Falling In (27 page)

“You were beautiful, Evelyn. You please me very much.”

She nestled against his chest, a sort of affection he was slowly coming to expect from her. It warmed him, and he drew her closer. Essentially, they hugged for several moments, neither of them willing to let the other go just yet.

She quieted. Slowly, he stood and went to the bathroom. Running warm water over a cloth, he returned to where she lay on the floor and gently lifted her. Lucian cradled her pliant body to his chest and settled her into the bed. The cloth cleared away the remnants of their passion, and she shivered. Carefully tucking her under the heavy satin covers, he discarded the cloth and climbed in beside her, drawing her body close to his, needing to hold her.

His hands coasted over the gentle curve of her shoulder as his gaze watched her drift slowly to sleep. He couldn't tear his touch or his gaze from her. For some reason he needed to see her, feel her, know she was real and right there beside him.

As her breathing settled and her body drifted off to sleep, his mind seemed to waken, a thousand thoughts running through his head, each one triggering the next. His fingers twirled her soft hair, admiring its silken sheen, loving the subtle weight of it in his palm.

This was more than finding her to make sure she was safe. This was more than fucking her because he had to have her. This was more than anything a casual proposition for company should become, but he was glad it had evolved to something else entirely.

Evelyn provoked a possessive side in him that had been dormant too long. He was not an easy man, no point in pretending to be. He knew it, his business partners knew it, Evelyn knew it. But this territorial side of him that came out around Evelyn was different than anything he ever felt. It was . . . softer. Beyond the intense need to claim her as his, came some sort of tender desire.

It wasn't enough that she be with him. She needed to be happy, fulfilled. Emotionally, physically, and any other way a person could be made to feel content.

A soft little sound escaped her lips as she nestled closer to his chest. Her warm flesh was soft and smooth, so different than his own. Lucian cuddled her close, wrapping his arms around her delicate form protectively, not wanting to let her go, never
intending
to let her go.

Part III

Evelyn

Chapter 39

The hours to come . . .

All of Scout's life she'd essentially been the same person, but that person she had always been suddenly seemed unrecognizable. She was losing Scout and becoming Evelyn. She was changing.

Evelyn had visited the spa early that morning and had her appointment with the girls, getting everything trimmed, waxed, painted, and plucked. She was acutely sore, but glad to have it done with. She was coming to take pride in such regimens and loved the way Lucian noticed such things and appreciated her efforts.

On her way back from the salon, she almost mistook a Patras attendant for Parker. The resemblance was uncanny. The man she saw had the same soft eyes and careless posture she had come to recognize as Parker's, yet this man had a bit more meat on his bones and his skin had a healthy rosy glow. His hair wasn't as long as Parker's. She wanted to get the man's name after he'd looked directly at her in the lobby, but, as a group of guests cut through the foyer to the elevators, she'd lost track of him.

Probably best she didn't approach him anyway. What would she even say?
You look just like my friend.
Like he would care.

Since the incident in the lobby, however, her mind had stuck on Parker, and she wondered how he was. The snow was now gone and the bitter cold relented to uncomfortably arctic. Not perfect conditions, but certainly less bite.

Evelyn asked Lucian about the progress being made at St. Christopher's and was pleased to discover the shelter had reopened its doors that past weekend in time for Christmas. Lucian also informed her that he'd replenished the facility with a month's worth of food and other goods like cots that would lift the residents off the ground, blankets, a free laundry facility, showers, a huge shipment of coats, gloves, hats, and boots. He was a master of hospitality and basically turned the shelter into a free hotel for the needy. This information was extremely dangerous for her heart, which was already hazardously close to falling in love.

She couldn't love Lucian. She just couldn't. Love was a trap. It led people to depend on others who might not always be there and gave them the ability to hurt you more than anyone else ever could. She'd only ever loved one person, and she'd done nothing but show Scout all the reasons she should have protected her heart.

As they made the ride out of the city one afternoon, the highway opened up and Evelyn recognized the familiar route. Much like the last time they made this trip, she was anxious. Although she'd visited Lucian's home once, it felt like years had passed since then. And that time didn't include his family.

She had a chilling thought. “Will Slade be there?”

Lucian's otherwise serene expression shuttered. “No.”

He didn't offer any explanation, so she let the topic of his friend go. Lucian must've detected her unease, because he pulled her close and rubbed her shoulders. She'd become dependent on his constant touch. Another dangerous thing.

“Are you anxious about leaving the city? We'll be back.”

“No, this time I'm anxious about going to your home.”

“Why?”

“Well . . . what if your sisters don't like me?”

He rolled his eyes. “That's nonsense. They'll love you.”

She hoped he was right.

“You know,” he said, interrupting more of her anxious musings. “If you need a distraction I'm sure I could provide one.”

Evelyn elbowed him. He was so full of himself. But he was right. Lucian could drive her to distraction like no one else could. “I can't.”

“Why?”

“Patrice told me no fooling around for at least twelve hours.”

He gave her a sidelong glance. She knew that look in his eye. He looked at her like that whenever he was having dirty thoughts. “Did she now?”

“Yes. I'm puffy and I hurt.”

He pouted dramatically. “Oh, I'll have to kiss it all better. What else did Patrice say?”

Frowning, she asked, “What do you mean? She asked me how I was and how you and I were doing, where we were spending our holiday, stuff like that.”

“She didn't have anything to say about your pretty pussy?”

She smacked his arm. “Girls don't talk like that!”

He laughed. “Wanna bet?”

“Well, Patrice doesn't.”

He hugged her close. “Oh, Evelyn, how innocent and trusting you are.”

Trusting
was the last word she'd use to describe herself, and she didn't appreciate the patronizing tone in his voice. She turned and scowled at him. “What're you suggesting? That I don't know Patrice?”

“Not at all. I'm merely acknowledging that your memory suffers when you drink.”

A frown crinkled her brow as she thought back to the night she'd hung out with Patrice. Nothing specifically came to mind out of the ordinary. Pursing her lips she said, “Explain.”

He chuckled. “Patrice is very fond of you. She made it quite clear when I came to collect your little drunken ass the night of your bar escapades.”

“I did
not
have escapades,” Evelyn said crossing her arms.

“The four-hundred-dollar bar bill I paid says otherwise. It was very thoughtful of you to buy so many rounds for the house, by the way.”

Her eyes widened and her gut twisted like she was going to be sick. “Oh my God, Lucian, I'm so sorry. I'll pay you back. I swear.”

He waved off her concern. “It's nothing. I'm glad you enjoyed yourself. Now, let's get back to Patrice. She's quite pretty, don't you think?”

“I guess, but I don't see why you should notice.”

He smiled and pinched her chin. “Don't be jealous. My observations were purely for your benefit.”

He was ruffling her feathers on purpose. “How's Patrice being attractive going to benefit me?”

“Because I enjoy exploring your sexual appetites. She seemed quite fond of your beautiful pussy.”

Evelyn stopped breathing. He had to be teasing. Lucian surprised her on a daily basis, but that was just taking things too far. Her throat was dry as sand, and she swallowed. It didn't help. Her mouth gaped like a fish, but again, it couldn't be helped.

He laughed and patted her knee. “Don't worry. It'll only be me who touches you. I won't ask you to do anything you're uncomfortable with—much. I'm not sure my possessive nature could tolerate you touching someone else, no matter how titillating the thought is.”

She finally snapped out of her dumbness. “Lucian, Patrice isn't like that—”

“Yes, Evelyn, she is. Not only is she like that, she informed Dugan and me that you had a beautiful vagina. There was no mistaking her intent. Especially after seeing the way she touched you.”

“We're friends!”

He shrugged. “Sometimes friends fuck.”

She scowled at him. She wasn't stupid. She knew about gays and lesbians. She just wasn't one. “Well, I don't fuck my friends.”

All jovialness disappeared. “Oh, I know. I'm glad you do too, so we won't have to have that talk in the future.”

“Besides, girls can't fuck other girls.”

She saw him tilt his head curiously in the reflection of the window. “Why, because they don't have a penis? That's ridiculous. I could stay completely clothed and fuck your brains out. In fact, your ignorant certainty on the matter makes me wonder if that's exactly what I should do tonight.”

She didn't like his choice of words. “I'm not stupid, Lucian.” She glared at him from over her shoulder.

“I'd never say you were, and I'd beat the shit out of anyone who ever even hinted at such a falsehood. I'm merely saying that you underestimate all the ways a woman can be fucked when a flesh-and-blood cock is not available.”

She turned back to the window. “I don't want to talk about this anymore.”

A few minutes went by and he leaned close to her. He whispered, “There are toys, Evelyn. A myriad of playthings meant to bring a woman to climax faster than any hand, mouth, or living cock ever could.”

Evelyn shivered as his warm breath tickled her ear. Her pussy clenched of its own volition, and she told herself it had everything to do with Lucian's closeness and tone of voice and nothing to do with the mention of other women.

“Imagine,” he continued softly, his fingers tickling under the delicate wisps of hair that had slipped from her bun. “What would it feel like to have a dildo up your cunt that turned and vibrated, and pumped over your G-spot without the need for a break? I bet it would feel sensational, probably better than the water massager—which by the way, if I hear you bringing yourself to orgasm one more time while you're taking a bath I'm going to spank that little ass of yours. Those are my orgasms to give, and you don't take them without asking.”

Blood rushed to the surface of her cheeks. How the fuck had he known that? She always made sure she wasn't loud. He gave the warning teasingly, but there was real disappointment behind his words. Knowing that she'd somehow disappointed Lucian did odd things to her. She hated the shame that came with the knowledge that she somehow let him down. His praise felt a hundred times better.

“I'm sorry.”

“Let's not dwell on it. You've been warned. Now, where was I? Oh, yes, there was a big vibrating dildo up your pussy about to make you come. Now, Evelyn, imagine that dildo also had an attachment that stimulated your clit a mile a minute.” Her body shivered.

Lucian's hand reached under her arm and undid the snap of her jeans. She watched as his finger slowly undid her zipper. He placed an arm over her shoulders and drew her back until she was reclining on him. Lucian took her hand and guided it under the denim V of her open pants and placed it over her warm panties. She was drenched.

“Be very gentle,” he whispered. “Let's not forget about all of Patrice's warnings.”

Evelyn could scent her own arousal. Her fingers massaged over the wet patch at the front of her panties. The smooth surface beneath the silk was hot and sensitive from being waxed only hours ago.

Lucian's fingers opened the buttons of her coat and the buttons of her blouse. His fingers slipped between the panels of fabric and found her nipple. He plucked leisurely.

“Now let's say your hands are restrained and you're at my mercy while I'm fucking your wet little cunt with that big nasty toy. Oh, I bet you're begging for release, practically crying for it. In fact, perhaps you're making such a ruckus that I climb on top of you and force my cock in your mouth.”

She moaned at the thought.

“Keep rubbing, Evelyn, but don't come.”

Her finger slowed, but continued to play over the saturated silk. Her body throbbed. She was so close, so close that she feared accidentally pushing herself too far and not being able to draw herself back in time to stop the wave of release once it crested.

Lucian nudged her wrist. “I said keep rubbing.”

Her breathing quickened and she shook with the tension of holding back her orgasm.

Lucian's deep, gravelly voice only made things worse. “So you have my cock deep in your mouth and you're loving it. Meanwhile, I turn the vibrator between your thighs and the part that was just vibrating your clit is now tapping on your tight little asshole. I imagine you scream out the exquisite pleasure and my cock moves a bit deeper.”

Her heart was going to beat out of her chest.

“Then,” he said silkily, “Perhaps I turn you, so while you're swallowing my cock my mouth's sucking on your clit and you're suddenly coming hard.”

Her gasp turned to a guttural moan as her hand was suddenly ripped from her pants. She needed to come. “Damn it, Lucian!”

He clucked his tongue. “I'm afraid not, Evelyn. Not when you already stole one orgasm from me this morning. No, I think you'll have to wait until your twelve hours are up. Patrice's orders.”

She hated him. Her teeth gritted and she stifled all the nasty names she wanted to call him. And then it occurred to her that she was her own person and if she wanted to come, all she had to do was reach between her legs and make herself come. Lucian be damned!

Her teeth slowly unclenched. It wouldn't be as good. In fact, it would be the opposite of good. Lucian's disappointment would weigh on her until she felt as though she were drowning. Imagining him frowning at her and the shame she'd feel at not doing what he asked made her want to turn and apologize. And she hadn't even done anything! She was seriously fucked up.

For several minutes her brow lowered in confusion as Evelyn thought of this obsession she had with pleasing Lucian. She didn't do it out of fear. On the contrary, she did it because his praise made it that much better. He never yelled at her or punished her. Even though he was always in control, she never felt forced into anything. She had practically forgotten her safe word. She would have, if Lucian didn't remind her of it on a regular basis.

What was wrong with her?
Was
there anything wrong with her? She had no prior experiences to go by. All she knew was Lucian. She knew what he liked and she knew that she liked it too. She couldn't imagine it being any other way between a man and woman. She needed him to be in charge. Otherwise nothing would ever happen, because she certainly wasn't asking.

She pressed her fingers to her forehead. Dear God, she was like a brainwashed puppet. Yes, Lucian. Please, Lucian. Thank you, Lucian. Yet every word out of her mouth was genuine. She wanted to be polite to him because she respected him. She wanted to thank him because he thought about her more than he did himself. She wanted to please him. Everything she did somehow always brought her back to him. She was addicted to Lucian.