“Who knew there was a gentleman under all that…” I scan him up and down withmyeyes.
He grins, dimples popping in hischeeks.
Damn,he’s handsome when hedoesthat.
I feel almost back to normal as the night passes, sitting on a gorgeous seaside deck with my best friends, eating course after course of delicious seafood as the sun slowly sinks toward the western horizon. We’re a boisterous group, laughing often, trading jokes and stories, toasting Phoebe and Nate more than once as the champagne flowsfreely.
Every so often, I catch Shelby watching me carefully from her spot across the table, her eyes moving between me and Luca with curiosity in their depths. She’s even more convinced that there’s something going on with us, after what happened at therehearsal.
Which thereisnot.
Obviously.
We’re just friends with some unresolved sexualchemistry.
We aren’t…together.
God, I can barely pull off a convincing lie in my mind, let alone say italoud.
As if reading the direction my thoughts, Luca’s hand slides onto my thigh beneath the table. He doesn’t look at me as he does it — to everyone else, he appears fully engaged in Gemma’s animated story of the first time she and Phoebe crossed paths, before they even knew they were sisters. The breath catches in my throat as his thumb begins to stroke the bare skin between my knee and the bottom hem of my dress. I try to squirm away, but his hold tightens as soon as I move — there’ll be no shaking him off. Not without drawingattention.
Shit.
There’s a playful light in his eyes as his hand slides against my skin, sending shockwaves through me as it moves a single inch higher. His touch is relentless — delivering slow, sensual circles that drive me to distraction for the rest of the meal, until I’m flushed and struggling to stay attuned to the conversation happening around me. By the time they serve the desert course, I’m dying for a reprieve. I practically bolt out of my chair as soon as Phoebe remarks that it’sgettinglate.
“Yeah! We should probably call it a night.” I smile manically. “Long daytomorrow.”
I hear a low chuckle from Luca as everyone finds their feet and starts walking toward the door. I paste myself to Shelby’s side like glue, so close she shoots an annoyed look in my direction as we exit the aquarium and approachhercar.
“Lila, you’re very pretty, but I just don’t swingthatway.”
I snort and take a step out of her space. “Just making sure you don’t leave me behind. You’re my ride home,remember?”
“I already told you I’d take you.” Her eyes narrow. “Why are you being suchaspaz?”
“I’mnot!”
“She is.” Luca appears beside me suddenly. There’s a grin on his face. “It’s myfault.”
Shelby laughs. “Should’veknown.”
My mouthgapes. “You—”
Luca looks past me to Shelby, as if I’m not even standing there. “I’ll be driving Delilah home, if that’s okaywithyou.”
“Excuse me?”Isnap.
My friend’s eyes flicker to my face for a brief instant. I see her answer before shevocalizesit.
“Don’t you dare abandon me to the wolves,” I muttermenacingly.
“Sorry, sweets. When the wolf looks like that…” Shrugging, her eyes move to Luca. “Sure, you candriveher.”
“Shelby!”
“You’ll thank me later!” she calls back, winking as she walks away. “See youtomorrow!”
I’m still processing the fact that I’ve just been betrayed — by one of my best friends, no less — when she climbs into her car and drives away.Withoutme.