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“If I were you, I’d end things with her. It’ll only get more complicated. Take it from me,” Chad drawled, combing his hair back in the mirror. He didn’t wait for Luke to reply before he left.
Luke let those words hang in the air as he dried his hands with a paper towel.
Leaving the restroom, Luke exchanged its cold tiles for the warmth of the bistro. But an internal chill remained. That smug grin, the underlying warning in Chad’s voice—it all was disconcerting.
The band started to play as he came back out and made his way to their table. He sat back down, and found himself watching Emma more intently. She was even more charming than she had been a few minutes ago. Her eyes, like distant stars, shone with each musical note, and her smile, as bright as a coastal sunrise, graced her face as she swayed in tune with the melody.
Her smile grew as he continued to stare at her. “What is it?” she asked. “Do I have something in my teeth?”
Luke shook his head. “No, just looking at you.”
Emma’s cheeks deepened to a dark shade of scarlet. She took a sip of her water and fanned herself with a napkin. “Does it feel hot in here? Or out here, rather?” she asked, gesturing to the terrace.
“Feels a tad warm.” Luke nodded toward the beach. “We could go for a swim.”
Emma laughed, shaking her head. “Not that warm.”
Luke’s eyes danced over her figure for a moment, a hungry glance that ended with a playful smile. “Just trying to help.”
He noticed a subtle mixture of surprise, intrigue, and perhaps a hint of something more in her gaze. The exchange between them lingered in the air, a spark of connection that neither could deny.
The band had finished playing an upbeat Italian tune and, as the last notes of music faded away, a slower, sweeter song took its place.
Emma gasped. “I love this song! Antonio sings it with so much emotion.” She closed her eyes, as if absorbing the lyrics:
“With every ending, there’s a new beginning, a heart once lost always finds its way again...”
Emboldened by the moment, Luke stood up and walked to her side of the table.
She blinked open her eyes, smiling. “What are you doing?”
He reached down, offering his hand. “First time for everything, right? How about a dance?”
“Oh, Luke,” she said as her eyes darted around the now crowded terrace. “I don’t know. I’m not really a good dancer. And—“
“Well, we don’t have to.” His voice was gentle and understanding. “But it’d be a lot of fun,” he added with a cheeky grin.
Emma chuckled. Despite her initial hesitation, she put her hand in his, allowing him to lead her to the center of the terrace.
As Luke wrapped his arm around her waist, Emma seemed to unwind. “I haven’t danced like this since my wedding,” she admitted.
“Well, you should do it more often,” Luke said with a smirk.
As they swayed to the music, Luke’s gaze locked onto Emma’s warm, velvet-brown eyes, and his heart raced. The sounds around them faded into the background, and he felt himself being drawn closer and closer to her. He could almost taste the sweetness of her lips, which were only inches from his.
All it would take was one daring move—a gentle lean forward...
19
Emma
Luke pulled back, clearing his throat.
The lingering touch of Luke’s fingers left an impression even as he drew away, and the song dwindled to a close, drowned out by the soft applause of the gathered crowd.
“That was...um...Thanks for the dance,” Emma said, catching her breath as she sat.
He returned her smile. “Anytime.”
