Page 40 of Heart of Stone
There was a fierce light in Stone’s eyes, and he pulled Luke against his body, wrapping his arms around Luke and holding him tightly. “I’d marry you if I could, but since that ain’t possible, I’m willin’ to put it in writin’ that you’re my partner, if you want.”
“I don’t need nothin’ in writin’,” Luke replied, wrapping his arms around Stone in return and pressing close. “I got what I need right here. Just don’t ever tell me we can’t be together again, ‘cause I ain’t hearin’ it.”
“I won’t never say that again,” Stone promised. “Once I learn my lesson, it stays learnt.”
“Good,” Luke replied fervently, pulling Stone closer. “Now how are you plannin’ to make up all those long months of sleepin’ in a cold, lonely bed to me?”
“Well, how about I let you do anything you want to me?” Stone asked with a slow, sexy smile. “Or I can do anything you want to you. I ain’t particular, so long as it makes you happy.”
Luke studied him for a moment, considering the options. Although he hadn’t been waiting for Stone to come around since he wasn’t hopeful that would ever happen, he had been loyal for months, and he thought maybe it was time for a little recompense.
“It’d make me right happy if you showed me just how much you do love me and want to make it up to me.” He raised a brow. “Maybe if you’re good enough, it might even make me smile.”
“And if you don’t, I suspect my pride’s goin’ to take a bruisin’,” Stone replied, but his hands were already moving to the buttons of Luke’s shirt. He unfastened them slowly and brushed the backs of his fingers lightly over Luke’s skin as he bared it. When he got to the last one, he tugged Luke’s shirttails free and eased the shirt off Luke’s shoulders, baring him to the waist. Luke could see heat rising in Stone’s dark eyes as he placed his palms flat on Luke’s chest, caressing his skin. “You look good. Really good.”
Luke hummed softly with pleasure, closing his eyes briefly as he savored Stone’s long-desired touch; he had worn the memories of their one night together thin, but the reality was so much better.
“You feel good,” he murmured, arching into the caresses in a silent hint for more.
Stone chuckled softly, but he continued to stroke Luke’s skin. His fingers strayed over the muscles of Luke’s shoulders, then down over his chest again, before Stone circled his thumbs over Luke’s nipples teasingly. “Do you like that?”
Luke gasped and nodded, grasping Stone’s shoulders tightly to keep himself upright. He hadn’t even felt much like pleasuring himself over the past few months, and he knew he was going to pay for it now, getting so wound up so quickly that he wouldn’t be able to last long.
“I like it a lot.”
“Good.” Stone continued to tease Luke’s nipples until they were taut and aching, and then he moved his hands lower, slowly mapping each rib, then the muscles of Luke’s stomach. Finally he moved even lower, his warm hand brushing over the hard length of Luke’s cock beneath the tight fabric of his jeans. “Well, well, is this all for me? I feel like I won first prize at the county fair.”
“Yeah, it’s all yours.” Luke squirmed at the teasing touches that were insufficient to offer any relief. “Ain’t no one else ever goin’ to touch me again but you.”
Stone looked at him, an unmistakable light of possessiveness in his eyes. “Damn sure better not be. What I have, I aim to keep.” He continued to tease Luke for a moment, and then he swiftly unfastened Luke’s fly. “But I’m goin’ to make sure you get touched all you want.” With that, he pushed Luke’s jeans down his hips and drew in a breath as he looked down at Luke’s cock, wrapping his fingers around it and slowly stroking from base to tip.
Shuddering, Luke clenched his fingers on Stone’s shoulders, unable to hold back a low moan; he needed this so much, and after months of deprivation, every little touch brought exquisite pleasure that sent a rush of heat throughout his entire body.
“I want alot,” Luke replied, his breathing already turning shallow.
“You’ll get it. But let’s get you more comfortable first. I want to take my time makin’ you scream.”
He slowly walked Luke backward toward the bed, reaching around to strip down the quilt before lowering Luke down to sit on the edge of the feather mattress. Then he knelt, removing Luke’s boots and socks and pulling his jeans the rest of the way off. “Lie down,” Stone ordered, before pulling off his own boots and tossing them aside. “I’m ready to take what’s mine.”
Luke wasn’t sure where all this aggressiveness had come from, but he liked it, and he didn’t hesitate to climb on the bed and stretch out, putting himself on display. If Stone was going to tease him, he was going to tease right back, and he stroked his chest idly and shifted his hips to give Stone a good view.
“Well, hurry up,” he demanded, giving Stone a mock frown. “Ain’t you made me wait long enough already? You better get over here before I die of old age.”
Stone huffed as he unbuttoned his shirt. “You sure are demandin’ for a foreman.” He began stripping away his clothing as fast as humanly possible. In another moment, he was bare, and he walked toward the bed, not at all shy about letting Luke see just how aroused he was. Stone’s skin was bronze in the lantern light, lean and hard muscled, with a light sprinkling of black hair making him look even darker. “You’re lucky I’m the forgivin’ sort.”
He crawled into the bed, moving over Luke and pressing down against him. “I want this to be good for you. If I get too rough, tell me to stop.”
Luke laughed softly as he wrapped his arms around Stone and pulled him closer, savoring the feel of Stone’s warm, bare skin against his own; he had missed this more than he thought possible, and all seemed right in the world now that Stone was back in his arms.
“You can’t get too rough for me, boss,” he drawled, stroking Stone’s back from shoulder to hip, wanting to reacquaint himself with Stone’s body. “I’ve been wantin’ you too much for too long to care about bein’ gentle and slow. I want you to take me and prove I’m your man.”
The warm light in Stone’s eyes blazed into outright fire, and he swooped down, capturing Luke’s lips again, kissing him as though trying to steal the very breath from his body. Then he pulled back, opening the drawer of his nightstand and pulling out a small bottle of oil.
Kneeling between Luke’s legs, Stone opened the bottle and coated his fingers, and then he put the bottle back on the table. He met and held Luke’s gaze as he touched the puckered skin at Luke’s entrance, then circled his fingers for a moment before Luke felt him press harder, slipping one finger just inside.
“I seem to recall a certain night where I was wantin’, andsomeonemade me wait.” The finger slid in a little deeper. “You know what they say about payback.”
Moaning, Luke let his bent knees fall open wider, and he rocked his hips up, feeling a prickle of heat as his skin grew flushed with arousal. “Aw, damn, can’t you pay me back some other time?” he pleaded. “Please, Stone, I need you. Don’t make me wait!”