by Soraya Lane
Ollie tried not to laugh. She squeezed his arm, then ran her fingers lightly over his skin.
“We’re doing okay, Luke. At least I think we are.”
She braved a look, just one look at his warm, dark eyes. It was a mistake, but then she’d known that being in here with him again was dangerous. That she needed distance from him to avoid a repeat of losing control with him.
She opened her mouth to speak, but he shook his head, so slightly she could have been mistaken. Nothing seemed to move, yet he was closer to her, achingly close, and she wanted so desperately to have him against her. Last night hadn’t been enough for her. Too much and not enough all at once.
Luke placed one finger to her lips, the roughness of his skin sending a shiver of pleasure like fireflies through her belly. She wanted him; she wasn’t going to pretend otherwise. But the danger of it, the worry, made her want to run just as much.
“Luke, we need to take the cake in.” Her voice was barely a whisper.
He smiled. “I know.”
Ollie jumped a pace backward, her thighs connecting with the tower of presents stacked behind her. Luke was still watching her, not breaking that connection, but she felt the pull toward Charlie. Especially as she heard the squeals and shouts of the kids, just outside the room. It was his birthday, his special day, yet here she was, hoping Luke would jump her in the kitchen.
She gave him a half smile as her heart fluttered back to normal speed, her body was catching on to the fact that nothing was going to happen between them. At least not right now.
Luke picked up the cake, gave her another wink and headed out into the dining room. Ollie took a moment to compose herself before following him.
She didn’t know what she was more scared of, playing happy families with Luke out there, or worrying about what was going to happen later, when everyone had gone. When they were alone, with no excuses.
CHAPTER TEN
CHARLIE BLEW THE candles out and Luke made a mental note not to sample any cake. He had a feeling that more spit had made its way to the icing than breath, and the little fingers inching closer to it made it seem all the less appealing.
He watched as Olivia knelt down beside the kids and started slicing pieces.
“It’s a pretty good cake, huh?”
Luke turned to see Kelly standing beside him. “Yeah, doesn’t look bad at all.”
Ollie’s friend smiled and moved closer. Luke wasn’t quite sure if she was hitting on him or wanting to keep their voices down. He figured it was the latter, given how frosty she’d been the day before.
“How’s everything going? Olivia hasn’t mentioned how long you’re back for.”
So she was fishing for information. This was one thing he couldn’t be beaten at, even if she tried to torture it out of him.
“It’s great to be home.” He took a sip of lemonade from his paper cup and wished it was something stronger. Something much stronger.
“Luke, I don’t mean to pry, but I care a lot about Liv. She hurts, I hurt kind of thing.”
Luke knew where this was going. He didn’t mind being asked questions, but his wife was the only person he owed answers to. Especially when it was about their marriage.
“Look, Kelly,” he said, turning to face her. “I appreciate your concern, and I appreciate that you’ve been a great friend to her, but this is between me and Olivia.”
The woman smiled, but the angle of her head, the tilt of her chin, showed another emotion altogether. She wasn’t going to let this go, he could tell.
“All I’m saying is that I don’t want to see her hurt again. If you’re not going to hang around, then maybe you should let her move on and find someone who will.” Her words were cool. Clearly she had no problem telling him exactly what she thought of him.
Luke bit back the reply he wanted to give her, refusing to make an enemy of one of Olivia’s closest friends.
“Just think about it, Luke.” The sweet smile was back on her face as she composed herself and turned to walk away. “Nice to see you again.”
He didn’t bother to reply. Where the hell did she get off, approaching him at his son’s birthday party and confronting him like that?
He knew he’d made mistakes. The very fact that he’d left, and in some warped way thought he’d done Charlie a favor, was the biggest of them all. But he’d come home for his son, and now he wanted Charlie and Olivia. The more time he spent here, the more sure he was.
“Luke?”
He turned slightly and saw Olivia standing beside him, a plate of cake in her hand.
He smiled, snapping out of it. “Hey. That for me?”
“If you want it.” She grinned. “It tastes great.”
“If you like spittle and sticky fingers, you mean?”
She waved her free hand in the air. “Being a parent means plenty of spit and germs. Try some. I promise you’ll like it.” Breaking off a piece of cake with her forefinger and thumb she held it out to him. “Go on.”
Luke hesitated. But the waggle of her eyebrows and the look of the icing between her slender fingers made him give in to temptation. Besides, if being a parent meant getting over hygiene rules, then he’d best give it a go now, while he was trying to prove himself.
She leaned closer when he opened his mouth to taste the cake, and Luke fought not to pull her entire body close at the same time. But he stayed still, swallowing the cake, and watching as his wife licked the sticky icing from her fingers.
“Good?” she asked.
He nodded. “Yeah.”
Over the din of children playing and the stereo blaring kids’ tunes, the doorbell sounded.
“I’ll get it. You keep an eye on the party,” Olivia instructed.
Luke watched her go, then tore his eyes away to focus on Charlie and his little buddies. She looked so lovely—so soft, so feminine, so touchable. And he wanted her. God, did he want her.
But he couldn’t shake off what Kelly had said, no matter how much he didn’t want to believe her. If Olivia’s best friend didn’t think he was good enough for her, was he? Luke hated that he was second-guessing himself, but he couldn’t help it.
“Charlie, look who’s here!”
Olivia’s voice rang through the room, and Charlie jumped to his feet. Luke turned to see who had come.
It took him a moment, but then he realized where he’d seen the face before. Smiling at him from the mantel of the apartment, that day they’d gone to see Olivia at work.
“Luke, come over here. There’s someone I’d like you to meet.”
Olivia stood next to the man, who was dressed in a black suit, tie neatly hugging the collar of his shirt. Ricardo. Did Luke really have to meet a guy who was interested in his wife?
“Luke?” Olivia called.
He forced his feet to move, refusing to portray anything other than confidence. But he’d hated him on first sight.
Ricardo smiled. Luke tried to do the same without looking like a wolf baring his teeth.
“Luke, this is Ricardo. My boss.” Olivia beamed. “He just dropped by to give Charlie a gift.”
“Hi,” Luke said, extending his hand. “Nice to meet you.”
“I’ve heard a lot about you, Luke. Great to finally put a face to the name,” Ricardo replied.
Luke nodded. He couldn’t say he was pleased to be doing the same. Thankfully, Charlie started to rip into the paper on the large present he’d just received.
“Charlie!” Olivia scolded.
Ricardo smiled and placed a hand on Olivia’s arm. Luke bristled, like a hedgehog about to be attacked. What the hell was he doing, touching her? Was there something going on between them?
“Let him rip. It’s all part of the fun,” said Ricardo.
Luke tried his best n
ot to punch the guy. Instead, he let his fists curl at his sides. Was this what Kelly had been insinuating? That he should walk away for good and let Olivia move on with Ricardo?
Over his dead body!
“Cool!” Charlie was waving a massive dinosaur toy and a remote control.
Great, Ricardo had even managed to upstage Luke in the gift department.
“Glad you like it.”
Charlie ran off to show his friends and Luke stood his ground. He had an instinctive feeling that he had to be the alpha male and stake out his territory. Show what was his and make sure the other guy knew it.
Olivia looked uncomfortable. She’d moved away from Ricardo to stand between them, but it wasn’t enough. It was clear from the way Ricardo looked at her that he was in love with her. Did she honestly not see it, or was she trying to hide something?
“So what’s it like to be home?”
As Ricardo spoke, Luke moved closer to Olivia. He looped his arm around her waist. “Great. It’s great to be back with my family.”
Olivia squirmed, but Luke held her firmly. He had no intention of letting her go until the jerk had left their home.
“Charlie’s loved having his dad home,” Olivia said, giving him a slightly confused smile. As if she wasn’t exactly sure what he was doing.
“I’ll bet he has,” Ricardo replied.
“And thanks for the gift. It was far too extravagant, but Charlie clearly loved it,” Olivia said. “Thanks so much for coming over.”
“Yes, well, I’d better be off. Nice to meet you, Luke. See you next week, Olivia.”
“You’re going already? Stay for a coffee, some cake....” she suggested.
Olivia fought to get away from Luke’s grasp so he let her go. His fingers bit into her skin as she pulled away and he wished he’d just released her, before she’d had to wriggle. He knew he was being childish, but he couldn’t help it. This was his wife, his son’s party, and he wasn’t ready to have to fight someone else for what was his, not when he was struggling to keep hold of them as it was.
“I don’t want to be in the way. I just wanted Charlie to have his present on his actual birthday.”
“Well, it was very kind of you, wasn’t it, Luke?”
She glared at him, as if she expected him to gush about the gift, too. “Yeah, thanks. Much appreciated,” he managed to say.
Ricardo waved, glanced back one last time, then walked out the door. Luke had never been so pleased to see someone go.
Olivia waved goodbye then shut the door. She stood looking at the solid timber for a moment before turning slowly to face him. Luke went from slightly smug to feeling like an absolute idiot in two seconds flat.
“What the hell was that about?” Her voice was a low hiss, as if she didn’t want anyone else to hear their exchange.
“What?” He didn’t want to argue.
“You know what I’m talking about, Luke,” she insisted, hands on her hips as she stared at him.
Jealousy and anger welled up in him, but he fought to keep his emotions locked away. All Ollie needed to know was that he cared, that he loved her.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he said, crossing the distance between them and reaching for her hand, trying to coax at least one of them from being planted on her hip.
“Luke, don’t pretend nothing happened just then.” Her voice was low and angry again, as if she was really starting to get mad.
“You mean the fact that your boss is in love with you?” He couldn’t help it; she’d pushed him too far.
“What?”
She looked dumbfounded for a moment, before taking hold of his arm and marching him down the hall. He didn’t want to cause a scene any more than she did, and he especially didn’t want Charlie to see them argue.
“You’re being ridiculous, Luke. Absolutely ridiculous.”
Was he? “Just tell me the truth, Ollie. It’d be better than what’s going through my head right now, what I’m imagining.” Arguing like this was starting to remind him of the past, of before he’d left, and that wasn’t a place he wanted to go back to.
“How dare you, Luke,” she said, her eyes wide as she glared at him. “There is nothing, nothing, going on between us, and there never will be.”
“I’m sorry. I had to ask.” He was relieved, beyond relieved, to hear her say that. “But I don’t think it’s for his lack of wanting you.”
From the look on her face, Luke was thinking he shouldn’t have taken it any further. Should have just stopped talking.
“That’s why you held on to me before, wasn’t it? Some kind of stupid macho thing to try and tell him to back off.”
Olivia marched within a inch of him when he said nothing to deny her statement.
“So that’s what all this is about, huh? You trying to show what’s yours.”
Luke wanted to grab her. To kiss her, shake her, make things right. But he’d gone too far this time. Way too far. He should have just sucked up his pride and been confident in the knowledge that she was his wife. Instead, he’d managed to wreck things yet again.
“If you don’t trust me, then this is over right now.” Her voice was low, as if it was hard for her to say, but she was determined to get it out. “You can forget all about having a second chance here.”
Damn. Didn’t she know how hard this was for him? Wondering if he’d come back too late. Wondering if another man had already distracted her, when Luke had finally realized what an idiot he’d been to walk away from the one woman in the world who’d loved him.
“I’m not attracted to Ricardo, but he means a lot to me, Luke. He’s been a great friend, and an even better employer. But that’s all.”
Luke bristled again, but this time kept his feelings inside. “I can’t stand the thought of you being around him, not when it’s so obvious how he feels about you. It’s written all over his face.” Luke sighed. “I trust you, Ollie, I promise I do. But I don’t trust him.”
She just shook her head, a sad look turning her mouth down into a frown. “You haven’t earned the right to issue ultimatums, Luke.”
Olivia turned on her heel and didn’t look back as she walked away.
Anger like he’d never experienced before rippled through Luke. Not when he’d lost buddies on tour—never. Because he hadn’t been able to control his jealousy, an emotion he’d never had to deal with before, and his wife had just walked away from him. She hadn’t stayed to argue, she’d just stepped away, as if it wasn’t even worth it.
He took a deep breath and walked back into the living room. He needed to get out of here.
Luke found Charlie and headed his way.
“Hey, bud, I’ve got to go out for a while. You keep having fun, okay?” he told his son.
Charlie looked up at him, smiled, then went back to playing. Luke straightened and surveyed the room before he left. He saw Olivia talking to another mom, her eyes trained on him.
But right now there was nothing left to say. He met her gaze for a moment, then turned and walked out the door.
* * *
Olivia watched Luke go. Just as she’d watched him go the last time, when he’d never returned.
Her eyes were dry this time, but it didn’t surprise her. Deep down she’d known he would leave, she just hadn’t expected it to be like this. Luke had never been the jealous type, but then, she hadn’t taken him as the leaving type, either, and she’d been proved wrong there.
There had never been anything between her and Ricardo, but she had lied to Luke when he’d questioned her. Her boss had always made his feelings clear, had almost come close to proposing marriage, if her intuitions were correct. But even with the offer of financial security and complete stability, she would never go there. Because she didn’t intend to marry again, not when
she was still in love with her husband.
“You okay?” Kelly approached with a cup of coffee, slinging an arm around her.
Olivia braved a smile. Maybe she was wrong. Maybe Luke had just popped out for some fresh air? But she knew she was lying to herself even thinking like that. Because she’d seen the way he’d looked at Charlie, seen the sadness on Luke’s face when he’d stood and watched his son, before walking away.
“I’m fine, thanks,” she replied, nodding her head to convince her friend and herself.
“Nothing a good, strong coffee won’t fix?”
Olivia forced another smile. “Exactly,” she lied.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
AFTER ALL THOSE years of being away, of living rough, staying in places that he never hoped to see again, Luke had never thought he’d be bunking down in a shabby motel in his hometown.
He’d hardly expected Olivia to be waiting for him like a dutiful wife, because he knew he didn’t deserve that kind of a homecoming. But he had expected to have a home. Even if only temporarily, until he figured things out.
Luke booted up the computer and sat back, deep in his seat, eyes shut tight. The memory of arguing with Ollie played through his mind, impossible to shut off, impossible not to regret. He could see the hurt, the sad slant of her eyes as she looked back at him. He remembered how choked her voice had been as she’d stood up to him.
Damn it! Why did he always have to mess everything up? The only thing in his life he was consistently good at was his job. Everything else he seemed to fail at miserably.
Luke could still see her boss standing there, looking so at home. Watching Charlie, Luke’s son, as if he meant something to him. Giving him presents as if...as if he were his father. Luke swallowed hard, then gripped his fingers tight around the chair. Maybe if Kelly hadn’t given him a dressing-down he wouldn’t have reacted, but she had, and he’d taken the bait.
He’d felt threatened. He was jealous that this man, this Ricardo, might like to be Charlie’s dad—had been acting like Charlie’s dad while Luke was gone. And he’d flown off the handle, when what he should have done was stand up and be a man. Prove that he’d come home to reprise his role as father and show that he meant it. By not walking away.