Luke returned to the suite after seeing Bella off at the airport. He wandered around feeling a bit lost, aware of the deafening silence. Not that shes noisy, he mused. Shes just so full of life. Her absence left a void not simply in the room but in his soul.
You really do have it bad, Cowboy, he murmured to himself.
He sat on the terrace smoking a cigar, watching the sun drift lower in the sky, ever closer to the water. In his mind, he replayed some of their recent conversations. He thought about the firm way hed dismissed the idea of marriage. Why had he done that? Not that he thought he was ready for so big a step. But now, if he ever was, clearly, shed refuse.