respect that she did what she had to do. I’ll always wish I’d been there for her. Sure.” Duke sighed. “I’m grateful she’s come home to Tulips now. That eases a lot of this situation for me.”
Zach drummed his fingers on the table. “I figure our job is to support her now.”
“Right.” Duke thought about Luke kissing his sister, and scowled. “Wonder why he did it, though? Kissed Pepper,” he clarified, grimacing. “Though that’s even less my business than anything else.”
“Why does a man kiss a woman?” Zach said. “McGarrett’s a strange fish. He does what pleases him.”
Duke nodded. That was a valid assessment of the man’s character. Duke just hoped Pepper didn’t get hurt this time.
A LL L UKE’S LIFE he’d wanted love. Perhaps he’d never couched it in those terms to himself, but herecognized that hunger inside himself now. What he felt he hadn’t received from his dad, he had never known how to give.
He stopped to ponder his feelings before walking into the den to check on his father. Meeting Pepper Forrester again after all these years had opened a door in his heart he’d never known existed.
Did he want that door opened now? Bachelorhood, traveling around the world unencumbered—those were simple joys and opportunities he enjoyed experiencing to the fullest.
The door, he decided, was probably best left tightly closed. He had nothing to offer a woman. He’d been lucky in a lot of ways in his life, but he’d never tested his luck with one woman—it seemed luckier to stay away from emotions he didn’t know how to share.
He was disgruntled to discover that sentiment felt somehow less than appealing now, like an old bruised apple he no longer chose to bite from and would prefer to toss in a trash can somewhere.
“Dammit,” he murmured, “I shouldn’t have kissed her.”
“Luke!” his dad called. “Bring me a glass of water, would you?”
He blinked, staring into the darkened room, which was lit only by the television screen. Then there was his father who wanted to claim his time, another good reason to stay far away from matters of the heart. Taking care of his dad seemed like a natural transition, yet Luke still chafed at this new responsibility in his life.
Clearly, he was not cut out for commitments of any kind. Best he handle them one at a time, he decided.
But Pepper’s lips had been so incredibly soft, softer than he’d remembered. He’d been too hasty and inexperienced as a youth to appreciate the gift she’d given him.
He went to get his father a glass of water, and to get one for himself. Maybe it would cool him down.
L UKE WAS SURPRISED when Pepper showed up the next night, just as she’d said she would, to coax his father into letting her do some light medical probing. “You came,” Luke said to her.
Pepper looked at him oddly. “Of course. I said I would.” She brushed by him when he opened the door, her air professional, and he recognized a distinctive back off message.
He couldn’t blame her. He’d caught both of them by surprise when he’d impulsively kissed her. She greeted his father, who seemed annoyed that he had to turn down the television to try to ward her off.
Luke smiled, thinking Pepper looked unbelievably pretty today, fresh and feminine in a knee-length white skirt and a light blue top. Her hair was up in a ponytail so her face was more accentuated, and he decided he liked that look on her, too.
He was beginning to find that he liked a lot about her. Given her annoyed demeanor toward him, liking her was going to be a problem. Rein it in, Luke.Once your father’s had enough of you again—which shouldn’t take long—you’re back on the floating bathtub with the general’s princesses.
It wasn’t a heroic thought, but as Pepper bent over to place a stethoscope against her previously unwilling patient’s chest, Luke decided antiheroic was the best attitude to adopt unless he wanted a few layers shaved off
Zach drummed his fingers on the table. “I figure our job is to support her now.”
“Right.” Duke thought about Luke kissing his sister, and scowled. “Wonder why he did it, though? Kissed Pepper,” he clarified, grimacing. “Though that’s even less my business than anything else.”
“Why does a man kiss a woman?” Zach said. “McGarrett’s a strange fish. He does what pleases him.”
Duke nodded. That was a valid assessment of the man’s character. Duke just hoped Pepper didn’t get hurt this time.
A LL L UKE’S LIFE he’d wanted love. Perhaps he’d never couched it in those terms to himself, but herecognized that hunger inside himself now. What he felt he hadn’t received from his dad, he had never known how to give.
He stopped to ponder his feelings before walking into the den to check on his father. Meeting Pepper Forrester again after all these years had opened a door in his heart he’d never known existed.
Did he want that door opened now? Bachelorhood, traveling around the world unencumbered—those were simple joys and opportunities he enjoyed experiencing to the fullest.
The door, he decided, was probably best left tightly closed. He had nothing to offer a woman. He’d been lucky in a lot of ways in his life, but he’d never tested his luck with one woman—it seemed luckier to stay away from emotions he didn’t know how to share.
He was disgruntled to discover that sentiment felt somehow less than appealing now, like an old bruised apple he no longer chose to bite from and would prefer to toss in a trash can somewhere.
“Dammit,” he murmured, “I shouldn’t have kissed her.”
“Luke!” his dad called. “Bring me a glass of water, would you?”
He blinked, staring into the darkened room, which was lit only by the television screen. Then there was his father who wanted to claim his time, another good reason to stay far away from matters of the heart. Taking care of his dad seemed like a natural transition, yet Luke still chafed at this new responsibility in his life.
Clearly, he was not cut out for commitments of any kind. Best he handle them one at a time, he decided.
But Pepper’s lips had been so incredibly soft, softer than he’d remembered. He’d been too hasty and inexperienced as a youth to appreciate the gift she’d given him.
He went to get his father a glass of water, and to get one for himself. Maybe it would cool him down.
L UKE WAS SURPRISED when Pepper showed up the next night, just as she’d said she would, to coax his father into letting her do some light medical probing. “You came,” Luke said to her.
Pepper looked at him oddly. “Of course. I said I would.” She brushed by him when he opened the door, her air professional, and he recognized a distinctive back off message.
He couldn’t blame her. He’d caught both of them by surprise when he’d impulsively kissed her. She greeted his father, who seemed annoyed that he had to turn down the television to try to ward her off.
Luke smiled, thinking Pepper looked unbelievably pretty today, fresh and feminine in a knee-length white skirt and a light blue top. Her hair was up in a ponytail so her face was more accentuated, and he decided he liked that look on her, too.
He was beginning to find that he liked a lot about her. Given her annoyed demeanor toward him, liking her was going to be a problem. Rein it in, Luke.Once your father’s had enough of you again—which shouldn’t take long—you’re back on the floating bathtub with the general’s princesses.
It wasn’t a heroic thought, but as Pepper bent over to place a stethoscope against her previously unwilling patient’s chest, Luke decided antiheroic was the best attitude to adopt unless he wanted a few layers shaved off
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