Chapter Eight

Chapter Eight

AS soon as Luc closed the keys inside his fist, he bent and swept her

into his arms. She clung to his neck, and the masculine scents of pine,

musk, and soap hit her system. It was a good thing he held her or her

knees would have given way completely.

He unlocked the door with one hand, shouldered his way in, and

stopped her before the burglar alarm so she could disarm it. After the

beeping stopped, he walked past her kitchen and stepped down to the den,

depositing her on the downy-soft sofa. He lifted the quilt she usually kept

across the back for chilly mornings and draped it over her legs.

sure she could stay awake long enough to disrobe, even though sleeping in

this dress would ruin it.

Groaning, she tried to push to her feet. Luc eased her back down.

Lacking the will to resist, she settled back into the cushions with a mutinous

expression.

I promise to make it worthwhile.”

She had no idea what he was up to and was too tired to argue. “ ‟K.”

As her eyes slid shut, she heard his footsteps retreat. The next thing

she knew, Luc was gently shaking her.

Watched?

Then the smell of food hit her, and her stomach rumbled in response.

She opened her eyes to find eggs and toast and some fruit in yogurt on a

plate beside her.

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Before she could ask, he pulled the plate into his lap and sent her a

stern glance. “You‟re going to eat. Furthermore, you‟re not going to go a

whole day without eating or sleeping again. Now, open up.”

Luc looked as if he meant business. Secretly, she was touched. Was

the man trying to make her fall even more in love with him? Even in Tyler‟s

most solicitous moments, he would never cook for her. He barely cooked

for himself. And yes, this was Luc‟s profession, but the fact he‟d done it

after getting little sleep himself and being on his feet all evening melted her.

at least partially to blame for your exhaustion and hunger. Let me.”

She didn‟t agree with his assessment. She could have had someone

at the club fix her a salad or could have found a few minutes to close her

eyes, if she‟d really wanted. She was a big girl. Yet Luc insisted on

shouldering the blame.

Someday, he would make some woman seriously happy, and the fact

it wouldn‟t be her nearly made her cry.

Too tempted and tired to argue, she opened her mouth. Fluffy eggs

with cheese and something spicy hit her tongue. Oh, then onions,

tomatoes, and mushrooms so perfectly cooked they melted in her mouth.

He followed with a buttery piece of toast, then a few spoonfuls of the yogurt

and berry mix. Pure heaven.

He paused, then lowered the fork and looked into her eyes. “I‟m sorry

if I upset you and ruined your day. But taking care of you isn‟t about guilt.”

Insidious hope seared her. Alyssa opened her mouth to ask questions.

He placed his finger over it. “Shh. Not tonight. We‟ll sort it out

tomorrow.”

Luc was right. They weren‟t going to solve their problems or figure out

what was between them while they were both this close to exhaustion. It

wasn‟t in her nature to put off until tomorrow what should be done today,

but she saw his logic. And wanted to live in this fantasy just a moment

longer.

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Nodding, she opened her mouth again, and he placed the next bite

inside.

Once her plate was empty, he brushed her hair behind her shoulder,

anchoring it behind her ear. “Still hungry?”

Frustrating man wouldn‟t let her worry about him, but insisted on taking

care of her. It was a guilty pleasure. Like eating ice cream, which she could

never afford if she still wanted to fit into her clothes. But once . . . just this once, it was so damn delicious.

Alyssa put her hand to her stomach. “Full.”

He smiled tenderly, and her heart flipped. How easy it had been to fall

in love with him . . . How foolish.

down at her feet and frowned.

Shaking his head, Luc bent to her and removed her shoes. Ahhh . . .

The relief was nearly orgasmic. She hadn‟t realized how much her feet

hurt. New shoes were the worst, but she‟d gotten so tired later in the

evening that the pain in her feet had ceased to register.

He stared at her, and her gaze was snared by those dark, inscrutable

eyes. “Yes, but you don‟t have to. Now, set the alarm.”

As they passed the keypad, he stopped and allowed her to input the

code. Once it was armed, he ensured the door was locked, then made his

way up the stairs.

Luc scoffed. “I once spent a summer hauling hundred-pound bags of

grain up and down a loading dock, one bag on each shoulder. Carrying you

around is a breeze.”

Sweet liar. She smiled and closed her eyes, savoring his closeness

and caring. God, this felt so good. But she had no doubt she‟d pay for it

tomorrow with every last bit of her heart.

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LUC shifted, sinking deeper into a sublimely comfortable bed.

Something smelled good, like peaches and cinnamon. Hmm. And a warm

feminine body rested beside him, lax in a way only complete trust allowed.

Experimentally, he moved a hand—and encountered a lush hip under his

fingers.

His morning erection jumped from promising to demanding.

He opened his eyes and took in the pale walls, sheer curtains,

shadows of late morning. Gorgeous platinum hair and soft, rhythmic

breathing.

Alyssa.

Everything inside him tightened with arousal, anxiety, and confusion.

What the hell had happened yesterday? After they‟d had mind-blowing

sex, he‟d crashed, then awakened abruptly once he‟d realized Alyssa

wasn‟t in bed beside him. She‟d never picked up his calls to her cell phone,

and his anxiety grew. When he‟d tracked her down at Bonheur hours later,

he‟d found her in Tyler‟s arms. The switch for his possessive instinct had

flipped on in a big way. He‟d been nearly berserk with jealousy.

Luc didn‟t understand the instinct for several reasons. First, he hadn‟t

lied when he‟d said it seemed unlikely Alyssa had allowed her bouncer to

fuck her that afternoon. It had taken Luc a while to reach that conclusion,

but he knew it was true. Alyssa was too ambitious to risk Bonheur‟s

opening for a piece of ass.

That still didn‟t ease his aggravation because he doubted their

relationship was platonic. Tyler wouldn‟t stick around if he wasn‟t getting

any, so likely, on any other day the bouncer would have had Alyssa naked

and spread out for his pleasure.

Tightening his grip on her sleeping form, he tried to push the image

away.

What Luc couldn‟t figure out was why he cared who Alyssa fucked.

Thinking back through all his relationships in the last dozen or so years—

most of them ménage—he‟d never once felt an urge to grab the girl and

keep her all to himself. Now he could hardly tamp down the impulse.

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When you’ve got feelings for a woman, jealousy comes with the

territory.

Feelings, Deke had suggested. And Luc had only a few days left to

figure them out. Yesterday, she‟d pulled away. He‟d actually felt her putting

distance between them. That reality had infused him with a vague panic he

didn‟t understand. After this week, he‟d likely never see Alyssa again. How

could he fit her into his life when she didn‟t fit into the future he‟d

envisioned? Nothing about the way she looked or behaved said “mother

material,” especially her relationship with her own mom. And if he pursued

Intracytoplasmic sperm injection or they went to a sperm bank, getting

pregnant in her profession would be the kiss of death. Yes, she also had

Bonheur, and she could be pregnant and run a restaurant . . . but she still

spent a lot of time at Sexy Sirens. Besides, one look at her and artificial

insemination was the last thing that came to mind. He didn‟t see any other

option except to fuck her out of his system so that when he returned to East

Texas, he could focus on Emily and his dreams of fatherhood.

Problem was, he actually liked Alyssa. As a woman. As a person. And

whatever they had, it wasn‟t just sex.

Worse, last night, he‟d gotten this odd pleasure in taking care of her.

She worked so damn hard, fulfilling the needs of her businesses and her

employees before seeing to her own.

Once he was gone, who would take care of her?

Tyler.

God, even the man‟s name burned like acid in his gut. He squeezed

his eyes shut. Why the hell should he be so jealous of another man when

he was the one lying naked beside her?

Because it’s not going to last.

Shoving the ugly thought away, he propped himself up and looked at

Alyssa‟s clock. Ten eighteen. Wow, they‟d both been exhausted, sleeping a

good nine hours plus.

Suddenly, she rolled over slowly and opened her eyes. Her lashes

batted slumberously, her makeup smudged beneath her eyes. Rather than

resembling a raccoon, she looked vulnerable.

Once she saw him, Alyssa glanced away, vague panic on her face.

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Damn it, she was pulling away again, and all he wanted was that

trusting warmth against him again, her arms around him, her lips raised to

his.

He stroked her shoulder with a soothing touch. “Nothing. You were

hungry and exhausted. Do you remember eating last night?”

Immediately, she flushed and nodded. “You fed me.”

A smile touched his mouth. “Yes. Then I brought you to bed. You fell

asleep halfway up the stairs.”

She covered her face with her hands, then peeked one eye out.

Luc nodded. “Dead asleep. You mumbled something about not

wanting to ruin your dress just before you conked out, so I took it off and

tucked you in.”

Alyssa wriggled, blinked. “You took everything off.”

Sighing, she rolled her eyes. “What time—Oh!” Glancing at the clock,

she cursed. “We should be at Bonheur around twelve. I think the others will

be there by two.”

Her body was pressed close to his; she couldn‟t have any doubts that

he wanted her badly. But her expression told him that sex wasn‟t first on

her list, and he supposed she still had questions about yesterday.

She sat up in bed and wrapped the covers around her. The sheet hid

her lush curves, even as it molded to them. Luc felt nearly dizzy with want.

What is going on between us?”

That was direct. Luc actually admired her for having the guts to ask

what she really wanted to, for not taking the easy way out.

thought of you with Tyler rips me to shreds. That‟s all I know.”

She paused. “Uncharted territory for you?”

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Luc nodded. He realized that, in all his “relationships,” he‟d never

taken the time to really know a woman unless it suited his purpose. If there

was an end to achieve, he figured the woman out enough to manipulate her

response in his direction. With Alyssa, he wanted to know her because she

fascinated the hell out of him.

He frowned. “You don‟t get emotionally involved?”

Alyssa raised her knees to her chest and curled her arms around

them. “Trust is hard for me. I don‟t usually let men into my personal space.”

She tossed him a pointed glare. “This house is supposed to be my Zen

retreat, hence the pale walls, the black-and-white nature photos, and water

features. I come here to escape, not fuck.”

If he was translating her right, she was claiming that she‟d never

brought another man here. What about Tyler and his house key? For

protective purposes only? The fact she‟d broken her rule for Luc twice said

something about her feelings. The answering leap in his chest scared the

shit out of him.

God, could he really fuck her out of his system in four days, or would

he just fall in completely?

at all is weird for me.”

So she gave a damn about him. It wasn‟t huge emotion, but it was a

start. Question was . . . where was it leading? He had no clue.

emotion made the sex richer. It was one reason he always tried to feel

something for his partners.

night, I see lots of married men who would give their right nut to fuck me or

one of the other girls, wife be damned.” She sent him a sad smile. “You‟re

here cheating on a girlfriend. I‟m not stupid, Luc. I don‟t set myself up for

heartache.”

Had that been why she left yesterday morning without a word,

because he‟d gotten to her emotionally? And why did he like that thought

so much?

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Not until he was good and ready. As miserable as she looked, he

didn‟t think that was what she wanted, either.

So he leaned closer and brushed his mouth over hers. “I don‟t think I

can be smart when it comes to you.”

She gasped under his kiss, and he brushed his lips down her neck,

letting the sound roll through him.

He was certain she meant to push him away. Instead, she gripped his

hair in her fist and pulled him closer, her lips feathering across his jaw, her

teeth nipping at his ear.

A shiver racked him. God, what was it about this woman? Around her,

he couldn‟t keep his head.

Or, he feared, his heart.

Alyssa raised to her knees above him and pushed him to his back. He

went willingly, groaning when she ripped the sheet away from his body and

fell on top of him, her mouth searing its way across his chest. She did those

wicked little tricks with his nipples again, and damn if he wasn‟t already so

hard he couldn‟t string a thought together.

When her hand drifted down his abdomen and her fingers circled his

cock, he cried out.

roughly.

She laughed. “You‟re so not gentlemanly in the bedroom.”

Again, she stroked him up and down, her grasp tight, her pace

blistering. When her thumb brushed the crest of his cock, his back arched

and his eyes flew wide. Jesus!

Alyssa redefined pleasure for him. Virtually every drop of blood in his

body had pooled between his legs. The pressure was intense, and every

stroke piled sensation on top of sensation.

Then she slid her way down his body.

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But his hands delved into her hair, holding her between his legs. He

guided her to his cock.

At the first touch of her mouth, need spiked. He gritted his teeth. “Oh,

God.”

Watch her; he had to. Luc didn‟t want to miss a moment of her mouth

on him. She batted her lashes, her blue eyes alive and electric, shocking

him down to his core. That sweet red mouth opened, the plump lower lip

the perfect resting place for his dick. Her tongue peeked out, swiping his

head as if she licked a lollipop. Then she moaned and licked her lips—and

he lost his mind.

Instead, she raised a brow at him, then licked his balls, running a

thumb up the length of his dick. Different sensations—ones that were like

adding gasoline to the funeral pyre of his restraint.

His fists tightened in her hair. The woman was taunting him. Bad, bad

move. His control was shot, body taut, teeth clenched as he tried to get it

together. But she drew her tongue up his length again, grazing the

sensitive crest with her teeth. He hissed in sizzling pleasure. He‟d never

been one for the painful edge of desire before, but the way Alyssa

delivered it . . . Damn.

Taking himself in hand, he guided his cock to her mouth.

later. Right now he really needed to feel the wet silk of her mouth heating

his cock to a fever.

The moment her tongue cradled his dick, Luc sucked in a sharp

breath. The rush of sensation blistered its way through him, darting down

his legs. Desire seared his entire body as Alyssa‟s head bobbed up and

down. Gorgeous sight.

She took him to the back of her throat, then eased out with a suction

so strong, Luc nearly lost his mind. Her tongue flirted across his head as

her fingernails dug into his thighs. Desire swelled, rapidly pushing the limits

of his endurance and control. It had taken her maybe thirty seconds to

bring him to the edge. Fuck! His breathing short-circuited. He fisted his 120

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hands in her hair, trying to slow her down. Every flare of sensation and

searing tingle worked against him. God, he couldn‟t last long like this.

No, he wasn‟t coming in her mouth. Her pussy. It had to be there. Very

quickly, that had become his favorite place. As much as he loved her

mouth and couldn‟t wait to explore her ass again . . . he needed to be deep

inside the most female part of her, pounding her through multiple orgasms

before he finally let go.

But first, he‟d repay the brazen witch for her teasing.

Lifting her off his cock, he heard an audible pop when he left her

mouth. She reached for him again, whimpering in frustration.

Anticipation scorched his system as he wrapped his arms around her

and lifted her up past his hips, over his abdomen, raising her above his

shoulders—and settling her thighs on either side of his face.

He didn‟t bother answering her. The scent of her musky tang pierced

his system and revved up his desire. Blood sizzled in his veins as he

grabbed her hips and lifted his head, swiping his tongue through the wet

folds of her pussy until he reached her clit. Wet, swollen, hard. Perfect.

When he sucked it into his mouth, she released a high-pitched, ragged

gasp and clutched the headboard as if she needed serious steadying. Luc

smiled and ran the flat of his tongue over her sensitive bundle of nerves.

can‟t—”

He scraped his teeth over her clit gently . . . with just enough pressure

to prove to her that, in fact, she could. Right that instant.

Alyssa screamed in pleasure, and it was the sweetest sound. Her

release filled him with primal need and a satisfaction unlike any other. He‟d

always insisted on leaving partners sated, but this was both gratifying and

frustrating. Incredible . . . but not enough. Not nearly.

Cream flowed from her body, and he was thrilled. She‟d need it later,

no doubt. But now he wanted more on his tongue. Much more.

Holding her in place with one hand at her hip, he ran the other up the

inside of her thigh, then pressed a finger inside her. Her heat enveloped

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him instantly, her flesh clinging, still rippling with the aftereffects of her

climax.

Not until she was good and ready. Not until he dismantled whatever

wall she‟d erected between them. Not until her body had completely

surrendered.

Luc didn‟t bother with words. Instead, he slid two fingers into her

pussy. Tight. God, every time he got inside her it was a delicious struggle

he always looked forward to. Today would be even better because she was

still swollen from their last encounter.

With a twist of his wrist, he finally submerged his fingers inside her. A

few seconds and a bit of fondling later, he found that sensitive smooth spot

that drove her mad and rubbed unmercifully as he set his mouth back on

her clit.

She gasped, grabbing the sheets around her, her body bowing as she

tried to absorb the sensations.

Against his fingers and tongue, he could feel her flesh grow more slick

and swollen. Her breath began to catch; then she moaned.

In that moment, he wanted to deliver the kind of pleasure that would

devastate her, break her will to resist him ever again.

He rolled her clit around on his tongue like candy, swiping it from top to

bottom, side to side. Her sleek thighs tightened, her fists on the headboard

grew more frantic, and her folds swelled so beautifully. Luc pulled his

mouth away for a moment to look at her. Yes! Her flesh throbbed, an angry red that demanded fulfillment.

She breathed a moment of relief—until that itchy, achy feeling caught

up to her and made its demands known.

Then she whimpered. “Luc!”

That was all the cue he needed. Grinning, he settled his mouth around

her clit once more and sucked in. With teeth and tongue, he worked her,

scraping her with pleasure until her whole body tightened, then pulsed. She

keened out a release that stripped her throat raw.

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Satisfaction spiked through Luc. God, he loved a job well-done.

But he wasn‟t through with her yet.

He urged her down his body, spreading her legs wider with his knees,

holding his waiting cock up with his other hand.

He‟d been too busy and overwhelmed to think of it.

Luc hesitated, then finally said, “I‟m clean.”

Surging up, he covered her mouth with his. No need to let her finish

that sentence. Didn‟t matter, and he didn‟t want to think about it, much less

confess his sterility. He probably should wear a condom with her . . . but

taking Alyssa bareback was a sublime experience he couldn‟t forgo.

For a second, she struggled against the kiss, but he persisted,

devouring her in a slow fire that soon had her meeting him, melting against

him, her mouth every bit as hungry.

Burning up inside, he pushed her down the last few inches, onto his

erection.

The slide in was a bit easier this time than last. Still a struggle. Still

every bit as hot and devastating as he‟d come to expect. The friction made

him cross-eyed, ripped a moan from his throat. He gritted his teeth to hold

himself together, especially when she gasped and grabbed his hair.

Staving off all the sensation became doubly difficult when she writhed on

top of him, ensuring that the head of his cock bumped her cervix. He

couldn‟t be in deeper.

It was amazing. No, fucking amazing.

Alyssa whimpered her answer. He smiled. Then lifted her in a slow

withdrawal.

As he thrust into his first stroke, pleasure burned his gut, gripped his

cock. Totally overwhelming. He‟d wanted this to be yearning and

unforgettable. Now she‟d overloaded him on desire and he just had to hope

he didn‟t become a battering ram. She must come again. Despite his

skyrocketing need, that wasn‟t negotiable.

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Tightening his hands on her hips, he began to fuck her in deep, hard

strokes, his entire body tightening, sizzling, with the feel of her all around

him. One thrust after another, coming faster . . . faster. He couldn‟t get

enough, feel enough. Being with her . . . The sex was so much more than

just sex. Intense, incredible. Holding back the pleasure got more difficult

with every lunge inside her lush body, especially as she tightened around

him, gasping and mewling.

Hearing her scream his name was killing his self-control. He wanted to

lavish pleasure on her for hours, days. But the heat was combustive,

burning him up with liquid fire. The pressure, the need, gnawed at his

composure. Still, he vowed to take Alyssa with him.

Her breast bobbed in front of his mouth, and he took its tender tip in

and sucked. She arched her back, pressing her nipple against his tongue.

Against her flesh, he whispered, “Come for me.”

He couldn‟t hold it in anymore. The base of his spine tingled. His balls

tightened. Thankfully, Alyssa was with him, gripping him tight with her

pussy, then milking him with hard pulses and desperate kisses across his

face, her arms tight around his neck. Luc clung to her while he surged

inside her as deep as possible and nudged her cervix.

For a greedy, unguarded moment, he imagined Alyssa wearing his

ring, beside him in bed every night, in their house, with his child swelling her belly. The thought burst the damn of his self-control and orgasm

crashed over him. The vision still dancing in his head, he exploded deep in

her body.

After the last shudder, his brain kicked in. What a fucking ridiculous

fantasy—for so many reasons.

As soon as Alyssa caught her breath, she slumped against him.

Though he shouldn‟t, Luc reveled in the feel of their heartbeats chugging

against each other, the lax, trusting drape of her body over his. He brushed

a hand up and down her damp back, soothing.

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Her head snapped up, and she rolled off him to sit at the edge of the

bed. “Fine.”

She sounded more exhausted and confused, and he couldn‟t quite

forget that the last words out of her mouth before he‟d seduced her were to

end whatever was happening between them.

Fat chance, especially now. Luc wasn‟t done with her. She wasn‟t out

of his system. That sneaky vision of his fantasy future proved it. If anything,

she was burrowed deeper, telling him that he‟d have to work harder to get

over her in three days. Already, his mind turned with ideas. He just prayed

they worked.

INSIDE Bonheur, the kitchen staff bustled with the end of the dinner

service. All evening, Alyssa had walked every square inch of the dining

room and patio to ensure everything was perfect, her guests satisfied. She

glanced at her watch. Less than ten minutes before the doors closed on her

first real—and very successful—night of business.

Less than ten minutes left for Luc to keep poking his head out of the

kitchen, tracking her down, and murmuring concerned questions about her

well-being. His caring was going to be the death of her heart, and if he kept

pushing . . . Alyssa didn‟t know what she would do.

She needed a few minutes to herself. Then she could face him again,

armor in place. She hoped.

Closing the door to her office, she flipped on the light and exhaled. Luc

just overwhelmed her. Everything about him was so . . . intense,

demanding. He had a gentle side; she‟d seen it. But something was riding

him. He was pushing hard, but for what she didn‟t understand.

Sighing, she made her way to her new desk. If Bonheur did well, she‟d

move all her bookkeeping over here, her laptop, her files. She‟d elevate

one of the dependable dancers like Sadie to manager so she could spend

more time here, with her happiness. She‟d worked hard for success, to

change her life. The thought of never having to take her clothes off in public

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again was deeply satisfying. And if she succeeded, she could say she‟d

done it on her own.

For a moment, Alyssa wondered what her mother would have thought

of her accomplishments. Then realized that she would have lived in denial

about Sexy Sirens and the stripping . . . and everything that had come

before it. Good ol‟ Trisha had always had that Beverly Hills housewife

knack for burying her head in the sand, especially if confronted with

anything tawdry before her ten a.m. mimosa.

And it didn‟t matter. Her mom was gone, and her future was on track . .

. mostly. Luc aside, Bonheur had done a great business this evening. It

was a promising start.

Hope twisted inside her as she pulled her chair away from her desk,

glanced down—and screamed.

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