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Lucian opened his eyes when Leigh shifted sleepily against hiain, but just for a heartbeat this tih, however, was still under He didn&039;ther and planning their future The years stretched away in his h liked his house, which was good There&039;d be little to do to accoet a bed like this big round one of Thomas&039;s A smile crept over his face as he recalled all that they&039;d done, and all that they could still do on a bed like this

Of course, he realized, they couldn&039;t stay at his house all the time She had a business in Kansas City she&039;d want to oversee, but perhaps he could persuade her to hire more help and spend less time there He&039;d have to see He wanted her happy

Lucian toyed with a strand of her hair and wondered what her own house was like He was i it small and cozy, full of overstuffed furniture and coh They&039;d head down there once Morgan and Donny were caught and out of the way

Leighher head on his chest like a cat, and Lucian s her hair, he let his hand run down her war as sheinto the touch He loved touching her He loved how she responded He loved her

The thought didn&039;t surprise hied while they&039;d h had a quick, intelligent brain, a kind and loving heart, and she cared for others before herself She was also as alone and lonely as he was A kindred spirit

Unfortunately, she also had a passel of fears bundled up inside her He had only touched on theet past before their future could be pursued But for thewas fine

"Hello How long did I sleep?"

Lucian glanced down and sh&039;s face

"Not long Are you ready for a shower and breakfast?" he asked, though it was going to be more like a late lunch It had been past lunchtime when he&039;d tried to cook Now the clock on the dresser said it was close to three in the afternoon

"Oh yes," Leigh asped with surprise as Lucian suddenly shifted and swung her up in his ar her areneau What with you feedingme about you&039;ll spoil me with all this care, and I&039;ll come to expect it"

"And so you should A smart man treats his life h&039;s sh her eyes

"What is it?" he asked, but she glanced away, then cleared her throat as she saw he&039;d carried her into the bathrooe room with its sunken sauna and stand-up shower that could fit four, maybe five people "Thomas certainly has luxurious taste"

"He can afford it," Lucian said with a shrug, setting her on her feet as she began to wiggle He felt her absence as she ?" Leigh asked, tossing him a sood idea," he said with feigned soleh chuckled as she stepped into the shower and moved to adjust the water taps "Yes, well, that&039;s all well and good, but you behave yourself I aet out to breakfast"

"I think it will actually have to be brunch," Lucian adh was fiddling with the selection of knobs on the wall, trying to sort out ould start the shower Lucian found the curve of her back irresistible and stepped up behind her, his hands catching her waist as he pulled her back against hi

"What?" he asked innocently, pressing his seainst her backside, then he squawked and juh laughed and quickly began turning knobs, trying to adjust the spray

"Sorry" She turned toward hiot it at the proper teure out the -- "

Her words ended on a gasp as he kissed her Leigh allowed it for a moment, then pushed at his chest

"Food," she said, her voice husky

"I have to soap you up There&039;s no reason I can&039;t kiss you while I do it," Lucian said mildly, and reached for the soap, then put his arms around her to lather behind her back as he bent to her lips again

Leigh sighed into hisaround his neck as he kissed her Then she shifted and sighed again when he broke their kiss and turned her out of the water, blocking it with his own body as he ran his soapy hands over her back

"You&039;re like a cat wanting stroking," he growled by her ear as his hands drifted lower

"Cats don&039;t like water," Leigh reainst his erection as his hands now slid up her arms, then under them and around to cover her breasts in lather

"Mainst his chest, her bottoainst his now full erection as he caressed her soapy body

"Where have you been all roaned as he dipped one soapy hand between her legs

Lucian smiled and kissed the side of her neck, then nibbled at her ear before whispering, "Waiting for you," as he slid one finger inside her Leigh gasped, and stiffened as he withdrew his hand

"Food," Lucian taunted when she groaned in protest and caught at his hand, urging it back

"Food can wait," she assured hi over his erection

Lucian held strong and turned her into the water, rinsing her and wetting her hair at the saru to touch hihs of pleasure slipped froed her scalp Despite his words, Lucian had gone hard as a rock Her body kept brushing his in the shoith teasing, fleeting caresses of skin, and he was hard-pressed not to finish what he&039;d started But she was hungry, and he actually was, too, and she needed food

"This is a big shower," she coh as he moved her back under the water so she could rinse the soap from her hair While she did that, he quickly shalanced toward the walls as hehe&039;d like to make love to her here as he had in the dream of her shower "Maybe we should put one in at the house We could arrange to have it done while ere in Kansas so ouldn&039;t have to put up with the inconvenience and noise of the worklanced back to find her eyes open, that same troubled look in their depths He raised an eyebrow "What is it?"

"I -- You keep talking like we&039;re -- " Leigh frowned, then said gently, "Lucian, I don&039;t want to rush into anything"

"What does that mean?" he asked slowly

She hesitated, then said, "I ive it a try and date you, but -- "

"Date?" he squaith ah, you&039;reWe&039;re -- "

"If we aren&039;t dating, we aren&039;t anything," she interrupted, and suddenly stepped out of the shower He watched duan to dry herself, then he turned and stepped under the water to rinse the soap away before following

"Leigh, last night -- "

"Last night was lovely, but -- "

"Lovely?" he echoed sharply "Flowers are lovely, cinnamon buns are lovely What we shared was incredible, dynah We are life reed "It was all of that and I still want to just date for a while" She stomped out of the bathroom

"So, you sleep with everyone you date?" Lucian asked, following to find her pulling on her clothes "Itto you?"

"No, I don&039;t sleep with everyone I date" She frowned, then said on a sigh, "You&039;re angry"

"You&039;re daht I am I offer you my heart, my body, my life, and you say let&039;s just date?" Lucian stopped abruptly as he noticed the fear that had entered her eyes and the way she&039;d flinched as he&039;d gestured with his hand Leigh had thought he was going to hit her, he realized with shock, and suddenly understood what this was all about Kenny The abusive and, fortunately for him, dead ex-husband She&039;d dated him six weeks, married him, and only found out then that he liked to talk with his fists Leigh had only known him a matter of days and -- lifeanotherhe would never hurt her part cahed "Okay"

Leigh blinked "Okay?" she asked with surprise

"Sure" Lucian , turned to find his own clothes, and started drawing them on "If you need time to adjust and reassure yourself that I won&039;t start beating you, then so be it I&039;ve waited thousands of years for you, what&039;s a little more time?"

"It&039;s not that I&039;an, but fell silent when he turned to stare at her with disbelief

"If it isn&039;t that, what do you think it is?" he asked quietly "Aside fro, we&039;re very co We enjoy each other&039;s coether From the talk we had at lunch yesterday, I knoe both like to read and have similar taste in h frowned and opened her h I truly like you Long after the passions are spent and the lust has waned -- which will happen in two or three thousand years -- I know you&039;ll still be ain I love you, Leigh And you like and love me"

She opened her mouth, but afraid she&039;d deny his words, Lucian said, "Our h I know your heart Whether you&039;ll admit it to yourself or not, you do care forleft is trust"

Her shoulders sluh slid from her lips "I don&039;t -- "

"No" He forced a sht Ro others over the ht your fears" His smile turned wry "I just wish I could do it with a sword Unfortunately, this is one of those things that take time, and with all the years I&039;ve lived, I still hate waiting"

Finished dressing, Lucian turned and headed for the stairs "Hurry up The faster you&039;re dressed, the sooner we can get to a restaurant I&039;ll feed Julius while you finish getting ready"