Lucius had considered the possibility when Lisa first went after Geoff. He suspected it also played a big part in that final night he’d spent with her, and his willingness to bed her one last time. Even though he knew it risked his friendship with Geoff, he’d taken that risk in order to reveal her true nature once and for all. “I tried to get Geoff to see Lisa for what she was. Not that it did any good. In the end it was his choice, his life, and I had to respect that.”
“At some point would you have taken her down, too?”
And there it was, the true motivation behind Angie’s questions. She feared his ruthlessness, and not without good cause. “No, sweetheart. I never would have touched Lisa, not once she married Geoff.” He could tell his blunt, starkly honest response eased her concerns.
“Because you still loved her?”
Unable to help himself, he escaped the bed and put some distance between them. For some reason the question disturbed him, ripped a scab off a wound only half-healed. And then it hit him and he closed his eyes.
“Lucius?” His name contained a hint of uncertainty. “What is it?”
He turned around. Faced her. Found it the height of irony that he stood before her, stripped naked in every sense of the word. “I didn’t love Lisa. I loved Geoff. He was my brother in all but blood. He’s the reason I’d never have taken her down. Out of respect for him, for what he hoped to build with her.” He shook his head, gutted. “It doesn’t make any difference, anyway. They’re all gone now. My dad. Geoff. Lisa.”
“Everyone you loved.” He closed his eyes to hold at bay the compassion he read in her voice and expression, rejecting it. “There’s still one more person, Lucius. There’s Mikey.” Urgency raced through her words, hammered at him. “He needs you. He needs your love.”
And perhaps that bothered him most of all. “I’m not sure I’m capable of love anymore.” He didn’t give her time to debate the issue. He checked the clock by his bedside table. “It’s getting late. I don’t know about you, but I’m starved. I’m going to call for a meal to be brought up. Your choice whether they serve it while you’re still naked.”
The comment accomplished just what he hoped. It served to catapult Angie out of bed. She hastened around the room, gathering up her clothing. Watching, he had the almost-overpowering urge to snatch all that gorgeous nudity back into his arms and return her to his bed. To make love to her all over again, long into the night, until he’d found a way to sate the desire that continued to infect him, that simmered through his veins and pooled in his loins and demanded he take. Possess. Stamp repeatedly with his possession.
“Do you mind if I grab a quick shower?” she asked, clutching her bundle of clothing to her chest.
He fought to make sense of her words. But all he could see were those legs. That pearly skin. The tumble of soft curls that haloed her lovely face. Those huge, haunting aquamarine eyes. Silently swearing, Lucius forced his brain into gear, dissected her words one by one and shoved out a response.
“Go ahead.”
She turned, presenting him with that perfect, round backside. If she hadn’t been moving at such a swift clip, he would have lunged for her. Yanked her back into his arms and his bed and taken her in a helpless frenzy of need.
Mikey. Remember Mikey. The boy had to come first and foremost. He was the only reason Lucius had taken Angie to his bed. Was considering marrying her and making her an intimate part of his life. He must never forget that. Geoff’s son came first. The side benefits of marrying Angie were just that. Side benefits. A tasty appetizer to enjoy, but not the main meal. He couldn’t allow himself to become distracted by a pert bottom, stunning legs, an elegant face or wary, vulnerable eyes. Eyes that made him want to wrap her up in an endless embrace and protect her against…
Against what?
Himself, he realized. Against using her. Hurting her. Causing her the sort of pain Britt and Ryan had. The sort of pain Lynley had caused his father. The sort of pain, ultimately, Lisa would have caused Geoff simply because it wasn’t in her nature to remain faithful to any one person. He needed to remain dispassionate and focused on Mikey, to the exclusion of everything—and everyone—else.
And yet, still he wanted. Yearned. Fought to control what shouldn’t matter…but did.
Blistering the air with his frustration, Lucius swiftly dressed, then placed their dinner order. He made a beeline for the living room, aware if he didn’t get the hell out of the bedroom—and now—neither of them would leave anytime soon. How was it possible that something so simple had taken such an unfortunate turn?