I let out a giggle. My parents were amazing. The way my father looked at my mother was as if he couldn’t get enough of her. Will and I had walked in on them more than once where they were just short of getting it on. I loved how they weren’t afraid to show their love for each other. Seeing my father take my mother’s hand in his made me long for that.
I turned away from my mother. “Luke told me he loved me.” My mother sucked in a breath and I quickly looked back. “But he was drunk, Mom. Drunk out of his mind.”
She smiled. “You know, drunks never lie.”
Running my hands down my face, I let out a frustrated moan before dropping my hands onto my lap. “Mom, he pushes me away, then he pulls me right back in.”
Reaching over, my mother gently took my hands in hers as she rubbed her thumbs over my skin. “What do you mean, he pulls you right back in?”
Letting out a long sigh, I closed my eyes briefly and then opened them. “He acts like he doesn’t want to even talk to me sometimes. Then … then …” I threw my hands up in the air. “Then he goes off and pulls me out of his truck and dances with me in the rain. He almost kisses me, and the emotions start going crazy. And then bam, he pulls back! It’s like I can see it in his eyes, Mom, and then his eyes go dark and I see nothing.”
My mother smiled slightly and nodded her head. “You know, your father and I played a similar game. I was so in love with him, but I pushed him away. I pushed him into the arms of another woman.”
My mouth dropped open some. “What?” Her eyes filled with sadness as if she was thinking back to a memory.
“I was scared. I had lost my parents not long before that and I was afraid to open my heart to anyone, Libby. I mean, so afraid. I knew the moment I let your father in, something would pull him away from me.” She shook her head and looked down before looking back up at me. “Do you love him, Libby?”
Tears filled my eyes as I nodded my head. “I love him very much, Mom. So much it hurts.”
“Libby, I hope to God that you’ve saved yourself for the one person who truly deserves that gift.”
I could feel my face growing hotter, but I nodded my head and whispered, “I have.” My mother smiled sweetly and squeezed my hand.
“I made a mistake one night that I will forever regret. I don’t want you to make the same mistake. I wanted more than anything for my first time to be with your father, but sadly it wasn’t.” She looked away and took a moment before turning back to me and talking again. “Don’t be pushed by anger or hurt to do something you will regret. Make sure it’s something you want. I’m going to safely assume you’re wanting your first time to be with Luke?”
I slowly nodded my head and whispered, “Yes.”
My mother looked down and then let out a chortle before glancing back up to me. “The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. Luke’s father was almost the same exact way. I can still hear Ari and him arguing with each other. Oh how the two of them pushed and pulled at each other. It was unreal.”
I smiled. “Really?”
My mother let out a laugh. “There were times I was sure Ari was going to kill Jeff. A stranger looking in would have thought they hated each other. Jeff did everything he could to push Ari away.”
I rolled my eyes. “Like father, like son.” My mother and I both started chuckling.
She let out a sigh as she said, “I guess so.”
My phone started ringing as I pulled it out of my pocket and saw Luke’s name. I showed it to my mother and she raised an eyebrow as she stood up. “I’d send his little ass to voicemail.”
I laughed and did just that. Putting my phone on silent, I got up and walked to my mother. I picked up the potato and started back to work peeling it. We spent the rest of the afternoon laughing and cooking as we got ready for Thanksgiving.
SLAMMING MY TRUNK, I let out a sigh as I looked at my mother and father. I smiled weakly. “I’m going to miss you both so much.” I felt the tears threatening to build as I bit down hard on my lip. My father walked up to me and pulled me in for one of his bear hugs. I felt so safe in my father’s arms. I was sure no other man would ever make me feel safe like this. I pulled back slightly. “I love you, Daddy.”
My father kissed my forehead and whispered, “I love you too, Libby. More than anything.”
I dropped my arms and turned to my mother. We both smiled as she held her arms open. The moment she pulled me to her, I started crying. “Mom, I’m so confused.”
She held me tighter as she whispered. “I know, baby girl. I know.” Daddy walked up and wrapped his arms around my mother and me.
The sound of a truck driving down the driveway caused me to take a step back and quickly wipe my tears away. I spun around and my heart dropped.
Luke.
I watched as Luke pulled up and parked behind my car. My mother placed her hand on my shoulder and whispered in my ear, “Talk to him, Libby.” I slowly nodded my head in acknowledgment.
Luke got out of his truck and I forced myself to not show what I instantly felt.
Lust. Want. Desire. Need. Him.
“Hey there, Luke. You ready to head back to school?” my father asked from behind me. Luke smiled and my knees wobbled just a bit.
“Yes, sir. The faster I get back, the faster the year ends.” He walked up next to me and reached out to shake my father’s hand. One quick glimpse down toward me and my heart dropped to my stomach. It was pounding so hard I was sure Luke would hear it. I turned my head and watched his every move as he spoke to my father. My eyes moved down to his Wrangler jeans that fit him just right. He had on a tight black T-shirt that clung to his body and showed off his chiseled abs. My eyes wandered down further as I smiled when I saw his cowboy boots. I moved my eyes back up to him and noticed his Texas A&M baseball cap. I moaned internally.
“We’re going to head inside. Libby, don’t leave without saying good-bye, sweetheart.”
My mother’s voice pulled me out of my trance as I quickly checked to be sure I hadn’t been drooling. Luke had always had an effect on me. Since I could remember, I was captivated by his smile—his laugh—his incredible muscular body.
“Um … I won’t, Mom,” I said with a weak smile as I looked at her smiling at me. She took my father’s hand and they began to walk up to the house.
I watched them until they disappeared behind the front door. I was wishing I could follow them. Luke cleared his throat and I looked down to the ground. “What’s up, Luke?”
He took a few steps back and leaned against my car as he let out a chuckle, forcing me to look up at him. I let out a soft sigh as I waited for him to tell me what he was doing here.
“I wanted to make sure you didn’t need a ride back to A&M,” he said with a smirk.
I narrowed my eyes at him and stared into his beautiful green eyes. Some days you couldn’t tell if his eyes were green or gray. It was one of the things I loved about him. If he was angry, I swore they turned gray. Luke had always told me I was crazy. His eyes were green and always stayed green. “I’ve told you three times I was taking my car back, Luke.”
He lifted the corner of his mouth into a melt-my-panties-on-the-spot smile. “You did?” he asked with a slight chuckle.
I crossed my arms over my chest and nodded my head. “Yes. Yes, I did.”
His eyes moved up and down my body, causing my cheeks to flush. I looked away to get my wits about me. “Maybe I just wanted to come and talk to you, Lib.”
I licked my lips on impulse. “Talk to me about what?” A part of me was hoping he would finally just admit the feelings he had for me. If only he remembered telling me that he loved me.
Luke shrugged his shoulders. “Maybe I should follow you back. Make sure you get there okay.”
I lifted my chin and stood up taller. “I’m perfectly fine getting there on my own. I’m not a child.”
Luke’s eyes moved down my body slowly. I was wearing black skinny jeans, my favorite pair of cowboy boots, and a teal blouse that
made my eyes bluer than normal. When his eyes finally found mine, he whispered, “I know.”
Swallowing hard, I looked away as I cleared my throat. “I don’t need you to watch over me like I’m some little girl who can’t take care of herself.” I began to walk past him as he pushed off the hood of my car and followed me. Opening the driver’s side door, I spun back around and looked at him. I was ready to lay into him and tell him how dare he come here and try to pretend like everything is okay. I didn’t need him. I didn’t even want to look at him.
When I looked into his eyes, he smiled and I was rendered speechless. I opened my mouth, but nothing came out. Luke reached up and took a piece of my hair and pushed it behind my ear. “You’re eyes look beautiful with this color shirt on, Lib.”
I stood there like an idiot before I finally managed to say something. “Thank you.”
“Let me follow you back. Please, Lib. It will make me feel better and I’m sure your parents would feel better as well.”
I was Jell-O in his hands. I always had been. I’d never forget the time he talked me into jumping out of the second-story barn window because he was convinced I could land on to the hay pile. I missed it by five feet and ended up breaking my ankle. Then there was the time he talked me into putting the frog under Grace’s pillow. He said she loved the frog and would be so happy to know he was sleeping under her pillow safe and warm. Grace still brings it up to this day how she was in a dead sleep and slipped her hand under her pillow only to be woken up from touching something slimy. She flew up out of bed so fast that she tripped over her backpack and hit the corner of her eye on her desk. She walked around with a black eye for two weeks.
I pulled in a deep breath through my nostrils. Big mistake. His cologne filled my senses. I shook my head in an attempt to clear my thoughts. Luke Johnson was not going to have that kind of control over me anymore.
“Libby, honey. Are y’all ready to take off?” my mother called from the front porch. I opened my mouth and forced the words out.
“Yes. I’m ready to head out.”
Luke winked and turned to my parents as he flashed them that stupid smile of his.
“I was just telling Lib I should probably follow her. Just to be safe. I’d hate to think what would happen if she got a flat tire or something.” Oh. My. God. I wanted to punch him in the stomach.
“I think that’s a great idea,” my father said as he walked to us. I did a double-take as I looked at my father, then my mother.
“What? No. I don’t need a babysitter, I’ll be perfectly …”
My father walked up and slapped Luke on the back. “Nonsense, Libby. Luke is right. You’re both going the same way; I either want you to follow him, or he follows you.”
I quickly came up with a plan. I’d follow Luke and go so slow he would eventually pull away and we’d lose each other. I was about to agree when Luke glanced back at me. “I’ll follow Libby, Josh. I wouldn’t want to lose sight of her if I pulled away.”
Bastard. I pushed past him causing him to stumble. He let out a chuckle, which pissed me off even more. I walked up to my mother and hugged her. “I love you so much, Mom.”
Giving me a gentle smile, my mother whispered, “I love you too, Libby.”
Smiling weakly, I turned to my father. “I really don’t need him to follow me, you know.”
My father smiled and pulled me into his arms. “I want my baby girl to be protected always.”
I pulled away from him and glanced back at Luke. “Some things you can’t always protect me from, Daddy.” Luke’s smile faded a bit. Looking back at my father, I kissed him on the cheek. “Love you both. So very much.”
Slowly I made my way to the driver’s side of my door. Climbing in, I started the car and waved good-bye to my parents as I pulled out and headed down the driveway.
Operation Lose Luke was in full force.
I HIT THE gas and gunned it through the yellow light. “Jesus, Mary, and Joseph. Why the hell is she driving so damn fast?”
We were halfway to A&M and Libby had been doing everything in her power to shake me. When we came to a stoplight, I pulled up next her. I put my passenger side window down and honked the horn. She ignored me of course. I honked again, this time I held it down longer. She finally turned and looked at me as she put her window down.
“What in the hell, Libby? Stop being a baby.”
Her lips curled up and I was almost positive I saw a vein in her neck become engorged. “Fuck you, Luke.”
My mouth dropped open as she looked back toward the road and rolled up her window. The light must have turned green because she punched it and took off. I quickly took off after her and watched as she attempted to change lanes enough times to lose me. At the next light, I put my truck in park and jumped out. I walked up to her car and banged on the window, causing her to jump. She rolled down the window and looked at me with a shocked expression.
“What in the hell are you doing? Get back in the truck, Luke!”
“Pull over at the Shell station ahead on the right,” I said as I turned and walked back to my truck. I was so angry my hands were shaking as I placed them back on my steering wheel. The light changed and Libby punched it again, causing her tires to squeal as she took off. She put her right signal on and pulled into the gas station and parked in an empty spot to the side of the store. I pulled up next to her and we got out at the same time. I didn’t even bother to shut my door. I walked around the back of my truck and Libby met me halfway.
“What in the fuck do you think you’re doing driving like that? Are you trying to get hurt?” I asked as she balled her fists up.
“How dare you! How dare you come to my house and try to play like my knight in shining armor. You’re far from it, asshole.”
I inhaled a deep breath to calm myself down. “You’d rather drive like that than have me follow you? What’s wrong with you?”
She took a step closer to me and pushed me with all her might, but I didn’t budge. “You! You are what’s wrong, like always. It’s always you!”
Libby’s eyes filled with tears and my world came to a complete standstill. My stomach and heart felt like I had just jumped from a skyscraper into a freefall. My eyes quickly searched hers. Grabbing Libby, I pulled her to me.
“I care about you, Libby. Why can’t you see that?” I asked as she attempted to pull away.
“I don’t want you to care about me, damn it!” she yelled as she continued to fight me. Reaching down, I took a hold of her hands. “Let go of me, you asshole.”
I looked into her eyes and said in a calm voice, “Stop this, Libby. Calm down and understand why I’m doing this. I …”
She closed her eyes and began shaking her head as she instantly stopped struggling with me. “Stop. Please stop saying you care about me, Luke.”
I dropped her hands and ran my fingers through my hair. “What do you want me to say, Libby?”
She opened her eyes and I watched the tear slowly roll down her cheek. “That you love me.”
I let out a small breath. My heart ached as I watched the tear make its way down her face. She closed her eyes and placed both hands over her face as she let out a frustrated yell, causing me to jump at the unexpected outburst. Placing my hands on her arms, I pulled them down as her eyes darted all over my face. It was as if she was afraid to look me in the eyes. “Never mind. Let’s just get back to campus.” She began to move away from me when I grabbed her arm and pulled her to me again. She let out a gasp as I placed my hand on the back of her neck and pulled her lips within inches of mine. Libby’s breathing increased, as did mine.
“Do you have any idea what you do to me, Libby?” Pressing my lips against hers, I kissed her fast and hard. She wouldn’t open her mouth to me so I began walking her backward until she was back up against my truck. In that instant her hands went into my hair and she opened up to me. We kissed like we couldn’t get enough of each other. Our tongues danced in an endless motion with each other as we let
ourselves get lost in the kiss. I pressed my hard dick into her stomach as she let out a moan that moved through my entire body. My hands went to her face as I started to slow the kiss down. When I pulled my lips away, I rested my forehead against Libby’s.
My breathing was erratic as I tried to settle the confusing feelings running through my veins. “You. Drive. Me. Crazy,” I whispered as I kept my eyes closed. I could hear her breathing heavy. I took a deep breath in. She smelled like heaven. I wasn’t sure if that was just Libby or if she had perfume on. She had always smelled like a field of bluebonnets. Sweet and innocent.
Libby placed her hands on my chest as we just stood there. I was too afraid to open my eyes and look into her eyes. I knew what I had done was not fair to either of us.
Taking in a deep breath, Libby whispered, “Luke.”
Swallowing hard, I opened my eyes and took a step back. I shook my head and looked away. “I’m sorry, Libby. I’m so sorry I kissed you. It was a mistake.”
Shaking her head she looked into my eyes. “Why?” Her eyes filled with tears. “Luke …”
I took another step away. “Can’t you see, Libby? All I do is hurt you.”
She walked toward me. “Because you keep pushing me away. Stop pushing me away.”
Libby’s phone began ringing with Will’s ringtone. “You better get it, Lib. You’ve been waiting for him to call.”
I turned and headed to my truck. One quick glance over toward Libby and she was getting back into her car. As she talked to Will on the phone, she wiped a tear away.
I slammed my head back against the seat of my truck. “What the fuck is wrong with you, Johnson. Why do you keep hurting her?”
Libby began pulling out of the parking lot as I slowly pulled out and began following her. An hour later she turned and headed toward her dorm. I wanted to follow her, but I knew if I did I would end up doing something more than kiss her. I wanted to make her mine. I didn’t deserve to make her mine. I didn’t deserve her love.