Page 61 of Where We Met

Bailey comes barreling at me wagging her tail. "Hi, girl." I squat and give her head scratches.

"I’m going to go say hi to Vino and let her out. My brother said he just left here about an hour ago, but it’s crazy how much we can miss our dogs while we’re away."

When Luke returns, Vino is at his side until she spots Bailey.

They're playing within an instant as Vino seems to show her new friend around the backyard.

I walk up to Luke on his massive patio with all the bells and whistles. There's even a covered area with a stone fireplace that has a big TV hanging over it. The couches look so warm and inviting, it makes me want to cozy up to the fireplace with a good book and a glass of wine.

"I'm going to bring your stuff in." Luke pulls me from my thoughts. "Just keep an eye on these two. Make sure they don't get into any trouble."

I'm pretty sure they're fine together, and he's just trying to find a way to keep me from insisting I help. I only met his mother briefly, but spending five minutes with Luke is enough to make it clear that she raised this man to treat women with respect.

Ten minutes later, he comes outside holding his cell phone.

"I just ordered some dinner. I figured with all the pasta we've had this past week, a good salad wouldn't hurt."

I place my hand over my stomach. "Thank you. I probably gained five pounds I'll need to work off."

He looks at me sharply. "Don't be ridiculous. You're perfect."

Silence falls between us. I'm not sure how to respond to that now that we're back to just being friends for the time being. He must notice my discomfort because he quickly changes the subject.

"Come on, let me show you around. I already moved your things to the guest bedroom."

With that, we walk into his house through the back door off the patio while our dogs trot in behind us.

I think I instantly fall in love with the interior of the home. It's an incredible mixture of the old woodwork with some contemporary elements and so much detail.

"This woodwork on these railings is incredible. I feel like I'm walking up the grand staircase in the Titanic."

He turns around, looking at me with a faint glint of humor in his eyes. "You and your movies."

"Who said I was saying it in reference to the movie? What if I'm just a big Titanic historian?"

His eyebrows raise suspiciously. "What date did the ship sink?"

I narrow my eyebrows in frustration. Ugh, I wish I knew the answer to shove in his smug face. "Ugh, whatever. Just keep walking."

Luke laughs loudly as he continues climbing the stairs. We walk down a long hallway with several doors on both sides, and when we get to the end of the hall, he opens the door on the right and leads me in.

The room is equally as beautiful as everything else I've seen. Trim on the top of the room that is detailed and ornate. It has a large four-poster bedframe that matches the grandiose style of the room. A white and cream area rug is splayed out underneath the bed, with a white down comforter with cream throw pillows bringing out the accents in the rug.

I see a mirror set in the corner of the room, and all I can think about is what we did in Italy. I feel myself flush hot as my brain plays it back to me. His eyes follow mine, realizing exactly what has me stopped in my tracks.

When Luke turns back to me, his eyes are dark. "We can't," his deep voice echoes through the room.

"I didn’t say anything," I whisper.

"You didn't have to."

"Well, shit, I can't just forget about what happened,” I tell him. “Moving on, let's just power through this. I think it's the only way we're going to survive," I plead.

He blows out a breath and nods. "So, this is your room. Please make yourself at home, use whatever you'd like. Through this door here," he says as he opens it and flips on the light, "is your bathroom."

I follow him in and almost scream with excitement. It's literally the size of my shitty apartment.

"Holy shit," I whisper. "It's huge."

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