Awakening by Olivia Hayes

said with a solemn look on his face.
    For a moment I thought he was serious, then I shoved his shoulder and started laughing again. His face broke out into a huge grin.
    "Okay, seriously, I do still have the bike, but that shoe was stinking up my garage. I had to get rid of it."
    I laughed again. "You are something else Luke Johnson."
    "Look what I do have though." He jumped up and grabbed his wallet from where he had left it on the table before we went out in the boat. Coming back to sit again, he dug out a picture. The corners were worn and the picture was faded, but clear as day it was Luke and me, holding up a catfish.
    "Oh my gosh! I can't believe you still have that picture," I said astonished.
    "Like I told you last night, I've been holding on to my memories of you." He gave me a huge genuine smile that warmed my heart.
    Our conversation came so easily that I almost forgot who we were and where we were, sitting in an old fish shack, half clothed while Mother Nature reigned outside. Being with Luke felt natural. Perfect. I settled back against him and sighed.
    "Caroline?" He asked, pulling my face around to his.
    "Hmm?"
    "I'm going to kiss you again."
    "Luke, I'm not sure what to make of this new you. What changed you from the brooding, arrogant asshole, into this warm and caring gentleman?"
    "Asshole huh?"
    I nodded almost imperceptibly.
    He sighed, running his hands through my messy hair. "I have always been the guy you think you know. That asshole? That wasn't me. I was wrong to treat you that way, I tried to explain it the day Mark died but... That day at Maria's when Mark asked me if I minded him dating you..."
    "Yeah, and you told him it was fine with you. I overheard the conversation," I huffed.
    "No, I told him it couldn't hurt to ask. I never thought you would say yes to him. I wanted you to choose me. I knew you would choose me. And then you didn't."
    My eyes grew wide as I looked at him. "But, I asked you if there was any reason I shouldn't date Mark and you said to do whatever I wanted."
    "Because I wanted you to choose," he said, running his finger along my jaw. "I didn't want to get in the way of what you wanted and I thought for sure you weren't interested in him. The way you looked at me melted my heart and I wanted nothing more than for you to run into my arms and tell me you cared about me. But instead, you raced off and the next thing I heard you were with Mark."
    I felt like someone had punched me in the stomach.
    "I wanted you to tell me that you wanted me too. I was seventeen years old for God's sake! How was I supposed to know that you wanted me? I flat out asked you and you couldn't even say it!" I yelled.
    "I'm so sorry. I just tho ught you knew. After that last Christmas when I saw you, I couldn't let myself be that guy anymore. I finally figured out that if I wanted something I had to go for it and not let anything get in my way."
    "And now? What do you want Luke?"
    He reached out and cupped my cheek. "You are everything I've ever wanted."
    I could feel the desire twisting in my belly as I slowly brought my mouth to his. First I kissed him square on the lips. Then I nipped at his bottom lip, exhaling and nudging them open with mine. I let my tongue flick across his lips and dart inside to tease him. After a few more moments of this sensual assault my nerve endings were on high alert. I grew more eager, but trying to deepen the kiss in this position was maddening. He must have sensed my frustration because in one movement he had moved onto the loveseat and I was in his lap, with one knee on either side of his hips.
    One of his arms slid around my waist holding me there, while the other cradled the back of my head, forcing my mouth to his. I ran my hands over his chest finally getting a chance to feel his muscles work under his warm skin. He was intoxicating, and I couldn't get enough of him. His tongue moved with mine in a dance as old as time. And when we were both breathless, he pulled back