“Yes, but I took off of work tomorrow so I should have time for both.”
“I’ll go with you to the funeral.”
She shifted in her seat to face him. “You don’t have to do that.”
“I want to come with you.”
She wanted him to. Oh God, she so wanted him to. Warning bells went off in her head. This was headed to heartache. She was vulnerable right now, raw and open, and– “I’ll be fine by myself.”
“I’m going with you.”
“No. I need to go by myself.” She didn’t want to start depending on Luke and lose her ability to stand on her own.
“You need me there with you,” he said softly. “And if you aren’t willing to admit that, I’m fine with that. But I need to be there with you. I’m in this with you and I’m staying in.”
“You don’t have to do this, Luke. You have no obligation–”
“Who said anything about obligation?”
“I’m Lauren’s best friend, and–”
He kissed her again, his fingers curling around her neck, his tongue flickering into her mouth for one brief taste. “I’m not going to let you deal with this alone.”
She didn’t know how to reply. Alone was all she knew. Alone was where she’d end up after they were over and she didn’t want to forget how to be that way and still be happy. Her stomach suddenly churned and she knew it was stress and lack of sleep.
She sank down in her chair. “I’m not feeling so good all of the sudden.” She glanced at him.
“Do you want me to get you a Sprite?”
“No. Thank you.” She let her lashes lower. “I need to rest my eyes.”
Luke ran his hand over her hand. “Rest, sweetheart,” he said. “Sleep will do you good.”
Yes. Sleep. When was the last time she’d slept well? Not since before Elizabeth Moore visited her office. She inhaled, drawing in Luke’s comforting scent, and drifted off.
***
Julie felt a tickle against her ear, but she tried to ignore it. She was wrapped in a warm cocoon of sleep and comfort.
“Julie, wake up.”
“Hmm, I don’t want to,” she replied and snuggled further against… Her eyes popped open. Her senses were instantly alert, her nose filling with the spicy male scent of Luke. She blinked and slowly looked up, her lids still heavy from sleep.
Luke stared down at her with his gorgeous, chocolate brown eyes.
Suddenly she realized she lay in the crook of his arm, her hand on his chest, and her head on his shoulder. Her memory slowly returned as she glanced around and realized she was on a plane. She wasn’t sure how she had ended up sleeping in his arms but her subconscious mind seemed to know exactly where she wanted to be.
Slowly, he lowered his head and brushed his lips across hers. Once, twice, and then a third time in short, soft caresses.
Her lashes fluttered to her cheeks as she absorbed the pressure of his lips with warm acceptance. Oh god, she had missed him. He made her feel so much, so deeply, and no matter how it scared her, she needed this, needed him.
“Luke?” she whispered, not sure it wasn’t a dream.
His lips quirked. “Expecting someone else? We’re about to land. I didn’t want the jolt to scare you.”
“Um,” she said forcing herself to move away from him and sit up. “Thanks.”
“How do you feel?” he asked.
“Better,” she said, the funny feeling in her stomach now gone. “A lot better. I’ve never handled sleep deprivation well. It just about killed me in law school. I guess I should thank you for being my pillow.”
“Then I guess I owe you the same thank you,” he said. “I fell asleep, too.”
They’d slept curled up together like a couple and clearly she’d slept like a baby. She turned to the window, the runway fast approaching. They were almost home all right, and most definitely out of one-night-stand-land, she knew that now. She wasn’t pretending otherwise. But she needed some time to process it, to figure out what it meant, and how to respond. She’d never let herself consider going where she seemed to be headed with Luke. She either had to dare to let it happen or she had to shut it down. Both had consequences she had to consider, especially with Lauren being her only close friend, her only family. Luke was about to be her family as well.
Once they were off the plane, Julie tried to make her escape, but Luke didn’t let it happen. He was with her at baggage claim and with her in the cab line.
When a car pulled forward, she turned to say goodbye to Luke, only to find him giving both her bag and his to the driver. “You live across town from me,” she said.
“I’m coming by your place to check things out,” he said. “Just to be safe.”
“I’m going to my office.”
“After you stop by your house, right?”
“Yes,” she admitted reluctantly.
“Then let me check it out just to be safe.”
She considered arguing, but it was a problem she hadn’t considered. Her house being dangerous. Someone there, waiting on her, to make her dead like they had Elizabeth. She slid into the car without complaint.
“You’re making me paranoid,” she whispered when they were on the road.
“You said you were already feeling paranoid.”
“You’re making it worse.”
“Come stay the night with me.”