Just a Little Embrace Read Online Free

shrugged.
    While I sorted out whatever feelings I had for Luke, the only person I’d ever turned to was Matt—and even he’d been a worthless confident since Hannah came along.
    “My uncle has a houseful of guests,” I said, deciding that unloading my problems on a perfect stranger was probably a terrible idea. “There’s just a lot going on in there —”
    “And you feel left out?”
    “No,” I said. “Just in the way, that’s all.”
    He nodded, but he was skeptical.
    “So,” I said, taking the focus off me. “How do you like Oakland so far?”
    He smirked and met my eyes, sparking another bout of wonderment between the two of us. “No complaints.”
    “Good,” I said, unable to tear my eyes away from his. Again, I couldn’t help but wonder why I recognized him. “Why do you look so familiar? I swear I must know you from somewhere … .”
    “Maybe we knew each other in another life , ” he said as if he really believed it.
    “Yeah,” I said, half-smiling. “Maybe.”
    “Hey ,” he said, looking down at his sleeping dog. “I know I shouldn’t even go here, especially considering you’re as young as my kid sister, but I was curious if maybe you’d like to go out sometime? Just for dinner, maybe a movie? ”
    My cheeks flushed red with warmth , and while I took a moment to contemplate what he was asking me, I shook my head.
    “Thanks, but I’m not sure that would be such a good idea —”
    “You enjoy our conversations, right?”
    “I do —”
    “And I’ve been told I have a pretty charming smile —”
    “ And you do ,” I said, silently agreeing that there was a definite charm in the way his eyes gleamed when he smiled.
    “Then what is it?” he asked. “Do you have a boyfriend?”
    “No, no boyfriend —”
    “Is it me?”
    “It’s not you,” I promised. “It’s a long story. It’s complicated . It’s —”
    “Julie,” a nother voice said, only this one came from behind . I turned to find Luke standing on the front porch, looking down on Derek and me . I stood up and smiled, straightening the wrinkles from my wet dress .
    “Luke,” I whispered, taking a step.
    Derek let out a slight chuckle and stood up, waking his groggy pet.
    “It’s Luke,” he said to me with a wink. “That’s all you had to say.”
    I turned back to Derek. “No, it’s not… I just —”
    “It’s cool,” he said , nodding at the dog . “I’ve gotta get this big guy home, so I’ll just… see you around, I guess?”
    “Yeah,” I said, watching him walk away. I turned back to Luke and bit my lip, unsure of what to say .
    “You guys having fun in there?” I asked after a few quiet seconds.
    “What was that all about?” Luke asked, keeping his eyes on Derek . After my neighbor disappeared from sight, Luke motioned for me to come closer, so I took the next two steps and joined him on the porch. He slid in close to my body and lifted his hand to my face to wipe away the black make-up with his thum b; he smeared the excess onto his jeans. I noticed immediately that w hile he moved with purpose, his movements seemed far too flimsy and out of his controlled nature.
    “He was just asking if I want ed to go out with him sometime,” I said, looking at my feet.
    “And you said —”
    “No.”
    “Because it would be irresponsible —”
    “It would?”
    “Of course,” he said , shaking his head. “He’s too old for you, Jules. And you know nothing about him. You don’t need to waste your time with other men right now anyway. You nee d to focus on school. And your senior project —”
    “Yeah,” I said. “My project.”
    “ And me.”
    “You?”
    “Because of your assignment.”
    “Right.”
    Our eyes locked , and for the second time in a week, his face inched closer to mine. All I could do was wonder what he was planning to whisper this time before he ran away, but his nose brushed mine and our foreheads rested against one another.
    “I’m sorry,” he said, the warmth