Book of Luke (Book 2) Read online

  I snapped a picture with my cell phone. “How high is it?”

  “About 14,700 feet,” he said. “Give or take.”

  It was a bit cooler at that elevation; it felt like it was about ten degrees up there. We wore dark snowsuits, but our jackets were unzipped. Well, except for Troy’s—his was zipped. But he’s not used to insane temperature shifts, and he doesn’t wear sandals in thirty degrees like we Alaskans do.

  That’s when my cell phone buzzed. I was expecting Lilly, but I was greeted by Dad.

  “Hey, Dad,” I breathed into the phone. “Isn’t it late there?” I swear he was calling me in the middle of the night.

  “I wanted to check on you. Burke said you were asleep when I called last night.”

  “Yeah,” I lied, wondering when he’d called. “I’m on a ski trail with Luke now.”

  “Is Burke there?” Dad demanded.

  “No,” I reiterated. “I’m on a ski trail with Luke. And a friend of his.”

  “Is Luke behaving?”

  I rolled my eyes. “We’re on a ski trail, what could he possibly be doing?”

  “Let me know if he misbehaves!”

  Luke and Troy talked softly, eyeing me. I half liked the attention; the other half wondered what they were saying.

  The presence of the hunky Monsieur De La Fontaine made me anxious. I was afraid this guy would decide he doesn’t like me, and sway Luke to look elsewhere.

  Sadly, he wouldn’t have to look far.

  I’m sure it was all in my head, but it felt like my every move was being judged.

  And yet, I’d still snapped a picture of this guy in front of my boyfriend!

  “Adonia!” Dad pulled me back to reality.

  “There’s reception here?!” I shrieked. We were standing on a mountain, and it just occurred to me that I was using my phone. From this mountain.

  Out in the middle of freakin’ nowhere.

  The guys grinned.

  “Adonia, stop rambling and tell me when you’ll be back at the hotel,” Dad demanded.

  “I don’t know, Dad. Tonight.”

  “Well I will be calling Burke’s cell phone again, make sure it’s not too late.”

  “Dad, I’m half a world away—you’re giving me a curfew?”

  “You know it, sweetie!”

  I groaned. From the conversation I could tell my mom was asleep—she would not have let him get this far without scolding him for being downright ridiculous again.

  “I have to go now, Dad. I have two guys waiting for me,” I said, just to mess with him.

  Yeah, it’s like I was begging to be grounded. But for once he could not do anything about it, and I kind of felt like he deserved it.

  “Two?” he asked in a panic. “Who’s the second guy?”

  “A friend of the first guy’s,” I said.

  “Is he behaving?”

  By this point I’d rolled my eyes so much they started burning calories. “Yes, Dad, he’s behaving, too.”

  “Let me know if he misbehaves!” Then he said, “Be careful, sweetie. I love you.”

  “Okay, Daddy.”

  “I love you, sweetie,” he repeated, like it would kill him if I didn’t say it back.

  “I love you too, Dad,” I grumbled.

  He hung up, thank God.

  Speaking of which…

  Luke waved a pole at me. “Ready to go, Beautiful?”

  Troy put on his goggles, but Luke seemed content with just his baby blue scarf. I inched my scarf up my face. “Yeah,” I breathed, joining him by his side. “I’m ready. Just take it slow,” I added.

  He looked at me naughtily, and I smacked him playfully. “This is kind of scary. Sharp rocks and stuff,” I said.

  He wrapped an arm around me and squeezed. “We’ll go slow.”

  Troy inched toward the trail and started speeding down. Luke was on his tail within seconds, and after a hesitant look down, I followed them.

  The snow was quite deep—considerably deeper than what I was used to in Alaska. We glided along, though, and before I knew it I was having a whole lot of fun.

  “Stay back!” Luke hollered about a third of the way down. “Don’t follow, stay back!”

  I plunged my poles into the snow and came to a halt. “Why?” I asked, though I doubt they heard me.

  Looking at them from that angle, it looked like they were surfing. They skimmed along, an ocean of snow parting for them as they passed through it.

  Luke made a sudden turn. He bent down, leaned his entire body far forward and went off a cliff!

  “Oh my God!” I shrieked, my body rattling as Troy followed.

  They hit the snow a few hundred feet below and came to a stop.

  “You guys are insane!” I screamed through tears, gaping down at them.

  They laughed and exchanged a high-five.

  Luke pulled his scarf down to his neck. “Sorry if I scared you, Beautiful!” His words echoed.

  I gripped my heart. Not only did that scare the crap out of me, but it impressed the hell out of me, too! “I can’t believe you did that!”

  Luke waved at me like it was nothing. “Ever heard of heli-skiing?! We’ve done that, too! Helicopter drops you off on a tall peak and you jump from there!”

  “What?!” I screeched.

  The guys laughed.

  “Scared of heights, mademoiselle?!” Troy removed his goggles and grinned up at me.

  I laughed. “Yes, actually! How’d you guess!” I looked around for a way down that wasn’t crazy, skied carefully around a steep bend and finally found a decent slope. Within minutes I’d reached them.

  “Are you okay?” Luke wrapped an arm around me.

  “I’m okay now,” I said, shoving my head into his chest.

  He inched my mouth up and kissed me briefly; briefly because Troy was there, I’m sure. “Boy am I glad you can follow directions!”

  I laughed. “You know how I feel about cliffs. I had no choice!”

  Troy looked at me again, the same way he did in the gift shop. His eyes rolled down my body.

  Yeah, I’m sure it’s just my imagination. It had to be. Because with that coat and snow pants, I wasn’t exactly shapely.

  ~ ~ ~

  We brought two pizzas back to the hotel at eight, after Luke finally decided he was done jumping off cliffs.

  “How was your day?” Burke asked as we walked into the room my dad paid for.

  Luke gave him a thumbs up. “We thought we’d let you take the suite tonight. And we brought you a pepperoni pizza!”

  Burke put down the book he was reading and joined us at the counter. “This entire pizza is mine?” he asked in disbelief.

  “Except for this slice,” Luke said, grabbing one. “It’s the only pepperoni I’m getting tonight!”

  Burke smiled. “You got her extra cheese—very, very nice! That’s her favorite, I heard.”

  “He’s the perfect boyfriend!” I gushed, though I don’t think they realized how much I really meant it!

  Luke winked at me and sat on a bar stool. “I don’t know about ‘perfect’ but I try.”

  I chuckled and held my head.

  “Did you have fun skiing today, young lady?” Burke asked, taking a bite of his pizza.

  “Yeah, I liked it,” I said. “Troy came with us—you know, Luke’s friend?”

  Burke nodded and dabbed his mouth with a napkin. “Yes, I met him before.” He looked at Luke. “How is he doing?”

  “He’s good,” Luke said. “He’s looking for a roommate. I told him he can use your mother-in-law apartment for a while.”

  Burke snapped his fingers. “Brilliant! Until you move out, yes?”

  Luke nodded. “With my girl here.”

  “Ah, but sometimes people have more than one roommate. It is cheaper for everyone, yes?”

  Luke looked at me. “I guess.”

  I wasn’t sure how I felt about living with two gods. I guess most girls would be ecstatic, but I thought it kind of cro
wded; and maybe a bit weird, because Troy’s awfully hot, too.

  Luke’s phone beeped again. He pulled it out of his pocket. It was tilted so I could see only part of the screen—the part with the red bikini.

  A bikini!

  I only got one horrifying glimpse, before he chuckled, moved and typed something.

  My spirits sank into an abyss. Cheese pizza felt like it had solidified in my stomach, and it began to hurt.

  My entire being began to hurt.

  I guess I should have seen it coming, or expected it at some point; better now than later, when I’d be even more devastated, right?

  I felt like I’d been kicked in the stomach; like someone knocked the wind right out of me. Breathing was a task. I didn’t think I’d done anything worth losing him for.

  Why does he hate me?

  “Why are you trembling?” Luke asked, unsettled.

  “Huh?” I said, confused. And when I realized I was, I tried to stop.

  His phone beeped again, and he looked at it. But his focus turned to me, and I think he noticed that I looked at it, too.

  Through tears.

  I rubbed my eyes before they could begin flowing. “I’m so tired,” I lied, my voice shaky. When I glanced back at him, he was still staring at me.

  “I can go and let you sleep, young lady. Would you like that?” Burke asked with his gentle smile.

  “You don’t have to,” I breathed, gripping my stomach. “I’m going to go take a shower. I’ll be a while.”

  Luke watched me cross the room for a change of clothes. I was too upset to even confront him about it, and after the way I felt the last time we broke up, I didn’t even want to think about that.

  I grabbed my clothes and—for some unknown reason—hugged Burke good night. I just needed some form of reassurance, even if I risked breaking down. The sobs were in my throat, and I tried not to let them out.

  He hugged me, hesitatingly, like wondering what the hell got into me. I hugged him like my dad.

  For once, I really missed my father.

  I glanced at Luke as I turned for the bathroom. He scratched his head, and more than anything, he looked concerned.

  Well what did he expect?

  “I go now, yes?” Burke said, grabbing the book and pizza box.

  Luke nodded and his gaze returned to me.

  “Adonia, you are okay here?” Burke asked, collecting his coat and bags with his free hand.

  “I’m fine, thanks,” I said, and hurried into the large bath. Once the door was shut, I leaned against it and slid to the ocean-blue tiles.

  How long had he been texting this girl? What did I do to make him start? Why did he think I’d be okay with it?

  Why couldn’t he just dump me first, so I could end up a little less shattered?

  “Hey, Beautiful?” Luke said with a tap. “The thing about showers is, you have to turn them on to take them.”

  I could’ve laughed, and I would have if my heart wasn’t broken. My eyes welled with more tears, and my hands reached for them, like I didn’t want them to go anywhere.

  I turned the shower on, just so he wouldn’t think something else was going on.

  Like he didn’t know I’d be completely crushed by this?

  I removed my clothes and made the water hot. Hot enough to match how I felt.

  Although I was in pieces, I knew I had to pick myself up before I left that bathroom. I thought, maybe there’s an explanation; a reason why a girl would send pictures of herself in a bikini to his cell phone.

  And then I thought,

  At least she wasn’t topless!

  I knew I had to get his phone before I confronted him, because I loved him and I didn’t want to lose him if I didn’t absolutely have to.

  I thought—I hoped—maybe the photo wasn’t from Nikki. Maybe it was from Lilly… for some odd, unknown reason.

  He could see his sister in a bikini all he wants—I wouldn’t care!

  And to think months ago I feared he’d run off with her when he met her…

  I recalled my relief when I learned my best friend is Luke’s sister, and he’s the only guy on the planet to find her repulsing.

  The thought actually made me chuckle, and I got under the shower just as the door creaked. “May I come in?” he asked, his voice trembling a bit.

  I panicked. He’d already done it, though; I could see his profile on the other side of the curtain.

  “Is everything okay?”

  “I’m okay,” I said, rubbing my eyes under the shower. Tears streamed out, and I was glad to be rid of them.

  “If something’s wrong, you should tell me,” he insisted.

  “Nothing’s wrong,” I peeped. Not until I get your phone.

  “It’s not because I had pepperoni, is it? I can brush my teeth.”

  He actually got a laugh out of me! I peeked past the curtain at him. He leaned against the sink, his leg crossed, in blue jeans and a silver muscle shirt. His skin glistened from the humidity.

  He was too hot to even be pissed at.

  “It’s not the pepperoni,” I assured him. “I’m just tired.”

  He bit his lip. “So I can’t exhaust you tonight, huh?”

  I put my head back under the water. Yes, I wanted him to exhaust me. But deep down, I also kind of wanted to slug him.

  Unsure of what else to say, I blurted, “I love you!”

  I guess that’s the only thing I was certain about, and it would never change, no matter what happened.

  X

  Sunken into his arms in bed, Luke and I gazed at the ceiling. It was impossible not to enjoy just being with him—his touch, his kiss, his voice.

  My face nuzzled his chest and I listened to his heart beat. He was barely awake and I was on the edge of sleep, too, but I had to stay up, so once he fell asleep I could look through his phone.

  Because, you know, I can’t help myself.

  “What are you thinking?” I breathed, looking up at him.

  His eyes were closed, and he smiled blissfully. “I’m thinking if your dad saw us, this would be the last moment of my life.”

  I laughed, a bit more awake.

  His smile widened. “But you’re worth it.”

  “I’m sorry he calls and asks a million questions, and that you can tell most of them are stupid.” Dad called after I got out of the shower, and kept me on the phone for fifteen minutes asking about “the second boy” and how well he behaved.

  “He misses you,” Luke said, squeezing my shoulder. His eyes opened a bit. “He’s not going to be happy when he hears we’re moving in together.”

  “I know,” I said weakly.

  We fell silent for a while, and I thought he’d fallen asleep.

  “Adonia?” he whispered, his voice heavy. “You’re amazing.”

  “If I’m so amazing, who’s the girl on the phone?” I wanted to ask. But I hugged him while I still can, knowing I’d find out sooner rather than later—his phone was in his jeans, about nine steps from the foot of the bed. And it would answer all of my questions.

  I hoped.

  “You know how Sam loves Molly in the movie Ghost?” Luke breathed, his eyes closed again.

  “Yeah?”

  “Well, I love you more than that.”

  “Ditto,” I said with a weak smile.

  He chuckled and looked at me. “Lilly was watching that the other night. Damn chick flick.”

  “You clearly enjoyed it,” I said, studying his moonlit face. There isn’t any lighting this guy doesn’t look like a god in.

  He grinned ear-to-ear. “That’s not the point.”

  Our fingers laced. “Luke?” I breathed, tempted to ask about the texts. But when he looked at me, I chickened out.

  “Hmmm?”

  I leaned in and kissed him. “I love you, Luke.”

  His fingers laced through my hair, and our make-out session was back in full-swing. His hands navigated every inch of me. Each kiss was more explosive, each touch more ele
ctrifying, and each time more intense. It was so passionate, he was so in control, and that’s how I liked it.

  “I love you,” he breathed when it was over. His body trembled. His hands slid to my hips and rested there.

  I put my head on his chest, and we fell asleep.

  ~ ~ ~

  I’d dozed off. When I opened my eyes, it was nearly midnight. Luke was fast asleep beneath me, and his phone had just beeped.

  My nerves made me shiver. I got up slowly, discreetly, as to not wake him. The arm that was wrapped around me fell when I shifted, and he inhaled deeply. I looked in the direction of the phone, hoping it wouldn’t beep again and wake him.

  I crept out of bed, found my robe by moonlight and glanced back at him. He was asleep. I pulled the phone out of his pants pocket. I didn’t want to risk waking him by taking it into the bathroom, so I decided to just check it there.

  After a brief glimpse to make sure he was still sleeping, I touched a key and the screen lit up.

  My blood zipped through me, so fast it almost hurt.

  I hit the menu button, and pulled up a list of texts. They were all from Nikki.

  Every. Last. One.

  I began to rattle, too afraid to even look at them. Too scared of what I may find, and how that would be the end of us. In a way I loved him too much to even hit view.

  I took a deep breath and closed my eyes. When I opened them I looked his way—he hadn’t moved. My eyes rested on the screen.

  I decided to view the attachment first. My sweaty thumb hit the button to pull up the image. It was of Luke, and her, on the beach; he wore a loose tank top and she wore a luscious red bikini. His hand rested on her shoulder, and they looked so freakin’ happy I felt sick.

  I’m talking physically ill.

  I gripped my aching stomach, which was clenched in a ball.

  When I picture “the other woman,” I’m expecting prettier, smarter, better.

  I expected all of that—but for some reason I didn’t expect a freakin’ supermodel! This girl was flawless; way hotter than my paranoid mind had ever imagined, if you could believe that!

  With long blond hair and pretty green eyes—oh, and boobs clearly a cup size or two bigger than mine—there was just no competing with this one.

  My hand trembled so bad I couldn’t even keep the phone still. I went back to the list of texts, figuring I had to read them quick before I broke down completely. I was so upset my chest hurt, and my bawling would surely wake him.