Fallin' in Love Read online

  He bit her earlobe lightly. "You said you thought I was a chauffeur."

  "That too."

  "You have a very nice imagination."

  "Wait til you hear what I'm imagining for later."

  Luke gave a low growl, similar to what Hellboy was doing to the pumpkin. He glanced over Mia's shoulder to see what damage the dog had caused so far. He didn't even want to think what the hellhound would do to the scarecrow Mia had bought for decoration.

  "I thought we got him one of those baby pumpkins. Something more his size."

  "We did." Mia grinned. "But I think I'll save it as a distraction for later, once he's taken out all his frustrations on this one."

  "Well, if you don't bring it out soon, that one is going to be pumpkin pie."

  "Oooh, pie." Her eyes twinkled with mischief. "We've got some apple pies to make."

  Luke kissed her neck, making goose bumps appear all over her skin.

  "The pies can wait," he murmured. "Let's go make something else for a while."

  Chapter 2

  October

  Mia tucked the phone between her ear and shoulder. "I wish you were here instead of at work." She unwrapped another miniature chocolate bar and popped it into her mouth. "Although now I won't have to share any of the good candy."

  "There should be plenty left, since you probably won't see very many trick-or-treaters out there tonight."

  "I know. Sondra already warned me that it's a bit deserted on Halloween."

  Hellboy barked, a couple of times, from his perch on the couch. He surveyed the room and then added another little warning ruff.

  "It almost sounds like a scary movie setup," Luke said with a laugh. "But no need to be worried when you've got Hellboy for protection."

  "He's fierce all right. Aren't you, Bootsie?" The dog growled, as if unhappy that she'd reverted to using his original name. Mia giggled. "Wait til you see his costume."

  "No wonder he's barking. Although, speaking of costumes, I'm more interested in what you're wearing."

  "I can't believe you went there. Next you'll be trying to get me to have phone sex—"

  "What a great idea."

  "Naughty boy," she said. "Too bad you're stuck at the restaurant. Is it busy?"

  "Not too bad actually. I'll probably get to leave earlier than I thought."

  "I'm glad. I can't wait to see you in your chef costume."

  "It's a uniform. Not a costume."

  She could hear the indulgence in his voice, and it made her miss him intensely, even though she'd get to see him in just a few hours.

  "Well, I still like seeing you in it. Even better is seeing your face when I take it off you."

  "And I like when you're watching something besides my face when you take off my cost—I mean uniform."

  She laughed again, enjoying their banter, as well as its distracting effect on him. "I really do miss you. I wish we got to see each other more than once a week."

  "I know. I feel the same way. Hopefully one of these days—"

  Just then the doorbell rang, which set Hellboy into a new frenzy of barking.

  "Oh, good. I've finally got some trick-or-treaters. Hang on, okay? I don't want the beast to scare them off."

  "No problem. Hey, keep the phone so I can be there with you."

  Mia nearly melted at his words. "That's so sweet! Let me get the candy."

  She grabbed the plastic jack-o-lantern by its handle, keeping the phone tucked into her shoulder, all while opening the door and blocking it so Hellboy couldn't race outdoors.

  "Trick or treat!"

  Mia's jaw dropped. Luke was standing on the step, holding his phone to his ear and grinning like a madman.

  "Surprised?"

  "I'm stunned."

  He'd tricked her, but oh what a treat he was. Before she could throw herself into his arms, Hellboy jumped at Luke's legs, demanding his attention.

  Luke gathered the pup into his arms. "Hey, that is a nice costume. The devil horns are perfect."

  Mia chuckled. "What else, right?"

  Luke's gaze roamed over Mia from her toes all the way to the top of her head. He finally remembered his phone, and tapped the screen distractedly before tucking it into his back pocket.

  "We might have to celebrate Halloween every week. Especially with those boots." He gave her a slow grin that made her shiver with anticipation. "And the wig—I think I like you as a brunette."

  She laughed, giving him a kiss before ushering him in, locking the door behind him. "Sounds good to me. Only you'll have to come up with a different uniform. You can't rely on this one all the time."

  He sat Hellboy back down on the floor before pulling her into his arms. "Are you sure? My girlfriend really likes it."

  "Does she?"

  "Yes." He kissed the tip of her nose. "In fact, we were just talking about it on the phone. She's got a thing for almost-world-class chefs."

  Mia pretended to frown. "Oh, I think she just told you that so you'd keep cooking for her."

  "That's another reason I'm crazy about her. She's wicked smart."

  "Enough about her." Mia reached up to undo the top button of his shirt. "Let's get you out of this and into something a little more naked."

  His swift intake of breath made her even more excited than she thought possible. He leaned in for a kiss, but before his lips could reach hers, Hellboy interrupted with another blast of barking.

  They both groaned.

  "I'll distract the hellhound." Luke toed off both shoes and scooted them in the dog's direction.

  "Two?" Mia raised her eyebrows. "That's going to keep him entertained the rest of the night."

  His eyes sparked with passion. "Exactly what I'd planned on."

  ***

  Luke closed the door to the bedroom, but kept his eyes on Mia. Her Vampirella costume turned him on in a big way—and she knew it. Her lips lifted in a slow smile while she beckoned him with some ridiculously long blood-red nails.

  He walked toward her while yanking off his shirt. It reminded him of the first time they'd made love here. He'd been so impatient, like a randy teenager, unable to believe his good luck at having her in his bedroom.

  He still couldn't believe his good luck. Mia was a treasure, in every way, and tonight was just another example. He stopped to admire her again.

  "What's taking so long?" she said with a mock pout. "Do I need to complain to the chef about the lousy service in this establishment?"

  He laughed out loud. "No, no need for that. I'm sure I can make it up to you."

  She heaved a sigh and rolled her eyes, but they were twinkling with mischief. "Well, if you think you can."

  "Oh, I'm confident I can."

  She couldn't hide the shiver, thrilling him even more. "Show me what you've got then. I'm waiting."

  Her last words came out in a whisper. Maybe she couldn't breathe in the corset she was wearing. That would be a shame, because he really liked how it looked on her, and the way it made her breasts—

  Now he was the one who couldn't breathe.

  "I'm so glad I was the only trick-or-treater tonight," he managed.

  Mia giggled, and somehow it made her vavoom outfit even sexier. There was something about her that made him feel happy and aroused and content, all at once. He didn't know how she did it, but boy was he glad she did.

  "Maybe we should have put a 'Do Not Disturb' sign on the front door," she said.

  "I'm not worried. If anyone does show up, Hellboy the guard dog will rip them to shreds."

  That made her laugh even more. "Your imagination is getting away from you."

  He wrestled the rest of his clothes off and threw them behind him. He stood there, naked, his hands on his hips. "You have no idea."

  She glanced down, and then back up at his face. "I've got an inkling."

  "An inkling?" He gave her a mock frown. "You consider this an inkling? Maybe I should have worn my caveman costume."

  She threw her arms around him. He love
d the feel of her breasts pressed against his bare chest. He circled his fingers around her waist, enjoying the satiny material of the corset beneath his fingers. She smoothed her hands up his back, and then down over his butt, making him groan with pleasure.

  "Mia, I'm torn between wanting you to keep this stuff on, and wanting you to take it off completely."

  "Let's do both—ooh, judging from the audience response, you like that idea."

  He laughed at how his body had given him away. "Yes, very much. We, I mean, I, just need a few more details."

  Her hands began roaming over his skin again, only this time they found their way to his chest, touching so lightly it was almost ticklish. He had to remind himself to stay patient. They had the rest of the weekend to enjoy themselves, and it was obvious that Mia was in no rush to end this pleasure.

  Neither was he.

  "How about we play a game?" she murmured.

  He nuzzled her ear. "Like spin the bottle?"

  "I was thinking of something a little more adventurous."

  "And I'm thinking I've lost my mind since I'm the only one around here who's naked."

  Her delighted laughter spiked his excitement to a new level. She held onto him with one hand and with the other started to scoot her impossibly tight skirt down. It got stuck over her hips.

  "Here," he said, "you hold on to me and we'll get this taken care of."

  Mia shimmied while Luke tried not to get distracted at the sight of her luscious curves appearing as the skirt descended. He knelt to help her lift her booted foot out of the way. It didn't take half a second for him to realize it placed him at eye level in the perfect spot: the skimpy red lace panties were a hot contrast to all the black she wore, the boots, the corset. . .

  He couldn't hold back any longer.

  Luke shifted the panties to one side and placed his mouth right on her. She gasped, and then grabbed his shoulders, holding tightly. He gripped her butt in both hands, keeping her right where he needed, so he could enjoy her to his heart's content.

  She began to moan, and then her fists were in his hair, moving him to a spot he didn't hesitate to follow. She murmured his name, several times, and when he increased the pressure—just so—she came apart.

  ***

  Mia managed to catch her breath while Luke sat back on his heels, the very picture of a satisfied male. Her legs could barely hold her up any longer. But the way he grinned as he got on the bed, his eyes promising her even more pleasure—how could she possibly resist that invitation?

  She walked slowly toward him, doing her best to stay in sex siren mode. Thankfully the costume helped. Luke's obvious appreciation did wonders too.

  She sat down next to him. It seemed the easier choice, since climbing onto the bed while wearing over-the-knee boots was not a skill she had ever thought to train for.

  "We may have to rethink this weekly Halloween celebration," she teased.

  "I don't know," he answered, his eyes pinned to her. "I'm liking it. A lot."

  She wrapped her fingers around him, stroking lightly. He settled his head on the pillow and closed his eyes. He opened them back up almost immediately.

  "What?"

  "Nothing," he rasped. "I just didn't want to miss what those red fingernails can do. I've been thinking about it since you opened the front door."

  She grinned as she resumed her movements, letting his hiss of pleasure determine whether her hand moved faster, or more slowly. He dropped his head back onto the pillow with a groan.

  "God, Mia, you're killing me. In the best possible way."

  The anticipation was getting the best of her, too. She climbed on top of him, nestling against the heat of his body. His hands slid over the leather of her boots before moving upwards, smoothing over every inch of bare skin he could find. She loved how his eyes gleamed when he gripped her waist and pulled her forward.

  But it was too much for the corset, and it gave up trying to contain her breasts.

  Luke lovingly kissed one exposed nipple. "Best." He switched his attention to the other one, tormenting it in the most delicious way. "Halloween." He flashed her a sexy grin. "Ever."

  Then he moved deep inside her, making his words come true, over and over.

  Chapter 3

  November

  "I'm still amazed you managed to get away from work on Thanksgiving." Mia sneaked a bite of cornbread stuffing when she thought Luke wasn't looking.

  "I'm the boss, remember? I can decide things like that every once in a while." Luke gave her a kiss. "And quit stealing the stuffing."

  "I can't help it. It's sooo good." She frowned for a moment. "You're positive it won't cause any commotion?"

  "If you keep stealing the stuffing?"

  Mia smacked his arm playfully. "You know what I mean."

  "Are you expecting someone else to show up? You said your brothers had other plans—"

  "And your family is off on some tour of Europe. I know. I just feel a little guilty. Okay, a lot guilty."

  "Don't." He finished chopping some celery and set the knife aside, wiping his hands on a towel tucked into his waistband. "I wanted to have today off."

  "You're still cooking, though, on your day off."

  He finally tugged her into his embrace. "Is there anything I can say, or do, to convince you I'm happy right where I am, doing what I'm doing?"

  Mia stood on her tiptoes to kiss him. "I know you like kissing me." She grinned. "And my sous chef skills have exploded the past few months, haven't they?"

  He chuckled. "Yes, they have. So there's no need to worry. Let's enjoy our first holiday together—"

  "Halloween was technically our first holiday—"

  His face lit up at that memory, making her tingle everywhere. "Actually, Labor Day was our first. But every day with you feels like a holiday."

  "I would say that sounds kind of corny, but I feel the same way."

  "Okay then. Let's get back to making this spectacular dinner. Once we've got the turkey in the oven, we'll have a few hours to—" His eyes twinkled. "Show each other what we're thankful for."

  "Oooh, I like how you think." She gave him a swat on his sexy butt. "Back to work then!"

  ***

  Luke settled himself into the corner of the couch, and tucked Mia under his arm. She snuggled closer, pulling the blanket over them, even though they didn't need it for warmth.

  They always generated so much heat, the fireplace might not get much use during the upcoming winter months. It still added to the cozy atmosphere, though, and he was glad Mia had suggested it for today.

  Luke kissed the top of her head. "You first. Tell me something you're thankful for."

  "I'm thankful your couch can hold both of us comfortably. Especially when we get so wild."

  "You call that wild?" He laughed. "I had a tight hold on you the entire time. I wasn't about to let you get away. What else are you thankful for?"

  "Since you made both of us work up an appetite, I'm thankful I'm not cooking."

  "I'm thankful for that too. Ow! That's a lethal elbow you've got."

  She tilted her head back to look at him, and her grin was infectious. "You forget I grew up with two brothers. I've had to learn a survival trick or two over the years."

  "I'll be sure to keep that in mind. You know what I'd be grateful for?"

  She raised her eyebrows.

  "A kiss."

  "I can't possibly say no to that."

  He started to lean forward, but to his surprise, she lifted his shirt and placed her soft lips against his ribs, right where her elbow had made contact a moment ago. He let loose a big sigh of contentment.

  "Is your boo-boo all better now?" She dotted several more kisses along his ribcage. Even his belly button got some of her TLC.

  "Sort of. But you might have created another owie," he said with a laugh. "Further down. And that's something I'm always thankful for."

  "Me too." She grinned and then laid her head against his chest, smoothing her hands o
ver his bare stomach. "I just realized—it seems so strange that Hellboy isn't here."

  "You're right. I never thought I'd miss him like I do. That goofy grin of his. How excited he is to see us."

  "We can definitely put him in the 'thankful for' column."

  He stroked Mia's hair, letting his fingers travel down her arm. She was at the top of the list of things that made him feel thankful, as well as excited about the future. The only thing he wasn't thrilled with was her leaving again in a couple days.

  "Tell me something about yourself I don't know yet," Luke said.

  "I stole some more stuffing before you put it in the turkey."

  He gave her a playful tickle. "I said something I didn't know."

  She narrowed her eyes, as if she was plotting revenge, but the sweetness of her smile diminished the fierce effect she was after. "Okay, here's one. I don't like sweet potatoes. So you can have all of them today. And every day."

  "How can anybody not like sweet potatoes?"

  She made a gagging sound he found utterly adorable. "They're gross! They want to be a potato, but they're not. And they're definitely not sweet. Talk about false advertising."

  He laughed as he wrapped his arms tightly around her. "I promise I won't be one of those guys that says, 'wait til you taste them when I make them'."

  "Well that's a relief." She snuggled back into his arms. "Although I might give yours a try. You haven't steered me wrong yet."

  Her words gave him the opening he'd been hoping for. He wasn't sure what Mia might think of his suggestion, but, as she always liked to say, you never knew unless you gave it a try.

  "I've been thinking." Luke blew out a nervous breath. "We've made this long-distance thing work, and it's been pretty good. . ."

  "But?"

  Mia lifted her head to look at him. He saw the anxiety in her expression and continued quickly before she got the wrong impression.

  "But it kills me every time you have to leave. I want more time with you. Not just weekends or other spare moments we can steal to be together. I'm hoping you feel the same way."