He flashes another smile and winks as if he can tell his effect on me. I feel my right hand squeezed a bit too tight and realize that Lucian has been holding my other hand the entire time. I pull back from his grasp as well.
“Oh, you know. Just some of the tales of our bar nights and golfing.” Lucian says, causing Jayme to raise an eyebrow at Lucian for a split second. It's barely a reaction, but I catch it. What are they hiding?
“Well, I’m here now, so what are the plans for today?” he asks, rubbing his hands together like he is about to get to work. Wearing a $3,000 suit? I don’t think so.
“We were about to go clean Lucian’s apartment and air it out. It needs a deep clean because no one has lived there in 9 months.” I answer. Lucian is still staring at his friend, confused but silent.
“Sounds good. Let me get my bags, and I would be happy to help,” he says, heading toward his car.
“Bags? As in plural? How much did you bring?” Lucian asks, confused.
“Yep. Enough for a week or two. You cool if I crash with you? If not, maybe Cassie can offer me a room.” He flashes me that devil smile again.
“Oh, I only have one bedroom,” I say awkwardly.
“Mmmm, even better.” He growls. Lucian slams his door a bit too hard.
“No, you can crash here. I have a guest room you can use,” Lucian says as he walks around the front of the car. Jayme smiles back at me.
“Too bad.” He walks toward his car again; then I realize what he is driving. A Bently. But not just any Bently. A Bently Continental GT. I practically swoon. I am usually not a car girl, but there are a few luxurious cars that are also speedsters, and this is one of them and one of my favorites.
Standing beside my piece of crap car, I’m still ogling this man and his luxury; I don’t notice Lucian come up next to me until he speaks, startling me.
“Sorry about him. ” he says, shoving his hands in his pockets and kicking the pavement like a child.
“Oh, it’s all right. I like him; he seems fun.” I blush. “Wait, what were you trying to tell me before he showed up?” It seemed important, and I almost forgot.
“What? Well, um. Him. That’s what I was trying to tell you. That he was coming to stay soon, I just didn’t know how soon.” Since when does Lucian flat-out lie to me? What the hell?
“Ah, Okay. It seemed like something more, but all right. Let’s get cleaning,” I say, grabbing my bag from the back seat. I’m about to head inside when he grabs me by the arm, pulling me close.
“Be careful around Jayme, OK. Like I said, he is a huge flirt and thinks of himself as a playboy bachelor. Just don’t flirt with him or anything like that. He will take it as a challenge to push you further. Promise me.”
“All right, all right. I won’t flirt with him. I’ll behave, I promise.” Jayme seems fun, but I already have enough on my plate with breaking up with Theo and dealing with these feelings for Lucian. I don’t need a 3rddistraction in my life.
Jayme comes sauntering back over, bag in hand and coat slung over his shoulder. His sunglasses are on his face now, and even those look expensive. Geeze.
“So, what, are you just going to clean in your fancy suit?” I ask sarcastically. Jayme steps closer to me, towering over my height. I feel the urge to bow my head; damn this submissive trait.
“What do you want me to wear, sweetheart? I’ll wear anything you want me to.” Jesus, how can he make everything sexual? My panties can’t handle this.
Lucian just scoffs and continues toward the door. Geeze, he is acting like a child who has to share his toys. Hmm, that’s an exciting thought being shared by them. Damnit, Cassie, no. Behave. My pussy says otherwise.
We are hit with a wave of stale air when we enter the apartment. Damn, we need to open a window.
“Damn, dude, still haven’t unpacked?” Jayme asks, gesturing at Lucian’s bags, which are still sitting on the ground by the hall.
“Yeah, I haven’t been here much the last couple of days.” He glances at me standing behind him.
“Ahhh, I get what you mean.” He slugs Lucian playfully on the shoulder. “Little preoccupied, huh?” He winks, gesturing between Lucian and me.
“What, no. Nothing like that. We have just hung out the last few nights. We are just friends. Nothing more!” Damn, he was quick to shut down any suspicion we might be something more than friends. Ouch! I guess the feelings I felt were one-sided, after all.
“Yep, nothing more,” I confirm as I walk toward the kitchen to start cleaning. I don’t even realize a tear was slipping down my cheek—stupid girl.
25. Lucian
What the fuck is he doing here? He never said he was coming out here so soon. I need to talk to him alone before he slips up and says something to Cassie that I will have to explain sooner than I want to. Granted, we both signed the NDA, but he would probably assume I told her about it because I told him we talk about everything and never have secrets. That was one of the things I planned on telling her in the car before we were so rudely interrupted. That, and how I feel about her.
