Chapter 14
FOURTEEN
CLARA
I refresh my email app every three seconds, searching for correspondence. I’ve effectively ignored every social media message that’s hit my inbox, and the only thing I can focus on is the email as I wait for the one that states I’m fired.
Because I’m going to be fired… right?
There is no way, no fucking way, that I’m getting nothing, that nobody has seen the news because I even got an alert on my phone from several news outlets. I don’t know what to do, where to go, or what to think, so I stay in my bedroom and wait.
What is most concerning is that I haven’t heard a word from Luke, either. Nothing. Not a text, not an email, not a carrier pigeon, nothing. I’ve never felt so much in limbo in my entire life. I can’t imagine I’m going to just walk out of this apartment unscathed. Not with the way the media has been posting about the scandal…
What a scandal
Two people who aren’t blood-related are in a relationship.
Wow. How scandalous.
Just because our parents got married when we were teenagers, people are judging us. I also wonder who has seen the video. Because I know those girls were recording us. God, I can’t even imagine how many people have seen my bare ass.
Tapping my foot, I try to distract myself by turning on the television, but nothing can curtail my intrusive thoughts. The cloud of doom is hanging over my head, and I’m just waiting for it to start pouring down on me.
It’s coming. I know it is.
And when my phone buzzes in my hand, I let out a little scream and throw it across my bed.
I was expecting it to happen so much that it scared the shit out of me when it finally did. Laughing at myself, I reach for the device and suck in a breath, holding it as I look at the new notification.
It’s from Luke.
My heart starts beating a million miles a minute, and I find that my breath becomes shortened. In fact, it’s hard to breathe altogether. I press my palm against my chest as I read the message.
LUKE: WE NEED TO MEET AND TALK.
Shit.
That’s bad.
My eyes well up with tears, and as much as I try to fight them back, they slide down my cheeks anyway.
Instead of telling him that I don’t want to talk about anything, instead of avoiding this whole scenario, I agree to speak with him. I know he’s going to want to come here because where else would he go? Every single time we’ve been together, minus last night at the bar, has been here.
I’m his little secret.
Something that used to feel so absolutely thrilling but now feels wrong and dirty.
Less than ten minutes later, there is a knock on my bedroom door. I’m far too scared to stand and open it myself, so I just call out for Luke to come on in. I know it’s him. Sarah likely let him in, no doubt eyeballing him the entire time he walked across the small living room and toward me.
The door opens, and he stands with his shoulder leaning against the jamb, his gaze focused on me. I can’t hold back my tears. The doom cloud is pouring down, and I’m frozen where I am, waiting for those words… we’re done .
Luke doesn’t seem too upset, which really doesn’t ease my worry because he never seems worried about anything. Unless it’s winning or losing a game. That’s his focus in life—hockey—which is fine with me because my focus has been teaching and getting my new certifications this year, although, throughout all of that, I did fall in love with him.
Madly, deeply in love with him—to the point where I’m a little worried about myself and my future.
I’m not sure if I’m going to be able to get over him. I know he’s breaking up with me. I know that my world is going to crash around me. But I’m not sure how I’m going to cope with it. Of all the boys and men I’ve dated in my past, I’ve never felt this way about any of them.
“The team’s publicist wants me to be seen with another woman,” Luke announces as he pushes off the doorjamb and moves into the room, closing the door behind him.
Using the back of my hand, I wipe the tears away and try to keep from creating more. I’m not sure how well it works because I continue to feel wetness slide down my cheeks. Staring at him, I hold my breath as he finishes his story because I know there is more to it than just that.
“I had a big meeting with the owner, my agent, publicist, coach… everyone.”
When he doesn’t say anything else, I chance asking him what happened. His head tilts to the side, and he closes the distance between us.
“I could lose everything. My career, any chance at making a decent living. Everything.”
Instead of staying on the bed, I place my feet on the soft carpet, feeling it between my toes for a moment as I stand up and straighten from the bed. I move toward him and lift my hand to cup his cheek when I’m close enough.
Only then do I see the pain etched in his gaze. “Valentine’s Day and the day after sucks,” I whisper.
He dips his chin slightly, his nose sliding along mine before he rests his forehead against my own. “Valentine’s night was amazing, baby,” he rasps.
It was.
Out of this world amazing.
Luke grunts, shifting his face, and touches his lips to mine. His kiss is soft and sweet. It consumes me, and my mind goes all blurry and fuzzy until I’ve completely forgotten what the conversation is about.
Then his hands fist the back of my shirt before he lifts his head and tugs the fabric over my body. I’m braless again, and when I feel his fingers at the waist of my sweats, I know I’ll be naked in a simple shift of fabric.
And I am.
A chill of excitement breaks out over my entire body.
I’m naked. His hands are on me. And soon, maybe even his mouth.
Yum .