Chapter 26
Chapter Twenty-Six
Valerie
I woke early the next morning in my bed with Lucas wrapped around me.
While last night’s meeting with my family had been the clusterfuck I knew it would be, Lucas had been my rock.
Kendall was as out of control, as usual, and my parents, of course, played their regular roles.
Nothing new there, until Lucas. He hadn’t tolerated it at all, and he’d stood up for me when I stayed silent.
Staying silent was no longer an option. It was time for me to stand up to my family, no matter how much it pained me to do so.
Last night, Lucas had shown me how much I meant to him.
It was time for me to act. I shifted out of his embrace and climbed out of bed, shutting the bathroom door after I slipped inside.
Damn, my family had messed my head up more than I realized.
Had I been testing my trust in Lucas? I didn’t want to think that, but it was possible.
I turned on the shower, and once it warmed up, I stepped in, still trying to figure out why the insecure little girl inside me wanted approval from the people who’d raised me.
Ducking my head under the water to clear out the cobwebs, I knew deep down that approval from my parents would never happen. That didn’t stop me from hoping for it.
They would never change. And never stop. On the drive home, my phone had started blowing up. My parents. I turned the phone off and hadn’t turned it back on yet.
We’d grabbed pizza, and when Lucas asked me where we should go, his place or mine, I chose mine. I not only needed to change but to be around things that reminded me I didn’t need my parents’ approval for anything. This was my home, and who I chose to share it with was my business.
Lucas had been so considerate last night, making sure I ate, covering me with my favorite plush throw when I mentioned I was chilled.
He even allowed me to pick the movie we watched. I sighed. I was falling for Lucas all over again. That wasn’t a bad thing, but could I trust him? Men didn’t stay. They preferred women like Kendall, not me.
Heck, even Lucas had left me. I shook my head. He’d explained what happened, and I believed him, but how much did a leopard change his spots in five years? That was a question I wasn’t sure I wanted the answer to.
Last night, though, he’d pushed Kendall away, so that was a point in the plus column.
Hiding in the bathroom wasn’t going to get me closer to any answers.
After finishing my shower, I dressed. I glanced at the bed as I walked through the room. Lucas was sound asleep, looking very innocent.
My face heated. He hadn’t been so innocent last night when he made love to me. That man knew just which buttons to push. I grinned and walked to the kitchen. First order of business: coffee. Once that was started, I looked at what I had in my fridge.
A can of cinnamon rolls sat on the top shelf. Perfect. A carby, sugary, delicious breakfast. I glanced at the clock. Seven. Surprise hit me at the early hour since we’d gone to bed about midnight and didn’t fall asleep until after two.
I’d wait until Lucas woke up before I started them. The coffee was finished, so I grabbed a mug and filled it, I made my way to the back patio. The chilly air caused me to shiver. I nabbed one of the throws I left by the back door and sat down.
Thinking about his defense of me last night had something unraveling. We may have had our differences, but last night, he proved he was here for the long term. I shifted and snuggled down in the chair. Lucas put me first last night, and that meant something.
“It’s a little chilly to be out here, isn’t it?” Lucas leaned over and brushed a soft kiss over my lips.
“Good morning.” My lips tingled from the brief contact. “It is chilly, but I love it. You, on the other hand, might need some more clothes.” He wore a pair of sweats, no shirt and no shoes. Damn, he had a fine body. Not like I didn’t know that before now, but my nipples tightened.
“I’d rather share.” He fingered the throw.
“A little hard out here.” While the chair might hold both of us, the throw wasn’t made for two.
He wrinkled his nose. “Why don’t we go back inside?”
I stood, and before I could take a step, he scooped me up in his arms.
“Careful, I’ve got coffee in my hands.” I held the mug out so it wouldn’t spill on him.
“No worries. I have very steady hands.”
Those words sent a shaft of need through me. “I know all about your hands.”
His husky chuckle caused me to grin. Oh yes, I was falling for him, and that didn’t worry me at all now. Probably because Lucas had always held a piece of my heart, and I was finally acknowledging it.
“Carrying me wasn’t necessary,” I said as he kicked the door closed, then sat on the sofa with me in his lap. By some miracle, not one drop of my coffee had spilled.
“It was quicker, and I was freezing.” He took my mug from my hand and set it on the side table before he cupped the back of my head and captured my mouth.
Now this was a wake-up kiss. His lips devoured me. I wrapped my arms around his neck, holding him close. I could get used to waking up this way every morning.
Be careful, girl.
But I didn’t want to be careful; I wanted to let go and be with Lucas. It felt right.
Lucas’ cell phone rang. He broke the kiss and looked at me.
“Not mine, I haven’t turned it back on after last night.”
“Then it’s mine.” It stopped ringing and then a ping sounded. “Voice mail. Let me go see what it is.”
“Okay.” It was a little disappointing to be interrupted, but we had all day. “I’ll start breakfast.” I went into the kitchen and Lucas into the bedroom.
A few minutes later, Lucas walked into the kitchen. “I hope cinnamon rolls are okay?” I turned to him. “Lucas?” His face was tight.
“I need to leave. Mindy needs me.”
His sister. “Is she okay?” It must be urgent if he had to go right now.
“It looks like our parents dropped the ball again.”
“I’m sorry. What happened?”
“Mindy said something about our parents promising to pay her tuition, and they didn’t.” He ran his hand through his hair.
“Why do you need to leave? I have my laptop. You can use it to transfer the money. I can leave you alone to do that.”
“I…” He paused and closed his eyes. “Why didn’t I think about that?”
“Because your emotions are running high.” I walked over to him, placed my hand on his arm, and squeezed. Here was the caring brother who always made sure his sister would be taken care of. Just like he took care of me last night. “Follow me.”
I released him and walked into the small bedroom I’d turned into an office, booted up my laptop, and logged in. “All yours.” I swept my arm out. “Breakfast in ten.”
“You’re the best.” He gave me a quick kiss before he sat down.
I left him to do what he needed to do. After putting the cinnamon rolls in the pre-heated air fryer, I poured him a cup of coffee and took it to him. The soft clacks of computer keys sounded loud in the silence. Funny how I never noticed the silence before.
Lucas stared at the screen as he typed. I quietly set the mug on the desk next to his left hand. “Thanks.” He fisted the mug.
“Breakfast in ten,” I reminded him.
“You got it.”
His attention never wandered from the screen. He was as single-minded as I was at times. I puttered around the kitchen, trying not to feel disappointed that Lucas hadn’t looked at me.
Get over yourself, girl. He has to take care of his sister, and you have all day.