Page 52 of Luke

He took her hand, and she jumped, but she didn't pull away, because the warmth of his fingers sent a wave of heat through her.

"What did you think of my movie, Lizzie?" Luke asked.

As she looked into his eyes, she sensed there was a lot behind the lightly spoken question. "I loved it."

"You can be honest."

"I am being honest. You took me along on every adventure. I felt exhausted by the end of it but also exhilarated, like I'd climbed the mountain with you, only I wasn't freezing or starving or trying to stay upright on exhausted legs."

He smiled. "That's the reaction I was hoping for."

"You got it. I now completely understand why you're a superstar," she added with a smile. "And I'm not surprised. When you first talked about making movies like that, you were so passionate and excited and determined. I didn't know they would turn out this good, and I certainly didn't know how many chances you would take with your own life, but I always knew you'd do something incredible with your life. I was right."

"Thanks."

"I liked your speech, too. It was interesting how you spoke about the people in your film, how you made them real."

"They were real people, same as you and me."

"I wouldn't have seen them that way if you hadn't showed me. It's easier to look at superstars as people born with very special talents or blessed with some unusual strength, but not the guy driving the garbage truck in the morning so he can be home to pick up his kid from kindergarten at noon."

"I believe that ordinary people are capable of doing extraordinary things. The courage is there within them; they just have to find it."

"You make it sound so easy."

"It's not easy, but it's possible. You've done it. You found the courage to walk out on the stage and play for the toughest critics in the world. You found the courage to give up your life and raise your niece. Hell, you found the courage to walk away from me when you needed to."

"I thought you hated me for that."

"I did for a long time, but that's only because…I loved you so much."

She sucked in a quick breath. "I feel like we're veering into dangerous territory."

He smiled and squeezed her fingers. "And I feel like we haven't missed a beat. All those years in between are gone. It's you and me again. I like talking to you, Lizzie. I always did."

"You liked to do more than talk," she teased.

"Guilty. But when we weren't doing that, talking was good."

"It was good." She swallowed as a knot of emotion began to grow in her throat. "I deliberately didn't watch any of your movies before tonight. I didn’t think I could stand seeing you. I thought it would hurt too much."

"Are you hurting now?"

"A little," she admitted. "I can't help thinking about all the adventures I missed. Not that I would have wanted to participate in most of what you've done, but I would have loved to see some of the places you've been."

"There's still time."

"I wish that were true. But I have even less of a chance now of traveling the world…I have Kaitlyn. I have roots. I can't take off and go where I want. I had my chance; I didn't take it."

He stared back at her. "What if I gave you another chance?"

"Why would you?" she asked, as her blood rushed through her veins at the intense look of desire in his eyes.

"Because I want you, Lizzie."

She wanted to ask why, for what, for how long…but she couldn't get any words out.

He leaned forward and pushed a strand of her hair off her forehead, then let his fingers slide down her cheek. "You are so beautiful, even prettier than I remember. You always had the softest lips, the sweetest sigh. I want those lips; I want that sigh."

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