Page 134 of Things We Left Behind
This was a bonkers idea. It was so stupid I still wasn’t sure I was going to say yes once we got to my room. Could two people who rubbed each other so wrong figure out how to rub each other the right way for just one night? Doubtful.
This was definitely a mistake. A big, dumb mistake.
But at least I’d finally know, I rationalized as the elevator doors opened and we exited.
Maybe I owed it to my teenage self. I could put the years of “what if” to rest and move on. Besides, it had been months since I’d even been kissed, let alone properly laid.
There was also the possibility that he would be terrible inbed. That thought cheered me considerably. One mediocre roll in the hay and Lucian Rollins would be out of my system forever.
“Never play poker.”
Lucian’s sudden proclamation had me blinking as I dug through my clutch for the key card.
“What? Why?”
He shook his head. “Your face broadcasts every thought like an open book.”
I scoffed. “It does not.”
He took the card from my hand and opened my door. “The only way sex will be disappointing is if it’s your fault.”
My mouth fell open. “That’snotwhat I was thinking,” I lied. “And if the sex is bad, it’s one hundred percentyourfault. I’m great at sex.”
“We’ll see,” he said before pushing me across the threshold into the room.
It was a nice space chosen with the practicality of a one-night stand in mind. There was a fluffy king-size bed with the extra pillows I’d asked for. The bathroom had flattering lightinganda tiled walk-in shower. And best of all, there was an extensive twenty-four-hour room service menu I could order off once I’d kicked Lucian to the curb.
He shut the door and locked it, then turned to face me.
I swallowed hard, suddenly feeling like Little Red Riding Hood coming face-to-face with the big, bad wolf. He was so…big. So frowny. He was looking at me like I’d pissed him off somehow in the last four seconds.
Nervously, I wet my lips and caught the interest in those cold, gray eyes.
He was standing legs braced, hands fisted at his sides, staring me down like I was the enemy…or a conquest.
Were we really about to do this? Would this end up being just one more dirty, little secret between the two of us?
“We should discuss ground rules,” I announced.
Lucian set my key card down with a snap on the table,his eyes no longer cold. Now they smoldered with a heat that licked at my skin.
What had I been saying?
Oh right. Rules. Rules were good.
“I don’t think we should kiss—”
I didn’t get to finish the sentence because Lucian’s hand snaked out, gripped my wrist, and yanked me into him. Hard. I was off-balance and fell into his chest. My bones reverberated from the collision of our bodies.
And then his mouth crashed down on mine.
Dear God.
There was nothing icy about the man against me. He was hot and hard.
I opened my mouth to breathe or insult him, but he took advantage and his tongue swept past my lips. It plundered as it went, turning my insults into unintelligible, needy moans.
It was pure possession. With one kiss, Lucian held my body captive.
