Come Away With Me(30)

“Good morning yourself. Did he leave?”

“No, he’ll be down in a minute.

We’re having coffee.”

“You invited him over.” It’s not a question.

“Yes.”

“And let him stay.”

“Yes.”

Her blue eyes are sharp.

“A little against your usual M.O.”

“I know.” I sigh and take three mugs out of the cabinet. “He’s different, Jules. I don’t know where this is going, but I want to find out.”

She pats me on the shoulder and smiles. “I’m happy for you, sweetie.”

I hear Luke walk in behind me and Jules’ eyes bulge. I know, he’s hot!

I turn and smile at him.

“Luke, this is my best friend Jules.

Jules, this is…”

“Luke Williams!” Her voice is shrill and she’s now smiling, her hands in fists, she’s practically jumping up and down.

“Ohmygod!

Ohmygod!

Ohmygod!

Luke Williams is in our kitchen!” She shoves my shoulder and does a little circle happy dance.

What the f*ck?

I look back at Luke and he’s gone perfectly still. He’s completely pale.

He swallows hard and looks at me, but doesn’t touch me.

Jules has stopped her happy dance.

“You didn’t tell me you were all gooey over Luke Freaking Williams!”

“I take it you know him?” I ask, my voice a whisper.

What am I missing?

Jules stops, her jaw drops and her eyes widen.

“Of course I know of him. Nat, that’s Luke Williams.”

“I’m aware.” I reply, but my face is flushed, and I’m starting to feel like everyone is in on some big joke and I’m the butt of it.

“No, Nat…”

Luke finds his voice. “Natalie, I can explain.”

He reaches for me, but I move out of his grasp and round the breakfast bar to put space between us.

“Explain what?”

“Natalie,” Jules swallows and looks at him, gets an irritatingly swoony smile on her face then looks back at me. “This Luke Williams is famous.”

“What?” I narrow my eyes and look at him again, and it suddenly all makes sense.

Don’t f*cking take my picture.

Why won’t you all just leave me alone?

I don’t like crowds.

“From the Nightwalker movies, Nat.”

Jules whispers.

Luke hasn’t said anything, and he’s no longer looking at me. His hands are on his hips and he’s hanging his head.

“You lied to me.” I hate how broken my voice sounds.

His head whips up and he pins me with those beautiful blue eyes. “No, I didn’t.”

“I asked you, more than once, what you do for a living, and you kept brushing me off.” Oh, this hurts.

“I just…” he runs his hands through his hair. “Natalie, what I feel for you…”

“Stop.” I hold my hand up. “You said yesterday in the car, no surprises.”

He swallows.

“God I feel so stupid,” I close my eyes and want to lay my head on the bar and cry.

“No, baby…” he starts to move toward me but I back away again, making him stop.

“No, you listen, baby.” The rage is kicking in, and I’m starting to shake with it. “I trusted you with things that I’ve never trusted with anyone else. And the whole time you were lying to me.”

“It’s not like that…”

“Natalie…” Jules steps forward, but I pin her in her place with a glare.

“So, I was a joke. ‘Let’s see how far I can get with this girl before she figures out who I am’? Well, you f*cked her, Luke. Good for you.”

“No!” He comes around the bar, ignoring my warnings of staying back and grasps my shoulders in his hands.

His eyes are glacial, his face taut as if he’s in pain.

“No, Natalie. Nothing about us is a joke. And I did not f*ck you, I made love to you.”

I’m just so embarrassed.

“Everyone in the country knows who you are, Luke.”

“Not everyone,” he replies.

“You’re right; apparently I’m the only one who isn’t bright enough to recognize you.” I pull out of his grasp and back away. He drops his arms to his sides.