“Later,” she whispered and glanced around the table.
That was when I realized the others were watching us.“Agreed.”I raised my head.“So, what were we all discussing before my sister called?”
“Lucas, the great redirector of the conversation,” Marcus said.
The group laughed and conversation started once again.
Several hours later, we walked back to the parking garage and to our respective cars.I really didn’t want the evening with Valerie to end.“Do you have far to drive?”Why had I asked that?I knew she lived close.
She shook her head.“This time of night won’t take more than five minutes.What about you?”
“About the same.”Valerie stopped next to a small gray SUV.“This one is yours?”
“Yes.I bought it a few years ago and was happy I did when we had that awful snowstorm last winter.I had no issues driving.”
“I’m parked three spaces down.”
“The big black one.”She grinned.
“Yep.That’s mine.”As much as I didn’t want this evening to end, I needed to take things slowly and let Valerie go home.Soon, I promised myself, we’d spend evenings together.“Have a good evening.”
“You too.”
She didn’t move.“Valerie, I’m going to kiss you.”I waited several heartbeats, and when she didn’t say anything, I leaned down and brushed my lips over hers.With that small taste, I wanted more, but I forced myself not to go too far tonight.“Night.”It took everything I had in me to move away.
“Night, Lucas.”Her soft voice floated in the nearly empty garage.I had to fight with everything inside me not to rush back to her and pull her into my arms.I climbed into my vehicle and waited until she backed out, then I followed.
We both drove in the same direction.
She pulled into a driveway, and I kept going down the block until I came to my house.How did I not realize she lived so close to me?I wanted to call her and talk to her about it but decided not to.We had time to talk and rebuild our relationship.
I wasn’t going to mess this up by pushing too hard, too fast.I’d done enough damage by rushing her tonight.It was time to exercise some patience.
Chapter Ten
Valerie
I sat in my SUV until Lucas drove past.The odds of us living in the same neighborhood were astronomical, but apparently, we did because Lucas didn’t turn around but disappeared down the street.Was that a good thing?I wasn’t sure how I felt about that.
Pushing aside my thoughts, I climbed out, walked up the brick walkway, and took two steps up into my home.
It was a small two bedroom, more than enough for me, and it wasn’t like I ever had overnight guests.Not that it mattered to me.I dropped my purse on the table, locked the door, and walked to the patio doors.This is what sold me on the house.The patio.I opened the sliding door and took a deep breath.
Fresh air filled my lungs and instantly calmed the riot of emotions racing through my mind.My view wasn’t of the ocean, but the water of the Sound soothed me just as much.I had a small table and chairs out there.On weekends, I took my coffee there and watched the movement of the water.
I yawned.It had been a long day.Heck, a long week.Finding out I would be working for Lucas followed by the instant attraction to him, both situations raising hell with my nerves.
An attraction I thought was long dead.Nope.It was as if those five years apart had disappeared.And that light kiss tonight… What did that mean?Lucas’ earlier declaration that he was serious about me had thrown me for a loop.I hadn’t expected his confession, definitely not in front of his friends.
Five years ago, I’d thought we were in a serious relationship until he walked away from me.The pain at the time had doubled me over.Over the years, it had become nothing more than a dull ache, and then only when a stray memory crossed my mind.Since reconnecting with Lucas, though, I couldn’t stop thinking about his betrayal.
Had he truly changed?We were both older now, but were we wiser?Was I smart enough to protect my heart this time?I doubted it.
It wasn’t like I hadn’t dated other men in those five years we were apart, and I was sure Lucas had been with other women.He’d had a high sex drive when we were together, and I’d pretty much matched it.
The men I dated since Lucas paled in comparison, and while their laid-back personalities shouldn’t have mattered that much, they did.I wanted so much more than the men I dated could offer.Would Lucas give me what I craved?
Oh yeah, my body chimed in.That light kiss made my skin tingle and my pussy clench with need.And that was just a kiss.Cassie’s and Emma’s comments about dominant men popped into my brain.
