“What do you know about hearts?” Lucius grinned at Laura as she came around and refilled our coffees.
“Nothing yet. That’s what the medical degree is for.”
“Touché.” Lucius laughed.
Vinemont remained silent. I thought he’d at least encourage Teddy to do something other than hang around this house and its godforsaken occupants. But he didn’t say a word.
“And how many years will you have to be in school?” I tried again.
“Four years of school, three years of residency, and maybe another three years of fellowship after that.”
I elbowed him. “You’ll be an old man by the time you finish all that. I’m glad you started young.”
Vinemont’s fork and knife clattered to his plate. He fixed Teddy with an inscrutable stare before turning his burning gaze on me.
“Sin, what gives?” Lucius said. “Shouldn’t you applaud the little bro’s fine, upstanding life plans? Better than running a sugar business and playing lawyer like we do. Let’s toast.” He raised his mimosa.
Teddy and I reached across the table and clinked glasses with Lucius. Vinemont rose, threw his napkin down, and stormed out.
Teddy’s cheeks bloomed red and his shoulders fell.
“Sin!” Lucius stood and strode after his brother.
What the hell just happened? I put my hand on Teddy’s arm and squeezed. I was just as in the dark as he was.
A door slammed down the hall—Vinemont’s study.
Knocking and banging echoed through the corridor. “Open this fucking door, douchebag, and apologize to Teddy!”
Nothing.
Before long, Lucius returned and sat down. “He’s just being a dick as usual, Ted. Don’t worry about him. He’s told me before that he’s all for you getting a medical degree.”
“He’s told me that, too. So, I’m just…” Teddy shrugged and placed his napkin next to his plate. “I’m going to go upstairs for a while.” He pushed his chair back and walked out, head down.
“What the hell?” I asked.
Lucius shook his head. “Not a fucking clue.”
Laura came in to check on us, but her pleasant smile faded when she noticed Teddy was gone.
“He’s upstairs.” I said. “Some company might be welcome right now.”
She blushed and retreated back to the kitchen.
“You shouldn’t encourage that.” Lucius leaned back and linked his hands behind his head, the broad expanse of his chest appearing even wider.
“I don’t live by your snobby rules.” I wiped my mouth and set my napkin on the table.
He raised an eyebrow. “No?”
“No.”
“I’m pretty sure you’re bound by quite a few more rules than I am.” He smiled, wolfishness taking the place of his anger at Vinemont.
“I’m not in the mood, Lucius.”
He let his gaze run down the scoop neck of my sweater and lower. I stood and moved toward the door. He darted faster down his side of the table and blocked me in.
“I think you are.” He shoved me into the corner, caging me in with his hands at either side of my head. “Want to know what I’ve been thinking about? What I thought about last night while I stroked my cock?”
I met his light eyes and fisted my hands at my sides. “No, but I’m sure you’ll tell me.”
He moved closer. I tilted my head back so I could hold his gaze. He was dangerous. Taking my eyes off him wasn’t an option.
“I thought of you.” Pressing his fingertip into my jugular, he traced down my bare skin to the edge of my sweater. “The way you looked in Cuba, naked underneath me. The way these were hard.” He pinched my nipple and I pressed back into the corner. “Just like they are now. How much I wanted them in my mouth. How deep I wanted to be in your pussy. You know what got me off, what pushed me over the edge?”
I forced myself to stay put, to see this part of the game through. “What?”
“This.” When he pressed his lips to mine, I closed my eyes. He tasted like champagne and oranges, heady and sweet.
I clung to the front of his shirt. He sank his hand down in my pants, gripping my ass hard and pulling my hips forward.
I tried to shove him away, but he growled into my mouth and ground his thigh against my pussy. I dug my nails into his chest, but he only kissed me harder, his tongue plundering my mouth. Heat raced through my body, pooling between my thighs. He grabbed my hair and pulled my head back before kissing down my neck, biting my throat and then fastening his lips to my collarbone.
“Lucius.” I was panting, caught up in a man who was no better than the devil I’d given my heart to. “Please.”
“Beg me. That’s right, Stella. It’s time to finish what we started.” He kissed lower, his mouth hot and luscious on my skin. “Beg me to give you what you want, what you need.”
He rubbed against my clit, the friction making my head spin. I gasped.