Darkness Before Dawn

trepidation, she said in a soft voice, "I...I want more. I want to see what other places have to offer. Maybe you want to leave with me? We could go together? I would like to experience life outside of this small town, Luke. And... you should want that too, for both of us. Isn't there anything you want?"
    "I know what I want. I'm lookin' at her," Luke said to her in a barely audible voice, his eyes piercing hers. Luke was wound tight. Pushing off the tree with his back, the grass was hot, crumpled underneath his feet as he increased the space between him and Livy. Pissed wasn't even the word to describe what he was feeling at this very moment. Maybe agitated? Maybe fuming? He wasn't sure. It didn't matter. Luke reached into his pocket and pulled out a cigarette. He titled his head to the side, cupped the tip of the cigarette with his palm as he flicked his lighter and lit it. Taking a deep drag and exhaling, he was trying to interpret exactly what she was saying. Did Olivia just say, in so many words, that she wanted to leave? That she wanted to see if there was more out there for her? What else did she need? Did he hear her correctly? Blinking rapidly, he just shook his head and kept walking away. What the hell was he then? Nothing to her? Did the past four years mean absolutely zilch?
    Of course Luke wanted Olivia to do what made her happy, he'd do anything to satisfy her, but without him? He'd just assumed that they'd stay in Georgia together. The thoughts began to eat him up inside. Was he being selfish wanting Olivia to stay here with him? Probably. Did he give a shit that he was about to be a prick? Nope. Not a damn.
    Luke turned back toward Olivia with newly found determination. Pinching the cigarette between his thumb and forefinger, he gritted his teeth as he said, "Fine. Leave. If that's what you want, then go. I hope you find what you're looking for. But know this, I won't be waiting for you when you come back, 'cause baby, you'll be back. This place is in your bones. Mark my words."
    Standing up, Olivia had fire in her eyes as she stomped over to Luke, her hair blowing frantically in her face. She was just a few feet away now and seething in exasperation, her hands forming fists at her sides. Irritation rolled down her clammy skin in rippling waves that heated her to the core. Leave? Luke just told her to leave?
    "Luke! You're being stupid! We're young, fresh out of college and have our whole lives ahead of us. How do you know you're supposed to stay here? How do you know there isn't more waiting for you somewhere else?" Olivia yelled, throwing her arms around as she spoke. "Is this enough for you? To be confined to this little town where everyone knows everything? Is that what you want?"
    Luke stood stock still, his eyes narrowing in on her. This woman was making his blood boil, and not the way she usually did either. He had a feeling he knew where this conversation was going but didn't want to accept it just yet. With sheer purpose in his eyes, Luke took one last pull inhaling, flicked it and crossed the short distance to where Olivia was standing. He blew the smoke out and eyed her as if he'd just spotted his prey, ready to devour her.
    Reaching behind and grabbing the back of her head, he fisted her hair in his hand close to her scalp firmly. He used his left arm to circle her waist and pulled her flush against his body. Her back ached and her stomached pressed into him. He heard her breath catch as he held her tight. God, how he loved her. Loved her for some time now. Damn. Maybe even longer than the four years they've been dating, but now it felt as if she was leaving. He could feel it and was prepared to do anything to get her to change her mind. Call him selfish, he didn't want to see her go.
    Leaning down close enough to almost touch his face with hers, he searched her eyes as he said in a whisper, "You're enough for me, woman. You. I want what you want and I thought it was to be here. But now I'm seeing that we might not want thesame thing." Shaking his head, he said, "What changed, Liv?"
    Luke could feel Livy's body soften up against him. He loved that he had this effect on her. Dense hot air circulated them and flowed between them, making it hard to breathe. He'd like to believe that it was the humidity in the air right now, but they'd always had such chemistry together. He'd be fooling himself thinking otherwise.
    Luke stared down into Olivia's dark brown eyes. He brushed his lips gently