"This is delicious." I smile sweetly.

He doesn't look like he's buying my change of subject, but he lets it go and starts packing the left-overs back into the cooler.

I lie on my back and take a deep, satisfied breath. Oh, this is nice. Warm late-summer day, good food, sexy man... Yes, it's a really good day. Suddenly, Luke is pulling my feet into his lap and he starts to rub.

Make that a glorious day.

"Oh, my. You cook and give foot rubs. I must be hallucinating." I hear him chuckle.

"Hey, what's this?" He runs his thumb just above the arch on the inside of my right foot.

Oh, that.

"A tattoo."

He tickles my foot and I squirm and giggle.

"Obviously, smart ass. What does it say?"

"It says 'One Step at a Time'." I reply and sigh as he continues to work magic on the sole of my foot.

"In what language?"

"Italian." I reply.

His finger traces the letters and I push up on my elbows and watch him. When his eyes meet mine they're on fire, and the muscles low, low in my stomach clench.

"It's sexy." He grins.

"Thanks." I grin back.

"Do you have any more?" He cocks his head to the side and reaches for my other foot.

"Yes."

His eyes shoot to mine again and they narrow.

"Where?"

"Various places."

"I don't see any others." His eyes skim up my bare legs, my arms, my chest.

"The one on my foot is the only one visible with my clothes on, and that's only when I'm barefoot," I whisper. Oh, this is fun!

He releases my foot.

"Hey! I was enjoying that foot rub."

He grabs my ankles and parts my legs, then crawls up my body on his hands and knees until his nose is almost touching mine.

"I want to know where your other tattoos are, Natalie."

I bite my lip and shake my head. Who can form words with his body so close?

"You're not going to tell me?" He leans in and lightly kisses the corner of my mouth.

Again I shake my head no.

"Maybe I'll just have to find them."

Chapter Six.

He kisses the other side of my mouth, his eyes not leaving mine.

I nod, slowly.

Luke grins as he pushes me back down against the blanket and covers my body with his. Holy Moses, he feels so good! His long, muscular body seems to fit perfectly against my soft curves. He presses one leg between mine and I can feel his impressive erection against my hip.

I push my hand under his shirt to caress his bare skin, up and down his ribs. His skin is so smooth and tight over sculpted muscles.

While he continues to make me crazy with that talented mouth of his, he runs his hand from my hip up over my shirt to my breast and I can't help but bow up off the ground, pressing my breast into his hand. My nipple is hard, straining against my bra and shirt, and he runs his thumb over it.

"Open your eyes." I gaze up into his perfect blue eyes, gazing at me with passion and hunger. My breath catches, and I run my fingertips down his cheek.

"You are so sexy, Natalie. I just can't seem to stop touching you."

"I love you touching me."

"You do?" He caresses my face, pushing errant strands of hair off my cheek.

"Yes," I whisper.

"Your skin is so soft," he murmurs, his fingers still on my cheek. "I love your curvy body."

My eyes widen.

"Don't frown." He kisses me between my eyebrows as if he's smoothing the frown from my face.

"I'm not so sure about my curvy body." It's a whispered admission that I've never made before, and frankly, I've never felt this vulnerable.

His blue gaze meets mine again, and each word is a staccato: "You. Are. Beautiful."

I close my eyes, but he tips my chin, forcing me to look at him again.

"Thank you."

His lips find mine, gently now, lingering and caressing my mouth as if we have all the time in the world. I shift my hips and grind myself against his thigh, and he groans low in his throat.

My blood is on fire. I've never wanted a man like I want Luke. I want to consume him. I want him fast and hard, and I want him to take all day. I love how tender he is with me.

He sits up, pulling me with him and grabs the hem of my shirt. "I want to see you." He's breathless and needy and in this moment I'd do anything he asked.

I lift my hands above my head, but before he can pull my shirt off, I feel drops of water on my face. I glance up and realize the sky has clouded over and it's starting to rain, the water seeping through the branches of our oak tree.

"I'm getting wet," I whisper against his mouth.

He grins, his eyes laughing at me. "I hope so."

I can't help but laugh at him, and I wrap my arms around his neck. "That too, but we're about to get rained on."

"Damn it," Luke murmurs, kissing me chastely. He runs a hand down my back, from my neck to my ass, and I think I purr.

"We should go." I raise an eyebrow at him.

"Don't think I'm not going to discover your tattoo secrets."

"What ever happened to taking this slow?" My breathing is starting to calm, but my heart is still beating fast. Oh, what this man does to me!

"I think I've changed my mind." He's perfectly serious.

Thank God!

"And why is that?" I run my hands through his hair, completely happy on his lap, with his arms tight around me.

"Because I can't keep my hands off of you. I don't know what you're doing to me, but I'm under some kind of spell." He gives himself a shake, and looks around us at the darkening sky.

"The rain is getting heavy, let's head back." He lets me go and we gather our things, jogging into the woods and to the car. By the time we get there, we're wet and laughing like kids.

"I don't want to get your leather seats wet!"

"Don't worry about it, just get in!" He opens the door for me. "I don't want you sick, baby."

Baby? Baby! Am I okay with him calling me baby? He guides me into the seat, slams the door and runs to the driver side. He looks over at me, his hair and shirt soaked, breathing hard, his beautiful blue eyes full of humor.

Oh, yes. I'm fine with it.

"Let's get you home and dry." He starts the car and pulls out of the parking lot, toward the freeway.

"So, tell me more about yourself." Luke merges onto the freeway and glances over at me.

"What do you want to know?" I ask.

"Favorite music?"

"Maroon 5." I respond easily.

"Favorite movie?" he asks with a grin.

"Hmm... we've had this conversation." I laugh. "I still like The Way We Were."

"Ah yes, you're a Robert Redford fan." He kisses my hand and I sigh.

"I am."

"First boyfriend?" he asks, his eyes turn nervously to mine again, and I freeze. How do I answer this question?

"You know, I don't do this." I turn in the seat to face him.

He glances at me, then back at the road. "Do what?"

I shrug, trying to find the words, and wondering why I feel the need to explain myself.

"Hey," he links his fingers with mine and kisses my hand before resting them both in his lap. "What is it?"

"I don't usually spend much time with men. I don't make out. I don't share meals. I don't spend time playing the twenty questions game. I just... don't." This is coming out so wrong!

He gazes at me again, surprised.

"Okay, what do you do with men?" He squirms in his seat and I think he's mad.

"I fuck them." There. It's out there.

"What?" Oh, yeah... I think he's really mad.

"Luke, I don't date." Oh, how do I explain this? I have never wanted to date anyone before. Before him.

"Are you brushing me off?" his voice is incredulous and he lets go of my hand.

"No!" I close my eyes and shake my head. "Before I met you, I mean. I just don't want you to think that I'm promiscuous or that I go out with guys into the woods after knowing them for less than two days."

"But you fuck them." He snarls.

"Well, I used to." I turn back in the seat and stare out the windshield. "Before my parents died..."

He grabs my hand again and I whip my head back to him, surprised.

"Go on."

"Before they died, when I was in college, I didn't think much of myself. And therefore, neither did anyone else. I didn't date as a choice, Luke. But sex was something I understood. I've never wanted to feel anything else for a man." I swallow hard and close my eyes in shame.

"Did something happen to you to make you feel like that?" His voice is dead calm. Too calm.