Chapter 14
Chapter Fourteen
Lilly
I slept deeply and dreamlessly, like my body knew I needed to recharge.
I wake slowly, letting the quiet of the morning settle in. I’m warm and cozy, alone in my bed.
I almost don’t remember getting to bed.
Almost.
It had been a long night, emotionally and physically draining.
The office.
Luke’s desk.
Heat spreads through me, remembering what we’d done in his office. The way he’d touched me, the way our bodies came together. The dirty words he said to me that had me burning for him and willing to cross every single line we’d drawn.
And had we ever crossed them.
I squeeze my eyes shut, taking one more moment to relive it and to feel exactly how things had shifted between us in that moment.
Because they had shifted.
You were made for me, sweetheart.
The words echo back, not as sharp and heated as they’d been in the moment. Now they’re deeper. Stronger.
At the time, Luke’s words had sent me spiraling, my body reacting before my mind had a chance to catch up. But now, lying here in the light of the morning, those words feel like more than dirty talk.
They feel real.
Because it wasn’t just what he’d said. It was the way he’d said it. The way he looked at me after.
The way he’d helped me to bed afterward when exhaustion claimed me. The way he’d held me and tucked me into bed, before kissing me gently and murmuring my name. It was sweet and…loving.
Like I mattered. Like what we had together mattered.
I hadn’t been imagining it. It was there. The love is there.
And God help me, I feel it too.
I feel it.
Not only have we crossed a line, but we are in completely new territory, and judging by the party the butterflies in my tummy are throwing, I’m excited for everything that means.
I swing my legs over the side of the bed and reach for my clothes. My body is sore in the best way, marked by him in all the best ways.
As I pull my sweater over my head, Tessa’s voice slips into my thoughts.
You could stay.
Last night, I’d dismissed the idea because we had an agreement. A very temporary agreement. But in the light of day, it no longer feels like a reach to think that I could stay.
Luke and I work well together. He can’t deny that his business is running much smoother than before I’d arrived. I’ve helped him make positive changes and finally get organized.
That part of our arrangement works perfectly.
As for the rest…well neither of us could deny how well everything else between us works.
Standing here now, in his house, with the memory of his hands still on my skin, the heat of his kiss on my lips, and that look in his eyes…
I can see it.
And it’s not a far-off fantasy. But something that could actually work. And work really well.
For the first time in a long time, I feel settled, like I belong somewhere. Like I belong here. With him.
I finish getting dressed, tugging my leggings up and tying my hair into a long ponytail before stepping out into the hall.
The warm, rich smell of coffee pulls me toward the kitchen. Of course, he’s already up. Ever since that first morning, when I’d woken hours before him, he’d made a point to join me in my early mornings.
A small smile tugs at my lips, the weight that’s been sitting on my shoulders for days, finally gone.
Luke’s at the counter, his back to me, one hand braced on the surface as he pours himself a cup.
For a second, I just watch him.
The broad line of his shoulders, the quiet strength with which he holds himself. I breathe in, my chest swelling with an entirely new feeling.
Affection?
No…it’s love. Without a doubt.
There’s probably a million reasons why that should feel wrong, but it doesn’t. It feels absolutely perfect.
I cross the room. “Good morning,” I murmur, sliding my arms around his waist, pressing myself lightly against his back. “I missed you this morning.”
For a heartbeat, he goes still.
Then, I feel him suck in a breath and pull away.
It’s not sharp. But it’s not gentle, either.
The space he leaves between us feels cold, but not as cold as the look on his face when he finally turns to face me.
I blink, my mind racing to catch up to whatever is happening here.
My arms fall to my sides as he steps backward, out of reach, clearing his throat, as if he needs a minute.
“Morning,” he says, his voice flat.
Emotionless.
Like everything that happened between us doesn’t matter. Like everything I just convinced myself of doesn’t exist.
And just like that, the warmth in my chest freezes to ice.
Luke
The second she wraps her arms around me, everything in me locks up.
For a split second, I almost lean into it. I almost let myself have it. Have her.
Lord knows I want her.
But it’s not about what I want. It never has been. I gave up that luxury a long time ago.
Wanting something—someone—will destroy them.
I won’t do it again.
I can’t.
So, I steel myself against her warmth. I force myself to ignore the sweet softness of her body and the quiet, easy way she says good morning, like last night meant exactly what we both know it did.
I step out of her hold, creating space before I can do something stupid, like give in to my emotions. I’ve already done enough damage. I will not destroy her, too.
“Morning,” I say, working hard to control my voice and keep my expression cold. Hard.
I see it the moment she realizes something’s wrong.
Maybe not wrong, but different.
The way the smile slips off her pretty face almost undoes me completely. It almost makes me second-guess everything and pull her back into my arms to kiss away the confusion and tell her how I really feel about her.
But I can’t.
The truth is, last night shouldn’t have happened. I never should have taken her like that on my desk.
I crossed her boundaries. Hell, I obliterated them. As if they didn’t matter at all. Because all I could see was what I wanted, with no regard for her or what she wanted. And definitely not what she needed.
Hell, none of this should have happened. I never should have let myself get close to her like this. I never should have let myself care. And I sure as hell never should have let her care. Not for a broken, ex-military, grumpy mountain man like me.
Fuck.
“You should probably pack up this morning,” I say.
The words land sharper than I intend them to. Once more, her expression changes. Hurt merging with confusion now.
“What?”
I don’t look away.
“We crossed a line,” I say coldly. “This isn’t professional anymore.” I recognize exactly how ridiculous it sounds the moment I say it, but I can’t back down.
“Was it…was it ever?”
“I’ll give you a generous severance,” I say, ignoring her question. “Effective immediately.”
“What?” She shakes her head as if that will help her make sense of all this. It won’t. I already know that. “But I don’t.”
“This… arrangement,” I emphasize the word, “has run its course. There’s no point dragging it out now.”
“That’s what this is?” she asks, the hurt on her face is hard to look at. I force myself not to look away. “Dragging it out?”
I ignore that. Because if I don’t, I’ll backtrack, and I can’t do that.
“The severance package is more than fair,” I say instead. “It should give you enough time to get something else. Get you out East.”
She flinches at the reminder of her situation and looks down at her feet for a moment.
When she looks up, her eyes search my face, like she’s trying to find something there that matches what she felt last night.
She won’t. I’ll make sure of it.
It’ll be easier to let her go if she thinks I don’t feel anything.
“Luke,” she says, her voice wavering. “Don’t do this.”
“It’s already done.” I swallow hard. “You’ll find the details of the severance as well as a letter of recommendation in your inbox.” I turn to leave. “I think it’s best if you leave today. Now.”
I hear the slightest hitch in her breath as if she’s trying not to cry, but I don’t turn around. Instead, I walk away, leaving her standing alone, like the son of a bitch I am.