Devotion (Club Destiny #5)(33)
Author: Nicole Edwards

Luke grinned and Cole leaned forward, setting his empty beer bottle on the table before leaning back into the soft, brown leather, crossing one ankle over the other knee. “What do you think? Do you want to break them apart?”

“I don’t see the downside of it,” Luke admitted, his tone turning hesitant. “It would free me up from late nights, which I’d really like. I’m confident that Kane could run the place without me.”

“I’m assuming you would completely separate the two? As in relocate the adult club?”

“I’m thinking that’s the best idea. Do you see another option?”

Cole appreciated the fact that Luke had started talking to him more about the club. They’d always had brief conversations from time to time, mainly because Cole had been a member from the start, and also because they’d been involved in a few threesome opportunities over the last couple of years, prior to Sierra, which meant they’d established a sort of friendship. Even before Luke accepted the fact that he was bisexual, Cole had developed feelings for the man. Knowing that Luke trusted him, even if Luke sometimes didn’t trust himself, meant something to Cole.

“Do you intend to keep it similar to what it is now? The same setup? The apartments and the separate fetish club?”

“Don’t know. I haven’t been able to wrap my head around how it would be. Aside from the fact that we don’t have many members anymore, I’m not sure what I envision.”

Cole liked the idea of having more time with Luke. He knew Sierra would feel the same. And with the baby on the way, it was perfect timing. He wasn’t sure about relocating the club because that would be expensive. They’d have to start completely over with designing and building. Although, separating completely from the night club would offer them a little more options as to how they structured it.

“Are you looking to go the resort route?”

Because they had invested in Alluring Indulgence Resort, they’d discussed the concept, but Cole didn’t think Luke was looking to replicate it.

“No,” Luke said brusquely, sitting up straight and leaning forward so his elbows rested on his knees. “I’m not signing up for that type of headache. The Walkers are a lot younger than I am. I have no desire to start over at this point. Not that much anyway.”

“I agree,” Cole said, still considering what Luke was proposing. “What if we strip out the apartments and move to a large commercial building. We wouldn’t need to stay downtown because we wouldn’t be catering to the nightclub scene anymore.”

“The same concept?”

“I think so. The Club was doing well,” Cole said, realizing he didn’t want to make Luke feel as though he’d made the wrong decision in closing the doors. “I think it was more than time that we did something drastic to shake things up a bit. Weed out the few that managed to get through that we’d have preferred not. This works. And it gives us a chance to revamp the membership rules.”

Luke stared back at him, and Cole fought the urge to squirm under the scrutiny of his penetrating hazel eyes. He didn’t know why, but he wanted Luke to listen to what he had to say. Hoped that what he shared made sense.

“See, that’s another reason I love you,” Luke said gruffly.

Cole’s heart did jumping jacks in his chest at the words. Until last night, Luke hadn’t shared how he felt as far as saying “I love you” for quite some time, and now he was handing it out freely. He hated getting his hopes up, but when Luke opened up like this, Cole couldn’t help but believe in the happily ever after that he still doubted despite the reassurance both Luke and Sierra had offered him.

“Why’s that?” he asked, pretending the words didn’t tilt his entire world sideways and make his heart swell to three times its normal size.

“Because you get it,” Luke began, setting his beer on the table as he pushed to his feet. Cole kept his gaze trained on the beautiful man who was now moving his way, and he feared his palms might actually begin to sweat.

The way Luke stalked toward him made him feel as though they’d just met, like the chemistry between them was just as combustible as it had been that first night at Logan’s house when Luke had finally taken what Cole had been offering for far too long.

He remained sitting upright, even as Luke leaned over him until Luke forced him to fall back onto the couch. He was fixated on Luke’s hungry stare, practically daring the man to take what he wanted. It wasn’t like Luke didn’t know that Cole would give him anything, do anything for him, but when the man took what he wanted, it only exacerbated the intensity between them.