Page 47 of Until She's Mine
“I’m counting on it.”
And praying, it won’t come to that.
Chapter 22
Evelyn
Lucian finishes my sketch, and we spend the rest of the day wrapped in each other, exploring every corner of the estate. Our fingers brush over the spines of books as we wander through the library, sharing whispered conversations. We stroll through the conservatory, the scent of blooming orchids heavy in the air, and he tells me stories about his childhood, about the times he’d hide here to escape the pressures of his family. After dinner, we sit by the frozen lake, bundled in thick coats, sipping hot cocoa as we watch the sun dip below the horizon, painting the sky in hues of orange and pink. Once it sets, Lucian convinces me to go for a swim and a sauna.
The indoor pool glows like liquid sapphire, steam rising in lazy curls from the heated water. Lucian stands at the edge, his broad shoulders silhouetted against the wall of frosted glass that overlooks the snow-covered woods. He’s already stripped downto swim trunks, his muscles taut and golden. I undo the tie of my robe with my trembling fingers, letting it pool at my feet. The air is thick with humidity, and it clings to my skin as I step closer to the pool’s edge.
Lucian’s gaze sweeps over me, dark and heavy, as I stand there in nothing but the shimmering black bikini he left out for me.
I didn’t bring any clothes to change into, but Lucian, ever prepared, had already anticipated my needs. The bikini fits perfectly, hugging my curves. His eyes linger on me, and a flush of warmth washes over me.
“Can’t take your eyes off me, can you?” I tease.
“I can’t,” he admits. “You’re impossible to look away from.”
Before I can respond, he steps past me and dives into the pool with a graceful arc, disappearing beneath the surface in a ripple of blue water. I watch the way his body moves with fluid ease, before I follow him in. The water envelops me, warm and inviting, as I glide toward him.
Lucian surfaces a few feet away, water dripping from his dark hair as he shakes it out of his eyes. He finds me and closes the distance between us with a few strong strokes. When he reaches me, his hands find my waist, pulling me closer until our bodies are pressed together in the water.
“Was all of this just a grand plan to get me almost naked?”
“To get you relaxed,” he says, pulling me out of the water. “But the sight of you in that bikini is an added benefit.”
He leads me into the sauna. It is huge, with wide benches and enough space for dozens of people. The heat makes my skin prickle with sweat almost immediately. Lucian settles onto the bench above me, and I move to sit in between his legs, my cheek resting on his thigh.
It’s a vulnerable position, but I allow myself to sink into it.
The warmth of the sauna seeps into my bones, the cedar scent mingling with the faint musk of Lucian’s skin. His fingers traillazily through my damp hair, the rhythm soothing and hypnotic. My eyes drift close, and I relax, the tension of the past few days melting away in the heat. There’s nothing but the sound of our breathing and the crackle of the sauna’s coals.
After a while, we slip outside and go dip in the icy plunge pool. The shock of the cold water steals my breath for a moment, but Lucian is there, his arms wrapping around me as we sink into the frigid depths. The contrast between the searing heat of the sauna and the biting cold of the pool is jarring, but exhilarating. My skin tingles, and I can’t help but laugh as I cling to him, my body trembling against his.
We repeat it three times until my muscles are like liquid and my skin glows with the rush of alternating heat and cold. Lucian’s hands never leave me, always guiding, always steadying, as if he knows exactly how far to push me before pulling me back. By the third cycle, I’m breathless, leaning against him as we stand in the shower, the warm water cascading over us.
Dizzy from happiness and the rapid shifts in temperature, I break free from his grasp and dash through the house, giggling as I race down the hallway, my bare feet slapping against the polished wood floors. Lucian follows close behind. I glance over my shoulder, catching the flash of his grin as he chases me, and I feel a surge of joy that’s been absent for so long.
I get as far as the master bedroom hallway before Lucian catches me, his arms wrapping around my waist and pulling me back against his chest. My carefree laughter echoes through the grand hallway as I squirm in his grasp.
His lips brush against the nape of my neck. “You’re fast. But not fast enough.”
I twist in his arms to face him, my hands coming up to rest on his chest. His skin is still damp from the shower, the droplets catching the soft light filtering through the windows.
“You cheated,” I accuse. “You’re built like a god. I never stood a chance.”
He chuckles and presses a kiss to my forehead. “Maybe so. But I’d always chase you, Evelyn. No matter how far you run.”
The certainty in his voice makes my knees weak. This isn’t romantic hyperbole—it’s a statement of fact delivered with the same conviction he’d use in a courtroom. Lucian doesn’t make promises he can’t keep, and that knowledge lights up from the inside.
I’ve never been anyone’s center of gravity before, never been the thing someone would burn the world down to keep. With Tobias, I was an accessory—beautiful, silent, suitable for display at charity galas and family dinners. But with Lucian, I’m the sun he orbits around, the magnetic north his compass seeks.
It’s hot as hell.
Lucian tilts his head. “What does my girl want? Do you want to be good tonight?”
My lips part, but no words come out—only a soft, involuntary sound that seems to hang in the air between us.
