Until the Sun Falls from the Sky (The Three #1)(23)
He replaced the glass on the table and looked at her. “Why?”
“It’s my drink!”
“Yes. And?”
“You can’t drink my drink!”
“And why not?”
“Because it’s my drink.”
He sighed her name, “Leah.”
She mimicked his sigh sarcastically. “Lucien.”
He could bear it no longer. She was, quite simply, enchanting.
He burst into laughter, burying his face in her neck while he pulled her to her side facing him, his arms wrapping tight around her, pressing her torso deep against his chest.
“Stop hugging me,” she grumbled over his shoulder, her hands between them pushing against him.
His hand slid down her back to its small, right above her ass and he pressed in. “I can’t help it, pet, you’re entirely huggable.”
“I’m huggable?”
He lifted his head and smiled at her. “Entirely.”
Her eyes narrowed. “You know, Lucien, you need to make up your mind. Either you’re this guy or you’re the jerky, controlling guy who I met at The Selection or you’re the near-miss murder guy last night. Pick one. I’m getting confused.”
He pulled slightly away, bent his elbow and rested his head in his hand, looking down at her.
“I’m all those… guys.”
“Can we make a deal that I get to pick which one I want?”
He was still smiling when he asked, “And which one would you choose?”
“None of them, in a perfect world.” He chuckled and she talked through it. “But this one, since we don’t live in a perfect world.”
“Lucky for you, you have this one now.”
“Then this one would give me back my phone.”
His smile died. “I’ll not be giving back your phone.”
“Okay then,” she shot back, “I don’t have the slightly tolerable one. I have the jerky, controlling one.”
He disregarded her heated words and said, “There are things you need to learn.”
“Yes, and if I could phone my mother, she would teach me.”
“I’m going to teach you.”
Her mouth snapped shut and she stared before she asked in a soft, stunned voice, “You?”
“Me.”
“Why you?”
It had been a boon she’d been expelled from Vampire Studies even if the reason why annoyed him. She had no idea her role or his limitations. All she knew was the contract which flew straight in the face of the law. Until he knew why the Buchanans sent her to him even after examining the altered contract, she would have nothing to do with them or anyone.
In the meantime, his path was cleared, at least with Leah.
And that was all that was important.
He, obviously, didn’t tell her any of that.
“Because the idea of doing it amuses me.”
She rolled her eyes.
“Leah,” he called and her gaze came to his. “I’ll take your instruction seriously and I expect you to do the same.”
“In case you hadn’t noticed, there’s no one to pass notes to here and I don’t have a phone so I can text my friends.”
He reached up a hand and slid his fingers through the soft hair on the side of her head. A mortal man might have missed the delicate shiver that slid across her skin at his touch. And a mortal would definitely miss the sudden racing of her heart.
Lucien didn’t.
This pleased him.
Greatly.
He made no mention of it nor did he give her any indication he felt it.
His eyes locked with hers. “Good, then I’ll have your undivided attention.”
“Can we get started?” she snapped.
“You’re very impatient,” he told her, fighting a smile.
Her eyes darted to his mouth then away while she announced, “I’m a lot of things, none of them good.”
“I’ve noticed you’re a lot of them, pet, but I beg to differ. I think all of them are good.”
She closed her eyes in despair while muttering, “Great.”
He chuckled and slid under her, pulling her over his body until she was mostly on top of him, part of her settled at his side against the back of the lounge. He kept his arms locked around her waist as she came up on a forearm and looked down at him. Her thick hair fell in a curtain around her face, its fragrance enveloping him in an intoxicating mixture of peonies with a hint of grapefruit.
He tamped down the urge to pull her hair and her closer and instead offered, “We’ll start with last night, shall we?”
“Finally,” she breathed and he gave her a gentle but unmistakable squeeze.
“Leah,” he added a verbal warning to his physical one.
She drew in a breath and exhaled loudly.
Then she invited, “Begin, oh Great Master.”
He again fought back a grin. “You’re about to earn another hug.”
“You’re already hugging me.”
He let the feel of her, the vision of her and her divine aroma penetrate.
He lost focus and one of his hands roamed up her spine as he murmured, “Indeed I am.”
“Lucien,” she called. “You were going to impart great vampire wisdom on me?”