The Longest Ride(82)

She heard the water come on again and when the bathroom door squeaked open, Luke stepped out, looking clean and fresh in jeans and a white button-down shirt with the sleeves rolled up. He was barefoot, and he looked as though he’d raked his fingers through his wet hair rather than using a comb. From across the room, she could see a small white scar on his cheek, one she’d never noticed before.



“It’s all yours,” he said. “I’ve already got the water going for you.”



“Thank you,” she said. She kissed him briefly as she passed him. “I’ll probably be thirty or forty minutes.”



“Take your time. I’ve got to get dinner going anyway.”



“Another specialty?” she called from the bedroom, where she scooped up her overnight bag.



“I like it.”



“Does anyone else?”



“That’s a good question. I guess we’ll find out soon, huh?”



As promised, the water was already filling in the tub. It was hotter than she’d expected, and she turned the other faucet, trying to cool it a bit, wishing for some bubble bath or scented baby oil.



She undressed, conscious of the soreness in her legs and lower back. She hoped she wouldn’t be too stiff to walk tomorrow. Reaching for her wine, she slipped into the water, feeling luxurious despite her modest surroundings.



The bathroom had a small separate shower stall, and Luke had slung his used towel over the rod. The fact that he’d been naked in here only a few minutes earlier made something flutter in her lower belly.



She’d known what might happen this weekend. For the first time, they wouldn’t say good-bye near her car; tonight, she wouldn’t return to the sorority house. But being with Luke felt natural. It felt right, even if she admitted to herself she wasn’t all that experienced in these kinds of things. Brian had been the first and only guy she’d ever slept with. It had happened at the Christmas formal, when they’d already been dating for two months. She hadn’t known it would happen that night, but like everyone else, she was having fun and probably drinking too much, and when he brought her up to the room, they ended up making out on the bed. Brian was insistent, the room was spinning, and one thing led to the next. In the morning, she wasn’t sure quite what to think about it. Nor was Brian there to help her – she vaguely remembered him talking to some friends the night before about having Bloody Marys in one of their rooms the next morning. She stumbled to the shower with a headache the size of Wisconsin, and as the spray ricocheted off her, a million thoughts raced through her head. She was relieved to have finally done it – like everyone else, she’d wondered what it would be like – and was glad it had been with Brian, in a bed, as opposed to a backseat or something equally awkward. But for some reason, it also felt a little sad. She could imagine what her mom would think – or, God forbid, her dad – and frankly, she’d thought herself that it would be more… something. Meaningful. Romantic. Memorable. But really, what she wanted most of all just then was to head back to campus.



After that, Brian was like most guys, she supposed. Whenever they were alone, he wanted something physical, and for a while, she supposed she did, too. But then it began to feel as if it were all he ever wanted, and that began to bother her, even before he’d cheated on her.



And now here she was, alone with a guy overnight for the first time since Brian. She wondered why she wasn’t nervous, but she wasn’t. Instead, she soaped up the washcloth and ran it over her skin, imagining what Luke was doing in the kitchen. She wondered if he was thinking about her as she soaked in the tub, maybe even picturing what she looked like without clothing, and again, she felt a flutter in her lower belly.



She wanted this, she realized. She wanted to fall in love with someone she could trust. And she trusted Luke. Never once had he pressed her to do something she hadn’t wanted; never once had he been anything less than a perfect gentleman. The more time she’d spent with him, the more convinced she became that he was by far the sexiest guy she’d ever met. Who else did she know who could work with his hands the way he did? Who could make her laugh? Who was smart and charming, self-reliant and tender? And who else would take her horseback riding in one of the most beautiful places in the world?



Soaking in the tub and sipping wine, she felt for the first time older than her years. She finished her wine, feeling warm and relaxed, and when the water began to cool, she climbed out of the tub and toweled off. She sorted through her bag, intending to throw on a pair of jeans, but then realized that it was all she ever wore when they were together. Changing her mind, she pulled out a skirt and a tight, form-fitting blouse and slipped them on. She styled her hair, feeling pleased that she’d remembered to bring both the curling iron and the dryer. Makeup came next; she added a touch more mascara and eye shadow than she usually did, wiping the old mirror more than once to clear away the steam. She completed the outfit with a pair of gold hoop earrings that her mother had bought her for Christmas last year. When she was done, she looked herself over one more time, then with a deep breath she picked up the empty jelly jar and stepped into the hallway. Luke stood in the kitchen, his back to her as he stirred a pot on the stove. On the counter next to him was a box of crackers and a beer, and she watched as he reached for the bottle, taking a long pull.