Page 85 of Frenched (Frenched 1)
Letting myself into Lucas’s apartment without him felt strange but thrilling. If I hadn’t been so exhausted, I might have been tempted to snoop around a bit, try to get to know him better, but the moment I was inside, I went straight for the bed and collapsed, face planted into a pillow.
I woke up two hours later, and Lucas’s bedroom clock told me it was nearly eleven. His shift ended at midnight, so I jumped out of bed and got into the shower. I wanted to be ready and waiting for him when he got home.
The moment I stepped naked under the spray, I was struck with memories so vivid my body’s reaction was visceral. I had to close my eyes and lean against the wall while my head swam with sensory perceptions. Steam rising. Wet bodies sliding against one another. Hot back on cool tile. Lucas buried deep inside me.
Oh, fuck.
I was so turned on I nearly lost myself to it. Only the thought of Lucas coming home soon propelled me to grab the shampoo, wash my hair, soap up and rinse off as quickly as I could.
When I was dry, I rubbed my entire body with lotion and blow dried my hair. Praying he wouldn’t get home early, I set it in some large Velcro rollers for a little lift and went into the bedroom to dress.
Not that I’d be wearing much to answer his knock.
From my suitcase, which I’d set on the bench under the window, I pulled my Aubade lingerie. I slid the panties up my legs and checked my reflection in the mirror. Black and lacy, they sat like tight boy shorts on my hips but were actually a thong in the back. I turned around to check out my ass and grinned when I thought about Lucas’s reaction to it. Then I slipped my arms into the bra and reached behind me to clasp it. Cups trimmed with white lace tied together between my breasts, and I imagined Lucas unraveling the little black satin bow.
With his teeth.
In the bathroom, I put on the barest of makeup—a little concealer, some eyeliner, and mascara. Skipping the lip liner altogether, I filled in my lips with coconut lip balm and rubbed them together. After pulling the rollers from my hair, I tipped my head forward and messed it up. I wanted to look a little like I’d just come from bed, even though that’s exactly where I hoped I was headed. I lit the candles on the coffee table and found a few extra ones in a kitchen cupboard, which I placed on the nightstands in the bedroom.
There. Mood set.
I was just pulling on my black heels when I heard the knock. With one last look in the mirror, I turned off all the lights and headed for the door.
“Yes?” I called before opening it. Best to make sure it was really him before opening the door in lingerie and heels.
“It’s me.”
It’s you.
I turned the lock and opened the door. “Hi, you.”
His jaw dropped. “Oh my God.”
After a moment of stunned silence, he came at me, kicking the door shut behind him. I laughed as he swept me off my feet and carried me like a baby straight for the couch, where he lay me down on my back and stood up. “Jesus Christ. Let me look at you.”
I propped myself on my elbows and bent my knees, widening them a little, enjoying the way his chest heaved inside his shirt as his eyes traveled slowly down my body and back up again.
“Fuck,” he breathed. “I have never seen anything like you in all my life. I could look at you all night.”
I grinned. “No, you couldn’t.”
He groaned. “You’re right. I couldn’t.”
I reached out and stroked him through his pants. He was already hard. “And I wouldn’t want you to.”
“Ah.” He grabbed my wrist. “That feels so fucking good, but I want to talk for a minute.”
I sat up, swinging my feet to the floor and bringing my other hand to his zipper. “Let’s talk later.”
He groaned again. “You’re killing me. Just wait one minute.” He took both my hands in his and pulled me to my feet. “I want to tell you something.”
“Lucas, it’s OK.” I slipped my hands around his waist. “I’m not asking you to say anything, to make any promises. I just want to be with you.” I tipped my chin up and kissed his lips.
“Mia. I want to make you a promise right now. Listen.” He put one hand to my face. “I realized a lot of things this afternoon when I thought I might never see you again.”
“Like what?” I asked, resting my cheek in the palm of his hand.
“Like I’m in love with you. And I can’t let you get away. And I’m a fool to tell you I’ll never do something when I have no idea what the future holds. I changed my mind. Anything is possible for us.”
