Those were your rules
As my eyelids flutter open, I let out a groan, adjusting to the soft morning light that filters through the curtains. My hand moves almost instinctively and brushes against something warm and soft. I look up, my brows tugged together, and there, less than two inches away from me, is Lucas. I’m sleeping right next to him, or to be more precise, I’m cuddled up against him.
My leg is draped over his, and my hand rests lightly against his chest, where I can feel the steady rhythm of his heart pulsating beneath my touch. I swallow hard, unable to take my eyes off where my hand meets his chest. We’re so entangled together I don’t even know where he starts and I end. How did this even happen?
And then it clicks. I was stuck in a nightmare last night, replaying that night that has haunted me for years.
Open your eyes, baby, please.
I can still hear the desperation in his voice and how he pulled me toward him, holding me in his arms until we fell asleep.
I haven’t even attempted to move yet, and part of me knows I should. But I don’t want to. His heart picks up pace beneath my palm as I tentatively explore, my fingers gliding across his bare chest, spotting a few tattoos on his arms and chest.
His breathing grows heavier, a subtle reaction to my touch, and I can’t resist snuggling even closer, drawn to the comforting scent that surrounds him. He smells so good. I breathe him in again, and he moves this time. A slight twitch in his lower abdomen.
I stiffen, curled up against him. “Did you just sniff me?” Lucas’s deep, husky voice shatters the moment, pulling me out of our intimate embrace. Panic courses through me as I lift my eyes to meet his, only to find a mischievous smirk playing at the corner of his lips.
Has he been awake this whole time? “What?” My eyes widen. “No.”
A sultry laugh escapes his lips, and it’s the hottest thing I’ve ever heard. It’s rough and raspy and warms my body. “You little liar,” he teases, closing his eyes again. His hand moves gently up and down my back, and I realize that I’m still cuddled up against him.
It’s also in that moment that I feel something digging into my leg. My brows furrow for a second, but as soon as I realize, I gasp, pulling back. “Oh my god. Get up.”
He groans, tightening his hold on me. “You’re so soft and warm,” he says. “Just a little longer.”
I can’t even explain what those words do to me. A warm sensation pools in the pit of my stomach, and I’m rendered speechless. I bite down on my lower lip, desperate to stifle any embarrassing sounds that might escape. “Lucas,” I whisper. “You’re… You… Why are you hard?”
Lucas cracks open one eye and lets out a laugh, his gaze dropping to meet mine. “It’s morning,” he points out.
I blink up at him, my cheeks warming. “And that’s an excuse?”
He shrugs nonchalantly, a playful smile gracing his lips. I really like his smile. “It’s not an excuse. It’s just what happens in the mornings.”
I can still feel it pressed up against my leg, and I instinctively shift my leg against it. He lets out a low groan that travels straight to my core, building a need inside me. “I can go take care of it right now… if you want me to,” he whispers.
I look up at him, seeing his eyebrow lift in question. My teeth capture my bottom lip between them. My core throbs, and I swallow harshly, the intensity between us leaving me breathless. “Won’t it just… go down?” I ask him.
He lets out a low chuckle, his tongue darting out to run over his bottom lip. His eyes remain locked onto mine. “Not if you keep looking at me like that,” he says, his voice laced with seduction.
I swallow so harshly that the sound echoes through the room. My heart races, and my breaths grow heavier with the seconds ticking between us. “Now,” I say, my cheeks burning up. “Please.”
His laughter fills the room as we disentangle from each other. “Your wish is my command,” he says as he rolls out of bed, leaving behind an emptiness without his warmth beside me.
My gaze follows his every move as he strolls around the bed, making his way toward the bathroom. Which means my eyes drop down to the tent he’s pitching in his boxers, straining against the fabric. My eyes widen and a gasp escapes me, but not without him noticing before he walks inside the bathroom, closing the door behind him.
It isn’t long until I hear the shower turn on, and I let myself picture it. The water cascades down his back as he steps in under the hot water, butt-ass naked, and wraps a fist around his cock. His eyes closed as he groans, tipping his head back, fucking his fist until he releases all over his stomach.
I lie back on the bed, the room feeling uncomfortably warm. My body heats with an intense desire that courses through me, making me vividly aware of every inch of my skin and sending shivers down my spine. My hands skim my lower belly, running my fingertips all over my skin.
I let out a shaky breath, my fingers dipping lower and lower until they graze the top of my pajama shorts. I snap the fabric, feeling the soft silk graze against my skin with every little touch.
But then the shower cuts off, and I pull my hands up just in time for the door to open.
Lucas walks out, his body clad only in a white towel that clings low around his waist. So low that every chiseled line of his meticulously cut abs is on full display while water droplets glisten on his warm, tan skin.
“That was quick,” I tell him, my cheeks warming.
He shoots me a knowing smirk. “I only had one thought in my mind.” I follow his every move as he walks around the bed, reaching into his suitcase to grab some clothes. He grins, his gaze lingering on mine before disappearing back into the bathroom.
I can’t help but let out an aggravated groan as I tip my head back. Why does he have to be so hot?
When he emerges from the bathroom again, my head snaps up, and my attention is immediately drawn to him. “You want breakfast?” he asks.
“Room service?” I ask him, sitting up on the bed. “That’s expensive.”
He grins. “I’ve got the money,” he assures. “But no, I mean go out for breakfast. There’s a place nearby I used to go to whenever I had a shoot.”
“Right.” I smooth the comforter over my legs, leaning back against the headboard. “You used to live here.”
He nods, sitting at the edge of the bed. “For a while, yeah.”
I tilt my head, noting how he seems off. “Did you like it? Living here?” I elaborate.
His lips form a tentative pout. “It’s a fast-paced city, that’s for sure,” he begins. “And I needed to be here for work,” he says with a shrug. “If I hadn’t moved here, I don’t think my career would be where it is now.”
His eyes drop, and a sigh escapes him. “But I always missed home,” he confesses. “I missed Sunday lunches with my family, I missed my best friend, and I even missed the little shit-head who happens to be my sister.” I chuckle at that, and he continues with a more somber expression. “She needed me,” he says, his voice heavy with regret. “She was going through shit she shouldn’t have to deal with, and she needed me. And I wasn’t there.”
“That’s not your fault, Lucas. You couldn’t have known.”
He shakes his head, the weight of his emotions evident. “I should have been there for her.” He lets out a harsh breath. “And then when James had his accident… I knew I couldn’t stay away any longer.”
I offer him a warm smile, my heart fluttering at the way he prioritizes his family above all else. The love he has for them is selfless and unconditional. “You’re a good guy, Lucas,” I tell him.
He returns my smile with a mischievous grin of his own. “Really?” he teases. “So, does that mean you don’t hate me anymore?”
No. I don’t. Not even close. I let out a laugh. “I wouldn’t go that far.”
He nods, chuckling along, but then the laughter fades, and his eyes lock onto mine, a hint of desire flickering in them. His eyes trace a path from my eyes down to my nose, lingering on my slightly parted lips. He continues exploring, his gaze drifting down to my body, feasting on every inch of my skin. My skin shivers with the burn of his gaze.
“Get dressed,” he finally says, his voice huskier than before. His throat moves as he swallows. “I’m starving.”
We didn’t just go to breakfast.
Once Lucas found out I had never been to New York, he took it upon himself to become my tour guide. Dragging me from place to place, trying to show me as much as possible before the gala tonight.
And then we went to lunch, where he proceeded to tell me that New York pizza was better than Chicago pizza, which I was about to deny before I took a bite. He was right. New York pizza trumps pizza back home, any day.
And then he took me to get my nails done fresh for the gala. Lucas Silva stood by the door, holding my bag on his arm, for the two whole hours it took to get my nails done. And once I was done, he paid for it, not even letting me argue about it.
I glance down at them, a smile on my lips, reminiscing on when he asked to see them. They’re dark red, matching the lipstick he requested for me to wear. He held my hand in his and brought it up, pressing his lips against the back of my hand. “Beautiful.” His whisper still remains in the depths of my brain.
The gala is almost starting, and we came back to the room to get dressed a little over an hour ago. My hair was styled, so it just needed a little refreshing. And on my body is the dress he bought me, long and silky and so beautiful. I stare at my reflection in the mirror, smoothing my hands over the fabric. I wonder what he’ll think when he sees me.
I can’t stop thinking about this morning. Our bodies curled up against each other, his fingers tickling my back as the sound of our hearts beating filled the silence. I thought I hated people touching me, but that was before this morning. Before him. Because there was nothing about that that I hated.
“Fuck.” I startle, my eyes lifting to see Lucas standing behind me in the mirror. I turn to face him and revel in how he looks at me. I love the way he looks at me like he never wants to look away. He wipes a hand over his mouth, his eyes darkening as his gaze travels down the length of my dress. The slit exposes my leg, and his eyes catch on it before they travel back to my face, zoning in on my red lips.
“Holy shit, Madeline.” His voice is thick and rough, bringing warmth down my spine.
“What do you think?”
He shakes his head, taking a step closer to me. “Fuck, Mads. You look…”
I’m unable to hide the grin on my face with the way he can’t take his eyes off me. “Yeah?”
He nods. “Yeah.” It comes out breathy and hot as hell. “I see you honored my request,” he says, smirking, his thumb slightly grazing my bottom lip.
I smile. “A deal’s a deal.” His eyes remain on my lips as his tongue darts out and traces his own.
I let my eyes travel down his suit, perfectly fitted to him. God, he looks so hot. Except his tie is slightly crooked. “Your tie,” I say, raising my hand to fix it. I think twice, curling my hand in itself when I remember the no-touching rule. But after this morning, does it still stand? Would I stop him if he wanted to touch me? Not a chance.
His eyes darken, slightly narrowing at me. “Those were your rules, Madeline,” he says. “They don’t apply to me. You want to touch me? Go ahead.”
My lips part as I look up at him, and I lift my hand again and tug on his bowtie, centering it. I smooth out his shirt, letting my hands linger on his chest, feeling the material of his white shirt beneath my fingertips.
His eyes lock on mine as we stare at each other, the tension between us too much to handle. I turn around and close my eyes, my heart racing right out of my chest. “Can you zip me up?” I ask.
He lets out a heavy exhale. “Yeah.” It comes out thick and gravelly. He clutches the zipper in his hands and starts pulling it up. The sound of the zipper is the only noise between us, and when his knuckles graze my bare back, I glance up, seeing him stare down at me in the mirror. He pulls my hair over my shoulder to finish zipping the dress up.
We remain like that, standing still, staring at each other in the mirror, until Lucas steps back, causing me to turn around to face him. “You ready to go?” he asks.
I nod, my heart in my throat, as we walk out of the hotel room.
