LUCIEN: A Standalone Romance by Glenna Sinclair Read Free Book Online Page B

side?”
    “That I stay here for the rest of the afternoon. And when you go home, you’ll need to take me with you.”
    That smile widened just slightly. “There’s something I should probably tell you, then.”
    “What’s that?”
    “Jacob and I are supposed to drive out to our parents’ house tonight. If you’re supposed to stick with me, you’ll have to come along.”
    “Where’s your parents’ house?”
    “Not far. They have a beach house in Kemah.”
    “Kemah.” I’d expected him to say River Oaks. But Kemah was a good hour’s drive from my little apartment in the second ward.
    “Have you ever been to that part of Galveston Bay?”
    I shook my head. “I don’t spend much time at the beach.”
    “Well, you’ll need a bikini. When everyone’s home, my parents like to throw a barbecue. And my sister, Rachel, will drag you out onto the beach.”
    Great.
    I just nodded again because I didn’t know what else to say. What I really wanted to do was call my father and beg him again to have someone else do this. I couldn’t do this. I couldn’t spend an entire weekend with this man and his family. We had absolutely nothing in common. What would we talk about? I wasn’t even sure I would know how to behave at a meal. What if it was one of those Princess Diaries moments with a dozen forks and knives and spoons? What if I made a fool out of myself tying to be something I wasn’t? I was a middle class girl, the daughter of a cop and a schoolteacher. I barely graduated from high school, and spent five years in the Army. That was the sum value of my experience in the world. I didn’t know anything about fancy wines and high end fashion and expensive cuts of meat. And all that on top of this little act we had going on… What was I going to do when it was time to go to bed and everyone expected me to sleep with Lucien?
    I felt panic building in my chest. I really didn’t want to do this. But I knew there was no way out of it. I was committed, whether I liked it or not.
    “We should go do our tour of the building, or Jacob will think we’ve gotten up to no good in here.”
    Lucien laid his hands on my shoulders, and the closeness was almost too much. My skin crawled at the same time my stomach tightened. I stepped away, adjusting the stupid purse on my shoulder (I never carry a purse. I prefer pockets. In my jeans.) so that he wouldn’t think I’d pulled away specifically to get away from him. For some reason, I cared about what he thought. And that was so unlike me. He was a client. I cared that he didn’t get hurt or dead. Nothing else really mattered. Why did I care if his feelings got hurt?
    Eyes were on us from the moment we stepped out of the office. Lucien slid his arm around my waist and held me close as we walked down the hall to the elevator. He introduced me to the executives who found some excuse to come out of their offices and wander near us, their curious eyes suggesting that Lucien didn’t often bring women around the office. I also got the impression that there were a few of his coworkers who would have much rather been in my place than theirs.
    “You’re well liked around here, aren’t you?” I asked when we were alone on the elevator.
    He touched my cheek, brushing a curl away from my eyes.
    “We’re alone.”
    “There are cameras,” he said without turning, without gesturing. Then he bent low and brushed his lips against mine. I had a choice. I could move away, or I could do my job and kiss him back. And that was an odd thought. When had my job become about kissing virtual strangers?
    I moved in to him, pressing my hand to his side, and returned his kiss. It began as a gentle, almost friendly, kiss. But it quickly turned into something else as he tugged me closer with a hand on my hip. My body seemed to respond to him without any thought on my part, my bones melting to mold to his body, my jaw loosening to welcome him. And, hell, it felt good! Why did it have to feel so