Reading Online Novel

Discover Love(6)

 
Glancing at my phone to check the time, I tripped, stumbling over my feet. I threw my hands out to keep from smashing my face on the concrete when my body suddenly stopped moving. Suspended over the step, I felt strong hands around my waist. Twisting around to see who my savior was, my mouth hung open in surprise. Luke Costas was bent over, holding me up, keeping me from disaster. Eyes wide, I just stared. He straightened, settling my feet back onto the sidewalk.
 
"You okay?" he asked, his warm eyes twinkling.
 
Unable to speak, I nodded, sure that my face must be as red as it felt.
 
Chuckling, he patted my shoulder. "Watch your step next time," he advised as he headed into the building. I have no idea how long I stood rooted to the ground before my feet caught up to my brain and I rushed to the meeting. Slipping into the back of the room, I watched as he delivered the end of year speech. I heard a slight catch in his voice and wondered if he were nervous.
 
 
 
        
          
        
         
 
At the end of the meeting, he stayed down front to greet some of the students, but I headed back to my dorm, daydreams full of the handsome grad. Once inside my room, I passed by the mirror and stopped short, taking stock of myself. Messy hair. Baggy jeans and sweatshirt. Sighing, I knew there was no way a girl like me could ever be with someone like him.
 
Pushing old memories from her mind, she sipped her tea, thinking about her newer memories of seeing him that night. I did it … I finally got up the nerve to try to see him. And not only see him in person but to actually speak to him!
 
Her skills of observation and simple research came in handy. She had never worn clothing for any other purpose than to be comfortable-and certainly not to gain attention. Her hair was usually pulled back in a ponytail to keep it out of her face. Watching makeup videos gave her the skills to apply just enough to play up her features. And it worked! He noticed me! Her shoulders slumped as the next thought slammed into her. Then I chickened out and practically ran to the door after kicking the jackass who was bothering me. Acting on instinct when she felt threatened, she now realized how that must have looked. That must have left a horrible impression! Just the sight of Luke in person had overwhelmed her.
 
Tall, muscular … not as bulky as some of the men at his table, but his lean muscles spoke of strength. His dark hair was neatly trimmed and a shadow of a dark beard covered his jawline. Shaking her head, she remembered how his brown, soulful eyes had stared right at her and, unlike the leers from the other man at the bar, his eyes had seemed … kind. Understanding. Giving a rude snort, she thought Yeah, right. He's got no clue. Leaning her head back for a moment, she sighed heavily once more. If only-
 
Just then her computer alert sounded, letting her know he was on, and her gaze jumped back to her monitor as a smile curved her lips.
 
 
 
 
 
Chapter 3
 
 
 
 
 
Sleep did not come. Tossing and turning did not help. Nor had the tried and true sleep inducer of running software codes in his mind. Finally, throwing back the covers, Luke swung his long legs out of bed and padded toward the kitchen. His house was small, one level, in an older neighborhood. Eschewing the large lots of wooded land that several of his friends had bought, he preferred the simplicity of the older house.
 
His neighborhood was filled with mostly retired couples, plus a few younger ones with small children. He fell in love with the location of his house at the end of the cul-de-sac. He enjoyed privacy, a large yard, and the three-bedroom house fit his lifestyle perfectly. One of the bedrooms was set up as an office. Well, the office of a computer engineer. It was filled with computer equipment, security equipment, and books. He spent most of his waking hours either at the Saints compound at his desk or in his study at home.  
 
Looking at the clock on the microwave, he knew if he had any chance of getting to sleep he had to avoid making a cup of coffee. Sighing, he filled a glass with milk and set it in the microwave to heat. Glancing at his neglected, complicated coffee maker, banished to the corner of the counter, he longed for his younger days when he could work on little sleep and high-octane caffeine. Damn ulcer. Well, the doc said my pain was the beginnings of an ulcer. Rubbing his forehead, he pulled the heated milk out and moved to the living room to settle on the sofa with his laptop.
 
Jack had asked for some specific intelligence to be gathered for the meeting tomorrow-well, now later today-and Luke had already completed the task. Deciding to look it over, he fired up his secure system.