Still the One (Book 2 in the Four of Us Trilogy)

15 | Awake

Luke kissed her forehead. "I wouldn't be anywhere else."

Brooke smiled weakly. "Rachel, Miles, I love y'all, but can I have a moment alone with Luke?"

I glanced at Rachel, who looked away from me.

"Yes, of course," I said, holding my hand out to Rachel, a small gesture of surrender.

Brooke

"Luke, we need to talk," I started, but he held up his hand.

"I already know everything, B. You don't need to rehash it."

I sighed with relief. "Rachel told you?"

"Yeah. Don't be mad at her."

I shook my head. "I'm not. I'm glad she did. You deserved to know." I looked at him, dreading the answer to my next question. "I didn't hurt anyone else, did I?"

"No, baby, you didn't."

My heart stopped for a moment at the sound of the word "baby" rolling off his tongue.

"Thank God," I murmured. "I got a DUI, didn't I?"

"The police haven't dealt with that yet, since you've been in a coma, but yeah... you had heroin in your system, so I'm sure that's coming."

I nodded slowly. I deserved it.

"Um, Brooke?" Luke asked hesitantly.

"Yeah?"

"Are you going to go to rehab?"

"Yes," I answered without pause. "Absolutely. I'm done with drugs."

"God, I'm glad to hear that," he said in relief.

"I want to make things right between us, Luke. I'm so, so sorry," I breathed, knowing the words would never be enough.

"We'll talk about that later, B. You just need to focus on getting better. I'm not going anywhere, though, okay?" he promised.

"Good."

I believed him, but I felt like there was something I was missing.

Rachel

Miles and I sat outside on a brick wall in the garden area, feet swinging in front of us, not talking at all.

I didn't even know where to start.

"Did you kiss him back?" he whispered.

I looked at him, my mouth slightly open. "No, Miles, of course not. I have no idea what got into him."

He studied me for a moment, and I could tell that even though he was upset, he believed me. He swung one leg over the other side of the wall and I did the same, so we were facing each other.

"What did he say before he did it?" he asked.

I took a deep breath. "He said that he wished Brooke had been more like me. I think he meant the whole drug thing... but then he mentioned that he liked me before you 'swooped in.'"

He shook his head but stayed quiet. "He was just upset, confused. Now that Brooke is awake, this should blow over."

Miles chewed the inside of his cheek. "I guess so... but I just... he's my brother. How could he do this to me?"

I scooted closer to him so our legs were overlapping. "I don't think he meant to do it to you... he clearly wasn't thinking straight."

"I guess you're right... but it's going to take me a while to be normal around him again, you know that, right?" he asked.

I nodded. "I think that's fair."

He looked down. "Seeing him touch you... it infuriated me, but more than that, it broke my heart. I was so worried that you..." he trailed off.

I jumped off the wall and pulled him around so his legs were facing me, and I positioned myself between his knees.

"Miles Grant Salazar. You will forever and ever  be the only man I see. I love you with every piece of my heart. You have to know that," I said, looking up at him, my eyes searching his.

He laid his forehead against mine and closed his eyes. "I do. I know that," he said, his lips brushing against mine, tentatively at first, then deeper.

"Mmm. Trust me," I said, smiling against his lips, "this is the only kiss I will ever want."

"Good," he said, sliding off the wall and wrapping his arms around me.

"Promise you won't hate him?" I whispered into his chest.

He took a deep breath. "I can't. No matter what, he's my brother."

"Do you really mean that?" a voice asked from behind us.

We whirled around.

Luke.