Page 72 of Reluctant Chemistry

“Kind of. I do love being out in the bush, and maybe spending some time in nature would do me good.”

Tayla looked up as someone approached from behind. CeCe didn’t need to turn to know it was Luka; she could tell by the look on her sister-in-law’s face. Luka pulled up a chair next to CeCe and sat, his body turned in her direction. “How are you both enjoying the night?”

“Loving it,” Tayla said. “But if you’ll please excuse me, I need to find the restroom.”

CeCe remained silent as Tayla stood and walked away.Traitor.With the rest of her table either mingling around the coffee station or up on the dance floor, she and Luka were now alone.

“I still can’t get used to seeing her pregnant,” Luka said as they watched her leave. “She’s glowing.”

“It’s lovely, isn’t it?”

“Mitch is on cloud nine.”

“Yes. He’s always wanted kids.”

As they dragged each other through the ritual of small talk, CeCe wanted to tell him to stop. To ask him what had happened between him and Annabelle. Or perhaps to walk away, just as Tayla had. To take off down the stairs and out the main door so she could stridealong the boardwalk until her racing heart calmed.

“Anyway, how have you been?” he asked after a moment.

“Okay. I’ve been meaning to thank you for putting me onto Jay. He’s such a switched-on guy. I’m keen to keep him on once his trial’s over.”

“That’s great.”

“And you? How have you been?”

Luka pulled at his bow tie. “Restless.”

She frowned at his cryptic response. It wasn’t like him to admit such a thing. “Why’s that?”

Luka gave her a knowing grin, then leaned in close to her ear and whispered, “Because I can’t stop thinking about my sexy as fuck ex-girlfriend, and it’s doing my head in.”

What?

“Is there any chance of a reconciliation?” CeCe asked, assuming he meant Annabelle.

Moody eyes the color of cognac searched her gaze. “I don’t know. Is there?”

His words had an immediate effect. As heat flared between her thighs, she clenched them together. When her father appeared at her side a second later, CeCe barely noticed him.

He offered his hand to Luka, who stood and accepted the greeting with a smile. “You two catching up on old times?”

“Something like that,” Luka said as he returned to his seat.

Frank turned to CeCe. “Think we’re about ready to call it a night.” He frowned. “Are you okay? You look a little peaky.”

Her face impossibly hot and Luka’s words searing her like a branding iron, CeCe felt more than a little peaky. “I’m fine. It’s just so warm in here.”

Her father hesitated. “Okay. I’ll go find your mother. Be back in a sec.”

CeCe watched her father walk away. What did Luka think he was doing, speaking to her like that? She turned to look at him, his knowing expression giving plenty away as the corner of his mouth twitched in the start of a smile.

“I can drop you off later if you want to stay a bit longer,” he said.

Sexy as fuck!

“But you’ve been drinking.”

He shrugged as if that didn’t matter. “You could always stay with me in town. We’ll grab an Uber.”

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