Covet thy Neighbor

by Denise Carbo

  A timer on the oven beeps. I walk over and check on the cakes. The heat from the oven bathes my face. The scent of vanilla fills my nose. I shut the oven off and grab an oven mitt and put the cakes on racks to cool.

  Luke stands watching me. I walk back over to the desk and stack the papers I was working on in a neat stack.

  “I wasn’t avoiding you—not intentionally—maybe a little subconsciously. You could have called.” I may have decided I wasn’t giving up on him, but I also will not chase after him like some lovesick fool and beg him to love me.

  “I started to a dozen times, but what I wanted to say isn’t something I wanted to do over the phone.”

  “Okay, so what do you want to say?”

  Luke looks over his shoulder and then around the kitchen. “This isn’t exactly what I had in mind. Can I take you to lunch or dinner? Or come over after work?”

  I glance at the clock on the wall. It’s barely ten o’clock in the morning. There’s no way I’m going to be able to wait until lunch or dinner. My mind will have come up with a hundred or so nightmare scenarios by then.

  “Look if you just want to dump me, I’d rather you get it over with right here and now.” I think I’d rather he did it over voicemail or text. I always thought people who did that were cowards, but being on the receiving end would be better, wouldn’t it? Then I could rage over how cowardly he was for doing it over the phone instead of standing here feeling like pieces of my heart are crumbling.

  “I’m not dumping you. I thought you had already dumped me.”

  Frowning, I drop into the chair. “I didn’t dump you. I said I needed time. And technically, I couldn’t have dumped you because we aren’t even in an actual relationship. We’re just neighbors who have sex, right?”

  “That’s not true.” Luke comes over and leans against the desk next to me. “You’re mad, I get it. I didn’t handle our last conversation well.”

  “I’m not mad.” I cross my legs and drum my fingers on my knee. “Okay, I’m a little mad, but mostly hurt and embarrassed.”

  Luke crouches down so we’re at eye level. “I’m sorry.”

  Tears fill my eyes so I stare up at the ceiling, anywhere but at him.

  “Olivia.” He puts his hand over mine.

  I shake my head and press my lips together.

  “I know nothing about being in love but let me tell you what I do know.”

  Peeking down at the top of his head, I blink back the tears and hold my breath. He rubs his thumb over mine.

  “I know I’ve missed you and the boys like crazy. Wherever we went, to the park, dinner, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and every day since, I kept wishing you were there. I know I’ve told you things I’ve never told anyone. I’ve never felt comfortable enough with anyone else to share. I know I was jealous as hell when you told me Ryan wanted to get back together with you. I wanted to punch him the day I saw you with him at the inn. I know being with you has healed me. I’m writing again. My agent thanks you, by the way. I know when anything happens, you’re the first person I think of to tell. I know every time I see you, the weight on my shoulders gets lighter. You make me smile and laugh.”

  The tears I’ve been trying to hold back spill over.

  Luke looks up at me and raises his hand to cup my cheek, wiping tears away with his thumb.

  “I know when I imagine my life without you in it, it’s a dark and lonely place.”

  “Well, that’s a start.”

  He chuckles and leans forward to press his lips to mine. I lean my forehead against his and then lean back to sniffle and scrub my cheeks with my hands.

  “I need a tissue.” I scoot the chair over to grab one out of the box on the corner of the desk.

  Luke stands. “So, you’re not giving up on me, then?”

  I throw the tissues away and stand. “I never was. I just needed time to come up with a game plan to make you fall in love with me.”

  He pulls me into his arms. His hands rest at the small of my back. “Oh, and what’s on this game plan?”

  I smooth the lapel of his jacket. “I’m still working on the details.”

  He lowers his head and kisses me softly. “We could come up with a plan together.”

  I smile. “Oh? What sort of things would you put on the list?” I clasp my hands together behind his neck.

  Luke tilts his head to the side. “Steps one, two, and three involve lots of affection and touching—preferably naked.”

  “I had a feeling that would be a key requirement.”

  He closes his eyes and touches his forehead to mine. “Most importantly don’t give up on me.”

  I clasp his cheeks and stare into his eyes. “Never going to happen.”

  Epilogue

  Millions of lights glow in every direction. Cars fill the streets below—their engines hum, horns honk. Voices from people in the hall and the soft ping of the elevator filter through the hotel door.

  “You want to call and check on them again?”

  I stare at the reflection in the window of Luke standing behind me in the middle of the room. Smiling, I shake my head. I’ve called and checked on the boys at least a dozen times since Ryan picked them up yesterday to spend the weekend with him in Boston. It’s not the first time he’s taken them there, and it won’t be the last now that he lives in the city.

  It’s the first time I’ve gone away to New York City for a romantic weekend with Luke, though.

  He comes up behind me and puts his hands on my upper arms. “They’re fine.”

  “I know.” I turn and loop my arms around his neck. “I’m sorry. You’ve made this Valentine’s Day so special with the trip to New York, a scrumptious dinner, and here we are alone in this beautiful hotel room, and I’m worrying about the boys.”

  My phone vibrates on the table and rings.

  “Go, answer it.”

  I wince. “Sorry, but that’s Ryan’s ringtone.” I step over to the table and pick it up. The boys’ faces fill the screen requesting a Facetime call. I press the button and grin as they make funny faces and stick their tongue out. “Hi Mom!”

  Ryan’s face appears behind them. “Stop worrying and enjoy your Valentine’s Day. Luke texted us.”

  I glance over my shoulder at Luke standing with his hands in his pants pockets. He wore a suit for me and is so handsome he makes my chest hurt. I mouth the words thank you and then look back at my phone.

  “Okay, I promise no more calls until tomorrow. I love you both so much!” I send them an air kiss.

  “Love you!”

  “Thanks, Ryan.” I disconnect the call and put my phone down.

  Smoothing my red dress over my hips, I turn and smile at Luke. “Now, how should I thank you for such a wonderful Valentine’s Day and for being so understanding about my mom worries?”

  He grins. “I can think of several ways.”

  “So can I.” I slide my hands over his shoulders. “Have I told you just how good you look in this suit?”

  “You might have mentioned it.” He spans my waist with his hands. “Have I told you how gorgeous you are in this dress and those heels?”

  “You might have mentioned it. But it never hurts to repeat it.”

  “Beautiful.” He kisses my neck. “Delectable.” His hands roam over my back. “Sexy as hell.” His tongue traces my bottom lip.

  Our mouths meld together in heated frolic.

  He takes my hand and leads me into the bedroom.

  Red rose petals in the shape of a giant heart decorate the bed. A bottle of champagne and glasses sits on the dresser.

  “I can’t take credit for more than the idea. The hotel staff took care of it while we were at dinner.”

  “This is definitely a case of it’s the thought that counts. Very romantic, Mr. Hollister.”

  “I’m glad you think so.” He takes a deep breath and I turn my head away from the bed to look.

  Still holding my hand, he drops to one knee and pulls out a jewelry box. My
jaw slackens and my breath freezes in my lungs.

  “This was my grandmother’s ring. She left it to me. I almost offered it to Wyatt when he said he was going to propose to Barb, but something held me back. Now I know it was you, or the promise of you.” He flips open the box to reveal a beautiful ring. The center diamond sparkles as the lights hit it.

  My eyes overflow.

  “You’ve shown me what loves is. I love you, Olivia, and nothing would make me happier than to spend the rest of my life with you. Will you marry me?”

  I clap a hand over my mouth and frantically nod as words fail me. He slips the ring on my finger, stands, and pulls me into his arms.

  He rocks me back and forth while I sniffle into his shoulder.

  “I’m really glad you said yes, because Ryan and the boys, Oliver, and your parents have been texting me all night to see if I popped the question yet.”

  I pull back and stare. “They all know?”

  “Well, I had to ask your father’s permission, and it wouldn’t be right not asking the boys if it was okay if I asked their mom to marry me. Then Oliver cornered me when he was up for a visit a couple of weekends ago demanding to know my intentions and threatening bodily harm if I hurt you, so I had to tell him my plans.”

  His leg vibrates against my hip and I glance down.

  “There goes one of them again. Your family is impatient.”

  I laugh and dig the phone out of his pocket. It’s Oli texting, “What’s taking so long? Do you need more pointers?”

  I show him the text and giggle. Luke rolls his eyes.

  “Are you going to put them out of their misery? I vote for making your brother suffer until morning.”

  “Let’s make a group call and share the happy news. We’ll make it brief.” I kiss him and stare up into his eyes. “Then you and I can celebrate—just the two of us and I can show you just how happy you’ve made me.”

  Luke cups my face in his hands and kisses me. “I’m the luckiest man alive.”

  About the Author

  Denise Carbo writes Contemporary Romance, Paranormal Romance, and Romantic Suspense. She is a voracious reader, loves to travel, is fascinated by the supernatural, and enjoys solving mysteries.

  She lives in a small, picturesque New England town with her high school sweetheart and their three amazing sons.

  You can connect with me on:

  https://www.denisecarbo.com

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  Also by Denise Carbo

  https://bit.ly/3m462ht

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