Page 59 of Resisting the Lawyer (Dirty Hot Resistance 3)

I have to muffle my laugh at seeing the affable man that I adore, suddenly looking so taken aback.

Lucas immediately clears his throat, “I meant, I can. Of course, I can. I draw a good salary.”

Right now, I’m so happy about this sudden reunion that the meaning of this conversation doesn’t really register on me.

“Do you have a house or one of those two-room apartments?”

Lucas gapes at the man as he replies, “Ah, a house, Sir.”

“How many rooms? Where will we stay when we come to visit?”

Each question is more embarrassing and baffling than the next and I know I should feel awful about what’s happening but I have never seen my father behave this way and it settles something inside of me that has been grieving for a long time.

I’m no longer alone.

“It’s a five bedroom house in the suburbs. It’s – There’s a guesthouse, if you’re interested. Or you can stay in the house.

It’s up to you.”

My mother puts a restraining hand on my father’s arm to quell his questions.

Except, he does ask in a gruff manner, “Do you go to church?”

Lucas blinks in panic and shoots me a look that has me feeling sorry for him. “Not really, Sir.”

My father stares at him for a few long seconds that has us all holding our breath. Until he finally orders, “You’ll go with us. This Sunday, at nine. Elise knows where we attend services.”

Lucas just nods.

Then my father finally says, “You’ll do.”

The sigh of relief that escapes me has Lucas tightening his hand on mine.

Then, suddenly, I realize what I’m feeling relieved about.

Lucas just said he’s marrying me and my father is going to make sure he follows through with it!

Although, Lucas did state his intentions before, to me, this is moving too fast for both of us and I don’t want him to tie himself to me because he suddenly feels pressured into it.

Seeing, Lucas’s mother in the distance, I say, faintly, “Could you look after Sophie for a few minutes? We need to go talk to someone.”

My father waves me off and I drag Lucas into a corner. Once we’re out of everyone’s sight, my shoulders slump. “Look, you don’t have to worry about this marriage thing, whatever he’s saying – I mean—”

“I do intend to marry you.” Lucas cuts me off.

I grit my teeth. “I know. You said that. But my father won’t tolerate a long engagement. You don’t know him. He’ll get involved and you don’t want that.”

When Lucas’s eyes gleam with interest, I feel another sinking sensation in the pit of my stomach. “W-why are you smiling?”

He steps towards me, backing me into the wall, next to the large potted plant that’s obscuring everyone’s view, and drawls, “I’m failing to see how any of that is a bad thing.”

I flap my mouth uselessly, his proximity too heady of a drug to think properly. “You can’t be serious.”

He cocks his head in a way that’s too endearing, “In my opinion, the sooner I have a legal claim to you, the better.”

I bristle at this. “You can’t just claim me. I’m a person.”

His mouth brushes at my jaw gently and my heart is pounding madly, my breath shallow as his warm breath caresses me, “Can too. When I take you in bed, on the kitchen counter, on the dining room table, in the shower and on every available surface in our house, I’ll claim your body.” His finger trails down my neck, softly. “I’ll have you screaming my name. I’ll have you aching for me.”

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