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Andrei leaned forward, peering through the smudged window to see the beautiful view of the glowing downtown skyline. It was a prime location worth millions because of the view. The city of Cincinnati was settled down in a river valley and was surrounded on almost all sides by hills. Some of the most exclusive clubs, restaurants, and homes were those with views of downtown and now Lucas had claimed one for his own.
“Brilliant,” Andrei whispered.
“Most people don’t know about this. They forget this plot is on a rise with an unobstructed view. I’m going to knock out the back wall and put a patio on the first floor and a deck on the second floor for private parties.”
“Not bad for the summer months.”
“With heaters and some well-placed curtains, it will be available in all but the coldest months.”
Andrei stepped back, a smile playing on his lips as he looked at Lucas. This man was not what he’d expected and was leaving him feeling extremely unsteady. He’d witnessed the commanding figure, in control from a hospital bed, and he’d watched the tenderness directed toward Ian. And then of course, there was the ex-girlfriend who he could only guess was part of the image he portrayed to the world. Andrei was an intruder, given a rare glimpse of the inside of this man’s life, something only an elite few ever saw.
Lucas cocked his head to the side slightly, his brow furrowing. “What?”
“What?” Andrei took another step back.
“You’ve got this look on your face. What are you thinking?”
Andrei gave a shrug, fighting the urge to break the man’s direct gaze. He stepped back so that his shoulders were now leaning against the cold stone wall. “Just trying to figure you out. You’re not what I’d expected.”
Lucas’s expression tightened and he slowly prowled toward Andrei, his movements sleek and smooth. “Don’t try to whitewash me.” Lucas took a step forward, closing the distance between them so that mere inches separated their chests. He lifted his right hand and slowly touched a strand of Andrei’s hair, rubbing it between his index finger and thumb as if he simply couldn’t help himself. There was something in his beautiful eyes, something anxious and uneasy he seemed to be trying to tamp down. Andrei could hear it in each uneven breath Lucas dragged over his parted lips.
Andrei remained perfectly still, afraid that if he flinched or shifted, this strange moment would shatter and Lucas would jerk away from him. He’d pulled himself back from the edge in the car. He simply couldn’t do it again. The pounding of his heart was so loud that it nearly drowned out Lucas’s whispered words.
“I’m a bastard, Mr. Hadeon. Never forget that. I use people. Manipulate them to get what I want.”
“And you don’t want me in your bed?” Andrei demanded, grinning at the other man. He needed to chase away the anxiety clouding those green-gray eyes.
Lucas’s fingers clenched in Andrei’s hair and for a heartbeat Andrei thought Lucas was going to finally drag him across the tiny distance to seal his lips across Andrei’s. His hand relaxed and pressed against the wall next to his head. “I never said that.”
“Then why are you working so hard to scare me away?”
Leaning forward, pressing their chests together, Lucas brushed his cheek against Andrei’s, his nose digging against the man’s jaw near his ear so that Andrei could hear his deep inhale. Andrei wanted to wrap his hands around the other man’s waist, but he settled for fisting them at his side. He tilted his head away to expose his neck. Lucas’s every movement was absolutely predatory and Andrei could feel his body responding, longing for this man to tear into him. Sexual tension zinged through him. Every instinct screamed that Lucas could destroy him, but damn he still wanted it.
“You smell like a horrible mistake,” Lucas said, slowly pulling back.
Andrei huffed a laugh. “I’m sure you’ve never made one of those.”
A genuine smile parted Lucas’s lips at last, making him appear more relaxed. The dark protective layer he’d wrapped around himself slipped away. “Never.”
“So we do nothing?”
“Nothing.”
“We ignore this.”
Lucas’s gaze dropped from Andrei’s eyes to his lips. He lifted his left hand and ran his thumb along the man’s lower lip, seemingly mesmerized by the soft bit of flesh. “There is no this,” Lucas whispered. “Nothing to ignore. You don’t do this kind of thing unless you’re bored. Are you bored, Mr. Hadeon?”
“No, definitely not bored.” Andrei slowly opened his mouth and lightly bit Lucas’s thumb. Holding Lucas’s surprised gaze, he ran the tip of his tongue along the warm flesh. There was no missing the hard shiver that ran through Lucas. Andrei was playing with fire and he couldn’t stop himself. This man was temptation incarnate and he was tired of fighting these crazy new feelings. He wanted more.
