I think about Luke’s hands on my hips.His mouth.His everything.‘
Good,’ I say casually, like a farm boy hadn’t ruined me.
Lauren’s smile widens.‘You and Luke looked like you were having fun in the pool.’
There’s a flicker of something in her tone I can’t quite place.I keep my expression breezy.‘It helped that he’s as competitive as I am.’
She laughs, light and a little too knowing.‘He always has been.Ever since we were kids.’
Okay.Breadcrumbs.
‘So, you’ve known everyone here a while?’I ask, pretending not to push.
Lauren shrugs, graceful as a swan.‘My family’s been in cattle transport for generations.I grew up with Darcy, Luke … most of the crew.’
‘Sounds … eventful.’
‘It was,’ she says.‘It’s a small world out here.’
I nod slowly.‘How so?’
She meets my eyes as the sun catches the copper glow of her hair.The slight breeze sends a handful of strands across the smattering of freckles above her dimpled cheeks.‘Luke and I used to date.Ages ago.Nothing serious.Still – things can get awkward sometimes.But we’re moving past it.’
Ah.
There it is.
The coded message.The classicI’m just letting you know … in case you thought this was your sandbox now.
And honestly?She doesn’t need to worry.
I give her the warm smile I save for overly chatty Uber drivers and ex-boyfriends’ new fiancées.
‘Oh, I hear you.Men, am I right?’
Lauren’s shoulders ease the slightest fraction before she nods.‘Amen.Honestly, it’s just nice seeing him smile like that again.’
I file the comment in a mental folder labelled ‘For the Shredder’.Because I’m flying home tomorrow.
Because I don’t do attachment.
Because I don’t care … Right?
Darcy’s voice cuts through my thoughts.‘Alright.Everyone ready?’
We move towards the helicopters.I follow Abbey to the blue one only to find her already buckled in beside Dax, headphones on as if she owns the skies now.
I step towards them, then an arm snakes gently around my shoulders.
‘You’re in this one,’ Luke murmurs in my ear, guiding me to the red chopper.
His voice is soft.His touch – completely unfair.
Before I can object, he’s buckling me in himself as if we’re in a rom-com flight-school montage.Then he fits the headset over my ears and locks eyes with me for half a second too long.
His lips curve.
So, of course, my brain – traitor that it is – immediately flashes to where his mouth was only hours ago.
