Book of Luke (Book 2) (11 page)

I glanced at Luke as I turned for the
bathroom. He scratched his head, and more than anything, he looked
concerned.

Well what did he expect?

“I go now, yes?” Burke said, grabbing the
book and pizza box.

Luke nodded and his gaze returned to me.

“Adonia, you are okay here?” Burke asked,
collecting his coat and bags with his free hand.

“I’m fine, thanks,” I said, and hurried into
the large bath. Once the door was shut, I leaned against it and
slid to the ocean-blue tiles.

How long had he been texting this girl? What
did I do to make him start? Why did he think I’d be okay with
it?

Why couldn’t he just dump me first, so I
could end up a little less shattered?

“Hey, Beautiful?” Luke said with a tap. “The
thing about showers is, you have to turn them on to take them.”

I could’ve laughed, and I would have if my
heart wasn’t broken. My eyes welled with more tears, and my hands
reached for them, like I didn’t want them to go anywhere.

I turned the shower on, just so he wouldn’t
think something else was going on.

Like he didn’t know I’d be completely
crushed
by this?

I removed my clothes and made the water hot.
Hot enough to match how I felt.

Although I was in pieces, I knew I had to
pick myself up before I left that bathroom. I thought, maybe
there’s an explanation; a reason why a girl would send pictures of
herself in a bikini to his cell phone.

And then I thought,

At least she wasn’t topless!

I knew I had to get his phone before I
confronted him, because I loved him and I didn’t want to lose him
if I didn’t absolutely have to.

I thought—I
hoped
—maybe the photo
wasn’t from Nikki. Maybe it was from Lilly… for some odd, unknown
reason.

He could see his
sister
in a bikini
all he wants—I wouldn’t care!

And to think months ago I feared he’d run
off with her when he met her…

I recalled my relief when I learned my best
friend is Luke’s sister, and he’s the only guy on the planet to
find her repulsing.

The thought actually made me chuckle, and I
got under the shower just as the door creaked. “May I come in?” he
asked, his voice trembling a bit.

I panicked. He’d already done it, though; I
could see his profile on the other side of the curtain.

“Is everything okay?”

“I’m okay,” I said, rubbing my eyes under
the shower. Tears streamed out, and I was glad to be rid of
them.

“If something’s wrong, you should tell me,”
he insisted.

“Nothing’s wrong,” I peeped.
Not until I
get your phone.

“It’s not because I had pepperoni, is it? I
can brush my teeth.”

He actually got a laugh out of me! I peeked
past the curtain at him. He leaned against the sink, his leg
crossed, in blue jeans and a silver muscle shirt. His skin
glistened from the humidity.

He was too hot to even be pissed at.

“It’s not the pepperoni,” I assured him.
“I’m just tired.”

He bit his lip. “So I can’t exhaust you
tonight, huh?”

I put my head back under the water. Yes, I
wanted him to exhaust me. But deep down, I also kind of wanted to
slug him.

Unsure of what else to say, I blurted, “I
love you!”

I guess that’s the only thing I was certain
about, and it would never change, no matter what happened.

Sunken into his arms in bed, Luke and I
gazed at the ceiling. It was impossible not to enjoy just being
with him—his touch, his kiss, his voice.

My face nuzzled his chest and I listened to
his heart beat. He was barely awake and I was on the edge of sleep,
too, but I had to stay up, so once he fell asleep I could look
through his phone.

Because, you know, I can’t help myself.

“What are you thinking?” I breathed, looking
up at him.

His eyes were closed, and he smiled
blissfully. “I’m thinking if your dad saw us, this would be the
last moment of my life.”

I laughed, a bit more awake.

His smile widened. “But you’re worth
it.”

“I’m sorry he calls and asks a million
questions, and that you can tell most of them are stupid.” Dad
called after I got out of the shower, and kept me on the phone for
fifteen minutes asking about “the second boy” and how well he
behaved.

“He misses you,” Luke said, squeezing my
shoulder. His eyes opened a bit. “He’s not going to be happy when
he hears we’re moving in together.”

“I know,” I said weakly.

We fell silent for a while, and I thought
he’d fallen asleep.

“Adonia?” he whispered, his voice heavy.
“You’re amazing.”

“If I’m so amazing, who’s the girl on the
phone?” I wanted to ask. But I hugged him while I still can,
knowing I’d find out sooner rather than later—his phone was in his
jeans, about nine steps from the foot of the bed. And it would
answer all of my questions.

I hoped.

“You know how Sam loves Molly in the movie
Ghost
?” Luke breathed, his eyes closed again.

“Yeah?”

“Well, I love you more than that.”

“Ditto,” I said with a weak smile.

He chuckled and looked at me. “Lilly was
watching that the other night. Damn chick flick.”

“You clearly enjoyed it,” I said, studying
his moonlit face. There isn’t
any
lighting this guy doesn’t
look like a god in.

He grinned ear-to-ear. “That’s not the
point.”

Our fingers laced. “Luke?” I breathed,
tempted to ask about the texts. But when he looked at me, I
chickened out.

“Hmmm?”

I leaned in and kissed him. “I love you,
Luke.”

His fingers laced through my hair, and our
make-out session was back in full-swing. His hands navigated every
inch of me. Each kiss was more explosive, each touch more
electrifying, and each
time
more intense. It was so
passionate, he was so in control, and that’s how I liked it.

“I love you,” he breathed when it was over.
His body trembled. His hands slid to my hips and rested there.

I put my head on his chest, and we fell
asleep.

~ ~ ~

I’d dozed off. When I opened my eyes, it was nearly
midnight. Luke was fast asleep beneath me, and his phone had just
beeped.

My nerves made me shiver. I got up slowly,
discreetly, as to not wake him. The arm that was wrapped around me
fell when I shifted, and he inhaled deeply. I looked in the
direction of the phone, hoping it wouldn’t beep again and wake
him.

I crept out of bed, found my robe by
moonlight and glanced back at him. He was asleep. I pulled the
phone out of his pants pocket. I didn’t want to risk waking him by
taking it into the bathroom, so I decided to just check it
there.

After a brief glimpse to make sure he was
still sleeping, I touched a key and the screen lit up.

My blood zipped through me, so fast it
almost hurt.

I hit the menu button, and pulled up a list
of texts. They were all from Nikki.

Every. Last. One.

I began to rattle, too afraid to even look
at them. Too scared of what I may find, and how that would be the
end of us. In a way I loved him too much to even hit
view
.

I took a deep breath and closed my eyes.
When I opened them I looked his way—he hadn’t moved. My eyes rested
on the screen.

I decided to view the attachment first. My
sweaty thumb hit the button to pull up the image. It was of Luke,
and
her
, on the beach; he wore a loose tank top and she wore
a luscious red bikini. His hand rested on her shoulder, and they
looked so freakin’ happy I felt
sick
.

I’m talking
physically ill
.

I gripped my aching stomach, which was
clenched in a ball.

When I picture “the other woman,” I’m
expecting prettier, smarter,
better
.

I expected all of that—but for some reason I
didn’t expect a freakin’
supermodel!
This girl was flawless;
way hotter than my paranoid mind had ever imagined, if you could
believe that!

With long blond hair and pretty green
eyes—oh, and boobs clearly a cup size or two bigger than mine—there
was just no competing with this one.

My hand trembled so bad I couldn’t even keep
the phone still. I went back to the list of texts, figuring I had
to read them quick before I broke down completely. I was so upset
my chest hurt, and my bawling would surely wake him.

He shifted in bed, and I knew I wouldn’t
have time to read them all. I didn’t want him catching me, because
I can’t imagine what he’d think of me.

I went to the text dated the previous
evening—the one that read:

Where are you?

He’d responded:

Switzerland.

I hit the forward keys to read the rest.

Is it cold?

Nah.

I’ve really missed you.

She’d sent the picture. And to that he
wrote,

I think about you all the time.

My throat hurt from the sobs trapped within
it.

I feel so alone.

My chest stung as I read his next text.

You’re not alone. I’m always here for you.

Tears streamed and my face was hot.

And then he wrote,

Can’t wait to see you.

Luke stirred, so I shut off his phone and
returned it to his pocket. I grabbed whatever clothes I could
find—blue jeans and a yellow spaghetti-strap shirt—put them on and
walked out the door.

In the hall, I burst into tears. I didn’t
see him ever hurting me this way; and yet, he had, so easily.

I know I’m ordinary, and I can be goofy with
my blurting crap out and whatnot—but why even waste his time on me?
Just to figure out he
can’t wait to see her
.

The picture obviously wasn’t recent. I knew
he wasn’t cheating on me, because I’d seen him every day. But it
was
so
obviously his ex—his stunningly beautiful ex—and he
was so obviously missing her.

I got into the elevator and went down to the
lounge. It was open twenty-four-seven, but hardly anyone was in
there—which was great, because I didn’t want anyone to see how
broken I was.

As I tried to decide which seat to cry in, a
sexy male voice from behind the counter called,

“Adonia? Are you okay?”

I jumped in place when I saw him there.
“
Troy?
You work here, too?”

He smiled. “No, I’m just keeping watch for a
friend while she’s getting her dinner.”

“This late?” I said, fiddling with my
fingers. “That’s very nice of you.”

He grinned, crossed his arms on the counter
and leaned toward me as I approached him. “I’m a night owl.”

I nodded. Once again he had that look in his
eyes, and it occurred to me he really was attracted to me.

And I realized that I really, really liked
it.

“You look upset, mademoiselle.”

I looked at my feet for a moment, trying to
compose myself. “I’ve had a long day,” I managed.

He hummed thoughtfully. “I know of a place
with an incredible view. Would you like to go with me?”

“Like, out in the middle of nowhere?”

His eyes locked with mine intently. “You can
call it that.”

I knew going someplace secluded with a guy
I’d just met was a bad idea—it was downright stupid. It should have
raised a red flag. I should have said “no,” excused myself and gone
back to my room. But he was one of Luke’s friends, so he had to be
trustworthy. And he was damn hot to boot. So I said,

“Sure, why not?”

His eyes lit up. “Really?’

I bit my lip. “Is it far?”

He moved for the girl he’d been covering
for, who returned with her food. She whispered “Thanks” and glanced
at me.

“It’s about a fifteen minute walk. I’ll get
my coat, eh?”

I anxiously waited for him, with the
receptionist watching me. I hoped Luke wouldn’t come down and ask
about me; leaving with his best friend who I’d previously called
“mind-bogglingly hot” would seem kind of weird.

I clenched my jaw. Then again, getting
pictures of his lonely ex-girlfriend who he couldn’t wait to see
was kind of weird, too.

And more hurtful than he could ever
imagine.

When Troy took my hand, my heart stopped.
Somehow I didn’t expect him to do something so direct. It felt kind
of intimate—and awkward.

“You’re not going to take advantage of me,
are you?” I blurted.

He pulled me into the chilly night air. His
eyes twinkled seductively as he grinned. “Not unless you want me
to.”

I stared.

“No worries, mademoiselle,” he said with a
wink. “I’m not a psycho.”

Hearing that, I breathed just a bit easier.
Because, you know, he’d surely tell me if he
was
.

I am
so
naive.

We walked down the streets of the resort
town and turned up a trail that seemed to lead to the middle of
nowhere.

“Is it much farther?” I asked minutes later,
increasingly nervous that absolutely
no one
was around. By
this point I really began questioning my judgement. I reached into
my pocket and turned on my phone like that’s going to save me from
impending doom.

He squeezed my hand as we hiked uphill
through the snow. “Not much farther.”

A few nerve-wracking minutes later we
reached an overhang, and the view was absolutely stunning.

The snowy landscape shimmered beneath a
magnificent full moon, and majestic snow-capped mountain peaks
spread as far as the eye could see. Billions of stars twinkled in
the cloudless sky, interlaced with the Milky Way.

“Oh my God!” The sight literally took my
breath away.

“You like it?” he asked, leading me to a
nearby bench. Apparently this was a popular spot.

“This is incredible!” Although the landscape
was stunning, I couldn’t peel my eyes off the sky. I sat beside him
on the tiny bench. “Thank you for bringing me here!”