Bender (The Core Four #1)(27)

He laughed. “I appreciate that your hips and butt enjoy the food.”

My face felt red, and I knew I was blushing. Luke reached over and tipped my chin up to look at him. “You’re beautiful Keegan. I like that you have curves, and you enjoy good food. Between your long blond hair, big bright blue eyes, and sweet as pie personality… you’re like the ultimate package. I couldn’t even believe that nobody had snagged you yet.”

I shied even more. “Nobody’s noticed until you.”

His eyes studied my face. “Well then, they are fools, and I get the prize. But I have a hard time believing nobody has noticed. Even your own roommate looks at you like I do. Hell, all of the guys at the gym practically trip over their own feet watching you.”

I turned away from him. “Okay, now I know your lying.” I couldn’t help but wonder if he was right about Camden. I’d never noticed any looks from him other than ones of annoyance. Could he possibly be attracted to me? No, I wasn’t even close to his type, and I refused to entertain the idea. Luke was just trying to be complimentary. Camden tolerated me because we lived together, that was it.

He casually shrugged. “Again, you’re seriously selling yourself short.”

We both unpacked the dinners. Luke and I sat for a long time enjoying each other’s company. We talked about our college classes, and the professors we’d shared over the past couple years. He was two years older than me since he was in a master’s program, which meant, despite having the same teacher, we’d never be in class together. We talked about how we grew up. He had an older sister who he saw pretty often, and his family still did Sunday dinners. I admired that and wished that I could have had a family who was so tight-knit. When I told him about my mom and Sarah, he listened intently. I saw what looked like sympathy flash across his face at one point, and it made me withdraw slightly from my story. I kept out some of the harder details, like my mom’s dating cycle and how I was more of a parent to Sarah than she was half the time. I didn’t want him to feel sorry for me. This was the hand I was dealt in life, and I was embracing it. Regardless of the topics we shared, I was feeling closer to Luke than I had over the past few dates. We laughed at his stupid jokes, and it was turning into an all-around great time. The whole time we talked, he was touching me in some way or another, whether it was a gentle brush of my hair behind my ear, laying his hand over mine, or leaning in and kissing my lips.

Luke was lying on his side with his body propped up on his elbow. He glanced up at me through his thick dark blond lashes. His eyes were flirty when he said, “So I brought a Frisbee out, do you want to toss it around a bit before it gets too dark?”

My tummy did flip flops at the way his eyes were smoldering. “Sure, that sounds like fun.”

He stood and held his hand out. When I took it his palm was slightly rough but warm to the touch. It gave me chills even though the air was muggy. I tipped my head back to look up at him. He was slightly taller than Camden, but still, I was so short I had to look up at almost everyone. Luke held my hand as we walked out to an open spot near the pond. He gave me a slight squeeze before he released me, and we walked in opposite directions.

“Don’t go too far. I can throw a Frisbee, but I’m not sure I can promise it will make it to where you’re standing,” I casually joked.

He smirked. “Just hold your hand out like this.” He bent his wrist and flipped it out without letting go of the plastic disc, to show me how to do it. “The Frisbee will do the rest of the work.” Luke lightly flicked his wrist and the disc came sailing in my direction. He did it so easily and precise that it came right to me, and I caught it with grace.

I laughed. “What are you, some professional Frisbee thrower?”

Luke’s face lit up. “As a matter of fact, in high school I won an award for the discus throw in track and field.”

“Show off,” I shouted. I tried to mimic how he had done it only seconds earlier, but I flung it practically straight up, and it came crashing back down almost in front of my own feet. “Oh come on!” I laughed. Luke was chuckling, the back of his hand covering his mouth. “Are you laughing at me?”

He shrugged. “Well, you’re pretty cute. You get this look of concentration, and then you somehow managed to toss it to yourself. I can go get another one if you want to play a solo game I guess.”

I teasingly glared at him across the open space. Luke barked out a laugh. I threw the Frisbee and it at least went in his general direction this time. He caught it after taking a few steps to his left. I loved the way his eyes danced when he was playing around with me. His long tan legs easily moved around as we continued our game. Luke would brush his blond hair out of his face every other throw, and it looked so masculine that I found myself watching him, intrigued by whatever move he made next. Did he know such basic movements made women gushy? He must, by the way his stare had turned from fun and playful to heated and tense. Luke caught the Frisbee after this last toss, and he made the few short strides across the grass to stand in front of me. My heart picked up its pace. The air between us was heavy, and the feeling between my legs indicated that he was affecting me.

“Why are you looking at me like that?” Luke asked, his voice a little deeper than normal.

“I don’t know, you’re just… beautiful,” I said breathily.