The bar is pretty busy with locals, and no one is really paying attention to us as we snag a booth near the back.
“They make a pretty good margarita here,” Luke comments and smiles down at me. He remembers too!
I grin and nod, and we all decide to continue with margaritas.
Luke orders mine just the way I like it.
“So Nate,” I take a sip of my margarita. Delicious. “What did you think of the movie?”
“It was excellent, as I knew it would be. You?”
“Obviously, I’m biased, but I really liked it. Except that really bloody part.”
“Yeah, what the hell is it with boys and blood?” Jules squishes up her nose prettily.
“I am man. I like blood.” Nate beats his fist on his chest and we break out into laughter.
“Mostly naked Channing Tatum is always pleasing on the eyes,” I catch Jules’ eye and we wink at each other.
Luke nudges me with his elbow as Nate glares down at Jules and I giggle.
“I do believe you have a hit on your hands, sir.” I kiss Luke’s smooth cheek and he gives me his sexy half-grin.
Swoon!
“I’m glad you all liked it.”
“What did you think of it?” Jules asks.
“I’m happy with how it turned out. I think the cast and crew did a good job, and the movie was entertaining. The audience seemed to like it.”
I know I have a stupid grin on my face as he talks but I can’t help it.
“What?” he asks me.
“I just think you’re cool.” I shrug.
“You’re pretty cool too.”
“Oh, I know.” I take a sip of my drink and wink at Nate who laughs at us.
“What are you working on now?” I ask.
“I’ve just started talking with a studio about another Marvel comic movie that will come out next summer. The movie I wrapped before Tahiti is a romantic comedy with Anne Hathaway that will release in the spring.”
Hearing him talk about his work is just so… sexy. I run my fingertips up and down his thigh as he talks. He grips my hand and brings it to his mouth, kissing my knuckles, then lays our hands in his lap.
“Before I forget,” Luke takes a big sip of his drink. “My dad is throwing a big surprise anniversary party for my mom next Saturday night. Jules, you and your family are all welcome to come.”
I smile at him, delighted that he wants my family at his parent’s party.
“Oh, how fun! I’ll let them know. Is it formal?” Jules asks.
“Yeah, dad’s going all out. It’s their thirty-fifth anniversary.”
“Wow.” I take a sip of my drink.
Thirty five years.
“What?” Luke gazes down at me and I swallow.
“That’s just a long time.” I shrug.
“My parents have been married for forty years.” Jules adds.
“Are your parents still together, Nate?” I ask.
“No, my dad raised me. He’s always been a bachelor.”
“Can I help out with the party?” I ask Luke.
He smiles down at me warmly and kisses my forehead. “No, I think Dad and Sam have it covered. Just come with me.”
“So I’m just a piece of arm candy, is that it?” I frown as if I’m offended and Luke laughs.
“Oh, you’re much more than arm candy, baby.” He kisses me gently, and Jules makes gagging sounds as Nate laughs.
“We’d better go while we can still pull them apart,” Jules says and waves at the waitress for the check.
***
I wake Saturday morning to an empty bed. I sit up and stretch, the soft white sheet sliding down my naked torso and pooling in my lap. I listen to Luke’s house, trying to decipher if I can tell where he might be, but all is quiet.
I run my hands over my face and then notice the Starbucks to-go mug and red rose on the night table, along with a note.
Oh, he does spoil me.
I take a sip of the coffee. It’s still hot, so it hasn’t been here long. I sniff the beautiful rose and open the note.
Working this morning. In the office downstairs. I love you. –Luke Office? I don’t remember seeing an office. There was one room downstairs that he said was storage on my initial tour. I wonder if that’s it.
And if so, why did he say it was storage?
I shrug and drink more coffee in his beautiful big bed. It’s raining today and his large windows are covered in drops, making the choppy water on the Sound look blurry.
I pull on the blue button down shirt Luke wore last night and go look for him.
Sure enough, when I get downstairs and head down the hall, the room Luke said was for storage is open and I can hear him talking on the phone.
“Yes, I saw the numbers this morning.
It’s great news. I’m glad you’re happy with it. No, we’ll wait for Monday’s numbers before we make that decision.
Okay, we’ll talk then.” He hangs up as I walk in the room.
“So, not so much for storage.” I look around his office and can’t help but feel like I’m in a movie of my own.
This is where he keeps his movie memorabilia. The movie posters from h i s Nightwalker movies, with him on them, are framed and on the walls.
There are awards and certificates, photos of him with celebrities and important people scattered throughout the room. He looks impossibly young in most of the photos.
I gaze back down at my man, sitting at his impressive desk. He’s leaning back, wearing a white t-shirt and jeans, watching me apprehensively.
“What?” I ask and tilt my head to the side.
“Are you mad?”
“That you lied about this room?”
“Yes.”
“No.”
“Oh.” His eyebrows raise and he looks a bit thrown off kilter.
“I know why you did. Any more surprises around here?” I ask as I come around his desk.
“No.”
“Good.”
Luke scoots back and I sit on the desk in front of him, bracing my feet on the arms of his chair as he scoots in close and wraps his arms around my waist and buries his face in my belly.
I push my hands in his hair and lean down to kiss his head.
“You smell good,” I murmur. “Did you shower without me?”
“Yeah, I got up early. The morning after a release is always busy. Plus, I had to get you coffee.”
I smile against his head. “Thank you for the coffee.”
“You’re welcome.”
His phone rings. He sits back and answers it, keeping one arm around my waist.