Proposals and Poison
Page 18
Every question I’d had about Luke evaporated as I kissed him back. All the hurt and angry feelings drained away. Luke’s arms around me tightened, and I wrapped my arms around his neck. My fingers threaded through his hair, and Luke deepened the kiss with a soft moan. The heat sparking inside me could’ve rivaled the sun. Kissing Luke wasn’t like anything I’d experienced before. I could feel from the gentle way he held me that he cared for me.
My senses were heightened to his every movement as he pulled me closer, his mouth caressing mine. He broke contact for a second, and then kissed me once more.
“I’m sorry. I let my stress get the best of me,” he murmured.
“It’s okay. I know where you were coming from.”
“I care about you so much, Adri.”
“You too.” I traced his jawline and had an irresistible desire to kiss him again. “I’m sorry that I can’t keep my nose out of trouble.”
“I talked to Tony. He assured me that you haven’t been looking for trouble,” Luke said. “Should I believe him?”
“Maybe,” I ventured.
Luke chuckled. “Okay, I trust you. I know you’re not trying to get into trouble. Just please, will you be even more careful, for me?”
His plea turned my insides to mush. All the fight left me. I just wanted to be with him. “But what about you, your case, and everything?” I asked. “Will you be okay?”
“See, that’s what I mean?”
“What?” Had I said something wrong?
“You.” Luke took my hand and caressed it. “It’s so nice to be with someone who notices me.” Luke swallowed. “I feel like you really see me.”
My throat was thick with emotion. I did see Luke. I’d seen him from the very beginning, even when he tried so hard to hide himself from me and the rest of the world. But the best part was that he saw me too. “I feel the same way.” I took his other hand and clasped it tightly. “You took the time to really get to know me.”
My brother had teased me that only a divorce attorney would be brave enough to date a wedding planner because he would know an easy out, but I knew that Luke was tentative and cautious because he took marriage seriously. For all the jokes, he wanted a good marriage. He’d had one until his wife died—something that most people in the Sun Valley area still didn’t know.
“Does this mean you really are my boyfriend?” I asked, knowing he would understand the reference to the crazy bride from my shop.
Luke chuckled. He pulled me in for another kiss. My senses were jumbled, and all I could feel was the heat of his fingertips on my back, the softness of his lips against mine, the coarse curls at the nape of his neck.
Luke pulled back. “Does that answer your question?’
“Almost,” I teased.
He led me to the sofa in my front room, and we sat down next to each other. “Yes, Adri, you’re my girlfriend, if you’ll have me. Sorry I took so long.”
“I think the timing is perfect.” After all we’d been through in the past year, we were finally at a place of healing, strength, and stability. My toes tingled as the future blurred across my vision. I wanted to be with Luke. I didn’t want him to be just my boyfriend. I wanted more. My stomach flipped, and I shushed my inner thoughts and acted as if I hadn’t just contemplated marrying Luke. I needed to lighten up the conversation. “But it seems amoral to date a divorce attorney.”
“Hey, we could go into business together.”
“How?” I scrunched my nose.
“You get them married and I’ll help undo the mess,” he said with a lilt to his voice.
I shook my head. “You attorneys give marriage a bad name.”
“Well, it’s your fault I’m in business at all.”
I put a hand on my chest. “My fault?”
“Haven’t you heard?” Luke leaned toward me. “Marriage is the leading cause of divorce.”
I couldn’t help it: the laugh escaped from my lips in a spurt, almost like I was blowing a raspberry. Luke laughed so hard he snorted, and then we were both laughing until tears ran down our faces.
When the giggles faded, Luke sighed and pulled me close to him. “You’re all right, you know that?”
I touched my fist to his cheek. “So are you.” I leaned my head on his chest and took a deep breath. “I like laughing with you a whole lot better than arguing.”
“Yeah, we should probably try it more often.”
I tipped my head to look up at him. “I’d like that.”
“Me too.” Luke dipped his head toward mine, and I didn’t breathe, didn’t move, because I couldn’t believe that this was really happening. I’d been waiting for this moment—the one we’d just shared—wanting him to kiss me for way longer than I’d admit.
His lips brushed against mine and I kissed him back, putting my arms around his neck. He angled his body closer to mine, and I put one hand on his chest to steady myself. His lips on mine ignited the slow-burning embers into a spark of desire. He pulled away, kissed me again, and rested his forehead against mine. “You’re sweeter than you look,” he whispered.
I giggled. “I’m full of surprises once you get to know me.”
“I’d like that.” Luke embraced me and I reached my arms around his neck, breathing in the woodsy scent that had grown familiar to me. I wanted to curl up in his arms and have him hold me forever. I could never go back to being just friends with Luke Stetson. “Thanks for letting me in,” he said.
“I didn’t hear you drive up on the Harley.”
“That’s because I moved it so you would think I was gone. I was afraid you wouldn’t come back if I was still here.”
I put my hand on his cheek. “Thank you for not leaving.”
“You’re welcome, but now I think it’s time for me to kidnap you for thirty minutes.”
“Um?”
He tilted his head toward the window. “Remember a while back when you promised to go for a ride with me on the Harley?”
“Was that a promise?” I teased.
Luke pulled me close and brushed another kiss across my lips. “Please?”
“Okay, okay, but then I have to get back and pack up the food and drinks for tomorrow. Everyone at the booth will need some sustenance, you know. It’ll be a long day.”
“So you’ll come?” He looked like a kid who’d just been given a new bicycle.
I stood up and tugged on his hand. “I’m ready when you are.”
Luke revved the engine of his Road Glide and I tightened my purple glitter helmet. He drove through the streets of Sun Valley and then headed up past the Sun Valley lodge toward Lost Trail Pass. I put my arms around his waist, enjoying the freedom to be close to Luke. He was my boyfriend, and he kissed like nobody’s business.
I leaned my head against his back and enjoyed the view of the Sawtooth Mountains rising in the distance. Baldy, the popular ski mountain for Sun Valley resort, was lush and green this time of year, but if we didn’t get rain soon, August would find the mountainsides losing their vibrant color.
The sun was dipping down closer to the horizon, but we still had plenty of sunlight left on that July night. The heat had decreased significantly, and the higher we drove up the mountains, the cooler the air became. I was just starting to feel a chill to the wind whipping across my arms when Luke turned around and began coasting back to the valley.
The ride took closer to an hour, but I didn’t complain when Luke dropped me off at my house at nine o’clock.
“Come in and have some lemon-lime refresher before you go.” I took his hand and we walked up to my doorstep.
“That sounds delicious,” he said. “Thanks for going with me. It was a perfect night tonight.”
I poured up the drink I’d put in the fridge to chill before we left, and dropped in a few pieces of ice. “Couldn’t have planned it better.”
Luke downed half his glass. “This is delicious. I like the lime flavor.”
“It’s one of my favorite summer drinks.”
My stomach fluttered at the thought of spending more time with Luke. I put my arms around his neck. “You’re coming for lunch and you want to see me after?” I kissed his cheek. “Yes please.”
Luke touched his forehead to mine and we stared at each other for a charged moment. The electricity zinged back and forth between us. His mouth hovered next to mine, our breath mingling, before slowly caressing my lips with his. Heat surged through me, and I let him pull me closer. The distance between us that had been looming for so long fell away, and I dared to hope that something was happening to him, to us. The way my heart was thrumming couldn’t be ignored.
The kitchen heated up and my air conditioning kicked on. Luke released me with a smile. “It’s a good thing I got a new case, or else I might stay here and kiss you all night.”
“And I have loads to do for the art festival tomorrow.” I leaned forward and whispered in his ear, “I’ll see you tomorrow.”
With one last kiss, Luke sighed and then hurried out the front door. I locked it behind him and moved to the front room, standing with my fingers on the window ledge, peeking out between the curtains. Luke turned and waved with two fingers before climbing on his motorcycle. My cheeks lifted in a smile and I waved back, even though I knew he couldn’t see me standing there in the dark.
I could still feel his kiss lingering on my lips as I heard his Harley roar out of the parking lot. My life had just switched tracks. I wasn’t riding the train of doubt, insecurity, and broken dreams anymore. I couldn’t wait to see Luke tomorrow and kiss him again.
CROCHETED SCALLOPED HEADBAND
Materials: Medium weight yarn in desired color, Size G/6 (4 mm) crochet hook
Begin by Chain 57.
Row 1: 4 dc in 3rd ch from hook, sk 2 sts, *sc in next st, sk 2 sts, 5 dc in next st, sk 2 sts * 8 times, sc in next st, sk 2 sts, 10 dc in last st.
Note: The following row is worked on the opposite side of the foundation ch.
Row 2: Sk 2 sts, * sc in next st, sk 2 sts, 5 dc in next st, sk 2 sts * 8 times, sc in next sc, sk 2 sts, 5 dc in next st. Sl st to top of first dc. Fasten off.
Add Ties: Ch 21.
Row 1: Sl st in 2nd ch from hook and each st across (20 sl sts). Use yarn needle to attach a tie to each end of the headband and weave in ends.
Courtesy of www.mashedpotatoesandcrafts.com
I had a little trouble sleeping the first part of the night because I kept reliving the moment when Luke walked through my door, swept me into his arms, and kissed me. When I finally did fall asleep, it was deep and dreamless and I awoke with Luke’s name on my lips. A craving for him burned in my chest, and I couldn’t resist sending him several good morning texts when I woke at six o’clock that Friday morning.
It took two coolers to hold all the snacks and food I’d prepared for the festival; one cooler was full of water bottles, lemon-lime refresher, and soda to keep us hydrated during the heat of the day. I wasn’t looking forward to that part of the festival. Temperatures were supposed to be in the low nineties, so I had pulled my hair back into a messy bun and applied sunscreen.
The festival meadows were beautiful that early morning. The grass was still dewy and cold on my sandaled toes. I dragged one of the coolers and a large, overstuffed bag filled with tablecloths over to the booth.
“Good morning,” Lorea said. “Your hair looks cute.”
“Thanks. You look the part of a dress designer today.” I indicated the scissors and measuring tape hanging from her neck, and the pencil tucked behind her ear, poking out of the dark strands of hair.
“I’m prepared, and even excited for today,” she said.
“Me too. Surprising after how much I’ve been dreading it,” I admitted. “Maybe it’s the atmosphere.”
Lorea and I paused to look around at the meadows. The backdrop of the rugged mountains covered in pine was breathtaking. There were tents and tables going up everywhere we turned. A murmur of conversations drifting along the air held a note of apprehension as people worked to get their booths set up before the first patrons arrived at ten. There were always a few early birds, or so I’d been told.
“Hopefully we can trade off, because I’d like to take a look around today,” I said.
“I’m planning on it,” Lorea replied. “Tony said he’d try to come by this afternoon and we could go get a funnel cake.”
“Luke’s going to stop by around lunchtime.” I didn’t try to hide the grin that perked up my cheeks when I said his name.
“Now that’s a smile. What’s going on with you two?”
“Last night I found out that Luke is pretty much the best kisser in the world.”
Lorea squealed. “Finally! He kissed you?”
I saw a woman look up from the load of multicolored skirts she was carrying and smile. “Hush, you don’t have to tell the whole world.” I lowered my voice. “Luke is officially my boyfriend.”
“What? Does he know that?” Lorea straightened the tablecloths and adjusted her portfolio and business cards.
“Yes, he knows, and he wants to be with me,” I said. “It kind of feels like a dream. He’s been so good to me lately.”
Lorea gave me a knowing look. “I think he was worth waiting for. Tony, too.”
We finished unloading our boxes and I made a few more trips to the car. When I returned to the booth with the last boxes, my parents were there, and my mom was in a frenzy.
“So sorry we’re late!” she said. “I hope we can get it all set up in time. There was just so much to do.”
“Good morning, Mom and Dad.” I gave each of my parents a hug.
“How’s my girl?” my dad asked. “You ready for this?”
“Yes, Lorea and I were just saying that we’re kind of excited for today.”
“Kind of?” my mom asked. “I couldn’t sleep last night ‘cause I kept double-checking if I had everything ready.”
I surveyed the pile of boxes that my dad was opening. There were about ten of them, and they all looked overstuffed. “I think you remembered everything.”
My dad smirked. “She brought enough stuff for the entire county.”
“Oh, you.” Mom nudged Dad with her elbow. “Let’s hang these scarves up here. I know it’s hotter than Hades this time of year, but I always do a little Christmas shopping when I come.”
“Great thinking,” Lorea said. “I love these little crocheted headbands. Did you make all of these?”
“Yes, finished the last batch two nights ago.” Mom beamed. “Do you think they’ll sell?”
“I want one, so definitely.” Lorea selected a pink headband and slipped it over her hair.
“That suits you perfectly,” Mom said.
All four of us worked until just before nine, hanging, arranging, and unboxing items. When the booth was ready, we stepped back and I snapped a few pictures.
“We have over four hundred items in that little tent,” my dad said. “Hope some people show up.”
“Dad, don’t make Mom more nervous.” I stepped over and gave my mom’s arm a squeeze. “I can see people lining up already.” I pointed across the meadow to the entrance, where a cluster of people gathered behind a roped-off section.
“Oh, do we have everything ready?” Mom asked.
“Yes.” I smiled. “Do you two want to take a minute to walk around?”
Thankfully, my parents agreed so that my mom could walk off some of her nervous energy. I couldn’t wait for my turn to check out the booths. I loved walking along looking at all the beautiful paintings in oil, acrylic, and watercolor that were produced by dozens of different artists. My dad was fascinated by the different styles of photographers who came to the festival, and he usually purchased a couple pie
ces. And of course, my mom could never get enough of all the handmade, hand-sewn items offered by so many talented Blaine County residents.
I had just ducked under the table to straighten the remaining boxes when I heard a familiar voice. “Is Adri here today?”
“Yes, she’s right here,” Lorea answered.
I swallowed my inner groan and raised my head above the purple tablecloth to see Gladys standing with one hand on her hip. Today she wore a blue blouse that accented her eyes, and denim capris. The look suited her, even if women half her age were wearing the same thing.
“Thank goodness you’re here.” Gladys leaned over the table. “I didn’t know that you two were setting up a booth. What a great idea. Everyone’s getting married these days. At least, it seems like all of Hank and my friends are—it’s not a first marriage for any of us, mind you, but that’s what happens when you get old. Nobody likes to be a widower.”
She stopped for a breath, and I found my opening. “It’s good to see you Gladys. Do you have your bath salts for sale today?”
She nodded and pointed to the booth straight across from ours. “I have dozens of different scents and colors in these cute little jars. You’ll have to come and see. I can even mix up your favorite flavor today. I have all the ingredients and different cards that show the combinations. I thought it might be a new angle for the festivalgoers.”
“That’s a great idea,” Lorea said, and I could tell her compliment was sincere. There was a lot more to Gladys than either of us had noticed at first. Behind the chatty gossip was a shrewd and talented businesswoman.
“Do you happen to have bergamot?” I asked.
“I sure do,” Gladys replied. “I have over thirty different essential oils, and about that many perfumes.”
“That sounds wonderful. I’ll come by around noon.”
Gladys paused and puffed up her frizzy hair. “Will you look at me? I came over here to tell you something important and nearly forgot.”