She closed her eyes and was met by the same images that had been haunting her for days: Lucien in the Turners’ music room dragging his palm down her bare arm while gazing deeply into her eyes. Lucien watching her intently as she took in the marvels of the British Museum. Lucien and his inviting smile. His warm touch. His understanding gaze.
Alex suddenly startled as footfalls sounded outside her office and sat up just as the man himself appeared in the doorway, as if he had been conjured from her thoughts.
“Hello,” he said while knocking on the door frame.
“Come in,” she rasped, hoping her cheeks didn’t look as red as they felt and grateful he couldn’t read her mind.
As Lucien entered, Alex realized the only source of light came from the little lamp on her desk. “Sorry.” Quite rightly he lifted a brow in question at her odd comment. “It’s just so dark in here,” she explained. And why did her skin suddenly feel so tight?
For heaven’s sake, getaholdof yourself.
But Lucien waved her off as he took the seat across from her. “It’s fine with me.”
As Alex forced her body to relax, she looked him over. “Is that a new suit?”
The corner of his mouth lifted. “You noticed.”
She couldn’t help smiling as he preened a little. “It’s very nice.” Indeed, the charcoal gray suit fit him better than the one he had worn to the museum.
“After the tailor measured me, he said he had a suit already made in nearly the same size,” Lucien explained. “The client who ordered it changed his mind, so he was happy to have me take it off his hands. It needed only a few adjustments and I was able to wear it out the door.”
The suit showcased his lean form to impressive effect, and Alex had to take care not to linger overlong on his shoulders.
“How fortuitous.”
Then his face fell. “I hope that’s all right. I know it’s more than what we agreed on…”
“Of course. It’s fine. Really, Lucien.”
“And Iwillpay you back,” he insisted.
“I know.” But in truth, she didn’t care whether he did or didn’t. She was already seeing the benefit of their arrangement.
That was well worth the cost of a few new suits.
“So, then,” Alex said briskly. “What have you brought me?”
Lucien looked amused. “You don’t waste any time.”
“I don’t want to keep you,” she demurred.
“As you very well know, I’ve nowhere else to be.” Then he flashed her a smile before pulling a stack of papers from his satchel. While he was momentarily distracted, Alex couldn’t help smoothing her hair.
As if it would make a difference.
She had worn one of her nicer gowns today in anticipation of his visit, but now she felt silly for bothering in the first place. Lucien didn’t see her that way. He couldn’t. Moreover, she certainly couldn’t even begin to compete with someone like Freddie.
Just as her heart began to sink to the floor, Lucien placed the pages on the desk, then stopped. “Here, let me come closer. Then I can point out the changes I made.”
Before Alex could respond, he was out of the chair and by her side. The smell of soap and skin-warmed starch invaded her senses as he leaned over her shoulder to turn a page.
“I added more biographical details here. And outlined the history of the club here.”
She cleared her throat. “Good.”
“Then I created the one-month timeline, like you suggested.”
“Good,” she repeated. Alex tried to focus on the paragraph he was pointing to, but her mind felt dull. Sluggish. All she wanted to do was look at him and it took all her concentration to fight against the urge.
