Page 50 of Amore
“Woof!” He wagged his tail and went to the door.
I grabbed his leash from the back of the chair at the dining room table. Clipping it to his collar, I hesitated. What if someone was waiting for me to leave? Would someone follow me again?
A key slipped into the lock, startling me. It opened, and Luke walked in. He looked right at me, his brow furrowed.
“Are you okay?” He dropped a plastic bag he was holding, the smell of yummy goodness filling the air.
“Yeah. Just having a moment.”
“Come here.” Luke shut the door, and I dropped Amore’s leash as he wrapped me in a hug. “Have all the moments you need.”
“I don’t want to have moments. I don’t want to be scared to go outside, fearful that someone is following me.” A tear ran down my cheek.
He held my head to his chest. “I know, baby.”
“Someone toldThe Daily GossipI was attacked,” I sobbed.
“Shit. Really?”
“I don’t understand. No one knew but us.” He went rigid in my embrace. “What?” I questioned.
“I told Candace.”
I pulled back. “You did?”
“She accused me of cheating on her last night, and I snapped. I told her I wouldn’t have done anything with you since you had been attacked and almost raped.”
I swallowed. “Oh.”
“Are you mad?”
I shook my head. “No, but do you think she would tell the media?”
“I don’t know.” He lifted a shoulder. “But she’s pissed, so it’s possible.”
I took a deep breath and wiped the tears from my face. “Because she thinks you broke up with her to be with me?”
“Yeah.”
“Did you?”
Luke cupped my cheek and wiped another tear away. “I did it for many reasons, you know that. But yes, you’re one of them.”
I licked my lips and moved my gaze to his mouth. He didn’t hesitate to crash his lips into mine. His lips were soft, and even though it had been years since I’d felt them against mine, they were also familiar. I parted my mouth slightly, his tongue slipping in, and we moved until my back hit the closed door.
Warmth spread through my body, and I tried to focus on the present. I longed to be against Luke’s hardness, but memories of the night before flashed through my mind, and I broke away.
“Sorry.” He leaned his forehead against mine.
“No,” I shook my head. “It’s not that. I just had a flashback to last night.”
Luke’s phone started to ring, and he pulled it out of his pocket. Looking at the screen, he groaned. “Shit.”
“What?”
“It’s Lucy.”
“Oh.”
