Lucien by Elijana Kindel Read Free Book Online Page A

urgency. She was starving and couldn’t get enough. Blood roared in her ears and her heart felt as if it would pound out of her chest. Her palms grew sweaty, her knees buckled, and Luc was there to catch her. His arm came around her waist, pulling her harder against him until she could feel his body’s response pressing into her stomach.
     
    Thunder echoed in the distance and muffled whistles shrilled in the background. She whimpered and moved her hands around his neck, threading her fingers through the soft hair brushing the collar of his shirt. All too soon she felt Luc draw back, ending the kiss as breathless as her. His eyes burned and she knew the heat in his gaze was reflected in hers. She’d never wanted any man the way she wanted him at this very moment.
     
    “Luc,” she whispered, slightly confused and disoriented.
     
    He pressed her cheek to his chest and rested his chin on the crown of her head. “The next time you start to seduce me make sure the blinds are closed. The whole damn office saw us.”
     
    Elise groaned and tried to burrow closer. “I did not start to seduce you, Lucien. You’re always trying to seduce me.”
     
    “Darlin’, if I’d started to seduce you, I’d have made damn sure the blinds were closed. I’ll be glad when this job is over with.” His fingers massaged her waist, urging her closer.
     
    “When do we leave?”
     
    “The day after the wedding.”
     
    Before she could stop herself, she said, “You still have time to find someone else.”
     
    “After that kiss? Hell no. I’m looking forward to the wedding night.” He pulled back and grinned wolfishly down at her. “You could invite me over to your place tonight and—”
     
    She yanked on his hair and he grunted. “Forget it, Lucien. In case you don’t remember, you’re old-fashioned and you refuse to sully your love by seducing me without the benefit of marriage.”
     
    “Gaia help me if I ever fall for a sweet, little liar like you. You weave the most demented tales I’ve ever heard.” He gave her a small shake. “Do you honestly believe that, without my grandfather’s ultimatum, I would have asked you to marry me in order to get into your bed?”
     
    Elise pulled back and lifted her chin, infused with a healthy dose of pride and dignity. “My mother may subscribe to the philosophy of free love and be ecstatic over having short lived, passionate affairs with whomever may strike her fancy, but I do not.” She unwound her arms from his neck. “You may not be old-fashioned, but I am. I do not give my favors lightly or without a price and you, Lucien, will do well to remember that.” She removed his hands from her waist and walked across the room on shaky legs. She sank down on the sofa and lifted the laptop onto her thighs. “Get back to work. We have a project to finish before Saturday.”
     
    Luc leaned against the door and gazed at her thoughtfully. “Marriage to you isn’t going to be simple, is it, darlin’?”
     
    “Marrying me is the easy part. What comes after the vows will be the hard part. If you think I’m going to fall into your arms because of an ‘I do’, then you obviously don’t know me very well.” She had never been more serious or truthful with him. She wasn’t like her mother. She didn’t dish out sexual favors for every attractive man who caught her eye. She wanted more out of life than meaningless moments of passion.
     
    She wanted the fairy tale.
     
    “I didn’t, but I’m beginning to.” Luc pushed off from the door and went to sit behind his desk. “For the record, Elise…?”
     
    She looked up expectantly.
     
    “I never once thought you were easy.” He smirked knowingly. “But when you fall into my arms, darlin’, you’re gonna love every minute of it and wish you’d done it months ago.”
     
    Elise blushed for all she was worth and waved a hand, brushing aside his comment. “Get back to work, Lucien. I’m suddenly anxious to get to