Lucas – 11. chapter

He woke up on the couch, alone. He sighed and went to the bathroom.

When he got to the office, Lucia was already doing something at her computer. He crouched down beside her.

“I was hoping you’d stay,” he whispered.

She looked at him but said nothing.

“I would’ve made you breakfast. I could’ve driven you here.”

“I needed to change,” she replied dryly.

He nodded. Clearly, she wasn’t in the mood to talk. He decided to give her a little more time and went back to his office, even refraining from the comment that crossed his mind when he noticed the cup of coffee on her desk.

He lasted less than an hour before returning.

“Come on. I’ll take you somewhere for breakfast,” he suggested with concern.

“No, thank you,” she replied to the monitor.

“Have you eaten anything since yesterday?”

“I don’t think that’s any of your business,” she said, finally looking at him.

“Luci,” his tone turned chiding. “Don’t be stupid. You have to eat something.”

“You don’t get to decide that,” she snapped. “I’m an adult, independent woman. No one decides things for me. I can handle myself.”

“Right now, you’re acting more like a little kid. Look, I know you’re angry. After all, that was the point. But you don’t need to overdo it this much.”

If he meant to calm her down, he achieved the exact opposite.

“I’ll overdo whatever I want!” she barked.

He chose not to argue. Just shook his head and left the office. She still heard him call the elevator, then stopped paying attention to him.

He came back fairly soon. He set a fork and a plate down on her desk. Scrambled eggs, salad, and toast. He didn’t say a word and went back to his office.

Lucia pushed her chair back and rested her forehead on the desk. It annoyed her that he’d done things his way again, but chewing him out for this kind of kindness would’ve been pathetic. She stared at the plate for a moment, then pulled it closer.

“Thank you,” she said into the room.

“You’re welcome,” Lucas replied once she started eating.

When she finished, she dialed the extension and waited one ring. She grabbed the dishes and her cigarettes, stood up, and called out.

“I’m going for a smoke.”

“How long will you be?” Lucas asked.

It surprised her enough that she stepped into his doorway.

“Do you need something?”

“No. I just want to know how long you’ll be gone,” he replied casually.

“You’ve never asked me anything like that before.”

“I’d also never spoken to you informally, brought you breakfast, or,” he paused briefly, “other things. Life changes.”

“I liked how things were before. I don’t want things to change. Especially not the ones involving you,” she said firmly.

“Darling, I’m afraid that ship has sailed,” he countered.

She was about to snap something back when footsteps approached behind her. A familiar dark-haired woman appeared in her doorway.

“Where have you been?” she whispered.

“Sorry. The boss still needed something,” Lucia whispered back, set the dishes down, grabbed only her cigarettes, and followed the girl to the elevator.

When she returned, Lucas called her into his office before she could sit down.

“Close the door,” he asked once she stood in front of his desk.

“No,” she refused, lifting her nose slightly.

His eyebrow rose.

“Excuse me?”

“There is nothing you and I need to discuss behind closed doors,” she insisted.

He stood up slowly. As he came around the desk, she stepped a little back.

“Don’t come toward me,” she said, almost in warning.

He met her gaze but didn’t obey. He approached her slowly, confidently.

“Don’t you dare touch me,” she said, determined.

But Lucas only stopped when he was close in front of her.

“I told you,” he whispered, “to close the door.”

She dropped her gaze and turned very slowly. But instead of reaching for the handle, she moved quickly toward the door. Lucas realized what she was about to do a second sooner and managed to spring to the door and slam it shut before she could get through.

“Lucas!” she shouted, furious. She punched the door once, then turned and leaned back against it.

“Stop,” she growled.

He stepped in close, so close her chest brushed him when she breathed. He braced one forearm beside her head, the other settling on her waist. He leaned in, brushing her cheek with the tip of his nose.

“Fuck, I said stop. Leave me alone.” She tried to slip past him but couldn’t move an inch.

He held her by the waist and pressed his body into hers. His hand slid into her hair, his lips near her ear.
“Shhh,” he whispered, stroking her hair. “I won’t hurt you. You already know that.”

As he pressed against her, it was impossible not to feel how aroused he was. He kissed her neck, rubbed his hips against her.

“Let me go.”

Her attempt to resist only made her rub against the zipper of his pants, which only made the pressure worse.

“I don’t want this.”

“I’ve heard that before,” he murmured between kisses and his own ragged breathing. “I’ll get used to it as foreplay.”

The phone rang, but he didn’t seem inclined to answer it. Lucia glanced at the clock.

“Don’t you happen to have a client scheduled right now?”

That snapped him back. He pulled away, visibly forcing himself to think.

“Fuck, that’s right!” he shouted and stepped away from her. He looked at the watch on his wrist and repeated the curse. He rushed to the desk and grabbed the phone.

“Yes? … Yes. Tell him to wait.”

He hung up, braced his hands on the desk, took a deep breath, then exhaled. He straightened and turned back to Lucia.

“Is it obvious?” he asked, smoothing his already buttoned jacket down over his pants.

“…No. I don’t think so,” she replied, fixing her hair.

“I completely forgot about him. Christ. Working with you is going to be complicated. I get hard the moment you come near me.”

She stayed silent, her expression still tight with anger.

“Go get him for me, please,” he asked.

“Your dick?” she teased.

He smiled.

“Later. The client first.”

Already opening the door, she said over her shoulder.

“There won’t be a later.”

After escorting the pleasant-looking gentleman from reception and walking him all the way to Lucas for the handshake, she went straight back to her desk.

Microsoft Office. Word. New. Rename. Resignation.

She finished it, printed it, and slipped it into the folder marked For Signature.

Lucas’s meeting didn’t last long. They didn’t even want coffee, so she escorted the gentleman out fairly quickly. Then she picked up the folder and walked into Lucas’s office.

He looked at her almost sheepishly.

“I really could’ve done without that,” he admitted again. “Good thing the meeting was here.”

She didn’t smile. She just handed him the folder.

“I need this signed.”

He nodded, took it, and set it on the desk.

“In a moment.”

She returned to her desk, sat down, and waited.