Page 82 of Bad Luck Club

“Radical honesty. I can’t stop thinking about touching you,” he said in a husky voice. “Not since that first night…”

She gave him a look, and he laughed. “I’m not taking it back. I might not have remembered it, but Ididremember your face. But Blue,” he said, “here’s some more honesty for you. I know what I said a couple of weeks ago, but I don’t know what the future holds. I don’t know if I’m staying here in Asheville. Someone reached out to me this morning about a job. The guy’s a huge commercial real estate magnate. He wants to interview me when I’m in New York for Addy’s show. I’m not sure what I want, but I think I have to do it. I haven’t told my sisters yet, so please don’t mention it to Adalia before I can. I…I just have so much to work out.”

The thought of him leaving created a yawning sense of loss. But he was here with her now, touching her in a way that told her letting their bodies be free with each other would blow her world apart, and she was sick of withholding joy from herself out of fear. Hadn’t that been her final challenge from Bear?

Besides, she’d heard back from the New York studios contacted by Adalia’s friend. Two of them wanted to meet with her. He had an interview and, in a sense, so did she. If he moved there, maybe she’d be able to visit him at least. It would be something.

She forced a smile. “I’m meeting with a couple of studios while I’m there too.” The forced smile slipped away, a real one chasing it. “None of us can make promises about the future. We only like to pretend we can.”

“Does this mean what I think it means?” he asked, stroking the inside of her wrist now, his touch sending waves of longing through her.

“It does. But if you’re up for it, I have one last challenge for you…”

Chapter Twenty-Three

Lee’s finger was pressed to the inside of Blue’s wrist, and he felt her pulse pick up. A wave of lust washed through him, along with a possessive feeling that surprised him.

“Stop right there,” he said with a sly grin. “I’ll take your challenge, but only if you agree to do one for me.” When she started to protest, he held up a hand. “You said you’re graduating, so that means no more challenges from Bear. It’s my turn to give you one.”

Her eyes lit up. “Are you going to get me a cap and gown too?”

“Maybe,” he said, wrestling with the sudden image of her in a graduation gown and nothing else. “I wouldn’t mind seeing you in one. So you’ll do it?”

A mischievous look crossed her face. “Only if you promise to do mine.”

“Why do I feel like I’m going to pay for that?”

“Because you’re a very smart man.”

He curled his fingers in a come-hither motion. “Bring it.”

She leaned forward, and the top of her flowy dress draped forward a bit, giving him a glimpse of her cleavage. The image was like a shot of electricity to his crotch. Did she have any idea what she did to him?

“Your challenge is simple,” she said, her lips tipping up playfully. “You have to do something ‘abnormal.’”

He stared at her in disbelief for a half second, then burst out laughing. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d done that, other than his fleeting involvement with the Bad Luck Club, which was actually pretty sad. But he refused to dwell on that fact when Blue was sitting across from him, looking at him like that. “There are many definitions of abnormal. Abnormal for me or your definition of abnormal?”

She gave him a smug look. “I suppose thosearetwo different things. How about you do it, and then I’ll tell you if it counts.”

He released a short laugh. “Or…I can run it by you first.”

“How about we wing it? What’smychallenge?” she asked.

He slowly shook his head. “I’m saving that for the time being.”

He glanced at his watch, disappointed to see that they’d need to get moving if he was going to keep his appointments.

“You have to go,” she said, but there was no disappointment or anger attached to her words. It was a simple statement of fact. Victoria would have gotten pouty, maybe even issued an ultimatum, and he thanked the stars above that she was out of his life. He’d never realized he could be friends with a girlfriend before Blue, and he realized that was sad too.

He leaned forward and gave her a soft kiss, and when he pulled back, he looked deep into her eyes. “Thank you.”

“For what?” she whispered, as though she was afraid of breaking this perfect moment.

“For being you. For challenging me. For giving me hope.” He kissed her again, even though he’d never been the public-displays-of-affection type before. Because with her, it felt natural. It felt as necessary as breathing. Standing, he reached a hand down to her. “Come on. I’ll drop you off at your mom’s.”

She took his hand, and he held on, his fingers curling around her smaller ones as he lifted them to his mouth and kissed her knuckles. Her hands were precious. They created things of beauty.

They walked back to his car, Lee feeling a hundred times better than when they’d left it before her meeting, and she joked that he looked like he was on his way to a frat party with all the beer in the back seat.

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