Page 40 of Broken Promises

“You feel good, so damn good,” I praised her, unable to look away from her. It was as if somehow I had ended up inside a goddess—with how angelic she looked right then, there was no proof that wasn’t the case in the first place.

“I’m close…I’m so damn close.” Her words blended with another heavy moan, and that was my cue. My hand snuck in between her thighs, finding her tender, swollen clit, and rubbing it at a pace that followed her thrusts.

That did the trick it was meant to.

In only a few moments, Luce was tipped over the edge with a loud groan that echoed deep into the night as evidence of what happened here tonight. I would’ve been concerned someone had heard us in any other place, but here, it was just the two of us. She could scream as loud as she wanted. The juices of her arousal gushed all over me, soaking me in her pleasure, and that was my own undoing.

I tensed against her as I came, tightening my grip around her to hold her as close to me as possible. My lips eagerly crashed against hers to stifle the sounds that threatened to leave my throat, but it was pointless. The sensation that consumed me overpowered that attempt easily.

It took me a few moments to regain my composure and finally let her go. When I did, she remained on my lap, with mycock still inside her. Luce leaned her head against my shoulder, looking more content than ever. I basked in the sight, still unable to believe she was here…that she chose to be with me again. And while I didn’t know what the future would bring for us, right now, this was enough.

“You know…there’s a karaoke night that we’re meant to go to,” I pointed out after a few long moments of silence, even if that was the last thing I wanted to do. But, for her, I would. Luce didn’t move, but I could practically feel her smile.

“Luke, I don’t know how to tell you this…but we’re not going anywhere unless you have a spare pair of pants in your truck. You’re soaked.” Mischief lingered on her expression as she looked up at me.

“And whose fault is that, huh?” I teased her, placing a soft kiss on her forehead. I traced lines over her back, content with just feeling the warmth of her body against mine. This was all I needed to be happy. “I just thought…you seemed very excited about the karaoke night, and I didn’t want you to miss out on it. Even if I do think this was a much better use of our time.”

Now, she laughed, and the melodic sound filled my truck. How I went without hearing it for ten years was now beyond me. I couldn’t imagine living like that for another day. Deep in my heart, I knew I had to find a way to make this work because ever since that first kiss, there was no going back to how things used to be for me.

lucy

. . .

Things were lookingup in the best sense of those words. When I first arrived at Port-Cartier, I expected healing to be a more difficult process. I expected to be haunted by memories I spent so long running away from, to be tortured by my past, to be eager to return to Seattle and assure myself leaving was the best choice I ever made. And all my fears revolved around one person: Luke.

How ironic was that? The person I so feared to encounter, the person I left this town for, was now also the person who changed my life for the better—and most of my days passed without a single thought of Jason. Any wounds I had come here to heal were long forgotten; all I could think about was my future.

When I did think of it, it was by Luke’s side.

“Hello? Earth to Luce!” Sailor called out on the other side of our video call. I had some floral arrangements to get through today, so I figured I could call my best friend and chat while doing it. The truth was, I missed her terribly. These past five weeks were the longest we had gone without seeing each other since we met. Only two more weeks were left of my supposedstay here, and I still hadn’t made up my mind about what I was going to do. That was partially why I had been so silent today and why I called her to help.

“Sorry, I just have a lot on my mind right now,” I mumbled, adding another lily to the arrangement I was working on. It was for the wedding of one of the girls I went to high school with, so I wanted to ensure everything was perfect. For the longest time, I thought marriage wasn’t an option for me. Itdefinitelywasn’t when I was dating Jason. But with Luke… “I don’t know what to do, Sailor. I’ve gotten myself in…this situation, and I don’t know how to get out of it.”

“You mean you and Luke?” She tilted her head to the side. I nodded. “Well, you do still have two weeks. Before you’re meant to come back home. You will have to talk to him at some point…”

“I know, I know…I just…I can’t ask him to leave the business he just bought from his father, but I’m also unsure whereIbelong. My life has been turned upside down. For the past decade, I have tried my best to stay as far away from this town as possible, afraid of the heartache it may trigger. But now that I’m back here, it feels like it’s where I’ve belonged all along. It’s the weirdest thing.”

“First of all, you belong by my side. What kind of a question is that?” Sailor interrogated with a pouty expression on her face. I couldn’t help but smile. “But, our friendship is so strong that it can take miles and miles of distance. If you ever look for a place where you belong, you will always find one by my side. With that said…if you’re sure you’re making the right decision, I’ll support you if you decide to stay in Port-Cartier.”

I rubbed my forehead.Thatwas partially the issue. I wasn’t sure if I could leave the life I had built in Seattle behind. What if I was about to make the biggest mistake of my life?

What if…

What if…

What if…

I hated those damn questions.

“The Sailor I know would never suggest I leave a life behind for a man,” I pointed out teasingly. She rolled her eyes. “Who are you, and what have you done to my best friend?”

“Well,thisSailor can tell you’re very much in love, Luce. And she only wants the best for you. If your heart is so torn about leaving…then leaving may not be the best choice after all.”

“I know, but?—”

“And you can always try long distance. I mean, what’s the rush? You can travel back and forth, and so can he. There is no reason either of you should leave your life behind for now, right? And if you do it for, say, a year, then I think you’ll have a much clearer answer on the right move.”

Some of the tension in my shoulders practically vanished at her words. I had been so stuck with mulling this over that I forgot it was possible to meet in the middle. “That…may be a good idea.” It wasn’t ideal, of course, but it was the closest to the optimal solution we’d come up with. At least until more answers crystalized in our minds. “I mean, I don’t want to spend much time away from him, but what can I do?”

---