Page 43 of Drown in You

I flush. Luke Valentine leaves me speechless more than anyone I’ve ever met. “I’ll send a bouquet home to Mom and leave some for Deb.”

“Go for it.” Luke nods at my clothes with a spark of amusement in his eyes. “Nice outfit.”

“I couldn’t find my dress.” I left it in my room after slipping on Luke’s jersey last night. But when I looked for it this morning to slip it back on, it was gone.

Part of me is relieved. After the way Luke looked at me last night when he saw me in that dress, if he saw me in it again this morning, he would’ve made me his breakfast.

I forgot to toss my underwear and his jersey in the dryer last night, so now I’m in the T-shirt and gym shorts I stole from his laundry. They’re ridiculously oversized, the shirt reaching past my butt and the shorts hitting my calves, but he somehow still eats me up the way he did when I showed up to join him in the hot tub.

“It’s in the trash.”

I frown. “Why?”

He flashes a wolfish grin. “You really want to know?”

God. What the hell did he do to it? I shake my head. “No, I really don’t.”

With his fork, he points at a few plates on the table. “We’ve got scrambled and fried eggs, and butter, jam, or peanut butter for toast. Take your pick. Bacon will be ready soon.”

Luke Valentine made breakfast for me. He bought me ten dozen flowers. My new stepbrother is making it difficult to keep pushing him away.

“You should put a shirt on,” I tell him. “The bacon fat could burn you.”

He winks at me. “Thanks, Doc.”

But he doesn’t leave his spot in front of the stove. I huff and collapse into a seat at the table with my back to him. If he’s going to walk around this house shirtless, then I simply won’t look at him. He obviously knows at this point that I have a thing for muscular men. But I won’t let him get to me.

Honestly, I’m shocked he didn’t try sneaking into my room last night. My bedroom door doesn’t have a lock, and I was certain that as soon as I got off the phone with Mom, he’d be sauntering in to fulfill his promise to share a bed with me. But he didn’t.

Somehow, I managed to sleep more peacefully than I have in months.

My phone buzzes with a text from Juliet.

Juliet

I slept so much better without your snoring!!!

“Asshole,” I grumble.

“What?” Luke sets the plate of bacon in front of me.

“You didn’t hear me snoring, did you?”

“Oh, that was you? I thought someone was running a chainsaw.”

I roll my eyes. “Ha ha.”

Without another word, Luke leaves the kitchen. Is he going to let me eat alone? A confusing mix of relief and disappointment stirs in my belly. I should be grateful he’s giving me space. It’s what I’ve been asking for since we found out we’re step-siblings.

But I can’t help the guilt that eats at me from our conversation in the hot tub last night. I asked him about how his father died and then about Chloe. Forced him to relive those painful memories. He told me about what happened to his dad, the heart-wrenching details of being at his father’s side as he took his final breath. Unable to save him. Unable to do anything for him. Asking about Chloe was pushing it. He avoided the question entirely, changing the subject to my sudden arrival.

Thank god Mom called. Nothing good will come from Luke finding out the truth.

Drool hits my bare foot. Beneath the table, Bud wags his tail and blinks adorable, big brown eyes at me. I laugh and slip a slice of bacon beneath the table. “Don’t tell Luke.”

“Don’t tell me what?”

I jump at his booming voice as he strides into the room. Seeing him barefoot in nothing but gray sweatpants makes butterflies flutter in my stomach.

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