Page 15 of Revived

As I coast down the hall, I survey the few pictures hanging up of Luke’s late wife, noticing most don’t have Grayson in them. He must have been very young when she passed.

After what seems like an hour, I finally gather my emotions and take a seat on the couch, laying my head on the cushion and closing my eyes with the intention of just resting, but apparently the excitement of the day wears off quickly as I fall asleep.

“Rachel…” a deep whisper pulls me out of my slumber.

“Hmmm…” I nuzzle further into the pillow as I hear a light chuckle above me.

“Rachel… wake up.”

My eyes pop open and I shoot up in a panic, colliding with the head of the person standing above me.

“Fuck!” Luke hisses as he grabs his nose and I gasp, realizing I just head butted him.

“Oh my God, Luke. I’m so sorry!” I stand, assessing his face. Luckily, he’s not bleeding, but his eyes are clearly watering.

Wincing at me with one eye open, he hisses and then relaxes slightly. “It’s alright. It was an accident.”

“You scared me. For a second, I thought someone had broken in or Grayson needed me. I’m sorry. I never should have fallen asleep.”

“It’s okay, Rachel. Listening to Grayson talk your ear off all night can be exhausting,” he agrees, rubbing his nose a few times before focusing on my face. His dark eyes stare down at me, eliciting yet another inappropriate reaction from my body. Our proximity wakes up my core, a heat spreading from between my legs and out through my belly. Oh boy, this isn’t good.

“Uh, yeah. But he was great. An angel.”

“I’m glad to hear it. Thank you again.”

“It’s truly no problem, Luke. I’m happy I’m here,” I say, thinking back on how heartbroken I was earlier to learn more about his circumstances.

“Me too. Sorry I texted so much earlier,” he says embarrassingly, referencing the dozen or so texts we exchanged. He checked in on us in between each of his classes. I didn’t mind and actually expected it, so we made sure to document our night and send pictures.

“Don’t apologize for being a good father. I would have been worried if you hadn’t checked in,” I say as I move around him, sliding my boots back on.

“Any cookies left?” He moves into the kitchen, finding the Tupperware on the counter and popping it open, biting into a cookie quickly. I can’t help but admire the way his lips curl around the dough, the way his tongue darts out to lick off a crumb on the corner of his mouth.

Stop it, Rachel. Nothing can happen here. Shut down these thoughts now.

“I think you answered that question,” I tease. “Anyway, I’ll see you in the morning.”

“Yeah. See you in the morning. Sorry you can’t stay. I’ll have the guest room ready by this weekend, I promise.”

“It’s not a big deal, but yes, it will be nice not having to leave late and come back in the morning every day. Goodnight, Luke,” I whisper, gathering my purse and shooting him a small wave before quietly opening the door and shutting it behind me, walking to my car in the chill of the night.

Once I’m settled inside waiting for the heater to blast warm air, I look back at the home I infiltrated this evening. So much love and so much hurt lies within those walls, and so many emotions swirl inside of me as I fight the sorrow and attraction I feel for the man living inside.

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