Chapter 29
Pancakes – the answer is always pancakes
Chloe
I awake enveloped in Lucas’s arms and snuggle closer to him. I have no desire to be anywhere else in the world but in the arms of the man I love.
The man I love? I don’t love Lucas. I’m falling for him but I don’t love him. Not yet.
Except, I have no desire to run away. Even after he forced me to admit I was beautiful last night. Usually, I punch a man when he’s being pushy. But when Lucas opened the handcuffs, I threw myself at him.
Shit. It’s official. I love Lucas.
“What has you thinking so hard this morning?” he asks in a scratchy morning voice I want to hear every morning for the rest of my life.
I can hardly admit I just realized I love him. He might be ready for a relationship but we haven’t known each other long enough for love. Except I fell hard and fast.
He rolls over until he’s looming above me. “You aren’t considering running again, are you?”
“Nope.”
He studies my face. “Really?”
I push up to give him a quick kiss. No tongue is allowed until I’ve had a chance to brush my teeth. “Really.”
“Thank fuck. I’m not in the mood to chase you.”
“You didn’t chase me before.”
“Before I was denying how much I want you in my life, wildcat.”
“And now you’re done denying it?”
He tweaks my nose. “I made it clear I was done denying myself when I told you this marriage is no longer fake.”
“Good thing I’m not running then.”
“Good. We’ve got better things to do.” His gaze catches on my mouth and I bite my bottom lip. Screw the whole brushing the teeth rule.
He punches his hips forward until I feel his hard cock, hot and heavy against my stomach. And my stomach rumbles. Loudly.
I cover my face in embarrassment. “Ignore it.”
“Nope. If my wildcat’s hungry, she’s getting food.”
I start to pout but my stomach rumbles again.
Lucas frowns. “You didn’t eat enough at our picnic last night.”
“It’s hard to concentrate on food when the man who kisses you each night before denying you sex is sitting before you with his chest on full display.”
He chuckles as he bounds out of bed. He shackles my wrist to help me out, and I wince. He frowns as he studies the red marks on my skin.
“Shit. I didn’t mean to hurt you.”
“Pretty sure it was me hurting myself when I strained against the cuffs because you were driving me mad.”
“Still. We won’t use cuffs again.”
I pout. “You won’t tie me up again?”
He smirks. “I didn’t say there wouldn’t be any tying up in the future. In fact, I can’t wait to tie your hands and your legs up.”
“My hands and legs?” An image of me spreadeagle on the bed flashes in my mind and I moan.
His cock twitches. “You’re tempting me, but these marks need to heal before I tie you up again.”
I lick my lips. “I know some things we can do that won’t hurt my wrists.” I nod toward his cock.
He groans. “The first time you take me in your mouth won’t be while your stomach is rumbling.”
I place a hand over my stomach, which is indeed rumbling. “I guess you better feed me.”
He helps me out of bed and urges me toward the bathroom. “Get ready while I make breakfast. Do you want pancakes or sausage and eggs?”
“Pancakes. The answer is always pancakes.”
He chuckles. “I should have known my little sugar addict wants pancakes.”
“I’m not addicted to sugar. I can stop eating it whenever I want to. But I don’t want to.” I spent the first eighteen years of my life being denied sweets and chocolate. I am never living without it again.
Lucas prowls toward me. “Stop.”
“Stop what? Eating sugar? I just said I refuse to.”
He palms my neck and places his forehead against mine. “Stop thinking about your mother.”
I roll my eyes. “You’re the one who brought her up last night. During sex, I might add.”
He squeezes my neck. “Because I can’t stand how you cringe whenever anyone says you’re beautiful. You are beautiful. You should be able to hear the word without freaking out.”
“I’m not freaking out now.” Maybe a little bit but at least I didn’t cringe.
He grins. “Because I fucked your hatred of the word right out of you.”
I gasp. “You did not!”
“Are you certain? I can replay what happened for you.”
Dang it. He called my bluff. “I thought you were going to make me breakfast.”
He whirls me around and prods me toward the bathroom with a pat on my ass. “Do your thing. I’ll have breakfast waiting for you.”
Gotta love a man who knows how to pick his battles. And, yes, this is the man I love. I clutch my chest. I can’t believe I fell in love with my fake husband.
I force the panic away. I’m not going to worry about the future. I’m going to enjoy the moment. The future will have to sort itself out.
When I enter the kitchen a few minutes later, Lucas is at the stove flipping pancakes without a shirt on. I study his broad back as his muscles bunch with his actions. I want to feel those muscles move beneath my hands.
Hey. Wait a minute. I can.
I join him at the stove and wrap my arms around him. He glances over his shoulder and smiles at me. This man’s smile is dangerous.
I’d do crazy things to see his smile every single morning for the rest of my life. Such as marry him to protect his daughter and then fall in love with him. It’s official. I have done crazy things.
“There’s coffee in the pot.”
I kiss his shoulder before releasing him. “Do you need a top up?”
I fiddle with the coffees and pour us some orange juice while he finishes up the pancakes. He slides a stack of three pancakes on my plate.
“Don’t worry. There’s more.”
I giggle. “Smart man.”
“I have a daughter. I know to keep the pancakes coming.”
I glance at Natalia’s empty spot at the table. “Is it crazy to say I miss her?”
Lucas squeezes my hand. “You love her. Of course, you miss her.”
“She’s very loveable.”
The door bangs open and Natalia bursts inside. “I’m home!”
“Speak of the devil,” Lucas mutters before standing to hug her. “Welcome home, cupcake. Did you have fun?”
“We had a ball! We played flashlight tag and cornhole and then we made smores on the firepit outside. Can we get a firepit?”
“I’ll think about it,” Lucas says.
She turns to me. “What do you think, Clo-Clo?”
“I’ll speak to your father.” I wink.
“Is there coffee?” Sophia says as she trudges inside and drops several bags at the bottom of the stairs. “Please say there’s coffee.”
I point to the counter. “Didn’t you have coffee at home?”
“We did,” Flynn says as he enters. “But it wasn’t enough.”
Sophia glares at him. “You’re the one who decided we should build a fort and watch movies.”
He shrugs. “I thought she’d fall asleep.”
“Instead, she sang every song in the movie.”
I giggle. “No one asked you to babysit. You kidnapped Natalia.”
Sophia salutes me with her coffee mug. “Was it worth it?” She waggles her eyebrows.
I feel my cheeks heat.
“Awesome,” she mutters.
“What’s awesome?” Natalia asks.
“Me,” I say. “I’m awesome.”
She gets a gleam in her eye and I worry I’ve just made a mistake. A big mistake.
“Awesome stepmoms take their stepdaughters to Mermaid Mystical Gardens. ”
Sophia bursts into laughter. “You walked right into that.”
I raise my eyebrow at Lucas. “What do you think?”
“It is Sunday and you did promise her we’d go to the amusement park the next time we both had off on the weekend.”
“YES!” Natalia squeals at the top of her lungs. “I’m going to ride the rollercoaster first. Or maybe the spinning teacup. I need to phone Piper. She’ll know what rides are the best.”
She sprints to the stairs but screeches to a halt and spins around before running to me. She throws her arms around me.
“Thank you, Clo-Clo. You’re the best stepmom in the world.”
She rushes away before I have the chance to thank her or tell her she’s the best stepdaughter in the world.
“Welp. I’m out of here before I get roped into joining you.” Sophia tags Flynn’s hand and leads him toward the door.
“You love the rollercoasters,” I holler after her.
She lifts her mug in response. “I’ll bring this back later.”
Lucas chuckles.
“What?”
“Have you ever taken a kid to an amusement park before?”
I shake my head.
“This is going to be fun.”
I don’t know what he means, but it will be fun. I get to spend the entire day with my two favorite people at one of my favorite places on earth.
What could possibly go wrong?