anything, Scarlett did care for Luke and wanted him to be happy…and she no longer had the ability to make him happy in the way he deserved.
Once she was dressed, she opened the ensuite door and moved back into the bedroom, quickly glancing in Luke’s direction. He lay on the bed with his hands propped behind his head, looking at her like he was trying to solve a puzzle. The muscles in his arms bunched, and his trim abdomen and hard pecs were on display. The patch of dark hair running from his navel to the edge of the sheet brought back memories of last night, and she fought to control the tingling sensation brimming below her waist.
“Do you mind taking me home?” she asked, her voice more breathless than she would have liked.
“Sure thing,” he said, springing out of bed with a wide grin on his face. He was naked and not at all concerned about it.
“Oh my God.” Scarlett whipped around so her back faced him and her cheeks heated, along with a couple of other parts of her body further south.
Luke’s laughter rang out from behind her. “It’s nothing you haven’t seen before”—he wrapped her in his arms so his chest was to her back—“or felt, for that matter.” When he pressed his hips forward, Scarlett felt exactly what he was talking about.
It was another reminder of what she couldn’t have again. “Luke,” she snapped, trying to pry herself from his grip, “I really need to get going.” Scarlett turned to face him with her arms crossed over her chest, but she couldn’t bear to look at him, instead choosing to study the hardwood floor beneath her feet.
“Hey, I was only joking around.” He reached forward and tucked a wayward strand of hair behind her ear. “Someone isn’t a morning person,” he said with a small chuckle.
“I’m sorry.” She sighed. “I’m tired and a little hungover, that’s all.”
He nodded. “Let me get dressed and I’ll run you home.”
She smiled, thankful once again that Luke was such an understanding person. While he made his way into his walk-in closet, Scarlett left the bedroom to wait for him at the front door. Anything to get out of the room that felt stifling with memories from Luke’s presence alone.
In her more sober and less lust-filled state, she took a minute to take in the grand scale of Luke’s home as she walked down the staircase. It was gorgeous…nothing at all like she would have expected a bachelor to live in. He’d obviously done well for himself, and that knowledge filled her with pride and a small sense of joy. Many people in Saltwater Springs had written Luke off as destined to follow the path of his father—a drunk, good-for-nothing man who wasn’t able to hold down a job. She’d always seen more in him though, and she was happy he’d been able to build a good life for himself.
“Ready?”
Luke startled Scarlett from her thoughts. “Yes, let’s go.” She took one last sweeping look over the space before she turned to head to the door, sure she’d never see the place again.
“ T hanks for the ride ,” Scarlett said as Luke’s truck rolled up her driveway. She readied herself to exit the vehicle.
Luke’s calloused palm clamped down above her knee. “Where’s the fire?”
She drew in a breath and turned her body to face Luke. She wasn’t really sure what to do or say. She’d never gone home with a man like she did last night, and things felt awkward because of it—even before you added in their history together. “No fire,” was all she could think of to say.
“Can I see you tonight?”
Scarlett hesitated and shifted in her seat. It didn’t go unnoticed. “What’s going on, Lettie?” he asked with a sigh. Luke dipped his head so he was eye level with her, giving her no choice but to look into his piercing blue eyes.
She opened her mouth to speak and then closed it.
Open.
Closed.
Concern flashed across Luke’s strong features. “No, no. Don’t you dare retreat on me. I’m not gonna let you
Once she was dressed, she opened the ensuite door and moved back into the bedroom, quickly glancing in Luke’s direction. He lay on the bed with his hands propped behind his head, looking at her like he was trying to solve a puzzle. The muscles in his arms bunched, and his trim abdomen and hard pecs were on display. The patch of dark hair running from his navel to the edge of the sheet brought back memories of last night, and she fought to control the tingling sensation brimming below her waist.
“Do you mind taking me home?” she asked, her voice more breathless than she would have liked.
“Sure thing,” he said, springing out of bed with a wide grin on his face. He was naked and not at all concerned about it.
“Oh my God.” Scarlett whipped around so her back faced him and her cheeks heated, along with a couple of other parts of her body further south.
Luke’s laughter rang out from behind her. “It’s nothing you haven’t seen before”—he wrapped her in his arms so his chest was to her back—“or felt, for that matter.” When he pressed his hips forward, Scarlett felt exactly what he was talking about.
It was another reminder of what she couldn’t have again. “Luke,” she snapped, trying to pry herself from his grip, “I really need to get going.” Scarlett turned to face him with her arms crossed over her chest, but she couldn’t bear to look at him, instead choosing to study the hardwood floor beneath her feet.
“Hey, I was only joking around.” He reached forward and tucked a wayward strand of hair behind her ear. “Someone isn’t a morning person,” he said with a small chuckle.
“I’m sorry.” She sighed. “I’m tired and a little hungover, that’s all.”
He nodded. “Let me get dressed and I’ll run you home.”
She smiled, thankful once again that Luke was such an understanding person. While he made his way into his walk-in closet, Scarlett left the bedroom to wait for him at the front door. Anything to get out of the room that felt stifling with memories from Luke’s presence alone.
In her more sober and less lust-filled state, she took a minute to take in the grand scale of Luke’s home as she walked down the staircase. It was gorgeous…nothing at all like she would have expected a bachelor to live in. He’d obviously done well for himself, and that knowledge filled her with pride and a small sense of joy. Many people in Saltwater Springs had written Luke off as destined to follow the path of his father—a drunk, good-for-nothing man who wasn’t able to hold down a job. She’d always seen more in him though, and she was happy he’d been able to build a good life for himself.
“Ready?”
Luke startled Scarlett from her thoughts. “Yes, let’s go.” She took one last sweeping look over the space before she turned to head to the door, sure she’d never see the place again.
“ T hanks for the ride ,” Scarlett said as Luke’s truck rolled up her driveway. She readied herself to exit the vehicle.
Luke’s calloused palm clamped down above her knee. “Where’s the fire?”
She drew in a breath and turned her body to face Luke. She wasn’t really sure what to do or say. She’d never gone home with a man like she did last night, and things felt awkward because of it—even before you added in their history together. “No fire,” was all she could think of to say.
“Can I see you tonight?”
Scarlett hesitated and shifted in her seat. It didn’t go unnoticed. “What’s going on, Lettie?” he asked with a sigh. Luke dipped his head so he was eye level with her, giving her no choice but to look into his piercing blue eyes.
She opened her mouth to speak and then closed it.
Open.
Closed.
Concern flashed across Luke’s strong features. “No, no. Don’t you dare retreat on me. I’m not gonna let you
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