She leaned her bike against the back of The Local Bean and quietly called Lucas’ name. It was as if she’d imagined him. “Lucas, where are you?” she called out when a hand wrapped around her waist and spun her around.
A laugh startled out of her as he backed her up against the wall. His lips came down on hers, and she surrendered to his knee weakening kiss, praying no one would stumble upon them, but at the same time not caring at all. His lips felt too good, her body too consumed with the sensations coursing through it and sparking new life into her.
“I’ve been thinking about you all day,” he said against her lips.
“Is that so?”
“Uh huh,” he said, dipping his head and capturing her lips again. His hand slipped beneath her shirt, pressing against bare skin. Heat shot to her core and desire mixed with need. She thrust her fingers into his hair, pulling him closer.
His hand ran down her backside, over the curve to her thigh. She lifted her leg, wrapping it around him, and urging him even closer still. His hard bulge pressed against her center, and she moaned at the contact.
“I have a delivery. I don’t want the food to get cold,” she said, not wanting to pull away.
“Joe’s going away for the night. Meeting some friends to gamble at the casino. They comp’d him a room and he doesn’t want to pass it up.”
Ella smiled. “He’s leaving you unsupervised?”
Lucas nodded, bending down and nipping at her ear. “He’ll be gone by five. Come over tonight. I’ll cook you dinner.”
“On one condition,” she said.
“And what’s that?”
“You don’t make lobster.”
He laughed. “You got yourself a deal.”
“I really have to go.” She kissed him, trying to physically make herself walk away, but unable to find the strength to sever their tie completely. He moved with her, lips locked, backing her toward her bike.
She reached her bike and kissed him one last time. “Bye,” she said and rode away before she lost the will to leave him.
***
Lucas walked away from the alleyway, his pants a little tighter and a smile on his face. He had no idea what he did in life to give him a chance with Ella, but he was sure as hell glad about whatever it was. He headed back to the restaurant, taking in the fresh salt air. The colorful shops and cobblestone streets weren’t something he was accustomed to, but he was beginning to fall in love with them. There was something about the small-town that he didn’t get from downtown Los Angeles.
His phone vibrated in his pocket. His body tensed slightly as he realized the call wasn’t from Ella, Leo or Brian but from his mother.
While he had completely cut his dad out of his life, he still stayed in touch with his mom. It wasn’t her fault she was married to a manipulative asshole who wanted to control the people in his life. She wasn’t exactly warm and fuzzy, but he wondered how much his dad had to do with that.
He answered the phone before it could go to voicemail. “Lucas,” his mother said. “Your office said you were on vacation.”
He didn’t know if he’d call it a vacation exactly, and he honestly wasn’t planning on telling his mother about his trip, but he was sick of the lies. “I am. I’m actually in Willow Cove.”
The line went silent, and he sat down on one of the benches in front of Mind, Body, and Soul.
“Oh,” she finally said. “That’s…interesting.”
“I thought it was time I met the man Dad made me believe was dead. It’s been pretty eye opening actually. Learned a few things about my family history. About Dad.”
“That place is cursed.”
“Is that what you honestly believe? Is that why you kept me away my whole life? Made me believe I didn’t have grandparents?”
“It wasn’t my life to talk about.”
“No, but I’m your son, and I deserved to know I had family in the world who wanted me a part of their life.”
“Your father left Willow Cove for a reason. Nothing good came out of that place. Nothing but heartache and tragedy, and his father was no help in the matter. He was forcing your father to be someone he wasn’t.”
Lucas laughed at the irony. “Like Dad did to me?”
“That was different.”
“Do you hear yourself?” Lucas demanded. “How is that different?”
“Your father wanted what was best for you. To be successful… not stuck in some joke of a town, slopping seafood on a bun for tourists.”
“And what gave him the right to make that decision for me? To force onto me the life he envisioned for me and not the life I actually wanted? He didn’t want to get stuck in Willow Cove, but that didn’t give him the right to keep me away.”
“Well, you’re there now so it’s water under the bridge.”
It was typical of his mother to try and gloss over a situation and act as if the ramifications weren’t nearly as bad as they truly were.
“You might want it to be, but it’s not,” he said.
“Don’t you think this little charade of yours has gone on long enough?” she asked, and Lucas could feel the tension spread through him like wildfire. The flames of fury sparking in succession until the collar of his shirt felt too tight and the air too thick.
He was done letting his mother make him feel bad for his actions. Making him feel like he was the one at fault when his father was the one who lied. If she wanted this so-called charade of his to be over then his father needed to step up to the plate and apologize.
But Lucas wasn’t naïve enough to think that would ever happen. It would be a cold day in hell if that day ever came.
She let out a perturbed breath on the other end. “It’s time to stop playing the martyr and make this right.”
“As always, Mother, it’s been a pleasure, but I have to go.”
“When will you be back in California?”
“I don’t know.”
“Surely you have a return flight. What day?”
“It’s not set in stone yet,” he said.
“What are you saying?” she asked. “You have a business to run. And heaven knows those friends of yours can’t do it alone.”
She never did like Leo and Brian, not like she really knew them to even be able to pass such judgement. She resented them though and turned her nose up at them at any given opportunity. Most likely because they had been more like family to him in the past few years than she had been in a very long time. He stopped going home for the holidays, choosing to spend time with their families instead, and when he went into business with them, he would have thought he physically hurt her with how she went on and on about it.
“Don’t do something stupid,” she continued.
“Thanks for your confidence in me. It’s always appreciated.”
“I just don’t want you to—”
“I got to go.” He hung up before she could say anything else. The last thing he wanted was to explain himself to his mother. There was no point. Her mind was unchangeable, and no matter what he said she wouldn’t care unless he was back on a plane in California, living a life she could brag to her friends about.
He stood up, shoving his phone in his pocket and taking a breath. He closed his eyes for a moment, Ella’s face popping into his mind and completely calming him down.
He didn’t have time to stress over his mom; he had a dinner to plan.
Chapter 14
Ella rode up to Joe’s house and steered her bike to the side, not wanting to leave it out in the open like a flashing neon sign letting the town know she and Lucas were inside together. Though, a part of her wasn’t completely against it.
Each day they spent together was a countdown until the day he went back to California. She hated that the little time they had left together would be spent sneaking around like a couple of forbidden teenagers.
She wanted to be able to hold his hand and walk down the boardwalk, passing both their grandfather’s restaurants and not worrying that they
were committing treason.
There was no point dwelling on the things she couldn’t change, so she glanced around the property to make sure the coast was clear, then hurried to the door. Lucas had texted her and told her to come in when she arrived, so she pushed the door open and stepped into the house she’d always admired from afar but never up close.
Inside was much cozier than she expected, with exposed wood and warm earth tones. She walked through a foyer, a living room on one side with dark brown leather couches and on the other side another sitting place with soft plush hunter green couches that sat around a fireplace. Ella was actually surprised; she expected the house to be ostentatious like his restaurant. Maybe not with flashing signs and bright red wood cut outs in the shapes of lobsters but something a little more over the top than the subdued serenity she was experiencing.
It was a large house for only one man, and Ella wondered if the space was more a comfort to Joe or a burden. Having so much room and no one to share it with seemed terribly lonely. There were no family pictures on the walls and in the one room just a single painting of a forest hung above the hunter green couch.
If he moved the picture over the fireplace and added a mirror above the couch it would give the room more depth and reflect the natural light, not to mention it would help dress up the room. It was a great space with so much potential that didn’t seem to match the rest of the house.
The ideas began forming in her head as she moved on, taking in the paintings on the hallway wall all done by local artists. She wondered why he didn’t hang a few in the other rooms.
The mouth-watering scent of rosemary and garlic filled the air.
“Hello?” she called out, following the delicious aromas.
“I’m in here,” Lucas called to her, and she followed his voice into an updated kitchen with dark stained wood cabinets, stainless steel appliances, and dark gray and white marble granite countertops.
It was absolutely stunning, and though Ella knew Joe didn’t have family she hoped that he had friends to share this amazing space with. “This kitchen is beautiful,” Ella said as she walked in.
Lucas turned from the stove, his gaze immediately heating as it landed on her. Her teeth slid over her bottom lip at the intense gaze. “Hey,” he said.
She moved to him, not looking over her shoulder or worried about getting caught, and lifted on tip-toe to kiss him.
He pulled her to him, kissing her thoroughly until she couldn’t think straight. He drew back, resting his forehead against hers, a smile playing with the edges of his mouth. “I missed you,” he said.
“You act like you haven’t seen me in days.”
“It sure as hell feels like it.” He smiled wider, and she felt it right down to her core.
She cleared her throat and spun toward the stove. “So, what is that I’m smelling?”
“Lemon, rosemary roasted chicken,” he said.
“If it tastes as good as it smells then it’s going to be delicious.” She rolled up her sleeves and grabbed a knife to help him cut the potatoes he had on the counter. “I’m not going to lie,” she said. “I was expecting to come here to a bunch of take-out bags.”
“No faith. I’m insulted.” He smiled, causing the dimple in his right cheek to appear.
She laughed. “Well, you shouldn’t be, but I on the other hand, am pleasantly surprised. Where did you learn how to cook?”
“Leo, my roommate in college. His dad was a chef.”
“Lucky you. I lived on Ramen for the two years I was in school.”
He dropped a bunch of asparagus in a grill pan and added olive oil. “If given the choice,” he said, “would you choose to eat Ramen for the rest of your life or lobster?”
“Oh god,” she said. “Do I have another option?”
“Nope.”
She tapped her chin while in thought. “I guess lobster.”
“I really thought you’d go Ramen,” he said.
“It was close, but there are more things I can do with lobster. I can sauté it, toss it with pasta, put it on a roll, grill it, really the options are infinite.”
“I’d say you made a good choice then. So, how was your day?”
“Other than being lured into an alleyway by some mysterious and handsome man?” she said with a wink. “It wasn’t bad.”
He came up behind her, his front pressing against her back, his hand running down her arm and resting where she held the knife. “That was definitely the highlight of your day, though, right?” he said against her ear, his warm breath tickling her skin, sending a sexy chill down her spine.
“I did have a really good cup of cookies ‘n cream ice cream, so it’s steep competition.”
“Oh really?” he said, his hand wrapping around her front and urging her against his hardness. “Maybe I can give you a little reminder.”
She arched into him, rubbing back and forth. A needy groan rumbled up his throat as she continued her sensual movements. His hand slipped beneath her shirt, running across her stomach and up over the satin cup of her bra.
He molded her breast to his hand, and she whimpered at the delicious contact. He kissed a hot path down the length of her neck, nipping at the sensitive skin at her collarbone.
Her body turned to molten heat, tiny sparks exploding through her in rapid fast succession. His tongue skimmed her earlobe, and a fresh layer of goosebumps erupted along her neck.
His strong hands landed on her hips, and she dropped the knife, gripping the hard surface of the counter. He spun her around, pressing her against the counter, and capturing her lips in one fluent motion.
Their lips moved together perfectly in sync with each other. The air crackled between them, setting smoke to her already burning body.
She reached for his pants just as a loud blaring noise cut through the kitchen. Ella’s heart slammed against her chest at the interruption, and she jumped back.
“Shit!” Lucas said as he released his grip on her and turned to the stove. He grabbed the pan of asparagus and tossed it to the other burner, smoke rising and twisting in the air toward the blaring smoke detector.
Ella laughed as she grabbed a towel and climbed up on a chair, waving the smoke away from the alarm.
Finally, after several loud moments, the blaring came to an end.
“You really know how to make a girl hot,” Ella said as she stepped off the chair.
Lucas looked at her, blue eyes that were just so dark with desire, softening to amusement. He laughed, loud and hard, a noise so contagious it caused her to burst out a laugh even louder than his.
Once she was able to breathe, she went back to the potatoes.
“Why the anchor?” he asked and she turned to him with an arched eyebrow. He motioned to her ankle. “Your tattoo. I noticed it poking out of the bottom of your pants when you were on the chair.”
“You're very observant,” she said. “I got it my first year of college. I went with a friend and had no intention of getting anything done but then I saw the little anchor and it reminded me so much of home.”
“And you had to get it.”
She nodded. “It’s like having a piece of Willow Cove with me but it’s more than that too. It’s my family, my beliefs, traditions, all the things that help keep me grounded. If I ever feel like I’m losing control, getting lost in the chaos, I remember the anchor holding me in place while I weather whatever storm life throws at me.” She shrugged and went back to cutting. “It’s silly, I know.”
“It’s not.”
She stilled at his words, letting them flow through her like a sweet hug.
Lucas eyed her, and she held the knife up jokingly. “Last time you came near me you nearly set the kitchen on fire. Why don’t we wait until all fire hazards and sharp items are put away safely?”
He looked at her with sad puppy dog eyes that warmed her soul. “Fine, but only because you said you were starving. You’re going to need your energy for what I have planned later.”
Waves of hot anticipation crashed into her, and she tried to focus on cutting the last two potatoes.
“Is that why you asked me here?” she asked.
“No, I actually thought we could watch a movie,” he said.
“Really?” It was silly, but Ella was a huge movie buff. Most people liked to go out after a long week, but she preferred to curl up with a blanket and a good flick. “What movie did you have in mind?”
“That new movie with Bex Shepard is available to stream right now.”
Ella smiled. “I already saw it in the theater. I see all her movies as soon as they come out. I just love her.”
“Then option two.”
“What’s option two?” she asked.
“Willow Cove.”
She laughed. “You know I’ve seen that movie like five hundred times, right? It’s kind of a prerequisite to live here.”
“Well, I was told by a local that I needed to see it.”
Ella gasped and slapped a hand over her mouth in mock shock. “Are you telling me you haven’t seen one of the greatest movies of all time that takes place in our very own little town?”
Lucas laughed. “Guilty.”
“Then we must remedy that,” she said with a quirk of her lip. “But after we eat.”
Chapter 15
After dinner, they moved to the couch with two glasses of red wine. Lucas put on Willow Cove and pulled Ella close. He kissed the top of her head, the sweet fruity scent of her hair invading his senses.
He wanted to toss her over his shoulder, bring her up to his bedroom, and explore every inch of her body with his hands and mouth, but he also didn’t want her to think that was the only reason he asked her over.
The truth was, he liked kissing her—hell, he loved it—but he also loved simply spending time with her. She was a breath of fresh air from the smoke in his mind, a shining ray of sunlight that he wanted to bask in for as long as he could before their time together ran out.
“I can’t believe you haven’t seen this movie,” she said.
“Is it that great?”
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