So much about the girl fascinated him. He couldn’t afford to think like that. His fascination and need to rescue people was what caused all his trouble. He’d befriend Felicity and that would be it.
Felicity started the water for the shower and stared at her reflection. She couldn’t believe that she admitted all of that to Lucas. She’d never spoken that openly to anyone, except for Layla and Charlie, and even then, she didn’t have to explain. They just got it.
She half expected him to laugh at her, but he didn’t. He teased her, but she could tell he was just trying to make her laugh. After taking out her contacts, she stepped under the spray of the shower and relaxed. As the warm water eased her muscles, her mind wandered back to the book she’d been reading when Lucas had interrupted. The characters were making out, and Felicity had in fact been getting turned on.
She began to imagine Lucas doing what the character had done, tugging at her nipples with his teeth while his fingers gently rubbed her clit. Felicity mimicked the motions with her hands. The pleasure made her lean back against the cold tile wall, but she didn’t stop. She plucked her nipple, first on one breast then the other as her other hand became slick. As she picked up the pace, her hips rocked against her hand.
Her head lolled back and she closed her eyes. She plunged two fingers inside herself. With her other hand, she rubbed and flicked at her clit. The tension built and coiled low in her stomach, and she moved faster, seeking release. When she came, she almost lost balance and slid around on the slick surface of the tub.
Water sluiced over her as she braced a hand against the wall. Her muscles relaxed and her nerves jumped. A moment passed, and then she heard Charlie’s question from yesterday morning. “When was the last time you had an orgasm with someone other than yourself?”
As she washed her hair and then her body, Felicity answered honestly, “Too damn long.” Lucas was on the other side of the door. What would he do if she just walked out there naked and wanted to have sex with him? He’d been flirting with her—at least she thought so. Given how often she misread signals, who knew? But then he said he only wanted her to pretend to be his date. Regardless of how he acted, his words were specific.
Plus, if he rejected the whole idea, his entire plan for the wedding would be ruined. She couldn’t do that to him. He was a nice guy who gave up his rental car for her. And he’d given her a valuable lesson on social interaction. Lucas was excellent at social interaction. She could learn a lot from him. She turned off the water and stepped from the shower, determined to use Lucas as a mentor. She’d learn what she could and then use it for the rest of her trip.
She dried quickly, pulled on shorts and a shirt, and hoped she hadn’t been in there too long. Slipping her glasses on her face, she opened the bathroom door. The bedroom was empty. “Lucas?”
Why she called him, she didn’t know. From where she stood, she could see the entire room. The door suddenly swung open, and Lucas strode in, shirtless, carrying the ice bucket and juggling something in his shirt.
He paused when the door clunked shut and said, “Hi.” He dumped his shirt on her bed and out tumbled a wide selection of junk food. He must’ve spent twenty bucks in the vending machine. He set the ice bucket on the nightstand between the beds. It held a couple bottles of pop and some water. “I figured we’d get hungry. Did you pick out a movie?”
“Uh, no. I just got out of the shower and was wondering where you’d gone.”
He shook out his shirt, and she tried unsuccessfully not to stare. He bunched it up and slid his arms through while her mouth watered over the insanely sexy muscles. She bit her lip to stop herself from drooling. This would do nothing to prevent the rampant fantasies that would accompany what she’d imagined in the shower. Her skin warmed at the thought.
Lucas walked past her, oblivious to her thoughts, and said, “Cute glasses.”
She touched them self-consciously. “Thanks.”
He jumped onto his bed and patted the spot beside him. “Come on. Let’s get a movie going.”
Felicity looked over her snack choices and grabbed a bag of corn chips and M&M’s. “What do you want?” she asked, pointing at the pile.
“Whatever.”
She couldn’t believe he didn’t care. No one was that laid back, but he really didn’t seem to have a preference. She tossed him a bag of potato chips and debated whether she should sit on her bed.
Lucas scooted over a little more. “Sit here.”
So she did. He clicked through the movie options, and she quickly chose a romantic comedy while trying to block out the warmth of his body beside her. He lay close enough that when they opened their bags of chips, their arms bumped. If she shifted her leg a half inch to the right, she’d be able to feel the hair on his legs, so she locked every muscle.
The scent of his cologne intrigued her. It was a total man cologne—nothing flowery for this guy. It was a sandalwood base, but she couldn’t grab the middle notes. She made a mental reminder to check the bathroom for the bottle later. Scent was something that deeply affected her, mostly because so many people got it wrong. They tended to sniff the bottle, maybe spritz it in the air, but testing it on your own skin was important.
And Lucas had gotten it right.
The opening credits rolled and campy music played. For the next two hours, Felicity was entertained by the movie in front of her and the comments from the man beside her. For once, it wasn’t about learning—although she did, thanks to Lucas’s constant barrage of “No guy thinks that way”—but she was able to just relax and enjoy the moment.
Chapter 5
Felicity sat in a chair across from Becky, waiting for the woman to place her breakfast order. The waitress turned away, and Becky refocused her attention on Felicity and Lucas. He’d chosen to sit next to Felicity, which as a couple, she supposed made sense, but it felt like it was more.
Becky leaned her forearms on the table, her perfectly golden skin a contrast to the white tabletop. “So, Lucas, what do you think about this whole destination wedding thing?”
He shrugged. “It works for them, I think.”
“But it doesn’t seem real, does it? It’s like a play or something.” She turned her brilliant smile on Felicity. “Do you know what I mean?”
Hell no, she didn’t, but Felicity knew better than to say that. “I guess it’s a way to keep it small.”
“It’s a little inconsiderate to your guests, though. To just assume that people can plan a whole vacation and afford to come here.”
Lucas responded, “No one said guests had to stay for the week. Besides, this place has special meaning for them.”
“You have a point, I suppose, but you know me, Lucas, I want the whole shebang. Big church wedding, long reception with everyone invited.” Becky’s gaze returned to Felicity.
“Personally, I like the idea of eloping.”
Becky’s eyes widened. “Eloping? What about your family and friends?”
“A marriage—a wedding—is about the bride and groom. No one else should really matter. It’s about the commitment they make to each other.” Felicity glanced at Lucas to make sure she hadn’t said anything wrong and then took a sip from her water.
“No, I have to disagree with you there, Felicity. A wedding is about celebrating your love with your partner in front of witnesses. They all want to share in your joy.” Becky waved her hands while she spoke and the sun glinted off the rings on her fingers.
Felicity shrugged. She didn’t have an answer for that.
Lucas’s arm slid around the back of her chair. “Then you throw a party after the fact.”
“Well, it doesn’t surprise me that you’d say that.”
Felicity looked at him, hoping for some explanation, but received none.
The waitress arrived with their food. Both Felicity and Lucas had a full breakfast with eggs and bacon and toast, while Becky ate oatmeal and a bowl of fruit.
“So, Felicity, what do you do for a living?”
>
“I’m still in school.”
Becky’s eyebrows shot up.
“I’m graduating this year.” She scrambled to think, and then added quickly, “Harvard.” That single word tended to impress people, and it would buy her time to figure out which questions from her list she should use.
“Interesting. And how exactly did you two meet?”
Lucas patted Felicity’s leg, their signal that he would answer. “Felicity was home visiting. She’s from Chicago. We met at a bar. One look and we pretty much just clicked.”
Felicity swallowed hard. Anyone who knew her knew that she never met a guy in a bar, unless Charlie or Layla forced her to. That would work. She would just weave her friends into Lucas’s story.
“So what’s your degree in?”
“Chemistry.”
Becky’s face brightened. “Oh, so you’ll be a teacher like Lucas.”
“God, no.” Her comment seemed to surprise Becky. “I mean, I plan to work for my father. He has a spot for me in his research and development department. I make perfume.”
“That’s interesting.”
Another dead end. But then Felicity remembered that Lucas told her to ask questions. “What do you do?”
“I work in a law office. I’m a paralegal, but I’m considering going to law school.”
For the remainder of their brief meal, Lucas and Becky discussed some mutual acquaintances, so Felicity tuned out. It seemed as though her presence was enough. Becky excused herself and fumbled with her elegant clutch before Lucas waved her off. “I’ve got breakfast. See you at the wedding.”
He stood, and she went on tiptoe to kiss his cheek. “How long are you staying?”
“My flight leaves on Wednesday.”
Hearing the information was like being poked. Felicity hadn’t thought about him leaving.
“Maybe we’ll see each other after the wedding then.” Becky leaned forward. “Felicity, it was nice to meet you.”
“You too.”
When Lucas sat again, Felicity said, “That went well.”
“It did.”
“I don’t get why you broke up with her. I mean, she’s intelligent, beautiful, can obviously carry on conversations with people.”
“Who said I broke up with her?”
Felicity pushed her plate away and picked up her coffee. “Even I know that if she did the breaking up, she wouldn’t be trying to make a move on you now. Unless of course that’s all your delusions, in which case, I should probably leave.”
He laughed. His smile was genuine and happy, unlike the one he’d worn throughout breakfast. Something warm tumbled through her with the knowledge that she’d accomplished that.
“Becky is not what she always seems.”
“She was totally nice.”
He grunted.
“What does that mean?”
“It means that I broke up with Becky because we wanted different things in life. As far as her being nice, not really.”
“What are you talking about?”
He leaned his elbows on the table. “You remember the mean girls in high school?”
Now it was Felicity’s turn to laugh. She pointed to herself. “Socially inept science nerd. I was well acquainted with all of the mean girls.”
“Becky was Queen Bee. And where most girls grow up and out of it, she became better at it.” He sighed and leaned back in his chair. He reached over and brushed her hair back on her shoulder. “What you saw as friendliness, I recognized as her sizing you up, trying to figure out how to take you down.”
“Take me down from what?”
He shook his head. “I’m not really sure. Are you ready to go?”
“Sure.” She stood. “I have to go check in at my hotel before they cancel my reservation. I also need to find a dress to wear tonight. The one I wore yesterday was the only one I packed.”
Lucas stepped away from the table, leaving cash behind for the bill. He put his arm around her shoulder. “Make sure you pick out something sexy. I want to make every other man at the wedding jealous.”
She laughed again. No one was ever jealous of her.
“Want some company?”
“You want to go shopping?”
“Why not? I’ve got hours until the wedding. If I stay here, my family will just try to give me things to do.”
“Okay.”
Later that evening, Felicity was actually having fun. She’d made it through cocktails and dinner, although admittedly having Lucas at her side made it easy. His formula for conversation worked great. Or maybe it was that she’d already had a couple of glasses of wine and felt pretty relaxed. She’d watched Lucas handle small issues as they arose. He didn’t comment or complain, just did whatever his family asked of him.
Different girls, especially the bridal party, clamored for his attention too, wanting to dance with him, and he accommodated them all. His smile never faltered. She stood on the edge of the dance floor, feeling self-conscious in the tighter than normal dress in midnight blue that Lucas had not only picked out, but also insisted she get. Her small boobs were pushed up by a built-in bra, and for once in her life, she had cleavage. The back of the dress was cut deep, and she felt her hair swooshing when she walked.
As he finished his dance with the mother of the bride, Lucas caught her gaze. After saying his farewell to the older woman, he made his way to her. “Finally going to give in and dance with me? I promise, no chicken dance.”
The DJ took that moment to put on something with a thumping beat, so Felicity shook her head. A slow dance, she could handle. It was mostly swaying. But something upbeat required rhythm. She tilted her head to get him to follow her to a spot where they could talk. She wanted to ask him before she lost her nerve.
She took the final swig of her wine and left the glass on a nearby table. When they were away from most of the guests, she said, “I know what I want.”
“Okay.”
“You said you owe me, right? For agreeing to be your—”
Suddenly, his mouth was on hers, firm, soft lips pressing against her. Her heartbeat kicked, and she stepped closer, wanting to feel his body. She opened her mouth slightly in invitation, but he pulled away. His face stayed closed to hers as he whispered, “Sorry. I knew where you were going, and I didn’t know how else to make you not finish that sentence. You were talking pretty loud.”
Oh. He hadn’t wanted to kiss her. He wanted to shut her up. She really did need his help. She whispered back, “I want you to teach me to pick up a guy.”
Saying it out loud sounded much worse than it had in her head.
“What?”
“You said you owe me. I’ve been using your formula for small talk at a wedding full of strangers and I’m successful. I’ve been watching you for two days. People love you. You know how to interact with them, to interpret what they need, what they’re trying to say. Teach me to do that.”
“You’re crazy.”
“No, I’m determined. Once this wedding is over, I have no plans and I’m here for a week. I want it to be a real vacation.”
He stared into her eyes and became serious. “You mean it. You’re not kidding.”
“Haven’t you figured out by now that kidding isn’t a strong suit?”
“You won’t have any problems picking up guys, trust me.”
“No, you trust me. I can’t.” She tugged on his shirt to bring him closer to her mouth. “It’s been a really long time, if you know what I mean.”
His eyes closed, and his jaw clenched as he straightened away from her. He grabbed her hand. “A new song. Let’s dance.”
“What about our deal?”
“We’ll talk about it tomorrow.”
“Is that a yes?”
He stared down at her as he pulled her into his arms. “Yes.”
Felicity had no idea what she was doing in this man’s arms, but it felt good. She’d never been much of a dancer, avoiding school dances and parties because she always fel
t awkward. But had she known it could be like this, she might’ve reconsidered.
Lucas towered over her, so she rested a cheek on his chest as his arm came around her back. His palm was slightly rough against the bare skin of her back, while his other hand held hers close to his chest. He smelled amazing, even better than he had last night while they lay in bed watching a silly movie. She’d expected him to talk, but he didn’t. He just held her and swayed to music she didn’t even hear.
Their dance was interrupted in the final notes by one of the bridesmaids, not Becky, though. Felicity found it fascinating that the one person Lucas had been most worried about stayed clear of him the whole night. Maybe he really was delusional. As he began the next dance with the other girl, Felicity went back to the bar for another glass of wine.
She normally didn’t drink much, but this was really good wine and she was celebrating. Not only was she successfully participating in social engagement, but she also had a tutor for the finer points of picking up guys. She sipped at her glass and thought about the kiss. It had been one hell of a kiss. She definitely wanted more of that.
No, not more of that. More like that. Because Lucas had made it clear that he wasn’t interested in her that way. Before she knew it, her glass was empty again. She debated getting a refill, but when she saw Lucas still dancing, she opted for the drink. From her corner perch at the bar, she could see the entire dance floor and she enjoyed watching people dance and mingle. She wished she were brave enough to join the crowd.
From the other side of a potted plant, something caught her attention. A voice, a comment, something. She strained to listen and then realized who it was. Becky.
“Oh, please, Lucas isn’t serious,” she said.
“How can you know that? They were pretty cute dancing together.”
“Because Lucas is a fixer. When he discovers that she can’t be fixed, he’ll be all kinds of disappointed and he’ll move on. And when he does, I’ll be waiting. He just needed time to realize that he’s ready to be with a woman who is complete. This latest little project won’t hold his interest for long.”
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