Maybe it was the deep timbre of his voice or the sudden wind that kicked up, making her shiver, but she obeyed, scowling the whole time.
The click of the seatbelt was loud even with the rain battering the windscreen and, as soon as it was in place, she refolded her arms and looked away from the man beside her. Luke hit a button on the console and hot air began to stream out from the vents as he pulled away from the curb smoothly.
“Thanks,” she muttered as the shivers that wracked her frame settled, torn between irritation that she was only so wet because of him and the thoughtfulness of the action. A stony silence settled between them and she resolved not to be the first to break it.
“I think we had a miscommunication,” Luke said eventually, his tone soft enough that she had to tilt her head to hear him better. “When Noah told me you’d asked for my number, I thought it meant he’d spoken to you about my client’s interest in your dad’s bar and that you were ready to discuss it with me. I didn’t realize that you thought this was a … date.”
April held her breath as her heart beat faster. He sounded sincere. Looked it, too, when she stole a glance. “I just assumed …”
Luke nodded. “Yeah. I get it. I can see why. And it’s not like Iwouldn’tgo out with you, April, I just didn’t think that was what we were doing here.”
It’s not like I wouldn’t go out with you.For some reason that was the part of the sentence that resonated in her head, its echoes warming her faster than the heater Luke had turned on for her.
She opted to ignore the feeling. “I’m sorry for thinking the worst.”
He laughed quietly. “It’s OK.”
“It’s not.” She swallowed and clenched her hands into fists, irritated when her voice broke anyway.
They rolled to a stop at a red light and she could feel Luke watching her, his eyes tracking every hitch in her breath and tremor of her hands. The car started moving again but his eyes lingered for a second before returning to the road, making her heart beat even faster, and she licked her suddenly dry lips as her mind flashed back to his words in the restaurant and the way his fingers had felt against her mouth the other day, wiping away the smear of jam.I don’t think you’ve disappointed anyone … It’s our home.
Before she knew it, the car was pulling up outside of her parents’ house, the creak of the handbrake making her jump.
As he switched off the engine, April undid her seatbelt and turned to Luke. He was slow to look at her, reluctant almost, and she knew why when their eyes met. The heat in his gaze took her breath away.
Want flooded her, stronger than anything she’d felt in years, and when Luke leaned toward her over the center console, she didn’t fight it. Their lips touched, delicately at first, the kiss deepening before April could think about what she was doing. It was as though the contact unleashed something in him. Luke groaned and took control of the kiss, cupping her jaw and nibbling her bottom lip as her hands clutched desperately at the front of his sweater.
Her heart beat wildly, the heat of his hands on her cool, damp skin making her feel like she was on fire. Still, she moved closer.
Luke moved his hands down to April’s waist and lifted her with ease, pulling her up and over the stick shift and into his lap without ever breaking their kiss. Short, hot kisses trailed down her throat as his hands pulled her into him, holding her to his chest by the small of her back.
His mouth was like a drug, muddying her ability to think straight; she rocked against him, feeling desire swell inside of her as his lips returned to hers with a renewed hunger. It wasn’t until another car drove past in the opposite direction, its headlights briefly lighting up the two of them, that April came back to herself.
“No, no. Stop.” She pushed away from Luke, who didn’t try to stop her as she climbed back into the passenger seat. The windows had fogged while they’d been parked and when she opened the door she could see herself in his side mirror by the dim light of thestreetlamps. Her hair was mussed, her lips red and swollen, and a glaze shone over her eyes that must have been madness. “This … This didn’t happen. OK?”
She didn’t wait for a response from Luke, who looked as dazed and confused as April felt, before slamming the door behind her and running toward the house without looking back.
CHAPTER EIGHT
Emma:
So? How did it go?
Izzy:
Yeah, don’t keep us in suspense