“Ace Ventura’s about to run around with arrows in his legs,” she said. I pressed a soft kiss to her lips, lingering just for a second, and we smiled at each other.
“Well, we can’t miss that. After all, it’s the highlight of the movie.” I pulled her close, leaning back against the couch.
A beat of silence passed before I whispered, “Happy birthday.”
She nestled deeper into my arms, letting out a soft, contented sigh.
25
Hazel
My mom used to say, “When you encounter a feeling stronger than life itself, first, you breathe. Breathe in, breathe out, and decide what you want to do.” But yesterday, I couldn’t tell what mattered more—breathing or letting Luke keep kissing me.
I was lying in my bed, staring at the ceiling for at least ten minutes. Once again, I had been returned to the soft sheets without my knowledge at some point during the night. The last thing I remembered was slowly drifting away in Luke’s arms.
His touch on my thigh invaded my thoughts. I closed my eyes, fingertips grazing my lips, remembering him. If my birthday had a ringtone, it would be Luke saying my name and dragging his lips down my neck. My thighs pressed together involuntarily, and a dirty thought of making this morning more pleasurable for myself flickered in my mind. After all, it was my birthday.
No!
It was bad enough that yesterday even happened. No good could come from this. There was no future for me in his life. And there was no false hope in mine.
I groaned, rubbing my eyes, trying to erase his seductive gaze and strong grip from my mind. Only happy thoughts today.
Horny thoughtsarehappy thoughts.
HAZEL!I scolded myself. I needed a shower.
Slipping out of bed, I cracked the door open, checking if Luke was up, only to be left dumbfounded by the view in front of me.
A massive sage-green and gold balloon arch, at least seven feet tall, stood before me.
A BALLOON ARCH! What is this? A wedding party?!
Under it sat a chair, a stunning blue summer dress, heels, and a note with my name. Already grinning, I opened it.
“Put this on. And be warned—you’ll probably remember today for a while.”
My grin widened, and I jumped into the shower. Shockingly, I was ready in just fifteen minutes. The dress, with its built-in corset, fit me perfectly, and the fluttering fabric cascading down my legs felt lighter than air. I looked into a mirror, and even I had to admit I looked damn pretty. My tanned skin made it even better.
Stepping downstairs, I was met with a chorus of “Happy Birthday!” Ava was the first to pull me in a tight hug, followed by everyone else, offering well-wishes. The back of my head started to hurt from smiling so much. Alex, Logan, Ethan, and Luke all handed me sunflowers, each pressing a kiss to my cheek.
“Thank you guys so much,” I beamed, admiring the bouquet.
“You look absolutely stunning,” Norah gushed, gazing at my outfit.
“Thank you. And thank you for the dress, it’s perfect,” I said, running my hands over my waist. My eyes accidentally landed on Luke. He silently mouthedSo prettyand I felt it like a touch. Like a hand sliding under fabric. Like warm rain on bare skin.
His eyes dropped to my hands, tracing the soft fabric over my waist, the lines of my tattoo that the dress spectacularly hid, allowing traces of it to appear only when I moved. Luke’s jaw clenched, and the thought of the possibilities alone made me melt inside. I didn’t need any makeup, my flushed cheeks were doing all the work, which was, in fact, even more evident by the blue tone of my dress. I looked like a patriotically dressed French pantomime.
Ava presented a breakfast masterpiece on my plate, as everyone else around the table passionately debated their favorite jams. I must’ve missed the start of this conversation. I’dmanaged to put a piece of fruit in my mouth when Luke, sitting next to me, leaned in slightly. I met his gaze, and he flashed that devastating smile, lingering on the spot on my neck he had spent some extra time yesterday. “Blue suits you.”
I shoved more food into my mouth, trying to fight a grin that would probably last all day if I didn’t stop it early. I allowed my gaze to slide over his broad shoulders, though. Those massive, beautifully carved, overachieving shoulders. God probably created those shoulders himself. You know—a little Sunday side project. Luke’s lips pulled into a knowing smile, fully aware of his effect on me.
“So, I guess there’s some kind of plan today, correct?” I asked too loudly, desperate to change the subject so he couldn’t flirt with me.
“Oh, there is,” Luke said, winking at me, thus destroying my intentions to get through this breakfast not pining over him, “but you’ll have to trust us.”
I looked into his big brown eyes that were steadying me and bringing me on an adventure before we’d even taken a single step, all at the same time, twinkling with mischief and warmth. It reminded me of my mom.
