weekend ahead. But they were on a date. And that changed everything.
She let out a small sigh and slouched down in her seat. To her surprise, Luke reached over and slid his hand over hers. He tucked his fingers against her palm and ran his thumb over the back of her hand.
“Relax, Gracie. We can do this.”
“But why are we doing this?” she blurted out.
It just seemed so stupid to ruin the easy-going rapport between them. She snuck another glance at him to see him smiling. What the hell was so funny?
He left his hand over hers as they drove into town. When they reached the restaurant, he hopped out of the truck and hurried around to open her door. He reached up to help her down, and she landed close to him. Close enough to smell his cologne and to feel his body heat.
He tucked a curl behind her ear, his fingers glancing over her cheek. “You look beautiful.”
Her face grew warm. Before she could respond, he wrapped an arm around her shoulders and guided her toward the entrance. A couple. They were acting just like a couple, and it was weirding her out.
Once inside, Luke ordered fish and she ordered shrimp. They both ordered a beer and sat back to wait on the food.
“So how are we doing so far?” Luke asked as he watched her across the table.
“I don’t know, Luke. I feel like this is a test or something, only I don’t know the rules or what we’re supposed to be doing.”
He leaned forward and stared intently at her, his blue eyes glowing in the dim light. “You’re a gorgeous woman, Gracie. Why do you find it so hard to believe that I’d want to go out with you?”
Her eyebrows furrowed. “Maybe because we’ve been friends for years and you’ve never even hinted at it before now?”
He shrugged. “I wasn’t ready.”
“And you are now?”
“Maybe.”
He took a long swallow of his beer and arched one brow at her. “If you’re so unconvinced then why did you agree to go out with me? What is it you want from this?”
Busted. He’d turned the tables on her completely. She licked her lips and thought about what to say.
“I don’t know,” she finally said. “Something about it intrigued me. Maybe a part of me lit up at the idea. I’m confused.”
“That’s what I love so much about you, Gracie,” Luke said.
She laughed. “What, that I’m a confused numb nut?”
“No, that you’re honest. You’re direct. There’s no pretense about you. It’s sexy as hell.”
She blinked in surprise. She hadn’t exactly expected him to say that.
The waitress delivered their food and Gracie dug in, glad to have a distraction from the current conversation. Luke was attracted to her, and she was damn well attracted to him, but it wasn’t as easy as going home and having sex. This was Luke. One of her best friends on earth. His respect meant a lot to her. So did his friendship. She didn’t want to do anything to fuck up either one.
If they had sex and things didn’t work out, how would it affect them? Could they really pick up and go on like it hadn’t happened? Continue to spend as much time together as they did? Go hunting and fishing and hang out at Jeremy and Michelle’s?
“You’re putting way too much thought into this,” Luke said mildly.
She looked up guiltily to see him watching her. “I’m sorry. I’m doing my best to ruin the evening before it even starts.”
“Just relax. We always have a good time together.”
She smiled. “Yeah, we do.”
“Eat up. We’ll take a drive. Go out by the lake and watch the stars.”
“That sounds great,” she said.
* * *
The moon was rising when they pulled up and parked at the overlook.
“Want to get out?” Luke asked as he cut the engine.
“And freeze to death?” Gracie asked in mock horror.
“I’ll keep you warm.”
She stared at him, shivering slightly at his promise. Well, she was no wimp, and she was willing to see where this took them. She opened the door and stepped into the crisp night air.
She breathed
She let out a small sigh and slouched down in her seat. To her surprise, Luke reached over and slid his hand over hers. He tucked his fingers against her palm and ran his thumb over the back of her hand.
“Relax, Gracie. We can do this.”
“But why are we doing this?” she blurted out.
It just seemed so stupid to ruin the easy-going rapport between them. She snuck another glance at him to see him smiling. What the hell was so funny?
He left his hand over hers as they drove into town. When they reached the restaurant, he hopped out of the truck and hurried around to open her door. He reached up to help her down, and she landed close to him. Close enough to smell his cologne and to feel his body heat.
He tucked a curl behind her ear, his fingers glancing over her cheek. “You look beautiful.”
Her face grew warm. Before she could respond, he wrapped an arm around her shoulders and guided her toward the entrance. A couple. They were acting just like a couple, and it was weirding her out.
Once inside, Luke ordered fish and she ordered shrimp. They both ordered a beer and sat back to wait on the food.
“So how are we doing so far?” Luke asked as he watched her across the table.
“I don’t know, Luke. I feel like this is a test or something, only I don’t know the rules or what we’re supposed to be doing.”
He leaned forward and stared intently at her, his blue eyes glowing in the dim light. “You’re a gorgeous woman, Gracie. Why do you find it so hard to believe that I’d want to go out with you?”
Her eyebrows furrowed. “Maybe because we’ve been friends for years and you’ve never even hinted at it before now?”
He shrugged. “I wasn’t ready.”
“And you are now?”
“Maybe.”
He took a long swallow of his beer and arched one brow at her. “If you’re so unconvinced then why did you agree to go out with me? What is it you want from this?”
Busted. He’d turned the tables on her completely. She licked her lips and thought about what to say.
“I don’t know,” she finally said. “Something about it intrigued me. Maybe a part of me lit up at the idea. I’m confused.”
“That’s what I love so much about you, Gracie,” Luke said.
She laughed. “What, that I’m a confused numb nut?”
“No, that you’re honest. You’re direct. There’s no pretense about you. It’s sexy as hell.”
She blinked in surprise. She hadn’t exactly expected him to say that.
The waitress delivered their food and Gracie dug in, glad to have a distraction from the current conversation. Luke was attracted to her, and she was damn well attracted to him, but it wasn’t as easy as going home and having sex. This was Luke. One of her best friends on earth. His respect meant a lot to her. So did his friendship. She didn’t want to do anything to fuck up either one.
If they had sex and things didn’t work out, how would it affect them? Could they really pick up and go on like it hadn’t happened? Continue to spend as much time together as they did? Go hunting and fishing and hang out at Jeremy and Michelle’s?
“You’re putting way too much thought into this,” Luke said mildly.
She looked up guiltily to see him watching her. “I’m sorry. I’m doing my best to ruin the evening before it even starts.”
“Just relax. We always have a good time together.”
She smiled. “Yeah, we do.”
“Eat up. We’ll take a drive. Go out by the lake and watch the stars.”
“That sounds great,” she said.
* * *
The moon was rising when they pulled up and parked at the overlook.
“Want to get out?” Luke asked as he cut the engine.
“And freeze to death?” Gracie asked in mock horror.
“I’ll keep you warm.”
She stared at him, shivering slightly at his promise. Well, she was no wimp, and she was willing to see where this took them. She opened the door and stepped into the crisp night air.
She breathed
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