Learning To Love (The Griffin Brothers Book 4) (13 page)

“Your choice, Luke.”

It
is
my choice, and I think it’s the right one. We play until
the early morning hours, and I manage to not lose everything,
although Owen and Sean clean us out most hands. I head home and
collapse onto my bed, dreaming of my girl all night.

* * *

Olivia

I got to Erika’s a
little late, but it was worth it. My afternoon with Luke was beyond
great, and I feel closer to him than ever. Not just physically, but
emotionally too. I still can’t believe he surprised me after class.
I can’t stop the smile from my face as I walk into the family room
to greet the girls.

“Ooh, look at that
smile. Did Luke finally pop that cherry today Liv?”

“Oh my God, Candi.
Seriously?” I know I’m beyond red right now.

“Yes, seriously.
You’re smiling like you’ve had a good O or two today.”

She’s not going to
drop this, so I admit defeat. “I had more than two, and they were
better than good, but no we didn’t go all the way yet.”

“He’s a good guy.
I’m glad the two of you got together, Olivia,” Chloe tells me.

“Thanks. He
is
a good guy.”

“So, you’re going
to L.A. with us next week, then?” Sam asks me. She works with
Yasmin and Erika at Yasmin’s book store.

“L.A.?”

“Yeah, we’re going
to their friend Kyle’s bar. We went out for the opening, but it was
packed, so we wanted to go back and just enjoy it. Later we’re all
splitting up. I think Luke’s going to a hockey game,” Yasmin
explains.

“Oh. Luke didn’t
mention it, so I guess not.”

“He probably forgot,
but I’m sure he’ll ask you this week. You should go shopping with
us after finals, though. We’re all getting new dresses since the
bar’s really cool and sexy,” Erika tells me.

“Well, except for me.
I’m like a beached whale.”

“Shut up, Candi. You
are one hot mama. Literally.”

“Thanks, Yasmin. But
seriously, Liv, I agree with Erika. Luke will ask you.”

“If he does, I’ll
go shopping with you, sure.”

We settle in to watch
Never Been Kissed—Erika loves her 90s romantic comedies, so we
always watch one—butI’m distracted by thoughts of the trip to
L.A.
Will
he ask me?
And what does it mean if he doesn’t? As I head home later, I remind
myself to give him the benefit of the doubt, especially when he sends
me a sweet goodnight text.

Luke

This last week has been
crazy. Olivia had mid-terms, so we couldn’t spend much time
together. She came to my hockey game on Sunday night but had to leave
after giving me a hug and kiss when we lost. She was studying all
week, so I tried to leave her alone and just texted her a few times a
day, reminding her how smart she is and that I love her. I had my
mid-semester evaluation for student teaching, but I didn’t have to
do anything to prepare for it.

It’s Wednesday night,
and we’re both finally done with everything, although I have to
teach for two more days. The school district isn’t on the same
schedule for Spring Break as the university, but I’d already
arranged to take part of next week off for the trip. I’m really
excited to see Kyle’s bar again,and go to the Vortex and Kings
game. I wish my girl was going to be with me, but maybe next time.

Olivia asked me to meet
her at the restaurant instead of picking her up. I didn’t see the
need for two cars, but maybe she had to do some work for Candi today.
I know her schedule’s been off this week for work as well. We’re
actually eating at a buffet tonight. She had told me she’d been
wanting to try the Cosmo buffet because of their mac and cheese bar,
and of course I agreed. I’d agree to almost anything for her. I am
seriously gone for her, and I’m loving every minute of it.

I pay for our dinner
and tell the hostess I’m waiting for someone. Ollie comes in with
her green coat on over a blue dress that covers her up to her
collarbone, but has a short skirt. I can get behind that. She comes
over and I greet her with a peck on the lips.

“Hi, Luke. Sorry I’m
running a little late.”

“No worries. I
already paid, so we can go on in.”

“You didn’t have to
pay for me. I would’ve got my own dinner.”

“You’re kidding me
right now, right? I mean, you told me to win at poker so I could take
you out. I didn’t, and we couldn’t do it over the weekend, but
this
is
a date. Of
course I’m going to pay for you.”

“I guess.”

Okay. Something is
definitely wrong. I drop it for the moment as the hostess seats us
and our waiter takes our drink order. Olivia stands up and takes off
her coat and then heads to the food without a word to me. I can now
see that her dress has short sleeves and there are two cutouts in the
back with buttons at the top of each section. I’m definitely liking
this dress more and more. I just need to figure out why she’s mad
at me so I can get her out of it.

I grab my food and come
back to the table where she’s already sitting. She has the mac and
cheese she wanted and a few more little things, but she’s just
picking at her food. She finally looks up at me and speaks. “I was
thinking we could go up to Mt. Charleston this weekend and play in
the snow.”

Shit. “I can’t this
weekend.”

“Oh? You have a hot
date with someone else?”

What? “Fuck no,
Ollie. You know better.” She just shrugs and looks down at her
plate. Oh, hell no. “I have a family trip this weekend.”

“You never mentioned
that before.”

“I guess it just
slipped my mind.” I know it’s a lie, and I’m pissed at myself
the moment I say it, but what else could I say?

“Oh, well, have fun.
I should get going.”

“Get going? You
haven’t even eaten.”

“I’ve lost my
appetite. I’ll pay you for my dinner. I don’t have cash, but I
can give it to Owen, and he can get it to you on your family trip.”

“You’re not paying
me for dinner, dammit. Don’t go, Ollie.”

“I have to, Luke.”

She walks out without
even a hug, and I just sit there, staring after her. I have no idea
where this went wrong, but it obviously did. Maybe I should cancel my
plans for the weekend and stay here with her. No. She should be okay
with me going away with my family. It can’t always be about just
the two of us. Once I convince myself of that, I eat my food and go
back for seconds before heading home to pack.

* * *

Olivia

“I don’t know why
I’m here. I told you guys that Luke didn’t invite me and just
told me he had a ‘family trip’ when I asked him to hang out with
me this weekend.”

“I’m not sure why
he said that, but he’s going to be happy to see you. He’s crazy
about you, Liv. You should hear the way he talks about you to me,”
Chloe tells me.

We’re in the dressing
room at Neiman Marcus at the Fashion Show Mall. I let Candi convince
me to come try on dresses even though I told her Luke didn’t invite
me. She also convinced me to go on the trip as her guest. I’m
currently wearing a dress that’s way more revealing than anything
I’ve ever owned. It’s a light gold colored bandage dress that
cuts out a little on the side and is almost backless, except for
crisscrossing straps at the top. I feel sexy in it, and I think I may
buy it despite the price. I need to feel sexy right now.

“That’s the dress,
Liv. You look smoking hot,” Candi tells me, and the other girls
nod.

“I think so, too. I
deserve to splurge, and I feel sexy in it.”

“Luke is going to
fall at your feet when he sees you in that,” Yasmin says.

“Well, if he doesn’t,
maybe some other guy will appreciate it and I can at least dance.”

“It’ll be Luke.
He’ll apologize once he sees you on the plane.”

I hope she’s right. I
pay for the dress and then pick out some sexy shoes and a clutch. I
decide on no jewelry since the dress is shiny already. I go home and
pack for the flight the next day.

* * *

Luke

I haven’t talked to
Olivia in the last two days and it sucks. I tried to text her, but
she’s not answering me. I gave up yesterday. I have to retain some
dignity. I’ll go to her place when I get back and make her talk to
me. In the meantime, I’m going to have fun with my brothers and
their women and enjoy my favorite hockey team.

I get on the plane and
stop in my tracks when I see Olivia already in a seat, looking out
the window. This is not good. “Ollie? What are you doing here?” I
walk over and sit down on the couch across from her.

She looks at me, and I
flinch at the anger in her eyes. “Candi invited me. Don’t worry.
I won’t interfere with your plans to get laid this weekend or
whatever.”

What. The. Fuck.
“You’re kidding, right? I mean, you can’t honestly think I’m
going to hook up with someone in L.A.”

“I don’t know what
to think, Luke. Not only did you fail to invite me on this trip—which
all the girls told me was probably just an oversight on your part—you
also lied to me when I asked you to hang out this weekend.”

I’m feeling cornered
because I know I’m the one in the wrong here, so I lash out instead
of apologizing like I know I should. “I didn’t fucking lie to
you. I told you I was going out of town with my family, and I am.”

“You also said it
must’ve slipped your mind to tell me about it. That wasn’t a
lie?”

Owen speaks up before I
can respond. “Tell her why you didn’t invite her, Luke. She’ll
understand.”

“I shouldn’t have
to tell her, Owe. I don’t have to answer to anyone for anything I
do, especially not to some chick who doesn’t trust me and just
wants to keep playing games.”

“
I’m
playing games with
you
?
Are you kidding me? I need to get off this plane.”

Just then, the plane
starts to move away from the gate. “Looks like you’re stuck on
here,
Olivia
. Just so
you know, I think I
will
get laid this weekend. You can watch the girls at the bar and see how
it’s done.”

“Maybe I will, and
then I’ll get laid, too.”

Just the thought of her
with another guy makes me want to commit murder, but I’m not going
to tell her that. I’m also not going to tell her that my cock isn’t
even responding to thoughts of fucking some random girl. It only
wants her and so do I. But I just blew all chances of that happening
out of the water. Why didn’t I just apologize and tell her I was
happy to see her? Because I’m an asshole. I know it and so does
everyone else on this plane. They’re all glaring at me and I
deserve it.

* * *

Olivia

When the plane landed,
I grabbed my bag and started heading to the commercial terminal to
get a flight back to Vegas. The girls must have guessed I was
planning on doing that, and they intercepted me before I could get
too far. They convinced me to stay, telling me there’s no way
Luke’s going to go off with some other girl, and that he’s going
to go crazy when he sees me in my dress.

When we get into the
waiting limo, Luke’s not there anyway. The guys explain that he had
some errands to run and will meet us at the house later. The house we
pull up to is big, but not ostentatious. I’ve learned that the
Griffins like nice things, but they don’t tend to flaunt their
wealth. Everyone else has been here before, but they give me a quick
tour and show me to a beautiful room with its own bathroom.

I soak in the tub for a
little while and then get dressed. I put my robe over the dress while
I do my makeup and am about to take it off when there’s a knock at
my door. I walk over and open the door, but no one’s on the other
side. I look down to see a single purple orchid, an adorable stuffed
giraffe, a hockey jersey, and an event ticket. When I pick them up, I
see the ticket is for the game between the Portland Vortex and the
Los Angeles Kings for tomorrow night. The jersey is a Vortex one with
Luke’s favorite player’s name on the back.

I look down the hallway
and see Luke leaning against the wall, chewing on his lip. He’s
wearing a slim suit with a tie. He looks drop dead gorgeous, and I
almost start to swoon a little until I remember how mad I am at him.
“Please, Ollie.”

“Just talking, Luke.”

He nods and I step
inside, leaving the door open for him as I sit on the big chair by
the window. He comes in, closes the door, and then sits on the bed.
“You once asked me to listen while you talked and not interrupt. I
need you to do the same for me, Olivia. Some things I’m going to
say may be things you don’t want to hear, but they need to be said
if we have any chance of being together. Can you do that?”

He’s scaring me a
little, but I nod. “Yes.”

“I should’ve told
you where I was going this weekend, and explained why I didn’t
invite you. It wasn’t because I don’t want you here. I do. I want
you everywhere with me. I didn’t want you to think I was pressuring
you into sleeping with me by inviting you on an out of town trip. I
know there’s lots of extra room here, but I just couldn’t take
the chance on you thinking I couldn’t wait for you and breaking up
with me.

“I respect the hell
out of you and that’s why I haven’t pushed you for anything. I
feel like I’ve done a good job of asking permission and not trying
anything you weren’t ready for. But I’m only human, and it’s
been really hard for me to hold back sometimes. That’s not on you—I
knew it would be like this—but that doesn’t mean it’s not hard
for me. Especially when you send me such mixed signals sometimes, and
I don’t know how you want me to act.

“I don’t mean just
sexually, either. Some days I think you really get me, and I can talk
to you about my dreams and fears. Those days are awesome, but then
there are the days when I think you just love the idea of me and hold
me to some idea of the perfect guy. Like when you say things like
‘you’re you’ or talk about all the girls who want me. I can’t
help that I’m good looking. That’s in my genes. Yeah, I work out
and stay in shape for hockey, but I’m more than my looks. Plus,
you’re smoking hot too, even though you sometimes try to hide it.