He sat up and kissed me. His hands slid up and down my thighs on either side of his lap, then up my back. He kissed my neck and warned with a grin. “I can kiss you whenever I feel like it now.” The pain was gone from his eyes. The hesitation that had crept into all our interactions had been obliterated.

“Good, because I’m yours too, Luke.”

He leaned back against the couch and reached into his pocket. “I have something for you. I kept one of the envelopes you sent me.”

“My locket,” I breathed. He reached around my neck to fasten it. It fell against my skin to sit right between my breasts.

His eyes blazed into mine as he leaned into me and kissed it. “I have your engagement ring too, but it feels wrong to use that one, like bad luck.”

I inhaled a shaky breath. “Well, it’s too soon for engagement rings. We haven’t even been on our first date yet. You owe me dinner, mister.” I smiled through my happy tears.

His eyes crinkled as he laughed. “It’s like that, is it?”

“Oh yeah. I had a dress all picked out.” My face fell. “I was so messed up over you. I was planning what to wear and at the same time trying to find a way to break the date without hurting your feelings. I’m so sorry, Luke.”

“I understand, Lily. Don’t forget that I’ve known you your whole life. I know what you’re like.” His smile got bigger as he tickled my sides.

I squirmed in his lap. “Hey now.” I poked him in the stomach, then started feeling him up. Ooh, nice abs. Feeling was so much better than seeing. He didn’t have a six-pack anymore, but he had a lot of definition down the sides and at the top. He yanked me forward and kissed me again with a groan. “We should stop,” he whispered between kisses. “Your brother is supposed to meet me here to go over some drafts of some plans or—something.”

I sat up fast, startled. I yanked up my shirt and started looking around for my bra.

Luke reached down to my side and snagged it. He handed it to me with a smirk. “Lily and lace.” He caressed my cheek, rawness in his eyes and a sad smile on his face. “You’re beautiful. Even more so now that I can touch you again.” His smile turned sweet, and he gave me a quick kiss before he shifted me off his lap and onto the couch at his side. “I’m glad I keep clothes here,” he muttered as he stood up, and I giggled.

Our eyes met, and we smiled at each other.