Page 85 of Don't Leave
And I should probably do the same.
“Luke will drive me home later.” I hold my breath when it looks like Austin might argue.
Instead, he nods before grabbing Brooklyn’s hand. “See you at school, Cassidy.” He flicks a hard look at Luke. “Wellington.”
I nod, relieved that Austin and Brooklyn are taking off. “Yup.”
Once they walk out the door, I release the pent-up breath clogging my lungs as my gaze finally drifts to Luke’s. “That was kind of weird. Is there a problem between you two?”
He shrugs, his eyes becoming shuttered. “Nope, not at all.” He changes the subject. “Are you ready to take off?”
“Yeah, I am.”
“All right, let me say goodbye to a few friends and then we can head out.”
It’s another thirty minutes before we leave. On the ride home, thoughts of Cole circle through my mind. Sometimes it feels like he’s never very far from my thoughts and a little prick of sadness fills me.
“Are you all right?” His gaze flickers to me as we drive through the darkness. “You’ve been really quiet.”
I don’t realize just how tangled up in my thoughts I’d become until he pulls the truck into my driveway. Instead of cutting the engine, he leaves it running before turning to me.
I nibble at my lower lip and debate whether to tell him the truth. Luke and I are friends. It’s important that I’m honest with him. “I was thinking about Cole.”
His expression never falters. If he’s bothered by my answer, he doesn’t show any outward sign of it. “Is that because Austin showed up tonight?”
I jerk my shoulders. “I guess.” But Cole has been on my mind since…I try to think of a time when I haven’t been consumed with thoughts of him and I can’t.
“Have you talked with him lately?”
“We exchanged a few texts yesterday,” I admit.
He glances away for a heartbeat before his gaze pins mine in place. A moment later, he reaches out and takes hold of my fingers. As I stare at our clasped hands, I can’t help but notice how small, almost delicate, my hand looks in his larger one. I also realize that every time he does it, it feels more natural.
“I know you’re still getting over Cole,” he says. “And I realize that you’re not ready to get involved with anyone else just yet but I’ll wait, Cassidy. For as long as it takes, I’ll wait.”
My eyes widen as his words wash over me. “Luke, I?—”
He squeezes my hand gently before shaking his head. “Don’t say anything right now. I know you need more time. But there’s something between us. Ever since that night…” His voice trails off as my mind tumbles back in time.
To him.
“I haven’t been able to get you out of my mind.” There is an ocean of emotion swimming around his blue-gray depths. It arrows through the heart of me as he whispers, “I want to be with you.”
“Luke…” His name rolls softly off my lips but I’m not sure how to respond to the enormousness of his words or their meaning.
His other hand rises to tenderly stroke my cheek and even though it feels different than when Cole has done the same thing, it doesn’t feel bad. It actually feels nice. I squeeze my eyes closed as my mind somersaults.
“Give us a chance to be more than what we are,” he pleads.
“I still love him,” I force myself to admit, wanting him to understand what he’s up against.
His fingers continue to touch my cheek. “I wish you didn’t.”
When I finally lift my lashes, our gazes collide. “I know.”
Something indescribable sparks to life between us.
He leans forward, gradually closing the distance between. I realize that he’s giving me time to stop this from happening. Part of me wonders if this is what needs to occur.
