Page 127 of Him Lessons

And there he was. Light-dark hair a sexy mess, as though he’d showered recently and done nothing to tame it after. Surfer tank showing off those ridiculous pecs. Eyes aglow.

You’re mine now,they seemed to say, those glowy eyes. A sentiment she wholeheartedly agreed with. “My Luke,” she whispered back.

“Damn straight.” Grinning, he tugged her around the booth to where a walkway spanned the length of the balcony behind the Pits. The walkway was lit with the same under-mount lighting as the bar and stage but was set to a soft, romantic glow. The only other illumination in the darkened room came from the candle-lit sconces flickering along the back wall.

Andy frowned at them. Unattended candles were so unsafe. She should probably tell Kyle. Did the man want to risk the lives of his patrons? Burn his million-dollar club to the ground?

“Battery-powered,” Luke said, catching her worried look. “Really expensive fakes.”

“Right.”

Luke chuckled as she giggle-snorted.

The sappy love song downstairs yielded to another. Andy recognized this one because her mom used to play it all the time when she was little. “Hero” by Enrique Iglesias.

She laughed out a groan at the extreme sappiness of the track Kyle had undoubtedly picked. Luke’s long arms reeled her in. A palm settled on her crown. She winced.

“What?” he said quickly. “You don’t like my hands in your hair.”

“No,” she assured him with a smile. “It’s fine. I just have a pokey bobby pin somewhere in there I can’t find.”

“Want some help?”

“Yes, please.”

Amazingly, Luke’s longer fingers were able to do in a manner of seconds what her shorter ones had been trying to do off and on all evening. The pokey pin slid free, and she sighed with relief. “Don’t suppose you could rip my sleeves off while you’re at it?”

Luke stepped back, sized up her dress, then grasped the gauzy material at her right shoulder. Two quick yanks later, no more irritating wrist-seam problem.

Turning as a waiter was passing them on the walkway, Luke dumped the fabric on his empty tray.

“My hero,” Andy said, fluttering her lashes.

“Happy to divest you of bothersome clothing anytime, ma’am.”

They both laughed, and then she was pulled back in. Luke’s arms wrapped around her so snugly. So perfectly. Just the way she loved.

They moved together along the lighted path. No fancy footwork. Just slow-stepping circles. A gentle rocking. One that calmed her entire body.

Except for her vagina. She was acting up again.

Pesky, clenchy vagina.

“I’m autistic.”

Wow. Helluva segue on that one, lady.

Luke chuckled. “I know.”

Resting her head on a pec, she breathed in the minty goodness before exhaling a soft sigh. “I guess I didn’t tell you because I was afraid you’d want to stop our lessons. But now, well, they’re over anyway.”

“Nah,” Luke said. “Our lessons are still on. They’ll just be different now.”

She lifted her head. “How so?”

“Nowyou’llbe the one teachingme.” Her heart tripped up at his smile and the soft earnestness in his eyes as he continued. “I did a quick search on ASD at home when it finally occurred to me that you were on the spectrum, because honestly, Andy, I don’t know all that much about it. Not as much as I should.”

“What would you like to know?”

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