LUCAS (10 page)

Kensie blinked rapidly like she was coming out of a stupor. “Oh, yes. Thank you. I’ll only be a minute.”

When she returned, she seemed a little uncomfortable… no, not uncomfortable, unconfident. Why would she feel awkward around him and what had changed since he walked up? He silently puzzled over the transformation as they walked to the main house. The only thing he had done was give her the flowers…THE FLOWERS!

Slipping her hand from the crook of his arm, he brought them to a halt. “Kensie, have you ever been given flowers before?”

She stared at their feet for a long second before shaking her head.

“What the hell is wrong with men in Minnesota? Don’t they know it is only proper to bring a lady flowers when calling on her?”

Kensie shrugged and finally whispered so quietly he almost didn’t hear the words. “I’ve never been called on before.”

Everything inside Lucas froze. Jojo had texted him about fifteen minutes before he went to collect Kensie and briefly explained her trepidation. Now he understood her erratic reactions of the past two days and was better prepared to court his mate. But she hadn’t prepared him well enough. She had definitely left some key details out.

Lucas lifted her chin, forcing her to look him in the eye. “Are you telling me you have never been on a date?”

Blushing the color of a ripe tomato, she nodded and tried to pull her chin from his grasp. She failed.

Taking a deep breath, he held her gaze and asked, “Baby, are you a virgin?”

Fire flared in her eyes. “You don’t need to be called on to have sex.” She ripped her chin from his grasp and marched ahead of him to the main house.

Lucas quietly joined her in the great room off of the dining hall. She had already grabbed an overstuffed chair, no doubt to avoid sitting next to him on the couch. He kept his grin to himself while he started the movie and poured two glasses of wine. With the previews playing, he turned and walked to her chair. Setting the glasses on the side table, he focused on her eyes.

Holding out his hand, he asked, “Won’t you please join me on the couch? I promise not to bite.”

She eyed his hand so long he was about to lower it and give up, at the last second she reached for it and silently followed him to the couch.

Taking a deep breath, he tackled the elephant in the room. “Please accept my apology for asking you such an indelicate question earlier. My only defense is I was shocked when you said you had never dated.”

“It’s okay.” Kensie shrugged. “I learned a long time ago, men aren’t interested in highly intelligent, outspoken, fat chicks.”

Whatever he had expected her to say, it wasn’t that. “First of all, I’m only going to say this once, so listen up. You are not fat. Intelligent? Absolutely. Opinionated? Without question. But NOT FAT. You are deliciously curvy and soft. You’re perfect.”

He suppressed the urge to drag her onto his lap. Simultaneously torn between wanting to comfort her and needing to make her scream his name in ecstasy.

After their close encounter during the picnic, he had been sporting a perpetual hard-on even his hand and a cold shower couldn’t relieve. He was painfully erect now just staring at her pink tongue as she moistened her lips in thought.

He shook himself mentally when he realized she was talking to him.

“Excuse me?”

She frowned at him and took a sip of her wine. “I asked what movie we are watching.”

“Oh. I hope you like action. I put it the new dinosaur movie.”

“It can’t be the new one. That movie hasn’t been released yet.”

“I know,” he grinned.

Now she really frowned at him.

Reaching for her hand, he prepared for the inevitable discussion of the family’s wealth. “Put it this way, my family has a lot of money and we invest in a variety of things. Movie production is one of them.”

“Are you telling me, your family was the financial backing for the movie?”

“That’s exactly what I’m saying.” Then he shrugged and settled in next to her. “Getting early released home versions is just a small extra perk.”

“Holy moly,” Kensie breathed. “I don’t even want to know how much your family is worth. I think I liked you better as an everyday rancher.”

Lucas chuckled. “Then forget I said a word and concentrate on my rancher status.”

As the movie began to play, he twined his fingers with hers and felt her lean into him. Good, this was going better than he’d expected.

Lucas cupped her cheek and waited. Slowly, Kensie lifted her face and looked him in the eye. He could smell the beginnings of panic mixed with resolve, swirling like a vortex. Unhurriedly, he grazed his thumb down her cheek to lightly stroke her soft lips. Like a wild horse he was taming, he watched her eyes and expression intently, waiting until she relaxed in his arms and accepted his touch.

“I’m going to kiss you, cher. Are you okay with that?”

Kensie licked her lips instinctively and didn’t pull away. She also hadn’t answered. With excruciating slowness, he lowered his lips to hers. If she stiffened or resisted in anyway, he would stop. She didn’t.

Finally, he was doing what he had ached to do all afternoon. He kissed her as if she were receiving her first kiss. She tasted like mint toothpaste and lemon meringue pie. Like his woman was supposed to taste. Flavored and scented just for him.

Goddess, he could forget his own name by simply kissing this woman. Even though she claimed to have limited experience, she was a dynamite kisser. Kensie was the perfect blend of innocence, teeth, and tongue. She was no shrinking violet when she let herself go.

He thought he was aroused before, dang he had never been this turned on. It wasn’t just a physical reaction either; his heart, soul, and wolf were all in. He could die a happy man to have kissed this woman. Goddess, what would it be like to have her naked beneath him? His heart stuttered, the very thought was exhilarating and terrifying. This level of emotional commitment was new, even for him. Kensie wasn’t the only virgin when it came to giving her heart and taking such a monumental risk.

She pulled back a fraction to suck in a breath. “Keep that up and I might lose control.” The instant the words spilled from her lips she stiffened. “I’m sorry. I can’t believe I just said something so forward. Forget I said that.”

Lucas brushed a wisp of hair from her eyes. “Honey, there was nothing out of line about what you said. You and I are drawn to each other and we’re both feeling our way through these new emotions. I was thinking the very same thing, heck to be honest, I was thinking a lot more, but I won’t elaborate. When you’re ready, we’ll move forward with our relationship, but not until then.”

Lucas could see passion burning in her searching eyes, her nipples were stiff hard buds raking his chest, and her breathing was ragged. She wanted him as badly as he wanted her, but she needed to ease into her feelings. Dip her toes in the water and analyze her reactions. That was the way Kensie dealt with life. Understanding a thing before she took a chance was the way she protected herself from experiencing the pain and loss she had suffered when her parents were taken from this world.

Finally, she spoke. “Thank you for being so understanding. Most men would be angry to be led on and then shut down.”

“Cher, you weren’t leading me on. You were having a natural response to my kissing you. When you get to know me better, you’ll understand. I meant it when I said I would wait until you’re ready to move to the next level. Any man who would pressure a woman is a bastard. I hope you know by now, I’m not that kind of man.”

Lucas’s deep drawl and sensitive words caused her heart to thunder and goose bumps to rise. Good, Lord, she wanted nothing more than to be able to take him by the hand and spend the night exploring his body. She swayed toward him, intoxicated by the love and longing she saw in his eyes.

“Kensie?” Krystal called as she walked into the room. “I’m terribly sorry to disturb you, but you have a call.”

The woman’s voice behind them was enough to ruin the moment. Kensie blinked as if coming out of a trance. Lucas ran his fingers through his hair, dispelling his frustration.

Son of a...
He wanted to choke who ever was on the other end of that call.

Who the heck was calling her on the ranch line anyway? He couldn’t imagine she would have given the number to anyone. Heck, he wasn’t sure she even knew the number. Jojo made all the reservations.

He watched as Kensie turned, a confused expression on her obviously embarrassed face. 

With a small smile at Krystal, she took the cordless phone from her and cautiously said “Hello?”

“Kensie? Where have you been? You haven’t responded to a single email or text in the past three hours.”

“Hello, Dr. Anderson. You do realize I’m on vacation and as such not on call. Any questions I answer are solely at my discretion. Technically, I could have ignored every message you’ve sent.”

Sputtering could be heard from the other end of the line. “How dare you? You have a patient here who needs your attention.”

“I dare all I want. And I don’t have a patient, you do. You want my advice and you’re interrupting my vacation thoughtlessly. I’m right and you know it.”

There was muffled angry muttering before the line went dead.

“Did that asshole call you a bitch?” Lucas growled.

“Yes, more than likely, he did,” Kensie said.

Her unruffled reaction told him volumes. That bastard treated her like shit all the time. She was so used to it, she didn’t flinch at his vulgar conduct anymore.

“Are you okay, cher?” Krystal asked as she rounded the couch and took the phone from Kensie’s hand.

“I’m fine. A doctor back home wants my advice. He’s angry. He’ll get over it.”

“Is there something wrong with the patient, he doesn’t know how to treat?” she asked frowning.

“No, he just can’t walk, talk, or shit without conferring with me.” Kensie turned red again. “Sorry about that. When I get angry my mouth goes into the gutter.”

Krystal gave her one last concerned look before she dropped the subject. “Well, you two have a good night. If he calls again, I’ll use the blow horn on him.”

Kensie’s gaze shot to Lucas.

He nodded, grinning ear to ear. “Yes. She has a blow horn and isn’t afraid to use it.”

Kensie let loose a belly laugh. The image of sweet, feminine Krystal blasting someone with a blow horn was just too outrageous.

Lucas laughed along with her. When the giggles died down, his demeanor turned serious. “I don’t mean to butt in where it’s not my business, but I’ve been meaning to talk to you.”

Kensie’s brows creased. “What about?”

“Your work load. Jojo has confided in Krystal. She’s concerned about your inability to ignore the demands made by the hospital. I’m sure I’m not supposed to say anything, but she’s upset that you promised to leave work behind this time and you’ve yet to go an entire day without responding to their unreasonable demands.”

As he spoke her head began to hang like a scolded child. “You’re right. I promised I would make this trip her birthday gift and leave work behind for the entire week.” She shook her head and mumbled. “I really suck as a sister.”

“I’m sure she would be satisfied with the rest of the week. Try shutting your phone and computer off. I’m certain the hospital will survive for the next five days without your advice.”

“You’re right. I’ll shut them off when I go back to the cabin. Obviously, they have the number here so if there is a true emergency they can call that.”

When she looked up, she caught him watching her. His eyes were intense and strangely seemed to glow. He cocked an eyebrow and let a slow grin grow across his full, sculpted lips.

“Did you just say I was right?” he asked playfully.

“Yes.” She laughed and swatted the side of his leg with the back of her hand. “And you better mark it on your calendar because I guarantee, it won’t happen often.”

“I just might do that. Are you ready to finish the movie?”

“Absolutely.”

“Then snuggle on in here,” he said as he pulled her in close to his side and hit the play button.

The aroma of the deep woods and pine was driving her wild. Without turning her head, she peeked at Lucas out of the corner of her eye. How could one man look and smell so dang scrumptious? She wanted to get a bottle of chocolate syrup and cover him with it, then lick every drop off.

Good grief! Where the heck did that impulse come from? 

He smiled to himself as he listened to her thoughts.
I would be her chocolate sundae any day of the week.
Gently he wound his fingers in her hair and dipped his head until his lips were a fraction from hers. He would wait there all night until she closed the gap.

Her eyes sprang to his, filled with questions, hesitation, and desire. How could she continue to deal with her warring emotions and not get tangled up inside? With stuttering hesitant movements she tentatively brushed his lips. He let her take the initiative, holding his quivering wolf at bay.

She kissed him again, a little more sure of herself. By the third kiss, she had turned into his chest and wrapped an arm around his neck.

His wolf howled in triumph.

Between the wine and the necking they missed the entire last thirty minutes of the movie. It wasn’t until the disc ended and static filled the screen they even noticed.

Without missing a beat, Lucas hit the power button for the player. Lacing his fingers in her hair, he tilted her head just so and deepened the kiss. Their tongues slid erotically against each other. Then he began trailing hot sexy kisses down her neck to her shoulder.

“I love you so damn much,” he murmured as he continued his assault.

If her head hadn’t been swimming so badly, she would have reacted to his declaration. As it was, her brain wasn’t functioning on all cylinders. She was in more of an instinctive mode than thinking anything at all.

The kissing seemed to go on and on. Never once had he tried to take it further. Her brain was fuzzy and she was having trouble keeping her eyes open. She’d been up since five a.m. when her phone started buzzing from text messages and she guessed it must be past midnight. She would check her watch, but her eyes weren’t focusing so well. Vaguely she thought,
I should have turned down the fourth glass of wine.

When he raised his head to look at her, his eyelids dipped low, heavy with unfulfilled desire. He made love to her with his gaze, slowly admiring her from head to toe and back again.

“Damn good thing, I’m a gentleman,” he growled as he stood before sweeping her into his arms and carrying her off to bed.

*****

Kensie woke with a start and sat bolt upright in bed.
What? Where?

It must have been the jostling of the mattress as Lucas left that woke her.

Holy Mother! Had they?
What was she doing in his bed? She was going to rack her brain to remember what happened last night, but the jackhammers busy at work inside her skull gave her pause.

Before she could utter a sound, Lucas pulled the drapes open.

Lord, have mercy!
Like a boneless ragdoll, she dropped her body back to the mattress.
The pain could only have been worse if she were a vampire.

Opening one unwilling eye barely a hair, she glowered at Lucas. If looks could kill, he would be a bloody, quivering mass on the floor. If she could, she’d run for her cabin. As it stood, she wasn’t going anywhere.

“Good morning, my beautiful dove,” Lucas greeted her cheerfully.

Her response was an arm flung across her ill-treated eyeballs.

“Goddess! I’m sorry, cher.” Luckily, Kensie had her eyes pinched shut and an arm clamped tight to boot or she would have seen him move faster than was humanly possible. He yanked the drapes shut so fast they almost ripped from the rod.

A miserable moan rose from the blankets.

“You stay right there. I have a recipe for an amazing hangover cure. I’ll whip up a batch and be back in a minute.”

Quietly the door opened and closed as Lucas returned. It could have been a few minutes or a few hours, Kensie was in too much pain to track the time.

“Let me help you sit up so you can drink this.”

Kensie groaned. “What’s in it?”

“It doesn’t matter. Suffice it to say, you’ll feel much better in a few minutes.”

Lucas slid an arm under her to help her sit and held the glass close to her lips.

Kensie caught a whiff of the concoction and reeled back. “What the devil is in that!”

“Don’t worry about the ingredients. I promise it won’t harm you. Just plug your nose and gulp it down.”

She pried one eye open and glared at him. Or at least she meant to glare, but it was difficult to achieve the desired effect with her eyes squeezed shut.

“Come on, stop being a big baby and drink it. It’s either my cure or you can suffer the entire day.”

“I really hate you,” she snarled as she wrapped her fingers around his wrist and downed the entire glass of nasty smelling liquid. ACK! Not only did it taste as awful as it smelled, it had a slimy texture, too.

“You can hate me now, but in a few minutes you’ll thank me for that,” he chuckled.

God Bless America!
He was telling the truth. A few minutes later, she did feel better. Not one hundred percent, but good enough to get on with her day.