Page 159 of Lucas

“It’s okay. I am his wife,” I tell the guy. He looks between us, nods, and walks away.

“You’re out of my league,” Lucas mumbles. “Maybe that’s the problem.”

“You’re drunk. Let’s get out of here.” I try to pull his arm, but he doesn’t budge. I want to get him out of here while he’s still able to walk.

“I’m not drunk. I just know I don’t want to spend the rest of my birthday alone at the Show-off Mansion.”

My eyes widen.

“Yeah, I know you call the house that. I heard you talking to Michelle. I don’t want to be there alone, so let me finish this day here.”

“Come to my place.”

He straightens. “Your place?”

I nod. “Yes. Come on, honey, let’s go.”

“She called me honey,” he tells the bartender. “Did you hear that? I’m her honey.”

I stifle a laugh. “Let’s go,honeybefore you end up in all the gossip columns tomorrow. You don’t want that, right?”

He shakes his head and stands, throwing some hundred-dollar bills on the bar. I hold on to his waist to make sure he doesn’t fall as we walk to my Jeep. He smells of pub, alcohol, and smoke.

In the five-minute drive to my place, he’s already snoring beside me. I take a moment to look at his beautiful face, now peaceful, and instantly, I’ve decided.

I don’t want to be apart from him anymore. He hurt me, but I can’t hold him accountable for something that happened before we met, for decisions made before we got to know each other. He never hurt me on purpose and always did everything he could to make me feel protected. I was happy with him, happy wrapped in his arms.

I’m not happy without him.

That’s my answer.

I wake Lucas, and he looks at me with half-closed eyes.

“We’re here.”

He wraps his arm around me as we head upstairs.

“Come on, you need to get cleaned up.”

A wide grin spreads across his face, and his eyes gleam.

“Yeah, keep dreaming. You’re drunk.” I chuckle as hestumbles to the bathroom, but damn, if that doesn’t do things to me.

I help him undress, my eyes wandering over his sculpted muscles, down to the V that leads between his legs. My stomach tightens, and I bite my lower lip.

Lucas stands still, naked, watching me.

“What?” I ask.

“You’re the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen,” he says, not taking his eyes off mine.

My lips stretch into a smile. “You’re just drunk.”

He shakes his head. “I don’t get drunk. Tipsy, yes, but not drunk. I’m still aware of what I’m saying, and I’ll say it again. You’re the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen.”

“You could barely walk straight.”

His smile widens.