8. Lucia
Chapter 8
Lucia
I open my eyes, momentarily confused by the unfamiliar surroundings. My head rests on a warm, firm chest as memories of last night flood back.
Oh god. I must look like a complete disaster.
I try to slide off the bed, hoping to make a quick escape to the bathroom.
“Where do you think you’re going?” Ronan’s arm tightens around my waist, pulling me back against him. He spins me around and his lips find mine before I can protest. I don’t open my mouth despite his tongue searching for entry.
I wriggle from his embrace. “Really? You choose now for our first morning kiss?”
He chuckles, rolling us until he is on top of me. His weight pins me to the mattress as he gazes down with dark eyes. “I want to be inside you again. Feel how perfectly you wrap around me.”
“I have to get to work.” My fingers trace the muscles of his shoulders, betraying my reluctance to leave.
“After breakfast.” He drops a kiss on my collarbone. “I’m feeding you first.”
My heart flutters. This feels different. We feel different. There’s an intimacy building in our arrangement that I shouldn’t allow, but it seems to be happening.
“You don’t have to do that.”
He arches an eyebrow. But the morning light softens his features—and he doesn’t look as annoyed as he is trying to look. In fact, there’s a tender way in which he looks at me and it makes me wonder if perhaps his feelings run deeper than he admits.
His hands widen my legs, and he settles between them. His thick cock pressing against my pussy.
“Really?”
He grins before his face burrows into my neck. His ass shifts as he positions himself. “You’re already wet. Are you ready for me?”
“What can I say? The faucet doesn’t exactly turn off when you’re around.”
His laugh rumbles against my skin as he pushes forward, joining us together once again.
I sit at my desk, fingers idly tracing the edge as my mind wanders back to this morning. Ronan’s powerful arms wrapped around me; me on his knee and his deep voice rumbling against my skin as he fed me breakfast.
The intimacy of it all makes my heart race.
Not so wonderful was leaving his home.
I had to duck my head in the car, praying my parents didn’t see me as I passed in his car. The very thought of them finding out about this arrangement makes my stomach twist. But the way Ronan makes me feel...it could be worth the risk.
My desk phone rings, and I quickly compose myself before answering. “Hello?”
“Luce, it’s Violet. Are you and Amelia free tonight?” Her voice is bright and cheery. But it always is.
“Actually, yeah. We don’t have any plans.” If Ronan calls for me, I know it will be late because he has a meeting at the club at eight tonight.
“Great! I’ll see you later. I want to talk to you guys about something.” She pauses.
“Okay, sure. We’ll be there.” I hang up the phone and send a quick message to Amelia.
The moment I place my phone on the desk, it buzzes with a new message, and I can’t help the smile that spreads across my face when I see it’s from Ronan.
I enjoyed last night more than I should have. Can’t wait to do it all again.
I quickly type out a reply.
Me too. I’m looking forward to it.
Tucking my phone back into my pocket, I turn my attention to the stack of files on my desk. But my mind keeps drifting back to Ronan, to the way he made me feel this morning. The way he makes me feel, period.
And I know I’m dipping my toes into dangerous territory. I also know I shouldn’t be letting myself get so attached. I certainly shouldn’t be feeling anything for my friend’s dad. But there’s also something about him that just draws me in, no matter how hard I try to resist.
Later that night, I tap my pencil against my teeth, studying the half-finished sketch on my easel. The familiar scratch of graphite against paper brings back memories of art classes and dreams I’d shelved.
Just like Ronan’s touch, drawing has awakened something inside me.
The front door chimes. It’s quickly followed by Violet’s laughter echoing through the apartment.
“You won’t believe what happened,” Violet tells Amelia in the hallway.
“Just tell me, will you?” Amelia says, laughter in her tone.
“Is Lucia here? I have to tell you both.”
A knock on my bedroom door interrupts my drawing. Violet pokes her head in, waving a bottle of wine. “Stop being antisocial. Come celebrate with us.”
“What are we celebrating?” I set down my pencil.
“I’m a financial genius.” She grabs my hand, pulling me up. “Come on, this bottle won’t drink itself.”
In the living room, Amelia sprawls across the couch while Violet pours three generous glasses of red.
“So give us the tea,” Amelia says, taking a glass.
“Firstly, I would like to advise you two ladies that men are such idiots when it comes to their wallets and their dicks,” Violet says, handing me a glass. “All it takes is a few well-placed compliments and they’re throwing money at you.”
Amelia snorts. “I remember that guy who bought you a car after two dates. Definitely an idiot.”
“The Porsche guy?” Violet grins. “He was fugly…and wanted sex. And extremely rich.” “Did you sleep with him, considering he was so fugly?” I shift on the couch, taking a large sip of wine. Violet owns her sexuality in a way I never could. She makes no apologies for what she wants.
“Of course she did. She owns it,” Amelia adds.
“He has an amazing cock,” Violet says. “And he enjoyed fucking me from behind.”
“Win. Win. So, how much have you made in total?” I ask.
Violet’s smile widens. “As of today? One hundred thousand dollars, and the reason for the celebration.”
“No way,” I say, nearly choking on my wine. “You’ve only been on the website for what? A couple of months.”
“Five months.” Violet grins. “Every month is better than the last. This month I earned forty thousand dollars.”
“Wow!” Amelia gulps another sip of her wine. She stares at Violet’s bracelet. “And then there’s the jewelry and the car.”
Violet holds her hand in the air. “Oh yeah!”
“I couldn’t have a sugar daddy,” Amelia adds. “My dad would kill me if he found out.”
I swallow and stare at my glass of red.
“But I think Lucia has something to share with us,” Amelia continues.
“What? I…I’m not sharing anything.”
Violet laughs. “Wow. You’ve gone as red as a cherry.”
“But I doubt Lucia’s got a sugar daddy...” Amelia’s eyes narrow on the bite mark she found on my neck when I came home this morning. “Hickies are a younger man’s thing.”
“Oh my god. Tell us who it is,” Violet cuts in.
“There’s nothing to tell.” I curl deeper into the couch cushions.
“Yes, there is. You’ve been sneaking around like a teenager.” Amelia points her wineglass at me. “And those shoes you try to hide in your closet cost more than our rent. Rent you claim you can’t afford.”
“I got a bonus.” I wave off her suspicion. “Work’s been crazy, and we all got a little extra for our hard work.”
My god, my lies are getting worse.
“And can you explain why you didn’t come home last night?” Amelia raises an eyebrow.
“I was at Nadia’s.” The lie tastes bitter on my tongue.
“Sure you were.” Amelia grins. “A night out is worth at least five grand to the right daddy.”
“Oh please, more like ten.” Violet swirls her wine. “Especially if he’s loaded because whoever is buying her those designer dresses and expensive shoes will have plenty of cash.”
Amelia laughs. “You joined the website, didn’t you?”
“No!”
“Come on, Luce. Tell us. We won’t tell,” Violet adds. “Men our age do not send expensive dresses and shoes for dates. And if a man never sent them, then where are you getting the money from?”
“Will you two stop?” I shift and my elbow catches Amelia’s glass. Red wine splashes across my cream sweater. “Damn it!”
I bolt for my bedroom, yanking my phone out and sending Ronan a message:
We should forget about tonight. Maybe cool it a little. Amelia is still suspicious. She and Violet are teasing me.
“Get back here!” Amelia calls after me. “We’re not done interrogating you!”
I dash to the bathroom to blot the stain, leaving my phone in my room, underneath my pillow.
When I return, Violet’s smile turns wicked. “So how old is he?”
“There isn’t anyone,” I reply just as quickly.
“Yes, there is. Violet is open about her relationships. I told you all about being cheated on, so why are you keeping your secret lover from us? We tell each other everything.”
“He isn’t a secret lover.” I groan, hating I’ve admitted to something.
“Ah!”
And then my phone rings out. I recognize the sound I assigned to Ronan and go to answer.
“Now!” Amelia yells.
Violet tackles me onto the couch, pinning my arms. “Got her! Find her phone.”
“Let me go!” I squirm, but she’s surprisingly strong.
Amelia sprints to my bedroom. My stomach drops, but then I relax when my phone stops ringing. She’ll never find it.
“This is for your own good.” Violet laughs. “We look out for each other. What if you went missing? How would we find you? Who would go down for your murder?”
I huff. “Oh my god, Violet. You are so dramatic.”
She kisses my cheek. “It’s just a bit of fun,” Violet says, tightening her grip. “But you shouldn’t hide things from your best friends. I tell you so much you know when I ovulate.”
“I really don’t need to know as much as you tell me.” I shake my head as Amelia storms back in, my phone clutched in her hand. Her face is red and thunderous as she turns my phone so I can see the message her father sent me.
I’ll deal with Amelia.
I swallow hard. This can’t be happening.