I stake my claim.
It was inevitable, really.
What did surprise Bree was how she found his bright gaze even more startling in the daylight. What surprised her was the way swallowing suddenly became difficult with her tongue stuck to the roof of her mouth.
“I asked Josie about you,” he said. “She didn’t think you were dating anyone.”
“Not at the moment.” She had not met the love of her life yet, thank you.
“Were you planning to go to the krewe coronation ball?”
“I don’t believe I jotted it down in my day planner.”
“Does Josie know? She gave up a honeymoon trip to Indonesia to get back in time for the ball. I would have thought she’d have guilted you into that, too.”
“Like I told you last night, I don’t know your sister all that well. Even knowing what I do, I couldn’t begin to understand her priorities. An Indonesian honeymoon would win over Krewe du Chaud’s coronation ball in my book.”
Lucas laughed, a rich, velvet sound that proved you could take the man out of the Big Easy, but you couldn’t take the Big Easy out of the man. There was just something sultry about a Deep South male laugh, something that hinted at lots of bare skin and the promise of sex. It was a sound that raised more goose bumps on her arms than the river breeze.
“Okay,” she conceded with a heavy breath to blow the hair out of her face. “I had to promise I’d be a masker on parade day and do my bit with the throws.”
“Then I’d like you to reconsider the ball, so I can take you. I coerced Josie into giving me a place on a float. We can make a whole day of it.”
“You’ve really extended your trip. The parade isn’t for another week.” She eyed the warehouse. “Good thing, too, because this new float isn’t close to being ready.”
“She will be. Can’t sail without the captain’s ship.”
“Okay, Mr. Nice Guy, I have a question. If you want to ask me out, why are you waiting until a ball that’s a week away?”
“Because it’s Mardi Gras, and I have respect. I’m asking you to celebrate with me and not your friends, so I figure you’d want to make sure I’m worthy of the honor. Now you’ve got some time to get to know me.”
Bree laughed. “Very smooth.”
When he lifted his hand toward her face, she knew he meant to brush away the hair from her cheek, but her breath caught in her throat as she waited for him to touch her.
It was only a simple stroke of callused fingertips across her skin, yet she stood frozen with her throat constricted around that breath, her body intensely aware of him.
Given their chemistry, Bree wasn’t surprised by his offer. Lucas was obviously used to getting what he wanted, and right now he wanted to monopolize her time for the duration of his stay. She was attracted to him, too, and hadn’t had any decent sex in too long. Everything about Lucas screamed, Stellar sex!
So why shouldn’t she enjoy the moment? Just because Jude had decided to show his face again didn’t mean she should let him throw her life into turmoil. Lucas Russell was an attractive man, so far out of Jude Robicheaux’s league….
The thought stopped Bree short.
Even Jude would recognize he didn’t stand a chance of winning her away from Lucas.
Glancing back to the river, where the torn bits of a letter she hadn’t wanted to receive still floated along the surface, Bree stared at the pieces.
Jude had a special talent for scenting vulnerability, and if he thought she was still the same impressionable young girl she’d once been then he’d never leave her alone.
What better way to show him she wasn’t that girl anymore than by not letting him rattle her? She’d just keep living life as if he didn’t faze her. She’d contact the police—after the promotion announcement and after Lucas went home.
Peering up into Lucas’s face, she found him watching her. He wanted her. It was in his eyes, in the stony set of his jaw. Lucas had dealt straight with her so far, and a part of her felt as if she should deal straight back. But what would she say?
I’ve got some guy stalking me, so make sure you don’t turn your back for too long.
That would lead to questions about her past and explanations. She hated explanations. They always made her look weak. And feel weak. How stupid could one person be?
She didn’t like to dwell on the answer.
Lucas wanted to spend time with her. He was talking about a week, so explanations really weren’t necessary. She liked him. He liked her. She had the Jude situation under control. So why shouldn’t they have a good time together?
Bree couldn’t think of one good reason.
4
“I’D LOVE TO GO TO THE ball with you.”
Lucas felt the promise in Bree’s acceptance like a live current through his body. “And spend time together to decide if I’m worthy?”
“That, too.”
“Good. We can start with the krewe.” Slipping his hand around Bree’s elbow, he led her toward the warehouse with a parting glance at the paper littering the river. He wondered what the white envelope had contained to earn a watery grave but didn’t ask. Bree seemed unconcerned about it.
Lucas pegged her as a private woman, the type who could reveal everything and nothing in a glance. She peered up at him from beneath her lashes, those soft, dark eyes holding secrets. This woman distanced herself with those sultry glances and her sharp wit, and no one was more surprised than Lucas to find that distance so intriguing. Even in the daylight he felt goaded to win her responses.
“Watch your step.” He moved aside so Bree could climb the stairs.
She treated him to a quick smile, then took off, ascending with a light step and gifting him with the sight of her backside clad in denim. Her long hair swung jauntily down her back, shiny strands catching and dragging over her sweater, and he found himself admiring the view from her well-worn Timberlands up the sleek terrain of her curvy body.
Informal attire did nothing to minimize the casual glamour of this woman. Sequins or faded jeans—Bree Addison wore them equally with style.
After slipping through the open gate, she moved along the cavernous interior of the warehouse that had been transformed into a den to store the krewe’s parade supplies.
The den might be a new location from the one that had served Krewe du Chaud while Lucas was growing up, but a quick glance proved that many of the floats hadn’t changed.
“Would you look at this? It’s Gator Bait.” He paused to run a hand over the rough surface of the alligator lying in twenty-foot-long pieces of scaly green fiberglass. “You’re running him this year?”
Bree nodded. “He’s number three in the lineup.”
“So he’s got some life left.” Lucas laughed. “I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised Josie keeps him going.”
“Just a guess, but he’s a favorite of yours?”
“Oh, yeah. This old boy’s been around since I was a kid. He was the first float the krewe had designed by an engineer. We ran car washes and fish fries for a year to raise the money to build him, then barely had enough left over to buy throws for the parade. Before Gator Bait we were making our floats out of cardboard and papier-mâché.”
Bree folded her arms across her chest, drawing his attention from the old alligator to the way her sweater clung to the swell of her breasts. “Sounds pretty grassroots. From where I stood in the crowd, Krewe du Chaud’s parades always looked so crème de la crème.”
“We’re one of the older krewes,” he said. “Haven’t been around quite as long as Endymion or some of the parading organizations like Rex and Bacchus, but we’re old-school. I’m curious to see if your sister’s treasure hunt sparks some new interest in the captain and some new members.”
“I wouldn’t be surprised. Her treasure hunt has sparked a lot of interest.”
Something in Bree’s tone made Lucas think the interest hadn’t all been good, but before he had a chance to grab onto something in that statement, she
said, “First Cupid, now Gator Bait. Did you expect your visit to be a trip down memory lane?”
Josie’s attic had been a trip down memory lane. Standing inside this den with Bree Addison was something else entirely. When he stared down into her beautiful face, he felt a rush of awareness that made him realize just how lifeless he’d been feeling lately. But ever since finding this woman in his bushes, his body had been on hyperalert.
Like right now. She faced him with her nose tipped impudently and her full mouth pursed, staring at him with those mysterious eyes. He wanted nothing more than to close the distance and kiss her.
With every throb of his pulse, he could imagine how she would feel pressed up against him. It was a wildly romantic thought for a man who wasn’t disposed to romantic thoughts.
When he stared into Bree’s face, he felt wildly romantic.
Time seemed to stall. Her chest rose and fell on a shallow breath. She lowered her arms to her sides as if suddenly unsure what to do with them. She darted her tongue out to moisten dry lips. Her expression softened, and as Lucas watched, all the mysteries fell away. He’d hoped Bree had been fighting their chemistry, not wanting him to know she was attracted, but he hadn’t been sure. Now he was sure.
She looked at him like a woman who wants a man.
And when she swayed forward in silent invitation, heat coursed through him, the blaze soldering his brain cells so it took him a second to make his move.
Time slowed to a surreal crawl as he wrapped her in his arms. Their bodies came together first, full breasts against his chest, smooth stomach cradling what only needed permission to become an erection, thighs wedging together. She sank full-bodied against him, warm, yielding, undeniably right.
She tipped her face upward, sending her hair tumbling down her back and over his arms in a cool silk wave. He stared into her face, impossibly beautiful at close range, utterly impossible to resist.
Lucas tightened an arm around her, locked her even closer, amazed at how pleasure rode through him hard, a tangible sensation that spurred him to slide a hand up the sleek arch of her spine, into the curve of her neck. He speared his fingers into her hair, cupped her head in his palm….
Their mouths came together with no less fanfare than their bodies. Her lips parted under his, welcoming. Their tongues collided, as effortless and natural as breathing.
He’d never known he could feel a kiss everywhere, and he was a man who appreciated kissing. But this kiss…this kiss surged through every nerve ending in his body. This kiss sent need plunging through muscles that grew tense.
They shared a breath. He inhaled her warm gasp only to return it as he slanted his mouth over hers harder, wanting to taste more of her, wanting to explore this incredible feeling.
A screech of excitement emitted from somewhere in the warehouse. They broke apart, startled, staring at each other while registering the sound that had stolen the spell.
Bree recovered first. “Wow.”
“Agreed.”
A smile tipped those full lips, still tempting him, making him unwilling to let her go.
“I’m glad you decided to extend your trip, Lucas.”
“Me, too.”
“Shall we?” She gave a light laugh and stepped back. “The new float’s in pieces in the back room.”
The moment was over, and the pang of regret he felt at its loss came as another surprise. He only nodded and followed her along the path of Gator Bait’s massive body, wondering about the effect this woman was having on him. One thing was for sure—Bree Addison was scrambling his brains big-time, and that in itself was a new experience.
The music blaring through overhead speakers was another blast from the past. Krewe du Chaud’s anthem was a song called “Just Love Me for Me”—the theme song from the 1950s musical comedy Downtown Pirates about the illustrious captain himself.
“Mood music?” he asked.
“Your sister doesn’t miss a trick.”
He didn’t get a chance to reply as they swung a corner and emerged in a cavernous room flooded with light and activity.
“I’m impressed,” was all Lucas said.
Captain Dampier had sailed a two-masted schooner because the shallow draft had let him easily navigate shoal waters. He could hide in the coves while outrunning navy frigates and sloops to bring his merchandise into New Orleans during the war.
Josie had mentioned the krewe’s new float, but seeing the pirate ship coming together under the bright fluorescent lights brought back a feeling of long-forgotten excitement. Memories of Gator Bait, the winking captain and a youth filled with Mardi Gras celebrations sharpened the edges of a mood that had started with a late-night intruder and hadn’t subsided since.
“Real rigging, too,” Lucas said. “Josie wasn’t kidding. This is first-class.”
Bree’s gaze traveled over the fiberglass pieces littered at odd angles around the warehouse—a section of faux-wood hull, a bowsprit, the crow’s nest. “Maybe when it’s all together.”
“Hey, Bree, about time,” a feminine voice called out, so familiar that Lucas actually blinked when he saw Bree’s twin circling the ship’s hull and heading toward them. “I thought you were going to skip. John just got here with the doubloons.”
“Be still my heart.” Bree winked. “Lucas, this is my sister, Tally. Tally, Josie’s brother.”
Lucas extended his hand, his gaze zeroing in on this beautiful doppelgänger. The dark eyes. The wide smile. The refined features and cloud of shiny hair made them almost impossible to tell apart at first glance.
But Lucas had made his career analyzing details. There were differences, subtle but definitely there.
Tally’s face was more symmetrical, a classical oval, while Bree’s smile angled into a dainty chin and made her face heart-shaped. Both had high cheekbones, dark eyes and arched eyebrows, but as he stared into Bree’s eyes, he noticed starbursts of deep golden-brown. Her left eyebrow arched in an expression all her own.
Their mannerisms were as individual as two women could be. Tally struck him as all intensity and boldness as she shook his hand and eyed him with open interest. Bree was quieter, more contemplative as she folded her arms over her chest and watched them thoughtfully. He’d already encountered her dry wit.
“I’m impressed, Lucas,” she said. “Not even one comment about how we’re so alike we could switch places?”
“Get that a lot, do you?”
Tally rolled her eyes. “You’d be surprised. For some reason people think identical twins have nothing better to do all day than impersonate each other.”
“I can see the novelty,” he admitted. “If someone isn’t able to tell you apart.”
“Meaning you can?” Tally asked.
He nodded.
“Really?” Bree arched that doubtful eyebrow. “So you don’t think we could fool you?”
Lucas reached out and caught her hand. Bringing it to his lips, he brushed a kiss across her knuckles, smiled when her eyes widened. Inclining his head toward Tally, he said, “She doesn’t make my heart pound.”
That was the biggest difference of all. Tally Addison might look like the woman who sped his pulse into over-drive, but she was just that woman’s sister. Her sweater might be just as clingy, her jeans fitting perfectly curvy hips and sleek thighs. They had no chemistry.
“I am so not believing this,” Tally said in a gush. “When did you two meet, and how come I haven’t heard about it?”
“Long story that’ll have to wait until later.” Bree gave a dismissive wave when Lucas released her hand.
The awareness lingered, though, a sensation that filtered through him until all his nerves were back in over-drive.
Tally eyed Bree with an accusing gaze, and something in Bree’s tone suggested she wasn’t all that eager to rehash the night’s events. Lucas wondered if Tally would get the unabridged version of Bree’s visit to his yard. He was pretty sure he hadn’t gotten the whole story.
“I thought you s
aid John brought the doubloons?” Bree said. “Where are they?”
“Come on, then.” Tally looped her arm through his and got them moving. “If you’re Josie’s brother, all this must be old news for you.”
“I grew up with the krewe, but it’s been a long time since I’ve been around. I come home for Mardi Gras as often as I can.”
“Josie threatens to come get you, does she?” Bree asked.
Lucas laughed. “Sounds like you know my sister pretty well, after all.”
“Josie’s wonderful,” Tally said. “I can’t believe everything she does. And she’s been incredibly helpful as I’m getting the captain’s gallery up and running at the museum.”
“Josie hasn’t mentioned anything about a museum gallery.”
“She’s had a lot on her plate with the wedding,” Tally pointed out. “I’m taking the captain’s treasure and celebrating his role in protecting New Orleans. Not only is he getting his own gallery at the museum but also a society that offers scholarships for people who want to attend college.”
“And there’s the Blue Note,” Bree added.
“That’s my nightclub. One of the best places in New Orleans for food and music.”
“My sister isn’t biased at all.”
“Absolutely not.” Tally laughed.
Seeing these sisters together was going to take some getting used to, Lucas decided. Just then a young man approached carrying a box of what turned out to be the new doubloons.
“Hey, John.” Bree smiled in greeting. “Those the new doubloons?”
John nodded and handed one to her. “Check them out.”
The young guy never even glanced Lucas’s way, and it took all of about two seconds to realize the kid was overwhelmed by the women surrounding him. Lucas couldn’t blame him. Bree and Tally were a sight. So similar. So impossibly gorgeous.
Bree held out the doubloon and flipped it for his perusal. One side showed a striking profile of the captain in his plumed hat, the other side his ship.
“Nice.” Lucas extended his hand to John. “Lucas Russell. I’m here to help out until Mardi Gras.”
“Russell?” John shook, but his expression melted into a frown and he shot a confused gaze toward Bree, who nodded.
Going All Out Page 6
