Page 63 of Burning Deceptions
I’d told Luke the truth about him doing something, and it spoke to me. Maybe a change in his voice or breathing, but it clicked inside me, and I had to make it all better for him. I had to push because he wanted to give in.
“Ladies,” Luke greeted the others, either ignoring his momma or I’d missed the explanation.
“Lovely to see you, Luke. Your mother was just telling us about your plans with Georgina.”
“Oh?” Luke asked. Not correcting the speaker, I might add.
Clueless laughed again. “Don’t be coy, Luke. It’s unbecoming in a man. Of course things with you and Georgina are progressing.”
Unbecoming? The hell it was. When Luke blushed in that haunting shade of pink, I couldn’t get it out of my head.
“We’ve—spoken,” Luke said.
I rolled my eyes, hating rich folk vernacular.
“Georgina’s mother and I are in constant talks. We’re thinking the Grand Bohemian for the venue.”
“Mother …” Luke sighed.
“Oh, that’s lovely, Elizabeth. I went to two weddings there last year. They really know what they’re doing.”
“We’re planning something special during the proposal at our New Year’s Eve party.”
This woman … I waited for Luke to contradict her. He wouldn’t come out, not that, but he could at least have some say over who he married, right? This wasn’t the eighteenth century.
Only he didn’t. The women clucked on with ideas and speculation, and Luke said nothing.
Before I could stop myself, I turned, ready to put in my own two cents, but his misery kept me speechless. Head bowed slightly, jaw muscles ticking, and hands fisted. He hated this, but why didn’t he say anything?
The crowd around us swayed, and he lifted his chin, eyes clashing with mine. Luke paled, blinked, and shook his head so imperceptibly I nearly missed it.
What? Did he think I’d out him? Cause a scene?
“Excuse me, Mother,” he whispered and stormed off.
Triple fuck.
I waited only a second, then gave chase. His dark head rushed by several who turned and greeted him, but he flew like the wind, not breaking at the outer edge, not breaking as he crossed the threshold of the ballroom.
Dammit. Forgetting all propriety, I ran after him, thankful I was a big nobody who went unnoticed.
“Luke,” I called when he was only ten feet from me. Less than a handful of hotel staff wandered the hallway, otherwise, it was empty of any guests.
He halted but kept his back to me. The family restroom was just ahead. I made a beeline for it, placing my hand on the small of his back and forcing him to move with me. It was unoccupied, thank fuck. I wrenched open the door and pushed him, not stopping in momentum until we were alone and the door was locked.
“Are you okay?” I asked.
Still with his back to me, Luke shook his head, then sighed. “I don’t know how to do this.”
I came around him and brushed his jaw with my fingertips. “Do what? Talk to me.” My hand shook where it grazed under his chin. Was this secret we now shared too much for him?
Luke grabbed my fingers and placed them flat on his cold cheek. He closed his eyes and nuzzled into my hand. “I don’t know how to act around you out there.”
I cupped the other side with my free hand. “Baby, you don’t have to worry about that. Act how you always have. I shouldn’t have been so close, but I was eavesdropping on your pleasure of a momma before you arrived.”
He opened his eyes. “You’re not mad?”
“Well, are you planning on proposing to Georgina?”
