amazed that I would show up.
I helped him up to his feet. “Yeah, I came. But only because I’m the only sober one tonight.”
He laughed but didn’t say anything. Once everyone was safely in the van, I asked Wolfe where he was living.
“Oh, I will just crash at Baker’s tonight. I live out on the peninsula and I don’t want you to drive that far,” he said.
He seemed nice enough and I wondered what his and Gabby’s issues were.
“To Baker’s we go then.”
I put the van in drive and headed toward Baker’s apartment. Luckily, the guys were quiet for the ride and there was no puking. When I pulled into the driveway, Baker sat forward and put his hand on my shoulder.
“You’re alright, Wells,” he said with a slight slur. “It’s too bad Bates here can’t get his thumb out of his ass and ask you out again. Tell Rainey I said hello.”
Before I could reply, he was out of the van. The door slid closed and he dragged Wolfe up the steps to his apartment. I turned to Luke. His head rested on the window and his eyes were closed. I waited until I saw the lights flicker on in Baker’s apartment window before I pulled out and drove the fifty-foot stretch to Luke’s apartment. When I put the van in Park, he didn’t stir.
I nudged his shoulder. “Luke, you’re home,” I said.
He mumbled something but wouldn’t open his eyes. I turned off the van and went around to the passenger door. I made sure to open the door carefully so he wouldn’t fall out. His chocolate brown eyes fluttered open.
“Mal, why do I keep having dreams about you?”
Luke dreamt of me ? I thought, quelling a surge of unexpected excitement. I smiled as I pulled him out of the van. He swayed on his feet, but didn’t topple over.
“Let’s get you upstairs, Luke,” I said.
He let me guide him to his apartment. Once we made it into his living room, he collapsed on the couch. I figured he’d be all right to sleep it off there. I didn’t want to try to haul him up and into his bedroom. I pulled off his work boots and tossed them by the door.
His eyes were closed but a huge grin spread across his face. “You can keep undressing me, Mallory,” he said with a seductive tone.
“I think maybe you should sleep alone tonight, Luke.”
“Just like every other night of my life. I have to suffer while you and Jason get to be together in Boston,” he muttered.
Again with the Jason thing , I thought, wondering where he’d heard the name. “How do you know about Jason?”
“You called me Jason last night when I put you to bed.” He slurred his words.
Ahh … That’s how he knew, I thought. He must be jealous .
“I have a secret to tell you, Luke,” I leaned down close to his face.
His eyes popped open and he looked into my eyes.
“I promise I won’t tell anyone, Mal.”
“Jason and I aren’t together anymore.”
I placed a chaste kiss on his lips but pulled away before I could enjoy it too much. There wasn’t a man on the planet who could kiss like Luke Bates, and I didn’t want to ruin it with a drunken kiss from Luke.
“Goodnight, Luke.”
TWELVE
Luke
My head throbbed painfully. The sun was up and shining brilliantly through the living room window. I squinted my eyes against the bright glare and sat up slowly. Once my feet touched the floor, I rested my elbows on my knees. I ran my hands through my hair in an attempt to clear the fog that clung to my brain. Last night was the first time in a long time I’d passed my limit. Since my community college days, in fact, I hadn’t done more than get a good buzz on. I planned to blame Baker and Wolfe.
I pulled my cell phone out of my pocket when it buzzed. There were several texts from Baker and one from Mallory. I opened Mallory’s first.
“Hope you feel horrible. Can I come over later? We need to talk.”
The text was so cryptic I had no idea what the real meaning was. I typed out a reply telling her to come over whenever she wanted.
I got up and made
I helped him up to his feet. “Yeah, I came. But only because I’m the only sober one tonight.”
He laughed but didn’t say anything. Once everyone was safely in the van, I asked Wolfe where he was living.
“Oh, I will just crash at Baker’s tonight. I live out on the peninsula and I don’t want you to drive that far,” he said.
He seemed nice enough and I wondered what his and Gabby’s issues were.
“To Baker’s we go then.”
I put the van in drive and headed toward Baker’s apartment. Luckily, the guys were quiet for the ride and there was no puking. When I pulled into the driveway, Baker sat forward and put his hand on my shoulder.
“You’re alright, Wells,” he said with a slight slur. “It’s too bad Bates here can’t get his thumb out of his ass and ask you out again. Tell Rainey I said hello.”
Before I could reply, he was out of the van. The door slid closed and he dragged Wolfe up the steps to his apartment. I turned to Luke. His head rested on the window and his eyes were closed. I waited until I saw the lights flicker on in Baker’s apartment window before I pulled out and drove the fifty-foot stretch to Luke’s apartment. When I put the van in Park, he didn’t stir.
I nudged his shoulder. “Luke, you’re home,” I said.
He mumbled something but wouldn’t open his eyes. I turned off the van and went around to the passenger door. I made sure to open the door carefully so he wouldn’t fall out. His chocolate brown eyes fluttered open.
“Mal, why do I keep having dreams about you?”
Luke dreamt of me ? I thought, quelling a surge of unexpected excitement. I smiled as I pulled him out of the van. He swayed on his feet, but didn’t topple over.
“Let’s get you upstairs, Luke,” I said.
He let me guide him to his apartment. Once we made it into his living room, he collapsed on the couch. I figured he’d be all right to sleep it off there. I didn’t want to try to haul him up and into his bedroom. I pulled off his work boots and tossed them by the door.
His eyes were closed but a huge grin spread across his face. “You can keep undressing me, Mallory,” he said with a seductive tone.
“I think maybe you should sleep alone tonight, Luke.”
“Just like every other night of my life. I have to suffer while you and Jason get to be together in Boston,” he muttered.
Again with the Jason thing , I thought, wondering where he’d heard the name. “How do you know about Jason?”
“You called me Jason last night when I put you to bed.” He slurred his words.
Ahh … That’s how he knew, I thought. He must be jealous .
“I have a secret to tell you, Luke,” I leaned down close to his face.
His eyes popped open and he looked into my eyes.
“I promise I won’t tell anyone, Mal.”
“Jason and I aren’t together anymore.”
I placed a chaste kiss on his lips but pulled away before I could enjoy it too much. There wasn’t a man on the planet who could kiss like Luke Bates, and I didn’t want to ruin it with a drunken kiss from Luke.
“Goodnight, Luke.”
TWELVE
Luke
My head throbbed painfully. The sun was up and shining brilliantly through the living room window. I squinted my eyes against the bright glare and sat up slowly. Once my feet touched the floor, I rested my elbows on my knees. I ran my hands through my hair in an attempt to clear the fog that clung to my brain. Last night was the first time in a long time I’d passed my limit. Since my community college days, in fact, I hadn’t done more than get a good buzz on. I planned to blame Baker and Wolfe.
I pulled my cell phone out of my pocket when it buzzed. There were several texts from Baker and one from Mallory. I opened Mallory’s first.
“Hope you feel horrible. Can I come over later? We need to talk.”
The text was so cryptic I had no idea what the real meaning was. I typed out a reply telling her to come over whenever she wanted.
I got up and made
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