Page 9 of Passion

I chewed my lip. Taking one more favor from him wouldn’t kill me. And he was a really sweet man. “Fine,” I relented, letting some of the tension out of my neck and shoulders. “But you have to let me repay you somehow.”

“Come on,” he coaxed, placing a hand in the small of my back as we started walking.

It was about fucking time fate started treating me right. I’d had a really bad run of things, and Lucas was a godsend. I just didn’t want to get used to it. Life wasn’t kind to me, and I had to fight to get what I needed or wanted. I couldn’t relax and let him woo me into a numb complacency. He was human like all other men, which meant he had flaws too. I just hadn’t seen them.

I’d take his ride home, but then it was just me against the world again. It was better that way. Besides, my heart wasn’t ready to accept anything from anyone. It would be a long time before it was.

8

LUCAS

Even though she was annoyed, calling someone every two minutes over the jet’s satellite internet, she was still adorable. The sundress she wore complimented her creamy skin, a soft, baby-blue material that fit her well. I expected her to wear fancy sandals and a matched jewelry set, but she only wore flip-flops. She hadn’t even done her makeup.

I’d never had to hide from paparazzi because despite my wealth, I had no fame. But Vera had probably gotten used to the cameras following her around and used tactics like no makeup and flip-flops to discourage anyone from looking twice at her gorgeous face. I’d seen her on billboards and magazine covers. Her name might not have been household yet, but her face was well-known.

She caught me staring at her from across the cabin, a long, narrow strip of cabin with a couch along one side and captain’s chairs down the other. I sat on the end of the couch with one leg crossed over the other. She had chosen the captain’s chair closest to the door. I hadn’t even shown her the rest of the jet, the full bathroom and master suite in back for trips abroad. She’d been content to park herself by the door and plop her luggage at her feet, and I had let her.

“I’m sorry. I’m not being a very social guest.” Her bottom lip pouted out and she frowned.

“You’re being you, and it’s okay. I’m not expecting anything from you. I offered you the ride because you seemed upset, and that made me feel upset for you.” I patted the sofa next to me and raised my eyebrows. “You’re having a hard time reaching someone?”

She stood and slunk over to me, her shoulders drooping like an unwatered flower. Even then, I still found her stunning. Her platinum hair had been curled and hung loosely around her face. I wanted to run my fingers through it.

“Yeah, anyone. I’ve called everyone I know and the lines are just dead. I think maybe a cell tower is down or something.” She plopped on the couch and crossed her arms over her chest. “What if my entire apartment building is destroyed? Where will I live? I mean, Daven dumped me and then fired me the same day. I have enough savings to survive for a few months, but not if I have to pay a new deposit and first month’s rent. And how do I do that without a job?” She covered her face in frustration, and my heart went out to her.

“I told you I can call around, pull a few strings. Money talks, Vera. I have no problem letting my money talk for you.”

“No.” Her hands flew away from her face, and she turned to face me, drawing her leg up onto the couch so she could look right in my eyes. “No, Lucas. I need to do this on my own. I want to be my own person, support myself. I don’t want handouts. I even turned away money my mother tried to offer me to get set up here. I lived in a shitty hotel for a month before I could afford an apartment, and even then, I had to wait for a friend to agree to be my roommate.

“I made it before and I will make it again. I just want to make it clear that I’m not asking for your money, and I’m not taking it. I like you, and I don’t want you to think I’m a gold digger.”

I smiled at her ferocity. The way she wore her independence like a badge reminded me of myself when I was that age. It was because I had that very same fight in me that I was successful. I’d never want to take that from her.

“I understand. I’m just letting you know that if the worst were to happen, I would help you out. I know a few people, and I have an extra room in my home.” I took her hand and weaved my fingers through hers. “These are sort of extreme circumstances, don’t you think? I mean, when you moved here from wherever your mom lives, you weren’t facing a recent job loss and a hurricane.”

I felt her fingers curl around mine, a new sensation, being as for the past two days, she’d barely looked at me. I got the feeling she had hoped our sexual encounter would be a one-night stand and that she’d leave the island a new woman. But I play for keeps, and I wasn’t about to let her walk away until I was certain she was not the one for me. Unfortunately for her plans, I was liking her more and more with every passing hour.

“I don’t think it will come to that. Thank you. I just needed a ride home.”

I stared at her pouty lips. They were almost edible. I felt my body craving her again, and I knew we had privacy—no flight team, just the pilots and the two of us for this short trip. Once I got an idea in my head, it was only a matter of time before I got what I wanted. I hadn’t invited her on the flight to fuck her, but now that she was here, it was all I could think about.

“I should try calling again.” She pulled her hand away from mine and unlocked her phone, punching numbers into the keypad. I took it away, locking it and tossing it into the seat across the cabin. “What did you do that for?”

“Look, no one is going to pick up. The storm knocked out power or cell service, or both.” I angled my body to face her and took her hands again, this time looking straight into her eyes. “I know you’re stressed out and afraid, but let me help you take your mind off that.”

The air seemed to thicken around us. I watched her eyes dart around my face, her tongue drawing over her bottom lip. I didn’t want to startle her, so I moved slowly, releasing one of her hands and gently sliding my palm along her cheek, pushing the hair back. She bit her lip. Her eyes seemed to plead with me, something I couldn’t understand. I didn’t want to do this if she wasn’t certain it was what she wanted, but fuck, did I want it.

“Can I kiss you now?” I was already leaning toward her, and she wasn’t pulling away. She nodded, letting me press my lips to hers gently. She shifted slightly, making room for my knee as I moved closer. The leather couch squeaked as the cushions rubbed against one another. “Now, do you feel better?”

She nodded again, her face still only inches from mine. Her breathing was thready, erratic, like she was preparing to speak but unable to. I could feel my body heading to the point of no return. I wanted her. “Can I do more?” I asked her. This time, she wasn’t throwing herself at me in a brazenly intoxicated state. She was timid, like this was the first time she’d done anything.

“I’m not that girl, Lucas.” She turned her head away and down, but she didn’t pull away, so I brushed her hair back so I could see her face, curling it around her ear and using my thumb and finger to pinch her chin and force her to look at me.

“And I’m not that guy, Vera. But when I see what I want, I get it. And I’ve never seen anyone I wanted more than I want you right now. And if it’s okay, I’d like to show you that I’m not that guy… the one who sleeps with women and uses them, leaves them to cry. I know your heart is tender and you just got it broken, but I promise you, I’m not that guy.”

“We have to use protection.” She bit her lip again, eyes still fluttering around my face as if searching for acceptance.

“Of course.”

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