Page 111 of Loyally, Luke
She narrowed her eyes at him. “You know, you could have done that a lot earlier and saved us both the extra agony.”
He narrowed his eyes back at her. “It’s less likely to cause us as much trouble while we’re out here in freezing temperatures as it would in that nice cozy cabin, Princess.”
She cringed a little, half at the truth of his statement and half at the fact of how much she wanted to head right back up to the cozy cabin and practice a little less self-control than she ought.
Thankfully, the past three years had given her a better perspective and longer-term goal than she’d had before. The right man was worth the wait.
She paused on the thought. And maybe, whether in months or years, she and Luke could find a way to be together?
“Well, good news. I’m feeling much warmer now.”
He dipped his head as if bowing. “Glad to be of assistance, my lady.”
“Oh, stop!” She waved him away and returned her attention to the rod. “All right, let’s do this and then return to the cozy cabin.”
After a few tries, the cast landed in a large open spot of the lake. The quiet of the day should have calmed her, but the sense of being watched resurfaced again and again. She didn’t want to mention it to Luke and appear paranoid. He seemed oblivious to any such disturbance.
They’d been waiting for one bite from a fish when she spotted the first snowflake. Nothing too concerning, as snow stayed in the higher elevations as late as mid-May during some years. But the added chill started to deepen her concern.
She glanced up at the sky. Those dark clouds from earlier crowdedoverhead and moved much more quickly than usual. As if to make a point, the breeze picked up, misting her face with snow and dampness.
“I think we might want to head back to the cabin.” Luke studied the sky. “Maybe you can try again another day.”
“I think you’re right. Let me just reel it in.”
She shifted closer to the edge, looking out toward the nearest bank, something green moving into view. Green?
Her line jerked just then, and she turned to Luke. “I... I think I have something.”
“Well, don’t just stand there with that pretty mouth of yours hanging open.” He grinned. “Reel it in.”
“But... but will you record it so I can show Father?” The line jerked with such force she stumbled a step forward. “And have it for my own memories.”
“Sure.” He looked over at her, as if waiting for direction. “With my phone or yours?”
“I can’t give you my phone right now or I’m afraid I’ll lose hold of the rod.”
“All right, I got it.” He pulled his phone from his pocket and stepped back to capture a better view, she supposed.
Ellie shot him a grin, turned back to the task at hand, and began reeling in the fish. It tugged and pulled, and she tried to dig her feet into the damp ground but couldn’t get a steady footing.
The green came back into view and then... was that a flash?
A camera flash.
She looked up and caught sight of a man in a green hat and coat poised just across from them on the narrower portion of the lake, but in the distraction of the moment, several things happened at once. The fish pulled her forward while another flash caused her to turn back in his direction, making her feet slip forward from the wet, grassy embankment onto the ice.
A horrible noise groaned beneath her feet, and she knew whatwould follow. In synchrony, she released the rod and turned toward Luke, making eye contact with him just before the ice gave way beneath her with a loudcrack.
With a scream and a flailing of arms, she was swallowed by the frigid lake water.
Chapter19
Getting the kisses out of the way hadn’t helped Luke’s rascally thoughts as much as he’d hoped. In fact, even looking at Ellie through a phone screen made him want to kiss her breathless a few hundred more times.
And maybe the heat of those kisses distracted him from paying better attention to the weather. In fact, from the time she’d shown up on his doorstep to now, his brain hadn’t been working its best, despite the fact that he’d had three cups of coffee. And with the desire to cuddle up with her on the couch and kiss her until they both forgot about tomorrow, getting out into the cold seemed a good idea.
Until now.
