“It… it would be a mistake,” she said weakly.Miserably.
He pressed a tender kiss against her hair. “And yet, I have it on very good authority that Alexandra Atkinson doesn’t make mistakes.”
Alex let out a long, tortured sigh, then turned her head to meet his gaze. She didn’t have the will to deny him. Not now. “Fine. Get on the bed, you impossible man.”
“With pleasure.” He shot her a grin before practically bounding across the room—or at least as fast as his injury would allow.
She followed him at a more sedate pace, though internally her heart was galloping. Was shereallygoing to do this?
Lucien waited for her by the bedside and as he extended his hand, she saw that his eyes were full of hope and anticipation. And need.
Oh, most definitely.
As their palms slid together, she felt the same jolt of electricity that had shot up her arm all those weeks ago. Now she understood, without a doubt, that it had been mutual attraction. He drew her close and tilted his head to kiss her, but Alex began unbuttoning his shirt instead.
Lucien let out a soft chuckle. “Right to it, then?”
The corner of Alex’s mouth twitched up. “I want to see what state you are in before we begin.”
“Ah. And here I was hoping you simply found me irresistible,” he quipped.
Alex’s hands stilled on the last button and she met his gaze. “I do.” Just as his eyes began to darken, she looked back down. “I wouldn’t be doing this otherwise.”
Though Alex still harbored a number of doubts, she could silence them for at least an evening. And, if nothing else, she would make sure Lucien left her bed with a thorough education in several ways to pleasure a woman.
Together they slowly removed his unbuttoned shirt and she brushed her fingers lightly over the lower ribs on the left side of his body. Like his jaw, the bruising there had faded from purple to yellow. He inhaled sharply as she continued to touch him.
Her eyes darted to his face. “Did I hurt you?”
“No,” he said tightly. “Quite the opposite.”
Alex smiled as she looked away again and continued her inspection. “What did Dr. Mosley say?”
“That I’m fit as a fiddle and in prime fighting shape.” At Alex’s disapproving frown, he covered her hand with his and brought it to his lips. “He told me to take it easy, but that I’m healing.” Then he kissed her fingertips. “It will be fine. I’m just a little sore.”
“I should be on top, then,” Alex said with a nod. Lucien froze and looked at her through lowered lashes. “That way you won’t have to move too much,” she added.
“Yes,” he rasped. “I gathered that.”
Then he dropped her hand and began removing his trousers.Alex followed his lead and took off her wrapper. Lucien’s eyes followed her every movement, and he nearly got tangled in his trouser legs as he tried to pull them off.
“Careful or you’ll bruise your other ribs,” Alex laughed as she prevented Lucien from tumbling over entirely.
“I’m afraid it will take more than another bruised rib to stop me,” Lucien said as he kicked off his trousers and sat down on the bed.
Just as he reached for her, he stopped. “What… what about protection?”
“I assumed you would withdraw,” she said matter-of-factly, to which Lucien audibly swallowed. That had been Benjamin’s preferred method during their first few encounters.
Lucien let out a strangled laugh. “You might be overestimating my abilities on that front.”
Alex paused to consider this, then remembered the cervical caps currently in her possession. “Oh!”
Then she hurried over to the closet and threw open the doors. After rummaging around for several moments, she pulled out a packet and disappeared into the en suite bathroom to insert the cervical cap.
When she emerged, Lucien was still on the bed but eyeing her closet. “Should I be concerned that you have such a large collection of prophylactics in your bedroom?”
Alex lifted her chin and crossed her arms. “Only if you take issue with a woman managing her reproductivity.”
