Making the Cut (Saving Dallas 2)

“I-I thought you left,” I said, forgetting my horrific dream and just concentrating on the fact that he was here and not sleeping in another room.

“No, baby. I’m here. I’m not going anywhere,” he said, smoothing my damp hair off my head. “What were you dreaming about?” he asked, kissing my face repeatedly and stroking my back. It felt warm and reassuring to have him here and my bad dream was pushed to the back of my sub-conscious.

“I don’t want to talk about it,” I said, curling into his side. Luke’s arms wrapped tighter around me.

“Baby, I know you don’t like talking about it, but it would probably be better if you did. You don’t have to tell me, but you need to tell somebody.”

I thought about what he told me. I had not shared with anyone what happened that night. I wasn’t sure if Luke really even wanted to know, or if I wanted to relive it.

“Maybe, one day. It doesn’t bother me so much anymore.” And it didn’t. Sure, the nightmares were bad, but they didn’t last long and waking up with Luke next to me, helped me to forget.

“I’m here, Dallas. Whenever you’re ready.” Luke slid the hair on my forehead back and planted a kiss there, then curled me back to him. I closed my eyes and inhaled the scent of him, letting it relax me completely.

“Luke?”

“Yeah, beautiful?”

“Thank you.” I couldn’t see his face, but I knew he was smiling.

“My pleasure, darlin’.”

I woke the next morning to find Luke’s beautiful face right in front of me. His steady breath was warm on the tops of my breasts and I smiled at the thought of having him here. I had to be the luckiest girl on the planet to have this view every morning.

I slowly crawled out of the bed, not wanting to wake Luke and finding it a little difficult to move. The soreness was intense, but butterflies formed in my stomach, easing the pain when I remembered what caused it.

Luke had said we had a “lot of shit to do today,” so I figured a good breakfast was in order. I grabbed my robe, leaving the bathroom and started to the kitchen, pulling the bedroom door closed behind me. Opening my refrigerator door, I was reminded, once again, how good the club had been to me. It was fully stocked with groceries. From orange juice to thick sliced bacon, just how I liked it. I had everything I needed to make a delicious southern breakfast.

My homemade biscuits were in the oven, bacon was frying on the stove and I was stirring grits, listening to Neal McCoy sing “No Doubt About It”, when strong, warm arms wrapped around me and the delicious scent of Luke filled my nostrils. He kissed me on the cheek and reached around to turn the grits off, then grabbed my hand and turned me to him.

“Like a hammer and a nail, socks and shoes-we go hand in hand like the rhythm blues. What good is a man who hasn’t got a dream? ‘Bout as good as a car with no gasoline you’re the one I’m dreaming of, got to have your love, can’t live without it. We were meant to be together, no doubt about it.”

I stood in Luke’s arms, allowing him to lead me around the kitchen, staring at him with my mouth hanging open as he sang to me. I had no idea Luke knew how to sing. Was there an ending to his perfectness?

“I didn’t know you could sing,” I managed to choke out while he continued to hum the song, looking at me with those big blue eyes that seemed to sparkle this morning.

“Does it surprise you that much?” he asked teasingly. I would be lying if I said it did. For some reason, I knew Luke was capable of doing anything, and doing it well.

“Nothing you do surprises me anymore,” I said, smiling up at him. He leaned down and kissed me softly, his lips barely brushing over mine.

“I love you, babe. I need you today. There is a lot of shit going on and I am going to need you to be there for me. I know this is hard, but I need you to trust me and stay in my sights at all times. A lot of people are coming into town and I need to know that you are behind me on this. Can I trust you to do as I ask and not give me any grief about it?”

I looked at Luke’s face, full of hope and wonder. He needed me. When I needed him, he was there. He was letting me know that this was something important to him, and he wasn’t giving me the option of backing down. This made my heart swell and my love for him to deepen. If ever I was sure of his intentions of keeping me safe, it was now.