The Perfect Stroke (Lucas Brothers #1)(96)

I lead her down the hall towards the master bedroom. I keep it on the main floor and reserve the upstairs for guest rooms, which are never used. I don’t want guests. Ever. Ana is the only one I will break that rule for.

Ana freezes at the entrance. Inside is a large king-size four-poster bed, a large television hanging on the wall and a low line sleek black dresser with matching nightstands. It has a sitting area off to the left of the bed and then behind that is an open master bath with a sunken tub and large steam shower.

“A problem, Pet?”

“Is … Is this the bedroom you want me to stay in?” she says, trying to back away.

“This is my bedroom.”

“I’ll just wait for you outside then. Or you could tell me where your guest room is.”

“You’ll be staying here with me, Ana.”

“I don’t think so.”

I ignore her comment and apply more pressure at her back to get her moving. Her eyes are focused on the bed. I wonder if, like me, she is imagining being tied to it later. I’m biding my time until I can do that very thing. There’s never been a woman in this bed. I’ve never wanted one. But I’m making another exception and it’s for the same reason. Ana.

“Have you eaten?” I ask her, pulling my shirt off.

“What? Umm … no, I guess I haven’t.”

“Good. I’ll have the cook heat up dinner for us.”

“You do realize it’s three a.m.,” she says, as I pick up the phone and inform the kitchen staff what I want.

“I don’t keep regular hours, Ana. I pay my staff enough to reflect that and reward them for understanding. I’m going to take a shower while dinner is getting heated. I’ll just be a few minutes. Unless you’d like to join me?” I ask her, putting my shirt on the bed.

“Join you?” she parrots, sitting in the chair that I keep in front of the bed. Disappointing. I would much rather have her on the bed waiting for me.

“In the shower.”

“I, uh … I think I will be fine here,” she says.

“A pity.” I like the way her eyes are drawn to my chest almost as much as I like the way the heat rises into her face.

“Listen, Roman, I’m not sure what your game is, but I think it would be best if I leave. I’m not—” Ana starts, heading to the door and showing more fire in this moment than she has since I’ve started toying with her.

“Not what, Ana?” I ask, taking a step and catching her easily. My hand encircles her waist, making sure she doesn’t get away.

“I’m not your plaything. Your pet. I don’t understand what is going on between us or what you think tonight is about. I wanted your help to find my brother. Clearly we are not on the same page. I just think it would be best if we ended it here and I get back to my world and you can find someone else to follow you around like a puppy and obey,” she says.

She gets it all out in one large breath, which is also commendable. The heat is blaring across her face, her blush so dark she glows. I commend her on showing backbone. I’m much too used to women following my commands.

My thumb brushes against the pulse point in her wrist, enjoying the erratic beat. More to the point, enjoying how I can see the outline of her nipples against her t-shirt and the way her chest rises and falls as if she’s been running. “Do I affect you, Ana?”

“Affect me?” she whispers, and I watch as her throat works when she swallows.

“Is there a part of you that wants to join me in the shower? To help me take my clothes off and finish what we started when you danced for me? Are you thinking about what it would feel like to give me your body under the hot spray of the water? To feel my hands on you, or my lips? Do you secretly want to give in to that naughty side of yourself and see if the promise in my words would be as good as it sounds?”

Her gasp echoes in the room, but it’s the way it leaves her mouth open that I respond to. I keep my hold on her wrist tight, using it to pull her even closer to me, and then I kiss her for the second time tonight, claiming her lips with a hunger and a need that I didn’t experience before Ana. This time, there’s no wait as her tongue instantly joins mine, warring with it and trying to come out victorious. I let out a deep guttural growl, feral almost. Definitely animal-like, because that’s what Ana reduces me to. Her sweet taste intoxicates me as our tongues rap around each other, fighting for dominance, and then we break apart to stare into each other’s eyes. I may have won the battle, but I’m almost definite that she has captured me in some type of trap.

Ultimately, I don’t think I care as long as I end up between her legs.





I watch as Ana’s fingers go to her bruised lips, touching them and feeling the damage I left behind. I wasn’t gentle. I never intend to be.

“We shouldn’t have done that,” she whispers, but those violet eyes of hers are shining.

“Done what?”

“The dance. It shouldn’t have happened. Just like that kiss shouldn’t have happened. This is wrong, Roman.”

“Don’t bother saving face. Before the night is through, we’ll be doing a lot more.”

“I don’t think you understand. I’m here because of my brother. I don’t just jump into men’s beds. I may take my clothes off for strangers in your club, but that doesn’t mean I do the same in private. I reserve that for a man I know, a man I like, a man I’m dating.”