I blinked and, self-preservation in mind, I shoved at him again, pulling my head back with a jerk and cracking it against the door.
The moment was broken.
“Step back!” I shouted.
Luke’s eyes narrowed. “What are you playin’ at?”
“I’m not playing at anything,” I yelled. “I was in the neighborhood, I thought I had time on my hands. Mom told me you worked here so what the f**k? Stop by and see an old friend. Then you all act like Neanderthal crazies. Jeez. Forget it. I have to go to the dentist. He’s gonna be pissed.”
I shoved again but Luke still didn’t move.
“You’re lying,” he said.
“I am not!”
His face came closer. The closer I thought it would have come a moment ago when, for one heart-stopping, insane moment, it seemed like he was going to kiss me. This time, it came in threateningly.
“You waltz in here, after five years, not lookin’ like you, not actin’ like you, jittery and bitchy, somethin’ I never would have expected from you. You lie through your teeth then stare at my mouth like you want to stick your tongue down my throat and when I’m ready to give you that opportunity, you go back to bitchy and lying.”
I was staring at him. I couldn’t help it. I’d never heard anyone be that brutally honest before in my life.
And he told me he was going to give me the opportunity to kiss him.
Um… wow.
“I’m not playin’ this game, Ava,” he warned, snapping me out of my thoughts. Gentle, affectionate Luke totally gone, we were back to dangerously pissed off Luke. “You got trouble, you tell me right now so I can help you. I find out another way, you’ll pay.”
My head jerked. “What?”
“You heard me.”
I had heard him and I couldn’t believe what I had heard. “Did you just threaten me?” I asked.
“It wasn’t a threat.”
Read: It was a promise.
Yikes.
I didn’t know what “paying” would entail and I sure as hell wasn’t going to find out.
“I’m not in trouble,” I told him. And I wasn’t, not really. Okay, maybe a little bit. But I was worried I was about to be in a lot in trouble.
“I find out you are…”
“You won’t find out I am. In fact, I can promise you won’t see me again,” I bit out, glaring at him.
“I’ll see you again,” he said in a way that I felt a thrill go up my back.
Seriously, it was high time to escape.
“Step back,” I demanded.
He stared at me.
“Step back!” I shouted.
He stepped back.