baby | lrh

chapter 5

Penelope Rhodes

He led me to his and Ashton's room but it was locked and there were noises coming from inside so he just shuddered and continued down the hall. All I could think about was if that was Hayden and Ashton in there.

We came to a door that looked like it led to a guest room but it was locked as well. I was still shaking and I'm sure my makeup was a tragedy. He kept me under his arm still trying to console me from what had happened just moments before.

"It's fine, L-l-luke. I can just find my way home," I stuttered knowing that I was sobered up enough now to drive my car back to my apartment.

"Are you crazy? You're not going alone and you're definitely not driving. C'mon, I'll take you. I know where it is," He chuckled at the end before he stopped, probably thinking the same thing as me: Austin got him there.

"You know, Penelope. I really am sorry," He looked down at me with sincerity in his eyes.

"It wasn't your fault, he's a lunatic," I whispered back, feeling bad that he held guilt in his beautiful blue eyes.

"It was, though. If it weren't for me going to him and asking him all of these things about you, he wouldn't have gotten the thoughts to come try it again. He was just so angry when he recounted how everything happened when you guys were together that it must have made him only want you more. You have to know how sorry I am," He whispered as he buckled my seatbelt for me before going to sit in the driver's seat of my car.

"Luke aren't you drunk?" I asked frantically, cursing myself as to why I didn't ask him this before he started driving my baby.

"I didn't drink tonight," he told me as he whipped my car down the familiar roads to my apartment. We pulled in and he helped me up to my door. I unlocked it and he sat me down on the same couch in the living room he sat on less than 2 days ago.

"You don't have to stay... I'll... I'll be fine," I told him as my eyes glazed over once again.

"You're obviously not fine." He told me as he started making me a cup of tea.

"So I know you probably know I'm a nursing major but what are you?" I asked quietly as I sipped my tea, turning to look at him since he was sat next to me on the other side of the couch.

"I'm a women studies major," he smirked. My mouth fell open; there's no way.

"You're kidding," I told him with a straight face. Is he serious? That's so gross but funny at the same time.

"Oh but I'm not. I know my way around a woman... and there's tons of chicks in those classes," he told me proudly.

"I can't believe you're serious! That's disgusting," I laughed, lightly pushing his shoulder. He laughed too and I have to say it was the most pure, rich, real, and hearty laugh I've heard in a long time.

I took a few minutes to contemplate how someone so genuine on the inside can be such a jerk to other people. He's so beautiful and I could- PENELOPE! I dropped the thought only to realize I was staring at him and he was smirking at me.

"You should really work on not letting people know when you're checking them out," he winked and I blushed.

"Sorry I was just thinking," I embarrassingly replied. He chuckled and told me he was just kidding but I know he wasn't. He knows just how beautiful he is and he's using it to his advantage to get me to fall in love with him and I'm trying really hard to not let that happen because if I fall again and I'm broken, I won't recover. And that's exactly what he'll do. He'll lure me in with his nice laugh and deep eyes and appealing face and captivating scent and then he'll get what he wants and he'll leave me broken and defeated and I can't let that happen. I won't survive.

"So, how many girls have you saved from that situation. You know, swooping in and saving the day?" I questioned trying to make the mood light and airy. I got up from my position on the couch to go put my cup in the sink but my foot got caught in the blanket I had over my shoulders and tripped.

I readied myself for the impact but I fell into rock solid arms that I wouldn't mind being wrapped in forever. His face was so close to mine and we were gazing into each other's eyes so deeply I could see the purity of his soul.

"You'd have to be the first," His minty breath fanned my face and I melted inside.

I steadied myself and blushed as I walked into the kitchen only to have him following me.

"I'm serious," he told me as a loud clap of thunder and lightning shook the house, making me jump right back into those arms. Wow, clingy much, P?! The skies opened and the rain fell harder and louder than I've ever heard before.

I took a good look at him and realized his lip had a little crusted blood around the very swollen left side where his lip ring was. I looked down at his hands and saw his knuckles were bloody and cut up, bruised even, and I felt horrible.

"Here, let me get you cleaned up," I whispered as I walked to the bathroom for the first aid kit and back into the kitchen to see him sitting on the counter. I stood in between his legs and he swore when I grabbed his knuckles and wiped them.

"I'm sorry," I said sincerely as he gritted his teeth. He winced when my arm hit his stomach when I turned around to find a bandage. "Luke?! I'm sorry, what did I do?" I panicked as I saw his face scrunch in pain. He shrugged me off but I insisted, "Luke take off your shirt let me see."

"Alright, Alright. Jeez, if you wanted me that badly all you had to do was ask," he smirked jokingly but when I gave him a look saying this was serious, he put his hands up in surrender and said "Okay, Okay."

He lifted his shirt and I melted inside... again. He had rock hard abs but over by his right rib, it was bruised badly.

"Luke... " I whispered as I ran my fingers lightly over the wound, fixing it up to the best of my ability. "It's not broken because it's not sticking out which is good but it does seem badly sprained. Nothing cracked, nothing punctured, but I am going to have to wrap it with gauze and you're going to have to ice it for a while," I explained, the nurse in me coming out just a little. Or a lot. I did as I said I would and moved on to his lip.

I was cleaning the wound when his voice startled me. "Ellie, you're really good at this. You'll be a great nurse one day," He told me, looking like a child with excitement in his eyes. I laughed slightly and blushed at his use of the nickname 'Ellie' but shrugged it off with a small "Thank you."

I continued trying to clean up his lip without hurting him and making sure his lip ring wasn't infected.

"P... can I kiss you?" He asked me in a small voice. I looked at him and he was being genuine. This wasn't a ploy to get me in bed or to make me fall in love with him. This was him... the real Luke Hemmings.

I nodded slowly and he ducked his head down to meet his lips on mine. It wasn't fast or needy, it was sweet and slow and passionate. The coolness of his lip ring felt good against the heat of our lips moving in sync and I wasn't sure I wanted it to stop. Ever.

I finally pulled away for air and opened my eyes, taking in this beautiful boy in front of me. There were no words exchanged but I could feel it... and it scared me.

The rain was picking up and the lights were starting to flicker. There was no way Luke was getting home tonight and just as I was about to say something, the lights went off completely, scaring the shit out of me.

"Luke!" I called, not knowing where he was. He pulled up the flashlight on his phone and shined it on me.

"I'm here," He said as he walked over to me, gathering me in his arms. "I got you."

"Luke?" I asked sweetly as I looked up at him, barely making his silhouette out in the dark.

"Yeah?" He asked, looking down at me.

"Stay," I said quietly.

That was all it took for him to lead me into my bedroom and onto the bed where he lied right next to me, wrapping me in his arms and cuddling me until we both fell asleep to the sound of each other's heart beat.