“You say that” he replied. “But you’re not the only woman I know who didn’t mind spending the better part of the day in the kitchen.”
It hit me as I said the words—Mom. He smiled as he realized I understood. “Sorry,” I went on. “You just came in to check on me and here I am dumping everything on your lap again.”
He shook his head. “It’s fine. I don’t mind at all, honestly. It’s my duty to make sure you are comfortable and well taken care of. That means being here if you need someone to talk to. It’s not a hardship, Princess.”
His words were unexpected. On the one hand, Luc was cold and standoffish and didn’t seem approachable at all sometimes. But here he was, all but telling me that he was here for me whenever I needed to talk.
There was something more to this man than met the eye.
“You know, Luc,” I said, washing my hands and turning toward him. “If I didn’t know any better, I might think you’re a big softie.”
He snorted. “Let’s not get ahead of ourselves.”
“Then what is it? You have every reason to be annoyed with this task of looking after me. Yet you’re not. In fact, you’re going above and beyond, I’d say.”
Luc grabbed a towel and tossed it to me, giving the matter some thought.
“You’re a pain in the ass,” he said.
I laughed. “This is already off to a good start.”
“Let me finish. You’re a pain in the ass, a bit of a brat. But deep down, it’s easy to see that you’ve got good in you. And if I can guide you through this, help you become the princess you’re destined to be, I know that this good can be brought out so that the whole kingdom can benefit.”
I smiled, his words warming my heart.
“So, it’s about the kingdom? All so very practical.”
He looked me up and down, that familiar hunger in his eyes. Luc stepped close enough that I could once more smell the aftershave that lingered on his handsome face.
“There’s nothing practical about the other thoughts I have about you.”
There was that tingling between my thighs again, his words making me ache for him like crazy.
Screw it. What was the point of holding back?
“Come to bed with me,” I said. “A rainy night like tonight’s the perfect kind to share with someone else.”
He closed the distance between us, putting his hands on my hips. His eyes burned with lust for me, and Luc leaned in, placing his lips on mine. I fell into the kiss right away, allowing myself to be carried away by his taste and smell and touch. In that moment I wanted nothing more than to give myself to him in a way I never had to a man before.
I wanted him to scoop me off my feet, to sling me over his big, broad shoulder and carry me to bed, to pleasure me in ways I’d never been pleasured before.
But he didn’t. Instead, he took his lips away from me and smirked.
“No. Not tonight.”
Fuck. “Why not? You can’t just kiss me like that and leave me hanging.”
“That’s exactly what I’m going to do.”
“Tease.”
He grinned, unphased by the sharpness of my tone.
“You don’t get it, Ava.”
“Get it? What’s there to get?”
“That you’re forbidden fruit to me. I want you like mad. But here’s the thing—once I have you, I know I won’t be able to ever stop. Not until you’re completely mine.”