Kimber by Sarah Denier Read Free Book Online Page A

get you home.”
    “Yeah,
I definitely can’t show my face around here again. I feel awful for ruining
things. If you want we could go someplace else where I could make a complete
fool of myself. Maybe I’ll even flop around like a dead fish this time.”
Thankfully, Luke laughs with me.
    “We
could slap some clown makeup on ya, then you’ll have a whole act.”
    “I
could have a little hat and ask for sympathy tips.” We both laugh.
    “Ok,
well before you go puttin’ your one woman show on the road, let’s focus on
gettin’ you rested.”
     “I
really am sorry, so you know.”
    “Stop.
I haven’t been this happy since fifth grade when my mom got me a sweet lime
green Huffy for graduation.”
    “Really?”
I ask facetiously.
    “I
popped my first wheelie on that bike. I was on that thing riden’ the hell out
of it every day. So trust me, being compared to the Huffy is a good thing.”
    Looking
up at Luke I try to mimic his gleaming smile. I can’t help but feel as though I
have already fallen from the pedestal he has placed me on.
     “Come
here.” He says pulling me into his chest. He lowers his head down to mine as I
raise my chin up to him. His kiss is slow and meticulous. As his lips urge mine
to part my heart races. You can tell a lot about a man from the way he kisses.
Luke’s kiss tells me how caring, vibrant and passionate he really is.
    Having
forgotten where we are, the sound of an agitated valet clearing his throat
pulls us from euphoria. Embarrassed I try to laugh it off and smile sweetly as
the valet holds the passenger side door open for me.
     
    I plop down on the
couch and stare up at the ceiling. I close my eyes and try envisioning what I
saw earlier today at the Pier. I breathe deep, calming my mind. I replay the
vision of the shadow man repeatedly in my head. I try to remember the muffled
words he whispered hoping it might trigger something. I lay still for what
seems like hours drifting in and out of a light sleep.
    Not
willing to waste anymore of my day I give up and trade the couch for the pool.
I change into a white bikini, grab a towel, my phone, and head into the
backyard. It feels like sixty-two outside but the pool is a warm eighty-five. I
take a few laps before a little ultimate relaxation in the jacuzzi.
                About
twenty minutes later my muscles feel like warm taffy. The rumble coming from my
stomach reminds me that I need to eat. Since my kitchen skills are limited, I
whip up a grilled cheese and turkey bacon sandwich. Not long after I’m nicely
full and relaxed the phone rings.
    “Hola
chica!” Amber exclaims. She tells me Tommy’s parents are out of town and a
chilled get together is happening later tonight at his place. I assure her that
I will take any reason to get out of the house.
    “Ok,
so are you sitting down?”
    “No,
but I can be. Why what’s up?”
    Leaving
out my little mental mishap, I fill Amber in on my new relationship news after
which Amber demands a verbatim play by play. An hour later Luke beeps in on my
other line. Understandably, Amber lets me go.
     “Hey
Luke!”
    “Hey.
How ya feelin’?”.
    “Better.
I took a little nap, relaxed for awhile, ate and now I’m just sitten’ here.”
    “Nice.
So listen, Tommy told me he’s havin’ some people over tonight. If you feel up
to it, you wanna go?”
    It
comes as no surprised that Luke spoke to Tommy. The two of them are as close as
Amber and I. I just hope that, like me, he kept my little episode at the Pier
out of their conversation.
    “Yeah
Amber told me about it. I said I’d go.”
    “You
tell her anythin’ else?”
    “I
could have. Did you have anything to tell Tommy?” I smile at the phone.
    Luke
laughs. “You know how Tommy is.”
    “Cynical
when it comes to relationships?”
    “Be
easy on the kid. He’s not as hard as he acts.”
    “Yeah,
yeah. I thought we were cool but after this last breakup with Tiff, he’s been
particularly