Lucien (8 page)

Luc almost laughed, but something in Eleanor’s eyes stopped him. She was serious.
Really
serious. Damn. He couldn’t shoot her down when for the first time in her life she was finally making a move to get out from underneath their grandfather’s thumb. “I won’t promise anything.”

“I know. All I ask is that you think about it.” Eleanor reached over and gave his arm a squeeze. “We can talk about it when I visit in a month.”

Luc groaned to himself. “Call before you show up, Eleanor.”

“Oh, of course,” she replied with a wave of her hand. “I wouldn’t want to interrupt your honeymoon at a most
inopportune
moment.”

Luc didn’t trust his twin as far as he could throw her. “No call, no help.”

“Aw, runt. You’re no fun.”

Thankfully the end of the meal came without any further requests for assistance from the women in his family and Luc was free to usher Elise out to his car. On the way to the door, he was surprised when Elise walked up to his grandfather and, of her own free will, hugged him. In the shocked silence that descended on the entrance way, he heard Elise whisper to the old man, “We’ll get along just fine, you and me. As long as you bow down to my dictate.”

His grandfather’s laughter echoed in the marble entranceway. “Get her out of here, son, before I start to like her.”

On a light laugh, Elise slipped from his grandfather and made the rounds, hugging his sisters and mother, then glided over to him and latched onto his arm. A minute later, they were out the door, heading for his car.

“How did I do?” she asked him as they strolled down the front walk.

Luc wrapped an arm around her shoulders and, pulling her close, pressed a kiss to the top of her head. “Darlin’, you did better than I ever could have expected.”

She giggled and snuggled closer. “Now, I know where you get your Lucifer look from. Your grandfather has it down pat.” She looked up at him. “You look a lot like him.”

“Is that good or bad?” He was grinning like an idiot but he didn’t give a damn.

“Oh, I think it’s good. Your grandfather is a very handsome man. It ought to make you feel better, knowing you’ll age well.” She laughed. “Can you imagine how well my mother and your grandfather are going to get along?”

Luc opened the car door for her. “Like oil and water.”

“Naw. Moonbeam’s a Fire sign. She may act like Libra, but deep down she’s a Leo. She’s gonna have fun with your grandfather and he’s gonna love every minute of it.”

Luc pulled her close for a kiss. “And what are you?”

Elise braced her hands on his shoulders and her fingers flexed against him, her nails digging into his body like sharp, little talons. “Fire. I’m an Aries.”

He cupped her cheek in his hand. “Then I guess it’s a good thing I’m not a Water sign,” he whispered then kissed her.

Elise responded as fiercely as she had in his office. It thrilled and terrified him. Thrilled him because she opened to him, meeting him with a passion he’d only dreamed of. Terrified him, because he sensed a fire in her he wasn’t sure he would survive. This was the second time he’d kissed her and he seriously doubted his control. If she kept him at arm’s length for more than a few more days, he would go stark raving mad.

He’d been an idiot to kiss her in the office. He should have waited. Then he wouldn’t have to endure a near constant state of arousal in the office or sweat drenched sheets caused by erotic dreams with Elise as the star.

She sighed and leaned into him.

Luc crushed her against him and deepened the kiss. He was starving. He wanted more than to have her in his bed. He wanted to possess Elise. He didn’t just want to, he needed to. It was a hunger, burning inside him.

For the first time in his life, he found himself admitting that he liked a woman. Liked and not just lust. Okay, so he did lust after her, but the point was his relationship with Elise was
nothing
like his engagement to Margot was.

He’d been able to tolerate Margot.
Barely.
But… with Elise? He enjoyed being with her. She didn’t grate on his nerves. She complimented him. She made him smile, frown, seethe… laugh. When he was with her, he felt… an emotion he didn’t want to name. Whatever it was, it felt damn good. And right. He’d made the right decision that night he let Margot storm out of Andersen Corporation.

A tiny, irritating voice niggled at the back of his conscience. He hadn’t told her about the second part to his deal with his grandfather. Damn. He should have told her the night he’d asked her to marry him. But if he had, Elise would have said no and then he wouldn’t be standing in his grandfather’s driveway, kissing her like the she was the last meal he’d ever have.

Would it be so bad if she were the last meal he’d ever have? One that consisted of commitment, monogamy, and one happily ever after that’d guarantee him the one and only spot in the list of lucky bastards worthy of her charm?

It was possible. Hell, it even might be probable.
If
—and that was a big IF—he continued to ignore his noble bastard of a conscience and kept his mouth shut long enough to make it to the wedding.

And more importantly, his body reminded him with every beat of his heart, the wedding night. When she would become his and his alone.

Oh yeah, he could so make this happen. And he’d start by doing what he did best.

Making sure the fairy tale princess received exactly what she craved in the innermost core of her hopelessly romantic heart.

Elise pulled back her chair and stopped herself before she sat on a small box of chocolate someone had left in her seat. She picked up the box, then sat down and opened it.

“Oh, he didn’t,” she whispered, grinning. The box wasn’t filled with chocolate. It was filled with pen caps. Elise poked through the assortment and chose the tastiest looking cap. A prickling sensation raised the hairs on the back of her neck and she turned around.

Luc leaned against the wall of her cubicle, a sly smile gracing his handsome features. “Taste good?”

“Mmm, delicious,” she answered. “Thank you.”

His gaze dropped to her mouth. “No. Thank you.” He drew in a deep breath, a look of longing on his face. “Did they call about your car?” His voice was thick and laced with Southern charm.

Elise swallowed, fighting the urge to squirm in her seat. “Yes. Hawke said it was bad, but he fixed it.”

His gaze jerked back to her eyes. “Hawke?”

“The mechanic.”

“Oh.” He smirked. “What kind of name is Hawke?”

“Um, a nickname.” Elise bit her lip and felt the heat creep into her cheeks. If he didn’t stop looking at her like dessert she was going to… do something she shouldn’t. “They used to call him Hawk-eye, because they said he had hands like a surgeon. His real name is Harlen.” Elise refrained from telling Luc what her mother had said about Hawke’s hands. “Mom started calling him Hawke when they, um, started dating.” Dating? Oh boy, that was definitely stretching the truth. Hawke was Moonbeam’s latest initiate into her free love philosophy.

“I see.” Luc pushed off from the cubicle wall. “When are you supposed to pick it up?”

Elise glanced at her watch. “Donna said she could give me a ride over there in a few minutes.”

“I’ll take you.” He grinned at her surprised look. “I’m curious to see what kind of man your mother would date. Give me five minutes and we’ll go.” He disappeared into his office.

Elise stared after him for a good thirty seconds, clutching the box of pen caps to her stomach. She still couldn’t believe this was her last day at Andersen Corporation and in six days she would be married to Luc. “I must be insane,” she muttered, then went off to find Donna. She found Donna in the break room, told her about the change in plans then went back to her desk to get her purse.

“Ready?”

Elise spun around and her breath caught in her throat. He was so handsome. And thoughtful. Giving her a box of chocolates would have been sweet, but pen caps…? That was the sweetest, most thoughtful thing anyone had done for her in a long, long time. If she thought he was a considerate boss, then she suspected he’d be even more thoughtful as a husband. She nodded and Luc escorted her out to his car. As they passed by her co-workers, there were a lot of knowing smiles and winks. Apparently everyone in the building was under the same impression that Elise’s family was. That and everyone in the building seemed to think that they had a personal hand in getting Luc and Elise together.

His hand rested at the small of her back, propelling her through the office building and toward the front door, and Elise shivered. It was a small thing, but it felt as if he were branding her with his touch. The same thing had happened when she’d slipped on the engagement ring. It was as if suddenly she became his. His woman. The thought of Luc having a possessive streak was oddly tantalizing. Elise had never pictured herself as the submissive type, but… she kinda liked the notion of being labeled as Luc’s woman.

At the entrance, he reached around in front of her and pushed open the door.

Elise paused and glanced up at him. “Thank you,” she murmured. She wondered if he knew how much she cherished the little things like this. Opening the door. Pulling out her chair. All the little things that the men her mother dated never did unless specifically asked to do them.

“My pleasure.”

Outside, Elise slipped on her sunglasses and stole a few glimpses of him from the corner of her eye. She’d had nearly a week to ponder his qualities—the ones which would make him into her idea of the perfect husband.

First of all, she loved him. What had started out as an infatuation had slowly blossomed into love. Elise smiled. There was something to be said for taking things slow, she thought. He was the most attractive man she’d ever known. The most compelling. He could draw her eye time and time again. And each time she looked at him, she learned—or rather, she realized—some new facet of his personality.

Such as, Luc was a gentleman. He was a rogue when he teased her, but he never mocked her. He hadn’t mocked her for her old-fashioned nature. And for that, he’d scored more points than bone-melting kisses could ever gain him. Sexy men were a dime a dozen and Elise knew that—with one phone call to her mother—she could have a drop-dead gorgeous hunk waiting on her doorstep when she got home from work. But Elise didn’t want that. Elise wanted the man who could make her sigh with his thoughtfulness. A man who would understand and treasure everything she had to offer. Luc was that man.

He unlocked the passenger’s door and opened it for her.

“Thank you.” Elise sent him a dreamy smile and slid into the seat. “I could get very used to this.”

His smile was rakish and warmed her to her toes. “That’s the plan, darlin’.” He closed the door and her eyes followed him as he walked around the front of the car.

Oh yes
, she thought
, he is definitely that man
. The man she could respect and trust with her fanciful dreams of the future. Someone she could confide in. A strong shoulder she could lean on. A warm and very masculine body to curl up next to at night.
Oh yes, he was definitely that man.
And in six days he would be her husband.

Luc climbed in behind the wheel and glanced at her. “Do you get the feeling that someone has planned a surprise for us?”

“You mean in the office?” He nodded, starting the engine, and she said, “Probably.”

“You know, we don’t have to go back in.” He backed out of the parking space. “We could play hooky for the rest of the day.”