good.” I clasp my hands in my lap and stare at the lights from the city in the distance out my window. As we pull up to his house, the silence is deafening. He opens my door for me and escorts me up his front steps to usher me inside. He turns on a light as I walk to the kitchen and lay my purse on the breakfast bar.

I turn to look at him, and am surprised to find that he’s not in the room. Where did he go?

I frown as unease starts to unfurl through my stomach. Oh my God, I really screwed up. He must be mad at me for the way I spoke to his sister at dinner. Where is he?

Maybe he wants me to leave, and he’s giving me space to pack my things.

I climb the stairs and head for his bedroom, willing myself not to cry until I get home. I’ll just pack my things and get the hell out of here. Then I can fall apart.

Just before I cross the threshold into his bedroom, my phone pings in my pocket. I pull it out, and I have a text.

From Luke.

Natalie, would you please join me in my bathroom?

Huh?

I walk through the bedroom and to the entrance to the bathroom and stop in my tracks.

He has drawn a bath in that huge egg shaped tub of his and the scent of lavender is hanging in the air. There are candles lit on the vanity and the side of the tub. Luke is standing next to the tub wearing only his jeans, the top button undone.

Finally, I find my voice, but all I can say is, “Hi.”

“Hi.”

“I thought you were mad at me.”

“Why?” He walks over to me and grips my chin in his thumb and forefinger, tilting my head back so I can look him in the eye.

“Because you’ve been so quiet since we left your parent’s house.”

“I’ve just been thinking.” His fingers caress my cheek and he tenderly kisses my forehead.

“About?” I whisper.

“Let’s get in the bath.” Oh! I want him to keep talking.

“I’m overdressed for a bath.”

“So you are, baby.” He peels my jacket off my shoulders and down my arms and sets it on a nearby chair. He pulls my dress over my head and gently folds it and places it over the jacket.

“Step out of your shoes.”

I comply, unable to take my eyes from his. He wraps his arms around me and leans down to kiss my shoulder, while unclasping my bra and pulling it down my arms. As he steps back, I hook my thong in my thumbs and push it off my hips, letting it drop to the floor. I stand before him and flush with pleasure at the way his eyes go glassy with desire as he runs them up and down my nakedness.

“You’re overdressed too,” I whisper and my stomach clenches as I see his pupils dilate.

“So I am.” He unzips the jeans and pulls them and his boxers off in one smooth motion, leaving him gloriously naked before me.

“Come.” He holds his hand out to me so he can help me step into the water. I sink down and sigh as the hot water envelops me.

“Aren’t you going to join me?”

“Yes.” He steps in and sits facing me, his legs on either side of mine, and leans against the opposite side.

“This is nice.” It’s the truth. The water is soothing after the difficult encounter with his sister, and he’s naked, which makes everything nice.

“It is.”

“You’re very monosyllabic tonight, you know.”

He grins at me almost shyly. “I’m sorry. I have a lot going through my head.”

“Spill it.”

He shakes his head.

“Oh no you don’t. What’s going on in that handsome head of yours, Williams?”

“I’m really sorry about the way my sister treated you tonight.”

Oh.

“I’m just sorry for the way I reacted, Luke. I’m sorry that I made you uncomfortable, and for speaking that way to your family.”

“No, don’t apologize. She was way out of line. I had a bad feeling that she’d act like that, that’s why I called her last night.”

“Luke,” I pick up one of his feet and start to rub. His eyes widen and then he closes them and leans his head against the tub with a groan. “I don’t have siblings, but I can understand wanting to protect someone I love. What I don’t understand is, why the blatant hostility?

I don’t get it.”

“Well, something you said tonight hit a little too close to home,” he murmurs, then opens his eyes and sighs, looking everywhere but at me.

“What?”

“The part about me being stupid enough to be with someone I know is using me because I’m rich and famous.”

I gasp and drop his foot. Oh my God, this is mortifying.

“I don’t understand.”

He takes my right foot in his hands and rubs his thumb over my tattoo, frowning.

“My last relationship was with a woman who was with me for all those reasons.”