Just Breathe (Blue #1) (7 page)

He erupts in a frenzy of laughter. “The mob, a prostitute? No, I’m neither of those things,” he says in between laughs. “Seeing how I told you I wouldn’t lie to you anymore, I’ll tell you. I own The Hot Spot and bartend there for fun. Plus, it’s a way to keep an eye on my employees.” He takes another drink of his coffee, and I do the same as I watch him. “That’s not all. My uncle died of a massive heart attack four years ago, leaving me this house and a sizable amount of money. My turn.”

I cover my mouth with the mug, stifling a yawn, unsure of what his next question might be.

“What were you thinking about when I picked you up last night? Before you yelled at me about personal space or something like that.”

That you smell delectable.
Can’t he ask me questions that are easy? Before answering him, I set my mug onto the table and stretch, trying to think of something less embarrassing to tell him. “Umm…well…ugh…” I look down at the blue down-filled comforter and start nervously picking at the edges with my fingers. “I…well...I was thinking that you smelled amazing.” My cheeks fill with blood, and the embarrassment I believe to be worse than when I fell face first into his room.

Lucas places his coffee mug onto the bedside table, and the bed dips as his weight shifts. He swings his leg over mine, straddling me. My muscles freeze in place, and I remind myself to breathe. He runs his fingertips along the sides of my neck and then rests his hands on each side of my face, pulling it up to meet his gaze. He leaves only a few inches between us. My heart beats loudly, aware of his proximity.

“Listen, Cassandra. Don’t ever be ashamed to express yourself, especially not with me. You could never make me mad. Now, it’s your turn.” His breath is warm against my skin, which makes my heart pound even harder against my chest.

I wait for Lucas to move, but he doesn’t. His eyes stay on me. He slowly removes each finger, leaving only one against my flesh. He then traces down my jawline and across my chin. My skin immediately feels his absence and longs for his return. Involuntarily, my mouth opens, and I close my eyes, enjoying his touch. A raspy moan rumbles from deep inside his chest and then his finger is gone, replaced by his lips crashing onto mine.

His kiss is hard, full of desire, and hot enough to make me forget my own name. In this moment, any insecurities I have about him leave my mind. I can’t think straight. My heart feels as if it is going to burst out of my chest. I have kissed people before, but it was never like this. It feels like the stars have aligned, the world has stopped turning, and we have found a place of solitude, just for us. Lucas deepens the kiss by tasting my mouth with his tongue, causing me to open wider, allowing him to savor every second of this kiss. An unintentional low moan escapes my mouth, and he smiles against my skin. I run my fingers through his hair and tug it a little too hard in the heat of the moment. It’s just the right length to grab and pull. Lucas runs his fingertips slowly up my thigh, leaving behind a trail of goose bumps in their place. I feel a throbbing sensation start to grow between my legs and am glad I’m not a man. He would know how much I want him right now, without a doubt. A kiss, one simple action that will forever change my life.

“Cassandra Blair Anderson! Lucas Isaiah Daniels!” We both stiffen at the sound of Dar’s voice. “I woke up terrified, Cass, because I didn’t know where you were. I go on a frantic search, only to find you here mauling each other. I haven’t even had a chance to pee yet.” She giggles. “Eh, as you were, kids.” She waves her hand in the air dismissively. “I’m going to get some coffee.” I look around Lucas to see Dar shaking her head as she goes out the door. She has always reminded me of the little sister I never had, especially after I lived with her family.

My face flushes, and I peek up at Lucas through my eyelashes, suddenly too shy to speak. I swallow, trying to process everything that is happening, and I know my life will never be the same with or without him. I’m starting to forget how my life was before we were entwined like this. He is the first to put an end to the awkwardness between us, but maintains eye contact as he speaks. “Damn.” Lucas moans, seemingly out of breath. His eyes are burning with passion.

“
Damn.” I exhale as I try to catch my own breath.

Lucas places a gentle touch of his lips on my forehead, then the tip of my nose, and then ever so lightly grazes my lips with his. “You are the calm of my storm, Cassandra.” He holds my gaze momentarily, the two of us nose-to-nose. That’s a lot to process after a first kiss, especially since I’m still hazy from its intensity. His breath is warm on my skin, rendering me speechless. “Then again…you know what?” He rolls his shoulders, and a smug grin spreads across his face. “You might be the cause.”

Until that statement, I forgot how seemingly confident he is, despite the fact I have a feeling he will keep reminding me.
Maybe he could use a blow to his ego, to bring his head down to a normal size.
“Lucas, I know what I want to ask for my turn.” I take in a deep breath. “Was I dreaming, or did I see you lick your thumb after you wiped a tear off my cheek? Are you some type of stalker who gets off...”

Lucas’ cheeks turn a light pink, and he cuts me off mid-sentence. “Next question, please,” he says, repeating my words from earlier, but answering my question without actually saying something. His eyes darken, and he bridges the gap between us as he presses his body against mine. He grazes my arms with his fingertips, slowly trailing from my shoulders to my wrists and then repeating the pattern. “Cassandra, before I met you, I hadn’t entertained the idea of getting to know anyone for quite some time, much less following them around.” Lucas leads my hands to the headboard and pins them with his own. “However…” He presses his forehead to mine and pauses long enough to torture me. “I am considering anything to keep you in bed, discussing your lips and the possibilities of getting off.”

His voice drips with sex appeal. Each word sounds more erotic than the one before. My heartbeat quickens, but then I realize what he is doing. “Oh, hot damn, you’re embarrassed!” I squeal, and Lucas tightens his hold on my hands. He brushes his lips along my collarbone, and then I feel him smile against my skin.

“Love, there are many things a man will admit to, but that isn’t one of them.” His voice sounds anxious, maybe even a little amused.

“Okay, fine, Mr. Mysterious, I’ll ask another question, since apparently, you won’t answer the last one.” I grab my mug off the bedside table and bring it up to my mouth to put some distance between us. I take a drink of my coffee and then smack my tongue against the roof of my mouth, trying to rid it of that bitter coffee taste. “Lucas...” I pause, trying to recall what Dar said the remainder of his name is. “Isaiah Daniels, you need to keep this in mind before you answer the next question. You said you would never lie to me again.” He nods, and I set the mug back down. “I think a man is just as good as his word, well, a person in general, not just the male population. That being said, you won’t hurt me, will you?”

The expression on Lucas’ face is difficult to read as he is thinking about his answer. “I would be lying if I didn’t think I would ever hurt you. Hell, I’d be lying if I said that we’ll never fight. I can say I don’t like to see you in pain, no matter the cause. I may not know you well, but seeing Dartanya smack you last night pissed me off. It would crush me to know I was the cause of one ounce of your pain. So, I will do everything I can to prevent that from happening.” A dazzling smile broadens across his face, causing muscles in my stomach to clench.

Lucas slides off the bed, taking my hand in his and pulling me behind him. He turns around and brings me in for a hug. I find myself closing my eyes and breathing in his scent. Lucas kisses me on the forehead and leaves his lips there as he speaks, “I have to see you again. Promise me I will?” I nod my head. “Unfortunately, I have something to do today. If not, I would invite you to stay, and I may never let you go. I’m afraid if I let you walk out my door that you won’t come back.” His voice is so gentle it’s almost a whisper, but I hear him clearly.

I can’t deny I have feelings for him, but this is a lot to take in at once. Needing to put a little space between us, I untangle myself from Lucas and lead him by the hand toward the kitchen. “Lucas, I actually wouldn’t mind seeing you again.” My statement comes out sounding more like a question. I think it’s because I’m reassuring myself more than answering him.

“Fuck, thanks, wouldn’t want to make a man feel good about his ego or anything. Don’t do me any favors, Cassandra.” His voice escalates, and he drawls out each syllable of my name. He stops walking and tugs me gradually backward, making my back collide with his chest. He traces my shoulder with his nose while tormenting me by lightly dragging his tongue along the base of my neck. My skin trembles with desire beneath his touch, and my mind is set into overdrive.

I sigh deeply as I begin to count, trying to calm my hormones before I speak. “Lucas, I wasn’t trying to sound like an ass,” I plea with lust in my voice.

He wraps his arms around my waist. “I know you weren’t, but you’re so easy to mess with,” he whispers, making my skin burn beneath his words.

“Let me go, you egotistical jerk!” I say playfully. With a hearty laugh, he releases me and follows my lead down the hallway. We find Dar dishing out French toast onto plates with a spatula, humming a soft tune as she works. I inhale the glorious smell of her blueberry-stuffed French toast and bacon. It’s a meal she makes on a regular basis, and I’m not complaining because it’s one of my favorite dishes. “Smells amazing, Dar.” I am eagerly purring, as my mouth waters just thinking about sinking my teeth into the first bite.

“Well, well, well,” she scoffs while removing her ear buds and stuffing them into her back pocket. “I didn’t know if you all were ever going to come up for air, so I decided to do something productive.” She claps her palms against one another a few times, sending white powder flying from them. “Oh, by the way, Lucas, you’re out of blueberries, bacon, and after this meal, you’ll be out of syrup, too,” she cheerfully announces, turning away from the stove with a huge grin plastered across her face. “For that matter, powdered sugar, too.”

“Thank you for actually making yourself useful for once.” He laughs as she sticks out her tongue at him in protest. “So, here is the plan for the day. After we eat, I’ll take you all back to your apartment to speak with your landlord so you can get inside. Then, we’ll get your car, and you can do whatever the hell you want, Kid.” Just hearing that nickname sends shivers down my spine. It’s what
he
called me. Lucas finishes speaking with a reassuring smug look on his face.

“Oh, you are now?” She makes a face at him, wrinkling up her nose and sticking out her tongue. Lucas mimics her expression, sticking out his tongue in her direction. “You know, Lucas, you really are a self-righteous asshole, but I still love ya. Have you talked to Johnny recently?” Dar fills our plate with food and places each onto the dining room table beside our mugs. Lucas finally releases my hand as we take a seat.

I don’t hear Lucas’ answer; after this morning, my thoughts are cloudy. I sit in silence and eat while Lucas and Dar talk. If someone would’ve told me what was about to happen when I met Lucas, I wouldn’t have believed them. He continues to be an asshat, just a little less of one. He appears to have been an old soul but a young spirit. He is just an enigma to me. At times, his words are so beautiful they could even make angels envious. Additional times, I think the devil himself is dancing with joy at the sin Lucas offers.

“Penny for your thoughts, Cricket?” Lucas interjects, causing me to jump slightly.

“Next question, please.” I smile timidly at Lucas, and he returns my smile. Dar looks at me and shakes her head. I expect her to say a few words that would make me more uncomfortable than I already am, but she doesn’t. Maybe she is a little hungover this morning. Normally, she would go out of her way to embarrass me. A week ago, she placed eggs into one of my bras and set it onto the breakfast bar with a sign beside it that read, “Free for a Nice Family of Birds—The Whole Flock Can Live Here. See Displays for Family Planning.” It took three cycles in the washer to get out the smell of egg.

“Dar, you really outdid yourself this time. The food is amazing.” I lick my mouth, and I think I might have noticed Lucas bite his lower lip. I turn my head to see him better as he breathes out very heavily, and his eyes widen.

“Thanks, Cass, it does taste pretty good. Hey, Lucas, since I cooked while you were trying to devour my best friend, you can take care of the dishes. Whoever cooks never does the dishes. Don’t ya know?” She gathers our empty plates and then takes them into the kitchen.

“Well, let’s get this show on the road and go talk to Mrs. Weatherbee. I’m sure she’ll enjoy hearing we stayed the night with this bonehead.” She motions her head toward Lucas as she walks past him. “That old coot is a dirty little woman. She may be deaf, but she is funny as hell. I think she could embarrass a sailor.”

“In my defense, I wanted to make sure we weren’t killed or raped when I locked your doors. How was I to know you left the keys inside the car?” I roll my shoulders, attempting to keep my anxiety at bay and remind myself this is Dar, my best friend.

“The next time it happens, you can call AAA. My insurance covers the costs. Keep your panties on. I was just giving you hell. That is, if you still have them on, which I seriously doubt you do.” She winks and devilishly smiles as she sits down.

Lucas lets out a crude cough and hits his chest to clear his throat as he set down his coffee cup. “Are you trying to kill me, Dartanya?” He looks at me as he speaks. “I’m going to take a
very
cold shower. You all get your things together, and then we’ll head out.” He heads down the hall into what I assume is the bathroom.