“You quit?” I repeated.
“You don’t date smokers,” he reminded me.
“You quit your one and only dirty habit for me?”
He slid the plate of chicken across the island next to the lump of cat. She raised her head and sniffed skeptically.
“Why should you find that so hard to believe?” he asked, arching an eyebrow.
“Stop trying to bribe my cat into liking you. She’s not going to fall for your pandering. And stop trying to convince me you’ve had some change of heart. Just days ago, you were dating anything that moved.”
The cat flopped back down, pretending like she had no interest in the juicy chicken.
“They were decoys,” he said.
“Decoys?” I parroted.
“If Anthony Hugo wanted to come after something that mattered to me, I wasn’t going to take any chances that that something would be you.”
I snorted even though I was secretly pleased with his answer. “You could have put them in danger.”
“Not if I only saw them once. If it was clear there was no attachment.”
Lucian Rollins was in my kitchen, cooking dinner for my family and willingly answering questions. This was an opportunity I didn’t want to pass up no matter how pissed I was at him.
“So why did you end things with me then?” I asked, taking what I hoped was a casual sip of wine.
He looked away.
“Aha! See?” I slapped the counter triumphantly. “I can’t be in a relationship with someone who refuses to be honest with me.”
Lucian rounded the corner and boxed me in. “You are in a relationship with me whether you like it or not. And if you want my honesty, it’s going to require some patience on your part.”
“What are you talking about?” I said as he leaned into me. My hands automatically went to his chest. Everything about him felt so solid, so good, so right. Except I knew better than to trust that feeling.
“You’re asking questions that involve answers I’ve never put into words before. I don’t know how to explain to you why I am the way I am or why I’m trying to change that now. Yet. But I will find a way.”
“Do you maybe have a timeline on that?” His mouth was hovering just above mine. I hadn’t kissed him in so long. My entire body wanted to be reminded of what his lips felt like against mine. My entire body except for my brain, which was sending me SOS signals.
“I’ll let you know after my next therapy appointment,” he said huskily.
“I can’t tell if you’re joking,” I whispered.
The doorbell rang, jolting me out of my stupor. Lucian grinned down at me and kissed the tip of my nose. “I’ll get it.”
I sagged against the counter and watched him leave. Meow Meow did the same. The second he disappeared from the room, she hefted her fluffy bulk onto her feet and gobbled up the bribery chicken like it was laced with catnip.
“Traitor.”
“Thank you again for joining us,” Lucian said, topping off my mother’s glass of wine.
I’d cleared off the dining room table and massaged some kale, but Lucian Freaking Rollins had arranged blossoms off my cherry tree, cued up music, lit candles, and made an epically delicious meal for my family.
Mom looked like she was happy enough to shoot rainbows out of her eyes and her butt. Maeve looked properly suspicious. Meanwhile, Chloe sipped her chocolate milk and stared at Lucian like she was trying to figure out how to weasel a new wardrobe out of the man.
“It’s our pleasure. And I have to say it’s really nice to see the two of you together,” Mom said sunnily from the opposite side of the table. I didn’t know if it was a conscious or subconscious decision, but we’d left Dad’s place at the head of the table empty.
“We’re not together. He just won’t take the hint and get out of my house,” I said.
“And it does a mother’s heart good to know that you’re keeping my daughter safe,” Mom continued, ignoring me.
“With Sloane being an obvious target, I thought it wouldn’t hurt to show whoever’s watching that she’s protected.” Lucian’s eyes slid to me. “By me,” he added firmly.
Maeve kicked me under the table.
“Ouch!” I reached down and rubbed my shin.
“Is everything all right?” Lucian asked.
My sister looked at me pointedly.
“Yeah. Fine. The cat just stabbed me in the leg,” I lied.
Meow Meow chose that moment to wander into the dining room from the kitchen.