Page 14 of The Sweetheart Dance
“My day was good. I worked out at the gym with a friend from the team. He came to spend time with me up here.”
Her eyes widened. “Why are you with me if your friend is here?”
The woman is so sweet. “He’s fine. Trust me, Karl is lapping up all of the attention he can get here. One thing about him is the fact he loves attention.”
She smirks. “Do you love the attention you get from being a celebrity?”
I consider my answer to this question. “I used to like the benefits I received from being a celebrity but not so much anymore.”
“What changed?” Raina asks with her wine glass lifted to her lips.
Reaching over to her, I grab her hand. It is an intimate act but something I am compelled to do. I want to be closer to her. I want her to see the sincerity in my next words to let her know I might be feeling something for her.
Might?
She looks down at our conjoined hands with a sweet smile. Raina’s eyes search mine for something that makes me warm inside.
“It was empty. The whole situation was just empty and I didn’t like the way it made me feel afterward,” I answer honestly.
“Thank you for bringing me dinner. I didn’t realize how hungry I was,” she murmurs.
I take that as my cue to leave since I don’t want to push her into something she isn’t wanting right now. “I’m going to get going. You look tired.”
Raina wrinkles her nose while pursing her lips. She looks so cute and innocent. I want to wrap her in my arms, hold her close to me and never let her go. It is something I have never experienced before.
“I would like you to stay for a little bit. Maybe watch a movie?”
Getting up, I make my way over to the couch and pat the cushion next to me. It isn’t long before she picks a movie, is snuggled into my chest and passed out.
Raina’s body is warm against my skin making me remember how much this woman meant to me all of those years ago at the ski lodge.
It is in this moment, I vow I’m going to make her remember how great it was between us all of those years ago.
Chapter Eleven
Raina
It isn’t long before I’m packing my stuff to get ready for the cabin and putting the final touches of makeup on my face. I’m ready for Luke to pick me up from my apartment since we are trying to give our parents the idea we are together.
I’m zipping up my suitcase with one final look around to make sure I have everything. I shouldn’t be this nervous to go someplace with Luke. It isn’t as if Luke is a danger to me…
Physically.
Emotionally, I’m sure I could get wrecked.
Since I’m a glutton for punishment, I type his name into the search bar of my phone. I’m eager to see what kind of things he gets up to now that he’s in the public eye.
The first photo that shows up looks strangely like me with Luke on the night I got dumped. I tap on the photo to get a better look and sure enough, it is me! I’m in the tabloids!
Luke Willows with Mysterious Woman in Small Town!
“Wow!” I whistle to no one other than myself.
I hear a knock at my door reminding me I have to leave. Exiting out of the photo, I run towards the door to see Luke. He’s so handsome making me wonder why he has agreed to be my “boyfriend” during this ski trip. I’m sure there are hundreds of other women he would rather be with than me.
“You look beautiful!”
I smile. “Did you Google your name to see our picture?”
