She should really push him away now, especially since he was telling her that he was messed up. Not that she needed that confirmation, but she didn’t push him away.
Then Lucian made that sound again, causing the very core of her to clench in desperation. Somehow, she didn’t even know, her hands landed on his chest. His skin was smooth and hard under her palms. She didn’t push him away.
He lowered his head, stopping a mere inch from her mouth. A taut moment passed as her heart thundered out of control and her brain screamed for her to end this before it was too late.
“Fuck it,” he growled.
And then he kissed her.
Chapter 18
The first touch of his lips to hers wasn’t timid or questioning. His mouth on hers shattered every single valid concern that had risen to the tip of her tongue. Lucian nipped at her bottom lip, and when she gasped, he took full advantage, deepening the kiss until she was surrounded by the taste and feel of him.
He drank from her, kissing her like he intended to devour every breath she took. And that was how Julia felt.
Devoured.
Julia had never been kissed like this.
His mouth covered hers as he leaned in, lining up all the most interesting parts of their bodies. Hip to hip. Chest to chest. His hand cradled her jaw, tilting her back to gain more access, and she gave it as her heart pounded and pulse skyrocketed.
He slid a hand down her side, under the cardigan and over her hip, to her thigh. His fingers curled into her flesh, pressing through the thin pajama bottoms. Julia’s body took over without thought. When he lifted her thigh, she curled her leg around his.
Julia moaned as he sank into her. Their clothing nothing but a thin barrier between her heat and his hardness. Dragging her hands up to his chest, she clutched at his shoulders as his hips rocked into hers. She trembled against him—against the wall.
Lifting his mouth just enough to speak, Lucian dragged his thumb along her jaw. “God, I’ve been wanting to do that since the first moment I laid eyes on you.”
Julia shuddered as she drew in shallow breaths. A tiny part of sanity returned. They shouldn’t be doing this. Not in the hallway where his brothers could find them. Not anywhere. “Lucian—”
He kissed her again, silencing whatever protests she was working on making, but this time was different. It was slow and deep, as if he were now taking the time to familiarize himself with every centimeter of her lips. It wasn’t nearly as hard, but it was just as consuming, if not more. Her entire body hummed as a deep ache grew and intensified each time he pressed into her.
She was drunk on his kisses.
How easily he distracted her was quite devious, making her wonder if that was how he earned his nickname. It would make sense, because she could barely remember who she was and she sure as hell didn’t protest as that hand of his left her hip and found its way under the hem of her shirt, sliding along the bare skin of her side.
She rolled her hips against his, trembling when a near animalistic groan erupted from him. Panting in between kissing, her back arched when his hand found her breast. Lust pounded through her as her nails dug into his shoulders.
“Julia,” he groaned, and then his tongue was tracing her lips again, demanding entry.
Her fingers reached the short, soft strands of his hair just as his thumb brushed over her nipple. Julia cried out, and he swallowed the sound with another scorching kiss.
“I love those sounds you make,” he said, voice gravelly. “Just hearing them could make me come.”
She lost whatever little breath she had. “You . . . you can’t be serious.”
“Don’t believe me?” He kissed the corner of her mouth. “Touch me and find out. It’ll be over in under a minute. That’s how hot you make me. That’s how crazy you got me.”
Touch him? Oh God, she wanted to. Badly. So much so, that she was dizzy just from imagining herself doing so.
His hot, wicked mouth moved along her jaw to her ear. “I can help you do it. You want that?”
Julia’s eyes drifted shut as she bit down on her lower lip. This was insane. She needed to stop this, but she didn’t when he curled his hands around her wrist. She let him draw her hand down his chest, over the tight ridges of his stomach.
He stopped when the tips of her fingers brushed the band on his pants. “What do you think?” he asked, his lips moving down her throat. “You say yes, I’ll help you. I’ll prove to you just how ready to explode I am.” He caught the skin of her neck between his teeth, sending a bolt of wicked pleasure through her veins. Letting go, he soothed the sting with a swipe of his tongue. “I can show you what I do.”
Lucian dragged his mouth back up the side of her throat. Her fingers splayed wide as he held on to her wrist. “I can show you what I do when I’m thinking of you.”
Her body was at war with her mind. Common sense dictated that she say no, but that wasn’t what she wanted. She should know better, but she didn’t want to listen to the voice of caution.
Julia’s throat dried as she lowered her leg and rasped out, “Yes.”
His answering groan turned into a deep, breath-stealing kiss that Julia realized she had very little experience with. “Thank God,” he whispered, and then he dragged her hand under the band of his pants.
Almost immediately, her fingers brushed over the wet, hard tip. He pulled back just enough that when she opened her eyes and looked down, she could see the head of his cock.
With his other hand, he pushed down the sides of his pants, exposing the thick, long length of his erection. Her eyes widened. She’d felt him, so she had a good idea of his size, but seeing it was a whole different story.
Goodness.
Lucian moved her hand down to the base and then slid his hand over hers, curling their fingers around his thickness. Then he moved again, slowing dragging her hand up and then back down.
She knew how to do this, but there was something incredibly hot with him guiding the strokes. He had control in this moment, and God help her, she was turned on by that. Thoroughly aroused by watching his darker hand swallowing hers and feeling the heated skin under her palm jerking.
“Watch,” he said, kissing her temple and then the other corner of her mouth. “Watch us.”
He didn’t have to tell her to do that. Julia couldn’t look away if she tried. He used her hand to stroke him, slow at first and then faster, squeezed her hand until his entire body jerked.
His body began to move in tune to the motions of their hands. The bead of liquid grew, and her heart sped up. She couldn’t believe she was doing this and she couldn’t stop.
“Julia.” He groaned her name as if it were a curse and prayer.
She lifted her gaze to his, and the searing intensity in his stare nearly brought her to her knees. Julia leaned forward, bringing her mouth to his. She kissed him, reveling in the way his body suddenly trembled. Her grip on him tightened, and it took a moment to realize that he was no longer moving her hand. His hands slammed into the wall beside her head. It was all her working him over as she deepened the kiss, swirling her tongue around his.
It was then when she realized it was her that was in control.
Maybe she always had been.
And it had been so long, too long since she felt like that.
“Hell,” Lucian breathed against her mouth. “Seriously. Not going to even last a minute.”
Her lips curled into a grin against his. She didn’t get a chance to respond, because he kissed her like a man coming out of a drought in search for water. Then he broke away, burying his head in the crook of her neck. He thrust once more and then shuddered as he growled out a rough curse against her skin. She felt him spasm in her fist as he found his release—as she gave it to him.
His breath sounded shaky as he softened a little in her grip. Gently, she let go and then awkwardly wiped the back of her hand along her bottoms.
“Okay,” he said, sounding hoarse. “That was like thirty seconds.
Maybe I should feel embarrassed.”
Julia laughed, unable to stop it.
He lifted his head from her neck and moving only one hand from the wall, he reached between them, picking up the hand she’d gripped him with. Holding her gaze, he brought her hand to his mouth and pressed a kiss to the center of her palm.
Her belly dropped.
Whoa.
A half grin appeared as he brought her hand to his chest, doing even more weird things to her stomach. “I’m standing in the hallway with my ass hanging out, and I don’t even care.”
Julia should care about that, but all she could do was laugh again. “It’s a good thing we’re the only people awake. Well, us and the ghosts.”
“Yeah. Damn, Ms. Hughes.” He pressed his forehead against hers as he drew in a ragged breath. “I think I’m going to want to keep you.”
His words shocked her, jolting her entire system. She didn’t know if it was because she liked the idea of what he said or the knowledge that he probably meant nothing by it. Or maybe now that the cool air was getting in between their bodies, common sense was returning with a vengeance.
Oh my God.
What in the world was wrong with her? She’d sworn she was not going to fly those horny wings again, especially not in a hallway where anyone could walk up on them.
Julia stiffened as she averted her gaze, making the mistake of looking down. Sweet Lord, he was still huge even when he wasn’t—okay, she wasn’t going to think about that. She focused on his shoulder. “I—”
“Don’t say it shouldn’t have happened.” His voice was hard as he leaned to the side, fixing his gaze on hers. “Don’t say you regret it or that I should forget it.”
Her nostrils flared. “Don’t tell me what to say.”
“Don’t stand there and pretend like what just happened wasn’t fucking amazing for both of us even though I was the one who got off.”
Julia’s month dropped open. “Wow. Your ego is actually limitless.”
“It has nothing to do with ego.” He craned his neck to the other side when she looked away, snaring her once more. “I know for a damn fact that you enjoyed that just as much as I did.”
“Oh really?”
“Really,” he shot back. “How do I know? Because that’s the first time I’ve heard you laugh since the night at the bar like you actually couldn’t help yourself. Like you were actually enjoying yourself. It was a real laugh just like a few seconds ago that was a real smile.”
Julia started to deny it, but her mouth snapped shut as her chest rose on a deep inhale.
“And the way you kissed me? You can’t fake that and you sure as hell don’t kiss like that if you’re going to regret it.”
Jesus. He was right. Julia hated him for it, and what she needed right now was not to be around him. She needed to get her head on straight.
“It doesn’t matter.” She pulled her hand free and slipped out from underneath his extended arm, putting distance between them. “It shouldn’t have happened.”
“Maybe it should’ve.” Lucian shook his head as he turned toward her, pulling up his pants. Something she was entirely grateful for. “Have you even considered that?”
“Why would I?” She threw her hands up in disbelief. “I work for you—for your family. You’re technically my boss. That—” she gestured at him “—was literally the last thing I should be considering.”
His brows snapped together. “Who cares if you’re an employee or not? That doesn’t matter to me or my brothers. What matters is what we want.”
Folding her arms, she took a step back. “The world doesn’t work that way. Other things mattered.”
He stalked forward, eating up the distance between them in a blink of an eye. “That is exactly how my world works.”
Julia gaped at him, because seriously, how in the world was she supposed to respond to that?
But then he shocked her once more.
Clasping the sides of her cheeks, he lowered his head and kissed her—kissed her like he had the first time. And stupid, stupid, stupid Julia didn’t push him away. She opened up to him like one of those wild roses blooming in the garden.
Lucian still held her as he said, “And Ms. Hughes? You’re in my world now.”
Chapter 19
Charcoal covered his fingers and the side of Lucian’s hand. There were faint black smudges along his bare chest. Streaks he had no idea how they’d gotten there. His eyes were tired and the cramp in his neck wasn’t getting any better, but as he sat back and really looked at what the last several hours had given him, the pain was nothing but a minor annoyance.
Giving up the paint for charcoal had been a brilliant idea.
There was just something more intimate when sketching with charcoal. Maybe it was because the fingers were closer to the canvas and were involved in the shading and etching of finer details. It was a romantic art, Lucian always thought, warmer and more flawed than oil and brush.
Lucian’s gaze roamed over the canvas.
He’d started on the sketch from the moment he returned to his rooms. No sleep. Nothing to drink or eat. Hours had passed and even though there were no windows in this room, he knew the sun had crested quite some time ago.
Julia stared back at him; the exquisite line of her jaw and the lush lines of her lips were rendered in dark gray smudges and strokes. He’d captured the look on her face moments before she’d realized what she’d done with him.
Her brows were relaxed and her eyes heavy-hooded. The lashes had been hard to perfect, but it had been the slight curl of her lips that had taken him over an hour to get just right. It was that half smile he’d seen, relaxed and pleased. Just the tiniest twist to her lips, and it had been the most beautiful smile he’d ever seen.
The rest of her had come from memory and imagination. He’d drawn her reclining on her side, her head resting on a small fist. A sheet covered her hips, falling to the side, exposing one calf. Her stomach and chest were bare, the soft swells etched and shaded with charcoal. She was a Venus, his own personal Venus.
Ms. Hughes would probably smack him if she ever saw this.
One side of his lips kicked up.
It would be worth it.
Dropping the charcoal on a nearby tray, he rose and lifted his arm, stretching out the tight muscles. Then he walked out of the room, feeling a million times clearer than when he entered. It had been ages since he spent the better part of the night squirreled away in his studio.
And doing so now was like a reawakening.
Maddie and he got their talents from their mother. She was an artist, able to give life to any drawing, whether it was done with a plain pen or the most expensive oil brush.
It was yet something else that set him and his sister apart from their brothers.
After a quick shower and change of clothing, he headed upstairs. The craziest thing happened as he jogged up the steps. A weird mixture of nervousness and anticipation assaulted him. His steps slowed as a frown pulled at his lips.
Was he actually nervous—nervous to see Julia?
Running a hand over his chest, he headed down the hall. When was the last time he’d actually been nervous to see a woman? He could not remember.
Hell.
Unsure of what to think about that, he rounded the hall and saw that his sister’s bedroom door was open.
Maddie was at the easel. God. He still couldn’t believe that his sister was sitting up and painting. All thanks to Julia’s idea. Which meant she was also probably right about Daniel. As much as he didn’t want Daniel around, if it would help his sister, he would convince his brothers to allow it.
His gaze shifted to where Julia sat in a nearby chair. She was watching his sister while nibbling on her lower lip. Her expression was pinched, like she was lost in a world of thoughts.
Lucian wondered if he she was stressing over last night. Cocky to assume that there was nothing else going on in her life, but he was willing to bet it was on her mind. Probably
was coming up with a grocery list of reasons why it shouldn’t have happened.
Leaning against the doorframe, he cleared his throat.
Julia jumped as her head shot up and over. Pink splashed over her cheeks, and his heart slammed itself against his ribs the moment their gazes locked.
Neither of them said anything for a long moment. Lucian found himself oddly . . . voiceless.
It was Julia who broke the silence.
Folding her arms, she scooted forward in the chair. “Good morning.”
One eyebrow rose. “So prim and proper, Ms. Hughes.”
The pink deepened as her lips pursed. “What can I do for you, Lucian?”
The sound of his name coming from that mouth punched lust right through him. If his sister wasn’t in the room, he would make it so that he wouldn’t have needed his imagination for some of what he’d drawn.
“Nothing at the moment.” Pushing away from the door, he strode across the room, fully aware of her watching him doubtfully. Reaching his sister side, he knelt down. “Good morning, Maddie.”
His sister didn’t respond as she drew the paintbrush across the canvas. His brows knitted together as he studied the canvas. Out of the pale paint, he thought he saw facial features. He looked over at Julia. “How many sheets has she done?”
“Three. This is her fourth one,” she answered. “I’ve been keeping them in the closet, out of the way.”
He nodded and then refocused on Maddie. “So, I was thinking,” he said while his sister moved to dab more paint on the brush. “How would you feel if I invited Daniel over this weekend?”
Maddie’s hand stilled.
He held his breath as his sister sat there, unmoving. Was that a good sign? Bad? “Possibly on Sunday, for lunch? Would you like that?”
Her gaze lowered. A moment passed and then she started painting again.
Lucian remained crouched for several moments in silence. “There was a response.” He looked over to Julia. “You saw that, right?”
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