Free The Violet Hour (The Violet Hour Series) by Andrea L Wells Page A

earlier. 
    There was a full tank of gas and the interior was spotlessly detailed.  I whipped out of the garage and headed toward the barn.  Through the sprinkling rain, I saw Luke waiting for me inside his car.  He smiled from behind the wheel, shook his head and jumped out, sauntering over, grinning from ear to ear.  Luke was wearing a plain white t-shirt that complimented his toned body perfectly with a pair of dark blue jeans matching his eyes.  I noticed for the first time how muscular his arms really were, but it wasn’t until he got in my car that I saw a black leather jacket in his hand. 
    “Do you have a sixth sense?” I asked.
    He snapped his head to look at me, as if under attack. 
    “I was kidding, Luke.”
    “Sorry, I wasn’t sure what you meant,” he said after taking a moment to settle down.
    “I was just joking because we’re both wearing jeans, white tops and leather jackets.  No worries.”
    He laughed softly, “I didn’t notice what you were wearing, I guess,” he stated awkwardly.  “You clean up pretty good.” 
    I simply rolled my eyes at him and smiled. 
    “So, I think you’ve got this all wrong.  I’m supposed to be taking you out.  Wouldn’t that entail me driving you around, or is this how it’s done in L.A.?” he pressed.
    I wasn’t planning on driving; he just didn’t know it yet.  Without a word, I opened the door, walked around the car, locking eyes as I rounded the front end.  My heart began to race.  I opened his door and crookedly grinned down at him.  He stood up, our faces and bodies mere inches apart. 
    “Ma’am,” he offered, gesturing for me to sit.
    His sculpted body lightly brushed against mine as he stepped aside.  His touch was like electricity, sending mini shock waves across my skin.  I sat and took a deep breath before he got back inside.  We were going a hundred before I could blink again.  I smiled, realizing how comfortable I felt with Luke.  I had never let Brody drive my car.  Not once.  I giggled under my breath as my mind trailed off. 
    “What’s so funny?” he asked quietly, interrupting my thoughts.
    “Nothing,” I said, trying to act coy.  He must have seen right through me because he didn’t say another word, just smiled.  His smile and laughter left me curious.  He seemed to be always thinking about something more than what was going on around him at any given moment.  A part of me wanted to know what that something was, secretly hoping it was me. 
    Luke exited the interstate and descended into downtown Sheridan.  The town seemed bigger than it really was, spread out over several miles, but with a population of just over 28,000 according to the city limit sign.  I couldn’t believe I was sitting in my $100,000 car, wearing a $2,000 leather jacket, and carrying a $1,000 purse in Sheridan, Wyoming.  The only thing I had going for me was sitting in the driver’s seat.
    Though the rain had subsided, the skies were still overcast.  I was sure there was an umbrella in the trunk with a designer logo splashed over it, but wasn’t about to flash it around in public.  I already felt like an outsider and hoped the rain would hold off during the parade.   
    Luke pulled into a parking spot a few blocks away from downtown.  For such a petite town, herds of people organized along the building-lined streets.  Flower petals fluttered like butterflies across the sidewalks as I caught the scent of caramel corn.  I took a deep breath, inhaling my surroundings. 
    “Are you sure you want to do this?” he asked.  “We can go somewhere less crowded if you’d like.”
    “No, I’m fine.  I just don’t want to cause a scene if people recognize me.” 
    Luke chuckled. 
    “Plus,” I paused, looking to him for reaction, “I wouldn’t want to ruin our date.”
    “We’re on a date?” he asked, eyes glittering wildly.
    “I don’t know – are we?”
    “We are.”

Andrea Wells – The Violet Hour
    Chapter