Twenty-Nine
TWENTY-NINE
LEORA
I shift in my sleep, feeling a warm, hard body pressed against me. My eyes flutter open to see the olive skin I was fantasizing about yesterday. Lucas’s arm is wrapped around me tightly, and I feel the rise and fall of his chest. My head is nestled against his shoulder, and our legs are tangled together under the sheets.
For a moment, I just lay there, taking in his warmth and the comfort of his embrace.
It feels safe. He makes me feel safe.
His face looks so at ease and I use my finger to trace his full lips, remembering how they felt on mine yesterday. So soft.
He’s beautiful and looks almost boyish as he sleeps. I can't help but smile at the sight of him, peaceful and content in his slumber. Like all the stress he usually carries on his shoulders has dissipated.
As I move my hand up to brush a strand of hair from his forehead, Lucas begins to stir. His arm tightens around me, pulling me even closer as he lets out a contented sigh. I try to pull away, feeling wrong for enjoying this moment with him while he’s unconscious.
His eyes open, and he looks at me with a sleepy smile. "Good morning," he murmurs huskily.
"Good morning," I reply in a low voice. I'm not sure how we ended up like this but I don't want to move. I just want to stay here with him, in his arms, for as long as I can.
Lucas stretches out his legs, making us both aware of how intertwined we are under the covers. As soon as I get a chance, I untangle from his hold and move away from him.
Lucas notices my sudden movement and his expression falls a little. "You okay?"
I nod quickly, avoiding his gaze. "Yeah, I'm fine. Sorry, I don't know how I ended up close to you during the night." I look around the room and ask, "Where are the damn pillows?"
Lucas sits up, his brow cocked up. "I threw them away during the night."
"You did what?"
"I threw them away," Lucas repeats, a small smile forming on his lips. "I couldn't sleep with all those pillows between us."
I look at him incredulously. "Why on earth would you do that?"
"I told you, I couldn’t sleep." He smiles. "Are you going to make me repeat everything today?"
I can't help but roll my eyes at his teasing. "No," I say, a small smile playing at the corners of my lips.
A knock startles us. "I heard some voices. Are you decent?" Amélies voice sounds through the door.
"Yes!" Lucas calls out.
"Hey, what are you—" My attempt to protest is cut off as Lucas pulls me to him, causing me to laugh.
Amélie walks in, a grin on her face. "Well, well, well, it looks like someone had a good night," she teases, raising an eyebrow at us.
Lucas chuckles and wraps his arm around me, pulling me closer to him. "What can we do for you, Amélie?" he asks, his tone light and playful.
Amélie shakes her head, still grinning. "Just wanted to see if you guys were up for breakfast. I thought we should eat before we leave for the Louvre."
"Yes, we are," I reply, untangling myself from Lucas and sitting up in bed. "Let me just freshen up and get dressed." I jump out of bed, excitement overriding any feelings from waking up next to Lucas. "I’m so excited. I’m finally going to see the Mona Lisa and Venus de Milo with my own eyes."
Amélie beams at my excitement before exiting the room. I turn to Lucas, feeling a sudden awkwardness between us.
"Don’t get too excited about the Mona Lisa. She’s tiny."
"What do you mean?"
The Mona Lisa is, in fact, tiny. I mean, come on, who made the Mona Lisa queen of the art world anyway? I've seen bigger paintings on the back of a cereal box. But hey, at least now I can cross "See the Mona Lisa" off my bucket list, even if she is a little underwhelming.
The look on Thomas and Lucas's faces when I finally reached her after that endless line was truly pitiful, and they reveled in my disappointment, but thankfully, Amélie had my back. She scolded them on the spot, reminding them how uncivilized it is to dampen someone's excitement, and they fell silent.
I must say, I quite like her. Whenever she walks into a room, she commands it. It’s the way she carries herself, demanding respect. I could definitely learn a thing or two from her on how to wield that kind of power.
We make our way through the crowded galleries of the Louvre and I can feel my excitement building. The grandeur of the museum is awe-inspiring, and I'm grateful to be experiencing it with Lucas by my side. When we finally reach the Greek section, I can hardly contain my anticipation. The moment I see the statue of Venus in the other room, my heart swells with emotion, and a little shriek escapes my throat.
Lost in my own thoughts, I don’t pay attention to where I'm walking, which is unfortunate because I don’t realize there’s a breeze flowing through this section of the museum floor, which, of course, lifts my dress up, exposing my underwear.
Mortified, I yank my dress down as quickly as possible.
Please say everybody missed that.
Lucas is behind me in an instant, his arm tightly circled around me as he guides me away from the air conditioning unit on the floor.
"Are you laughing?" I turn my face to him, my face burning with embarrassment.
"I’m sorry," he says, but I can tell by the teasing sparkle in his eyes that he finds the situation amusing.
"Did many people see my . . ." I trail off, unable to finish my sentence.
"No, not many people saw." He reassures me, but his tone shifts as he stops at a corner. Holding me close, he leans in until his lips hover near my ear, "But I did, and I have to say, I knew red would look good on you."
As he speaks, a warmth courses through my body, leaving me with a delightful shiver that brings a smile to my face. I turn to look at him, and our eyes lock for a moment. The intensity of his gaze makes me feel both desired and vulnerable. My heart hammers in my chest as I struggle to comprehend the meaning behind his words. Does he really mean what he's saying, or is this just his way of playing with me?
I try to compose myself, but it's difficult with him so close to me. I can smell his cologne and feel his strong body against mine. Every nerve in my body is on edge as I wait for him to speak again.
"Look, there she is, Venus de Milo." He guides me towards the sculpture, hand in hand, and my body aches for more than this innocent touch. I want him to hold me again. I steal a glance at him, taking in his beautiful features and broad shoulders. His gaze lies straight ahead but his lips are curved in a smirk, as if he knows what effect his words have on me and is reveling in it.
I really don’t understand what he wants or needs from me. Is it all a joke? I try to push aside my feelings, knowing that it's not the right time or place to act on them. But as we stand there, my mind goes to every other place but the sculpture.
I want him and I think he wants me too, he might just be scared to admit it. He wouldn’t say my underwear looks good if he didn’t truly think that. Okay, he didn’t say they looked good, he said I looked good in red, but my underwear is red, so it’s almost the same thing.
I imagine him pressing me against the wall, his hands roaming over my body, and his lips exploring every inch of my skin. The thought makes me ache with need as a flush creeps up my neck.
I snap out of my trance when I realize Lucas is talking, describing the history of Venus. But I’m way too consumed by him to hear what he’s saying.
". . . she was found on the Greek island of Milos. It’s beautiful there, I think you’d love it. We’ll go there someday."
Now he’s planning a trip for us to Greece?
"Are you okay, Leora? You look a bit flustered."
I nod, trying to compose myself. "I'm fine," I lie, ignoring the comment about Greece. "I’ve always wanted to see her. She’s beautiful."
"She truly is."
I turn to him, expecting to find him admiring the statue like I am, but when my gaze lands on his face, his eyes are already on me.