Suffocate Read Free Page A

always are,” she calls back.
    “You still coming this week?” I ask Erin as C.J. pulls his keys out of his pocket.
    “Wouldn’t miss it.”
    “Wouldn’t miss what?” Luke stops moving and his attention falls on me, arms folding tightly across his broad chest.
    He looks like a sexy soccer player the way his body is so fit. Him in that pose only reminds me of the hours he puts into the gym. And makes me wish he would put hours into me.
    “Did you really forget already?” Erin gives her brother a baffled look. “What, did your dry erase calendar of greatness get smudged?”
    Before he can even try a comeback I reply, “My showing.”
    “Right.” He looks a little in disbelief that he forgot.
    After toying with my tongue ring in my mouth for a moment, I ask, “You comin’?”
    “Wouldn’t miss it.” He cocks a small smile. For a second I feel hope restored.
    I nod and C.J. leans over to place a deep kiss on Erin’s lips that forces Luke to turn back around. After his kiss he commands, “Promise me you’ll think about it?”
    “Mmm,” is her answer as she wiggles out of his grip, “I’ll text you.”
    C.J. and I head towards the front door. In a brief moment of weakness, knowing when I leave here I’ll never get another moment like we had, I look over my shoulder catching one more glimpse of him.
    Fact of the matter is, even if he hadn’t pushed me to the back of his closest like his first Playboy, the way I want him, I can’t have him. Not when the choice is custody over my future child or letting him be raised by a woman that could probably make the devil weep.
     

 
    Chapter 3
    Luke
    I have felt like a dick for the last three nights. God, if it wasn’t for the shift I picked up yesterday at the hospital, I probably would’ve finished the blanket I was knitting for my best friend’s coming baby. Why are you looking at me like that? It’s okay that I knit. No. It really is. It’s a lost art form....why do I feel like you’re suddenly judging me?
    “Ready?” Erin strolls out of her bedroom looking like something out of an underwear ad.
    My baby sister has a photo shop perfect body thanks to our genetics and years of me bitching at her on what to put in her body and what not to. She hated having to listen to me, but her body clearly thanks me. See. Always taking care of people. It’s what I do.
    “Are you seriously wearing that?” I scold sliding a hand in the pocket of my pants. My eyes scan over the lacy black and red item you can barely call a dress. “You look like you’re wearing something from Malibu Barbie’s lingerie collection.”
    “And you look like you robbed the Calvin Klein mannequin,” she counters, digging through her clutch.
    “I look classy.” I wave a hand at dark gray dress pants, white button up shirt with no tie, and matching suit jacket.
    “You look like Christian Grey threw you up,” her comment forces me to shoot her dirty look. “But at least he has a fun sex life. According to the movie anyway.”
    Pulling out my keys I argue, “My sex life is fun. Thank you.”
    “You have to have one before it can be fun,” her quip makes her giggle as she struts over to the front door.
    This my friends is how we’ve behaved since...well since she learned to talk really. She started moving her lips and everything out of them was something coated in sass. At three it was over pink Legos. At seven over beaded jewelry bracelets. At 15, the fact we had similar taste in guys. While it drives me up the goddamn wall, she’s my sister and to have her any other way would break my heart. In fact it almost did. After our parents died, she lost it for a bit. However, when Maxx, one of our other best friends moved in with me, her, and Logan, she gained it back. It’s funny how they helped us heal during that time and later we helped them heal from their own demons. Don’t ask what they are. That’s none of my business to share. I am respectful unlike my