But Luc beat her to it. His touch was gentle as it probed-slash-massaged her scalp. “You okay, darlin’?”
“I’ll live. I think.” Elise started to back out from underneath the desk and Luc kept a hand on her head, keeping her from banging her head a second time.
“Luc,” Margot demanded, marching through into the office and up to the desk. Elise was momentarily distracted by the sparkles in Margot’s Day-Glo purple platform heels. Where on Earth did she find that color? “I’ve been trying to— Oh-my-God!”
Luc cursed as Elise banged her head again then scampered backwards on her hands and knees, slamming her bottom right into his rock hard thighs. Long fingers wrapped around her hips and held her still. “Uh. Evening, Margot.” He gave tortured groan as Elise wriggled against him. “Darlin’, don’t move,” he rasped.
Margot gasped. “Darling? Darling?”
“Margot, this isn’t—” Luc stopped.
Elise nodded emphatically for him to continue and explain. She couldn’t do it. Her tongue was frozen and she knew if she managed to thaw it, she’d scream. Scream at him. At Margot. Scream because her head really, really hurt.
His fingers flexed around her, locking her against him, and his jaw worked, but no sound came out.
Elise closed her eyes and groaned. She did not need this. What a fine way to end the day. Caught in a compromising position with her boss by her boss’ fiancée. Just great. Absolutely wonderful. Thanks, Gaia. Life wouldn’t be complete without this little scenario. Elise dropped her aching head in to her hands and felt tears burn behind her eyes.
“Isn’t what,” Margot shouted. “Isn’t what it looks like? Isn’t what it is? If you’d asked me to play kinky sex games in the office, I wouldn’t have minded, but this…? I can’t believe this! She’s short and fat. How could you choose a short, fat slut over me?”
Elise’s head snapped up and anger pushed back the tears and pain. Fat? Slut? She renewed the struggle to be free. “How dare she call me fat. Let go, Luc. I’m going to snap her—”
“Elise,” he begged.
“I can’t believe this,” Margot cried. “All this time you and your precious Elise have been—”
“Margot,” Luc interrupted in a cold voice.
Margot ignored him and gave a watery snort. “Daddy told me marrying you would be a mistake. He said I’d never be able to trust you and… that you were only marrying me because of…,” Margot trailed off in a whimper.
“Tell her this isn’t what it looks like, Luc. Tell her. Now.”
Luc said nothing, but stared up at Margot.
“I hope she’s worth it, Luc.” Margot slammed her hand against the top of the recently cleared desk. “You can take this piece of junk back. I wouldn’t take your precious Elise’s seconds for all the money in the world.” A sparkly purple platform heel pivoted on the carpet and stormed out the way it came, taking Margot with it.
“Why that overbearing, obnoxious weed,” Elise fumed. “Lucien, let go of me. I don’t care if she is your fiancée, I’m gonna use that move Raven showed me and… Lucien, let go. Now.”
CHAPTER TWO
Luc blinked and finally came up with a name for the emotion he was experiencing. Relief. Overwhelming, gut cleansing relief. His gaze dropped to the ring Margot had slammed onto the desk. It’d never looked right on her hand. It was an antique setting which had been in his family for over a hundred years. The engagement ring was meant to be worn by a dainty female like Elise, not Margot.
“…Lucien, let go. Now.”
He looked straight down at Elise’s bottom snuggled up to his front. She sounded angry, but she felt good. Damn good. Firm and round. She had a nice—
“Lucien,” Elise growled.
He loved it when she called him by his full name. The way it rolled off her tongue with a touch of high school French in her enunciation. Too bad she only said it when she was miffed with him. Like she was now. Luc sighed and reluctantly released her soft, luscious body, then backed away.
He watched her bottom wriggle out from underneath the desk and caught himself before he could grin. The short skirt hugged her assets well. One slip of his hand and he could ease his fingers up, underneath the silky fabric and—
Elise spun around on her knees and smacked him on the arm. It didn’t hurt. In fact, it felt good. “If you ever grab me like that again, I’ll… well, what are you looking at me like that for? Get up and chase after her,” she ordered.