Page 45 of See You There

Would it be so bad if she invited him in? It would just be a fling. They’d have sex, and she would get it out of her system. Like scratching an itch. Her blood heated, and suddenly it was too warm. Dahlia watched as Luke’s chest rose and fell, but when his hand suddenly lifted to hold his ribs, it dampened the sudden desire.

Was she seriously considering propositioning her attorney right after a car almost hit them? Not to mention Luke believed she had a boyfriend. Lust was temporary and not worth the heartache that would follow.She knew that better than most.

Her cheeks heated under Luke’s scrutiny. Dahlia closed her eyes in embarrassment. She hadn’t even been subtle. He must think she was awful, openly lusting after him when she had a boyfriend.

She mentally berated herself as she twisted in the seat to watch the city out the window.

Idiot.That’s not the life you get to have. You don’t get the handsome, successful lawyer from the nice family.

What would Luke think of her if he found out that Chandler was her fake boyfriend, or about her estranged husband? Not to mention the true story of her past? He wouldn’t look at her like that anymore, and he definitely wouldn’t talk to her as if her answers to his questions were the most important thing in the world.

Luke Bloom would never be an option for her.

They rode the rest of the way in charged silence. When Edgar pulled into the narrow parking area of her condo, there was an awkward moment when Luke reached to undo his seatbelt.

“You don’t need to get out. Thanks again for lunch and for taking care of my wounds.” She waved a hand at her knee in what she hoped was a lighthearted way.

Luke ignored her. By the time Dahlia had reached the front door, Luke was there holding her clothing and tote bag. She had actually forgotten she had those. Was it Luke or the almost accident that had her brain not operating?

Dahlia unlocked her door, and without asking her, Luke entered and laid the bag over her sofa and set the tote on the ground.

“You said you have a first aid kit?”

Right!She had forgotten the offer.

“Yeah, um, I’m sure there is something if you want to wrap your ribs.” She went to the bathroom and retrieved the kit fromwhere it sat unopened since she bought it. She bit her lip. “You need to, um,” she waved her hand at his dirty dress shirt.

Luke looked down at her. “I’m fine. I want to bandage your knee.”

“I can take care of it,” she said firmly.With her nerve endings still ablaze, Dahlia wasn’t sure she could handle Luke’s hands on her legs again without humiliating herself by doing something reckless—like throwing herself at him.

Luke’s mouth flattened, and he looked like he wanted to argue, but Dahlia walked to the door and held it open in the universal message of ‘it’s time to leave.’ He needed to go. Her body was far too aware of him.

He gave a resigned sigh. “If you need anything, call me. My phone is always on.”

Dahlia gave him a cool smile, in direct opposition to her heated body. “I’m sure I’ll be fine.”

After he left, Dahlia locked the door and put the box of food in the refrigerator. She picked up her phone and slumped on the couch, closing her eyes. She needed a cold shower and a few minutes with her favorite toy—but first, she needed to call Victor. The thought of her agent went a long way toward killing her arousal.

Dahlia almost cheered when she got his voicemail. She left a message explaining why they were cut off, and that she was going to nap and prepare for her events the next day.

After a quick shower to wash off the remnants of the dirty street, Dahlia stretched out on the couch and closed her eyes. But her mind wouldn’t cooperate. It wandered back to the moment the car barreled toward them. It had happened so fast. One second, Victor was berating her, and the next, Luke was pulling her to safety, and she was lying sprawled across his hard chest.

In the last few days, her life had been spinning out of her control. More so than it had in years. With the contract deadline looming, Dahlia felt like the house of cards she and Victor had created was wobbling, about to come crashing down.

She had the sudden urge to talk to someone who knew her. Not as Lia Everton, who always had to be so careful about what she said and how she behaved. Someone who knewherand understood what had shaped her. Someone who knew just how flawed she was.

Before she could overthink it and make excuses why it was a terrible idea, Dahlia pulled up the contact number for her sister and pressed the button to connect. The phone rang several times, and Dahlia’s heart beat harder. Was she hoping her little sister would pick up or that she would get Hannah’s voice mail?

“Hello?” Hannah’s breathless voice answered, a cacophony of noise in the background.

“Hey, Hannah!”

There was a pause, and Dahlia held her breath. She hadn’t spoken to her sister in a couple of months. Even when she’d gone to Ohio in the spring, she’d only connected with her sister one time, and it had been uncomfortable. They had become strangers.

“Hi.” Hannah sounded as unsure as Dahlia felt.

“How are you?”