Chasing Forever (The Forever Series #1)(40)
“Right,” she responded, clamping her hand around his wrist while keeping her face completely neutral. “I haven’t found anything concrete, but I think it’s only a matter of time.”
“Exactly,” Jack added. “There’s always something happening behind closed doors or under the table, hidden from view.”
Regan choked on her water and then her fingernails dug into Lucas’s wrist. He tried to pull his hand back, but she held it there for a minute as she lifted her napkin to her face with her free hand. “Jennings definitely seems like the type for backroom deals,” Regan answered.
“You’re telling me. I know exactly how he works. I was his partner for way too long. Last week, my son asked me about a real estate development deal and I told him, partners are for dancing not business.”
A half an hour later, Jack climbed into a shuttle as Lucas and Regan watched from a bench near the covered bridge in Vail Village.
Regan turned to Lucas. “I can’t believe you did that to me in the middle of the restaurant with Jack sitting three feet away. I thought I was going to die of embarrassment.”
“I gave you fair warning when I told you to wear a dress,” Lucas said laughing at the blush that stained her cheeks.
“I thought you wanted to see my legs, nothing more.”
Lucas wrapped his arm around her shoulder pulling her closer to him. “Then you don’t know me very well.”
She frowned trying to stand up, but he wouldn’t let her. “Apparently not. What would you have said if Jack noticed? What were you thinking?”
Touching her at dinner was risky and completely out of character, but he couldn’t stop himself. After six years of telling himself he had to forget her, she was finally back in his life, and he wanted to take advantage of every moment because, quite frankly, he was afraid it wouldn’t last. They had enough emotional baggage to fill an eighteen wheeler so the odds were against them, but that didn’t mean he’d give up easily. “I’m sorry. I couldn’t help myself. Forgive me?” Not knowing what else to say, he cupped her face with both hands and kissed her softly on the cheek and then brushed a gentle kiss across her lips, hoping the gesture conveyed what he couldn’t say. He thought time was against them.
She exhaled and then leaned in to kiss him back. “You’re forgiven.”
A light breeze blew through her long auburn hair pushing it in front of her face. He reached up, tucking it behind her ears. “We skipped dessert. There’s a candy shop around the corner. Do you want to get something before we leave?”
“I don’t know,” she said, hesitating.
“Come on.” He stood up and grabbed her hand pulling her up next to him. “I know you like caramel apples.”
She laughed. “Okay. You know I can’t say no to that.”
Walking down the street, he liked the feel of her hand in his, almost like they were really a couple. Nobody knew them. They were just one of many couples strolling through the streets enjoying the live music that poured out of the bars. Being with her like this, in the quaint little chalet themed village with all the shops and restaurants made him want more than just a couple days because he thought the pressures of work, friends, and family might cause their tentative truce and rekindled moment to implode.
“What are you thinking about?” Regan asked, interrupting his thoughts.
Lucas pulled her closer to him, kissing her. “I’m just glad you came with me.”
She stopped walking and turned to face him. “Me too,” she said simply.
Chapter Twenty
Regan hated to admit it, but she didn’t want to leave tomorrow. She wished she and Lucas could stay hidden in their little bubble in the mountains for a couple more days.
As they walked into his house, she didn’t know what to expect. Would he decide to put the brakes on the relationship for the day? It was progressing faster than she initially wanted, but now she didn’t want to walk away. It had been so long since she had spent the night with anyone, and now with the possibility glimmering right in front of her, she wanted him with her, in her bed or his. She didn’t care as long as he didn’t play any games with her head tonight. She needed honesty and him.
Lucas closed the door behind him and reached for the purse that dangled from her shoulder, tossing it on the entryway table. The car keys and his jacket followed her purse. He stared at her then, his eyes lingering in all the right places making her body sing with desire. Without saying a single word, he stalked toward her, wrapping one hand underneath her knees and the around her upper back as he lifted her.
“What are you doing?” she asked, squirming as he carried her up the stairs.
“Taking you to bed.”
When he finally released her, Regan realized that they were in a bedroom—not hers. The room was decorated similar to hers, but the accents were more masculine. The camel colored leather chairs in the corner had gray, black, and red plaid pillows. A large flat screen television hung on the wall above a black dresser. On the far side of the room was king-sized bed with white linens with a perfectly matched red and gray plaid throw blanket along the bottom.
She turned toward the bed, her hands trembling with the enormity of the situation. “This is a nice room,” she said, avoiding his eyes. “Do you always use the same room when you come here?”