Chapter Eighteen
Tayler
“I’m with Tayler….”
My gaze is fixed on the man who just uttered those words. I can’t believe he actually said them.Out loud.I mean, if you’d asked me last night if I’d ever see Luke Green again, I’d have said no. And now he’swith me?
“Um.” I hold up one finger. “Let’s not put the cart before the horse, guys.” I want to roll my eyes so badly, but I can’t because this shit is serious. “Let me call home. Then, I’ll get the protective order in place and go from there.”
“But—”
Luke is going to contradict me? I was helping him out here.
“No.” I shake him off. “We’re getting off track. We’re only guessing what Dylan was up to. I get that I need to make sure he stays away from me.”Big-time.That last letter scared the bejesus out of me.
“More than stay away from you.” Luke looks angry with brows furrowed and his lips drawn thin.
God, I want to get him alone so I can ask him why he really came over here. Was it because Quinn blabbed her stupid big mouth about Dylan, or did he really miss me? My guess is it was the former.
“I agree.” Gage has slipped his small notebook into his back pocket. “We can get that process started today. You can meet me at the station this afternoon.”
“I’ll call my parents,” I reply. “Quinn and I will come down to the station after that.”
“I’m your man.I’lltake you,” Luke growls.
The eyeroll inside my head is aching to get out, but I hold it in. My goodness, when did he turn into this alpha-hole? “Dylan’s gone. You can knock off the ‘I’m your man’ bullshit.” I mean, seriously. “Quinn and I have plans today.” Or we did. “She and I can handle going to the police station on our own.”
Luke’s glaring at me. “Can I speak to you for a second? In your bedroom.”
“Fine.” I turn and stomp out of the living room and into my bedroom. The second I step over the threshold; I turn and place my hands on my hips. I’m about to let him have it when large hands wrap around me and slide right below my ass cheeks. I feel myself being lifted, so I quickly grab at the only thing I can–Luke’s shoulders. He’s moving me back at a fast clip, and when I feel myself falling backward, I squeak. The soft landing lets me know I’m on my bed, and Luke is right there with me. He’s so close, he’s basically on top of me.
“Babe.”
My eyes meet his. His turn from angry to soft. Mine? Not soft. I snap, “What?”
He says nothing, giving me his stupid smirk. “I need you to understand.”
“Understand what?” That came out just as bitchy as the other words.
“What I said to your ex.”
He said a bunch of shit to my ex. “Which part?” Gah! I’m so angry with this guy. I mean, the last time he was here, he was a big-time jerk. Then there was no word from him forever. And now? Now he suddenly reappears but it isn’t until Quinn blabs to him about Dylan. How am I supposed to believe any of this is real?
“The part where I told him about you and me.”
“You and me,” I deadpan. Then I laugh. “You and me.” Sure, I’m repeating the same words, but I’m incredulous. “There’s no ‘you and me,’ Luke.”
“There wasn’t, but there is now.”
He’s so damn close. His breath is skimming over my cheek, and I’m doing my best not to let it go to my head because the man makes me dizzy. “You’re only here because Quinn told you about Dylan. You would never have come here on your own, so everything you’re saying is utter bullshit.”
“What Quinn told me is only part of the reason I finally pulled my head out of my ass. The other part….” I watch as his expression softens. His hand moves up, and a finger skims over my cheek. “I missed you, babe. I felt it here.” He places a palm on his chest, over his heart. “The second you walked into the room this morning, I felt like I could breathe again.”
Oh. Well, damn. “Luke.” It comes out as a whisper.
“Yeah. I know.” He chuckles. “I became a pussy.”
Okay. He ruined it. Go figure.
