“Thank Christ,” he joked. He spun her toward the bedroom and nudged her forward, but not before landing a light slap on her backside as she pranced away. “Get dressed and meet me downstairs, sweetheart,” he called as he headed out of the bedroom.

Embry decided to slip into her dress from the night before. She laughed when she realized she still wouldn’t have any pants on. Luke would just have to deal. She walked into the kitchen to the sexiest sight she had ever seen: Luke Brody, shirtless and cooking.

“Coffee’s on the table, baby,” he said without turning around.

Embry grabbed the warm mug, took a sip, and groaned in delight. “Just how I like it. Thank you.”

“I pay attention,” he tossed over his shoulder.

“What can I help with?”

“Nothing. Just sit there and look pretty. I’m making French toast. That sound okay?”

“Sounds perfect.”

Embry enjoyed her coffee as Luke finished making breakfast.

“This is delicious!” she said around a bite of French toast.

Luke raised his eyebrows, laughing at her enthusiasm. “Glad you like it.”

“I do.” Embry took another bite. “Sooooo good,” she crooned.

“So what’s on the agenda for today? I know you have a lot of studying to do,” Luke asked.

Embry nodded. “Yep, I have a study date with Jeremy and—” Embry’s jaw dropped open. Then she snapped it shut, and her expression fell. “Shit.”

“Shit?”

“Yes, shit. What time is it?” she asked, her voice flat.

Luke checked his watch. “Ten thirty. Why? What’s wrong?”

Embry placed her fork and knife on the plate, wiped her mouth with her napkin, and pushed back her chair. “I have to go.”

“Now?”

“Yes, now.”

“Okay. I’ll take you wherever you need to go. Just tell me what’s going on.”

Embry ran both hands through her hair, exasperated. “I just have to go, Luke. I’m going to grab my stuff.” She turned and headed toward the stairway.

Taking the stairs two at a time, Embry made her way into Luke’s bedroom and gathered her things. On her way back downstairs, she checked her phone and found a text and a few missed calls from Jeremy. She typed out a quick response and tucked her phone back into her purse. Before walking back into the kitchen, she took a deep breath. Don’t ruin this, Embry.

She walked into the kitchen to see Luke scraping the remainder of his breakfast in the garbage. She felt guilt settle heavy on her shoulders. “I’m sorry. I completely forgot about my study date, and when you said what time it was, I realized I totally missed it. I just freaked.”

Luke turned, a smile appearing on his face, but it didn’t reach his eyes. “It’s no biggie. Let’s get you home.”

Embry lost herself in her thoughts as Luke drove. She couldn’t believe she had completely missed her study date. She’d been so wrapped up in Luke that she hadn’t given school a second thought. Her first real writing assignment was due on Tuesday, and they were quickly approaching the mid-point of the semester. She couldn’t afford to lose sight of what was important. She couldn’t allow herself to be consumed by Luke. But when she thought about it, Luke had done nothing but encourage her. He never wanted to get in the way of her studying, and he’d offered to help time and time again. He made time for her when it worked for her schedule and never complained when she turned him down to study.

Luke sat silent, almost as if he knew Embry needed time to reflect and figure out her feelings. She wasn’t freaking out because she missed her study date; that was just a symptom of the problem. She was freaking out because she could no longer ignore her growing feelings for Luke. She really was falling for him, and it scared her. Luke settled his hand on Embry’s knee, gently brushing his thumb across her bare skin.

“What’s going on in that pretty little mind of yours?” he asked.

Embry looked at Luke, and he gave her knee a squeeze. She shook her head and stared out the window, watching the scenery fly by. She didn’t want to open up, didn’t want to risk being hurt again. But she was sick of being scared, of keeping her walls up all the time. It was exhausting. If anyone was worth it, it was Luke. She took a deep breath and looked back at Luke.

“I’m scared,” she admitted, and started rambling. “I was mad at myself that I completely forgot about my study group. And I have a writing assignment due on Tuesday. I got so wrapped up in you, in us, that I wasn’t thinking straight. All my walls come down when I’m with you, and it’s amazing, but scary and—”

Luke squeezed Embry’s knee again. “Breathe, Bree. I don’t want to distract you from your goals. I’ve been through it; I know how much focus you have to give to law school, especially your first year. I have no intention of getting in the way of that.” He pulled into Embry’s apartment complex and parked in front of her building.

Embry looked down, embarrassed by how quickly she had shut down on him earlier. “I’m sorry. I just—I haven’t done this in a while.”

“Haven’t done what, sweetheart?” Luke asked, turning toward her. She hesitated, and he placed his fingers under her chin, forcing her gaze to his. “Talk to me.”

She let out a long sigh. “This. You and me.” Embry gestured between them. “Us.”

“A relationship?” Luke asked, raising an eyebrow.

Butterflies began to flit around in her stomach. A relationship was the one thing she hadn’t wanted, hadn’t been interested in since Jack. “Is that what we’re doing?” she asked quietly. She needed the reassurance, needed to hear him say the words.

He gently took her face in his hands, his blue eyes filled with sincerity “Yes, baby. I hope that’s what we’re doing.”

Embry nodded, not sure what to say.

“I know you’ve been hurt,” he said. “I don’t know why or how, but I’d kill the fucker who did it if I met him. I know you’re not ready to talk about it yet or you would have told me by now, and that’s fine. There’s a lot we don’t know about each other yet. But the way things are going … I want to know you. I want to learn everything about you.” He brushed his knuckles across her cheek. “I want you, Embry, all of you. I don’t know what I’d do if I couldn’t have you.”

Embry was speechless. She had hoped he had feelings for her, but she hadn’t actually considered that he’d be up front about it. As happy as she was that he felt the same way for her, it scared her even more. She couldn’t pretend this wasn’t real anymore. Even though some small part of her told her to fight it, she wanted him enough not to run. “You have me.”

Luke wrapped his hand around the nape of her neck and brought his mouth down on hers. He had never kissed her like that. Pure liquid heat flooded her veins. He didn’t wait for her to open but instead claimed her mouth, completely possessing her. He pulled back, leaving Embry breathless and blushing.

“If you didn’t have to study, I would take you upstairs and make sure that I have you in every sense of the word,” he said.

Embry’s mouth fell open. Seeing him so affected did things to her better judgment—like send it right out the window. She had rescheduled her study date and had to meet Jeremy in thirty minutes, but she couldn’t stop the words from tumbling out of her mouth. “You can come up.”

Luke shook his head and closed his eyes. “No, go study.”

“Okay.” Embry leaned in to steal another kiss. “I’ll call you later then.” She turned to get out of the car, but Luke grabbed her hand.

“I know things are happening fast between us, and it’s intense. Let’s have dinner, when you have time this week, and just talk. I’ll come over. I can cook for you again if you want. I want to know more about you …” Luke hesitated, gripping the back of his neck. “There are some things I want to tell you, too.”

Embry hesitated. Why does he seem so nervous? “Sure, I’d like that. I hand in my assignment on Tuesday, and I have some work to do for Wednesday’s classes. Can you do Wednesday night?”