Love Story
Page 33
She gave him a sunny grin as she finished the pudding cup and tossed it in the trash. Then she hoisted herself onto the kitchen island. “Lucky for me, you don’t get a say.”
“Obviously. Because if I did, I’d have you enrolled at the community college down the street where I can rescue you from the trouble you’re destined for.”
She reached out to kick him, and he pushed her foot aside. “You looking for Craig?” she asked. “He said he was going to run some errands, which I’m pretty sure means he’s hooking up with one of his high school girl toys.”
Reece swallowed. “Yeah, I haven’t seen much of him since he got back from college for the summer.”
Lucy’s heart went out to him. Reece would never admit it, but she knew he felt left behind with everyone going off to college and him staying to work at the same winery gig he’d had since high school.
“Mom and Dad are at some soccer celebration dinner with Brandi, but I was going to order some pizza. You want to stay?”
“Nah, I’ll let you have your space.”
“I hate having space,” Lucy said. “Besides, in a few months I’ll be gone, getting into all that trouble you mentioned, and then who’s going to tell you that your shirt’s too small?”
He glanced down, rubbing a self-conscious hand along the front of the tight T-shirt. “Yeah, I’ve been doing more and more heavy lifting at the vineyards lately. Probably time to get some new shirts.”
She clucked her tongue. “You poor thing, struggling with all those new muscles. Have you heard from Abby since she got back for the summer? Bet she’ll be regretting that you guys broke up when she sees you.”
His surprised blue gaze came back to her. “I swear, sometimes it’s like you monitor my phone.”
Lucy forced a smile. “So you have heard from her.”
He lifted a disinterested shoulder. “She mentioned wanting to hang out. See how I was doing.”
“And how are you doing?” Lucy said, leaning forward, letting her legs swing. “I hardly see you anymore.”
Again with a shrug. “Not as much reason to come around without Craig here.”
She let out a startled, hurt laugh. “Ouch.”
He winced. “You know what I mean.”
“Not really,” she said, eyes narrowed. “I thought we were friends too. Not best friends like you and Craig, but…I miss you.”
She hadn’t meant to say it, but it was out there, and it was true. Lucy may have worked darn hard during her senior year to get over her crush on the unattainable Reece Sullivan, but every time he showed up again, her stupid heart seemed to remember that it beat too fast for him.
Reece swallowed and crossed his arms, almost as though protecting himself.
From what?
He cleared his throat. “Congrats on graduating. Didn’t get to say so at the party with your entourage hanging around.”
She laughed. “Seriously?”
Reece shrugged. “The Bentley kid stayed awfully close to you.”
“You know Bryan?”
“Yup. He was second-string running back when I was starting.”
“You forgot to beat your chest when you said that,” she teased. “And he was starter after you graduated.”
She didn’t know why she was baiting Reece, but she’d swear there was a touch of jealousy beneath his frown. Or at least protectiveness.
“I’m not dating him,” she said quietly.
“Well, he’s interested,” he grumbled.
“Maybe,” she granted. “But I’m not.”
“Smart. You’re leaving in three months.”
“That’s not why,” she said.
His eyes narrowed for a half second, his expression going wary, even as his gaze flicked over hers, both hungrily and reluctantly. As though he didn’t want to notice her but couldn’t help himself.
She felt a thrill of hope. It’s not just me.
Then he relaxed his arms and nodded his head back toward the front door. “I should go.”
Lucy swallowed her disappointment. What had she been expecting, that he’d walk in here and tell her that things had changed for him too?
That he was as aware of her as she was of him?
She hadn’t been expecting it. But she had let herself hope, and that was just as dangerous.
“Okay. See you around,” she said, forcing a smile.
Reece nodded and headed toward the front door, giving her a chance to admire the way the shirt hugged his broad shoulders and narrow waist, and the way the jeans perfectly fit his perfect—
He turned around before she could fully appreciate his butt. “There’s something I’ve been wondering.”
“Shoot,” she said, legs continuing to swing idly, as though she didn’t have a care in the world.
“Did it ever get better for you?”
“Did what?” Lucy asked, not following.
“Kissing.”
Her legs abruptly stopped swinging. “What?”
Reece walked toward her until he was just a few inches from where she sat. Her position on the counter put them at eye level, and the sheer control in the way he moved made her suddenly realize that she’d seriously be in over her head with this guy if he ever decided to make a move.
“I promised you it got better after the first kiss,” he said, moving even closer, even as his gaze stayed safely locked on her collarbone. “Want to make sure I didn’t let you down.”
“Obviously. Because if I did, I’d have you enrolled at the community college down the street where I can rescue you from the trouble you’re destined for.”
She reached out to kick him, and he pushed her foot aside. “You looking for Craig?” she asked. “He said he was going to run some errands, which I’m pretty sure means he’s hooking up with one of his high school girl toys.”
Reece swallowed. “Yeah, I haven’t seen much of him since he got back from college for the summer.”
Lucy’s heart went out to him. Reece would never admit it, but she knew he felt left behind with everyone going off to college and him staying to work at the same winery gig he’d had since high school.
“Mom and Dad are at some soccer celebration dinner with Brandi, but I was going to order some pizza. You want to stay?”
“Nah, I’ll let you have your space.”
“I hate having space,” Lucy said. “Besides, in a few months I’ll be gone, getting into all that trouble you mentioned, and then who’s going to tell you that your shirt’s too small?”
He glanced down, rubbing a self-conscious hand along the front of the tight T-shirt. “Yeah, I’ve been doing more and more heavy lifting at the vineyards lately. Probably time to get some new shirts.”
She clucked her tongue. “You poor thing, struggling with all those new muscles. Have you heard from Abby since she got back for the summer? Bet she’ll be regretting that you guys broke up when she sees you.”
His surprised blue gaze came back to her. “I swear, sometimes it’s like you monitor my phone.”
Lucy forced a smile. “So you have heard from her.”
He lifted a disinterested shoulder. “She mentioned wanting to hang out. See how I was doing.”
“And how are you doing?” Lucy said, leaning forward, letting her legs swing. “I hardly see you anymore.”
Again with a shrug. “Not as much reason to come around without Craig here.”
She let out a startled, hurt laugh. “Ouch.”
He winced. “You know what I mean.”
“Not really,” she said, eyes narrowed. “I thought we were friends too. Not best friends like you and Craig, but…I miss you.”
She hadn’t meant to say it, but it was out there, and it was true. Lucy may have worked darn hard during her senior year to get over her crush on the unattainable Reece Sullivan, but every time he showed up again, her stupid heart seemed to remember that it beat too fast for him.
Reece swallowed and crossed his arms, almost as though protecting himself.
From what?
He cleared his throat. “Congrats on graduating. Didn’t get to say so at the party with your entourage hanging around.”
She laughed. “Seriously?”
Reece shrugged. “The Bentley kid stayed awfully close to you.”
“You know Bryan?”
“Yup. He was second-string running back when I was starting.”
“You forgot to beat your chest when you said that,” she teased. “And he was starter after you graduated.”
She didn’t know why she was baiting Reece, but she’d swear there was a touch of jealousy beneath his frown. Or at least protectiveness.
“I’m not dating him,” she said quietly.
“Well, he’s interested,” he grumbled.
“Maybe,” she granted. “But I’m not.”
“Smart. You’re leaving in three months.”
“That’s not why,” she said.
His eyes narrowed for a half second, his expression going wary, even as his gaze flicked over hers, both hungrily and reluctantly. As though he didn’t want to notice her but couldn’t help himself.
She felt a thrill of hope. It’s not just me.
Then he relaxed his arms and nodded his head back toward the front door. “I should go.”
Lucy swallowed her disappointment. What had she been expecting, that he’d walk in here and tell her that things had changed for him too?
That he was as aware of her as she was of him?
She hadn’t been expecting it. But she had let herself hope, and that was just as dangerous.
“Okay. See you around,” she said, forcing a smile.
Reece nodded and headed toward the front door, giving her a chance to admire the way the shirt hugged his broad shoulders and narrow waist, and the way the jeans perfectly fit his perfect—
He turned around before she could fully appreciate his butt. “There’s something I’ve been wondering.”
“Shoot,” she said, legs continuing to swing idly, as though she didn’t have a care in the world.
“Did it ever get better for you?”
“Did what?” Lucy asked, not following.
“Kissing.”
Her legs abruptly stopped swinging. “What?”
Reece walked toward her until he was just a few inches from where she sat. Her position on the counter put them at eye level, and the sheer control in the way he moved made her suddenly realize that she’d seriously be in over her head with this guy if he ever decided to make a move.
“I promised you it got better after the first kiss,” he said, moving even closer, even as his gaze stayed safely locked on her collarbone. “Want to make sure I didn’t let you down.”
