“I think it’s a great idea. You have to face him sometime, and plus…” JoJo walked swiftly over to her closet and pulled out a light blue dress with very thin, delicate straps that crisscrossed in the back. It was beautiful and simple, so it wouldn’t look like I was trying too hard. “He’ll die when he sees you in this.” An evil grinned formed on her face and I blew out a huge breath.
In the middle of stripping down and pulling the dress over my head, JoJo asked through the bathroom door what I was planning to do once I got to the party.
I said matter-of-factly, “I’m going to find the hottest man there and bang him right in front of Luke.” Okay, that was highly unlikely, but a girl could dream.
Her groan was full of disgust. “I’d advise maybe just kissing the hottest guy there. Let’s draw the line at flashing everyone your boobs and vagina.”
I snickered, “Fine.”
But my only thought was, “What happens when Luke is the hottest guy there?”
* * *
The party was in full-swing when Ryan pulled the car around with JoJo and I smooshed in the back. He said he felt like our chauffeur, and that’s exactly what we told him he was. It was a good thing he was madly in love with JoJo, or else he’d probably kill us both.
This coming-home party was the type I was used to. Loud music, people all over the place yelling and being totally rambunctious, playing drinking games and taking shots. Marines knew how to party; I learned that at a very young age when my own parents would throw parties similar to this one.
My heeled ankle boots felt wiggly on my feet as JoJo and I walked with our arms interlocked, trailing behind Ryan, who was nodding at all his friends. The Marine Corps was such a small, family-like community. It was quite possible that Ryan knew almost every single person here, even the ones who weren’t from his actual company.
I squeezed my eyes shut right before we walked in the front door, trying to bring myself off the ledge that I was about to jump off of. The amount of anxiety swarming my body was suffocating. I still knew nothing about Luke and his wife. I’d pestered Ryan, but he professed to know nothing about Luke being married, and when he had asked around, no one really mustered up anything juicy.
I wished I knew. I wished I had some indication of what he was going to say to me when we finally met in person again. Did he try to email me and realize that I’d deleted it because I didn’t trust myself to fall into another lie of omission? Did he try to write me a letter? I went days without checking my mail, afraid he would write me something and that I wouldn’t have the willpower to throw it out.
I never got a letter, though, and I wasn’t sure if that was a good thing or not.
“Want a drink?” JoJo yelled in my ear over the loud music, bringing me back to reality.
“God, yes,” I answered. I needed something to still my trembling hands.
I looked around the room cautiously, smiling at familiar faces here and there. I spotted Daniel with his wide and infectious smile across the room and gave him a tiny wave. I recognized a few friends from high school along with a few of our closer friends, but I didn’t see Luke anywhere.
A sudden fear washed over me that he wouldn’t come tonight, and then when I did go back to my house later on, he would be there. Waiting for me. And I’d be all alone without backup.
JoJo handed me a beer and the second I put it up to my lips, I gulped the entire thing. I chugged it. It would have been the cherry on top if I’d smashed the can against my forehead and then everyone applauded for me.
“Jesus, Cam. Calm down.” Ryan laughed and I shrugged my shoulders innocently. At least the buzz of this beer would help me relax.
I hope.
Too bad I hadn’t swallowed the beer twenty minutes ago because the second I sat the empty can on a nearby table… in walked Luke.
Looking better than ever.
I froze in my spot, my hand still mid-air from releasing my can. JoJo stepped in front of me, partially shielding me from Luke, but his gaze never even touched her. His light eyes stayed trained on me.
They looked lighter than before. They appeared so much more vivid against the color of his darkened skin. The Afghanistan sun had done him wonders. His body looked leaner, too. His t-shirt was pulled tightly around his biceps but hung loosely around his waist. That sandy-blond hair of his was cut shorter on the sides than normal, a sure sign that he’d just gotten back from deployment.
His smoldering look did something to me. I no longer felt unequipped to hash this out with him, right here, right now. I felt bold and prepared. The light blue dress was my armor, and I was ready to knock him on his ass.
I squared my shoulders and put my hands on my hips, keeping my face even and steady. He stalked towards me, and it was like Moses parting the Red Sea. People moved within seconds, providing a straight path right down the middle of the room.
JoJo turned her head over her shoulder and looked at me, “Want me to move?”
I didn’t even meet her eyes. “Yep.”
He was in front of me within seconds. His eyes searched my face and he looked like he was huffing and puffing.
I wasn’t going to be the first to speak. No fucking way.