Revival (Johanna's story with Luke Hemmings)

Chapter 17

17.
Sunday dawns overcast and dreary, looking like it might rain at any moment. Waking up in bed with Luke is completely different to yesterday morning. There is no moment of disorientation, but rather a rapidly developing familiarity about it. Luke stirs slowly, initially rolling over and putting his arm around my waist without opening his eyes, and then eventually waking further. I roll over to him and lean up on my elbow to plant a kiss his shoulder, then neck, then jawline as his eyes start opening. He groans sexily, rolling back onto his back and stretching, a smile spreading on his lips before I move up to kiss them.

"Hi" he tucks some hair behind my ear and kisses me again. "This is a lot better way to wake up than yesterday."

We decide over breakfast with Sam to just start heading straight back to the city. The lake looks completely different under a blanket of grey cloud and the idea of going back isn't quite so unappealing. We pack up quickly and I return up the steps to grab the last bags and lock up, while Sam and Luke secure the kayaks back on the roof-rack. As I fiddle with the key and have to turn it over before trying again, I can't help but overhear Sam talking quietly to Luke below.

"So you really like her ha?"

Luke's response is awkward and even quieter, and I only make out some of it. "Yeah... She's different from any other girl..."

"Well she's a woman, isn't she" I hear Sam say back.

Luke says something else but I only hear Sam again after it, "It's good to see you happy," before I walk heavily across the deck and descend the steps to them.

Luke looks up and smiles, "Are you right then?"

I nod and smile back, before throwing the keys to Sam.

The drive back seems longer than it was to get here. We are all lost in our own thoughts and it is quiet, apart from a Maroon 5 album Sam has playing on his ipod. Luke is sleepy again before too long (- maybe he didn't get much sleep last night after all) and he stretches his legs out and rests his arm across my thighs in the back seat. I offer to drive for a while and give Sam a break from being chauffeur, but he says he doesn't mind and makes a joke about not wanting to swap with me and have Luke draped over him.

I stare out the window dreamily and watch the last of the lake bush disappearing behind us. It's still hard to fathom how quickly Luke has come into my life, but also how much of it I think I'd be happy for him to be part of - if he wants to. We are at very different stages of our lives I'm sure - hell I can't even remember how I felt about some things at nineteen - but I can't let anything like that ruin it right now. This weekend has gotten us so much more comfortable with each other and I've also been surprised how easy it was with Sam. I smile thinking back to his comment about Luke being happy. I glance across at him and his eyes are open again, gazing out the window thoughtfully. I wonder what's going on in his head.

We work our way back through the city and Sam finds his way to my house again without needing any direction. He pulls up the driveway and I pick up my bag from behind the centre console as he turns round to me.

"Hey thanks for your help - it was really nice to meet you. Maybe I'll see you again soon."

"Great to meet you too - thanks for taking me. It was so nice to get out of the city" I smile back.

Luke takes my hand as we walk to the door, and then pulls me around the edge of the porch so we are obscured from Sam. He leans in and presses me against the wall, his hands against it on either side of my shoulders and his whole body close against mine. His mouth is on mine quickly and he kisses urgently and firmly, flicking his tongue into my mouth in short enticing strokes. Our breathing is ragged and my hands have reached in under his jacket to grab hold of the back of his shirt. His hands leave the wall to find my jaw and he finishes the kiss, pulling back just a few centimetres from my lips before whispering "Bye" in a husky tone.

My eyes follow him as he bounds in large steps back to the car and leaps into the passenger seat beside Ben, before they back away. I am still breathless as I step inside and throw my bag on the dining room table.

The phone rings almost immediately but it's still a relief to have the sudden quietness and isolation broken. Kat tells me she can only talk briefly as she's catching a flight to Sanford for a conference lasting until Thursday night.

"So where have you been? - I did get your text but..."

"I went to Lake Coleman with Luke ...the mechanic, and his brother. His brother did the triathlon and we support crewed him" I explain.

She's quiet for a moment, "...Really? - wow, that's quite a move on from squash. How was it?"

"Yeah, it was great - such a beautiful place..."

She interrupts me, "No Jo, how was it really? - don't piss me round, I've got a flight to catch."

I laugh at her attitude. She's never been one to mince words. "It was great" I repeat, "We got to know each other much more and got a lot more comfortable and stuff." I cringe at the thought of her getting too dirty or nosey - sometimes I never know what she's going to come out with.

"Oh, that's so cool - so you really like him do ya?

The hint of deja vu amuses me before I answer. "Yeah - everything's just so easy with him... and he makes me laugh." I stop for a moment and consider how much I like this simple explanation of us, and how little thought it actually required.

"Well, I'm really happy to hear it" she says so sincerely. "Listen I just about have to board, but I want you to come to a party I'm having Friday night - for Steve's birthday." I suddenly remember it's his 30th. "Would Luke come? - I'd love to meet him - Nick's coming."

"Yeah, I can ask him."

"Great - gotta go then. See ya Friday" she rushes out.

"Bye - have a good week."

I chuck some clothes in the washing machine and turn it on, before grabbing my keys to go and pick up Jess from my parents. You have to love dogs and their guaranteed enthusiastic reaction to you every time. I had felt a pang of guilt for telling my Mum that I was going away with someone from work, (and letting her assume they were female), but now I feel relieved that I won't have to face any probing questions. My parents took a long time to get to know and like Matt, and I can't imagine what they would think of Luke. It's not something I want to think about at the moment.