Chasing Forever(38)

“I’ve had a lot of great holidays here,” he answered vaguely.

“I bet,” she said waving her hand toward the mantle directing his attention back to the pictures. “This room is incredible with its high ceilings and the wood beams. I imagine it looks insanely beautiful at Christmas time.”

“My mom likes to decorate for Christmas. It’s her favorite time of the year,” he commented, watching her cautiously.

“I’m sure.” She paused by the piano and lifted up the fallboard. “Do all of you sit around singing Christmas carols too?” She laughed, but it wasn’t carefree. It sounded sharp and tainted with bitterness. “Do you play the piano while Olivia sings and dances? She loves attention.”

Lucas walked toward her and shut the piano fallboard. “Not even once.” He didn’t want to talk about Olivia. He studied Regan watchfully trying to gauge her mood as he took her hand, tracing small soft circles with his thumb on the inside of her wrist. “Let’s not talk about her for the next few days. You know Olivia and I grew up together and our families are friends. You know what happened between Olivia and I in college, and you know I still talk to her on occasion. Beyond that, there isn’t much worth discussing. Let’s focus on us.” He squeezed her hand, then let go.

“I don’t know what you expect to happen over the next two days and it’s making me uncomfortable,” she answered, her voice barely audible.

He didn’t know either. He’d been torn since their kiss in the park. The rational part of his mind knew he should leave her alone, but after that small taste, he hungered for more. “We’re going to meet Jack, look around the mine, and go to dinner. Beyond that, I don’t expect anything.”

“Truthfully?” she asked looking both relieved and disappointed.

He smiled. “I’d like us to enjoy each other’s company without worrying about the past or the future, and if that means we sit around playing charades, Pictionary, or something more, that’s fine. Nothing’s going to happen that we don’t want.”

Regan exhaled loudly. “Okay. I can do that.”

She sat down on the upholstered piano bench and crossed her legs. Lucas watched the movement, his gaze caressing the skin on her legs exposed by the slit in her skirt. After a few seconds, he looked up and grinned. Her legs killed him. Leaning forward, slowly so he didn’t scare her, he rested his hands on the piano encaging her, and her eyes widened as her breath caught in her throat. His body already on fire, he wanted to forget Jack, the mine, work, and carry her to his room. More than anything, he needed to kiss her again.

He lifted one hand and pushed her hair behind her ear. “I believe you can, but the question is: can I?” Seeing desire flash across her face, he brushed his lips across hers, keeping his eyes open the entire time trying to gauge her reaction. He liked when she looked at him like that, her green eyes dreamy and unfocused. It made his insides squeeze, but he didn’t want to push her so far that she retreated into her shell again. He made that mistake at the park. He wouldn’t do it again.

Smiling, she grabbed onto the front of his shirt pulling him closer, and as his mouth collided with hers for a second time, he knew she wanted him every bit as much as he wanted her. She was warm, responsive, and sweeter than he thought possible and he wondered whether he’d ever get enough of her. He couldn’t wait to touch every part of her and re-learn everything little detail about her. It’d been too long since he had her all to himself.

Unfortunately, if they indulged in anything more than a brief kiss right now, they would never make their meeting on time, if at all. Pulling away, he rested his forehead against hers, watching her swollen, raspberry-colored lips suck in air, and it took all of his resolve stop himself from throwing her over his shoulder and taking her to his bed. “Let’s go before we make some really bad decisions.”

“Bad for us?” she asked.

“No, bad for our careers, fun for us.”

She merely nodded as he lifted her off the piano bench by her waist and kissed her on the lips one more time hard and fast before entwining his fingers with hers. This was going to be a long afternoon.





Chapter Seventeen





“So, what do you think?” Lucas asked as they pulled over on the side of a gravel road lined with tall pine trees. It was a perfect mountain day, not too hot and not too cold.

“That I should have changed into my jeans and hiking boots.”

Lucas eyed her slim pencil skirt and her heels. “You’re right.”

“Why didn’t you warn me?”