“You were frowning at your phone.” Luke nodded down to where the device was gripped tightly in her hand. “Someone giving you trouble?”
There was a protective, hard look in his eyes that made her roll hers. “I don’t need you to defend me, Luke. I can handle myself just fine.”
Those blue eyes narrowed. “Oh, trust me, Jones, I’m well aware of how well you canhandleyourself.” She swallowed hard, trying to rein in her shock at his reply. Thankfully he didn’t elaborate further. “You need aride?” God, what was wrong with her that she heard a double meaning that wasn’t there? “April?” he said when she’d been silent, staring at him, for too long. “Did you hit your head?”
“No, sorry, I’m just … A ride would be great. Thanks.”
He nodded and gestured for her to walk ahead of him. “I’m parked just over here.”
The short walk was silent and they stayed that way as Luke placed his bag of food in the back and flipped the ignition. A warm and spicy scent filled the air and April realized it was Indian food from her favorite food truck in town at the same time that her stomach growled.
Luke chuckled. “I’m not prepared to share.”
“That’s OK, I’m fine,” she lied. “I was going to eat while I was out but then things were canceled and Mom needed me—something about a leak, and Noah’s at basketball practice—but we’ll probably just order something in.”
She was rambling. Did he notice it too? It wasn’t her fault, but all she could think about was the last time she’d seen him, the way his mouth had felt when he’d parted her lips and devoured her.
Fuck. This wasn’t good.
It wasn’t Luke, she reasoned. She was just hungry. And horny. Horngry. And Luke just so happened to be there and have food. Her body was confused, that was all.
The drive to her mom’s was short and she jumped out of the car before it had fully stopped when theypulled up a few doors down from her mom’s. Being parked up with Luke?Bad idea.
Except, instead of pulling away and waving goodbye, Luke shut off the engine and stepped out, bag of food in hand.
“What are you doing?” Why was her voice so high-pitched and breathy? Discreetly, she touched the back of her hand to her forehead, more alarmed by the fact that shewasn’tburning up than anything else.
“Doyouknow how to fix a leak?” He raised a brow as he strode past, and straight up the pathway to her parents’ house, smirking when she just stood there with her mouth open. “Didn’t think so. Come on.”
She followed behind him, making sure to keep a healthy amount of distance between them. “I’m sure Noah will be here soon,” she said weakly.
“Has he replied to you?” Luke asked.
“No,” she admitted after glancing at her screen.
Luke opened the door easily, as though he knew it would be unlocked, and backed inside with his takeout held against his chest. “Then I suggest you say ‘thank you’ and let me help.”
“Thank you,” she muttered and he smirked just as her mom popped her head around the corner and let out a breath of relief.
“Luke! Thank goodness. I tried Noah but he’s not answering. Good thinking, April. Oh, and you brought food? That’s so sweet of you.” Kathy pressed a kiss to Luke’s cheek and he grinned.
“For you, Kathy? No trouble at all. Let’s take a look, then.”
April wasn’t sure what she was seeing, but she didn’t like it. Was her mom friends with Luke? It made some sort of sense—Luke and Noah were relatively close—but this still seemed above and beyond.
“Noah won’t be done with practice for a while yet,” Luke said matter-of-factly as he placed the bag on the kitchen counter and bent down to look at the pipes under the sink. A small puddle had formed on the floor beneath the open cabinets and when he squatted, April hastily looked away. Luke’s ass was the last thing she needed on her mind.
Her mom collected plates and had opened the bag of takeout before April could protest. “Well, you’ll have to let me pay you back for coming to the rescue in his place,” she joked, and April felt slightly sick at her mom’s playful tone.
Luke shook his head. “There’s no need, Kathy. I was on my way over anyway, so it’s really no bother.”
April couldn’t fathomwhyLuke of all people would have already been on his way over to her mom’s house, but she couldn’t summon the energy to interrupt their conversation. She sat heavily in a chair as their too-familiar chatter washed over her, wondering how many times Luke had done this—helped her mom when nobody else was around to do so. Did it change her opinion of him as a self-serving, cocky asshole? No.
Well, maybe a little.
But it was hard to hate someone who was on their hands and knees in a puddle of water inspecting a pipe just to help her mom. April forced herself to drag her eyes away from his ass, silently berating herself for apparently having no self-control left whatsoever.
“There,” Luke said a moment later and the water stopped trickling out. “Just that washer came out of place again. You really need to get Noah to replace it,” he added, confirming April’s suspicion that this wasn’t the first time he’d been there, helping out her mom while she’d been away and Noah had been busy. “Thank you.” He accepted the plate her mom passed him and set it down to wash his hands before carrying it over to the table where April sat, perplexed as she watched them interact.