Lucas had every intention of giving her the freedom she needed to be her own person. He just wasn’t giving up on them while she explored her new life, and he intended to make her understand the two things weren’t mutually exclusive.
Instead of heading to Central Park, which could be crowded on such a beautiful fall day, they walked down the street, past his apartment, and kept going. A light wind blew around them, and he instinctively wrapped an arm around her to keep her warm. She stiffened in surprise, then eased her body into his as they strode in companionable silence.
They stopped at a vending cart for a hot pretzel and a bottle of water, which they shared.
“So how are you enjoying work?” he asked.
She brushed a long strand of hair from her face. “I love it! It’s so different from my last job, but I don’t miss dealing with people who I’m not sure whether they’re guilty or innocent. I never thought I’d like plain old civil litigation, but it’s been interesting. And I really like the lawyers and the staff too.”
He glanced her way. Her eyes sparkled with happiness.
“That’s great. I’m glad it was a good fit.” He paused, wondering if now was the time to share something that was important to him and decided yes. There might not be a better way for her to get to know who he really was. “Speaking of good fits, I want to take you somewhere. Show you something. Are you game?”
She met his gaze, then shrugged. “Sure. Why not?”
He hailed a taxi, and after they climbed in, he gave the driver an address uptown. Not a typical area of the city where you’d visit on a Sunday morning.
“I’m confused,” she said as the driver sped toward their destination.
“After Blink took off and we started monetizing it for profit, I wanted to do something more with the money than spend it on myself or put it in the bank.” He paused. “Do you remember Eric Kutcher? From middle and high school?”
She nodded. “Did you two stay close?”
He glanced out the car window and saw they still had time for him to explain before they reached their stop.
He didn’t answer directly. Not yet. “Kutch went to a small college in California. A technology school his parents thought would be a good fit. And get him away from the bad high school memories.”
Kutch had suffered from severe acne and he was overweight. Lucas might have had his brother and occasionally his asshole friends to deal with, but Kutch’s bullies took the concept to a whole new level.
“Did you lose touch because of the distance?” she asked.
“You didn’t hear?”
“Hear what?” Maxie asked as the cab pulled up to the address Lucas had given.
“Hang on.” Lucas paid the driver and asked him to wait. They wouldn’t be long here, and even if they were, he wanted to be sure they had a ride back home when they were ready.
He climbed out of the car and helped Maxie out next. “This is it,” he said, pointing to a red-brick building.
“Where are we?”
Lucas gestured to a small sign on the side that read, Kutcher Recreation Hall.
Her eyes opened wide. “It’s named after him. What happened?”
“If you aren’t lucky, reputations follow you, courtesy of social media. Kutch didn’t have an easy time of it in college either. He committed suicide freshman year.”
“Oh my God.” Her hand flew to her mouth, her shock obvious. “I had no idea. My life became so insular I didn’t follow high school people on those sites. That’s awful. He must have suffered terribly to do that. And his poor parents,” she murmured, her eyes filling with tears.
He nodded, recalling the phone call he’d gotten from Kutch’s mom. “His parents thought I’d want to know. They called a select few people. Kutch didn’t have many friends,” Lucas said in a low voice. “I felt like I failed him, losing touch like that. My life took such a different turn. I got lucky. He…” His voice cracked, and he trailed off, unable to express his feelings.
Maxie turned and stepped closer, wrapping her arms around him. “I’m sorry.”
“Yeah. Me too.” He cleared his throat. “Anyway, this place is a community center and a technology haven. I picked an area that didn’t have the money for computers on their own. I figured kids who didn’t play sports or have something to do after school could come here. Hang out.” He shrugged, almost embarrassed now that he was explaining his motives.
“That’s so generous. And such a smart thing for you to do.” Her expression was soft and full of understanding.
“I didn’t tell you to make me look good. I wanted you to know I didn’t forget where I came from. And remind you, while you’re wrestling with what happened between us, that I’m nothing like Keith.”
She tipped her head back, meeting his gaze with her big brown eyes. “I know. I never should have said you were. I was just upset.”
She bit down on her lower lip, a move that had an immediate effect on his groin. But this wasn’t the time or the place for him to act on those feelings.
“Lucas, last night was incredible. And I don’t regret it. I never could.”
“But?” he asked because the follow-up seemed obvious.
“But I can’t be in a relationship right now. Not when I’m finding my footing for the first time.”
He grasped her hands. “And I respect that. I understand and I plan to give you all the time you need.”
“But?” she asked this time, with a half-smile on her lips.
“But I’m going to be right here. By your side. I’m not going to let our time pass us by. No way. No how.” With that pronouncement, and without waiting for her to respond, he whistled for the cab idling on the street corner, waiting for them.
He’d wanted to have the last word.
Chapter Six
Once again, Lucas proved himself true to his word. He became a definite presence in Maxie’s life. Not that he hadn’t been before, but now he stepped up his game. Living together took on a different meaning now that they’d had sex.
Breakfast in the morning was more intimate than it had been before. The car ride to work, though short, provided her with an up-close-and-personal invasion of his personal space because he drove a Porsche, didn’t care that he had to pay for expensive New York City parking, and the small interior was filled with his masculine scent. She climbed out of the car even more aware of him than she’d been before she’d gotten inside.
He picked her up afterwards, always agreeing to whatever time she said she had to work until. On later nights, he offered to go out for dinner, and sometimes she was just too tired to cook.
Over the next few weeks, they frequented his favorite restaurants near his apartment. She learned the owners, maître d’s, and waiters knew him by name, and he knew theirs and asked about their wives and children.
For as many times as she and Keith had been out to dinner to restaurants he went to often, she never once recalled Keith being friendly to the staff, let alone truly caring about their personal lives. She learned that Lucas had helped put one man’s daughter through culinary school because she was just that talented and he couldn’t manage it on his waiter salary.
There were so many facets to Lucas’ personality, including his standing Thursday boxing night with Derek and often with Kade. He’d come home sweaty and sexy-looking in a tee shirt with the sleeves cut off and the hem ragged at the bottom, the muscles in his legs and arms tight and hard.
But he didn’t pressure her to sleep together at night, and to her complete and utter shock, after maintaining she wasn’t ready for a relationship and needed distance, she was disappointed. And horny.
Constantly horny.
Every time she lay in her lonely bed at night, she found herself reliving their time together. Her fingers would slide beneath her panties and glide over her wet sex, as she recalled kissing his firm, masculine lips, his delicious taste, and the feel of his thick erection filling her completely. She’d climax knowing he was next door, and
instead of putting the night behind her, her desire for a repeat performance was growing.
Living with him only served to bring them closer. They laughed over silly jokes and folded laundry together. They alternated cooking and cleaning, and the routine felt like they were a couple. She didn’t know how much longer she could hold out… and the more time that passed, she wondered why she was trying to.
Maxie took a taxi to the storage unit in order to drop off a box of summer clothes she didn’t want to have to keep in her room at Lucas’, before meeting a friend for lunch at TGI Friday’s restaurant. Angela Carson was a paralegal from her job at her old law firm, a curvy woman with wavy brown hair, blue eyes, and a sparkling personality. Last time Maxie had seen Angela was the day she’d left the building for the last time, but they’d kept in touch by text and phone.
Once they were settled and had ordered lunch, they got down to the business of catching up. “So… how’s Matt?” she asked of Angela’s longtime boyfriend and now her fiancé.
“We finally set a wedding date,” Angela said, excitement in her voice. “You’d better mark September nineteenth on your calendar.”
“I wouldn’t miss it,” Maxie promised, happy for her friend.
“So tell me about you.” Angela leaned forward, eager to hear all. “I hated how the partners left you high and dry just because your husband was a douchebag,” she said, then blushed. “I’m sorry. That was thoughtless.” She took a sip of her Diet Coke. “Me and my big mouth.”
Maxie shook her head. “It can’t be thoughtless when it’s true. Besides, you know I agree.” She tried not to think about Keith at all, but when she did, her thoughts weren’t kind ones. The good memories were buried under the bad, beneath a ton of hurt, debt, and betrayal.
“How are things at the firm?” Maxie asked, changing the subject.
“Well, I do have some gossip.” Angela rested her elbows on the dark wood table, excitement flickering in her eyes. “Remember Vincent Bernardi?”
Maxie nodded. “He was Keith’s client. Accused of embezzlement and racketeering, but the government was still building a case. In the meantime, he went to jail for assault.”
“Right. He beat a guy nearly to death,” Angela said with a shudder. “Anger issues.”
Maxie had done her share of work on that case too.
Angela twisted the straw in her drink. “Well, he’s out and he came to the firm.”
“What?” Maxie sat upright, stunned.
“I was tied up in court that day. All I know is he came by and made a scene. He was furious.”
“What did he want?” Maxie asked.
“He demanded access to his case files. He left when poor Katie at reception threatened to call the police,” Angela said.
“Wow.” Maxie leaned back in her chair. “I’m glad I wasn’t there,” she murmured. She’d never liked Bernardi, and he’d always had a temper.
“So that’s my good gossip. What do you have?” Angela asked.
Maxie laughed. “Not much going on with me.”
“You’re blushing!”
She blew out a deep breath. “There’s a guy,” she admitted. She went on to explain her entire crazy situation with Lucas.
“Is it a serious relationship?”
She twisted the paper napkin in her hand. “How can I possibly be serious about someone when I’m just getting my independence back? My life back together?”
Angela waved a hand, dismissing her concerns. “You’re the strongest woman I know. Living with that bastard and surviving? Come on. You don’t give yourself enough credit. Surely you can do both.”
Maxie blinked, the thought now stuck in her head. “Can I?”
“Do you want to? Or should I ask… Is he hot? Because I have to tell you, Keith wasn’t my type.” Angela wrinkled her nose in distaste.
“Angela!” Maxie laughed, the sound coming out more like a snort.
But she had a point. Maxie definitely hadn’t chosen Keith as a look-alike substitute for the man she couldn’t have. Where Lucas was built and solid, Keith had been lean and… well lawyerly looking, if there was such a thing. Maybe when they were younger, they’d looked more alike. Same hair color, similar features. But she’d never fallen for Keith the way she had for either version of Lucas—the young guy or the sexy man.
“Well, if you must know… Lucas is nothing like his brother. Back when we were teenagers, he was more of an adorable geek. Now he’s all grown up. He works out, he bulked up, and he’s hot.”
“From the sound of it, I’d say you have it bad for him.”
“I do,” she said, ignoring the flush in her cheeks at the admission. She already knew how much she desired him, but that was purely physical. The other day, he’d shown her a deeper part of him than she’d seen before, and it had gotten to her. Now she wanted him because she knew she could trust him. That provided a whole different perspective and scared her a little.
“Girl, why can’t you just reach out and take what you want? Sleep with the man if he’s that hot.” Angela waggled her eyebrows.
Maxie laughed. “I did sleep with him and freaked out after.”
“Because you’re thinking in terms of a relationship. Think more like a man. Sex for the sake of sex. What’s wrong with that?”
“This from the woman engaged to her high school sweetheart? The longest long-term relationship I know?” Maxie asked, a bit enviously. While in her miserable marriage to Keith, she’d longed for what Angela had.
Angela smirked. “Do as I say, not as I do. Does…”
“Lucas.”
“Lucas. Hmm. Even his name is sexy. Does he want to sleep with you again?”
Maxie thought back to what he’d said the other day. I’m not going to let our time pass us by. No way. No how.
“Yes, he does,” she told Angela.
“Then what are you waiting for? Take him up on it and this time don’t run afterward,” Angela said, as if it were that simple.
And maybe it was.
“Here you go,” the waitress said, arriving with their meals with impeccable timing.
“Thank you,” Maxie said as the woman put their dishes on the table.
They began to eat, leaving Maxie alone with her thoughts about her hot guy. And what she was going to do about him.
* * *
Lucas hoped Maxie appreciated his restraint, because he was wearing out his hand, taking care of himself to thoughts of thrusting into her wet heat. It was getting to be a morning and evening ritual to take the edge off, but strangely he wasn’t losing patience. She was worth the wait.
And this morning he was waiting for a whole different reason. She was running late for work.
“I forgot to set my alarm clock,” she said, dashing past him, grabbing her purse, and running back to her room.
A few minutes later, she rushed by him again, grabbing a cup of yogurt from the refrigerator. “I’ll eat it at my desk,” she said, shoving it into her bag along with a plastic spoon.
“Ready.” She exhaled hard and started for the door when her cell rang. She muttered a curse as she took the call. “Hello?” she asked, then listened. “This is she.” Some more silence and then, “What do you mean my unit was broken into?”
She ran a hand through her wavy hair and groaned. “Yes, I understand. But I can’t get over until lunchtime.” She paused. “Yes. Yes. Thanks for calling.” She disconnected and met his gaze.
“What was broken into?” he asked.
“My storage unit, of all things. They aren’t sure what, if anything, was taken, so they want me to come take a look and file a claim. I’ll be lucky if I can figure out if anything is gone.”
“I’ll go with you,” he said and caught her pointed look. “If you want me to,” he reluctantly added. Because he was trying to let her handle things on her own.
“Thanks but it’s not a big deal. I’ll go, take a look around, and see if I can identify anything that’s been taken. No big deal.”
“If that’s what you want.” It wasn’t what he preferred to do. He was learning that it wasn’t in his nature to take a step back.
But if he wanted to prove to her he was different from his brother and worthy of her trust, he had to let her handle things on her own.
* * *
Maxie’s morning was rushed from the minute she’d woken up late courtesy of a night debating how to approach Lucas this time. She didn’t want to appear wishy-washy, but that’s exactly what she’d done. Come on to him, pull back out of fear. She knew she had to make the first move again. And this time be ready to stick out the consequences.
She’d tossed and turned again last night, unsure of whether or not to take that next step. And then this morning, he’d backed off and let her handle her problems with the burglary at the storage unit on her own. That’s when she’d asked herself, what more did she need him to prove to her? He clearly understood the parameters she’d set up for them. He understood her. She’d just have to make certain they were on the same page.
Unfortunately, she had no time to talk to him about it today. She was slammed at the office with filings and documents that the attorneys needed prepared, and she worked straight through to a late lunch without a break.
Instead of eating, she took a cab to the storage unit and did a walk-through with one of their employees, but other than things knocked over and broken, she didn’t see anything noticeably missing. She filled out a claim form to the best of her ability in the rushed time she had and headed back to work.
It wasn’t until around four p.m. when she finally had a chance to catch her breath, grab a quick bite, and think. And when she did, she knew what she had to do.
* * *
Lucas and his partners had a late-afternoon meeting with one of the tech guys. They’d gathered in Lucas’ office, and the man was droning on for way too long about a new idea for an algorithm that had potential. Lucas already understood the point. He didn’t need to sit here any longer.
Going Down Fast (Billionaire Bad Boys Book 2) Page 8
