My eyes flew open, and I stared at the darkened sky, my heart racing in my chest. It was just a dream. No one was auctioning me off. No one was trying to hurt Lucas.
A dream.
Turning my head, I was surprised to see Lucas asleep next to me, his arms around me protectively. In sleep, he looked vulnerable, and my heart softened. I wanted to protect him. I wanted him to have the future he deserved. After everything he had gone through, he deserved a happy ending.
I wanted to be part of that happy ending. I didn’t care about the man he was or the horrible past he had been forced to endure. I didn’t care that he wasn’t a powerful Don or that he couldn’t give me the best that life had to offer.
This was what life was about, this moment between us, and as long as he gave me a lifetime of these, I would be happy.
A rumble of thunder split through the air, and Lucas’s eyes snapped open. “It’s just thunder,” I told him. “But we might want to move.”
As soon as the words left my mouth, I felt the first splotch of rain on my arm and Lucas swore, untangling himself from me and grabbing the remains of the picnic. “Hurry,” he said as he shoved his feet into his shoes. “We might outrun it.”
I seriously doubted it. I did the same and grabbed the top blanket, holding it over my head as the rain started falling in earnest. Lucas slung the pack over his shoulder and joined me, rain sliding down his face. “Come on,” he said over the downpour. “I think I know somewhere we can be protected at least.”
I nodded and we took off down the path toward the house, Lucas steering us toward a canopy of trees that seemed to be knotted together, providing a cover from the rain. “Fuck,” he stated as he stepped out from under the sodden blanket. “I should have checked the weather better.”
I grimaced as I removed the blanket, putting the wet side down on the bed of pine needles. “I doubt you had planned to take a nap.”
His grin was quick. “Nothing was off the table, love.”
My heart melted. I loved when he used endearments. “Nothing?”
Lucas dropped the pack near the blanket. “What are you saying, Leda?”
I looked down at my wet clothing. “That we need to get out of these clothes before we catch our death.”
Lucas’s gaze heated as I moved to remove my T-shirt, peeling it away from my skin slowly. My heart was hammering in my chest for another reason, but I didn’t stop, pulling the shirt over my head. My bra went next, my nipples puckering against the cool air that the rain had brought.
“Fuck, Leda,” Lucas rasped, shoving a hand through his wet hair. “Don’t stop on my account.”
Smirking, I kicked off my shoes and reached for the waistband of my pants, my body suddenly heavy under his intense gaze. I could feel the desire start to build in my stomach, enjoying that I had his complete attention like this. If we had nothing else between us, we had this, and it was glorious.
Soon I was completely naked before him, unafraid that he was seeing my body. Of all people I had ever remotely let me see naked, Lucas knew every inch of my skin, and I was proud of it.
I craved his touch.
Lucas’s throat bobbed. “Touch yourself, Leda. Touch where you want me to touch you.”
Oh God. My knees weakened slightly as my hand came up and touched my breast, feeling the fullness of it in my palm. I allowed my thumb to brush my nipple and a moan escaped me, causing Lucas to swear. My body, my sensations, were on high alert now, the delicious shiver racing down my spine in anticipation of what was to come.
And Lucas hadn’t even touched me yet. “Where do you want me to touch next?” I asked boldly.
Lucas cleared his throat. “Your clit. Touch your clit.”
I slid my hand down my stomach slowly, a lick of fire trailing in its wake. When I reached my folds, I found them slick with wetness, my desire for him.
“How does it feel?” he asked softly, stripping off his shirt. “Tell me, Leda.”
“I’m wet,” I told him, a raspy breath escaping me. “And hot. Oh, so hot.”
“You are fucking gorgeous, touching yourself like that,” he growled as his hands reached for his waistband. “Don’t let yourself come.”
I let out a whimper but eased the pressure on my clit, feeling it throb under my finger. He was torturing me like this, and all I wanted to do was feel the sweet release thread through my veins.
Lucas shucked his pants and I stared at his raging cock, at the beautiful body it was attached to, and couldn’t believe he was mine. Lucas was mine. I wouldn’t give him up for anything in the world, and if he ever left, I would be devastated.
He prowled toward me like an animal with its prey, the feral look about him sending my emotions into overdrive. “Stop touching yourself,” he demanded as he came within inches of me. I dropped my hand reluctantly, and Lucas fell to his knees before me, licking his lips. “I want to make you come now.”