“Couples need space.I don’t.”
I chuckled.“Clearly you need your own room the way people come barging in.”Still staring at his bookshelf, I scooted to the edge of the tall mattress and pulled out a book with a familiar title and colorful cover.“Do you read these?”
When I looked over my shoulder, he averted his gaze.
“Sometimes,” he admitted, his cheeks still flushed from our passionate interlude.“I have smarter books on the other shelves.”
I traced my finger over the dragon illustration and silver font.“Fantasy books are my favorite, but I can’t carry around a physical copy since I’m always on the run.”
“How do you find time to read?”
“I do it on my phone whenever I’m between jobs or have a break.This is one of my favorites.”I patted the cover.“Did you read the sequel?”
His eyes lit up.“Where they find out the truth about the dragon’s origin?Hell yeah.That was a hardcore plot twist I didn’t see coming.”
I laughed and bit my lower lip.“I love that we have that in common.Maybe I’ll send you my recommendations, and you can send me yours.”Still sitting at the edge of the mattress, I returned the book before noticing Lucian’s shoelaces were undone, so I tied them.
“Do you believe in love?”he asked out of the blue.
After tightening his lace, I leaned on my hand.“I certainly see it enough with mating ceremonies, so yes.”
“But a strategic alliance is more important to you.”
“It’s a smarter move for a person in my position.Maybe relationships work better when they’re a partnership.I’m not skeptical about love, nor do I have an aversion to it.Love is a luxury I can’t afford.My father once married for love, but they didn’t value the same things.I have too much to lose, so I have to make the sensible choice.”
“Yeah.Love is nothing but bullshit anyhow.”
Why would he say that?
Worried his packmate might return, I gripped the shelf.“I need to say my goodbyes and go home.”
Lucian stood and offered me his hand.
When I took it and rose to my feet, I was taller than him by a couple of inches.“Does it bother you that I’m taller in heels?I don’t want to make this awkward.”
He kissed the base of my throat, hands on my hips.“Nothing about this is awkward.I’ll grab a few containers out of the kitchen.”
“What for?”
“So you can feed your father.”
I threaded a wild tuft of hair behind his ear.“Despite your surly demeanor, you’re a thoughtful man, Mr.Cross.”
He frowned.“Surly?”
As I rubbed my thumb across the line between his eyebrows, I smiled warmly.“It’s the expression.I know that’s not who you really are.”
Why did my heart tug at those words the moment I spoke them?Was I developing feelings for Lucian beyond physical?
It’s definitely the alcohol talking.And probably the aftereffects of hot sex.I need to stop with all these fantasies.
But the way he tenderly gazed into my eyes filled me with compassion.
Leave it to me to get attached to a guy who thinks love is bullshit.But he has such pretty eyes, and those lips…
What would it feel like to have him kiss me?To fall into his arms and seal that connection?Then I realized the onion odor would knock me out like a heavyweight boxer.The thought made me laugh inwardly as I wrapped my arms around him.
Lucian sniffed.“What’s so amusing?”
