Page 14 of Reluctant Chemistry

CeCe inched closer and leaned her head on his shoulder. From their conversations so far, she knew he was a good listener, allowing her the space to speak without interruption. But confiding in Luka about her best friend wasn’t part of the plan.

She touched the butterfly at her throat. She’d given Anna the necklace for her sixteenth birthday, and from that day on, her friend had seldom removed it. Several weeks after the funeral, she’d arrived home to find a piece of folded tissue tied with a pink bow on her nightstand. Inside was the butterfly necklace and a hand-written note from Anna’s mother about friendship and bonds that couldn’t be broken. Perhaps Anna hadn’t told her parents that she no longer considered CeCe a friend. “Candor is often overrated, don’t you think?”

He shrugged. “Depends.”

“Okay”—she glanced up at him—“tell me one thing about yourself.”

“Well, I can’t stop thinking about this girl I rescued from a rabbit hole.”

His admission set her heart on a wild ride. He’d thought about her as she had of him, and that mutual intent made her smile. “Yeah? What’s she like, this rabbit-hole girl?”

“Intriguing, if a little wild.” He lifted her to face him, so she straddled his legs. “Your turn.”

She stared into his eyes, losing herself in the moment. “I’m dreading Easter.”

As a slight frown creased his brow, CeCe slid her hands down his chest, surprised by the instant contraction of muscle under her fingertips. Luka leaned forward and kissed her slowly. Another point of difference between him and the younger guys she’d dated. Hot Chopper Guy knew how to execute the perfect lazy kiss. How to cup her face, soften his lips, and keep his tongue gentle. How to pull back and study her before finding her mouth again.

CeCe scooted forward, just a fraction, but enough to feel him stiffen beneath her. And as she returned her head to his shoulder, she smiled.

6

Calling All Angels

CeCe floated backward out of reach, and Luka watched as she pulled a hair tie from her wrist to wrangle her curls into a topknot. He looked upward. Stars gazed down from the sky as the waxing moon hid behind a puff of cloud. She’d turned up uninvited, but he didn’t care; it wasn’t as if she’d find him with someone else. For him, she was that someone for now.

For some reason, he found her one-piece swimsuit sexier than any skimpy bikini he’d ever seen. Black, or perhaps navy blue—he couldn’t tell which by the muted light from inside—its straps fastened around the neck and molded cups held her breasts high. Moments before, as she’d straddled him, Luka had stiffened, struggling to stay in control. But she’d set their pace, not him. Because, despite her apparent bravado, he sensed she wasn’t quite ready to take things further.

While Luka tried not to imagine having sex with her, as the tension built, he could think of little else. He reached over and turned on the jets, letting the force of water relax him.

CeCe chatted about her day, her hand fiddling with a blue butterfly that hung from a silver chain around her neck. As usual, she failed to mention her family. Maybe they didn’t get along. She was eighteen, after all, an age where many teenagers stepped away from the fold and tested their boundaries.

Brad had mentioned an overprotective father and two sisters. Then there was her brother, Mitch, who Luka had already met at a pre-Christmas touch rugby game shortly after arriving in Tulloch Point. Otherwise, he knew nothing about her domestic life. Not that it mattered. He wasn’t here to meet the parents.

“This has been great, but I have to leave soon.” CeCe went to stand.

He reached over and tugged her closer. With her arms wrapped around his neck and those long legs resting between his, he kissed her with increased urgency. She pulled away. Droplets of steam covered her hair, and her lips seemed fuller from his attention. CeCe kissed with skill and finesse, and for the first time since they’d met, he wanted to know everything about her.

“Stay. I have a big bed.”

“I can’t. Not tonight.” As she spoke, she brushed a lock of hair from his forehead—once, twice—then rested her head on his shoulder again, the touch of her breast against his naked chest making Luka even harder.

“Will you at least give me your number so I can text you?”

She kissed him lightly on the lips, a teasing smile coming into play as she cupped his face with one hand. “Maybe someday.”

“Why not today?”

“I’m not into the whole texting thing with guys. It makes me anxious.”

“But how will I contact you?”

“You’ll figure it out. We don’t have to be on each other’s screens every minute of the day. That’s kind of tedious, don’t you think? Besides, it’s not fling behavior.”

“So that’s all you’re after? A fling?”

CeCe stood and adjusted her straps, her legs tanned and athletic. And as she stepped from the tub, he wanted to pull her back and hold her until his crazy heart slowed its rapid beat. Watching her, he floated forward and settled his arms on the rim of the tub.

“I wouldn’t say no to a brief fling. But it has to be special. I want to anticipate and wonder, to have you flit into my daydreams when least expected.” She picked up her towel and kissed him on the forehead. “Do you mind if I jump in the shower real quick? Otherwise, I’ll reek of chlorine all night.”

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