The Moment of Letting Go - J. A. Redmerski Page 0,48

beaming. “You’re beautiful.”

“Thank you,” I say, unable to hide the blush in my face, and I refuse to waste time trying anymore.

I look him up and down with an investigative gaze. “And look at you,” I say as my eyes slowly find his. “I’m impressed. Truly I am. Didn’t expect that.”

He grins crookedly and it melts me a little inside.

“What, am I not the Abercrombie & Fitch type?”

“No, I guess I just didn’t imagine you in anything—”

“You didn’t imagine me in anything?” He raises a brow and his grin appears more devilish. “So you’re imagining me in the buff already?”

Yes.

“No!” My hand instinctively comes out and play-swats him on the shoulder. My face flushes and I look at the floor, almost able to see my reflection in it, the tile is so clean and shiny. “That’s not what I was going to say.” Laughter rolls out along with my words.

“Sure sounded like it,” he quips. “I didn’t imagine you were such a pervert. Too cute to be perverted, in my opinion.”

I can’t find it in me to think of a witty comeback, so I just stand here with my hands folded together in front of me and wearing an embarrassed smile that covers my whole face.

He changes the mood by looking me up and down with the explorative sweep of his eyes, which makes me blush harder. “But seriously, Sienna, you’re gorgeous.”

My smile stretches. “Well, I’d be lying if I didn’t say the same about you—but!” I hold up a finger. “I think I’ve witnessed firsthand another one of your flaws,” I tell him in jest.

He tries not to smile too broadly, pressing his lips together in a line. “Being late, I know. But in my defense—” He holds up a finger, too, but I cut in before he has a chance to explain.

“Let me guess—the girl on the bike again? She’s starting to freak me out a little. What if she sees me with you and comes after me?”

Luke laughs lightly.

“No,” he says, shaking his head. “I think she’s long gone by now. I was late this time because of the public transportation. But you’re right, it’s a flaw. I’m not always late. To be honest, I’m only ever late to the most important things.”

I don’t know what to think of that, but I find myself feeling good about it, at least.

“Well, that’s a little weird, don’t you think?”

He nods, and I grin and go on, taunting him. “I’ve always heard that people who are often late don’t really care about others, or respect their time. They’re rude, inconsiderate, and selfish.” Actually I’m a firm believer of that observation, but for some reason, I can’t put Luke on their level, not because I’m bewitched by him, but deep down I don’t think he belongs there. I just hope he has a good excuse to prove me right.

“Yeah, I know,” he says, followed by an apologetic sigh. “It’s like the more important something is, the harder I try to make it perfect and then I end up forgetting things or—”

“It’s all right,” I cut in. “I was just joking with you.” Then I narrow my eyes. “But if you’re ever late again, I’ll have to …” I can’t think of anything.

He smiles. “You’ll have to what?” he challenges.

“I don’t know, but I’ll figure something out.”

“All right,” he says, “but if I’m on time from here on out and you accuse me of not thinking you were important enough to be late for, I’ll have to do something, too.” He nods swiftly once, as if to underline his point.

I chortle and say, “I’ll try to remember that.”

He grins and then steps to my right, arcing his arm out at his side, offering it to me. “Shall we?” he says, pretending to be sophisticated, and I smile, looping my arm through his, and we leave the lobby together.

We catch the bus and ride to the community center not too far away, where we get off and walk the rest of the way. I’m past wondering if he has his own car, and although it concerns me a little, I’m too afraid to ask him about it—I don’t want to offend him. But it does seem strange, because I’ve not once seen him drive, and this is the second time I’ve left the resort with him and we’ve either taken a bus, or ridden with one of his friends. If Paige were here, she’d already have drilled him about it by now, not