made it clear that the ultimate choice of a relationship between the two of them would be up to her. To a degree, the last time they met, he had told her that he wasn’t willing to have any sort of relationship with her until she had told him she wanted him too.
In Nicky’s mind there was no doubting that she wanted Lucien. Quite desperately, as it happened.
And if he had done this, if Lucien had truly had a hand in stopping Lionel Jenkins from blackmailing any more of his female employees into having sex with him, then she at least owed Lucien her thanks. And the gratitude of all the women who worked at Jenkins, Simmons and Simmons, who would no longer be easy prey for a sexual predator like Lionel Jenkins.
Nicky knew she also wanted, ached, to see Lucien again...
She knew he was arrogance personified. That he was cold. Spoke graphically of sex and the things he wanted to do to her.
The things he had done to her in Petruccio’s.
And every one of those things made her toes curl.
Everything about Lucien made her toes curl.
That wasn’t even including the way that he looked; the man had the appearance of a Greek god and the charismatic sex appeal to match; it was impossible to look at Lucien without thinking of sex.
And even while those looks were a definite plus, it was that ‘I’ll do what I damn well please and don’t anybody fuck with me’ attitude Lucien had that intrigued and tempted Nicky the most. He wasn’t afraid to say and do exactly what he wanted when he wanted. He wasn’t afraid—he wasn’t afraid—
He wasn’t afraid...
And Nicky—although she may take such care not show it outwardly, was afraid of everything. The past, the now, the future. She had been afraid for so long now that she carried it with her like a heavy cloak.
And she was tired of it.
So very tired.
“When did you last eat?”
Nicky blinked, her nerves already completely frazzled from finally having found the courage to come and see Lucien—a full twenty-four hours after reading that newspaper article about his having bought Lionel Jenkins’ company.
Although she hadn’t had to suffer through the same ritual as last time in order to get into the Wynter Enterprises building, or to be allowed up to Lucien’s office on the tenth floor.
As soon as she had pressed the buzzer the outer door had been opened automatically by the man seated behind the security desk. She hadn’t seen the man with the scar at his temple this time, but the man seated at the desk looked almost as intimidating, watching her through narrowed lids as she walked over to the elevator and stepped inside, pressing the button for the tenth floor.
The cool blonde had been sitting behind her desk today, giving Nicky a warm smile as she told her to go straight through to Lucien’s office.
Obviously because Lucien had left instructions that if—when?—Nicky returned, she was to be allowed to go straight in to see him.
He really was that confident she would come back.
Under the circumstances, the last thing Nicky had been prepared for, after gathering up her courage and knocking on the imposing door into Lucien’s inner sanctum, was to have him verbally attack her the moment she stepped into the room.
“I believe it’s polite to first say hello when someone comes to visit?” She eyed him irritably.
“When the fuck did you last eat?” Lucien was barely keeping his anger in check as he stood up from behind his desk; Nicky looked as if she had lost several pounds in weight since he last saw her five days ago. A fact she had tried, and failed, to hide beneath a baggy sweater and jeans.
The triumph he had felt, when security had rung up to his office a few minutes ago and told him that Miss McKenzie was on her way up, had now been replaced with anger at that obvious weight loss. Damn it, did Nicky hate the idea of coming to him for help so much she would rather starve to death?
“Come with me.” His fingers encircled one of her
In Nicky’s mind there was no doubting that she wanted Lucien. Quite desperately, as it happened.
And if he had done this, if Lucien had truly had a hand in stopping Lionel Jenkins from blackmailing any more of his female employees into having sex with him, then she at least owed Lucien her thanks. And the gratitude of all the women who worked at Jenkins, Simmons and Simmons, who would no longer be easy prey for a sexual predator like Lionel Jenkins.
Nicky knew she also wanted, ached, to see Lucien again...
She knew he was arrogance personified. That he was cold. Spoke graphically of sex and the things he wanted to do to her.
The things he had done to her in Petruccio’s.
And every one of those things made her toes curl.
Everything about Lucien made her toes curl.
That wasn’t even including the way that he looked; the man had the appearance of a Greek god and the charismatic sex appeal to match; it was impossible to look at Lucien without thinking of sex.
And even while those looks were a definite plus, it was that ‘I’ll do what I damn well please and don’t anybody fuck with me’ attitude Lucien had that intrigued and tempted Nicky the most. He wasn’t afraid to say and do exactly what he wanted when he wanted. He wasn’t afraid—he wasn’t afraid—
He wasn’t afraid...
And Nicky—although she may take such care not show it outwardly, was afraid of everything. The past, the now, the future. She had been afraid for so long now that she carried it with her like a heavy cloak.
And she was tired of it.
So very tired.
“When did you last eat?”
Nicky blinked, her nerves already completely frazzled from finally having found the courage to come and see Lucien—a full twenty-four hours after reading that newspaper article about his having bought Lionel Jenkins’ company.
Although she hadn’t had to suffer through the same ritual as last time in order to get into the Wynter Enterprises building, or to be allowed up to Lucien’s office on the tenth floor.
As soon as she had pressed the buzzer the outer door had been opened automatically by the man seated behind the security desk. She hadn’t seen the man with the scar at his temple this time, but the man seated at the desk looked almost as intimidating, watching her through narrowed lids as she walked over to the elevator and stepped inside, pressing the button for the tenth floor.
The cool blonde had been sitting behind her desk today, giving Nicky a warm smile as she told her to go straight through to Lucien’s office.
Obviously because Lucien had left instructions that if—when?—Nicky returned, she was to be allowed to go straight in to see him.
He really was that confident she would come back.
Under the circumstances, the last thing Nicky had been prepared for, after gathering up her courage and knocking on the imposing door into Lucien’s inner sanctum, was to have him verbally attack her the moment she stepped into the room.
“I believe it’s polite to first say hello when someone comes to visit?” She eyed him irritably.
“When the fuck did you last eat?” Lucien was barely keeping his anger in check as he stood up from behind his desk; Nicky looked as if she had lost several pounds in weight since he last saw her five days ago. A fact she had tried, and failed, to hide beneath a baggy sweater and jeans.
The triumph he had felt, when security had rung up to his office a few minutes ago and told him that Miss McKenzie was on her way up, had now been replaced with anger at that obvious weight loss. Damn it, did Nicky hate the idea of coming to him for help so much she would rather starve to death?
“Come with me.” His fingers encircled one of her
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