Lucas (Members From Money Book 20)

by Katie Dowe

  “How could I forget?” he grumbled. “You cried the entire time.”

  “I did not,” she said flashing him a look. “I had moisture in my eyes that’s all.”

  “If you want to call it that.”

  The conversation ceased as she drove into the parking lot of the doctor’s building.

  “It’s going to be fine,” she said as she reached out to take his hands in hers. “I am not ready to lose you yet.”

  He turned his palms over and squeezed her hands gently. “Have I told you how proud I am of you?” he asked her softly.

  “Yes.” She leaned over and kissed his wrinkled cheek. “Come on, let’s go in.”

  *****

  Jasmine sat in the waiting area while the doctor did a thorough examination. She picked up the magazines available and thumbed through them aimlessly stopping as she caught sight of an article she had written some time ago. It was brief and to the point and she grimaced a little as she remembered the charming little restaurant tucked on top of a hill downtown that served the best clam chowder she had ever tasted! Her review had caused the customers to pour in and make the place a huge success.

  Her phone rang just then and her heartbeat quickened as she recognized the number.

  “What?”

  “We are going to have to work on your social skills,” he told her mildly. “I need to see you.”

  “No.”

  “Jasmine.” His cultured voice calling her name sent tingles up her spine. “I am getting weary of that word. Come on, I just need us to talk. I won’t do any touching unless you ask me to.”

  “You wish.” She smiled in spite of herself. “The answer is still no, Lucas.”

  “Give me a good reason.”

  “I am out of your league.”

  He laughed at that. “I love to aim high.”

  “You are aiming too high. Don’t you have some other woman you can go and harass?”

  “I want you.” His voice had turned seductively soft and Jasmine had to close her eyes against the feelings he was arousing in her.

  “Too bad,” she told him coolly, willing the feelings away. “I am hanging up now.”

  “Tell me where you are and I will come and get you.”

  She hung up on him and turned her phone off. Her smile disappeared as she saw the expression on the doctor’s face when they came out to her.

  She got to her feet hastily, her heart beating fast. “What is it?”

  “Please come into my office,” Doctor Weinstein said quietly.

  Jasmine hurried after them and faced the doctor as soon as the doors closed. “Chronic diabetes,” he said as he gestured for them to sit. “And he is a candidate for heart disease.”

  Jasmine reached over and clasped Bubba’s hands tightly.

  “It can be monitored but we are going to have to work together.” He looked from one to another. “I am going to have to insist that you take some time off from work.”

  “I can’t-“

  “He will,” Jasmine interrupted grimly. “As a matter of fact I am going to suggest that you take up gardening or stamp collecting. I don’t much care which and we are going to fight this thing.”

  “How are my bills going to be paid?” Bubba asked her heatedly.

  “You have money put aside and I work enough to take care of us.” She turned to the doctor. “What’s the next step?”

  “I am going to prescribe something for him and a list of things you need to start eating. Exercise is good as well.”

  “We will get through this together,” Jasmine vowed.

  Chapter 5

  Jasmine brooded. She had taken Bubba home and had stopped at the supermarket. She had ignored his protests when she had started stocking up on food for diabetics. His next door neighbor promised to take over the cooking for him and to make sure he stayed put. She had called and spoken to his supervisor personally and he had told her that he could take as long as he wanted but privately she knew he was not going back. They were not wealthy but she made good money and he had his pension plus the insurance money he had received on the death of his wife.

  “I am not a bloody child!” he had protested when she had insisted he went to take some rest.

  “Then stop behaving like one,” she had told him coolly as she bent to kiss his weathered cheek. “You are all I have and I cannot afford to lose you.”

  That had quieted him and he had reached for the remote and settled on a sports channel.

  She had called Doctor Weinstein and told him to give it to her straight.

  “He is a prime candidate for a heart attack I am afraid, my dear. But it can be avoided if he just take it easy and eat properly.”

  “Thanks, Doc,” she had murmured.

  He was all she had! She had no idea who her father was and she had quit agonizing over it. Her mother had been an addict so that meant he could be anyone. She had shied away from the fact that she had come from questionable background and that was partly the reason she had stayed away from relationships. If she did not know who the hell she was how was she going to explain it to someone else? Bubba had told her one night as she was huddled by the fire. He had just gotten in weary and spent when he saw her and had come over and knelt next to her. “What is it, little girl?”

  “Nothing,” she had muttered not looking at him. It had been three months since he had given her a place to stay and had enrolled her into the school several blocks away. She had seen the children from her class with their perfect looking parents and had wanted to die.

  “I am not getting up from here until you tell me what’s going on. And I have to tell you I am pretty beat right now,” he had warned her.

  “Why did you rescue me?”

  “You needed rescuing.”

  “You are a fool,” she had muttered defiantly.

  “Maybe I am,” he had murmured back. “What’s stuck in your craw?”

  “I am no one!” she had cried.

  “Listen to me, little girl,” he had said firmly. “My grandma, God bless her soul, used to tell us that whatever we think we are then we become it. You are someone and never forget that. Your background does not matter nor where you come from. You are here now and you have the power to change the way your life is. You have been given a second chance for a reason and I expect you to take advantage of that or I will personally take a strap to you. Do you hear me? Now get up and stop feeling sorry for yourself. You have a home where you are warm and have more than enough food to eat. Make something of your life and prove yourself wrong!”

  She had gone to bed that night for the first time in her life smiling and determined to make him proud! He believed in her and all through her high school and into college she had been so grateful that she had been successful mostly for him.

  Her phone rang and before she picked it up she knew it was him! “I don’t have time for your drama now, Lucas.”

  “What’s wrong?” his voice was soft with concern.

  “Nothing. I am tired.”

  “Stop lying to me, Jasmine. You have never done so before.”

  “I am not in the mood-”

  “We have already established that. Now tell me what’s bothering you.”

  She sighed impatiently and then answered. “It’s my dad.”

  “What’s wrong?”

  “He got a bad report at the doctor’s.” She could not believe she was telling him this.

  “What is it?”

  She told him and to her horror she felt the tears coming.

  “Where are you?”

  “At my apartment.”

  “I am coming to get you.” She started to protest and he cut her off. “I just want to hold you, that’s it. Tell me your address and I will be there in a minute.”

  She told him and he hung up.

  She paced restlessly. She should not have told him to come. What the hell was she thinking and what was she doing telling him something so personal?

  She was drinking tea in the kitch
en when she heard the doorbell. With a deep sigh she got up and went to open the door. He stood there in the doorway, his brown hair tinted with blonde mussed from the wind and with snow clinging to his tan coat. His green eyes examined her face and his heart twisted as he saw the tears on her lashes. He came in and closed the door behind him. He took off his jacket and hung it on the peg. Before she could say anything he bent and lifted her up into his arms and strode with her to the living room where he sat on the sofa. “It’s going to be fine,” he murmured against her head softly. “I am here.” She turned her head into his black and white sweater and gave in to tears!

  Lucas felt the shift in his emotions and could not for the life of him identify what it was! He only knew she was hurting and he wanted to stop it at any cost!

  *****

  He knew the moment she regretted crying in his arms. He could feel the shift in her emotions and the stiffness of her body. She pushed out of his arms and sprang to her feet and he allowed her. “I am sorry,” she muttered as she wiped her hand across her cheeks. He noticed that she was not like other women he knew who would be dashing to the mirror to check the ravage done by tears. She was wearing an old angora sweater that looked the worse for wear and her black leggings made her legs appear much longer. Her thick dark hair was twisted into a loose chignon and wisps of it settled on her cheeks. She was the most beautiful woman he had ever met and he wanted her something fierce.

  “I am not,” he drawled. “Have you eaten?”

  She scowled at him. “You need to leave.”

  “You are being very unreasonable now, darling. I rushed over here to your rescue and this is the thanks I get?” He settled back against the sofa and crossed his legs.

  “How much do you want?” she asked him sweetly. “You are a very wealthy man but as I understand it you can never be too wealthy or too thin. So how much do you want as payment for me crying on your shoulders?”

  “It was actually into my chest.” He plucked the sweater off him and grinned up at her. “I think it is ruined and I believe it costs several hundred dollars. It’s cashmere,” he supplied.

  “I think you got shafted,” she muttered.

  “It’s a Romano’s original.”

  “Who?” She pretended not to know of the largest brand name in clothing and accessories in the world.

  “Lying does not become you, my sweet. Now.” He got to his feet slowly and Jasmine forced herself not to retreat. “How about Chinese or Italian?”

  “I would like to be alone.”

  “Not going to happen. What do you say?” He had plucked the phone from his pocket.

  “Do whatever the hell you want,” she said crossly as she went in the direction of the bathroom to wash her face.

  His smile was broad as he watched her walk away angrily. “Ah, yes. Let me hear your specials.”

  She stayed away deliberately maybe hoping he would leave and in that time she brushed her hair and changed into a pink sweater that clung to her curvaceous frame and highlighted her shape. She stopped short of putting on lipstick but could not help but spritz on a little scent onto her. She told herself that she was doing it for her benefit.

  She stopped short as she came into the kitchen. He had found candles and lit them on the countertop and had also found the bottle of wine she had in her fridge. “If I had known we would be dining I would have brought the wine.” He looked at the bottle of red in his hands questioningly and she could not help but laugh. “I need to educate you, my sweet.” She wanted to tell him to stop calling her that but she liked it.

  “I did not invite you,” she pointed out.

  “True.” He poured the wine into two glasses and handed her one as she came over. He watched her take a seat as he sipped the wine. It was too dry and not enough body, he thought absently. He would like to think that she had fixed up for him. The doorbell rang just then and he put away his glass. “That would be our meal.” He did not allow her to answer the door but went himself. Jasmine sipped the wine and felt a glow that someone was taking care of her for a change.

  He took out the white cartons and looked at her. “I did not know what you like so I got a little of everything.”

  Jasmine stared at the many white cartons and burst out laughing. “A fool and his money…” she said chokingly.

  “I disagree. I am no fool trust me.” He grinned, absurdly happy to see her laughing.

  “Sweet and sour chicken for me,” she told him.

  He passed her the carton along with the rice and they settled down to eat.

  “No fortune cookies?” she asked him as they were halfway through their meal.

  “Of course.” He dipped into a bag and came up with two. He cracked it open and reeled the paper out. “’Love will find you this day.’”

  “Yeah, right,” she snorted reaching for the paper which he held away from her.

  “Open yours,” he urged.

  “I already know what it says. ‘An annoying man will turn up at your apartment,’” she said with an impish smile. He stared at her for a moment and then took a sip of his wine.

  “Read it and let’s see.”

  “’You will find your life changing in an extraordinary way.’” She crushed the paper in her hand. “Whatever that means.”

  “I think it means that you have met someone who is going to change your life.” His eyes met hers over the rim of the glass and held. For a moment she could not say anything and then giving a mental shrug she got to her feet to go and get a glass of water.

  “Thanks,” she muttered as she came back to sit.

  “What for?” he asked her mildly.

  She shrugged restlessly. “I don’t really have friends and I am not the one to unload like that. I needed that.”

  “We all do once in a while.” He looked at her thoughtfully. “What happened to your mother?”

  She looked at him sharply and he had a feeling that he had opened a can of worms.

  “I think you should leave.” She glanced at the clock on the wall. “It’s almost nine and I have work.”

  “No.” he said firmly

  “Excuse me?”

  “I am not leaving here, Jasmine. We both feel something and I am not going to let you run away from it. Deal with it.” He hopped off the seat and went into the living room.

  She followed him there, intent on lashing out at him.

  “My mother died when I was four years old and my father remarried five years later.” He rested his booted foot on the small mantel and looked over at her. “I resented her for a while and then she proved herself to be the real thing.”

  “Why are you telling me this?”

  “Because I want us to get to know each other better.”

  “I don’t. Look, I am not looking for a relationship right now. When and if I am ready I will look you up.”

  He moved from the mantel and came towards her. She forced herself to stand her ground even though something was telling her to run! “You are pretty tough, aren’t you?” he asked her softly as he fingered the loose strands of her hair that were resting against her cheek. “I bet underneath that cool exterior there is a lot of fire.”

  “Back off, man,” she said trying to keep the tremor out of her voice.

  “Or?” he asked her arrogantly. He was not touching her, not really but she felt as if he had his hands all over her body!

  “Or I am going to knee you in the groin,” she said sweetly.

  “Ouch,” he said with a laugh. Before she knew what he was doing he had pulled her into his arms and his mouth touching hers. She put up a token resistance but the fight went out of her the minute his tongue touched hers! She grabbed his sweater for leverage as she felt her knees going weak. He deepened the kiss and she could not stop the moan deep inside her throat. He reached down and swung her slender body into his arms effortlessly and without breaking the deep potent kiss. Her hands went around his neck, her fingers digging into his flesh. He kicked the bedroom door open and put her
onto the bed, his mouth still deep into hers. Jasmine felt as if she was drowning in liquid fire! He lifted his head and she moaned in protest, but he was just getting rid of his clothes. He took his time taking hers off, his fingers touching her flawless skin slowly as if memorizing every inch of it. Her breasts were small and pert, the nipples already hard. He ran his fingers over them and felt the heat as she shivered and moved restlessly. They did not speak but conversation was not necessary. He still had his white boxers on but she could see the telltale bulge of his erection straining against the material. He pulled her leggings off and groaned as he saw her sex revealed. She had not been wearing panties! His head lifted and he looked at her, his eyes darkened to jewel like brightness. “So beautiful,” he murmured throatily. He eased her legs opened and pressed his palm against her sex, watching as she arched her body in response! He used gentle fingers to part the lips of her vagina and ran his fingers inside the fold causing her to jump in shock! “I am going to take my time,” he murmured huskily. He stepped back and took off his underwear causing her eyes to be drawn to the thick pulsing penis, her breath coming fast into her throat. He moved over her and his lips found hers again while she wrapped her arms around his neck. She did not think, she only wanted to feel. Time for thinking was when she was alone and this incredible delicious feeling had dissipated! His mouth left hers and wandered over her cheeks and down to her long graceful neck where his tongue found the hollow there. He went further and took her nipple inside his mouth, his tongue swirling around the tight bud. Jasmine cried out sharply feeling the heat in her body increasing to unbearable heights! His mouth drifted further down and to her shocked surprise his tongue found her mound, his tongue tasting slowly before dipping inside her. She screamed long and loud as his tongue went deeper inside her. She felt as if the earth was moving with her and she had nothing to hold onto! He had to hold her steady as he thoroughly loved her, his tongue thrusting into her ruthlessly until she flooded his mouth with the powerful orgasm she had no control over! He did not allow her to rest! How could he when he was bursting everywhere! He climbed over her and entered her slowly, his eyes holding hers. She was still trembling from the aftermath and her lips were parted. His eyes widened as he felt the barrier and he looked at her in shock. It could not be! In this day and age there was no way she could be a virgin!