“Fine as far as I can tell.”
“Are you two close?”
“Define close.”
“Talk often, visit frequently, share vacations, I guess. Don’t you know what it means to be close to someone?”
His gaze hardened as he placed his arms on the table, leaning in closer to me. “Yeah, I know what it means, I guess.” He shrugged and shook his head. “But that ain’t the case with me and Jacob… not yet anyway.”
“Yet?”
Luke wasn’t given time to answer when the waiter brought out our food. That particular conversation was dropped as we ate, mostly in silence. However, I peeked across the table every other minute or so, searching for something from Luke. More often than not, his dark irises were on me as well. He wasn’t even shy about it either.
“When’s the last time you took a woman out?” I questioned, picking up on our previous conversation.
He chuckled. “Definetaking a woman out.”
“That long, huh?”
He shrugged. “Too many think a date actually means I’m interested.”
I didn’t know how to feel about that comment.
“Don’t get all up in that pretty head of yours, overthinking shit. It’s different with you.” He stared directly into my eyes.
A smile that rose from the tips of my toes, met my lips.
“I’m liking it.”
My smile faltered as we once again paused staring at one another. No words were spoken, but a whole volume was communicated through that one look. It wasn’t until the waiter delivered our check that we were forced to break eye contact.
Luke handed over his card and a handful of minutes later, we were exiting the restaurant. Luke, not so casually, moved so that he placed his body in between me and the street. Unlike the first time we shared a meal, he moved in closely.
I found myself melting into his embrace when he lifted his long arm, placing it around my shoulders as we continued walking in the direction of the arena. It was then I started to think maybe it wouldn’t turn out so badly once he found out my secret.
“Oh shit, you’re Skullcrusher McConnell,” The young twenty-something guy, taking tickets at the door exclaimed.
“No shit,” Luke grunted in response. But his demeanor didn’t put off the young guy who laughed and took it in stride.
“You’re my favorite NFA fighter. Can I get your autograph?”
“Sure kid. You got a pen?”
The guy quickly pulled a marker from his back pocket and presented Luke with his own ticket stub to sign.
Luke did so and handed the stub and marker back to the guy.
“Thanks, man. I always heard you weren’t that friendly in person, but thanks for this.”
Luke shook his head. “Don’t make a big deal out of it, all right?”
The guy nodded, a huge grin still covering his face. “Yo, I wanna fight like you one day. I’m working here to save money to hire the best trainers and shit.”
“What’s your name?”
“Carl.”
Luke snorted. “Shit name. You’re gonna’ have to come up with a better one. Good luck, kid.”
