Page 18 of Lucius

His phone buzzed and he saw it was a text from Devlin letting him know that the apartment was set up.

“It’s been an hour,” he said. “Why don’t we grab your photo album and we can hang out in my apartment for a while, it’s here in the park.”

“You live here too? Now that’s pretty cool.”

“Yep, there’s a small complex and I was lucky enough to get one of the apartments.”

She took his hand and they stopped long enough to toss their trash, then continued to the security office where he introduced her to Jupiter, then picked up her album.

“Thanks, Lori,” he said.

“Anytime.”

Sidney looked through the album as they walked back to the apartment complex. They talked about the park and his job, and how different it was for him working with his family than for her working with her mom.

And then he opened the door to his apartment and smiled down at her.

“We’ve got reservations for dinner at six. How about the nickel tour?”

“Lead the way,” she said, grinning.

The dinner was spectacular. It wasn’t just that the meal was good, but that spending the day with Sidney and going on their first date was incredible. He was falling hard for her, and his lion was entirely smitten. It took all his willpower not to just tell her the truth. Because he was sure she would keep the secret, and it killed him not to be able to share it with her.

But he wasn’t going to take any chances and was going to follow the rules set in place by the park alphas. His dad had sent him a text while he was at dinner to say how happy he was for him and was looking forward to meeting Sidney, and that Amadeus was too.

He was so glad he had a supportive family.

It made him ache a little for Sidney.

But hopefully, she and her mom would come to an understanding about things and Sidney could carve out some happiness for herself. Especially since he wasn’t allowed to live anywhere but the park, so once they were mated, she’d need to live with him. At least he would support her art. Whatever she wanted to do, even going to art school, he’d encourage her to pursue whatever made her happy.

He would do anything for one of her sweet smiles.

He opened the passenger door of the SUV for her, and she paused before she got in.

“This has been the best day, Lucius. I’ve never had such a perfect first date. Everything about today…was just amazing.”

She smiled up at him, and the sweet scent of her arousal made him want to purr.

“I’ve had a great day with you too, Sidney. You’re beautiful and special, and I’m so glad we were able to spend the day together.”

She moved closer, her body brushing his as she stared up at him. Her eyes darkened and the scent of her arousal deepened even more, until he felt like he was going to drown in her sweet scent.

She rose onto her toes and pressed her lips to his.

His brain misfired at the feel of her against him, his lion roaring in happiness and his whole body jolting at how amazing this first kiss was.

Their lips parted together as her arms went around his neck. He let go of the door and pulled her even closer, slipping his tongue into her mouth to deepen the kiss. She melted in his arms with a soft moan, the kiss seeming like it would never end. And he was totally okay with that.

When the kiss ended and he felt practically drunk on how intoxicating she was, he helped her into the SUV, then got behind the wheel.

She leaned against him, her arm around his and her free hand on his thigh. It wasn’t until they were back in the park and he asked where she’d left her car, that she said his very favorite words: “I don’t want the night to end.”

Sidney wasn’t reallya forward person, but she couldn’t imagine going home to the apartment she shared with her mom when being with Lucius was the only thing she wanted to do.

She’d never in her life felt so connected to a guy before. Had it only been a day? Because it felt like she’d known him forever. She’d told him things about her past that she’d never told anyone. She felt closer to him than anyone else in her life, and it was because of that feeling, that connection, that she told him she wanted to spend more time with him.

He looked at her in the darkness of the SUV for a quiet moment, and then he said, “I don’t want it to end either.”

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