You'll Think of Me (39 page)

Luke drew closer. He watched Livy’s shoulders lift with each intake of air. Every time she took a deep breath, her breasts threatened to spill over her top.

“Take it,” he demanded.

Olivia shook her head. She couldn’t tear her troubled eyes from his hand. In a strained voice that killed him to hear, she whispered, “I can’t.”

“Olivia, look at me.”

He stepped closer while she took a step back.

“No.”

A lone tear slid down her pink cheek. When Luke saw it, he made the decision for both of them.

“Fuck,” he muttered and pulled Olivia to him, feeling the far away connection finally close. He wrapped his arms around her back and held her tight. At first she tried to twist away with her small fists shoved up against his chest, but she quickly gave up and sagged into him. She let the tears flow freely. Her back vibrated from the emotions ripping through her body and he hated it because he understood what she was dealing with all too well. He felt it too. He felt every waking moment of it. The distance between them over the years was unbearable at times. The little sounds she made busted him open and all he could think of doing was making it right for both of them.

“Shhh… It’s okay, Livy, I got you.”

That only seemed to make her shudder harder so he dropped a kiss to her head.

“Baby, Care Bear, please don’t cry. You know I hate seeing you like this,” he begged.

“Don’t let me go,” she whispered between tears. All Luke could do was hold on tighter.

Too many emotions, too many memories, feelings, whatever it was, hit her all at once and she let go. It felt like waterfalls flowing from her entire being, signifying the struggles of the past that she held on to for so long. As humiliated as she felt, it felt even better to let it all out. Like a weight was lifted, the sun came out…and she could breathe again.

Olivia took a deep breath and slid her arms around the sides of Luke’s waist and held on. She turned her head to the right and laid her head gently on his chest, looking out at the lake. She sidled up to him and pressed her body against his as he rocked her slowly and exhaled.

“Stay,” Luke’s voice splintered. “Stay for the night.”

What the hell was he doing? Luke didn’t want to push too far, but it was now or never. He knew she was dealing with a lot on her plate, and he didn’t want her to do it alone.

Olivia froze and Luke felt it. Before she said no, he quickly spoke. “Not in my bed, Livy. Of course you’re welcome there,” he nervously laughed, “but you can stay in a guest room I have. Just stay with me tonight.”

“I can’t.”

“No one is stopping you.”

“I have to work in the morning.”

Luke chuckled. “That’s your reason why you can’t? How about I make a deal with you? I’ll set every alarm I have to make sure you’re up early, even the coffeepot so it automatically brews you coffee in the morning.”

Olivia seriously contemplated it, she shouldn’t be, but she was. “I don’t think—”

“Don’t think. Just do. You’re always thinking too much.”

She sighed heavily. “We’ll see.”

I
t was early evening and the sun was getting ready to set. Luke poked the wood in his fire pit as Livy watched nearby on his couch. He finally managed to calm her down. She hadn’t yet agreed to stay the night, but he hoped she would. There was one part of the house she had yet to see that meant more than any other room in his home.

“Want see why I had the house built the way I did?

“Sure,” she replied softly.

Reaching out his opened hand, Olivia threw her legs off the couch and put her hand in his to stand. She was exhausted and mentally drained but she wanted to see what sold him on this particular piece of land.

Olivia noticed Luke’s gaze and followed. Her small hand was enveloped in his large one. Just looking at it made her heart skip a beat. Slowly, Luke opened his fingers and laced them between hers, wrapping them tightly in hers so she couldn’t pull away. He was testing the waters, and she let him.

Giving a light squeeze she said, “Lead the way.”

Luke’s face lit up as he threw a blanket over his shoulder and made his way toward the sliding door. What he planned next was something he dreamed of often, but never thought it would happen. It was easy and simple and he knew Olivia would appreciate it.

For a few minutes, their bare feet carried them across the dewy grass until they reached the tree with the large swing on it.

“Take a seat.”

Livy let go of his hand, and Luke immediately missed the feel of it.

The custom made cushioned swing was built so that his legs and body would not hang off uncomfortably. He rested his arm along the back of the chair and motioned Olivia over.

Olivia curled up to Luke and rested her cheek on his chest. He reached over and took her hand and positioned it over his stomach, holding her to him. Time passed as serenity brought peace.

“I can hear your heart beating,” she said quietly.

“Oh yeah? What’s it saying?”

Olivia thought for a moment. “That it’s beating as fast as mine, like our hearts are in sync almost. You’re just as anxious as I am, even though you give off the complete opposite vibe. I would’ve never thought it’d be racing.”

“I’m always nervous around you, Livy. You made my heart beat fast all those years ago, and you still do today. Nothing’s changed for me.”

Olivia squeezed her eyes shut at his truthfulness. She didn’t know what to say other than to tighten her arms around Luke.

“Not that I don’t mind the quietness between us or you being here, but why did you come over today?”

She sighed heavily. “I wanted to thank you for moving the rest of my stuff around last night, but also to apologize in person. I said some things I probably shouldn’t have and acted like a total ass.”

“No need to thank me for anything, Livy. Just glad I decided to show up when I did. You could’ve seriously hurt yourself.”

“Psshhh… I’m stronger than I look.”

“Believe me, I know that more than anyone.”

Luke rocked the swing back and forth with a gentle kick of his heel and got a little more comfortable. The sun was finally setting across the horizon, exactly what he wanted Livy to see.

“All the colors… It’s so pretty,” she said quietly. Olivia had never seen such a picture in all her life. A huge streak of orange hues rippled across the sky that was sandwiched between baby blue tones and faint gray clouds. It was like she was looking at a water color painted canvas. Absolutely beautiful. This was why she had moved back home. Something as simple as this.

“I could watch the sunset until dark and fall asleep out here. It’s so peaceful.”

“I agree. When I was shown this land, it happened to be around sundown. When I saw it, I knew it was the one. Took me all of ten seconds to decide.”

Luke had bought the piece of land and had a home built on it after his first paycheck from the record company. He didn’t want to forget where he came from or who he was at the end of the day.

“I can see why. It’s stunning. We didn’t have sunsets like this back in New York.”

Luke took the blanket he carried out and draped it over them when Olivia shivered after a draft of wind blew across her skin.

“I know. I’ve been there. Nothing like the South and home.”

Olivia’s head snapped up. “You have? When?” This was news to her.

“I went after I signed my life away for music in the beginning. I was there for a few weeks opening for some groups.”

“Why didn’t you call me, message me, text me? Anything?”

He shrugged, unsure of what to say. “I don’t know. I wanted to, but it had been some time after you left. About a year or so later. I figured you didn’t want to see me since I refused to talk once you left and all.”

“Luke…” Olivia shook her head, irritated that he hadn’t made an effort to see her after she tried hopelessly to keep in touch with him.

“I didn’t say I didn’t look for you, only that I didn’t call.”

Confusion set across Livy’s face as Luke opened up to her. “Truth is, I looked you up before I went to New York. The internet and Facebook are a fabulous invention.” He smirked. “I knew all along you went for your doctorate. I followed everything you did for years, but eventually I let go. I had to, just like you did.”

They both had let go when it was the last thing they wanted to do. Olivia shook her head and went to stand. She needed to walk off what Luke was throwing at her. He looked her up and was even in New York, but wouldn’t see her? It was like a weight slamming into her chest and knocking her down.

Luke yanked Livy back to him and pulled her close to his face. No way in hell was she getting away.

He breathed into her, “I saw you, Livy. I saw you come out of school one day with some redheaded girl. You were laughing and smiling as you walked down the street and into a pizza place. You looked happy so I didn’t approach you. God, though,” he shook his head, “now I wish I had. So stupid…”

Olivia’s lips parted in surprise over Luke’s admission, and the fact that his lips were just mere inches from hers. He was so close that she could taste him. Her body tingled as he looked deeply into her eyes that promised so much more.

“I guess I wanted you more since you never looked back. You went to New York and that was that.”

Olivia’s mouth dropped. Talk about a slap to her face.

“Are you kidding me? How dare you say that? You know it’s not true, Luke. I wanted you just as much.”

“Calling and emailing doesn’t mean jack, babe. Sorry, but it doesn’t constitute a thing. I waited to see what you would do after your time was up. Your actions said it all.”

Shaking her head, she looked directly into his eyes. “Believe what you want, Luke. Just because I left doesn’t mean I stopped loving you or wanting you. I stayed in New York because I had nothing to come back to. You acted like I didn’t exist.”

“If only that was possible. You were on my mind twenty-four seven.”

The silence coming from Olivia had Luke wanting so bad to sink into that mouth of hers and kiss her the right way. He wanted to feel her lips on his without any obstacle separating them. He wanted her body against his, naked, for no other reason than to just let go and feel her.

Staring at Luke's lips, Olivia said, “I need to go.”

She couldn’t handle anymore. So much was spoken, the stream of emotions coursing between them and pulling them together. They both wanted more, but teetered on the rope that bound each one together.

“Don’t run, Livy. Stay.”

“I’m not running, Luke. I just can’t stay.”

“I told you I’d make sure you’d be ready in the morning. Plus, there’s a part of the house you haven’t seen yet.”

She shook her head no.

Cupping the side of her face, Luke’s green eyes pleaded with her to not leave. She was so close to his face that it wouldn’t take but a deep breath to bring her to him and close the distance. He watched Olivi stare at his mouth. He swept a finger under her chin to bring her eye level to him.

“So you gonna kiss me or what?” Luke asked with a sly grin.

“Huh?”

“You gonna kiss me or what, woman? You can’t tear your eyes from my mouth.”

“I… I don’t know... I wasn’t planning on it.”

“Livy, stop thinking for once in your damn life and just act. What’s stopping you now?”

“Nothing, but… But how do I know that you want it, too?” She was starting to stammer like a fool.

Luke chuckled. “You can’t feel it?” he pressed her hand to his chest.

With a bashful smile, Olivia realized she did want to kiss him. “Maybe another day, Luke.”

“Didn’t think you were ready, but I had to ask with the way you were staring at my mouth, like it’s candy and all.”

She smiled sheepishly, her eyelids growing heavy.

“But that doesn’t mean that I don’t wanna kiss the hell out of you.”

Olivia’s eyes widened just in time to see the blur of Luke’s hand fly past her face and his mouth smash to hers.

Luke held onto Livy for dear life. She was the rhythm to his life and having her so close was too painful not to dance. Desperate, he couldn’t take it anymore and needed to feel her. He refused to allow her to back down, so Luke put everything into that kiss. Plunging his tongue into her mouth, Luke kissed her as deeply as he could. Rolling over her, Luke pushed Olivia down onto the reclining swing as he continued to kiss her with his all. Her leg hitched up and leaned on his hip, her hips rotating into his. His hands found their way into her hair and worked her scalp as his tongue tantalized every inch of her mouth. He must have been doing something right because Livy arched her back and pressed her breasts against him, feeling her hardened nipples strain against his chest. Her legs widened and he settled between them. Luke groaned into her mouth at the feel of her body so tight to his. Dear God, those beautiful breasts of hers were begging for his touch. His cock throbbed in pain just thinking about holding them. His hips thrusts against her sex and she surged in return. Olivia brought her hands up to his head and ran her hands through his hair tugging at his scalp. The sensation of her under him, her soft pliable body, her hips undulating against his, and the sexy purrs that seeped through her lips had Luke rock hard. He wanted nothing more than to sink into her and make love to her for hours.