AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Why?”
“Because as much as you’re a man who likes to take care of his woman, I’m a woman who likes to know she can look after herself. I won’t be one of those women who doesn’t even know how to access her bank account when her husband dies.” I can feel myself getting a little worked up, but I’m helpless to stop it as memories flood my mind.
He stills as he processes that. “Has this happened to someone close to you?”
“Yes. To my grandmother, Mum’s mother. I was with her when she found out my grandfather had died, and she looked at me with such despair and told me she didn’t think she could live without him. I thought she meant that she loved him so much that she’d be lost without him. What she actually meant was she couldn’t drive, she didn’t know what bills they had, she didn’t know how to use an ATM machine because he’d always done it, and she had hardly any friends because he was her entire life. I won’t be her, Luke.”
He listens closely. When I finish talking, he says, “Taking care of someone doesn’t mean taking over their life. I fully expect you to give me hell if I go too far. But I will take care of you, Callie. It’s in my DNA.”
His expression is so earnest. I take a moment to pull my thoughts together. This is give-and-take, and he’s signalled that he fully expects me to call him out if he takes too much; I need to give a little here.
I smile. “Okay,” I say softly.
He nods, letting that sink in. And then he lifts his chin at my food. “Eat up, it’ll go cold.” I fight to hold back my laugh. He’s right—taking care and being bossy is in his DNA.
We eat in silence for a little while, but while no words pass our lips, the need we’re both feeling thrums between us. I can’t keep my eyes off Luke’s body. I try, but I keep catching myself staring. And each time I lift my gaze back to his, I find him watching me with a knowing look.
“When can I see you again?” I blurt out.
He’s quick to reply. “Tomorrow night. I’ll organise someone to cover me here.”
“Thank God.” I don’t even bother hiding my relief. I’m used to relationships moving a little slower. I don’t usually know what I want this soon, but with Luke, after knowing him for a year, I know exactly what I want. And I’m not going to do the flirtation dance of waiting for the man to make the next move.
11
Luke
“Bowling?” Callie says as I pull into the bowling alley car park.
I park the car and cut the engine before turning to her. “How long since you’ve been bowling?”
“God¸ it would have to be at least fifteen years, maybe longer.”
I jerk my chin towards the door. “Get your ass out of the car and don’t judge it then. By the end of tonight, you’ll be begging me to bring you bowling again.”
Her eyes flare a little at my order, but she doesn’t argue. We exit the car, and I lock it as I make my way around to where she waits for me.
“Are you warm enough?” I ask as she rubs her arms.
She smiles. “Yes.”
With my arm around her waist, we walk the short distance to the building. Once inside, I pay, to her annoyance, and we choose our bowling balls. Callie continues to give me the look that lets me know she thinks this is lame. She won’t. In a moment, she won’t know what fucking hit her.
“Okay, master, show me how good bowling can be,” she says once we’re settled at our table.
I smirk. “You’re up first.”
She raises her brows and slashes her finger in the air at my mouth as she gives me some more attitude. “What’s with that smirk?”
I nod at the lane. “Go.”
She mutters something I can’t make out, but she takes her turn.
“Bugger, I only got one damn pin,” she grumbles as she waits for her ball to come back up.
I move to her. “I’ll give you some pointers.”
She narrows her eyes at me. “So I can beat you?” I love her competitive nature. It matches mine, but tonight mine doesn’t exist. Tonight, I have a whole other agenda.
