Page 55 of This Time Around

“Right! I was surprised too.”

“Knox insists he’s a good guy. He insists there has to be more to the story with April, but if you hate him, then I fucking hate him too!” she firmly promises.

“Thanks. Shit was already so bad between April and I, and now-” my voice breaks.

“For what it’s worth, I think you need to talk to April.”

Ana and I talk for a while longer and she spends the rest of the conversation trying to reassure me it wasn’t as bad as I think it was.

I hear Riker come running into the room asking for breakfast so we hang up, promising a lunch date soon. I lay my phone on the bed and sigh. Not knowing how to make any of this better.

I feel the bed next to me dip, and a soft caress of Luke’s hand across my arm.

“Morning baby.”

I take a sharp breath, turning slightly to face him, my words already on the tip of my tongue.

But then I freeze, everything I’ve been holding back suddenly weighs heavier than I can speak.

“I-”

And just like that, the moment shatters, leaving me unsure if I even want to say it.

Luke

“Morning,” she replies back as she stands from the bed and walks to the shower. She silently turns on the water, undresses, and throws her hair up in a clip.

I sit on the end of the bed and watch her intently as she shaves her legs, washes her body and face. As she glides the loofah across her skin, I can’t help but wish I was the fucking loofah. What I wouldn’t give to touch her right now.

When she steps out of the shower and starts to dry her skin, I stand and inch my way into the bathroom, tail between my legs.

“B, I’m really sorry. I shouldn’t have-”

“No, you shouldn’t have, Luke,” she interrupts. “You literally walked up and punched him in front of all the people I invited to celebrate my important night with me.”

“I was trying to defend you-protect you,” I explain.

“Luke, I don’t need you to protect me or defend my honor. I can defend myself,” she argues.

“What exactly do you need me for? Orgasms?”

She shakes her head, anger sliding across her face like water cascading back off the shore on the sand. “I don’t need you for orgasms either,” she snarls.

“I broke all your toys, B. So you kinda do.” As if my weak argument is worth anything.

“I have a fucking hand, Luke,” she fires back.

“Answer my question. What do you need me for?” I insist.

“Luke, I don’t need you for a goddamn thing. I wan-”

“Nothing right,” I interject before she can finish her sentence, “except a place to live for free so you can afford your bar.”

Fuck.

I don’t mean them, but I can’t stop the words from tumbling out of my mouth, and the look crossing her face guts me.

“Baby, no, no, no, you know I don’t mean- I’m sorry. Please forget what I said.”