Read Online Just a Little Sequel by Tracie Puckett - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Tracie Puckett
Ads: Link
maybe I was right earlier. Maybe Luke had bought the house so we could finally be together, and he wouldn’t have to live another day alone. I could breathe a little easier knowing that.
“You thought you’d scared me?” I asked, blinking a few times too many. “How in the world could you have done that?”
“I don’t know,” he swayed the baby gently. “You haven’t said anything, and I thought—”
“No,” I shrugged a shoulder, “don’t take it to heart. It seems like everything in the last twenty-four hours has just hit me all at once. I haven’t had time to process everything yet.”
Of course, Luke didn’t know the half of it. I hadn’t told him about Matt showing up or the things Derek and Charlie had said. I could understand why he’d taken my silence so personally.
“I’m sorry.”
“No, don’t apologize,” I moved closer, “it’s not your fault.” The last thing I wanted was for Luke to see me as ungrateful. “I don’t want you to think that I’m not happy about it.” I leaned over to rest my head on his shoulder. “I am happy. I’m just tired of questioning everything.”
Luke snuggled the baby closer as I turned into him.
“You ready to hold her yet? It’s strangely therapeutic.”
“No way,” I refused to open my eyes and ruin my moment of bliss. I didn’t want to move. It felt perfect to just be with him right there where we were. “You’re doing a great job. Why mess with success?”
“I wouldn’t say I’m doing a great job—”
“What are you talking about?” I asked. “You’re a natural.” I kept my eyes pressed shut and felt myself quickly drifting into a slumber. I hadn’t slept more than an hour in the past twenty-four. I was exhausted.
I was finally drifting… my biggest worries seemed so far away, so minute. Just having Luke’s shoulder pressed beneath my ear was about as comforting as being wrapped in his full embrace. My breathing steadied, and I felt myself drifting further and further, and then I felt Luke’s lips brush across my ear. The warmth of his breath curled my toes, and my heart rate suddenly picked up. Of course, leave it to Luke to find the most subtle way to turn me on and make me lose sleep. He wasn’t even kissing me or nibbling at my lobe, just simply brushing my skin with his lips. My nerves were flying into overdrive. I tried to ignore my raging hormones long enough to tell him to knock it off, but when I looked up he simply smiled and said, “I want to marry you, Julie Little.”
Suddenly, falling asleep was the last thing on my mind.
The door opened immediately and Charlie stuck his head in. “Hey!”
“Hey, come in,” I sat straighter as I looked between an expressionless Luke and my uncle Charlie.
Charlie walked in, followed by Bruno, and both men headed straight for Luke and the sleeping baby. He stood with his niece to give the men a better look at her, and I rose at his side.
After hearing them give their detailed descriptions as to how Baby Milton looked just like her father, Charlie decided to take the newborn from Luke. It should’ve been a joyous moment—from the arms of Uncle Luke to the arms of Pseudo-Grandpa Charlie. After all, Derek had practically become a son to Charlie over the past year, and that made my uncle a stand-in grandpa on the Milton side.
Again, it should’ve been a joyous moment, but it wasn’t. Luke passed his niece to Charlie, and just the sheer look of hatred that the two men shared in that moment made me want to shield the poor baby’s eyes. I cringed; no newborn should be exposed to the kind of evil I swore I saw emanating from both men. Charlie watched Luke with sheer distaste, and Luke watched Charlie as if he’d never resented a person more than he resented my uncle.
Derek stirred on the couch, and his eyes flittered open. Charlie and Bruno both turned to congratulate him, so I took that as an opportunity to grab Luke’s arm and pull him from the room.
We stood in
“You thought you’d scared me?” I asked, blinking a few times too many. “How in the world could you have done that?”
“I don’t know,” he swayed the baby gently. “You haven’t said anything, and I thought—”
“No,” I shrugged a shoulder, “don’t take it to heart. It seems like everything in the last twenty-four hours has just hit me all at once. I haven’t had time to process everything yet.”
Of course, Luke didn’t know the half of it. I hadn’t told him about Matt showing up or the things Derek and Charlie had said. I could understand why he’d taken my silence so personally.
“I’m sorry.”
“No, don’t apologize,” I moved closer, “it’s not your fault.” The last thing I wanted was for Luke to see me as ungrateful. “I don’t want you to think that I’m not happy about it.” I leaned over to rest my head on his shoulder. “I am happy. I’m just tired of questioning everything.”
Luke snuggled the baby closer as I turned into him.
“You ready to hold her yet? It’s strangely therapeutic.”
“No way,” I refused to open my eyes and ruin my moment of bliss. I didn’t want to move. It felt perfect to just be with him right there where we were. “You’re doing a great job. Why mess with success?”
“I wouldn’t say I’m doing a great job—”
“What are you talking about?” I asked. “You’re a natural.” I kept my eyes pressed shut and felt myself quickly drifting into a slumber. I hadn’t slept more than an hour in the past twenty-four. I was exhausted.
I was finally drifting… my biggest worries seemed so far away, so minute. Just having Luke’s shoulder pressed beneath my ear was about as comforting as being wrapped in his full embrace. My breathing steadied, and I felt myself drifting further and further, and then I felt Luke’s lips brush across my ear. The warmth of his breath curled my toes, and my heart rate suddenly picked up. Of course, leave it to Luke to find the most subtle way to turn me on and make me lose sleep. He wasn’t even kissing me or nibbling at my lobe, just simply brushing my skin with his lips. My nerves were flying into overdrive. I tried to ignore my raging hormones long enough to tell him to knock it off, but when I looked up he simply smiled and said, “I want to marry you, Julie Little.”
Suddenly, falling asleep was the last thing on my mind.
The door opened immediately and Charlie stuck his head in. “Hey!”
“Hey, come in,” I sat straighter as I looked between an expressionless Luke and my uncle Charlie.
Charlie walked in, followed by Bruno, and both men headed straight for Luke and the sleeping baby. He stood with his niece to give the men a better look at her, and I rose at his side.
After hearing them give their detailed descriptions as to how Baby Milton looked just like her father, Charlie decided to take the newborn from Luke. It should’ve been a joyous moment—from the arms of Uncle Luke to the arms of Pseudo-Grandpa Charlie. After all, Derek had practically become a son to Charlie over the past year, and that made my uncle a stand-in grandpa on the Milton side.
Again, it should’ve been a joyous moment, but it wasn’t. Luke passed his niece to Charlie, and just the sheer look of hatred that the two men shared in that moment made me want to shield the poor baby’s eyes. I cringed; no newborn should be exposed to the kind of evil I swore I saw emanating from both men. Charlie watched Luke with sheer distaste, and Luke watched Charlie as if he’d never resented a person more than he resented my uncle.
Derek stirred on the couch, and his eyes flittered open. Charlie and Bruno both turned to congratulate him, so I took that as an opportunity to grab Luke’s arm and pull him from the room.
We stood in
Similar Books
