“Uh…” She stammered. “I rang the bell and you didn’t answer so I let myself in. I brought back your truck. I didn’t realize you were in the shower, but I brought you up coffee. I’ll just go downstairs and uh… do something.” She spun around on her heel and tripped over the sheet. Crap!
Luke tucked the towel, securing it to his waist as he fought back a smile. “Careful…” He said softly as she kicked away the blankets. Her foot was trapped beneath them not giving her much opportunity to escape. He placed a hand on the small of her back and bent down untangling her foot. Her hand gripped his shoulder as he freed her foot. He rose to his full height and his eyes met hers.
“Thanks…” She mumbled, not able to tear her gaze from him. “You’re wet.”
He bit the inside of his cheek and tried his damnedest not to smile. She smacked her forehead with the palm of her hand.
“Of course you’re wet… and naked… and you’re standing in front of me in nothing but a towel, right? I mean you’re naked under there right?”
“Yep.”
“You didn’t have to answer it was a rhetorical question.” She moaned. “I shouldn’t be in your bedroom. Oh my God, I’ve never really seen your tattoos.” She said distractedly, grabbing his arms and turning them slightly so she could stare at the ink that he displayed on his forearms. “Wow.” She muttered before dropping his arms like they were hot coals in her hands. “You’re still naked.”
“Yep.” He repeated, clearly amused by her antics.
“I think you should get dressed.” She said with a nod.
“You going to watch?” He asked with his voice holding a hint of a challenge. Her cheeks became even redder and he didn’t hold back this time, he laughed, placing his hand on her hip drawing her near. He kissed the top of her head. “I’ll be right down.” He spoke into her hair.
“I’ll just go downstairs, then.” She said pulling away, she turned around and started walking backwards towards the door. “Take your time. I didn’t mean to interrupt.” Her back missed the doorway and smacked into the wall. “Shit.” She turned around and hurried out of the room, listening to Luke’s soft chuckle as she hurried down the hallway.
*
Luke quickly dressed, throwing on a pair of sweats and a thermal. His hair was still wet and he combed his fingers through it as he came down the stairs. He found Cara pacing back and forth in the kitchen and sighed before she noticed him. Her body language was all off and he assumed that she regretted the kiss they shared the night before. This back and forth, push and pull was tearing him up. He didn’t know how to act around her and how to shield her from his feelings that were becoming stronger and stronger with each passing day and the more time they spent together.
Cara lifted her head as he stepped into the kitchen. She couldn’t figure out if he remembered and she was still regrouping from the peep show. He lifted the cup she had brought him upstairs to his lips and drank, peering at her from over the rim.
Silence.
More Silence.
She began to fidget nervously. “So…”
“Thanks for driving me home last night.” Luke said evenly and walked to the coffee machine. His stomach rumbled and as the coffee dripped into the mug he padded to the fridge to pull out the carton of eggs.
“Oh, no problem.” She said and he reached behind her for the loaf of sliced bread that was on the counter behind her.
“How’d dinner with Sam go?” He asked as he reached for a pan, moving around the kitchen with ease.
She shrugged her shoulders. “It was good. I feel bad we kind of just left Mallory and Phillip there.” She watched him slide the lever down on the toaster. “What do you think of Mallory?” She asked curiously.
“She’s a nice girl. From some of the stories Sam has told me, she’s a bit wild. But, to each his own.” He looked up at her. “How do you like your eggs?”
“I’m not hungry.”
“How do you like your eggs?” He repeated.
“Sunny-side up.” She said giving in. “Do you think she’s attractive?”
Luke raised an eyebrow and cracked two eggs into the frying pan. He was baffled as to where this was coming from and then it dawned on him that she was planning to push him away. “She’s a looker.” He stated and then grabbed a dish from the cabinet. “Why? Is that part of your plan? You kiss me like you did last night and then pawn me off on Mallory?”
She opened her mouth to speak, but nothing came out. She watched as he slid her perfectly cooked eggs into a dish and grabbed the toast as it popped up from the toaster. He glanced at her with a knowing look.
“You do remember.” She said quietly.
“Pretty sure, I told you I’d never forget.” He said and nodded towards the table. “Sit.”
Cara did as she was told and watched as he pulled out a chair and turned it around straddling the back of it, his arms hanging on the back of the chair as he stared at her.