Summon Dorn (Archangels Creed) (11 page)

The need to crawl out of his skin became immediately unbearable and he ripped his
T-shirt off and tossed it before hitting the bench like a life preserver.

He worked out at warp speed and in twenty minutes, exhaustion hovered nearby. Damn, he should
've removed his jeans. He'd need to change them now. Hell, he'd need another shower!

The weights clanked as he dropped them in their respective holders near the wall.

"Hey," a soft voice said.

Lucian spun around to find Jessie leaning against the wall, looking…flush? Good God help him. He searched for his
T-shirt that of course grew legs and walked off.

"
Didn't want to disturb you, and the door was open."

Oh hell, it was. He was such a moron.
"I—hadn't worked out…" Twice.

"
You're fine." Her gaze burned over him before she lowered it to the floor. "Wouldn't want…to drive you to confession."

She was blushing. And nervous. He took in her low riding white jeans hugging her narrow waist, as well as her shapely hips. And a pink peasant type blouse both
hid and accentuated her…sisters as she'd called her breasts. No, that wasn't it. Girls. Lucian couldn't believe he'd actually forgotten his nakedness. "Now I need another shower."

"
I'm fine, go ahead and do what you need, I don't mind waiting." She sat on the couch. "Ready to take a load off, actually."

He realized what else was different about her. Her lips. Shimmering with a whisper pink.
"Okay, great." She glanced up at him and right away he saw her eyes seemed more sensual. Perhaps it was the black outlining them. Not a perceptive line, more of a shadow. She bit her lower lip and smiled a little before looking away. Oh God, he'd been staring. "You just look…so different out of your uniform," he explained, as if she'd asked why he were staring.

"
It's nice to get a chance to dress normal, that's for sure."

"
I imagine." Her gaze flicked over his nakedness. "Geeze I'm sorry, I'll go shower and change."

"
Nothing to be sorry about."

His heart slammed his chest. He was sure her tone meant she liked what she saw.
Even though she'd spotted the scars on his arms, she hadn't said a word about them, respecting his privacy. Lucian hurried out without another word before his body could have a chance to show how that affected him.

He showered in five minutes, a little confused with his reaction to her. Girls normally didn
't matter to him. His looks attracted all sorts of them and he'd occasionally engaged in obligatory sex to shut Leo up about his lack of sexual ambition.

But ever since he
'd met Jessie, there was something so…vulnerably sweet in her. Hidden behind her wit. Maybe even a loneliness that called to his own. Regardless, he needed to slow down before he scared her away. She seemed smart, somebody interesting and safe to get to know better. She wasn't the fast type, thankfully. He wasn't into fast women. Except with her, he could easily do fast. But it'd be nice to have a friend he could…just hang out with, have things in common with. And not be alone.

At the same time, her attraction to him was beginning to peek through. She responded to his body in a positive way. Attracted but not blatantly aggressive. It made him feel…relieved. Encouraged in many ways, and yet terrified.
God, please help me not make a fool of myself with her.

He got out of the shower and pocketed every scapular her sister had given him, needing all the help he could get. He wore a black
T-shirt and comfortable black jeans, faded and worn to a silvery gray. He seemed to get a lot of smiles from women when he wore black. He wanted Jessie's smiles.

Making his way around the imported bamboo partition that served as his bedroom walls, he quietly made his way to where Jessie seemed to have fallen asleep. Unsure of what to do, he sat on the chair next to the sofa and contemplated. While watching her.

She was absolutely stunning in sleep. All soft lines and innocence. Her skin reminded him of the creamy milk he used to get from their goat back in Romania. His gaze lowered to her chest and his body stirred. He looked away, feeling like a peeping tom.

The magnetic pull to her body became irresistible and he snuck his gaze back like a child in a candy store wanting what he couldn
't afford to buy. He allowed his eyes to get their fill. He very soon found himself trying to see beyond the clothes. When he'd succeeded, his lips parted to allow him more oxygen. His gaze burned a slow trail to her face and he froze. She was watching him lust after her through half-masted eyes.

It was such a clean bust there was no denying or playing it off. He looked away, ashamed and yet not. She didn
't seem offended, in fact, he was pretty sure she appreciated being looked at by him. He was handsome if he were to believe the rumors, so, maybe that's why she didn't mind. It would be the first time he appreciated the aid of his good looks. Of course, with a prick for a boyfriend like hers, it was no wonder she had low self-esteem. It dumbfounded him that a woman as beautiful as her could ever doubt herself. "I didn't want to disturb you. You seemed so peaceful."

He watched her arms raise above her body as she stretched.
"Oh my goodness, I'm stiff. Guess I was more tired than I realized."

He forced his eyes off of her breasts straining against the thin pink material only to see her creamy tummy peek out at the bottom of her blouse.
"We can do this another time."

"
No, no, not at all." She tugged the bottom of her blouse as though realizing it had ridden up. "Unless you want to."

"
No. I want you. To stay," he quickly added.

She looked around, a sweet smile tugging at her full lips.
"This is a really cool apartment. Love the mirrors."

Everybody did. On the left and right of the garage door, the mirrors went from floor to ceiling the size of double doors.
"Nice for working out."

She looked at him, curiosity on her brow.
"You like to see yourself workout?"

Heat crawled up his neck.
"Well, when you put it that way..." He shrugged a shoulder. "Guess I want to make sure I'm holding the right form."

She gave a light giggle.
"Thought you liked admiring yourself."

"
No, not at all." He didn't like looking at his face in the mirror if he could help it. Imagining his body belonged to somebody else was another habit.

"
I'd get it if you did." She angled a cute smile at him and rubbed her palms on her legs.

It hit him like a slap in the face. He
'd forgotten. She thought he was gay. No wonder she was being so free with him, so…available. Because she thought he wasn't.

Perhaps she wished he was
available? He thought sure he'd seen such a look on her face and in her warm mocha eyes. Even now.

Chapter Eleven

Gay, gay, gay, gay. Jessie thought repeating the mantra would stop her from lusting after Lucian, but no success there. And what was that look when she woke up? As if he could devour her. The hunger in his eyes while staring at her body wasn't very…gay. Maybe he had a curiosity about women but never explored it? She sure didn't mind being a test subject for him. Jesus, Mary and Joseph he had her hormones roiling until a light sheen of sweat covered her body.

From the moment she walked up to his open door and saw
him pumping that
iron
she'd been thrown off her little sensibility track
.
Standing there in black jeans and
no shirt
with muscles rippling under glistening caramel skin. And that
tattoo!
Oh. My. God. An angel in shades of black and gray draped over his entire shoulder, one broken and bloodied wing hanging over his chest, one over his back. The lines of the tattoo had been applied to emphasize the contours of his muscles.
Gorgeous!

She couldn
't lie, her mouth literally watered. She'd not wanted him to stop for the simple fact she wanted to continue getting an eyeful. Had she no shame? But what on earth for, looking at a hot gay guy?

Jessie jumped
when her phone vibrated in her back pocket. She pulled it out and slid open the cover. The familiar number made her heart drop. "Oh crap, I forgot about the party!"

Jessie wasn
't sure what to do, and having Lucian approaching her wasn't helping her train of thoughts. Shit shit. She did what her instincts said and answered the damn buzzing phone.

"
Where the fuck are you?"

"
I'm so sorry, I completely forgot all—"

"
Forgot!"

Jessie turned around, and moved closer to the door and whispered,
"Look, I'm sorry. If you need me to come…"

"
I needed you here. Not coming. Look, never mind, I called Amanda and she's taking your place."

Pain stabbed her chest even though she didn
't like the guy. She was just so sick of being thrown away for another girl. "Okay, fine."

He hung up on her and she lowered the phone.

****

It was that prick, Lucian knew it without knowing, he could hear the bastard through the phone, talking to her like a piece of shit.
"Problem?"

She turned, and anger hardened his body at seeing the hurt in her eyes. Not just hurt, but the acceptance of that pain as normal, expected.  But when he glimpsed her weariness over it all, it infuriated him.
"Nothing." The word quivered as she lowered her gaze.

He moved closer until only a few feet separated them. What he wanted was to embrace her, she clearly needed it.
"Nothing? Doesn't look like nothing. Was that the prick from the hospital?"

She looked around a bit then nodded.
"Yeah." She cleared her throat. "Look, I think I'm going to um, head home."

He
took a step closer. "Why?"

She looked up at him, barely able to hold his gaze, all the spark and life gone, sapped by that bastard.
"Just think it's a good idea, I'm not…going to be very much help."

"
I don't care, I want you to stay." Lucian's heart raced at the ballsy move and at the way she looked unsure and ashamed. She took a few steps toward the door and Lucian grabbed her hand. The second his fingers touched hers he knew he'd crossed a line. And once he was over it, there was only one way to move. Forward. He held her wide gaze and it was like looking in a mirror. A raw longing to belong, to be wanted. "You're too good for him. He doesn't deserve you."

Her eyes glittered with sudden unshed tears and his chest constricted. He pulled her hand a little and she went straight into his embrace. He held her gently and cooed to her while she cried, repeatedly stroking her silky hair then along her back. Her crying subsided but he didn
't let her go, she felt good in his arms. Almost like he needed to soothe her as much as she needed him to. Maybe more.

But then it became about feeling her hold him.
Feeling her warm fingers pressed into his back and her hot breath through his T-shirt. He went still when her lips pressed into his chest. Then he froze in sudden fear of what all could go wrong.

She pulled
back. "God, I'm…I'm sorry," she whispered, spinning away.

Lucian quickly caught her arm and pulled her back.
"Please don't leave." He sounded as desperate as ever and she was suddenly back in his arms, warm hands pressed again into his back. He liked it. She wasn't like all those other women he'd forced himself to be with for the sake of fitting in. And as she looked up into his face, her innocence stole his breath. Her sweet sincerity and purity.

His heart raced, pounding in his ears as her gaze lowered to his lips. The silent invitation tightened the intimate connection, and he pulled her closer.
The feel of her soft breasts against his chest, her hands caressing his back, all brought on a voracious need to press his lips into hers, taste her sweetness, devour her vulnerability.

He strok
ed her chin with his thumb, letting her see the need in his eyes. His need to comfort, adore, and protect her. The pink shimmer of her lips was the only thing in his world then, and he barely noticed her lips coming closer, that he was moving to claim them. Her eyes fluttered shut and he paused briefly, relishing in the beauty of her eager surrender and trust. He slid his fingers along her cheek and when her lips parted, he very softly pressed a kiss onto her perfect mouth.

The supple surrender of her full lips and her light whimper did things to Lucian he
'd never experienced before. A bold desire ran through his blood, hungry and possessive, wanting to claim her as only his. He pushed her mouth open a little, needing her to feel it, needing to share it, praying she'd say yes to him.

He
'd never had his prayers answered so fast.