Page 70 of Playing for Keeps

“You want me to go knee-cap the guy?” I offered.

“Nah, it’s my fault.”

“How is it your fault?”

Luke was silent.

A horrible thought occurred to me. “You didn’t cheat on him, did you?”

Fuck. I’d had a hard enough time seeing Luke with Jonathan. Let alone imagining a nameless, faceless guy touching him…

“What?” Luke’s gaze flew to mine. “Of course not.”

“Good.” The word slipped out without my permission. Luke blinked at me, and I turned away so he couldn’t examine my expression.

Crap. I was a shitty, shitty friend. Because Luke was hurting, but part of me was glad he and Jonathan had broken up.

And why the hell was that?

A voice inside my head answered instantly.

Because you want him for yourself.

“Anytime you want to talk, I’m here,” I said awkwardly.

“Thanks,” he said quietly.

I reached out to cuff him on the shoulder because I couldn’t not touch him right now. But I resisted the urge to do what I really wanted, which was to put my arms around him and give him a proper hug. Funny how I could hug him on the field without a second thought when he’d scored a try, but here in the darkened carpark, it felt dangerous.

But I needed to do something to cheer him up. I needed Luke happy more than I needed my next breath.

“You up to anything tomorrow?” I asked.

“Nope.”

“Want to hang out?”

Luke hesitated, then met my eyes. “Okay.”

“Great.”

I climbed in my car and drove away with a last wave at Luke.

My thoughts throbbed, and that voice was back, thrumming with excitement and possibilities.

Luke is single.

As soon as the thought materialized, I banished it to the naughty corner of my mind.

Luke and I were back to being friends. Did I really want to risk that by pushing for more?

Did he even want me in that way? I mean, we’d messed around when we were teenagers, but that may have been more about the fact I was there with a willing hand than about anything else.

Then there was the whole Char complication. She was fragile enough without adding me hooking up with Luke into the equation.

And Luke and me being together would cause drama, there was no doubt about that. Luke was Theo’s uncle. His parents wouldn’t exactly be breaking into a celebratory dance at the prospect.

Plus Luke was just out of a serious relationship, and he was obviously upset about the breakup. The last thing he needed right now was me lusting after him. Instead, he needed me to be his friend.