Read Online Just a Little Sincerity by Tracie Puckett - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Tracie Puckett
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of his reigning title of Best Dressed .
“Mock me if you must,” I said, pursing my lips. “But you and I both know that you’re just jealous that you could never be this breathtaking—”
“Woo!” Detective Bruno said, walking between us to join my uncle near the roaring bonfire. “I think Miss Julie has spent one too many hours down at the station, Charlie. You hear the mouth on that girl? I haven’t met someone with an ego that big since Trigger joined the force.”
“Watch it,” Luke said, stepping up to warm his hands.
He flashed a coy smile in my direction, winked, and turned back to the fire.
“I thought you couldn’t make it,” I said from across the fire pit, keeping my voice calm while watching the smoke climb further into the air.
“Plans change,” he said, his eyes darting up at Detective Bruno. The two men stared at each other for a few long beats, sparking a few uncertain glances from the rest of the group. It was hard to be certain, but from the look of things, it seemed as though something was going on between them; something was definitely off .
After Bruno broke the stare, he, Charlie, and Matt broke off from the group and headed for the house. With no one else in sight, I sprinted around the fire and threw my arms around Luke’s neck. A heavy groan escaped from deep in his throat as his body tensed against mine.
“Careful, kid—”
“Right,” I said, backing away. “Did I hurt you?”
“No,” he said, still wincing and holding his chest. A moment passed, and he dropped his arms to his side and shook them as if to let go of the pain. “Now,” he said quietly. “Let’s try that again.”
He turned to me, taking me in his arms, and pulled me gently to his chest. I closed my eyes as I rested against his shoulder, admiring the way it felt inside his embrace.
As silent minutes passed, everyone started going about their evening and enjoying the party. Five minutes after ending our hug, Luke crossed his arms in front of his chest and stared off into the night. At this point, the vast majority of the crowd had already migrated to the front of the house to hear Detective Bruno’s encore (and tone deaf) performance of Monster Mash , leaving Luke and I alone to listen to the crackle of the burning embers. Neither of us said much, but it was comforting all the same; Luke was standing next to me. Alive and strong … and really, that’s all I could ask for.
As the smoke wafted up and blanketed the dark autumn sky, I took in a deep breath, filling my lungs with the ashy smell of burnt hickory. Nighttime was finally upon us, bringing with it a sudden onset of cool air. And as I stood near the fire, enjoying the warmth of the flames against my cheeks, Luke’s arm fell gently across my shoulder. He pulled me close to his side, encompassing my body with a flood of heat even the fire couldn’t compete with. He lowered his head to mine and pressed his lips to my temple.
“Brace yourself,” he said with a bit of intrigue shining in his eyes.
“For what?”
“A compliment,” he whispered, tickling my earlobe with the soft grace of his lips. “You look beautiful.”
I turned to meet his crooked smile. “How very unlike you,” I said, praying my cheeks weren’t as red as they felt. “I’ve missed you.”
“You were just at the hospital yesterday, kid,” he said, pressing another kiss to my head. He looked over his shoulder and back to me, worried that our closeness had drawn unwanted attention from the other partygoers.
Since the night of the shooting, Luke and I hadn’t shared many intimate moments. There was an occasional hug here and there, rarely a peck on the cheek… and then there was that unspoken agreement that neither of us would mention the kiss we shared as he fought for (what we could only assume were) his last breaths. Still, I’d remained by Luke’s side through thick and thin—day and night—as much as I could without raising suspicion. Nothing
“Mock me if you must,” I said, pursing my lips. “But you and I both know that you’re just jealous that you could never be this breathtaking—”
“Woo!” Detective Bruno said, walking between us to join my uncle near the roaring bonfire. “I think Miss Julie has spent one too many hours down at the station, Charlie. You hear the mouth on that girl? I haven’t met someone with an ego that big since Trigger joined the force.”
“Watch it,” Luke said, stepping up to warm his hands.
He flashed a coy smile in my direction, winked, and turned back to the fire.
“I thought you couldn’t make it,” I said from across the fire pit, keeping my voice calm while watching the smoke climb further into the air.
“Plans change,” he said, his eyes darting up at Detective Bruno. The two men stared at each other for a few long beats, sparking a few uncertain glances from the rest of the group. It was hard to be certain, but from the look of things, it seemed as though something was going on between them; something was definitely off .
After Bruno broke the stare, he, Charlie, and Matt broke off from the group and headed for the house. With no one else in sight, I sprinted around the fire and threw my arms around Luke’s neck. A heavy groan escaped from deep in his throat as his body tensed against mine.
“Careful, kid—”
“Right,” I said, backing away. “Did I hurt you?”
“No,” he said, still wincing and holding his chest. A moment passed, and he dropped his arms to his side and shook them as if to let go of the pain. “Now,” he said quietly. “Let’s try that again.”
He turned to me, taking me in his arms, and pulled me gently to his chest. I closed my eyes as I rested against his shoulder, admiring the way it felt inside his embrace.
As silent minutes passed, everyone started going about their evening and enjoying the party. Five minutes after ending our hug, Luke crossed his arms in front of his chest and stared off into the night. At this point, the vast majority of the crowd had already migrated to the front of the house to hear Detective Bruno’s encore (and tone deaf) performance of Monster Mash , leaving Luke and I alone to listen to the crackle of the burning embers. Neither of us said much, but it was comforting all the same; Luke was standing next to me. Alive and strong … and really, that’s all I could ask for.
As the smoke wafted up and blanketed the dark autumn sky, I took in a deep breath, filling my lungs with the ashy smell of burnt hickory. Nighttime was finally upon us, bringing with it a sudden onset of cool air. And as I stood near the fire, enjoying the warmth of the flames against my cheeks, Luke’s arm fell gently across my shoulder. He pulled me close to his side, encompassing my body with a flood of heat even the fire couldn’t compete with. He lowered his head to mine and pressed his lips to my temple.
“Brace yourself,” he said with a bit of intrigue shining in his eyes.
“For what?”
“A compliment,” he whispered, tickling my earlobe with the soft grace of his lips. “You look beautiful.”
I turned to meet his crooked smile. “How very unlike you,” I said, praying my cheeks weren’t as red as they felt. “I’ve missed you.”
“You were just at the hospital yesterday, kid,” he said, pressing another kiss to my head. He looked over his shoulder and back to me, worried that our closeness had drawn unwanted attention from the other partygoers.
Since the night of the shooting, Luke and I hadn’t shared many intimate moments. There was an occasional hug here and there, rarely a peck on the cheek… and then there was that unspoken agreement that neither of us would mention the kiss we shared as he fought for (what we could only assume were) his last breaths. Still, I’d remained by Luke’s side through thick and thin—day and night—as much as I could without raising suspicion. Nothing
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