Chapter 103: Chapter Twenty-Four: The Fast and Fierce and Forever-3

“And is this man right here responsible for this new streak of reckless behavior in you, Max?” my grandfather said without pause, directing Luke a steady sideways glance. I smiled in spite of his stern disapproval. “No, Gramps. I’m not reckless. I’m just living life a little. And the only thing Luke is responsible for is to share in that life.” With my free hand, I beamed at Luke and grasped him by his forearm, gently drawing him to my side. “Gramps, if you haven’t been formally introduced yet, this is Luke Hedenby. Luke, this is my grandfather, Bart Moss. I hope, for my sake, that you two get along, because you’re both in my life and I refuse to give up one for the other.” Luke grinned at me. “You really don’t have an issue knowing what you want and staking a claim on it anymore, do you?” I winked and leaned up to kiss him on the cheek. “Nope.” My grandfather sighed in resignation before glancing at Luke. “I don’t have a problem if you’re who my granddaughter wants so long as you treat her right. I did not shelter and protect her in the last ten years only to have her heart broken and if that’s what you leave her with, I will hunt you down and break your bones. I may be an old man but that’s to my advantage. I have lived a full life that to cut it short as the cost to punishing you is of little importance to me.” I grimaced even though I couldn’t help a slightly horrified, slightly amused laugh. “Okay, Gramps… I’m glad I didn’t bring home any boyfriends to introduce to you if this was the speech you had ready.” Luke didn’t seem to share my humor. His expression was downright serious and intent as he nodded at my grandfather. “I know just as well as you do that Max deserves to be happy,” Luke said. “And just like you, I’ll do my damn best to ensure that she will be.” I smiled at Luke, warmth pooling in my chest and flowing through my every vein. Then I turned to Gramps. I thought he would say more because while he was reserved with his emotions, he didn’t mince words when arguing. But he just looked at me for a moment, shrugged and bent to pick up his bag. “Good enough for me for now,” was all he said before turning toward the door. Luke and I exchanged glances and smiled at each other. I took my cup of coffee from him and slipped my hand into his newly freed one. He gave it a light squeeze before pressing a soft kiss on the top of my head. It wasn’t the way I imagined introducing Luke to my grandfather but then a lot of the things that happened with Luke weren’t what I’d imagine relationships to be. Sometimes, reality could be better than our imagination. *** Eventually, my hangover went away, thanks to a late but proper lunch that my grandfather whipped up for me and Luke after we trailed him to a nearby grocery store to pick up some supplies. He made a skillet pizza with tortilla and threw on every appetizing ingredient a man could name on top of it. Even Luke was impressed. My grandfather just shrugged it off because I knew that he didn’t give a damn if he impressed an important a man as Luke Hedenby. To his point of view, Luke was just the guy I decided to be with and while he wouldn’t actively interfere, he reserved opinion on whether Luke was a go or a no for me. I volunteered to do the dishes when we were done and my grandfather readily agreed, saying he needed to go for a walk around the block to exercise his legs after a long, cramped flight. “Do you think Bart is going to give you hell about me?” Luke asked as he dried the large serving plate I handed him. I smiled. “He’s wary and I don’t blame him. You’ve got heartbreaker written all over you.” Luke gave me a droll look. “I do not.” I laughed. “Yes, you do. Good thing I know you better than what’s displayed on all that gorgeous packaging.” Luke wrapped his free arm around my waist and pulled me closer to him, his face dipping down until our noses touched. His eyes briefly closed before he brushed a soft kiss between my brows. “You have no idea how incredibly lucky I feel to have you,” he murmured. “And I want to have you with me, Max, all the time, all our lives. Can you do that with me?” With my heart rapidly beating a mad, excited rhythm, I lifted my face to look him in the eye. “What are you asking for, Luke?” A small smile played on his lips. “I’ve told you before. I’m asking for everything, Max.” He kissed me softly, his lips catching mine with light, tentative nips until they parted enough to let him in. Even with our slightly wet hands dampening spots on each other’s clothes as we drew in closer together, we kept going. And I probably would’ve kept going (because with Luke I didn’t seem to have brakes) if he hadn’t pulled away a little to cradle my face with his hands. “There are many things I want to do with you, that I want to give you, and they’ll happen,” he said. “I’ll have to leave you for a bit next week, while I head out to LA to clean up some of the chaos in my life that I don’t want to carry into the future with you. But I’ll come back and as soon as we get this whole proposal project out of the way with my father, I’ll take you away somewhere, just the two of us.” I nodded. “Is there any way I can help clear the chaos?” He smiled and gave me a quick kiss. “You’ve already helped with the chaos. You pinned me down in one place instead of letting me get lost in all of that.” I rolled my eyes and laughed a little at the cheesy answer that made my heart melt all the same. “How long will you be gone?”