Read LUKE for Free Online Page B

wrinkled my nose as I finished chopping the tomatoes for the salad and tossed them into the bowl, checked the time, reached for the garlic bread and slipped it into the oven as the chicken finished cooking. “Hey!” I called.
    “Hey,” he called back, grinning as he sauntered towards me. He looked me up and down. “You look sexy in that little apron.”
    The dark green apron was 1950s inspired. “That’s the point.” Smiling, I turned back to the veggies on the counter. His arms wrapped around me and his lips touched mine. His hips pressed against my butt.
    “Ashley and Jacob are going to be here soon.”
    “We can be quick,” he whispered as he pulled away. “I’m going to go hop in the shower, want to join me?”
    “No, I spent an hour curling my hair today.”
    He laughed as he turned away from me. I heard the bathroom door close as the front door opened. “Are you two having sex?” Ashley called from the doorway.
    I laughed, putting the knife down and making my way over to them. “No, it’s safe to come in.” Jacob’s hair was tied back in a ponytail, his arm around Ashley’s hips, and he wore a simple muscle shirt with green army pants. He gave me a nod. “Is Luke around?”
    “He’s in the shower ...” I paused. “I’m sure the door is unlocked if you’d like to go join him.” I grinned, letting a mental image of that set into my mind. Jacob wrinkled his nose in disgust as Ashley let out a sound of pleasure.
    “I wouldn’t mind honey.” She kissed his cheek before slipping out of her shoes and making her way over to me. She pulled me into a tight hug.
    “Now that, I’m open to,” Jacob said.
    Ashley rolled her eyes, drawing away from me. “Something smells great. Do you need any help in the kitchen?”
    “No, but you’re welcome to come keep me company.” I led the way back to the kitchen and kept chopping veggies.
    “It feels so grown up, eh? Having dinner parties with our boyfriends.”
    “Oh yes, so grown up.” I turned to see Ashley staring at the photo on the fridge. A photo I’d gotten so used to. She turned to me, and I looked around us as I approached the photo.
    “Do you know what they are about to do?” she asked.
    “No, Luke promised me he would tell me when he had all the details sorted out.” Not to say I was waiting patiently. But I was trying to give him as much time as he needed.
    “You need to know now.”
 
    ***
 
    I wrapped myself in a towel since I could hear voices. Clean and my hair slicked back, I felt refreshed and ready for the night ahead of me. With the girls and Jacob around, I knew it was going to be a big night. As I entered the bedroom, I let the towel fall off me and slipped into a pair of jeans. I heard the door open behind me.
    A grin spread over my face; Jade never liked to make a big deal out of our relationship, so it was abnormal for her to join me in the bedroom if we had Ashley and Jacob over. I glanced over my shoulder. “Hey, you—” I was left staring at Jacob. “Um, no offence but you weren’t the one I was expecting to follow me into the bedroom.”
    “Sorry to disappoint you, but we need to talk.”
    “And we couldn’t do that in the living room… or anywhere outside of the bedroom?”
    “It couldn’t wait.”
    I stared at him. This was it, wasn’t it? He had finally done it. “Well?” I snapped.
    “I found him.”
    My heart skipped a beat as I took a deep breath, and my pulse picked up a little.
    “So that’s it.” I nodded, not sure how to process it. “It’s finally here,” I whispered.
    It didn’t feel like it could actually be happening. Not now, not when I was finally happy. Jade was practically living with me, and I was fucking happy. Now it might all be gone. I wasn’t sure how I felt about it.
    I was beginning to love my life, but I’d planned for this day for eleven years. It wasn’t something I was about to give up on.
    “You love her, don’t you?” Jacob’s words snapped me back to