count on me (l.h)

"dancing from room to room"

chapter thirteen: dancing from room to room

hi: some smut lies ahead, toward the end — you've been warned

FRIDAY NIGHT. "How do you like me?" As I walked out from the bathroom, which I had taken over while getting ready, I struck a pose in the dress that Luke had bought me. I had paired the outfit with my heeled Chelsea boots that I wore almost exclusively. I looked edgy and, undoubtedly, hot.

I had been self-conscious for the entirety of my childhood; hitting twenty-one had been a game-changer for my self-esteem, and I was sort of obsessed with myself. But in a healthy way.

"God damn!" Luke whistled before dramatically falling backward onto the bed, clutching his chest. "I think you've given me a heart attack."

"Well, get yourself better because we have a fun night ahead of us," I told Luke as I climbed onto the bed, having no cares as my dress came up while I straddled his waist. He smiled up at me and trailed his right hand up my thigh, up the skirt of my dress before gently tugging on the undies I had on.

"Fuck, Jos—are you wearing something sexy under this?"

"Of course," I told him through a scoff. "All black." I watched as Luke's eyes closed and I laughed at his face; I guessed he was trying to imagine what I was wearing underneath. "But you can't see until we've gotten back from dinner! So maybe we shouldn't waste any more time."

I pushed myself off Luke and was quick to get off the bed, not letting him pull me back toward him.

"I don't know if I missed you being a tease or not," Luke said, just before letting out a groan as he rolled off the bed.

"Me?" I asked him, laughing cheaply as I crossed my arms. "When have I ever been a tease?"

"As your boyfriend—I often see you as a walking tease, bubs. Every second I don't have my hands on you is time wasted and teased. Do you know what it's like having to act civil in your presence?" Luke delivered his argument with a smirk and I found him to be a nuisance—a cute one, though.

"You better keep your mitts off me, Hemmings," I jokingly warned which caused Luke's eyes to roll. He put his hands behind his back as he walked toward me; once he got to me he leaned down and pressed his lips to mine, continuing to keep his hands away. I kissed back and allowed my hands to fly up to his cheek. Luke's hands didn't stay away long—they were on my hips within seconds and the action caused me to laugh gently against Luke's lips.

Luke suddenly pushed me against the wall, just beside the door to our room, and I took it upon myself to kiss him harder. His lips eventually disconnected with my own and he began to trail them down my jaw. It felt so nice to have Luke's lips on my skin and I was so happy to be back in his presence. I didn't know how I would go longer than a month without seeing him—just thinking about it filled me with dread.