Page 29 of Sprite Wedding
“Yes.” I sighed. “A long time ago.”
He walked over to his record player and put on a Killers record at low volume. “He seems”—Lucas exhaled through flared nostrils—“interested.”
“I don’t think so.” Sure, Bryan had been acting strangely attentive, considering he’d strayed long ago. Why? I had no clue, nor did I have any desire in encouraging it.
“Why didn’t you tell me who he was on the cruise? Or that he was here in Salem?” Lucas fixed a searching gaze on my face, his eyes edged with pain.
I tapped my lips. “It wasn’t a big deal to me, and it slipped my mind. I was focused on more important things.” I pointed to him. “Like you. My priority was making sure you were okay.”
His lips twitched. He crossed one leg over the top of his thigh and then planted it flat on the rug once more. “I’m fine now. What’s been going on with him.”
I ran my fingers through my hair and dropped my hand to the sofa cushion. “Lucas, don’t get all possessive. You’ve had countless partners before me, and I don’t bring them up. So what, I ran into a guy I once dated.”
“Loved,” he clarified. “That’s more intense than anything I had with any of those women. Like he said, he was yourfirstlove.”
“You’re not really going to let him rankle you with that statement, are you? I didn’t think you were the jealous type.”
Considering my reaction when I’d seen the way women gawked at Lucas while he danced, I sounded like a hypocrite. It was even possible that I was projecting some of my insecurities onto him.
“I’m not.” He squirmed on the sofa. “I didn’t like the way he was looking at you. Hitting on you.Wanting to see you again.”
“It’s not going to happen, so don’t worry about it. He’d already asked me to meet up with him for dinner to catch up, and I’d said no.”
Lucas sucked in an audible breath. He rolled his neck from one side to the other, and it cracked. “Then why is he being persistent?”
I threw my hands up, growing increasingly exasperated with this conversation. “No clue. Maybe it’s to reminisce about old times or something. But you know those aren’t good times for me, and I’m not interested in traipsing down a memory lane full of tripwires.”
Lucas pulled his gaze to me, his expression turning more understanding. He knew Bryan had hurt me with his betrayal. It wasn’t something easy to forget. Or forgive.
I didn’t think I’d ever fall in love again until I met Lucas. The idea of making myself vulnerable again was too terrifying. It had caused too much anguish. But Lucas was nothing like Bryan. He was caring and loving and always there for me. Sure, his possessiveness and protectiveness could be a pain in the ass at times, but I wouldn’t trade it for apathy.
“I don’t want to think about him, Lucas. He’s a part of my past that I don’t wish to remember.” That time in my life was the last thing I wanted to talk about, and I hoped Lucas wouldn’t rehash it now. I gestured to him. “You’re my present and future.”
Warmth flared in his eyes. Some of the tension claiming him appeared to drift away. “You’re right. Sorry, I’m being such a possessive fool. My dragon got all worked up, and I have to admit, it stirred me up, too.”
“Let’s forget about him.” I reached up and ran my fingers behind Lucas’s neck. “You wanted to have fun tonight, remember? Besides, we have better things to talk about.”
“Talk?” He met my gaze, blue eyes sparkling with mischief. “I’m happy to engage in whatever conversation you have in mind.”
With that naughty gleam back in my dragon’s eyes, I sensed the Lucas I loved coming back to me.
“How about one where we can talk privately in your bedroom?” I asked in a suggestive tone.
Lucas rose from the couch. “Private discussions with you are my favorite kind.” He offered his hand.
I laughed. “Mine too.” I dashed for the stairs with Lucas running up behind me.
Once I rushed into his room and sat on the bed, he pounced on me, being careful not to crush me with the full weight of his body. He kissed me, moving from my face down my torso, whispering all the dirty things he planned to do to me.
“Are you ready for dessert?” he asked, a dark promise in his tone.
Desire curled in my lower belly, fluttering higher. “Yes.”
***
The next morning, I took a shower while Lucas made breakfast. I headed downstairs to the scent of bacon, eggs, and coffee.
Lucas dashed to the bottom of the stairs. “Oh, I thought the construction crew had arrived.”
