Page 54 of Purchase Power
Commercial real estate. Interesting.Lucy caught a glimpse of her reflection in the mirrored walls and fixed a stray hair lingering in her face. “Maybe you should suggest this place to Mr. Hayes and Ms. Kelsey.” She hadn’t caught Kelsey’s last name.
“You had the chance to talk to her, yes?”
Lucy allowed a smug grin to dominate her demeanor. “I think Mr. Hayes will be quite happy with the direction his love life is going after tonight. At the same time, I understand why he’s so apprehensive. She’s lucky to have a man like him for her first lover. You know, if a girl has to auction the honors off, that is.”
“It’s certainly not ideal. I get why women do it,” Noah said, “but I’m with David on the side of preferring to not get involved with that.”
“She says he was really,reallydrunk that night.”
“Last I saw him, he was stumbling a bit, but nothing worse than usual. I suppose if you’re a sheltered young lady, David certainly looked a bit… pissed.” The elevator stopped. The doors dinged open. Noah led the way down a slender, well-lit hallway. “I’m glad he didn’t do anything stupid with her. You may not believe it about him, but he’s not the kind to be into that.”
“So I’ve gathered. I told her to try seducinghimfor once.”
Noah stopped. Lucy almost bumped into him. “Huh?”
She rubbed her nose. “Seduce him. If he’s too nervous to initiate, then she should do the honors of taking all the power. It’s the least she’s owed, considering the circumstances.” And what circumstances they were, honestly.
“That will be a call I can live without hearing for a while.” Noah removed his keycard from his pocket and stopped in front of a door. “In other news, when I booked the room I asked for a few essentials. I hope you don’t mind.”
“Hey, you’re paying.”
Noah led her into a wide, cozy suite overlooking most of the downtown core. The floor-to-ceiling windows invited Lucy to step forward and inhale the sights of twinkling lights and the people going about their lives like ants in their colony. Noah stopped by a bucket of ice. There was a bottle of wine in it, as well as two chilled glasses awaiting his pour.
Lucy didn’t join him until he extended a glass to her. “I thought I had plenty at dinner.” She came a little closer. “Guess not. Are you trying to get me relaxed, Mr. Gabriel?” She took the glass and nudged his shoulder. “Finally going for the backdoor tonight?”
“You joke,” he began, “but that might not be a half-bad idea.”
“Are you kidding? Let me think about it.” Lucy could tease him like this all night. What was it? The fresh scenery? The entertaining company at dinner? Knowing Noah as well as she could after one week? The wine?It’s the wine. This is like my third glass now.Lucy went through bouts where she would have a glass every night with her dinner. It made her feel fancy.Cultured.God knew that wasn’t true, but damnit, she felt it in her bones every time she sat down with Lacey to sup on Chinese food from the corner and watch Netflix. As long as they had wine – boxed or bottled, didn’t matter – in their hands, they could feel like a million dollars.
Noah was literally a million dollars, and he demanded more from the wine he drank.
“If you could have one thing tonight, Ms. Craig,” he asked, glass held out for a toast. “What would it be?”
She hesitated. “From you?”
“Of course.”
How sad was it that she didn’t have to think too hard about it? “A kiss. A proper kiss on the mouth, Noah Gabriel.”
She clinked her glass against his and sipped her wine, eyes never leaving his. Noah was in no hurry to complete his end of the toast.
“A kiss. That’s really what you want?”
“Uh huh.” Lucy smacked her lips after sampling that wine. “A kiss, Mr. Gabriel.”
“How unfortunate. That’s the one thing I’m not willing to release tonight.”
“Figured as much. That’s why I have a backup answer.”
“Oh, thank God.” Noah finally drank his wine. “No offense, of course. I’ve simply already made it clear how I feel about kissing.”
Lucy decided to ignore that and go straight to option two. “I want to bathe with you.”
He almost spat out his wine. “Bathe?” A cough rattled his throat.
“Yes. Take a shower with me tonight. Or a bath.” Lucy tore herself away from his side and investigated the bathtub. Sure enough, she found a deep, clawfoot tub in the center of the room.Now this is a fancy suite.“Order us some fancy bubble bath and drip them on my tits.”
The expression on Noah’s face might as well have announced his inability to believe a single thing she requested. “I don’t get the appeal. If it’s what you want later, though…”
