Page 22 of Final Cost

“We need to come to an understanding.”The new huskiness in Lucien’s voice doesn’t help. “You and I.”

I watch him warily. “Okay…?”

“You’re here. You’re staying here until the police are satisfied that none of us had anything to do with Ravenna’s death. Then we can figure out what’s next.”

I open my mouth because his directives are getting to be a bit much this afternoon, but he never gives me a chance.

“Don’t talk to the police without them going through me and your attorney first. Understood?”

I don’t speak for a couple of beats. His brows go up.

“I’m allowed to talk now?” I say.

His jaw tightens. “By all means.”

“I don’t have money for an attorney. And why do I need one anyway when I can quickly explain that I have an alibi?”

“I thought you understood,” he says, his expression growing steadily darker. “I’m getting an attorney for you.”

“I thoughtyouunderstood,” I say, scoffing. “I don’t want anything from you.”

His speculative gaze skates over me, light as a feather. “Nothing?”

I could smack him for doing this to me — heating me up and making me sizzle inside even though I know he’s poison. I could kill him for doing this to me.“Nothing.”

Unfortunately, my most targeted death stare produces only an unconvinced shrug from him. “Let’s circle back to that. We’ll get everything else figured out when the time comes. For now, all you need to know is that I’m going to do anything I need to do to protect you. Whatever it takes.”

I’d really planned to hang onto my cool cucumber routine for as long as possible, but if he wants to go there, I’m willing to get into it. Anything is better than surrendering to the unwanted but overwhelming feminine thrill of seeing how vehement this powerful man is about taking care of my safety. “Like hire security to follow me without my knowledge, you mean?” I say, my voice hardening to a sword’s edge.

A gleam of satisfaction from him. “Exactly like that. And you were glad they were there when the paps swarmed you. Don’t deny it.”

“Iwasglad they were there, but it would be nice to know what major events are swirling around my life ahead of time every now and then. Sadly, that doesn’t seem to be how things work with you.”

His expression falls. “Tamsyn…”

“Anything else?” I reach for Orion’s reins, so over this whole conversation and desperate to be anywhere else than with him. It’s almost better to be cooped up in my room wishing for him rather than confronted with him. I don’t know what to do with all these churning emotions. I’m like a time bomb inside. “While you’re issuing directives?”

I think it’s a pretty good parting line. I turn my back on him and start to put my foot in the stirrup to see if I can climb up by myself. But he swoops in, hefting me up. The next thing I know, I’m settled sideways on the saddle. With my skirt hiked up higher than it needs to be and his hands — big, hard, hot hands — resting on my bare thighs. Orion shifts beneath me but now is not the time for that horse. Lucien stares up at me. I stare down at him, riveted, my breath hissing. The dappled sun through the leaves hits his eyes just right, making them blaze.

“Yeah, there’s something else.” He steps closer, locking me in his gaze as he runs his nose along my sensitive inner thigh. My entire body erupts with delicious goose flesh. “I’m sorry. Please forgive me.”

It takes everything I have to work up a scoffing sound at these words I’ve desperately wanted to hear. “Why would I do that?”

“Because I want you back.”

I gasp, my heart lurching. Oh, God. Oh,God.

And what do I do when confronted with this unholy temptation? The smart thing, which is to hop down and run back to the house and barricade myself in my room for the duration? No, ma’am. Not I. I put my hands on his head and pull him in hard as I widen my legs for him, savoring his growl of pleasure.

I don’t know how we manage this precarious balancing act. I don’t know how Lucien manages to steady the shimmying horse with one hand while also nudging my panties aside with the other, but he does everything with his usual expertise. I know I’m safe. Physically safe, anyway. He zeros in, finding my spot with ridiculous ease and nuzzling and lapping me up until there’s nothing left but my unabashed cries and blind pleasure. I give him everything. There’s no way I can hold it back. It’s all too close to the surface and I’ve missed him far too much. I arch into his mouth, the spasming pleasure washing so easily over me after all the stimulation of gripping a horse between my thighs. It’s such a thrill to have his hands on me again. Such a blessed relief. Such a miracle that I don’t tumble off that horse and melt into the earth beneath Lucien’s booted feet.

It’s the longest, brightest, hottest orgasm of my life. The only problem is that no matter how long I ride that endless crest of ecstasy, I can’t get far enough to outrun the shame that’s right on its heels. The last few ripples and pulses are still working their way through my body when I tighten my fingers in his hair and yank him away from me as hard as I just pulled him closer. I slam my legs shut against him. I swing my leg over the saddle, pretending I don’t feel the sweetly lingering ache in my clit the same way I don’t see my juices smeared across his lush lips, the turbulence in his eyes or the massive erection still tenting the front of those sexy riding pants.

So he’s suffering from blue balls? His dick is uncomfortable and unsatisfied while my pussy feels like its covered in glittering butterflies?Good. It’s exactly what he deserves. Let all his lower hardware shrivel up, fall off and die for all I care.

Let himatone.

“Let’s go back,” I say, keeping my gaze resolutely straight ahead as I scoot back to make room for him.

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