Her pulse flickers wildly in her neck as she reaches up on the tip of her toes and presses a soft kiss to my mouth. Her lips are soft and warm. Placing the glass on the counter, I grip her waist and she leans out, green eyes focus on me and she’s swimming in lust. I’m strong, but right now she has weakened me.
I take her face in my hand and kiss her. It isn’t soft. It’s urgent and harsh. Ella surprises me when she meets my kiss with her own harshness that matches mine.
The soft groan from her lips has my cock twitching painfully. My tongue enters her mouth. The taste of scotch and mint fills my own. She’s perfect.
A knock on the door has me breaking the kiss. When I look at Ella, she’s dazed, her eyes overcast like someone who’s drunk. I release her face as George steps in. He saw us kiss, I can tell from the light in his eyes.
“Sorry for disturbing you Master Lucas, but your father requests your company.”
“I’ll be with him in a moment.”
George gives Ella a quick glance before leaving. I turn to her now. She looks more put together, but still a little flustered.
“I have to go, but maybe later you might decide to tell me the truth.” I speak while putting on my jacket.
“The truth?” She sounds confused, like her mind isn’t focused.
“Yes. Ella. The truth. I told you before, your eyes give you away.”
I pause in front of her. “You were waiting for a reason.” I touch her swollen lips with my thumb. “Maybe you could tell me tonight at dinner.”
“Dinner?” Her chest rises quickly and I think of her breasts in my hands. I release her face.
“Yes, Ella, dinner.” I step away. I needed to meet my father. “Oh,” I pause at the door. “Wear something tight.” I wink and her temper flares.
The spitfire that I’m used to seeing returns, and I laugh as I leave the room. Tonight should be fun.
For the first time in a long time, I had something to look forward to.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
ELLA
I’m angry with myself for getting so sucked in with Lucas. It isn’t like he is charming, no; he is disarming.
That’s how I feel when he’s around me, like everything logically flees and all I’m left with is a jumble of emotions. I pull my lip between my teeth. That kiss. I catch myself smiling and scold myself as I leave the bar with a taste of scotch and Lucas on my tongue. I liked both.
Wear something tight. The way he had said it had my body flaming. His kiss had gotten under my skin and I felt it in every cell of my body. What would having him touch me do? I sigh and catch myself smiling again, as I make my way back to my room, where no doubt Hannah and Jessie are waiting on a report of my findings.
They knew I was going to wait for him. Guilt swirls in my stomach, I had nothing for them. But tonight at dinner would be a great opportunity. I’m only going to the meal for Vicky, I tell myself. The lie scorches into my cheeks.
“What happened?” For the second time, Hannah and Jessie scare the life out of me.
“I thought we discussed you waiting in the room,” I say as I hold a hand over my racing heart.
Hannah looks sheepish. “Sorry we were just worried.” She chews her lip.
“Is that scotch I smell?” Jessie leans in and sniffs me.
I swat her away and glance around the hallway. “Anyone could be listening.”
“Are you drunk?” Jessie fires another question as we start to walk.
“No. I had one drink.”
Hannah squeals. “You had a drink with Lucas?” Her face lights up.
“He’s the enemy, Hannah, he killed Vicky.”
I want to clamp my hand over Jessie’s mouth. “We don’t know that,” I whisper as we walk up the stairs.
We all pause, Sandra is standing on the landing, hands on her hips, eyes trained on us.
I continue up the stairs. “Sandra,” I greet her.
Her blond hair is loose and falls in those perfect curls that are fit for a commercial.
“Where were you?”
Hannah and Jessie join me on the landing.
“Out for a walk,” I say.
“Having a drink,” Jessie replies at the same time as me and Sandra raises a brow.
“We are allowed around the house.”
“Only the designated areas ladies.” She has such authority in her voice that I haven’t heard before.
I frown. “We did,” I respond.
She forces a smile. “Good. I just wanted to give a friendly reminder.”
She moves past us and down the stairs. We say nothing until we are in my room.
“What was that about?” Hannah asks what I am thinking.
“I don’t know. Is she normally like that?”
“Up in herself? Yes,” Jessie answers, while sitting on my bed.
“What happened?” Hannah can barely contain herself as she sits down beside Jessie on my bed. I join them, kicking off my shoes.
“I found out nothing.” I start with the bad news.
“Explain the drinking.” Hannah has that same excitement in her blue eyes that I saw earlier.
“He was just back from the wake and he needed a drink, so we talked at the bar.”
“So you did talk?” Jessie raises a perfectly arched brown eyebrow.
I can feel my face heat up. “It was more that he was rude, I was trying to get something out of him, but it wasn’t a good time.”
Hannah nods and tilts her head. Jessie doesn’t look convinced.
“So we have nothing. Again.” Jessie slides off my bed.
“He is taking me to dinner tonight, so I have another opportunity to quiz him.”
Hannah’s eyes grow so big and she claps her hands. I sometimes think she forgets this is a competition, her joy is real.
“A date?”
No. Dinner,” I respond quickly while grabbing her hands to stop her from clapping. She is making me nervous. “It means nothing,” I add quickly.
“It’s an opportunity that you have to use this time.” Jessie’s cool voice is a douse of water on Hannah’s excitement.
“I will. But I don’t have anything to wear.”
Jessie without my permission walks over to my double-door walk-in closet that I know is filled with gowns and dresses. She spreads out both her hands.
“You have loads.”
Wear something tight.
“I was thinking of something a little more distracting,” I say and can feel the heat in my cheeks.
Jessie smiles. “Oh, I like how you think.”
I feel guilty because I’m not sure if I’m wearing it to distract him or to seek his approval.
“Like seduce him.” Hannah wiggles her eyebrows.
“No, just have his mind wandering.” I feel cheap now as I say it out loud.
“Let me see what I have.” Jessie leaves the room and Hannah doesn’t hold back on her excitement.
“You have great boobs, maybe have something low cut.” She’s nodding and smiling like it’s a great idea.
The idea of having my boobs hanging out in front of Lucas has me laughing. “No way. I just meant something a little more fitted.”
“What’s he like?” Hannah’s voice is soft and I can see myself in her now. Waiting to hear the fairy tale. Picturing him all charming behind closed doors.