An Education in Business: A Somerset Novel (Somerset Series Book 3)

by Heather C. Myers

  "I'm afraid that it won't be magical," she said, then inwardly winced and looked out the window so she wouldn't have to look at him. "Every show and movie and book I've watched and read describe this magic that tends to happen between two people who have sex. This pleasure that can't even be put into words. Think about it for a second; there's nothing in our language that would adequately describe that pleasure. What if I don't give that to someone? What if someone doesn't give that to me? What if my expectations about this will be disappointed?"

  Lucas was silent for a long moment, taking in all of Avery's concerns. Finally, he picked his eyes up from the one-thousand thread count Egyptian cotton sheets so he could lock eyes with her. "You will be disappointed," he told her, his tone firm but honest. "It's your first time. It's not going to be like the movies of the books or the shows. Sex is a physical activity and with the right person, it's great. It's awesome. With the wrong person, it's a chore. Especially since this is your first time and we don't love each other, it might not have that magic you're looking for."

  "So if I did it with Rick, because I love him, it would be magical?" Avery asked, quirking a brow. She wasn't as uncomfortable with the discussion as she first was. "Have you ever experienced that magic?"

  "I don't equate sex with magic," Lucas told her, coming to sit on the foot of the bed. Before Avery could stop herself, she slid her knees up so she could wrap her arms around them, and to ensure he would not accidentally touch her bare skin. It was generous of Lucas to provide her with a shirt to sleep in but her legs were left bare. "Magic is something I can't explain but everything I've felt, I've known the cause. Sex is the same thing. I know what causes the feeling inside when I'm having sex. It's biological. It's science."

  "Maybe you just haven't found the right person to have sex with," Avery said before she could stop herself.

  He grinned at that, his eyes dancing with amusement. "It's cute that you think that," he said. "And I genuinely believe you believe it. I like that about you, Avery Montgomery. Your innocence is alluring. I find it fascinating that your fiancé hasn't capitalized on it." He crossed his arms over his chest, emphasizing his biceps. Her eyes dropped to take in the sight of them. She had a thing for shoulders and arms.

  She shivered when he said her name. She didn't understand why except for the fact that she liked the way it danced on his lips and came out of his mouth.

  "What do you mean?" she asked. Her eyes found his lips but she forced them up into his eyes. He was focused solely on her lips though and didn't seem to notice. "Rick hasn't capitalized on what?"

  He smirked, finally giving her eyes the attention they deserved. "Can I speak frankly?" he asked.

  She hid a smile. "Of course," she said. "I want to learn. As such, I need you to be comfortable being honest with me."

  "I'm glad you said that," he said. His eyes were fire and when he spoke, his words sent shockwaves straight to her core. "If you were my fiancé, I wouldn't be able to keep my hands off of you. I would call into work sick because I'd need to be around you, inside you, every which way. My only job would be to please you. There would be no need to wait until marriage because I would be so good at that job that you would beg me over and over again for me. You'd be insatiable, never satisfied, and I would keep you coming like my goddamn life depended on it. You would go from virgin to experienced in less than seventy-two hours. We would never leave the room. You would be mine and I would be yours and that would be it."

  Avery was completely red from the tips of her ears to the tip of her chin. Lucas reached out and curled an errant strand of hair behind her ear.

  "You're adorable when you blush," he said and he smiled like he meant it.

  8

  Nobody questioned her when she got home later that day. Rick thought nothing of it. Rick hadn't even called her that evening to check up on her. She wondered if he would have been upset had they been living together. She hoped he would but he didn't seem too interested in the daily going ons in her life. Although he was actually interested in the business rivalry she shared with Lucas. He was both critical and excited; for whatever reason, he wanted her to win this deal more than she did. Whatever happened between them in college was not forgotten or finished or moved on from. She didn't know if Rick was jealous of Lucas's success or what, but there were times when he suggested she hand over the reins to him to ensure the job got done properly.

  "I just don't want you to lose this to him," he told her. "It's your father's company, Av. You're representing his company."

  Avery ignored the comment, but thinking about it now, it offended her. Why didn't he have faith in her? Why didn't anyone? It just made her more determined to get the investment. Because she knew she could. She knew it.

  --

  Tonight's business dinner was somewhat formal. Was it wrong that Avery was both excited and nervous?

  That's because it's a date, a voice in her head taunted her.

  "It's not a date," she said.

  Avery caught a glance of herself in the mirror and shook her head. She was talking to herself now. She was losing it.

  But the voice was right. She was reacting like they were going on a date. She dressed like she might if she were on a date. Her hair was done as though this were a date. Her makeup was done. She wore a tight purple dress that dipped in front and ended mid-thigh. She had on black heels and her hair was slicked back and pulled into a bun. She was wearing eyeliner and eyeshadow. And lipstick. She looked good. And she liked that she looked good.

  And she shouldn't. This wasn't a date. And he wasn't... Well, he wasn't anything to her.

  "This is dumb, this is dumb, this is" -

  A shrill melody pierced the room, cutting Avery off. Her eyes shifted from the mirror to her phone. Rick's picture flashed on the screen and her heart squeezed with guilt. It didn't feel like she was cheating on him, but the feelings she had, her attraction to Lucas, made her feel bad. Which was silly because she knew that he checked out beautiful women even when they were together. And she was okay with it.

  She bit her lip, unsure if she was going to answer. Guilt shot through her. Before she could stop herself, she all but dashed to the bed and picked up the phone, answering just before the phone kicked him to voicemail.

  "Hello?" Did her voice crack? Was it shaky? Oh my god, did he know?

  She tried to steady her breathing. She tried to tell herself there was no way he would be able to know she was cheating on him for educational purposes just by one word out of her mouth. Rick knew a lot about her but Avery knew there was no way he could know that.

  "Hey, babe, what's up?" he asked. Avery tried to decipher his tone, tried to figure out if Rick knew any little thing about her relationship with Lucas, but she couldn't tell. Before she could even respond to his question, he continued. Avery let out a silent breath of relief. "I tried to come over last night but you weren't there."

  "I was going over some stuff with my dad," Avery said. The lie came so fluently, so naturally, she was almost a little shocked with herself. He didn't even blink. He didn't even question it. Was she really that good at lying or was he just not taking the time to be perceptive. Maybe she was thinking too much about this.

  "Oh, right," he said. "That's a great idea." There was a pause. "So I wanted to come by tonight and hang out for a bit. I know you don't drink red but I bought this phenomenal bottle of Stella Rosso that you have got to try."

  "I can't." The words came out so quickly she nearly cut him off. "I'm going out with my friends for a girls' night. Aislinn just took the GRE so we want to celebrate her potential foray into grad school."

  "Oh." Was it just her or did Rick sound disappointed? Which was off because she was not used to Rick actually caring one way or the other if he saw her or not. "Okay, well, have fun. Don't do anything I wouldn't do."

  The last statement was clearly a joke, something said as an aside, but it felt like a sucker punch to Avery's gut to the point where she nearly keeled over.
>
  She forced a giggle in return but it came out hollow to the point where even she sounded like a shrill shrew. Still, he made no comment. Did he really not get that she was lying? Maybe he trusted her that much where the thought hadn’t even crossed his mind.

  "Don't think about that now, Av," she murmured under her breath. "Remember, this is for you and Rick. It's going to benefit you both."

  With that, she grabbed her clutch and walked out the door. It was a beautiful night and she needed to escape the confining room she was in as she waited for Lucas to pick her up.

  --

  Avery hated how effortless Lucas made beauty look. He showed up in a sleek black Jaguar, his wrist hanging off the steering wheel like he was nonchalant and cool about tonight. Like he wasn't stressed about it the way she was. He wore a white collared shirt rolled up to the elbows and tight black slacks that fit him in all the right places. His hair was slicked back but some of his curls still escaped.

  God, he looked good. God, it wasn't fair.

  The minute he saw her, he sprung out of his car and opened the door for her, ushering her inside. His hands lingered on the small of her back, on her forearm. His touch was hot and searing and she was surprised there wasn't any steam emitting from the connection of their skin. She inhaled deeply and tried to stop the way her heart hammered into her chest, much like a boxer practiced punches on a punching bag.

  "You look stunning," Lucas said the minute he slid into the car. "In fact, I'm rethinking taking you out tonight and, instead, want to keep you inside, all to myself."

  Avery giggled, running her fingers through her hair. She wasn't sure how she felt about another man complimenting her but she was flattered. This was Lucas Cruz, after all.

  "So we're going to your club?" she asked, deciding to change the subject to something safe and a lot more clear. She needed to keep her focus and not let a thing like his looks distract her.

  "Hades," he said with a nod of his head. "I want you to watch how people interact with each other at a highly sexual environment without physically having sex. Experience is important because it helps you recognize chemistry between you and someone else. Chemistry isn't necessary to have a successful relationship but it definitely adds spice between a couple."

  "Chemistry?" Avery asked. "I obviously know what it is. But how do you know if you have it with someone else."

  Lucas smirked, his eyes on the road ahead of him. "If you have to ask, you don't have it," he said.

  "Whatever," Avery replied with a roll of her eyes.

  "We can also dance, if you want," Lucas said. "I want to ease you into this, of course, but sometimes environments compel people to behave differently than they might under normal circumstances."

  "I thought this was a show, not touch lesson," she said.

  "It is. But if you can't keep your hands to yourself, I won't blame you." He winked at her and her tummy flipped.

  "I can assure you that I won't." She couldn't believe his lines were actually working.

  He smirked. "We'll see."

  ---

  Hades was a sleek black one-story building with no windows and a long line that wrapped around the building and spilled onto the street. There were two big bodyguards on both sides of the door and two employees patting down guests and taking cover payments. Lucas walked by everyone, holding Avery's hand. Avery couldn't help but feel awed as she was pulled toward the entrance. The woman at the door didn't pat her down but those that were in line seethed with obvious envy. Avery didn't understand why; it wasn't as though she and Lucas were -

  Well, they were something. She just didn't know what.

  The lighting was dim and there was a coat check area before the actual dance floor, which was much bigger than typical nightclub dance floors. Bodies were already packed and Avery couldn't help but pause and watch the behavior she had only seen at high school dances and television shows. Girls in short dresses and high heels pressed tightly against men in dark jeans and collared shirts. The music had heavy bass and Avery had to resist the urge to cover her ears and reveal her inexperience.

  Lucas led her to a VIP level that overlooked the dance floor. There was a bodyguard that stood next to one roped off area complete with three low chairs formatted like a square without a top. There was a low glass coffee table and a small fridge next to the main couch black in color probably filled with refrigerated snacks and alcohol.

  "Welcome, Mr. Cruz," the bouncer said, unlocking the velvet rope in order to allow the couple to walk through. "We haven't seen you in a while."

  "Business, Bruce," he replied with a grin. His hand released Avery's and found the small of her back as he eased her into the couch next to him. "This is Avery Montgomery. Avery, this is Bruce."

  Avery leaned over and shook his hand. "It's nice to meet you, Bruce," she said with a smile.

  "And you as well," he said with a genuine smile. "If you need anything at all, please ask."

  Avery settled in her seat and watched the dancing take place. Lucas sat next to her, close enough that their sides touched. Her entire body was magnetized but instead of dwelling on that unfamiliar feeling, she forced herself to relax... Until she didn't have to. The tension slowly left her body until she was settled and without question, a waitress in a cocktail dress brought Lucas a bourbon.

  "Would you like anything?" she asked with a friendly smile.

  Avery shook her head. "No thank you," she said, "but thank you for asking."

  After a moment of surprisingly comfortable silence had passed, Lucas leaned forward, his elbows on his knees, and cocked his head to Avery. He didn't say anything, simply just looked at her. She wasn't afraid or tense or uncomfortable. In fact, she smiles back at him, an easy gesture that came to her without much thought. This wasn't bad. This wasn't weird.

  Without warning, he placed his hand on her bare thigh. Goosebumps shot up to the sky but she didn't move it. Her heart beat increased, her pulse echoed in her ears. But his hand was warm, surprisingly rough. Like he used them for other things than signing contracts and shaking hands. They glided up her thigh but the sight of it on her, the feel of it on her, caused something to drum in her pelvis, a painful pleasurable throb.

  It felt right.

  She swallowed. This was going to be a long night.

  9

  They pulled up to her driveway a few hours later. Lucas was wrong in his prediction - there was no dancing. In fact, there was no touching between them save for his hand on her thigh. In fact, he seemed to find any excuse to touch her whether it was to hold her hand, touch her back, hold her thigh. She didn't feel uncomfortable anymore. In fact, she didn't mind the touching the way she thought she might.

  He turned off his lights and parked the car but left the engine running. He turned his torso toward her and curled a stray strand of hair behind her ear.

  "I can't believe you're this beautiful," he said, and the crazy thing was, he sounded like he genuinely meant it. "Your fiancé has no idea what he has."

  Avery wasn't sure what to say. He constantly rendered her speechless. But she continued to stare at him, continued to look at him with big eyes, unable to look away.

  "I'm going to kiss you right now," he murmured.

  She started to nod but it didn't matter because his hand cupped her cheek and he pulled her face to his until their lips met like two pieces of a puzzle and Avery saw nothing but fireworks and felt nothing but static electricity.

  ---

  When she walked through her front door, she nearly toppled over.

  "R-Rick!" Avery exclaimed. Her face turned red. Why was her face so red? "What are you doing here?" She tried to shut the door as quickly as possible so Rick wouldn't see Lucas pulling away from her door. Thank goodness she had been adamant that he did not walk her to her door. She didn't want to think about what would have happened had Rick caught her spending time with Lucas outside of business.

  More than that, he almost caught them kissing.

  She had
kissed Lucas Cruz. Well, technically, he kissed her. And it was warm and tender and soft and perfect. She couldn’t walk straight. She couldn’t think. It was difficult to breathe.

  She had never been kissed that way before, never had a reaction to a kiss like that before, and it scared her. It scared her because she didn’t know what it meant – if it meant anything at all.

  Which it didn’t.

  It couldn’t.

  The problem was, she hadn’t been allotted any time to process the information. To process the kiss. To process how it felt and how she could use this information and apply it to business or to Rick.

  "Avery," he said, clearly puzzled. He looked her up and down, his eyes darkening. With desire, Avery remembered. "Where have you been? It's nearly midnight. I was starting to worry."

  Avery couldn't blame him. She was dressed to the nines and was coming home late – early, technically, in the morning – and hadn’t talked to her fiancé for the entire day. She didn’t even miss talking to Rick. She wasn’t even upset that he hadn’t called her. This was a problem.

  Wasn’t it?

  “I’m sorry,” she said. She opened her mouth to explain where she had been, the lie on the tip of her tongue – she had just gotten in from a girls’ night – but he cut her off.

  “No.” He shook his head, his eyes traveling up and down her body again. “No. You look…” He let his voice trail off, and when his eyes found hers again, they looked awe-struck. To be honest, she had never seen him look at her that way ever. And she wasn’t sure what to think.

  She gave him a smile, masking her emotions with a cool look. Not that he noticed. He was too busy staring at her.