“Yes,” I whisper, “To before then.”
“You saying you would have chosen me?”
“I’m saying I wouldn’t have done it at all.”
He jumps to standing with the grace of a Black Belt. I rise up on my elbows as he takes angry strides to the window and looks out at red sandstone mountains protecting the peaceful valley.
Sitting up I plead with him to understand. “Look at where you are, Luke! Stuck out here because they’re trying to keep us apart and it wasn’t even us! Imagine if it had been.”
“I’ve been imagining it, that’s the problem,” he says through gritted teeth, eyes locked outside.
Closing my eyes I almost tell him he’s not alone in that, but I’ve been trained to fight for what’s right, and for our family. And that’s what I’m going to do. Climbing off the bed I go to him, but don’t touch him. I’ve no intention of teasing him now. I’m dead serious. “Listen, our parents put this rule in place for a reason, and I didn’t know it until all of this went down. Sage isn’t talking to Atlas. After I found out he lied and gave the blame to you, I’ve done nothing but punish him. You’re out here, away from your family when we should all be doing what we do! And then there’s Celia, crushing on him! Can you believe that? You should have seen our fathers, they haven’t been the same!”
His eyelids are heavy, voice drawn with tension. “What’s done can’t be undone.”
“But I miss you!” He looks at me with so much distance in his gaze. “You know I’m better at ripping things apart than I am at putting them back together! Help me!”
“I’ve been thinking about it for weeks. I don’t know how. Atlas fucked me over, Soph, and I haven’t been able to get past that yet. Need some time.” He walks to pluck his notebook from the ground, smoothing the pages that got bent from the fall.
Under my breath I say, “We’ve got tons of it out here.”
Putting the notebook in a drawer he flattens his fingers as he shuts it, making sure it’s closed. “No doubt.”
“Well, let’s spend some time together, like we always do.”
He thinks about it, snapping two fingers like a slowing heartbeat. “Act normal and then maybe it’s normal again?” I nod and force a smile, which brings a bemused smirk out of him. “Nothing better to do.” He walks me to the door.
“You want to go do something now?”
“Nah,” he mutters. “Going to stay here today. I didn’t expect to see you, Soph. Just give me a minute.”
In the hallway I turn. I don’t want to leave, even if we could just sit and watch the television, I’d relish it. But Luke’s got his wall up, heels dug in.
“See you at dinner?”
“Yeah, Ty say where or when?” he asks, chewing his lip.
“No. Haven’t talked to him.”
I just wanted to see you.
He digs his phone from his pants while I try not to stare at his naked chest. “I’ll give him a call then text you.”
Smirking I reach out and stop just shy of touching him. “Oh, you know how to use your phone now?”
Luke chuckles, “Just remembered. Amnesia passed, lucky me.”
I head away, “I’ll look out for the text.”
“Soph?”
“Yeah?”
“I missed you, too.” He closes the door.
CHAPTER 24
L UKE
“Why are there so many psychic shops?” Soph asks with a sweep of her naked arm, black tank top fitted over ripped jeans and the only boots she ever wears. We left the jackets behind today. “Bunch of charlatans decide to up the competition, live in one place or something?”
I grab a leaf off a tree and agree, “It’s too much to be a coincidence.”
“I’m going to ask them,” she announces, doing an about-face and walking into one of the shops.
The air reeks of incense, making me wince as I stroll in, glance around the place. A vomit of healing crystals, dream catchers, dragons, New Age books. My eyes follow Sofia Sol as she approaches the clerk.
Wasn’t sure if I should hang out with her today, but then Tyler bailed after breakfast for some vague reason. The only thing he was firm on was that it was none of our business. Soph picked a roll apart, dipping it in jelly, throwing down the invite, “So, you wanna go into town today then?”
I almost said no.
Couldn’t sleep last night, had to take a ride through the valley, blow off some steam since jacking off did nothing but make my desire for her worse.
Tyler’s wise-ass smirk was irritating, so I shrugged, just to prove him wrong that I’m not affected by her, and hanging out together alone without touching her, wouldn’t be torture.
“Excuse me, this is the first time my friend and I have been to Sedona.” Soph jogs her thumb to me, and I nod to the lady who looks normal enough. “And we were wondering, what’s up with all the psychics?”
With that serene look the overly meditative have, she says, “This area is a vortex for psychic and spiritual energy. It can help you take amazing leaps in personal, spiritual development.”
Soph and I exchange a look—neither of us cares.
But the clerk’s smile says she’s used to skeptics. “Would you like a reading?”
Amusement dances in grey eyes as she tries not to laugh. “Yeah, um, no, I think we’re good.”
“Scared?” I tease her, for the hell of it.
“Terrified,” she jokes, rolling her eyes. “Shaking in my boots.”
The clerk remains unfazed. “You might be surprised.”
“I’d be trying not to laugh my head off, that’s what I’d be doing,” she mutters, heading out.
I block her way. “I’ll pay for it.”
She makes a face like, you’re nuts. “It’s not about the money.”
“It’s about you being a jaded woman with no room for mystery.”
“Oh, am I now?!” Her head flies back in a laugh, grey eyes prettier than any crystal in this or any other shop. “I’ll take your challenge and show you just how firmly
