Page 85 of Beautiful Storm

I’m about to get up when a soft knock on the door makes me pause. “Yeah?”

“It’s me. Obviously. Do you want breakfast? I’m making eggs.”

Ugh. The thought of eggs makes me nauseous, but he doesn’t know that. “I’d love some toast if that’s okay.”

“Sure thing. Do you want it now or…”

“Now is good. I’ll be right down.”

My eyes drop to the tee I slept in last night and I cringe. Taking a deep breath, I channel the mind of a woman that doesn’t overthink things and call out to Luke before he gets too far away.

“Luke?”

“Yeah?” The handle moves but he doesn’t open the door.

“You can come in.”

He smiles awkwardly as he enters, but I’m only able to focus on his face for the two seconds before I notice he’s in a towel.

“Did you change your mind about eggs?” he asks, his arm locked on the door frame, drawing my eyes to his bulging bicep before my gaze drifts over his half-naked body.

“Huh?”

“Eggs?”

What? Ugh. That ruined the moment. “No.” I scrunch my nose, forcing myself to shift focus. “I haven’t been able to eat them lately.”

“Damn. So what can I do for you? Besides let you ogle my body.”

“Funny. You could have put on some clothes. Anyway, speaking of clothes. I… ah… I need something to wear.”

Luke’s eyes drop to the white tee I’m wearing—sans bra—and he visibly swallows before his eyes flash to mine and he hides his reaction with a lopsided smile. I internally cheer at eliciting the same lust-filled expression I felt for him before he speaks. “You mean you don’t have a beautiful white dress purchased?”

“Sadly,”—I pout—“I left it at home.”

“I should have let you leave.” He grins, making me smile.

“Can I borrow something or not?”

“Will a white shirt do? Women wear men's shirts as fashion all the time. Right?” His justification almost makes me laugh but he’s serious, making me melt a little. He’s trying.

“A white shirt would be perfect.”

“Coming right up.”

He disappears for all of twenty seconds before coming back in with a shirt in hand and I freeze. If I'd known his room was so close last night, I never would have slept that well. Thank God, I had no idea.

“If you need anything else, let me know.” Luke smiles again as he backs out of the room, but before he’s completely out of sight, he pops his head in and laughs.“ Oh, and there’s toothpaste in the en suite but I don’t have a spare toothbrush.”

“What?” I’m taken aback by his thoughtfulness but joke to hide it. “You mean, you don’t have care packages for your overnight guests?” I laugh until he pins me with his signature cocky grin and I melt.

“I don’t have overnight guests. Most of them don’t make it upstairs.”

“Ew. I did not need to know that but at the same time…I feel special.” And oddly turned on.

“Don’t let your head grow too big,” Luke says, his cocky self melting my lust.

“Oh Luke, it would never be as large as yours.”

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