The Wells Brothers: Luke

by Angela Verdenius

  “It’s nice.”

  Luke gave Mikki an incredulous look. “We’re sitting on the front porch of a broken-down chapel watching graveyards, which, I might add, we can’t see in the dark anyway.”

  “We’ve got a lantern.”

  “And whose dumb idea was it to use this low glow when we could have the bright, white one?”

  “Whining is not attractive, Luke.”

  “Fine.” He grinned at her. “Let’s go back to the mansion and fool around.”

  After taking a sip of chicken soup from the mug they were sharing, Mikki handed it to him. “I am not fooling around with you while Aaron and Ryan are staying with us overnight.”

  Being what he thought was reasonable, he cradled the mug in his hands while pointing out, “It’s a big mansion. We’ll go up to the tower and I’ll gag you so you can’t scream.”

  She eyeballed him.

  “You are a bit of a screamer,” he explained kindly. “Not that I’m complaining, ‘cause it’s me making you scream.” Made him feel all manly and shit, too. Not that he’d ever admit it.

  “We are not going to the tower to fool around.”

  “Why not?”

  “Who knows where and when Aaron and Ryan will pop up?”

  “They won’t go to the tower. Why would they go to the tower?”

  “I’m not risking it.”

  Sighing, he took a mouthful of the delicious soup Elspeth had made for dinner earlier that evening and passed the mug back to Mikki.

  The night closed in around them, the stars blazed overhead, all quiet except for the rustle of bushes where the nightlife went about their business. Dog was lying nearby, his head on his front paws. Mikki was certain he’d be a great alarm system should a spirit decide to grace them with its presence.

  It was really private. Which gave him an idea. “We could fool around inside the chapel.”

  Mikki shifted away from him.

  “Where are you going?”

  “I don’t want to be hit by lightening.”

  “Huh?”

  “In a chapel, Luke? Really? You want to have sex in a chapel?”

  “Well, when you put it like that… But it’s not a working chapel, right?”

  “It’s still sacred ground!”

  “Geez.” He pointed to the spot beside him. “Get your pretty little arse back here, Red.”

  “You said ‘arse’ on the steps of a chapel.” She looked up at the sky.

  After several seconds, he said, “You’re disappointed, aren’t you?”

  “I really thought your last suggestion would test the good Lord’s patience and he’d make an example of you.”

  Luke rolled his eyes.

  “But seeing as you’re not charred and smoking, I guess it’s safe to come back.” She shuffled back to sit beside him again.

  Yeah, that was good. He slid his arm around her, liking the way she fit so snugly against his side. “We could just fool around out here?” That earned him an elbow in the ribs. “Or not.” He rubbed his side. “Cripes, lady, you are a bit of a kill joy.”

  “No I’m not, I’m loads of fun. It’s just it doesn’t all revolve around sex like it does for you.” Taking a mouthful of chicken soup, she handed the mug back to Luke.

  “It doesn’t all revolve around sex.” He smirked. “Much.”

  “You are here with me, and this is fun, right?”

  “Sure.” He looked around at the dark. “I’m having the time of my life.”

  “Because you’re with me?”

  He smiled at her. “You make it worthwhile.”

  “So sweet.” She leaned her head against his shoulder.

  “This is all I’m going to get tonight, isn’t it?”

  “Luke!”

  “Fine.” Enjoying the sparring between them, he swirled the chicken soup in the mug to cool it off a bit, steam curling from it to fill the air with the delicious scent. “So, graveyards, huh?”

  “Don’t you like graveyards?” She was surprised.

  A little astonished, he looked down at the bright red hair resting against his shoulder. “What’s to like?”

  “They’re peaceful.”

  “Red, they’re full of dead people.”

  “Worried they’ll rise up and come for you, wanting your brains?” She paused. “They’d be on a bit of a diet, wouldn’t they?”

  “If you’re insinuating that I don’t have enough brains to satisfy a zombie-”

  Delighted, she pulled back a bit to look up at him. “Zombies!”

  Oh boy. He eyed her warily. Something was coming.

  “You like zombies?”

  “You mean rotting corpses lurching around graveyards? No.”

  “Oh come on, you must have enjoyed watching The Walking Dead.”

  “Never seen it.”

  The look of horror on her face was priceless. “You’ve never seen one episode of The Walking Dead?”

  “Nope.”

  “What about Dawn of the Dead?”

  “Nah.”

  “Resident Evil?”

  He shook his head.

  “Night of the Living Dead?”

  “My tastes run more to The Fast and the Furious.”

  One corner of her upper lip curled up.

  “Some wrestling.”

  “Oh no.”

  “Westerns.”

  She shook her head sadly. “I don’t think we can be a couple, Luke.”

  “Because our viewing tastes don’t match?”

  “That could be a big decider.”

  “We could agree to turn off the TV and just fool around.”

  “Is that your answer to everything?”

  “Possibly.” Luke took a thoughtful mouthful of chicken soup, passed the mug back to her. “Then again, I’m out here with you, aren’t I?” He gave a put-upon sigh. “Not fooling around, just sitting watching nothing and getting cramp in my arse.”

  Laughing, she leaned forward to snag the flask off the ground, refilling the mug. Screwing the cap back on, she settled again into the circle of his arm with the freshly steaming mug of soup. “Maybe I’ll keep you after all.”

  “I am a keeper,” he agreed smugly.

  A short time passed with them sharing the soup before she said, “We’ll just have to organise our TV and movie schedules, it’s the only way to save this relationship.”

  “I knew you’d come up with a plan.”

  “I’m the brains in this relationship, you’re the brawn.”

  “That’s why the zombies will be after you first.”

  Laughing softly, they sat in contented silence, enjoying each other’s company, letting the peace of the night surround them.

  Truthfully, Luke liked sitting quietly with his girl in his arm. He loved sex, wasn’t going to lie about that, but he wasn’t so shallow that’s all he wanted from her. He liked talking to her, and not just the fun sparring and teasing. Over the last few days he’d had time during meals and after dinner to chat to her, discussing everything from politics to food to their jobs and plans for the future.

  He was surprised to find that she owned her duplex, or was at least paying it off. Her wage wasn’t big but apparently she was thrifty. She made her own cleaning ingredients from vinegar, bicarb soda, lemon and a few other ingredients, she budgeted, and as for fashion she bought only what she needed and what she liked. She got fun out of the simple things in life and didn’t need much to make her happy. Books, movies and her computer were her main forms of entertainment, along with the ghost hunts on which she accompanied Elspeth.

  In that they were surprisingly similar in a lot of areas. He had Dog, a small three by one house he was paying off, a growing business, and apart from dating he actually liked staying in and watching movies and reading the latest car or gardening magazine. When he went out on dates, though, he didn’t scrimp, taking them to nicer-than-average restaurants.

  On reflection, he realised he’d never thought to take a date to a horror movie,
but Mikki would be ecstatic. Big difference.

  He had to ask. “Would you ever watch an action movie with me?”

  “Sure.”

  “Really?” He was pleased.

  “I know how to share. Will you watch a horror movie with me?”

  “No.”

  “No sex.”

  “I am so into horror movies.”

  Laughing, she nudged him. Grinning, he nuzzled her cheek.

  “We’ll share,” she said, right before she turned her head and kissed him.

  There went his toes, curling in his sneakers. Damn, he just wanted to eat her up. Luke kissed her deeper, more than happy to take this further. Then he remembered what she said and pulled back enough to say huskily, “No. No sex for you.”

  “Really?”

  “No fooling around.”

  She pouted prettily. “What if I’ve changed my mind?”

  His interest perked up, his shaft in total agreement. “Have you?”

  “No.”

  “God, woman, you are a tease.”

  She smiled sweetly up at him. “If you’re good, I promise to shag your brains right out as soon as we get home.”

  “What? I have to wait that long?”

  “Here.” She filled the mug again and handed it to him. “I won’t have you passing out on me.”

  “That’s your own fault,” he grumbled. “Springing shocks like that on me when I’m vulnerable.”

  She snorted.

  Something rustled not far off, a crack of a stick breaking. Dog shot to his feet, ears pricked, while Luke pushed upright, shoving Mikki partly behind him with one hand on her hip holding her in place as she tried to get past him.

  “It’s from the direction of the family graveyard,” she said. “I need to check the camcorders.”

  “Stay right here.” He listened, trying to see into the dark.

  “Luke-”

  “Someone is out there.”

  “Or it could just be an animal,” she countered.

  True. “You’re not going to the graveyard alone.”

  “So come with me.”

  “Red, there was never any question about that.” Placing the mug on the step, he picked up the lantern, turned the switch to light the area brightly, and grabbed her hand. “Come on, Dog.”

  Dog looked up at him and back towards the bushes, falling into step ahead of them, looking back to check they were following. Nose down, he angled into the bushes and Luke let him go, keeping his gaze on the graveyards. Dark headstones and big statues loomed in the family graveyard, and he lifted the lantern to cast light on them.

  Mikki disengaged her hand from his, stopping beside the first camcorder to check it was still functioning before doing the same with the other. He snagged her hand again to walk beside her to the servants’ graveyard, shooting her a look when she opened her mouth to argue. Wisely she closed her mouth, and he released her only long enough to allow her to check the camcoder before taking her hand once more, holding the lantern aloft to gaze around. “Anything else we need to do?”

  “Relax?” she suggested.

  Lowering the lantern, he looked down at her. “You might be used to ghost hunts, I’m not. I’m a firm believer that something that can break a branch can hit you over the head with it.”

  “That’s possibly more a poltergeist thing.”

  “Or a human thing.”

  “Luke, who would possibly be out here at night in a graveyard?”

  He just stared at her.

  “Okay, point taken,” she conceded. “But why would anyone be out at this particular graveyard?”

  He just continued to look at her.

  “Okay, another point taken. How about - why now?”

  “No idea.”

  “Besides, it probably isn’t anyone, anyway.”

  “True again. The branch might have just fallen, it might have been an animal knocking it out of a bush. But I prefer to be cautious.”

  Mikki smiled up at him, a little gleam in her eyes that didn’t bode well. “You know, you could be handy on future ghost hunts-”

  “Oh, do not go there.” He led her back towards the chapel.

  “You’d be the voice of reason, ensuring the intrepid hunters didn’t let their imaginations run away with them, making sure everything stayed true-”

  “I am not going ghost hunting with you and Elspeth.” He looked sternly down at her as they came to a halt next to the porch. “And you know why?”

  “Because you’ll be at home all alone playing with yourself?” she answered brightly.

  That choked a guffaw out of him, but he sobered enough to say, “No, you little witch, it’ll be because…” He went blank.

  Wait. Mikki and her aunt going off on ghost hunts? Without him? Alone?

  “Don’t worry.” She patted his chest. “We go in groups with professionals in attendance.”

  That was a bit of a relief.

  “It’s only the odd time we head out together.”

  “I think I feel heartburn starting.”

  “Just a couple of times a year.”

  He rubbed his arm. “It could be a heart attack.”

  “But then, if we’re alone you’ll come with us. Right?” She beamed up at him.

  “Only if you come to the car races with me every time I have to go with you and your aunt as your protector-”

  “Voice of reason.”

  “We both have different interpretations of my presence being there. Now do you agree to my terms?” Huh, like she’d go to the car races.

  “Is that your one condition?”

  No ghost hunts for him, and she and Elspeth wouldn’t go alone. Win-win. “Yep.”

  She shrugged. “Sure.”

  Damn. “Are you serious?”

  “Aren’t you?” She looked up earnestly at him.

  Double damn. Trapped. And going by the smile that curved those lush lips, she knew it.

  “Shit,” he said with feeling.

  ~*~

  Staggering out to the kitchen the next morning, he came upon Aaron sitting at the table with a hot cup of coffee and his seemingly ever-present laptop, while Ryan sat in the other chair with Duchess playing around his boots, tugging his laces loose. Elspeth was buttering toast, Mikki downloading the camcorder films onto her laptop.

  “Please tell me,” he staggered over to the kettle, “that you got those camcorders after the sun came up.”

  “Absolutely,” she answered cheerfully.

  “And you took someone with you.”

  “Everyone was up but you, Lukey-boy. You’re looking a bit weary this fine morning.”

  Trying to blink out the grittiness in his eyes, he poured hot water into a cup. “We sat out there until long after midnight, how could you possibly be so perky this morning?”

  “I slept like a log when we got back.”

  Luke hadn’t slept that well. Zombies had been coming for him all night brandishing broken tree branches. If this was how ghost hunting was going to effect him, he could only pray that Mikki was speaking the truth when she’d told him that she and Elspeth headed out alone only a couple of times a year.

  “How was the stake out?” Aaron shut the laptop, getting up to place it on the kitchen bench as Elspeth placed the platter loaded with toast into the middle of the table.

  “Uneventful,” Luke replied.

  “Oh, don’t be so sure,” Mikki said. “I haven’t watched the footage yet. We might have caught something, you never know.”

  Inhaling the scent of coffee drifting up from the mug, Luke sat down at the table across from her and frowned. “You should have woken me up. Or did you take Aaron with you?”

  “Whatever for?” She unplugged the camcorder lead from the laptop.

  “Because we would’ve done a quick scout around in the light of day to make sure no one had been there.”

  Bent over re-tying his shoelaces, Ryan glanced at him over the edge of the table.

  “Someone was out there
last night?” Aaron queried.

  Taking a seat, Elspeth unscrewed the jam jar lid. “Did you see something?”

  “Nope.” Following Aaron’s example, Mikki stood up to take the laptop and camcorder to the kitchen bench.

  “Yes. We heard a stick break.” Taking a slice of toast, Luke spread Vegemite on it. “Could have been an animal, but you can never be too careful.”

  “I’ve been out to the graveyards alone before.” Mikki resumed her seat.

  “I’d still have preferred you let me check around first just in case.”

  “There was no sign of anyone out there,” she argued. “The graveyards were undisturbed.”

  “What about around the graveyards?”

  “Aren’t you taking this over-protectiveness a little too earnestly? It’s broad daylight.”

  Chewing on toast, he regarded her steadily.

  She was surprised. “Wow, you’re really serious about this, aren’t you?”

  “Never doubt that your safety isn’t serious to me.”

  “Oh.” That took the wind out of her sails.

  Mikki looked at him as though seeing him for the first time, her regard quizzical. Let her think all she liked, she’d soon realise that Wells men were dead serious about the safety of their women. Hell, it was why he was prepared to go with her and Elspeth when they decided to go on ghost hunts alone.

  Elspeth smiled as she poured cream onto the toast she’d loaded liberally with jam and cut into it with a knife and fork.

  Ryan ate silently, his gaze distant as he gazed at the far wall. Luke would bet his last dollar that Ryan was very well aware of what was being said.

  Leaning back in the chair, Aaron rested his ankle on his opposite knee. “You’re concerned.”

  “Just cautious.” Luke took his gaze from Mikki to look at his older brother. “A lot of people know we’re here. It’s not inconceivable that someone could be snooping around, wanting to know what’s happening.”

  Aaron nodded.

  “You really think that, too?” Mikki asked.

  “You never know with people,” he replied. “Anyone, anything, you can never be too careful.”

  Luke’s lips tightened a bit. Shit, Mikki and Elspeth and their ghost hunting alone. Remembering his shared banter with Mikki the previous night, it hit him hard. Alone. She and Elspeth had gone alone several times. Two women alone. He looked at her sitting across from him, her expression plainly saying ‘What did I do now?’ as she returned his gaze.