Page 51 of Falling for the Maverick

It was one reason Lucas hadn’t been able to commit to any one woman. He’d liked a few but couldn’t picture spending his life with them.

With Michelle, that picture came a lot easier to his mind. But could he really take that step?

Chapter Twelve

Lucas was shocked when Michelle called Friday afternoon to tell him not to pick her up at the Circle C but that she would meet him at Big Doggo. He didn’t know if she’d had a confrontation with Aaron as to where she was going and with whom, but he would find out once she arrived at his ranch.

He saw her vehicle and stepped out of his sports car to greet her when she came to a stop and cut off the engine. Lucas went completely still when he opened her door to see her legs covered with sheer black stockings under a dress that left nothing to his imagination. The black dress was strapless and ended well above her knees. He couldn’t pull his gaze away from her slender feet in a pair of black strappy stilettos that added at least an extra four inches to her height.

He stared at her face with dramatic makeup that illuminated her best features—her eyes and lips. She’d styled her shoulder-length hair in a twist and pinned it behind her left ear with jeweled hairpins. He couldn’t believe she’d surpassed perfection. She appeared even more remarkable than she had at the wedding.

“You are beyond perfection,” he whispered.

“Thank you,” she said, smiling. “You also clean up nice, cowboy.”

Lucas nodded. “Thank you. I had to go a little extra because I was taking out my special lady.” He’d chosen to wear a tailored navy-blue suit, white shirt with French cuffs and a platinum-gray silk tie and black leather low-heeled boots.

“Wait, Lucas. I have to get my jacket.”

He was certain she heard his exhale of relief when she reached for a jacket to cover her dress. Each time she inhaled, a soft swell of breasts was visible above the neckline of her dress.

How the giddy-up am I going to make it through the night without completely losing it whenever I look at her with so much exposed skin? She looks and smells so delicious that I want to carry her back to the house, strip her naked and feast on her body until I pass out. Please help me make it through the night without ravishing this woman.

Lucas opened the door to his sports car, waiting until Michelle slipped in and secured her seat belt before he rounded it and got in behind the wheel.

His mind was in tumult. He knew he’d been lying to himself about his feelings for Michelle Corey. He’d fallen under her spell so deeply that he couldn’t escape, nor did he want to. And he continuously asked himself how had it happened so quickly. Had it been brewing from the first time Tiffany had introduced them?

After meeting Michelle for a second time, he understood that his first impression had been accurate. He was mesmerized by a little slip of woman who was totally unaware of his interest in her. For weeks, he managed to hide his feelings behind indifference, even though he longed to tell her he wanted more than friendship.

He wanted to be able to call her up and take her to places he hoped she would like. He wanted to tell her parents that he liked their daughter, and if they approved then he would like to see if their relationship could evolve into something more permanent. He wanted to reassure her brothers that she would be as safe with him as she’d been with them. That he would take it upon himself to ensure her happiness and safety, hoping she would grow to love him as he loved her.

He knew he’d changed when he wasn’t able to concentrate on completing a P&L statement for his father’s business. Something that had become so natural to him and he’d found it challenging. His father was right about him putting up roadblocks so he didn’t have time to commit to a woman. If it hadn’t been monitoring investments for clients or monitoring the family’s dry-cleaning franchises, it was now Big Doggo Ranch.

He’d put down roots in Tenacity, the ranch was up and running, and that meant he had time for other things like perhaps a wife and family. The mere thought of becoming a husband and father didn’t frighten him as much as it once did, and Lucas knew it was because of Michelle. She was unaware that his being with her had changed him so there was room in his life for someone not only willing to share his life but also their futures.

Lucas gave his passenger a sidelong glance and saw that she’d closed her eyes. He didn’t know if she was tired or just didn’t want to talk. Aside from the night they’d lain together on the rug listening to music, it was unusual for them to be together without engaging in conversation.

He debated asking if she was okay but thought better of it. They had long drive, and he decided to let her take the lead.

* * *

Michelle feigned sleep because she was struggling to make sense of her emotions. She’d started the day intending to continue her relationship with Lucas; however, suddenly, she felt compelled to ask him to cease all further contact.

She knew she wasn’t herself when her grandmother asked her if she was feeling okay. She’d lied and blamed it on hormones. However, it wasn’t a total lie. Her hormones were all over the place because she’d allowed herself to fall for a man who had as much to lose as she did, thanks to their respective brothers who didn’t want them together. The adage that blood was thicker than water was never truer than when it came to Aaron Corey and Ethan Brandt. Both of them had involved themselves in their siblings’ relationship when it wasn’t solicited. Would she start a family feud over a man who may not even want a future with her?

Still, she’d spent the late morning and early afternoon in her suite readying herself for her date with Lucas. Taking special care, she shampooed and then added a conditioner to her hair. Then she took a leisurely bath until the water grew too cool for her to remain in the tub. Afterward she rinsed her hair, towel-dried it enough to rid it of most of the moisture, then using a comb attachment, blew out her hair until it straightened. She’d experimented with different styles until she finally decided simplicity was best and styled it into a twist she secured with jeweled hairpins. She had replaced her small diamond studs with a pair featuring both rubies and diamonds.

Michelle had taken meticulous care applying her makeup, deciding she needed a more dramatic look with smoky eyes and ruby-red lips. She’d never worn the dress before, and she prayed it would fit because she’d lost a few pounds after moving back to Tenacity. There had been days she only ate enough to sustain her energy. The dress fit perfectly, and she zipped it up with ease. If it had been the summer she would have gone out with bare legs, but not in October when the temperatures fluctuated from one day to the next.

Less than fifteen minutes before Lucas was scheduled to pick her up she called to tell him not to come and that she would meet him at his ranch. She didn’t want her brothers to see them together. She still wasn’t ready to go public with him.

“You can put on some music,” she told Lucas without opening her eyes.

“Are you certain?” he questioned.

“Yes.”

* * *