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Luke
Ican’tkeepmyeyes off her. I never could, but there’s something about her tonight that has me mesmerized. Maybe it’s because she’s drunk, so she’s not as guarded. But I can’t approach her as much as I want to. I have to move at her pace if I want this to work.
I chat with John for a bit, then Jordy and Skye. Even Henry and I have a friendly talk. We discuss what he does in Texas, and I tell him about the farming tech my company is working on. He’s much more amenable to me now that I'm not dating his daughter.I hope once she forgives me, his friendly attitude won’t disappear.
The conversation tapers off, and he clears his throat. “I should apologize. I jumped to conclusions about you, but I’ve never seen my daughter happier than when she was with you.”
My eyes shut as the pain floods over me. He puts a hand on my shoulder, and I face him. “And that reaction right there tells me you still love her.”
“I’ll never stop.”
He sighs. “Don’t give up hope. I see the way she still looks at you.”
Words clog in my throat. I didn’t expect him to say that. “Thank you, Henry. It’s going to take a long time to earn her trust again. But I’m a patient man.”
“Something tells me it might not take as long as you think.” He raises an eyebrow and looks behind me before he heads to the kitchen. I face the room, only to catch Liv watching me. She blushes when I smile, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear as she averts her gaze.Yea baby, I know. You still affect me, too.
The night continues, and she catches me watching her again, but she doesn’t look away. She gets up and walks right up to me. We stare at each other for a solid minute, and I can’t hide my grin. She’s an adorable drunk. “You can talk to me. I won’t bite.” She giggles and I chuckle. “You should get that smile insured. It’s dangerous.” She squeezes one eye shut as I laugh.
“I miss you,” she says. She leans into me, and I wrap my arm around her because she’ll fall if I don’t.
“You’ve had a lot to drink.”
She takes my beer from me and downs it before I can stop her. “No, I’m not silly,” she says, blinking up at me.
I grab the glass from her before she drops it and set it on an end table nearby.
“Why can’t I stop thinking about you?” she asks, her brows furrowing.
I stare at her as she waits for me to answer. Her words have my heart racing. She’s giving me an opening, and even though she’s drunk, I’d be a fool not to take it.
“For the same reason I can’t stop thinking about you.”
“Why’s that?”
Everyone watches as I guide her to the balcony. I raise my eyebrows at them, and they grin and return to what they’re doing as I shut the door behind us.
She settles next to me on the lounge chair and waits for my answer.
“It’s because I love you.”
She frowns and looks at my hands that rest between my knees as I lean on my elbows.
“That seems too easy.”
I shrug. “Sometimes it’s that simple.”
“I wish you wouldn’t have left me,” she says, emotion coming through as her voice wavers. God, she’s killing me.
“I wish that too. With all my heart.”
She looks up at me and meets my eyes. “You regret it?”
“I do. Very much.”
“Even though I could die at any second if I’m with you?” I can sense the bitterness in her tone, and it cuts me deep.
I nod. “Yes. It makes me a selfish bastard. But yes.”
