"Fuck, that is hot."

I'd be embarrassed, but he is so into it that it just turns me on more. He finally releases one of my legs only to stick two fingers into me, coating them with his release and then moving them to my clit.

"No, no, I can't," I protest. He can't possibly think he's going to make me come again. I'm still pulsating from the last one.

"You can." He drops my other leg now to unsnap my bra and he bends, taking a nipple in his mouth as he works me with his fingers below. Of course he proves himself right, working another orgasm out of me before we're through.

"Luke, you bought Elf on the Shelf?" I ask, holding up the box. I'm still sitting on the countertop. Luke just cleaned me up with a paper towel while I about died of embarrassment. It's a lot messier without a condom. I tried to take the paper towel from him and do it myself but he wouldn't allow it.

"I found it by the DVD's," he replies, as if this explains everything. "It's an elf."

This isn't a tradition I did with my grandparents and I can't imagine Luke did either. "I think this is for little kids," I say, reviewing the box.

Luke shrugs and pulls a menu out of the drawer. "Do you want to order in or go down to Serafina?"

"No!" I blurt out. "Not Serafina."

He looks confused. "You don't like Serafina?"

"I love Serafina," I say, then realize I've painted myself in a corner. I don't want to admit I'm feeling weird about Luke always taking me out to eat at a restaurant that's conveniently located in his lobby. I'm behaving like a brat. We just went to Target in public, it's not like he's hiding me.

He looks at me like I'm going to elaborate. When I don't, he puts the menu away and picks my panties up off the floor and slides them up to mid-thigh, then repeats the motions with my jeans before lifting me off the counter and sliding them the remaining way up. He even zips and buttons me back into my jeans and I gotta admit, watching his huge hands dress me makes me want to rip everything off all over again.

"What’s your favorite Italian restaurant, Sophie?" he asks as he holds my sweater up for me to put my arms through.

"Lombardi's," I reply automatically.

"Okay," he says and slides his keys off the counter. "We'll go to Lombardi's."

"Luke! Lombardi's is forty-five minutes away in Horsham. And it's not your scene, it's very casual." I feel like such an ass. "Serafina's is fine. Let's just eat downstairs."

He pulls me closer. "You don't think I'm casual?"

"Luke, please," I laugh. "You're the least casual person I know."

"Hmm, maybe," he murmurs into my hair. "I don't feel casual about you," he says, kissing the top of my head. "So maybe serious isn't all bad."

What is this guy doing to me?

Chapter 22

"He bought you an Elf on the Shelf?" Everly is staring at me like I've just announced we had a three-way with an elf.

"Yeah. Neither of us really knew what it was, but we looked it up and now he texts me pictures of the elf every morning," I say with a big stupid grin on my face.

"Pictures of the elf on his dick?" Everly asks hopefully.

"No! Pictures of the elf doing funny stuff around his house." Everly is speechless. "Never mind." I wave a hand.

"Holy shit. He's in love with you."

"No." I shake my head. "No, we're just having fun."

It's a week after Thanksgiving and the first I've seen Everly since before the holiday. We were slammed with customers this morning and now it's finally slowed down enough to catch up.

"Wait. Would that be a bad thing? If he loved me?" I ask. She seems kind of appalled.

Everly softens. "Well, no, it's not bad. It's just you're so young."

"I'm the same age as you," I point out.

"No, I know." Everly is treading lightly now, which is odd for Everly. "You just don't have a lot of experience with men," she says. "Are you ready to commit to something serious?"

"I don't know," I reply as I examine the ends of my hair. "This conversation is silly. We've been together less than two months."

"Do you think this conversation will be easier in a month when you're so far gone in love with him there's no turning back? Will you be happy being with a man who has to run off to the hospital at all hours of the day and night?"

"His hours aren't that bad, really. Most of his practice is scheduled appointments. Unless he's on call at the hospital."

"Yeah, most of his practice involves him looking at other women's pussies. Right now you're the hottest pussy he sees, but how will you feel when you're forty and you know he's seeing twenty-year-old pussy at work?"

"Everly, eww." Of course, now I'm thinking about it.

"And his family is awful," Everly continues. "Think about all that before you tell me you're just having fun."

"He sounds like such a catch when you phrase it that way," I reply sarcastically.

"You're the catch, Sophie. Don't sell yourself short."

"I'm the child of a teenage mother and I don’t even know who my father is."

"Your mother has nothing to do with you, Sophie. You made yourself who you are, not her. You're a smart, beautiful girl who will be graduating soon with honors. You're the most caring, responsible person I know."

"Okay, enough about me. Tell me about your weekend. Did you make any headway with Professor Camden?" I ask her as I pour myself a coffee.

"I…" Everly starts to say, but then stops. Shaking her head, she says, "I don't know what is going on anymore, Sophie."

"What do you mean?" It's so odd to see Everly anything less than confident. "You always know what's going on. You have a plan, remember? Six months till graduation, six months to make Finn Camden fall in love with you," I remind her.

"I know!" She throws her hands up in the air. "I know, I know, but I'm so confused."

"Is everything okay?" I'm concerned. Everly is off her game and that is rare.

"Yeah." She nods, as if to reassure herself. Then she looks past me to the counter. "Your stalker is here again."