The Certainty of Violet and Luke

Chapter 18

Luke

She's been sleeping for a couple of hours. I'd worry she was depressed, but not only did she get up way too early for her, she also exerted herself with kickboxing, so I figure she has a reason to be sleeping.

It's rounding toward eleven in the afternoon. I have to pick up my dad and Trevor at the airport in like an hour. They'd offered to take a cab from the airport and I had to explain to them that Laramie wasn't like San Diego and that getting a cab means calling and waiting at least an hour for one. They said they could rent a car, but I'd insisted.

Yeah, I Luke Price insisted that I'd pick up my father. Never thought that'd f**king happen and I'm still uncertain how I feel about it.

I'm borrowing Seth's Camry to go pick them up so we don't have to crowd into my truck. Violet was going to go with me, but she looks so peaceful sleeping on her side, her hair splayed over the pillow, her legs tangled in the sheets that I almost don't want to wake her up.

Sitting down on the edge of the bed I brush her hair back out of her face and then graze my finger up and down her cheekbone. She sucks in a soft breath and then her eyelids flutter open, her green eyes glazed with exhaustion.

A few confused blinks later, she's sitting up. 'What time is it?' She yawns, arching her back like a cat as she stretches her arms above her head.

'Eleven.' My eyes skim over her nearly na**d body. She'd stripped off her sweaty workout outfit the moment we'd gotten home, left her panties and bra on, collapsed into bed and fell asleep about thirty seconds later. 'You can stay here and sleep if you need to. Seth and Greyson said they'd be here until tonight so you won't have to be home.'

'No, I want to go with you,' she says, swinging her legs over the edge of the bed then standing up.

I don't argue with her, glad she wants to go with me. I sit down on the bed and watch her pull a t-shirt on and a pair of black jeans.

'I have to shower when we get back though,' she says, sniffing herself. 'I have gym scent.'

'Gym scent? '

She pulls a repulsed face. 'Yeah, those mats in there smell like they haven't been washed in years.' She runs her hands over her arms. 'I swear I can feel the smell on me.'

I chuckle at her as she grabs her boots and bends over to put them on. 'Well, you look good.'

She peers up at me as she's tying her boot. 'I look like shit, but thanks.' She stands up and combs her fingers through her red streaked hair then adds some glossy shit to her lips.

I stand up and cross the room to her, kicking dirty clothes out of the way. 'You look beautiful,' I tell her, brushing the pad of my thumb over her bottom lip. 'You always do.'

She looks like she's about to tease me for being sappy, but then decides against it and bites down on her lip. 'You seem in a good mood.' Her eyes carry a question.

'Just happy that you seem happy.' I trace my thumb back and forth over her lips, mesmerized by the softness of them. 'That shiny stuff you just put on them makes them look so tasty.'

With a wicked look in her eye, she opens those soft lips and bites down on my finger. It's gentle but still sexy as hell. 'Wow, did you used to use those kinds of lines on women? I know you and I haven't really dated,' she says. 'So I'm not sure what your moves are.'

'Hate to break it to you, but we've dated. A lot.'

'Not really. We went out on a couple of dates in the beginning, but even before that, things were different between us. I mean, it's not like you met me and wanted to f**k me right away. I just kind of forced myself into your life, or well destiny did anyway.'