His lashes fell, shielding the fierceness in his gaze, and Elise held her breath as she waited for him to look at her, speak to her, reassure her… laugh at her. Any reaction would be better than the bleak expression on his face. Then his eyes opened, moving over her features as if… he was searching for something or memorizing her expression.
Then, suddenly a devilish glint entered his expression and he rolled over, taking her with him and settling her atop him. “Here’s your chance, darlin’.”
Elise floundered for a second, but recovered as she felt his resurrected arousal rising up between them. “P-pardon?”
“Punish me.” Luc stretched his arms out wide and lay there, exposing his body to her. “Punish me for manipulating you into marrying me. Punish me for not giving you a choice and planting my seed in you. Punish me for—”
Elise snickered. “Your seed?”
“Yeah.” He grinned. “You’re gonna have my spawn.”
“Spawn?”
“Yeah, the spawn of Lucien.” He paused a second, moving his hips against her, stoking her awakening desire. “That sounds like a title to one of your father’s books.” Then he wrapped his arms around her and flipped her over on her back as he came up over her.
Elise squeaked, “Lucien!”
“You took too long. I can’t wait all day to be punished.” His lips roamed across her neck, down to her shoulder, then his head came up and he looked into her eyes. “Have you gone to the doctor?” She could have sworn she saw a light bulb buzz to life over his head. “And a house. Down here. We have to find a house. Can’t have a kid without a house. I’ll find a house. You find a doctor.”
“Luc.” Elise cupped his cheek, trying to drag his thoughts back to her.
“A big house. But not too big. With a big yard. And a fence.” He nodded, apparently lost in his planning. “And a puppy. Junior’s got to have—” He stopped abruptly as Elise abandoned subtlety and skimmed her hands down his chest, abdomen, and lower, then took him in her hand.
“Lucien,” she purred.
He groaned. “You’re ready to punish me now?”
“Yes,” she whispered, kneading him with her grip. “Mmm, this is going to hurt me almost as much as it will you.” She flicked her tongue along his chin, trailing over the stubbled angle of his jaw to his lower lip. “Are you ready to repent your many sins, Lucien?”
“Elise.” He shuddered, an intense look of pleasure-slash-pain on his face, when she stopped stroking him. “I’m ready. Darlin’, don’t stop. Please, don’t stop,” he begged in a hoarse voice.
She drew her legs up, hugging his flanks, then shoved at his chest and pushed him over onto his back, going up on her knees to hunch over him. She took him in both hands and fondled him. “Just remember, Lucien, that what I’m about to do, I do because…,” she trailed off, positioning him at her entrance. “I love you.” Then she sent him a siren’s smile and took him deep inside her. Right where he belonged.
Two hours later, Elise mumbled in protest as Luc shifted underneath her. “No, don’t go. It’s too early to get up.”
“Go back to sleep, darlin’. I’ll be back in a few.”
Elise cracked an eye open as Luc rolled away from her and off the bed. “Where are you going?”
“Out.” He didn’t look at her as he prowled the room looking for clothes. “I need to take care of something.”
Elise followed him with her eyes. There was something about his voice that set off warning bells in her head. “Everything okay?”
“Yeah, it’s all good.” He yanked on a pair of boxers from the dresser drawer and she caught a glimpse of his features in the mirror. His eyes were shadowed and he looked troubled. “Are you hungry?”
Should she push him to tell her what’s bothering her or should she just let him tell her when he’s ready? “Not really, but if you are there are leftovers in the kitchen.”
He stepped into a pair of jeans and zipped up. Not once did he look at her. “Don’t worry about it. I’ll grab something while I’m out.”
“Out where?”
Grabbing a pair of socks and his boots from the closet, he sat down on the bed. “I won’t be long.”
“Won’t be long where?”
He didn’t answer as he rolled the socks on then stuffed his feet into the boots.
“Luc,” she said, reaching for him.