“Man, I wish you’d get over that crap.” T. S. scowled as he took a pull on his beer. “You are nothing like your old man. If anything, you’re the exact opposite. You’re so controlled all the time. It’s scary.”
“Yeah, I can tell you’re terrified.” Lucas sprawled back against the cushions and stared up at the ceiling.
T. S. laughed. “I’m shaking in my boots. I meant that other people are afraid of you.”
They sat in companionable silence for a long time. That was the great thing about a friend like T. S.— he knew when to shut up and just let things be. Lucas finally stirred. The beer in his hand had gone warm, so he leaned forward and plunked the almostempty bottle on the coffee table. “She was special.” He swallowed hard.
“I know.”
“I’m going to go work out for a bit.” Lucas forced himself up off the sofa. He needed to work off some of this pent-up anger before he exploded.
T. S. stood next to him and deposited his empty bottle on the table as he nodded. “Okay. I’m going to go and finish up some work. If you want to talk or go out to eat or just hang, let me know.” He turned to leave, but stopped and swore under his breath. Swiveling back around, he hauled Lucas into a quick bear hug. “I’m real sorry, man.” Releasing him, T. S. hurried out of the apartment, slamming the door behind him.
Lucas swallowed hard. “Me too.” His whispered words seemed to mock him as he headed to his bedroom to change into his workout gear.
Chapter Fourteen
Lucas swore, his hands gripping the heavy iron bar tight as he lowered it carefully back into the cradle. Lying on the weight bench, he waited to see if whoever it was would knock again. He’d only been working out for about twenty minutes, barely enough time to work up a sweat. Who the hell could be banging on the front door?
The knock came again, this time louder. It wasn’t T. S.— he wouldn’t bother to knock but just invite himself in. Maybe it was Katie? Closing his eyes, he took a few calming breaths before heaving himself up off the leather bench. He wanted to ignore the knocking, but he knew he couldn’t. It was possible that there was something down in the coffee shop that needed his attention.
Hitching his drawstring pants up around his waist, he grabbed a towel and wrapped it around his neck, rubbing his face with one end as he padded on bare feet to the front door. He didn’t bother to turn on any lamps, as the streetlights shining in through the living room window shed enough light to allow him to see. He yanked the door open and the terse greeting died on his lips. She was the last person he’d expected to see.
Candy stared up at him, her brown eyes looking huge and her features fragile. Her cheeks and nose were red from the cold and she was breathing heavily, as if she had run all the way here. Lucas snorted inwardly. Yeah, like she’d rushed all the way over here to apologize to him.
“Can… can I come in?” She chewed on her lush bottom lip as he watched her.
Pulling open the door, he stood back and waited for her to enter. He could sense her nervousness as he shut the door and she gave a startled jump when he locked it. “Are you sure it’s safe to be alone in a dark room with an ex-con?” He knew it was childish, but he couldn’t resist the small dig.
Her dark eyebrows came together in a scowl as she unzipped her coat. “I’m perfectly safe with you, Lucas, and we both know it.” Hanging up her coat and purse, she strode into the living room, leaving him to trail behind her.
She stopped so unexpectedly, he almost plowed into her from behind. She spun around to face him and opened her mouth to speak, but nothing came out. He noticed that her eyes were glued to his chest. Obviously, she still wanted him sexually, even if she didn’t think he was good enough for her in other ways. The cynical part of his nature prodded him to take advantage of that fact. If she wanted his body, then he should take what he wanted. Have one fuck for the road. Give her something to remember him by.
His cock responded immediately to her interest, lengthening and thickening against the front of his workout pants. Doing nothing to hide his arousal, he casually swiped at a bead of sweat that trickled down his forehead. “What do you want, Candy? I’m busy.”
She flinched at his harsh words, but he resisted the urge to soften toward her. That’s what had gotten him in trouble to begin with. Dropping the edge of the towel, he crossed his arms across his chest and waited.
She swallowed audibly, but then seemed to gather herself together, standing tall. “You’ll be happy to know that your segment of the show won’t air and that Angela Murray issued an apology to her audience, telling them that the information was false.”
“Thanks.” He owed Candy that much. “But I don’t think it will do much good. Somebody will get nosy and poke around. I’m sure it will be out in the papers before long.”
“What happened, Lucas?”
“That’s none of your damn business, sugar.” A few hours ago, he would have gladly shared with her. Now, he didn’t want to talk to her at all. He tried to ignore the impulse that was screaming at him to wrap her in his arms and never let her go. Their relationship had proven to be nothing more than an illusion.
She flinched but held her ground. He ruthlessly squashed the feelings of pride and admiration that welled up within him. “I guess I had that coming.”
His muscles strained with the effort it was taking for him not to grab her in his arms. His cock was throbbing with the need to bury itself in Candy’s welcoming warmth. He wanted to lose himself in the comfort and security of her body.
She placed her hand on his arm. It looked so small and pale against the bulk of his muscles. “It doesn’t really matter.”
“No?” His jaw was clenched so tight, he could barely get the word out. Any tighter and he was sure it would shatter.
“No.” She shook her head, her eyes luminous in the muted light.
“Prove it.”
His harsh words and the cold, unyielding expression on his face almost sent her running from the room. This was not the Lucas that she was used to. This man wasn’t the playful, passionate lover and companion that she’d spent most of the past few weeks with. This was the face of a man who’d had the kind of past that she couldn’t even begin to imagine. A man who’d spent time in prison. A man that she’d hurt deeply with her lack of faith and trust.
But beneath that implacable façade, the man she loved was still there. She had to believe that, to trust in him. Taking a deep breath, she took the biggest gamble of her entire life. “Prove it how?”
His pale blue eyes, usually so warm and inviting, were as cold as ice as he stared down at her. He slowly moved his gaze over her body, lingering on her breasts and at the juncture of her thighs before moving all the way to her feet and then all the way back up again.
Even though she was fully dressed, she felt stripped naked beneath his detached stare. Her body responded immediately to his visual caress. Her nipples hardened into tight nubs, pushing against her bra. Between her thighs cream began to flow as her inner muscles clenched in anticipation.
“Take off your clothes.”
“What?” Surely she hadn’t heard him correctly.
“Strip for me, sugar.” He circled her slowly, assessing her. “If it doesn’t matter, then strip for me. I want to fuck you. Right here. Right now.”
His cold, emotionless words made her stomach clench. Her legs began to shake and she had to lock her knees to keep from crumpling to the floor. She’d wounded him deeply earlier today and this was his way of making her pay. “Is that what it will take for you to believe me?”