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My heart sank with each revelation. First, Lucas obviously didn’t want anyone in town to see us having dinner together. He explained that rather than taking me to the only fancy restaurant in Covington Falls, he wanted to share something with me. Something that required me to come to his family’s lodge.
Sure, his bed was in the lodge, and Lucas had a private chef at his disposal there, but romantic dinners did not start at four o’clock in the afternoon. His invitation was guilt-induced. He was the handsome billionaire who only wanted to make up for keeping his dog’s vet waiting.
Lucas, I had to accept, was simply being polite.
I sighed, staring at the slut mode outfit. The low-cut silver dress should go back into my closet. I should slip into the sensible green silk shirt and step into my beige, wide-legged trousers. Logic and reason suggested that I should remain in doctor mode. However, my hurt and sense of loss wanted me to walk up to the front door of his lodge in full slut regalia.
“That would show him,” I said, then I sighed.
I shouldn’t be angry at Lucas for wanting to maintain a professional relationship with me. He had every right not to be interested romantically in someone who lives miles away from him.
Briefly, I considered changing out of my sexy undergarments, but I checked the clock again and realized I didn’t have time to completely start over. I needed to be ready to go in fifteen minutes.
Lucas insisted that he’d pick me up. Well, not him, his driver. Lucas said he would be happy to take me home once the night was over. With the thought of denying Lydia steamy gossip tomorrow morning, I took one last look at my choices on the bed.
“Doctor mode it is.”
The V-Sparks SUV pulled into my driveway at precisely 3:40 PM. The driver took us through the heart of Covington Falls. Main Street still had shops owned by families that would pass them onto the next generation. It was a beautiful destination any day of the year, but it shone at Christmas.
Every decorated inch of the street made the town look and feel like the set of a holiday movie. Except, living in it was far better than a Hollywood backlot. The town square, where the mayor planned to host the ceremony to rename Main Street in honor of Leo and Lucas Valentine, was lighting up as daylight faded. Every day, Covington Falls felt more and more like home. For a girl from Los Angeles, it still surprised me how easily I fell in love with the place.
We exited the opposite side of town and traveled several miles out of the valley. Surrounded by miles of woodland, there was more evidence of the snow that fell earlier in the week as we climbed higher into the mountains.
Slowing down, the vehicle drove by a large stone marker. Imprinted on the cluster of rocks were the words: Valentine Mountain Lodge. Turning onto smooth, black asphalt, we ventured up a small peak to the enormous property where, according to Lydia, the Valentines spent their Christmases. She said sometimes, Leo and Lucas would visit during the summer and other times during the year. Rarely did they make the trips together unless it was the holiday season.
Lucas was outside, pacing in front of a pair of massive wooden doors flanked by two stone pillars. He was wearing a thick, navy-blue sweater that his shoulders and chest filled out and he was talking on his phone.
Other than the way he combed his fingers through his brown hair, he looked exactly the way he did during the television interview. I sighed, comforting myself with the thought that at least he’d be gone once the holidays were over and my disappointment would go away soon after.
When the car stopped before him, Lucas ended his phone call. I watched him breathe in and closed his eyes for a second. As he approached me in the car with that gorgeous smile on his face, my heart sunk further into my stomach. The sadness I was feeling got stuck in the back of my throat. I could taste it when I swallowed.
“Dammit,” I muttered.
The car door swung open. Lucas smiled wider at me and said, “Hello, Doctor Marshall. Welcome to the Valentine lodge.”
He beamed with excitement. I smiled, took his hand, and stepped outside. Our eyes met and my emotions swirled. Joy and anguish twined their way through my limbs. Suddenly, I wanted to be dressed in my sexy silver dress and super high Jimmy Choos.
The warmth of Lucas’s touch was a stark contrast to the cold air caressing my cheeks. Immediately, I gave into an impulse, curled my fingers around his hand, and held on to him. Lucas blinked and I questioned the strength of my grip until he said, “Wow.”
His voice sounded rich and sultry. Biting my bottom lip, I felt myself falling further under its spell. When I finally come crashing down from the euphoric high of being around Lucas, I know it is going to hurt like hell.
Gazing down at me, Lucas cleared his throat and said, “You look…” he paused. “You look amazing, Dr. Marshall.”
“Zoey!” I said, giggling.
He chuckled. Lucas was about to say something when my phone rang and interrupted him.
I pulled my hand away. “Sorry,” I said. “Let me see who it is.”
“No problem,” Lucas said. “I just hope it isn’t another one of your suitors. As beautiful as you are, Zoey, I’m sure you spend all your time beating them off everywhere you go around town.”
After hearing that, my jaw almost dropped. I wasn’t expecting Lucas to compliment me at all tonight. Just to continue being nice. Professional.
I struggled to look away from his green eyes. Eventually, I fished my phone out of my purse and stared down at the screen. The instant I read the name, I glanced up. “It’s your mother,” I told him.
His eyes softened. I almost swooned.
His smile melted panties, and his gazes broke hearts.
