16. Lucy
lucy
. . .
As I woke up this time, I was in a far more comfortable position. I was in an actual bed rather than a hospital chair, and I actually got a proper night’s rest. In the far distance, I could hear the birds chirping, which momentarily distracted me from thoughts of my mom being in the hospital.
Luke’s scent was prominent around me, to the point where it reclaimed my focus from the birds. I missed it and allowed myself another luxurious moment of inhaling his scent before I forced myself to sit up. The other side of the bed was untouched, which suggested that he didn’t spend the night by my side.
I know that was to be expected, but a slight pang of disappointment spread through me regardless. Slowly, I made my way out of the bedroom and into the kitchen, where Luke was already making breakfast.
Shirtless .
I swallowed at the sight. His broad back was turned to me as he scrambled some eggs at the stove, humming an unfamiliar tune. With each movement, his muscular arms tensed. It was a sight for my sore eyes—one that momentarily distracted me from the chaos in my mind. When he turned, a smile popped on his lips.
“Good morning, Luce,” he said.
“Morning.” I rubbed my head. “What time is it?”
“Eleven a.m. I didn’t want to wake you up. I figured you needed to rest properly.”
“But my mom?—”
“Landon called. Your mom woke up, and she’s doing okay. Ed is with her. We can go see her once you eat.”
I sat at a small kitchen island where three bar stools lined up, arching my brow. I tried to keep my eyes on him rather than on his bare chest, but the mission was only half-successful. “Bossy, aren’t you?”
“Not bossy. Just taking care of you.” He slid a plate across the marble counter. It had scrambled eggs, some fresh bread, bacon, and strawberries. Opening the fridge, he grabbed a carton of orange juice and poured me some, before he got to serving his plate.
“Thank you,” I said quietly. “For everything. I don’t even know how I would have gotten through last night without you.” Even after a decade of separation, he was the first person I wanted by my side in a moment like that. Luke smiled. He didn’t sit down beside me; instead, he nibbled on his breakfast from across the kitchen island.
“You don’t have anything to thank me for. I only wish I could have helped more.”
“You’ve already done enough,” I pointed out, digging into my scrambled eggs. “Especially with a delicious breakfast like this.” We ate breakfast mostly in silence. By the time I was nearly done with it, Luke started washing up the dishes. His back was turned toward me again, and I could stare at his physique. He only got more handsome over the past decade.
I wondered what it would be like to drag my hands down…
No. What’s wrong with you? I scolded myself silently, stunned by the dirty thought.
“I was thinking you may want to shower before we head back to the hospital.” His eyes traveled the length of my body sending shivers down my spine. “Last time you were here, I didn’t return your clothes. I intended to, once I washed them, which I did do. So, at least you have something to wear.” The back of my eyes burned at his words. He was so kind and so thoughtful, and I was so blessed to have him by my side right now. Any other scenario would have sucked. I would’ve been all on my own.
After I finished breakfast, I found myself in the bathroom and turned on the shower. As I stepped in, the hot water once again did wonders for my sore muscles and my worried mind. It was exactly what I needed. I leaned my back against the heated tiles, closing my eyes when unwanted thoughts snuck back into my mind.
I wondered what it would be like to sleep with Luke again after all these years. A decade spent away from each other would surely contain a lot of pent-up frustration. For the first time, I let myself acknowledge it was there. The frustration. The anger. The need. And there was nothing I could do about it…aside from wonder. In my mind, Luke was next to me in the shower, with his bare body pressed up against mine as he rammed himself inside me and?—
No. No. I chewed my bottom lip, not allowing myself to lose another second in those filthy thoughts. He was kind to me because my mom was in a hospital, and I wasn’t about to mistake it for anything else. Still, as I went to reach for his infamous three-in-one shower gel, I spotted another bottle right next to it. Vanilla. My favorite scent. Did he get it for me?
The smell was divine as I soaped myself up, relaxing further before washing it off my skin and stepping out of the shower. I quickly dried myself with a towel, only to also find a brand-new toothbrush and mouthwash at the side of the sink. He really was the kind of guy to think about everything.
Once I was all washed up and dressed, I got out of the bathroom. Luke was already waiting for me with his truck keys in his hand.
“Let’s go see your mom.”