“There you go lost in your head again.” Hearing the smile in his words, I sit up in his arms, then turn and look down at him, at his gorgeous face.
“Can we be friends when this is all over?” My question causes his mouth to fall open and his head to fall back in surprise. “When you have to go back to Italy.”
A frown falls across Luke’s face, and his body tightens. “Do you not want to sleep with me anymore?”
“Oh, God, no.” Leaning down, I give him a reassuring kiss. “While you’re here, I still want to sleep with you.” His shoulders loosen slightly as the tension ebbs from his body. “But I mean when you go back to your normal life. I don’t want to be a stalker or anything, and I totally understand if you want this to be a holiday thing, and…” I trail off because I’m rambling.
“Take a breath, Lilly.” Luke finally smiles at me.
“Sorry, I…”
“You want to be Facebook friends?” he asks.
“I guess to start with, but…” Dammit! I’m not finding the right words here. “I just like you for you.” His eyes widen. “You have a gorgeous shell, but honestly, I like talking to the man inside that shell. Hanging out… I mean outside of the sex.”
“You do?” He seems surprised, so I nod my head in agreement.
“Look, I don’t want to cramp your style because I know you have a lot of women after you.” He rolls his eyes. “You know it’s true.” I give him a small smile. “It’s almost a new year, and I’ve decided that this new year is going to be all about me, probably for the first time in my life.”
“That sounds like a good plan.”
“I don’t know. I feel like we have both grown as humans the past week, you know? I know you left a long-term relationship, and so did I, both of them riddled with cheating. And maybe my sister was right, fate did lead us here to be together and to heal each other.”
“You think that’s what’s happening?” His voice seems a little skeptical.
“Yeah, I do. I feel like you have made me stronger, more confident in myself. Rob took that away from me, and I didn’t realize how much until being here with you.” A small tear falls down my cheek which Luke rubs away with his thumb.
“Lilly…” My name is a whisper on his lips.
“I’m being silly, I know.”
He shakes his head. “Crazily enough, I understand.”
“You do?”
“Yeah. For the first time in who knows how long, I’m able to breathe, relax, put myself first without worrying about repercussions.”
“Not to sound too corny, but it’s like we’re both on a journey.”
Luke’s hand wraps around my neck and pulls me closer to him, his lips feather-soft against my own. “I’m so glad to have met you.”
“Me, too.”
He kisses me ever so softly. “I’d like us to be friends.” His statement stings just a little.
What did you think he was going to profess his undying love for you after one week? Geez, inner me can be savage.
“I don’t think I want you out of my life.” His kisses turn heated. Oh my!
Before things can turn any hotter with his hand under my sleep shirt and his fingers plucking at my nipples, my phone rings. Groaning, I run into the bedroom to grab it. My stomach sinks when I see who’s calling. Mom and Dad.
Shit! I suck in a deep breath and try to calm myself, try and channel some of that newfound confidence I had only a few moments earlier.
“Merry Christmas, guys,” I answer the phone happily.
They sent me a text wishing me, ‘Happy greetings,’ and that was it.
“Christmas was days ago, Lilly,” Dad chastises me.
“We just got off from a distressing phone call from Rob’s parents, Lilly. Care to explain?” Mom questions me, and I’m on speakerphone, so this isn’t good.
“Did you hear the news that Lauren and Alister got engaged?” I attempt to change the subject to something a little lighter.
“Yes. It nice to see one of our girls is doing something right,” Mom adds.
Wow! That barb stings. I screw up my nose as tears begin to well in my eyes.
Keep it together, Lilly.
“I can’t believe you left your fiancé in Africa… without telling him,” Dad adds incredulously, the disappointment dripping through his comment.
“So, what version of events did Rob’s family give you?” Fuck Rob and his pompous family, this is not my fault. “I mean, someone just doesn’t pack up and move halfway across the world if they are in a happy relationship, do they?”
Silence falls between us all.
“Rob indicated he is very much in the dark,” my father adds.
“Well, let me enlighten you both.”
“You don’t have to take that tone with us, Lilly. We’re the ones upset here.” Mom adds.
Oh, for fuck’s sake, my blood begins to boil.
“Let me tell you about Vivian, the French nurse who I caught him screwing behind my tent.” Mom gasps down the line. “Or what about Francesca, the Italian nurse, or Lala, the Spanish nurse… oh, and then there was Darla, the American soldier. Who else was there?” I tap my finger against my chin. “Oh, that’s right, Jana, the Australian refugee worker. I know there were more, but honestly, I think that’s enough, don’t you?”
“Don’t be so crude, Lilly,” my father yells at me. “Robert comes from a good home. He’d never do something like that.”
“Why the hell would I make it up?”
