Chapter 16 Lucien
LUCIEN
My fears that I would return home to an orgy were unfounded.
Jae and Mercer were working on the kitchen as planned, removing all the cabinet doors. Summer was sitting in the shade of the back porch, huge headphones on, bopping along to music while she was playing Animal Crossing.
She immediately dropped everything when she saw me with Felix and his awkwardly angled paw tucked against my chest.
“I’m calling James!” she cried out.
Well, that was easy.
Despite being dressed like he was ready to spend all day drinking cocktails with his floral shirt and aviators, James insisted he was happy to check on the mayor on his day off.
Felix refused to be taken from my arms so his consultation occurred on my lap.
Summer hovered behind me worriedly as James slowly rotated Felix’s paw, testing the range of movement.
“Poor thing.” Summer burrowed into my shoulder, peeking out with one eye. “Ugh, I’m a wreck when it comes to injured animals. I just need them to get better immediately. Thank god you found him, Lucien.”
Her nearness and the easy way she touched me clouded my head like cotton candy. “It’s no problem,” I stumbled. “I’m glad you were still home.”
“Lucy’s coming by to pick me up in the golf cart in an hour. Your timing was perfect.”
I resisted the urge to question the safety of golf carts and where they could possibly be going to require that particular mode of transportation.
“Did you notice him limping?” James asked.
“No, he was hiding under a bush licking his paw. Meowing sadly.” Okay, that made it sound like I was overreacting. “You kind of had to be there,” I added lamely.
“What happened to you, baby?” Summer leaned down and petted Felix. I tried and failed not to focus on her soft breasts pressed up against me. God, she smelled so fucking good. I had to remind myself I had an injured cat on my lap and I couldn’t drag Summer onto it instead.
James looked at Summer draped over me and then back down at Felix blinking up at us. “Yeah, I think I have an idea of what happened,” he said dryly. “I’m going to try to take him again.”
Felix went all limp and allowed James to pick him up. “Fascinating,” he deadpanned. “Well, he hasn’t done anything permanent and will be back to normal before you know it. Maybe even earlier. I’ll get him patched up with my supplies at home.”
Summer breathed a sigh of relief. “Thanks, James.”
I caught a sharp whisper of conversation as James headed down our front yard with Felix. “Are you proud of yourself? Unbelievable. You know I’m going to have to put a bandage on you now. I haven’t decided how big it’s going to be yet, ow, don’t scratch me!”
I shut the front door, a little confused. “I’m sorry I had to interrupt you for that,” I apologized to Summer.
“You didn’t.” She looked up at me through long lashes. “You can always interrupt me. For, er, anything Felix related, I mean.”
My hand twitched at my side, wanting to tuck the errant strand of hair behind her ear.
The pulsing need from earlier was gone, replaced with a quiet wish to see her smile.
She had little red gummy bear earrings swinging from her lobes.
Cute. She looked beautiful in her loose, oversized shirt, and I got the sudden urge to see her in my clothes.
“Heard you helped my dad earlier.”
“Hmm?” I jolted back to the present. “How did you…”
“We have a family group chat.” She held up her phone. “And then Lina, Alvin, and I have a separate one to talk about our parents.”
I laughed because it was exactly the same with Jae and Mercer. “It was no big deal. I also met Tofu.”
“Ah, yes. My third sibling. Was he terrified of anything today?”
“The lamppost.”
“Ooh, that’s a new one.” Summer scanned through her texts. “You did make a mistake saying you liked the food, though. He’s going to go overboard now.”
I knew I had committed a faux pas without realizing. “We should pay him,” I offered urgently.
“Oh god no, don’t do that. Tell him you ate everything. That’s all he wants to hear.”
“It’s different from what he serves at Red Lantern,” I observed. Everything had been simpler—like a veggie and egg stir-fry, caramelized pork, and so many types of soup—all so fresh and full of flavor. Did I recognize all the ingredients? No, but it tasted incredible.
Her eyes softened behind a veil of shyness. “Of course. It’s what we eat at home.”
“Well, it’s not going to be a hardship to finish whatever he’s kind enough to make us.”
Summer leaned against the wall and crossed her arms. A little guarded. “Careful, you might get yourself invited to family dinner,” she joked.
I had a flashback of Summer’s dad twirling his shears. “Well, I can’t say no if it happens.” My tone was light, but as soon as I said it, I realized I meant it.
A hint of surprise dashed across her face. “You would go to my family dinner? We can get pretty overwhelming and loud.”
“I suspected.”
Summer whacked me on the arm. “You’re terrible,” she laughed, shaking her head. “Maybe I should make you go.”
Imagining myself among the people she cared for the most brought an unfamiliar burning ache to my throat.
I followed her all the way to the back porch. Her things lay scattered from earlier. I picked up her Switch and headphones and handed them to her. “Enjoy your day off.” I looked around, frowning. There was definitely something missing. “Do you have water? It’s so hot.”
“Oh, um, I do have a bottle. It’s…somewhere.” Summer flashed a sheepish smile.
That wouldn’t do. “I’ll be right back.”
I found her water bottle partially camouflaged by the vase on the hall table. On the way back, I also picked up a cushion from the couch on a whim. The deck chair didn’t have one. Summer went a little pink as she took both from me.
“Thanks, Lucien.”
Her scent changed. All the brights and boldness mellowed into a gentle beam of afternoon sunlight. Held hands, heads together, finding animals in the clouds. Soft. Vulnerable.
It was difficult to tear myself away.