falling down my arms. With every kiss, I was being healed. It was as though Luke was reaching inside my core and mending my pieces back together.
Why did I wait this long? This feels so good.
“Dammit,” he hissed as pulled back from me as though he burned. “This isn’t right.”
It was like falling into an ice bath, and the wonderful, euphoric feeling dissipated like gas. “What?”
His face was hot and bothered, his lips still swollen. He held me in his hands and stroked my cheek. “I really want to, Jessica. But it’s not right. You’re an employee.”
“To hell with that! I want this, too.”
He shook his head and moved away from me. I think he wanted to distance himself as much as possible.
He leapt up from the couch, terrified by how close he had come to losing control. Luke dashed out of sight and I was left with the searing heat of his hands all over my flesh, slowly fading away.
* * *
L UKE PARDINI CAUGHT IN FOOTBALL MATCH BRAWL
Under the bold headline was a rather impressive photo of Luke clocking the West Ham supporter with a terrific right hook.
Years of boozing finally seems to be catching up to young Luke Pardini, as he was caught fighting a West Ham supporter earlier today at Boleyn Ground.
Not wanting to read anymore, I set down Brandon’s smart phone. Luke leaned back into his chair and his cheeks filled with air, looking like he was past caring about anything at all. A small bruise bloomed on his cheek, but I covered most of the damage using my makeup.
I didn’t forget about what happened earlier. I could barely pay attention to the conversation; my mind kept obsessing over how amazing Luke’s tongue was like dancing on my skin and how close we had come toward steamy sex. I felt my chest burn in the same area where his lips had touched my breast. I clenched my fists under the table.
Luke gave no impression he was thinking of the same thing. He raised an eyebrow at me.
“Whatever happens, happens,” he said as the server set down three dripping mugs of cider in front of us.
“Cheers,” Brandon said to the waiter. He swiveled his concerned gaze to Luke, who picked up his mug and gulped it down.
I looked down at the golden liquid and took a sip. It was crisp and light, like apple juice but not as sweet, with a slight kick of alcohol.
This will go great with the pie.
We were in a tavern in London that made great savory pies. This was one of Luke’s favorite spots to eat in London, and that Brandon was on a mission to cheer him up.
It’s time to change tack. “How did you two become friends?”
A slow smile spread across Brandon’s face. “Well, we went to the same boarding school. We were in the same year and both of us had an affinity for Pokémon cards. We used to play all the time.”
I snorted into my cider and even Luke smiled apologetically. “That’s so weird. I did the same thing with my best friend, Natalie. We didn’t have the cards though. We played on our Gameboys.”
“There was also Dungeons and Dragons.”
This time, I couldn’t stop myself from laughing. “Oh my God. That’s so nerdy.” I gave Luke a playful swat on his leg. “This is the juicy gossip I would expect on a tabloid. It’s a lot more shocking than reading about you punching out someone. Dungeons and Dragons!”
He gave me a thin smile and zeroed in on me. “How did you both meet?”
My insides froze as I tried not to glance at Luke. Well, shit. We had never come up with a rehearsed plan and my brain worked, trying to think of a quick, believable lie. Fuck!
“It was a support group,” I blurted.
A stunned silence followed my words and my face radiated heat.
Oh, God. Why did I say that?
I clutched Luke’s hand under the table and winced at the force of his fingers wrapped around my palm. I hoped that my utter fear would be seen as humiliation from admitting something so private. Luke will kill me.
Brandon was a gentleman to his core. If he felt any stunned
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