“Yeah…” I admitted as Luke took a seat next to me and grabbed my hand and leaned in to kiss me. I couldn’t deny I wanted to taste those lips again, so I allowed Luke to lead the way and take control. He brushed his soft lips slowly against mine as he teased his tongue out against my seam before finishing with a full seal of his lips.
I didn’t miss the flit of confusion in his eyes. “Talk to me Freddie.”
“About?” I brushed the interrogation off and tried to hide away the emotions that were currently coursing through me as he raised his brow and waited for me to speak. “It’s nothing.”
“Of course it’s not. What’s the worst that can happen?”
I stood up and walked away into the bathroom and locked the door to run a shower, because the worst that could happen had already begun.
I’d felt more chemistry with Luke than I’d ever felt with another man before.
And only one solution existed—make him loathe me before I got in too deep.
“Freddie, don’t hide from me.” Luke banged on the door, without a care that he could wake up a neighbor so early in the morning. “I’ll break the damn thing down. You want to run from these emotionsfine.Do it, but I’ll tell you this. You’re not the only one scared. Fuck.”
I flipped the shower off and hit my back against the bathroom door. The suddenness of the wood moving in the frame was apparent from my weight thrown upon it as I looked up at the ceiling. I felt the move reflected on the opposite side of the door. I didn’t need to know it was Luke. His weight brought comfort, just as if his arms were encased around me. Or his touch was brandishing my skin with his mark.
“Luke.” I dragged the word out on a whimper.
“Freddie,” he exclaimed.
“Go,” I choked out. I dropped to the ground and gathered my arms around my knees and let the silent tears fall. “It hurts so much and I don’t know why.”
CHAPTERNINE
LUKE
“Go.”
That one word was enough to break me and fuck me off, all in one go. He thought he could spend the time with me, get to know me over the last twenty-four hours and then just discard me once he was done?! Like I was nothing more than a fuck toy?!
I don’t fucking think so.
I walked into the bedroom—his bedroom—the room that he had actually begun to win my emotions over in as he explored my body and made love to me with those eyes of his. I grabbed my trousers, deciding to keep his boxers on. After sliding them up my legs, I left the belt on the bed and after removing the shirt, I pulled one of his gray t-shirts on.
If Freddie wanted to play dirty, I was more than happy to play along.
Walking back into the lounge, I looked at the bathroom door. There was still no sound of the shower being on. He probably planned on waiting in there until I left. Shaking my head, I walked to the kitchen. He’d be waiting a long fucking time in there.
Opening his fridge, I had a look to see what ingredients he had. I’d get him out of that bathroom one way or another. Then Freddie was going to know not to run from me again.
Luck was on my side as I grabbed the bacon and some hash browns. One thing a lot of people didn’t know about me? I was a good cook. Thomas had threatened to relegate me to the kitchen more than enough times when I kept dropping glass bottles behind the bar.
Putting everything on to cook, my eyes kept flicking in the direction of the bathroom. I was frustrated as hell. After everything over the last twenty-four hours, why couldn’t he just talk to me like I did? I had shared my concern with him that I’d be going home and that this wasn’t forever and this was how he chose to react the following day.
I blew out a frustrated breath and glared down at the worktop. What the hell was going on in his head where he felt like he had to shoulder it alone? Where he had to push me away and keep it all bottled in?
Waiting for the bacon to crisp, I served up the hash browns and placed them on the buttered bread. After turning off the stove, I placed the bacon on top and sandwiched them down before I walked to the front door. Grasping the handle, I held the door open long enough for someone to exit before I threw the door, letting it slam shut loudly. If letting him think I had left was enough to get him out of the room, I’d play along.
I was kind of disappointed. I expected him to immediately come out, but after a long moment, he left the bathroom, freezing in the doorway when he saw I was still here.
“I made breakfast,” I stated.
He nodded.
“You did say last night that I could,” I quickly defended myself. “Before you decided to toss me aside.” I walked to the kitchen, not wanting to look at the way his face fell at my words.
“It’s not like that,” he stated, following me in. “It’s just…” He paused, staring at me with wide eyes.