Thinking of that damn oak Atlas and I hid behind, I walk into the elevator car first and push the shiny L-button. Luke scratches his red stubble as he walks in, stands beside me, neither of us talking as we descend. Could have taken the stairs, only one floor, but we’re on vacation.
Plus, I like being alone with him here.
“You letting a beard grow out to make Meg proud?”
He chuckles, “Nah, just lazy. I think it looks weird with the ginger beard, black hair, don’t you?”
“No, I’ve always liked how unique it is.”
Our eyes lock, then break away as the doors slide, an interruption of lobby busy with families of tourists checking in. Sherry welcomes them to Sedona with her cheery smile.
Luke and I stroll through, maneuvering our way around multiple suitcases in various colors, coats thrown over some, ribbons tied over handles to identify them at baggage claim. Sunlight splashes onto us, and both of us check the sky out to gauge the weather.
“Clear day.”
“Just a few clouds,” he agrees.
“Where you two headed?”
We look to our right and see Tyler sitting on a bench, thumbs tapping on his phone. Inwardly I cuss like crazy, because I want this hike to be just us. But I can’t show Tyler that, so inviting him is mandatory. Fuck fuck fuck. Raking my hair back I mutter, “Hiking, want to go?”
“Jeezus, you are bored,” he says, tapping something off before looking up again.
Sneaking a glance to Luke, I try to read him as he says, “Better than sitting in my room.” Don’t know if he’s secretly hoping Tyler will say no. His face is devoid of opinion.
Ty leans back and stretches his shoulders on a groan. “I’m going to do something I never do, too.” A sly smile tugs at his lips. “Get a massage. You guys have fun.”
Luke smirks, “Don’t get the happy ending. Inez will lose her shit.”
“Like she always does, you mean?” Ty laughs. “Nah, I joke about it but I love how jealous she gets. Look at this mug.” He points to his face, drawing a circle around it with his nail-bitten finger. “If she thinks someone wants this, she must love me. You call your father about that new guy yet, Soph?”
“You mean since I saw you at breakfast?”
“I’ll take that as a no.”
“We’re going to call him in a few minutes. Soon as we get out there where it’s nice and quiet.”
Luke teases me, “Sofia’s scared.”
“Oh, yeah, that’s it. I’m terrified.”
“You are.”
“Am not.”
“Are too, look at your eyes.”
I grab his finger and smack it away, holding it a second longer than I should. Meeting Tyler’s amused smile I ignore the knowing look in his eyes. “We’re outta here. Hotels feel like prison if I stick around them too long.”
He nods, agreeing, “Yeah, I’m gonna walk around town today like you schmucks have been doing this week, get that massage, eat some great food. Drink a lot. You guys want to meet me for dinner at that Mexican place up the road? Forget the name, but it’s the one that looks like the real deal.”
Luke nods, “I’m in. Have a craving for guacamole.”
“Ah man, I always judge a Mexican place by their guac.”
“Same. We’ll see how they measure up. Seven?”
“Yup, see you then.” Ty looks down at his phone buzzing in his hand. “My baby’s calling to bitch at me. Should I tell her about the massage before or after?”
We both say, pretty loudly, “After!”
He grins and we head off, the sound of his greeting her fading in our wake. Halfway to our bikes Tyler shouts, “Tell Jett I want to be in on the vote, even though I’m not in that house anymore!”
I throw him a wave and mount my Triumph, braiding my hair quickly, since with one nod we silently agreed not to wear helmets. In rural areas when we’re just going for a ride, pull us over and give us a ticket, we don’t care. It’s a gorgeous day we don’t want to waste a drop of, and we’re so skilled we won’t drop these babies in a place like this.
Damn shame not to feel the wind.
Luke pulls his hair into a bun, sitting on his Harley parked just ahead of me. Soaking in my view I watch broad shoulder-muscles move under his t-shirt as he loops shining black sheets into uneven circles. He glances back and catches the look in my eyes, his flickering with self-awareness, then shifting to amusement. A sexy smirk flashes and he gives me a wink.
“Oh shut up,” I mutter, trying not to smile.
“I saw you checking me out.”
“Just waiting for you to finish primping.”
“Sure you were,” he chuckles, starting the engine.
Our rides roar to life, revved a couple times before we take off. Except for visiting Sean, we haven’t worn our jackets since we arrived and today is no different.
I think we want to stay anonymous here, normal tourists but without fanny packs, bright clothing, and cameras. The halter I’ve got on is my own, though I considered wearing Celia’s white one today when I went back to my room after tasteless eggs and passable bacon.
Thought it would be too obvious since I never wear white. I’m pushing it as it is, with this hike…and what I hurried out and bought before knocking at his room.
This shirt is black faded to slate grey from a hundred washes, jeans torn at the knees by time, not fashion. When I bought these, they were intact. I like earning my rips—the history means something to me. And I know Luke feels the same.
Curvy roads that smell like pine needles about to catch fire from the sun beating hard, take us out of town into red sandstone slopes that surround the valley.
I can’t get this smile off my face and I don’t even wanna try. The beauty of riding my bad boy with a view like this, few cars on the road, Luke leading the way, is exactly what heaven must be like.
Oh Soph, listen to yourself.
You’re in trouble.
Claw your way out before it’s too late.
He glances back and points to a sign that says Red Rock State Park, with a drawing of a hiker on it, another one with tents, another with restrooms. I nod agreement that it’ll do, and we turn right, drive a ways and finally pull into one of the smaller parking lots. It’s got only two cars in it, an empty four door, and an orange vintage Volkswagen bus with the canopy propped up. Two granola-heads wave at us as we dismount.
“Nice hog!” the man in flip-flops says. “I’ve never seen a seat like that.” He points to my Triumph as I tuck the key into my tight pocket. “Is that leather?”
“Yep, only the best when it comes to this guy,” I smile while pulling out a paper sack I’d stashed inside my saddlebags.
“Where ya from?”
Luke answers, “Everywhere.”
“Nice,” the guy nods. They return to cooking a late breakfast on a hot plate.
Luke and I head into the woods. He pulls out his phone to take that picture of me. “What’s in the bag?”
Chapter 28
SOFIA SOL
I smirk, “Wouldn’t you like to know,” broken sticks and dried leaves crunching under my feet.
He tries to grab it from me, but I dodge him.
“What is it, tarot cards and candles?”
I laugh, “No!”
“Then what is it?”
“Just take the picture and get it over with!” Setting it down behind a tree I embrace the knotted trunk as Luke frames the shot, holding his phone up.
“Hug it!”
“What do you think I’m doing?”
“Look like you enjoy it!”
Closing my eyes I rest my cheek against the wood and inhale the sweet smell. A couple shutter clicks sound off, heard easily in the quiet out here. When it sounds like there won’t be more, I glance over and see Luke staring at me with a deep frown, camera slowly drifting to his side. My heart quickens and I brush myself off. “Got it?” I ask, bending to pick up the bag and walk to him.
“
Yeah,” he nods, voice hoarse. Clearing his throat, we resume the hike. “What’s in the bag?”
My body is awake now, chest tense. I’d love to hold his hand but that’s never going to happen. After a few steps I shrug, “Lunch.”
He ducks under a branch. “You brought yourself lunch?”
I throw it at him and he catches it against his chest. “Open the damn thing, Jeez!”
Peeling the paper back, he peers inside, shoving his hand in so he can dig around the contents. He rolls the bag closed again and side-eyeballs me with appreciation and suspicion. “When did you get these?”
“Don’t worry, they’re still fresh.”
“When?”
“After breakfast.”
“Where?”
Exasperated, I throw my hands up and stop walking. “Is it really that crazy I got us lunch so we don’t starve up here? I didn’t wanna hike all the way up, get hungry, and then have to walk allllllll the way back to eat.”
Luke steps closer, his expression quiet. “Yeah, it really is that crazy.”
His gaze is intimate, unwavering, and it robs me of speech. I want to kiss him so badly. I need to touch him. My entire adult life I’ve never checked that impulse when I was attracted to someone, but this is Luke. He’s not some stranger in a town I’ll never visit again, who I don’t give a shit about.
I like to take control.
This whole not knowing what to do, how to act, with all these feelings I have for him.
It’s…vulnerable.
I don’t know how to be that.
Holding his look I’m silently begging him to take a chance.
I want to touch you. Please make the first move. I’m aching for you.
He frowns and hands me the bag. “Thanks for getting these.”
“No problem,” I mutter on a frown. “Stop giving me grief over it.”
A crooked smile slowly curves his lips. “You got my favorite sandwich, Soph. If I didn’t give you a hard time about that, we wouldn’t be us.” He walks away.
Gripping the bag tightly with my fist, I stay my pace, following him rather than joining him so I can chew my lips to pieces in private. We hike up the mountain, silent for a long time, leaves occasionally rustling as creatures dive into better hiding places. They’re good at it, too. The only wild animals I get to see are birds bouncing from branch to branch, chirping and adding peace to an otherwise shitty situation.
“Wanna climb these boulders, Soph?”
“Hell yes!”
“Here, give me the bag.” I hand it over and he sets it down in a nook of stone. “You first.”
I begin the climb. Keeping my expression blank and focused, I hide that I’m purposefully arching my ass up, stretching in sensual ways in my reaches to the next stone. The boulders are easy to grip onto, like fine sandpaper, and these boots have been resoled recently. The only thing we Ciphers spend money on is tread, our bike tires and the soles of our boots. They must remain thick for our safety.
On the highest rock I wait for him, watching his muscles do the work.
God, he’s so…motherfucking sigh.
“Look at this, huh?” he grins as he stands up, admiring the view with me. “Great idea to hike, I’ll give it to you.”
“This is flat enough that we could eat here.”
He glances to the stone and agrees with me. “I’ll get the food.”
Lowering myself I dig out my phone and cross my legs. “I’m going to call my dad.”
“Okay!”
My parents told me that when they were younger, you wouldn’t be able to get a signal in mountains like this, but the world realized when you’re in the middle of nowhere, you just might need to call for help during an emergency. Satellite towers were installed across our nation, and I can’t believe it took so long.
With my focus split by watching Luke climb, I dial Dad’s phone and wait for the rings to stop. “Sofia, where are you?”
Surprised, I blurt, “Tyler asked me to do a job, I’m with him in Arizona.”
“He did? What job?”
Pausing to think of the imaginary job, I realize I’ll just use Sean as the excuse. “We found a guy who might be good for the club.”
Silence for a beat, then, “Tell me about him.”
“We checked him out. I like him. His mother told us he doesn’t fit in here, the way we don’t fit in anywhere but home.” Luke sits next to me and plants the bag between us. “He’s sharp, street-smart, works out at his house, in shape but not trained for combat. He’s—”
“You interested in this guy, Sofia?”
“Am I interested in him?” I repeat, because it took me off guard. Luke locks onto me and I avoid his eyes, picking at the torn cotton around my bare knee. “No, that’s not why I’m asking. He’s cute, really cute, but he’s not my type.”
“I see.”
Giving him all the details about Sean, I use the word ‘we,’ a lot and never name Luke aloud. I finish with, “So, that’s it. We warned him he’d have to pass a lot of tests if you decided to try him out, and that everyone would vote. Is that how it would go down?”
Dad sucks airs through his teeth, thinking. “Yeah, that’s about right. Been a long time since we had fresh blood in this house. I’m interested.”
“Yeah?” I hit Luke’s thigh and smile. “Dad, I said you’d call him if you were going to give him a go. That it would be you personally, since you’re our President. And you’d give him a password so he knew it was really you, that the first stage was in motion. You have a piece of paper?” I really want him to start writing because I can just picture his pause as I hit him with Luke’s joke.
“No, but I can remember it.”
Bummed, I mutter, “Ah, alright…you ready?”
Luke covers his mouth, silently laughing.
“I’m ready.”
“Tickles.”
Silence, then. “I’m going to kill you for that.”
“What’s wrong? You don’t love our cat?”
“You’re getting back at me for sending Luke away.”
My smile wavers, volume dropping. “That’s the password.”
“Fine. I’ll pay my dues,” he grunts. “His name is Sean? We’ll have to change that. Too soft for a Cipher.”
“Agreed. I’ll text you his number now.”
“Soph, we okay?”
Glancing to Luke, I mutter, “Of course we’re okay.”
“You know I love you, right?”
Swallowing I stare into an image of my father, can see the look in his eyes as if he was right here. Hurts to be mad at him, but it’s my fault. “I love you, Dad. I’m uh, sorry about all of this.”
“Me too. I’ll wait for that text.”
“Bye.”
“Bye baby.”
We hang up and Luke pulls out his phone, thumb hovering as he realizes the text can’t come from him. He hands me the phone, eyebrows drawn as I copy down the number and send it.
“You said we were there, but he doesn’t know you’re with me, does he?”
“He thinks I meant Tyler.”
“Ah,” Luke mutters. “Great.”
“Can we just enjoy our day?”
He tears into the bag, and hands my club sandwich over. “Yeah, nothing’s changed. I just hated the reminder.”
Something has changed.
For me.
Luke chows down on his roast beef the same way I eat my club, big bites and messy fingers. I asked for extra mayo and mustard, the way we both like it. That stuff squishes out in all directions, and it’s delicious.
He pops the top on a new bottle of water and hands me the first one, opening his next. I’m settling into the awkwardness of spending time with someone I wish I could sit closer to, touch his leg against mine, but can’t. Feels like Luke is miles away, not a foot and a half.
“I was thinking about what Santosh said about a divorce. What’s going on with your cousin that you think it’s him?”
“Who
knows if what she said is real.”
“If it is.”
Drinking a few gulps, I set the bottle between my crossed legs. “She described his place, vaguely, sure, but it’s only him I could imagine when she said those things. And I know he got married to his wife without telling anyone he was going to do it.”
“Your parents did that. You always loved that they eloped.”
And your father was my Dad’s best man.
“Yeah, but Ben isn’t like my Dad. He’s tight with everyone in Atlanta, always at the events, and they do weddings mostly at my grandparents’ house. It’s a big deal. Uncle Jaxson and Aunt Rachel live away from the city on a ranch, too, but even they did the big hoopla, Cocker-style. So that makes me wonder.” Taking a bite and chewing it down, I think about the situation and explain, “I was talking with Hannah after Ben eloped, on the phone, and she told me that all of the cousins who are closest to Ben, our group, don’t like it. They think it’s fishy, but he tells them they’re crazy and that he loves her. Which he might. But that doesn’t mean it’s the type that lasts. Could be other reasons? I don’t know.”
“No other divorces?”
“Aunt Drew was divorced before she met Uncle Jake, I think? But that’s it. My family marries for love, real love, not some have-to-get-married-to-matter bullshit. I don’t think my dad or his brothers ever yearned for a ball and chain,” I smirk, knowing them. Luke and I chew for a bit, watching the forest simply exist, the way it does every day for centuries. Suddenly I remember, “Oh, you know what, maybe Uncle Jaxson wanted to be married early on. He knew my Aunt Rachel since they were eight-years-old. Loved her all the way since back then, but she moved away.”
Luke drinks down his water, and gasps for air with a satisfied smile. “Ben’s parents?”
“Yeah…wait. That’s right. Holy crap! It just came back to me how when we were little, playing at their ranch—that’s where I always stayed when we visited Atlanta—Ben used to say, when I find my wife…and then launch into these grandiose plans. Where they’d live. How they’d have a ton of babies. He’s been looking since he was a kid. Probably bought into the romance of his parents’ love story.”
“Wanted that for himself.”
Cocky Rebel : Sofia Sol Cocker (Cocker Brothers, The Cocky Series Book 13) Page 14