Lucien(36)
At least Luc could count on Ben to be honest with his feelings. “Yes, she is and I’d consider it a personal favor if you wouldn’t forget it.”
“I won’t forget it, but… it appears that someone else already has.” Ben took one look at Luc’s expression and added, “And it isn’t Elise.”
Luc folded his arms over his chest and lounged back in his chair. “I suppose you are referring to the Bingleys.”
“I am,” Ben answered quickly.
“And I suppose you are curious as to how I plan on reminding them.”
“I am.” Ben grinned. “What are you gonna do?”
“I haven’t decided yet. I’m torn between an old-fashioned beating or dismemberment.”
“That’ll be messy. Well, the carpet in this place does need replacing.” Ben chuckled. “You’ve got it bad.”
Luc sighed. “Don’t I know it.” He ran a hand through his hair and stretched out his legs under the table. “She’s putting me through hell.”
“I never would have pegged Elise as a tease.”
Luc shook his head. “She’s not. Not like you think.” He racked his mind for a way to describe it. “Elise is… damn. She doesn’t… intentionally do it. It just sort of happens.”
Ben chuckled. “Like I said. You’ve got it bad. Why don’t you just put both of you out of your misery and sleep with her.”
“Because, Elise doesn’t dish out her favors lightly.”
“If memory serves me correct, neither do you,” Ben mentioned softly. “You didn’t sleep with Margot.”
Luc’s brows furrowed. “How do you know that?”
“Because Margot asked me if you had some sort of sexual impediment.” Ben smirked. “You’ll be pleased to know that the old wound you received in the war didn’t damage the boys too badly.”
“What war?”
Ben shrugged. “Margot sort of thought you were there for the Normandy Invasion. I might have implied that you were on the front line and… you know, Margot isn’t that bright. When I said W-W-two, she thought it was an internet address.” He shook his head. “I hate to say this, Luc, but if you had married Margot I would have probably stopped being your friend.”
Luc rubbed his wedding band. “If I’d married Margot, I would have been institutionalized within the first week. You might have been the only one to visit me.”
“Naw, Elise would have visited you.” Ben paused a second. “Can I ask you something personal?”
“As if you haven’t already.”
“Why haven’t you? It wouldn’t take much for you to convince her.”
Luc stared down at the wedding band on his finger and sighed. “Just between us?”
“Yeah.”
“I don’t want to convince her.” He expelled a breath in a low whistle. “I’d feel guilty as hell if I swayed her. I respect her too much to even try.” Luc looked up and met Ben’s understanding expression. “She’s got to want it as much as I do.”
Ben nodded. “You’re a better man than I, Luc. I’ve seen the looks you two give each other. It wouldn’t take much more and she’d fall into your arms.”
“Maybe. But if I did… would she hate herself in the morning?” Or hate me, Luc added silently.
Ben didn’t have an answer for that one. “Did the figures come up right for you,” he asked and they went back to work.
Elise ran around the corner and stopped at the door to her and Luc’s office. “Husband. Oh where the heck is he when I need him?” She glanced over her shoulder and panted for her next breath.
Bingley Junior rounded the corner and grinned. The man was like Pepe Le Peu chasing the black, French cat. No matter how fast she ran, she couldn’t get away from him. Well, he wouldn’t catch her. She hoped, prayed, and swore he wouldn’t, then took off down the hall.
Elise ran through the mailroom and slid across the tiled floor. She squeaked and caught the edge of a table. “Stupid shoes.” She kicked off her heels and, looking back over her shoulder, shrieked.
Junior’s boots squeaked on the waxed floors.
Barefoot, Elise hiked up her already short skirt and sprinted towards the conference room. She desperately hoped Luc was in there. She was breathless by the time she reached the room and spotted her husband staring at a spread of papers on the table. “Lucien,” she cried.