It was quite obvious he had no intention of letting me go. He leaned his back into the headboard, pulled me into his lap, closed his eyes, tightened his grip on my arms and heaved a sigh. “Are you done yet, Adonia?!”
His aggressive tone startled me.
“What?” I breathed, stunned.
“Nikki’s my cousin.”
“What!” I screamed—mortified—hoping I’d heard wrong.
His cheeks were tear-stained. “Nikki’s my cousin. My dad’s niece. Her best friend since pre-school just died and she needs a shoulder to cry on. She feels alone and it breaks my fucking heart.”
I wasn’t breathing.
There were no words to describe how utterly ridiculous I felt.
I was so humiliated I didn’t know what to say, or do, and I couldn’t imagine what he thought of me just then.
“Oh my God,” I whispered in sheer embarrassment. I covered my face. “You're serious?”
When he didn’t answer, I peeked through my hands at him.
“I love her because she’s family. I think about her because she’s hurting. And although it’s legal in some backwards states, I don’t sleep with my cousins.”
I covered my face again, not knowing what I could possibly say to make myself seem less stupid.
For once, I should have shut the hell up.
“Did you kiss him?” Luke demanded.
I shook my head no. “I was just hurt and I felt vulnerable. I didn’t…” My voice trailed off.
The fact that I could have made my stomach clench, and I wept.
More tears rolled down his cheeks, and he trembled with emotion. “Okay.”
It felt like the tables had turned, and I ended up wronging him. I could see the pain in his eyes, and I didn’t know how to fix it.
“I’m sorry,” I uttered when I found my voice.
I turned in his lap so I faced him, setting a knee on each side of him. His hands gripped my hips and he looked into my eyes. “I’m going to tell you something, and I don’t want you to ever forget it. Understand?”
I nodded softly.
“Do you know why my parents divorced?”
I shook my head.
Tears rolled down his cheeks. “My dad was always cheating. They fought constantly. I was only two or three but the fights were so traumatizing I actually remember them. Lilly was crying, I’d grab her and we’d huddle in a corner as they screamed. Mom would just flip the fuck out on him and I didn’t understand why.” He bit his lip. “Lil says she doesn’t remember; or maybe she’s just in denial.”
I wiped more tears.
“Then they finally split up, and I was my dad’s pawn. ‘Cause a boy needs his dad, and he wanted to get back at my mom for leaving him when he was an asshole.” He covered his face for a moment. Then his hands returned to my hips.
“When kids at school talked about their moms, I talked about my dad’s girlfriend-of-the-month. I spent most nights with a sitter so he could date.
“My mom tried to see me and he was just such an ass she finally gave up. So I found a sport to excel in, to concentrate on that and get the hell away from him. He bought me plane tickets and gave me money and basically told me to get lost.”
He looked down. “My dad’s not a deadbeat. He works a lot and he always provided for us. He paid child support for Lilly, even after Burke adopted her. As a man he’s okay in that regard, but everything else…?” He swallowed hard. “I mean, he’s my dad and I love him, but the honest truth is, he‘s a damn embarrassment.”
“I didn’t know, Luke,” I managed. “I’m sorry.”
He wiped his eyes. His hands slid up my back and he pulled me toward him. Our eyes were inches apart.
“Look at me,” he breathed. “I would never, ever hurt you. Understand? I could never cheat—that shouldn’t even cross your mind. I’m not my dad. And I have no interest in ever becoming my dad.”
“Luke, I’m so sorry I hurt you,” I sobbed.
He sighed, silent for a while. “You know I pissed him off before I moved? I called his girlfriends by the wrong names, so they would get the freaking hint.”
I managed a smile and wiped my eyes. “That must’ve hurt.”
“He’d already hurt them more than words ever could. I did them a favor.” He slid down onto the mattress, dragging me with him. All the tears we’d shed took their toll, and our eyes were starting to droop.
I set my chin on his chest.
“Luke?” I said after a long pause. “Do you know you’re hot?”
He smiled sleepily. “Why?”
“Surely you’ve noticed the entire female student body drooling over you?”
“I thought it’s just my imagination.”
I laughed, wiped my eyes and nose.
“I could take advantage of it, I guess, but what would that make me?” He touched my lips. “I don’t treat girls like they’re disposable—they deserve better than that. Even annoying ones, like Jenna.”
I wrapped my arms around him. “Yeah.”
“And,” he added. “Even if it weren’t your name, I’d call you beautiful because you are. You make me happier than I’ve been in a really long time.”
“I’m sorry,” I said, referring to Nikki. I was too embarrassed to even say her name.
He sighed. “We’ve got a two-hour layover in California on our way home. I told Nikki we’d have dinner with her.”
I groaned. “This information would have been so helpful sooner.”
He kissed my forehead and turned off the light. “It’s three o’ clock. Good night, Beautiful.”
XII
Burke knocked on our door at ten the next morning. We were exhausted, and it wasn’t what he thought it was.
“I have donuts,” Burke announced from the other side of the door.
Luke rolled from his side to his stomach. “We’ll eat them later,” he mumbled.
Burke knocked again. “Get dressed and let me in, please.”
Luke rolled onto his back and looked at me. I held my head with my hand, laid on my side and smiled down at him.
“Get dressed? We had a fight,” Luke grumbled. “I’m dressed enough.”
“Ah, she finally got sick of your begging, yes?” Burke teased.
Luke slapped his face. “Actually, Burke, she was the one begging me, ‘cause I’m freakin’ awesome!”
I giggled, nodded, and Luke pulled me in for a kiss.
“She was begging you to stop… ah… to stop…” I could practically see his hand gestures through the door. “To stop bragging, yes?”
Luke let go of me and rubbed his eyes. “You got me, Burke.” He got out of bed and slid his jeans over his silver boxers. Then he opened the door.
Burke’s hair was messier than usual; it looked like he had a bird’s nest on his head. “Good morning, young lady,” he said, walking to the counter.
“Good morning,” I said cheerfully. Already in my bathrobe, I got my clothes out of the duffle bag and hurried to the bathroom.
Inside I brushed my hair, put on dark jeans, a red tee shirt, make-up and a bit of lip gloss. Then I joined Luke at the counter. He seemed to really like what he saw.
Although I was still embarrassed as hell about the previous night, I couldn’t change any of it. I guess I was just glad I hadn’t made it worse by making out with Troy.
“Are you going skiing today?” Burke asked, pulling a chocolate donut from the box.
Luke looked at me. “We didn’t make plans. Would you like to go if we do?”
Burke put up a hand. “I have to prepare for my lecture tomorrow. Sorry, young man.”
“Oh,” Luke breathed. “No problem.”
My phone vibrated on the counter. I picked it up. “Hey.”
“It’s me,” Lilly said. “I think I just made a fool of myself.”
“Yeah,” I breathed, preoccupied with Luke’s sexy smile. “I did that last night.”
“So he told his mom, and she’s ecstatic.” Her voi
ce quavered, like she’d been crying.
“Huh?” I said in disbelief.
“I know, right? She invited me over to dinner tonight. Gino got in a lot of trouble with his dad, they don’t believe in kids before marriage. I think his dad beat his ass.”
“Oh my God,” I hissed. “Beat his ass? Gino’s like six-foot-six, how can anyone beat his ass?”
“I don’t know. He said his dad’s strict. It’s what I think happened, not what I know happened.”
I groaned. “Tell them you had the—” I stopped abruptly, as Luke stared.
“Here’s the thing,” she said, her voice cracking. Short pause, and she sniffled. “You know Gino’s an only child, right? That’s ‘cause his mom had nearly a dozen miscarriages since he was born. Can you imagine what would happen if I said I had one when I didn’t? I’d probably be the world’s most horrible person!”
I wanted to tell her I’d just accused my boyfriend of cheating with his cousin, and the title of World’s Most Horrible Person was already taken. Of course, that would be awkward with Burke right there.
A part of me also hoped she’d never find out about that.
I thought to head into the bathroom to talk, but I’d just fought with Luke about keeping what I thought were secrets, and I didn’t want to seem like a hypocrite.
Even if I am one.
Something told me to just tell Luke she’d lied; that he’d take care of it. Because he’s Luke, and he always seems to have the answers to everything.
Despite knowing this, I couldn’t believe that—a mere twelve hours earlier—I‘d mistrusted him so much.
My heart sank.
When I looked back at him, he was still eyeing me.
“You have to do what’s right,” I said into the phone.
She burst into tears. “And what might that be at this point? Break his mom’s heart? Because whether I stick with the lie, or tell the truth now, either way this will crush her.”
“Are you still grounded?”
“Well his mom’s happy. Mrs. Barone met my mom and now they’re friends. My mom’s still mad but she’s not enforcing anything right now.”
Luke put his donut down, crossed his arms and leaned toward me, watching intently. I could tell he knew something’s up.
“What?” he mouthed.
I was so tempted to tell him. Luckily Troy knocked on the door just then, and offered some distraction. Burke answered.
“What’s going on?” Lilly asked, sniveling.
“Monsieur De La Fontaine just got here,” I said.
“Who?”
“Mr. Incredible…?”
“Oh my God! What’s he wearing?”
“Black jeans and a light gray tee shirt.”
“Quick, take a picture!”
I held the phone out and snapped a picture. All three of them looked at me, and Troy grinned.
So I snapped another one.
“I just sent them to you,” I breathed.
She sounded distant, like she was checking them. She gasped. “Oh my God! That hair is so damn sexy! And the eyes… and the chest!” The phone thumped what I could swear was her heart. Then she put it up to her ear. “If he has a girlfriend she is one lucky wench! And if he doesn’t, then what the hell!”
I laughed, watching Luke and Troy talk. Burke was back to his coffee and donuts.
“Well, I should go, it’s late.”
“Okay,” I breathed. “I’ll talk to you later!”
“Yeah,” she mumbled. “Take more pictures.”
I hung up and approached them. They seemed to have a really serious conversation going. “What’s up?” I pried, stopping beside Luke.
Luke wrapped an arm around me. It seemed almost possessive, and I liked it. “Troy’s moving in with me this Thursday.”
“Really!” I exclaimed.
“Yeah. Think Lilly will be okay with it?”
I took a breath through my teeth, checking out the French god before me. “I doubt she’ll complain.”
Luke grinned. “I think everything will work out, whether Gino still needs a roommate in Prince George or not. I’m sure my best friends will get along.”
Troy’s eyebrows pinched. “Best friends? Plural?”
Luke twisted his lips. “Gino’s a close second.”
Troy high-fived him. “Awesome! And I can’t wait to see Alaska in the meantime.”
~ ~ ~
Of course I didn’t tell Lilly this amazing guy was moving into her house—she’d probably die of a heart attack, and I still needed her around.
Namely, I needed someone to share names and pictures of all their female cousins.
We skied until four. Then Troy went to work, and Luke took me browsing, gift shop to gift shop.
“What’s that for?” I asked. He’d bought a leather journal that I swear was a century old. Not only was it classic, but it smelled incredible.
“It’s for my workshop project.”
“You’re handing it in in that?”
He laughed. “Well for the midterm I’m handing it in typed, but I guess I’ll turn this in for the final. Tweezer said he’d return everything.” Our fingers laced and he led me along.
“What are you writing about?”
He raised an eyebrow. “What are you writing about?”
“I’m writing a book about a girl who lands a really awesome guy.”
“Sounds like an amazing girl,” he said as we stopped outside a jewelry shop.
“No,” I explained. “She’s ordinary.”
“So how did she land an awesome guy, then, being so ordinary?”
I shrugged. “Luck?”
He grinned. “Or maybe she’s not ordinary.”
I bit my lip. “I’m pretty sure she is.” I put my hands on my hips. “It’s your turn.”
He looked up thoughtfully for a moment. “What if I say mine is about an average guy who meets a not-so-average girl?”
“She doesn’t blurt out stupid crap when she’s nervous, does she?” That’s about the only thing that would make this girl not-so-average.
He chuckled, nudged my chin and our lips met. After an explosive kiss he said, “That’s one of the best things about her.”
And because I thought nothing could ruin that moment, my phone rang.
“Hi, sweetie!”
I rolled my eyes. “Hi, Dad.”
Luke grinned, listening in. I wished he could listen so I didn’t have to.
“Where are you?” Dad demanded like I’m a first grader.
“I’m shopping with Luke.”
“What’s Luke buying?”
“He bought a journal,” I said dryly.
“I forgot to ask the other boy’s age, and name.”
I set a hand on my hip. “His name’s Troy. He’s nineteen.”
Luke raised his eyebrows curiously.
“His full name, sweetie.”
I wasn’t sure why it mattered, but I said, “Troy De La Fontaine.”
And oddly enough, I heard typing.
“Birthday?” Dad asked.
I looked to Luke. “When’s Troy’s birthday?”
Luke furrowed his brow. “December 31st.”
“December 31st,” I echoed into the phone. After a brief moment I said, “Dad? What are you doing?”
“I’m doing a background check, just to make sure everything’s okay! The computer’s thinking, it should come up in a minute.”
“Dad!” I scorned. “Are you serious?! It’s like five in the morning there, you’re running background checks on some random guy I met?”
Luke’s grin grew, and he pulled me into his chest. “Tell him I’m watching over you,” he breathed in my ear.
I covered the mouthpiece. “He’s probably running one on you, too.”
“Oh my God!” Dad screamed frantically. “Oh my God!”
“Daddy? What’s wrong?”
“This boy has had two run-ins with the law! Did you hear me? Two! This is why I like to
check!”
“Really?” I asked, stunned.
“Two,” Dad confirmed.
“What did he do?” I pondered, my heart beginning to race. And to think I’d gone out in the middle of nowhere alone with this guy!
“Hold on, sweetie, it’s pulling it up.” Brief silence.
The suspense was killing me!
“It says here he’d been fined for jaywalking. Twice. So he doesn’t even learn the first time, he’s a repeat offender!”
“Jaywalking!”
Luke laughed.
Facepalm. I heaved a sigh. “Dad, you’re going to judge him for crossing the street?! Maybe he was in a hurry and couldn’t reach a crosswalk.”
“Twice?” Dad growled.
I rolled my eyes. “I should go now, Dad.”
“I’ll call you later,” Dad said. “And sweetie?”
“Yeah, Dad?”
“Try to stay away from this Troy guy. I mean Luke’s bad enough, but at least he doesn’t have a rap sheet.”
“Dad, he was crossing the street! That’s not a rap sheet!”
“It is if it’s on here, Adonia!”
“Dad, he’s a really good friend of Luke’s. I’m not going to give him the cold shoulder because you found out he jaywalked.”
Dad sighed. “Fine. But use your best judgement.” Brief pause. “I wonder if the Swiss have a website I can run a background check on. Just to be sure.”
“Bye, Dad,” I said, and hung up. I was still wrapped in Luke’s arms, and he kissed the top of my head.
“Did he scare you with Troy’s criminal record?”
“I don’t know what to do with my dad anymore! He’s out of his mind!”
Luke’s finger touched my lips. “He’s just looking out for you.”
“I can take care of myself,” I said, clutching his hand.
Luke kissed me again. Then he pulled me into the jewelry store.
It smelled like rose petals inside. The place was dimly lit, which made it quite romantic. We were the only customers in there. A petite brunette in her late twenties smiled at us from behind the counter.
“Hi,” Luke said as she tried not to check him out.
She smiled and cleared her throat. “Are you looking for something in particular?” she asked through a heavy French accent.
“Yeah, I’m looking for a gift for my mom.”
Book of Luke (Book 2) Page 10