I swallow hard, my throat dry as his words hang in the air between us, thick and heavy. My brain is screaming at me to push him back, to tell him to stop this ridiculous game, but my body has other ideas. Heat rushes through me, and my mind refuses to form a coherent thought.
Before I know it, he’s closing the remaining distance between us. Another step, and we’re practically nose to nose. His breath is warm on my skin, his scent filling my senses, and I’m frozen, caught in the web of whatever this is.
“Make a choice, Julie,” Luke says.
I need to say something, anything, but my brain is short-circuiting. All I can focus on is how close he is, how his eyes flicker with amusement and something darker, more dangerous.
“Julie,” Luke says, “you’ve got that look.”
“What look?” I manage to ask, though it comes out more breathless than I’d like.
“The one that says you’re thinking way too much,” he whispers, his lips dangerously close to mine now. “You’re overthinking this. Just go with it.”
I suck in a shaky breath, trying to hold onto the last bit of control I have. “This is a game to you, isn’t it?”
“Isn’t it to you?” He challenges, his hand reaching up to brush a stray lock of hair away from my face. “I mean, you’re the one stirring up shit just to get your husband to dump his mistress.”
My skin tingles where his fingers graze my cheek, and it takes everything in me not to lean into his touch. But his words remind me why we’re here in the first place. This isn’t real. This is all part of some ridiculous charade we’ve concocted to fool Ryan. Nothing more. And yet, here we are, inches away from something that feels far too dangerous.
“Luke…” I say again, this time more firmly, though my voice betrays me once more with its softness. “Stop.”
But Luke doesn’t pull back. His eyes hold mine, his hand lingering on my cheek.
“You sure you want me to stop?” His voice is low now, barely audible.
And for a moment, I can’t breathe. My body wants to betray me, to lean in, to close the distance that remains between us. My mind, however, is screaming at me to snap out of it, to remember why we’re here.
I’m not sure how long we stand there, caught in this silent standoff. Seconds? Minutes? It feels like an eternity. And then, with a shaky breath, I manage to break free of the haze clouding my thoughts.
“No,” I blurt out, stumbling back from him as if I’ve been burned. “We’re-we’re not doing this.”
Luke’s eyebrows shoot up, amused but surprised. “Not doing what, Julie?”
I grab my bag off the desk, fumbling with the strap as I head for the door. “Lunch,” I say hurriedly, feeling my face heat with embarrassment. “We’re going to lunch.”
His laughter follows me, that deep, knowing sound that tells me he’s all too aware of the effect he has on me.
“Julie,” he calls out as I reach the door. “Wait up. You do know I’m supposed to follow you, right?”
I glance back, my cheeks burning. “Then hurry up and follow me,” I snap, pushing the door open and marching out before I can let myself fall under his spell again.
~~~
A few minutes later, we’re driving through the city in Luke’s car, the engine purring beneath us. I watch the buildings blur by, still trying to figure out where we’re going.
“Are you seriously not going to tell me where we’re headed?” I ask, glancing at him out of the corner of my eye.
Luke just smirks, eyes focused on the road. “Patience, Julie. You’ll see soon enough.”
I cross my arms, huffing. “If this is some hole-in-the-wall-”
“Would I do that to you?” he interrupts, flashing me a sideways grin.
“Yes. Yes, you would.”
He laughs. “Trust me, Julie. You’re going to love this.”
I sigh, staring out the window again, my heart pounding a little faster with each passing minute. Why do I even care?
The city starts to fade as we drive farther, the busy streets giving way to quieter roads lined with trees. Fewer people. More sky. I shift in my seat, glancing at him from the corner of my eye, but he keeps his focus on the road, his expression unreadable.
The road stretches on, and I start to wonder if we’re driving out of town entirely when, suddenly, the smell of saltwater hits my nose. I sit up straighter, my brow furrowing as I turn to look out the window.
Luke pulls the car into a small, secluded parking lot, and the moment the car stops, my heart does too. I blink, my mind trying to process what I’m seeing.
“Wait… Is this… a beach?”
Luke parks and turns to me. “Not just any beach. Come on.”
I fumble with my seatbelt, stepping out of the car and taking in the scene around us.
Before I can fully process the beauty of the beach, I see it-a massive yacht, pristine and gleaming, anchored just off the shore. My jaw drops.
“Holy shit. Are we getting on the yacht?” I ask.
He nods.
“You rented a yacht for lunch?”
He smirks. “Rented? Julie, it’s mine.”