Page 19 of Devilish

I couldn’t help but crack a smile, because if there was one thing I’d learned in the time I’d been here, it was that Lucien was over the top. But in the best way.

He stood and gestured to the clothes. “Pick one outfit, pick ten. Keep them all—doesn’t matter to me. Just find something that won’t have you tripping up the stairs.”

As he headed out of the room, my eyes roamed over him and the way his body filled out every inch of his all-black outfit to perfection. It wasn’t one of the starched suits most of the businessmen I’d known wore to work, but something far more luxurious and tempting, especially with the way he left his shirt unbuttoned down to the top of his chest.

Lucien glanced over his shoulder, and I jerked my gaze up, praying he hadn’t noticed my checking him out.

“Now let’s go eat. I’m fucking starving.”

He headed out of the room and I followed, expecting we’d be eating in the dining room. But when he stopped by the coffee table and tossed a couple of the oversized cushions onto the rug, I paused.

“I’ll be right back. You want water with your dinner or something stronger?”

“Um, water, please,” I said, and took a seat, crossing my legs under the table.

“You got it.” He was in and out of the kitchen in minutes, returning to the living room with the second to-go bag and two goblets, because of course that was what he drank water out of. “I wasn’t sure what to order for dinner, but I figured since New York has some of the best Chinese around, we should indulge.”

He placed the items on the table and, instead of taking the spot at the opposite end, moved to sit next to me instead. “Are you a fan?”

“Of Chinese food?”

He nodded and started to pull out the containers.

“Yeah, I just never really had a chance to eat much of it.”

“Well, that’s about to change tonight. Now, I didn’t want to get too much food and overwhelm you—” I chuckled softly and his hands froze in midair. “Is something amusing?”

I clamped my lips together in an effort not to grin and shook my head.

“I think you’re laughing at me.”

“No, I?—”

“Have every right to.” He went back to pulling out the containers. “I’m ridiculous, I know that. But in my defense, I only ordered three meals off the menu. Iwasgoing to get all of them.”

“Oh my God.” I lost the battle then, and a laugh sputtered out of me. “Whoareyou?”

“Lucien Vale,” he said, opening up each container and handing me a plate. “You can look it up—I’m not lying.”

“I don’t think you’re lying. It’s just, this all feels so…surreal.” I looked around the living room, lingering on several paintings and sculptures on display. “Your place is incredible.”

“Thanks.” Lucien put a set of chopsticks on the table for me, then snapped apart his own. “It took a few years to get it exactly the way I liked, but it’s almost there.”

“Almost?” I laughed even harder. “You do know the museums need some artifacts too, right?”

“Wow. Look at you, making a joke.” Lucien’s eyes twinkled. “I mean, it was at my expense,butI’ll let it pass, since it’s so nice to hear you laugh.”

I immediately stopped.

“Hey now, don’t go all quiet on me. Your entire face lights up when you laugh, and you’re right, I reallydoneed to stop outbidding the galleries.”

I chuckled despite myself and picked up the chopsticks, my mouth watering over the food set out in front of me. I had no problem with Lucien outbidding any galleries, especially if it was Rupert’s.

“Next you’re going to tell me you learned how to use chopsticks on a trip you took to China.”

“Actually…”

My hand dropped to the table, my jaw following. “No you didn’t.”

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