“And this is Ben,” she said, never looking away from his face.
Lucian nodded and Ben responded in kind.
He returned his attention back to Ellie, feeling the tension leave his body now that he was able to see her, be near her. He could feel the tension in the room, but chose to ignore it. With the silence becoming almost oppressive, a knock on the door spurred Ellie into action and she dragged him to the door with her. He didn’t know whether she was protecting him from Ben or whether she was trying to keep him away from Nina.
He hadn’t known what to expect when he saw her again, but the gnawing restlessness clawing at his chest all week disappeared as soon as she touched him. He half expected that she might have talked herself out of seeing him because of the time they spent apart.
“I’ve missed you,” she whispered when they were out of earshot of her friends.
“I missed you, too. I ordered dinner for all of us, if that’s okay. I wanted to see you and meet your friends, although one of them hates me.”
“Well, I know you’re not talking about Nina because she’s too busy eye-humping you, so it must be Ben.”
His sharp laugh drew a huge smile. When she gave him a smile, he felt as though he’d been given a precious gift.
She opened the door, and he chuckled at the expression on her face. They stepped back to give the crew of five room to set up the dishes on the table, along with bottles of wine, soda, plates, utensils. In less than five minutes, they were out the door—with a large tip from Lucian. Soon the lids were removed from the containers, and the room was filled with the fragrance of garlic bread and other Italian delicacies.
Ellie snagged a slice of garlic bread and reached for his hand. She indicated to her friends to start eating, but she pulled him near the cabinets and let go of his hand long enough to scramble onto the countertop. She reached for him as soon as she was seated. When he stepped between her outstretched thighs, he groaned aloud as he watched her small, pink tongue dart out and catch a drop of butter.
“I wanted to give them a chance to get some food. How was your week?” she asked.
“It’s good now,” he stated.
“I’m serious.”
“So am I. We were working on the software rollout, so it seemed to be a longer week than it was. I finished coding about an hour ago. My thoughts were elsewhere.” He ran his hands up and down her thighs.
She finished the last bite of garlic bread and he held himself rigid, swallowing a groan. He wanted to lick her lips, but he didn’t think her friends would appreciate it. She scooted herself closer to him and wrapped her arms around his shoulders. Instead of the kiss he expected, she laid her head down on his shoulder and sighed. He curled his arms around her and rubbed his hands up and down her back, hoping to drain the tension that radiated from her body.
“So the client turned out worse than you described him?”
She turned her face and kissed his neck, before she took a deep breath and tightened her arms. “I found out that the client delayed because he wanted to spend time with me. He asked me out as I was leaving work tonight. I told my boss what happened, and she dropped the client. My team put in so much work, but he wasn’t serious about our business.”
“I’m sorry, love.”
She lifted her head and gazed into his eyes. “I’m glad you came by. I was feeling lost for a little while, but now I’m better.”
His heart swelled in his chest at her admission, and he hoped his answering look told her that he felt as intensely about her. He pulled her off the counter and with a hand on the small of her back, steered her toward the food. Tiredness radiated from her, and all he wanted to do was to take care of her, and that included food.
They settled at her dining room table, and spoke of general topics. Ben glared at him while a dreamy look would cross the man’s face as he looked at Ellie, who was oblivious of the attentions of her friend. He learned that all three of them were friends for the last five years, both of them befriending Ellie because she was new to New York and the company. In that time, Ben had never asked her out, or even hinted that he had any feelings other than friendship, so Lucian didn’t feel as though he was treading on their possible relationship.
During dinner, he could feel Nina’s eyes on him, and it bothered Ellie each time her friend’s gaze turned his way by the number of times she squeezed his hand. He knew Nina had questions for him—either to protect her friend or for her own curiosity, he didn’t know—but instead of asking what she wanted to know, she skirted around it by asking him whether he had seen Ellie’s art.
“She created a sketch for my sister, and I honestly don’t think I’ve seen an artist so talented at capturing someone’s likeness.” He squeezed her hand underneath the table. “But I would like to see your paintings if you want to show me.”
“Maybe she doesn’t,” Ben interjected.
Nina glared at Ben a split second before he heard the thud. He smiled down at his plate when Ben grunted in pain and bent down to rub his shin. Nina smiled at him, and he gave her a small smile back.
For the rest of the dinner, he watched Ellie and Ben. Although Ben’s feelings were obvious, Ellie thought of Ben as nothing more than a friend. She treated him as a brother, and the relief that washed through him made him weak in the knees.
“So, Lucian, do you like being an escort?” Nina asked.
He choked, hiding the sound with a cough. Before he could respond to her question, Ellie glared at her friend and cut off the words that were stuck in his throat.
“It’s his first time,” Ellie blurted.
Ben let out a strangled laugh, Nina smiled at her friend, and Lucian brought Ellie into his side and kissed her on the top of her head.
He felt a pang of uneasiness as she defended him. As he watched her blush, he became determined that he would tell her the truth about how they met. It was unfair to lie to her in the first place, and the more he learned about her, the more he wanted her as a permanent part of his life. There was plenty of time to think about that, after he told her the truth. And that, he decided, would be tomorrow.
By the time her two friends left for the night, exhaustion was etched on Ellie’s face. He lifted her in his arms and carried her into the bathroom, setting her down in front of the mirror. He turned to leave but her cool hand on his stopped him in his tracks.
“Stay with me tonight?” she asked.
“I—”
“Please?”
“Of course. I’ll leave you alone to get ready for bed.”
She nodded. The look of relief on her face made him smile as he closed the door behind him.
He took out his wallet and keys, and placed them on the end table to the right of the bed. His eyes were on the bathroom door as he sat on the bed and removed his shoes and socks, before he stood and shucked his pants and slid the shirt over his head, leaving him in a pair of boxer briefs. Just as he was draping his shirt over the chair she had in the corner of her room, the bathroom door opened and his heart stalled in his chest.
She had loosened her braid and brushed her hair, the beautiful mass cascading around her shoulders. She had changed into flannel pajama shorts and a white tank, similar to the one she wore when he had woken her up, and he clenched his hands to stop himself from reaching for her.
“Lucian?”
“You’re very…”
“So are you,” she breathed.
“Come here,” he demanded.
She moved to him without hesitation, and he reached for her hands, placing them on his naked chest. She moaned at the first contact, and he smiled as his mouth sought hers. In the back of his mind, he knew she was tired, so instead of deepening the kiss, he lifted her in his arms and laid her on the bed. Without breaking contact, he slid in next to her and pulled her head against his chest. Their legs became intertwined and his heart beat faster as she absently caressed his chest. He rubbed her back with languid strokes, breathing in her light scent, as she settled again
st him.
“Good-night, Lucian.”
“Night, love.”
A few minutes later, her breathing evened out and her body relaxed against his. It took several minutes for his body to relax and enjoy her touch, but as she mumbled something in her sleep and burrowed her head farther into his side, the heat flared and he grew hard. He resolved to ignore it, and with thoughts on the woman at his side, fell into a restless sleep.
Chapter Nine
In the five years she had lived in New York, Ellie had never been inside the Metropolitan Museum of Art. But as she walked down the front steps of the building, hand in hand with Lucian, she was grateful that she had waited.
Experiencing it with Lucian was both exhilarating and deeply satisfying.
He stood next to her as she explored almost every inch of the museum. His strong, steady hand enveloped hers as she pulled him from room to room. She spoke in hushed whispers, as if the statues and paintings would be disturbed by her if she spoke in her normal voice, and he responded the same way. It was a brilliant day that she was able to share with the man who had come to mean much more to her than she could even explain to herself. It was perfect.
“Wanna grab some dinner?” he asked.
“Thank you, Lucian,” she whispered as she turned to face him. She slipped her arms around his shoulders, and right there on the busy sidewalk, she kissed him with all the passion that they had built from day one.
He wound his arms around her waist and lifted her into his arms, until her chest was flush to his, and he proceeded to kiss her until her body grew hot and achy. She wanted to be alone with him, to explore this heat between them, but she was shaken from her fantasy when someone called her name.
“El?”
Lucian lowered her to her feet, and she smoothed out her clothing, not taking her eyes off him. Her body vibrated from the devastating kiss, but when she peeked up at him, the fierce expression on his face made her pause. He was scowling at someone, and when she turned to see who it was, she jerked back when she spotted Tim and Amanda standing so close to them. Lucian hauled her close, a protective arm around her shoulders, and she relaxed into him.
“Hi, Tim, Amanda,” she said.
“Hey, El, I thought that was you,” Tim said.
She flinched at the nickname she hated, but the smiling man took no notice. When she looked at the couple in front of her, she found that there were no lingering feelings for him.
Because of them, she was with Lucian, who made her feel beautiful and comfortable in her own skin. Tim was embarrassed from the way she dressed to the way she styled her hair, and although image didn’t matter that much to her, it became a big obstacle in their relationship.
Amanda was perfect for him because she fit the mold of what he wanted. Tall, blonde, stunning, and dressed the part.
As her eyes shifted to Amanda, Ellie noticed that the other woman couldn’t take her eyes off Lucian. A surge of rage rushed through her, and she felt a growl rise in her chest. She chanced a glance up at Lucian to see what his reaction was to another woman staring at him, but he wasn’t paying attention to her old roommate.
“It’s so great to run into you. You know the wedding is just over a month away, and I wanted to introduce you to Steve before the wedding,” Tim said.
“She has a date,” Lucian growled.
“Oh, oh, I see.” Tim shifted from one foot to the other, and reached for Amanda’s hand in reassurance, but she ignored him altogether.
Without thinking, she blurted, “Amanda, why do you keep staring at Lucian?”
“We have a history,” Amanda said.
The strained silence between the four of them was palpable, until Ellie threw her hands up and shouted the first thing that came to mind. “Oh, for fuck’s sake.”
She pulled away from Lucian, and without conscious thought, walked away from the three of them.
She didn’t care who Lucian had dated in the past, because his past was his business, but she was tired of women, including her own friend, being mesmerized by the man. Jealousy clawed away at her chest as she continued walking—to where, she didn’t know nor did she care.
When she first met Lucian, she thought that they would look incompatible as a couple, but now, she knew her reasons had changed. Between kissing in the elevator to their day at the museum, her feelings for him were growing. Without knowing when it happened, she allowed herself to hope that something between the two of them would develop into something more.
But reality set in. No one had ever wanted her—not her parents, or Tim—so the hope that something had started to grow was both dangerous and stupid.
Every time he touched her, kissed her, her mind shut down and she let instinct take over. She found herself plastered to his body, craving more than what they had already shared. She was crazy, and he wasn’t the man for her. And the sooner she realized it, the better off she would be.
After walking for close to a half an hour, her mind swirling with hurt and anger, she stopped in front of a coffee shop and stared at the people milling inside. She spotted an empty overstuffed chair in the back corner and pulled open the door, heading toward the back. She plopped down, pulled her legs up, and laid her head on her knees. She closed her eyes, and let the soft murmurs and slow jazz wash over her until she relaxed.
She didn’t open her eyes as familiar arms scooped her up, pressing her close to his chest. He sat back down on the chair, and she curled herself against him. She couldn’t help herself from seeking comfort when he offered. He pressed her face against his neck, and although part of her wanted to revolt, she relaxed into his arms. His hand soothed her, gliding up and down her back, while his other arm kept her firmly against him.
He broke the silence several minutes later. “My assistant had set me up on a blind date with Amanda, several years ago. It was a disaster. She was drunk before we reached the restaurant, and after flirting with every male in the vicinity, I put her in a cab and haven’t seen her since.”
“I told you this wouldn’t work out,” she mumbled.
He jerked at her harsh words, before his voice became low and dangerous. “It will. I told them we were engaged.”
She leaned back until she could see his face, but she couldn’t decipher his look.
“Don’t let them ruin our day.” He paused before he added. “What did you see in him, anyway?”
She shrugged. “I think it was the hope that since we’ve known each other since we were kids, that maybe there would be something more, but I was wrong. He was demeaning, and called me ‘El’ when I asked him not to. Oh, and he slept with my roommate.”
His laughter comforted her, and she couldn’t help the laugh that bubbled up her chest. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders, laughing until tears streamed down her eyes, and for several minutes, it felt wonderful to let go with him. She cuddled into his chest and blew out a breath.
“You’re assuming that this will end in a disaster, but it won’t. And from this point forward, I will tell you the complete truth. I need to make a confession,” he said.
“Is this where you tell me you’re married, or gay, or a serial killer?”
“I’m not an escort,” he said flatly.
“I know,” she said.
His right brow crooked up in question.
“Lucian, you’re a very successful businessman. I looked into your company, and wow—just wow. There is no way that you would be an escort. You have no problem attracting women. You made my friend drool, and she mentioned to me that if I screwed this up between us that she is willing to step in. Her words, not mine.”
“I’m going to ignore that, and trust me, love, I have no interest in your friend. Are you angry at me for telling you I was an escort?”
She shook her head. She wasn’t. “Is Rebecca your sister?”
“Of course she is. Her husband, Gabriel, is my best friend, and he wanted me to try to talk to her about cutting down her hours because she’s three months pre
gnant. She works more than I do, and I was trying to convince her to cut back. Gabriel was delusional to think that I had any influence over her.”
She nodded, knowing that he was telling her the truth. She had found over the last couple of weeks that when he was adamant about something, he wouldn’t take no for an answer.
“What I don’t understand is why you would pretend to be an escort, of all things?”
“Because of you. I was enthralled the first moment I spotted you.”
She groaned and pressed her face against his chest. “I hate it when you say things like that.”
He was still for a long moment. “Why?”
“It makes it harder to stay away from you.”
He held her in the silence and worried about her words.
She didn’t believe them, but there was one place their relationship would lead, and in the end, she would be hurt when he moved on. Each time she saw him, like the night before when he had knocked on her door, surprising her, she would forget that they weren’t dating. The logical side of her brain would shut off, and she led with her feelings. Everything in her craved the man, and each moment they spent together made her awareness of it palpable.
“I don’t want you to stay away from me, because I have no intention of staying away from you. You’re a beautiful woman, and on top of that, you make me laugh and forget about everything else in the world but you. I want you, more every day, but I needed you to know the truth before we went any further.”
“You have to forgive me, but I don’t have the greatest track record when it comes to trusting other people.”
He nodded. “I understand, and we have all the time in the world to get to know each other. I’m not going anywhere, love, I promise you that.”
She would have to wait and see, but for now, she was content to spend as much time with him as she could and let tomorrow sort itself out. She stood and smiled, reaching for his hand. He interlaced their fingers, and they walked out of the shop together.
The Mistaken Escort's Pleasure: A Liaison Novel Page 6