Flesh: Part Twelve (The Flesh Series Book 12) (2 page)

“
This
is awkward.” I take a step away from Lucian.

“
The
only thing awkward is getting all dressed up for our date and then
being told that you suddenly changed your mind.” Lucian looks
down at me with disapproval in his eyes.

“
Tonight
isn't a good night.” I rub the back of my neck. “Things
have been a bit tense between Derrick and I. He came over to patch
things up, so I'd rather spend my time with him right now.”

“
It's
fine, Amy. I'll just go.” Derrick's voice cracks as he takes
long strides towards the door.

I move quickly to
grab him by the arm, pulling him back before he has a chance to
escape. If he leaves now, Lucian will swoop down on me like a sexual
predator and I'll be completely lost. For as much as I want to hate
Lucian, I don't think I could resist him looking like that. My body
is already so hot from staring at him that I feel like I need to
start shedding clothing.

“
No.
This is important to me. More important than going on a date with
him.” I nod in Lucian's direction.

Lucian puts a hand
on Derrick's shoulder, and I can visibly see Derrick cringe. “You
stay. If this is important to Amy, then it's important to me too.
I'll come back later.” He looks at me. “I already
promised Amy that I'll be at her beck and call tonight.”

My mouth falls agape
at Lucian's sudden unexpected selflessness. I made him cancel all of
his appointments tonight for nothing, and he doesn't even seem to be
angry. Even stranger, he's not jealous at all that Derrick brought me
flowers. Who is this man?

“
I
would really appreciate that, Lucian,” I stutter.

There's no doubt in
my mind that he booked us reservations at some expensive restaurant.
He went out of his way to get me these gorgeous roses. He got dressed
up to the nines. And now he's just going to walk away to accommodate
me because I want to spend some time with my friend. I don't believe
what I'm hearing.

“
Of
course.” He nods respectfully. “It was nice seeing you
again, Derrick.” He takes his hand off of Derrick's shoulder
and returns his attention to me. “Amy, call me whenever you're
ready for me to pick you up tonight.”

“
I
will.”

He gently places the
roses into my arms, kisses me on the forehead, and walks away,
leaving both Derrick and me completely dumbstruck.

CHAPTER TWO

“
I'm
sorry, Amy, I didn't mean to put you on the spot like that.”
Derrick gives me a sympathetic look.

“
Don't
worry about it. I meant it when I said I'd rather spend the afternoon
with you.” I take the roses to the kitchen, admiring them in my
arms. Not only do they look expensive, but they smell incredible,
stronger than any roses should. Roses on steroids, I decide with a
smirk. “I have no idea what I'm going to do with these. I don't
think I have a vase wide enough for all of them.”

“
I
know what I'd do with them,” Derrick mumbles.

“
Throw
them in the trash?” My smirk broadens into a full-fledged
smile, teeth showing and all.

“
You
said it, not me.” He puts his hand on his hip, looking sassy.

Dear God, I missed
him.

I set the roses down
on the kitchen counter and wrap my arms around him, swaying slightly
while I press my head against his chest and inhale the scent of his
cologne. Fresh and clean with the tiniest hint of masculinity. “I'm
so friggin' happy you're here.”

“
Me
too. I missed you a lot.” He kisses me on top of the head, and
for a few moments, I'm the happiest woman in the world. “I
still don't like him though.” He nods towards the door.

“
He
was rather pleasant to you. I'm surprised.” My eyes widen for
effect, even though I know he can't see it.

“
Probably
because he knew I would kick his ass if he wasn't.”

“
Really?”
I pull away from him, a grin still plastered across my face. It feels
like it's been forever since I smiled this much.

“
Hey,
I have muscles too.” He flexes, and we both laugh.

“
The
muscles of a chicken.” I roll my eyes and walk to the
refrigerator to pull out two bottles of water.

“
So,
are you still going to see him tonight?” I can hear the
jealousy in Derrick's voice.

I take a deep
breath, thinking. For as much as I hate to admit it, seeing Lucian
all dressed up made me really horny.

“
Yes.
I'm going to see him tonight.” I nod, deciding that I just want
to get laid. Would it be wrong to use Lucian for sex? The thought
doesn't make me feel half as guilty as I think it should.

“
I
will accept that you're seeing him, but I'm never going to like him,
just so you know.” He takes a bottle of water from my hand and
walks around me to sit on the sofa.

“
I'm
not sure I'm ever going to like him either.” I join him on the
couch.

For the next thirty
minutes, we update each other on everything. I share all of Lucian's
secrets with him, and there's no sympathy on Derrick's face. His
thought process is much like mine. There are better ways to cope with
loss than to whore yourself out and push everyone you care about
away. It doesn't score Lucian any points.

Apparently,
Derrick's advance on me was quickly forgotten. He's already dating
someone else, a fabulous younger guy who does drag on the weekends.
Even though I'm happy for him, it feels like we went through all of
this drama for nothing, which is a bit irritating.

He doesn't leave
until almost ten o'clock, at which point I immediately reassemble my
phone and call Lucian. He answers on the first ring as if he's been
waiting for the phone call all night. I like that because I honestly
didn't think he would answer at all.

“
How
about you come over here?” he says.

“
Aww.
I thought you wanted to see my apartment,” I tease.

“
I
did see your apartment.”

“
Oh,
bullshit. You stepped inside the front door. That's hardly seeing
it.” I shake my head. In truth, I'm tired and I don't want to
drive. Besides, he's supposed to be the one making all the effort.

“
I'll
cook for you.”

It's a tempting
thought, but still not enough. “I don't want to leave.”

He lets out a small
sigh. “Alright. I'm still going to bring food though. Will
Janice be joining us for dinner?”

Janice. Shit. I
totally forgot about her. Even though she won't be home while we're
eating, she will be coming home after work. I'm not sure if we'll
still be up or not, but I don't want her to see him. I don't want him
to see her. It pisses me off that I'm still so insecure about the two
of them being attracted to each other. That moment at Fleshfest is
burned into my mind, the way he looked at her. I doubt he'd give her
the same lustful glance in her Walmart uniform, but still.

“
I'll
head over in a few minutes. Let me freshen up first. Cook me
something yummy.” I quickly hang up the phone, not wanting him
to ask questions about why I suddenly changed my mind.

Once I'm off the
phone, I exhale deeply, wondering why I made such a big deal about
the Janice thing. She may find him attractive, but she acts like she
hates him. Doesn't she? Or does she just hate him being with me?

***

Apparently, Lucian
just freshened up as well, because when he opens the door, he's
wearing the same thing he had on earlier. Not that I can complain,
because so am I.

“
I'm
surprised you're not half-naked,” I tease as I show myself in.

“
Would
that have made it easier for you to forgive me?” He leads me
into the dining room and pulls my chair out like a perfect gentleman.

“
Maybe.”
I smirk at him over my shoulder.

“
Then
I'll strip for you right now.” He plays at unbuttoning his suit
jacket, but when I put my hand on top of his, he stops. “I hope
you like lobster.”

“
Oh,
expensive. Everything is expensive tonight, grand master chef. You're
kissing my ass so hard your lips are going to be brown for a week.”

“
Amy.”
He furrows his brows at me.

“
Too
crude?” I draw my hand up to my mouth in mock apology. Oddly,
it feels like most of my tension is gone. Spending time with Derrick
worked wonders for my mood. And knowing that I'm really just here for
sex makes me feel empowered.

“
Maybe
I should be glad I didn't take you to the restaurant.” There's
no amusement in his tone. Did my ass kissing comment really offend
him that badly?

I decide to blow it
off, waiting patiently while he brings and serves me my food like a
good little waiter. Seeing him leaning over to place my plate in
front of me, his body angled at the hips and his back flat like a
board, I can picture him waiting tables at some expensive restaurant.
The thought makes me smirk, picturing him being poor, just a regular
Joe. He was probably never a regular Joe though, not with a face and
body like his.

“
The
library is open,” he tells me as he sits across from me. “Ask
me anything you'd like.”

I'm so taken aback
by his sudden blatant desire to share his life with me that my mind
goes completely blank. I had originally planned on being nasty,
asking him all of the dark, seedy questions that I knew would make me
not want him anymore, but knowing that I actually want to have sex
with him tonight, it doesn't seem like the smartest move.

“
I've
got nothing.” I mirror his movements, trying not to make a mess
of my lobster tail.

“
I'm
surprised.” He stares down at his lobster, concentrating on
cutting it up. “I thought you wanted to talk.”

“
I
do.” I feel my appetite slowly waning, my happiness fading away
with the seriousness in his voice.

“
What
can I do to make you happier?”

I abandon my lobster
to poke at my broccoli. As usual, everything on the plate is healthy.
Not a carb in sight. Surely, the guy has a piece of cake from time to
time. A bag of chips. A potato. Something that's not a protein or
non-starchy vegetable.

“
Don't
push me away.” Is the first thing that comes to mind.

“
I
already told you I wouldn't.”

“
And
don't sleep with other women.” This one should be obvious.

“
It's
just you from now on.”

“
And
quit working at Flesh.” I expect an immediate response, but he
just grunts this time. When I look up at him, he seems lost in
thought. “And quit working at Flesh,” I repeat, putting
more emphasis on the words.

“
I
can't do that.” There's a coldness in his tone that sends a
spike of pain through my heart. I'm not sure why it hurts. He already
told me that he wouldn't give up working at Flesh.

“
Why
not?” I set my silverware down and stare at him.

“
It's
complicated.” He avoids my gaze, stuffing a piece of lobster in
his mouth as if him eating will end the conversation.

“
That's
not an answer. We're being honest and open here, remember. You tell
me or I leave. That's how this is going to work.”

He swallows hard and
looks up at the ceiling. “I need things that you can't give me.
Things that I can only get at Flesh.”

“
What
kind of things?” I continue eating, content with the fact that
I got him talking again.

He clips his bottom
lip with his teeth for half a second, and my eyes zero in on the tiny
red marks where I bit him earlier. It's at that moment I realize he's
wearing concealer.