contact kept me on edge. So much so that I had to wonder
if that wasn’t his intent.
I couldn’t forget for a moment how he’d awakened me or the
crazy/daring inspiration that had hit me afterward. Making breakfast in nothing
but an apron? Where had I gotten the nerve to do that? Never mind how much I
was looking forward to a repeat performance.
Remembering the expression on Lucas’ face when he walked
into the kitchen, I couldn’t help grinning. That really had been priceless.
I darted a sidelong glance at him and my breath caught. He
looked almost impossibly gorgeous, all chiseled features and honed body with a
vibe that exuded masculinity.
Sunlight glinted off the dark chocolate of his hair. Rough
silk stubble slightly softened the line of his jaw but also emphasized the
chiseled perfection of his mouth. He was wearing a hunter green T-shirt and faded
jeans that left no doubt that he was in superb shape.
He looked far less the successful executive and more like
the bad boy from the wrong side of town. One who had gone on to become a rock
star or maybe--
A bus rumpled by, heading down Fifth Avenue. The side facing
me hosted an advertisement for Calvin Klein underwear featuring a very fit
young man with chiseled pecs and rippling abs, wearing only briefs and a smile.
I laughed softly.
Lucas followed the direction of my gaze and snorted. “See
something you like?”
“Sort of… I was just thinking, you’ve spent your twenties
building a real estate empire when all that time you could have been a
superstar underwear model.”
He stared at me dumbfounded for a moment before tipping his
head back and laughing out loud. I couldn’t help noticing the women and a few
men who stopped whatever they were doing and just enjoyed the sight of him.
Not that I could blame them. Lucas relaxed and having a good
time was a sight to behold. But then so was passionate, intense Lucas and even
mad-and-going-to-fuck-you-up-against-a-wall-because-of-it Lucas. In any mood,
under any circumstances, he overwhelmed me.
As he did right then when, holding my eyes with his, he
raised my hand and brushed his mouth slowly over the curve of my fingers. His
touch shot straight to my groin. I only just managed to stifle a moan.
“You’re good for me,” he said softly.
I thought of all the reasons why I wasn’t, starting with my
family history and extending through my commitment issues. A well of regret
opened up in me. Softly, I asked, “What makes you think that?”
“If not for you, I probably would have gone into the office
today instead of being out here enjoying the beautiful weather with a beautiful
woman.”
I flushed at the compliment even as I was determined not to
take it too seriously. Lucas was undoubtedly very accustomed to beautiful
women. He could have his pick of them. The fact that he worked as hard as he
did at a business that was already hugely successful suggested that feminine
companionship wasn’t enough of a challenge or a novelty to divert him.
Determined not to dwell on that, I said, “But it’s Sunday.”
He nodded and lowered my hand but continued holding it. As
we began walking again, he said, “That means nothing to many of my clients. We
have to be up and running 24/7. I’ve got people on staff who are in New York
but only geographically. They stay synced to a different time zone—Asia, Russia,
the Middle East—wherever their focus is.”
I’d heard of people in international finance doing that but
it hadn’t occurred to me that it could be necessary in other fields. The fact
that Phelps Properties required it gave me some insight into the global range
of Lucas’ business.
But apparently he did have interests apart from that. When
we stopped at a kiosk that specialized in children’s books, he was quickly
absorbed. I listened as he chatted with the sales clerk, in the process
displaying a knowledge of the current children’s favorites that had her staring
at him with even more than
if that wasn’t his intent.
I couldn’t forget for a moment how he’d awakened me or the
crazy/daring inspiration that had hit me afterward. Making breakfast in nothing
but an apron? Where had I gotten the nerve to do that? Never mind how much I
was looking forward to a repeat performance.
Remembering the expression on Lucas’ face when he walked
into the kitchen, I couldn’t help grinning. That really had been priceless.
I darted a sidelong glance at him and my breath caught. He
looked almost impossibly gorgeous, all chiseled features and honed body with a
vibe that exuded masculinity.
Sunlight glinted off the dark chocolate of his hair. Rough
silk stubble slightly softened the line of his jaw but also emphasized the
chiseled perfection of his mouth. He was wearing a hunter green T-shirt and faded
jeans that left no doubt that he was in superb shape.
He looked far less the successful executive and more like
the bad boy from the wrong side of town. One who had gone on to become a rock
star or maybe--
A bus rumpled by, heading down Fifth Avenue. The side facing
me hosted an advertisement for Calvin Klein underwear featuring a very fit
young man with chiseled pecs and rippling abs, wearing only briefs and a smile.
I laughed softly.
Lucas followed the direction of my gaze and snorted. “See
something you like?”
“Sort of… I was just thinking, you’ve spent your twenties
building a real estate empire when all that time you could have been a
superstar underwear model.”
He stared at me dumbfounded for a moment before tipping his
head back and laughing out loud. I couldn’t help noticing the women and a few
men who stopped whatever they were doing and just enjoyed the sight of him.
Not that I could blame them. Lucas relaxed and having a good
time was a sight to behold. But then so was passionate, intense Lucas and even
mad-and-going-to-fuck-you-up-against-a-wall-because-of-it Lucas. In any mood,
under any circumstances, he overwhelmed me.
As he did right then when, holding my eyes with his, he
raised my hand and brushed his mouth slowly over the curve of my fingers. His
touch shot straight to my groin. I only just managed to stifle a moan.
“You’re good for me,” he said softly.
I thought of all the reasons why I wasn’t, starting with my
family history and extending through my commitment issues. A well of regret
opened up in me. Softly, I asked, “What makes you think that?”
“If not for you, I probably would have gone into the office
today instead of being out here enjoying the beautiful weather with a beautiful
woman.”
I flushed at the compliment even as I was determined not to
take it too seriously. Lucas was undoubtedly very accustomed to beautiful
women. He could have his pick of them. The fact that he worked as hard as he
did at a business that was already hugely successful suggested that feminine
companionship wasn’t enough of a challenge or a novelty to divert him.
Determined not to dwell on that, I said, “But it’s Sunday.”
He nodded and lowered my hand but continued holding it. As
we began walking again, he said, “That means nothing to many of my clients. We
have to be up and running 24/7. I’ve got people on staff who are in New York
but only geographically. They stay synced to a different time zone—Asia, Russia,
the Middle East—wherever their focus is.”
I’d heard of people in international finance doing that but
it hadn’t occurred to me that it could be necessary in other fields. The fact
that Phelps Properties required it gave me some insight into the global range
of Lucas’ business.
But apparently he did have interests apart from that. When
we stopped at a kiosk that specialized in children’s books, he was quickly
absorbed. I listened as he chatted with the sales clerk, in the process
displaying a knowledge of the current children’s favorites that had her staring
at him with even more than
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