Andrei grinned. “It’s easy for me.”
Lucas stopped in front of a large painting of the skyline done in a brilliant watercolor, but barely paid it attention. There was only Andrei. “Why?”
“I just tell myself that after tonight, I’ll never see these people again. I can pretend to be whoever I want.”
Lucas jerked his head back to stare at the painting, fighting to keep his face expressionless. Why did that statement hurt? His chest tightened and it was suddenly hard to draw in a breath. Andrei was right. In a few days, they would likely discover who was behind the threat and Andrei would walk away, returning to his life and moving on to his next assignment. There would be no reason for them to see each other again. He had his friends. His interests. His life. And Lucas had his small family.
It was such a sharp contrast to the hint that Andrei had dropped earlier in the day about dating. That tease had sucked the air right out of Lucas’s lungs. Never for a second had he thought that Andrei would want to linger in his life. But once the seed had been planted, it had been the only thing he could think about, making it nearly impossible for him to get any work done. To keep Andrei in his life for more than a night. To touch his smooth skin each night, to hear his laugh, to watch his eyes burn with hunger or anger again and again—he was becoming obsessed with the idea.
“Shall we go see Mr. Lynton?” Andrei inquired after Lucas had remained silent for several minutes. “Or would you rather put a bid on this item?”
Lucas shook his head hard, freeing his mind from the quagmire of thoughts and emotions that were threatening to bog him down. He couldn’t worry about his future with Andrei…as if they had a future.
“Let’s go,” he said a little sharper than he’d meant to. He closed his eyes for a second, centering himself and shoving his tangled emotions down. When he was sure he could speak evenly, he continued, “I spotted him at a table in the corner with his wife.”
Leading the way into the main room, Lucas deftly wove through the crowd, shaking hands and smiling, promising to chat with others as he worked his way to Thomas Lynton’s table. He slowed as they drew close, taking in the man’s gaunt appearance. A cane leaned against his hip and there were more lines in his face. This was a man under stress and it was taking its toll on his health. His wife didn’t appear to be much better with shadows under her eyes and one hand resting constantly on his arm, as if she were afraid that he would suddenly disappear. They would need to be delicate.
“Thomas, it’s good to see you again,” Lucas proclaimed with a broad smile when he reached their table.
The older man looked up, appearing slightly surprised Lucas was addressing him. “Lucas. It’s been a while.” He extended his hand.
“Thomas, Marilyn, may I introduce an old friend of mine, Andrei Hadeon?”
“A pleasure to meet you, Mr. Hadeon.” The silver-haired woman held her hand out to Andrei and he smoothly captured her fingers and bent over them as if he’d done the motion a million times in his life.
“Andrei, please, Mrs. Lynton. And the pleasure is all mine.”
“May we join you?” Lucas inquired, putting a hand on the back of a chair next to Thomas. The older man nodded, looking hesitant.
“If you don’t mind my asking, how are you doing, Lucas?” Marilyn inquired, leaning forward a bit so that she could be heard over the string quartet playing on the other side of the room. “I’d heard that you were involved in a horrible car accident and then you and Miss Breckenridge parted ways.”
Lucas gave her a winsome smile and a shrug. “My accident was more damaging than the end of my relationship.”
Thomas chuckled softly. “And you look to have recovered from the accident quickly enough.”
“Thank goodness. I never liked that idea of you with Stephanie Breckenridge,” Marilyn admitted with a surprising burst of passion.
“Really?” Lucas sat back in his chair, unable to mask his surprise.
“That whole Breckenridge clan is nothing but a group of backstabbing, scheming trash.” Thomas’s gaze following some people passing nearby.
Marilyn reached across and patted Lucas’s hand with her soft, wrinkled one. “Yes, you need to find someone nice. Someone who can take care of you and make you happy. Settle down at last.”
Lucas narrowed his eyes on the older woman with the enigmatic smile. He thought it odd that she’d said someone rather than some girl, but he brushed it aside. Of course, it was likely just paranoia on his part because Andrei’s presence felt more like a date than a friend, especially considering what he had planned for the man when they returned to his penthouse.