Page 27 of The Gods Only Know

It was like meditation for me. I’d listen to soft music and take a break or Lukas would sit next to me and we’d—

I focused on the black shadow I carefully worked into my lash line instead. It was a nice compliment to my eyes and didn’t clash with my hair. I loved my hair, kept it long to bring out more of the color.

It was a dark red, twinged with strands of brown and lighter caramel orange through it. I tended to wear more neutral colors, leaning toward interesting textures to compliment it.

I liked to enhance it, not hide it. Especially since my mother tried to get me to dye it for years before begrudgingly accepting it might look good on me.

Satisfied with my makeup, I let my hair out of its pins and arranged the loose curls carefully. Then, a dress. Tonight, it was a strapless dress, its base color a light creamy pink but encrusted with beading that turned brilliant shades under light.

I took my time, knowing that Lukas would likely be late. It was almost impossible for me tonotbe right on time, so I often loitered around while he got ready.

Now I’d probably just—

A crisp, very Lukas-like knock sounded from the door.

“One second!” I called, the first time I had to say those words in my entire life. Lukas didn’t get to just decide to be the early one all of the sudden.

“Unless you’re naked, I’m coming in.” If he wanted a shoe thrown in his face, then yeah, he could come in. I was irrationally angry that was his boundary. That any state to find me in was fine butnakedwas just too fucking far.

“Fine,” I grumbled, barely audible.

Lukas pushed through the door and suddenly, it felt very necessary to keep that shoe in my hand so I could hold on for dear life.

Lukas’s beard was freshly trimmed, his dark hair cut shorter. Still long enough to show the curls, hanging around his shoulders and easy to pull back, but shorter. Daphne’s-favorite-shorter.

“I like your hair that length,” I said.

Lukas’s eyes sparked like a flash of sunlight in the water. “Good to know.”

The suit was as I imagined, perfectly tailored.

Lukas was taking his time looking at me, his eyes passing over my body in slow glides. Slipping on and lacing my heel quickly, I stood. Which only gave him a wider expanse to stare at.

His eyes traveled over the hem of the dress at my chest, down to where it tapered in at the waist, down to the slight on my leg and back up again.

My traitorous skin erupted in goosebumps, bowing to his slow perusal.

“You look good.” It took me a second to realize he’d even spoken, his voice came out so low. “Nice,” he added. Or corrected?

He thought I lookedgood. Nice. Well, I fucking knew that.Thatmight as well have been a slap in the face compared to the absolute havoc he wreaked on my body.

“Ready?” I asked through a purposely sweet, unaffected smile.

Lukas's eyes took mine in a brutal grip. “Let’s go.” He turned away, holding the door open and waiting for me to go through.

“Necklace!” I shrieked, halfway to the door. Lukas jumped at the volume of my voice, but that was what he got for rushing me. And telling me I lookednice.

I ran over to my vanity, swiping the necklace off the desk. It was a beautiful gold chain, holding a modest diamond at the base of my throat.

“Daphne, come on,” Lukas said, still standing there, pressing the door open with his body.

“This wholelet me be the one who’s waiting on Daphnebit is already old,” I said, intentionally brushing close as I pushed past him on quick legs. Lukas caught up in a stride.

“I had time this past year to work on myself,” Lukas joked. I barely heard him. His hand was hovering close to my lower back, there was static crawling up my skin and over my shoulders.

“Twenty-eight and still growing. How evolved.” I often forgot he was four years older than me. We felt so similar.

Lukas chuckled, just one short breath of laughter. I waited to see if he was going to add anything.

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