That's Amore! - Janelle Denison [91]
Maria lowered her hands, displaying what looked like fear in her expression. "It's an omen. All those eyes staring at me, judging me." Staring wildly around, her gaze finally came to rest on Luke.
"What is it?" he asked, sounding much more patient than anyone else probably felt.
"I confess. I'm guilty. I'm having an affair. I'm in love with my dentist, Dr. Schwartz!"
CHAPTER SEVEN
RACHEL HADN'T stuck around for the fireworks after Maria had dropped her bomb on all of them. She'd stammered something—she couldn't even remember what—and headed for the door. Gloria had done the same thing, beelining for the kitchen. And Mrs. Santori had lowered her head and walked away.
Now, twenty-four hours later, she was still wondering what on earth had happened. Had Lucas been furious? Relieved? Forgiving? Had Maria been asking for forgiveness, or ending their engagement? The wedding—was it on, or off?
Was Luke free?
Heaven help her, but that question was the one that had really bounced around in her head all night Saturday night, and throughout Sunday morning. It's what had driven her so crazy, she'd had to leave her little apartment and go in to the shop, to do a few hours worth of work, even though they were closed on Sundays.
Coming to the store probably would have been fine, if it weren't just a few doors down from Santori's. Thankfully, the restaurant was closed and dark, as usual this early on a Sunday, when they only opened for dinner.
Still, even the outside of the building brought up vivid memories. She couldn't stop picturing that bizarre moment when Maria had wailed about eyes staring at her, and had made her dramatic confession.
"Lady, you are obviously out of your mind."
In more ways than one. Not for the first time, Rachel wondered what kind of pea-brained lackwit would choose some dentist over a man as amazing as Luke Santori.
Though there was work to do, she couldn't concentrate on files or receipts or bookkeeping. At the very least, she could clean off her big new desk, already covered with the shoeboxes, a sewing kit, and snippets of thread and lace. But she couldn't keep her gaze away from the mountainous stack of fabrics sitting on the carpeted platform where customers stood during fittings.
Her attention remained squarely on the lovely piece of peach-colored silk that Luke had touched so seductively the other night. Her breathing slowed and her whole body felt languorous, just remembering it.
She couldn't help it. Some wicked impulse made her rise to her feet and approach the platform. In the floor-length mirrors which surrounded it, she could see the wistful expression on her own face as she gave in to some need to connect with Luke. She was reaching for the silk before her brain could tell her she was being a fool. And even when it did, she didn't care.
"So soft," she murmured, bringing the fabric up to rub it delicately against her cheek.
She closed her eyes, breathing deeply. That same wicked impulse made her lower the silk, sliding it across her neck, her throat. To the tops of her breasts, revealed in her lightweight, scoop-necked sundress. "Would you have touched me like this?" she whispered aloud, picturing warm hands instead of cool fabric. One specific pair of hands.
"Oh, absolutely."
She froze, shocked into silence, hardly even breathing. Because that soft, husky voice had been unmistakable.
Luke.
"You're here?" she asked, still not turning to face him, though she did, finally, open her eyes.
"I'm here."
"I wondered if you'd come."
She heard him step closer. "I wanted to. But I wasn't going to walk through your door again until I was a free man."
A warm, lava-flow of happiness oozed through her veins, and she slowly turned around, letting out a tiny sigh to indicate she'd heard his softly spoken words.
"Hi," he said when she gave him her full attention.
"Hi."
He hesitated. Then said, "It's over."
Over. He and Maria were over. He was free. Here because … because… "Why are you here, Luke?"
His eyes widened in surprise and he stepped closer. "You have to know that."