Page 29 of Prettiest Little Thief (Band of Thieves #1)

Fox had taken Evie home, leaving Lucas and me alone. We entered his ridiculous mansion with nothing but quiet wrapping itself around me.

I rolled my lips and looked to Lucas as if somehow he would guide me through what happened next.

Did he want to consummate our marriage?

“I have something for you,” he said, jerking his head toward the hallway that led to the kitchen.

“Okay, lead the way.”

“Mrs. first.” Lucas swept out a hand to gesture to me to get a move on, his lips tipped up on one side.

“Hold on.” With quick movements, I kicked off my heels, and a sigh of relief left me at the release of tension on my feet.

Lucas chuckled. “Better?”

“God, yes.” I strode toward the kitchen, with my husband hot on my trail, the intensity of his presence pressed into my spine.

Lucas pulled out a chair and motioned for me to sit before walking to the fridge.

When he stepped back, a personal sized angel food cake with extra strawberries was in his hands.

He popped open the lid and pulled a fork out from the nearby drawer.

When he stepped into my space again, he was closer.

The tension within me snapped tighter, sending a rush of energy through me again.

If his close proximity had my body reacting this way, how would it be if he took me to bed tonight?

“How are you so smooth?” I asked.

“Years and years of practice, little thief.” His lips twitched, his gaze raking over my face.

A fake gasp left me. “Are you telling me, my husband is a player?”

“ Player is a strong word. Relationships were always pushed to the side, my responsibilities being put first. Casual sex was just easier.”

“Shocker,” I replied with a smirk.

Lucas stabbed the tines through the cloud-like cake, taking care to include a large slice of strawberry. When he held out the utensil for me to eat from, I faltered. “You don’t have to—”

“This is tradition.” Lucas was really going out of his way to make this day special.

I leaned forward and wrapped my mouth around the heavenly soft angel food cake. A low hum of approval came from my chest, and Lucas watched me with eyes full of hunger. His gaze locked onto my mouth, and I tried not to feel self-conscious.

“What about you?” His pupils blew wider.

“What about me?” I licked my lips.

“You and anyone over the years?” Still, Lucas’s eyes remained on my mouth as he fed me another bite.

I swallowed before I answered. “There really hasn’t been time for me to get into a relationship. With school and then my mom. That was never a priority. Frankie and I—"

“Fucked?” Lucas finished with a growl.

“Down boy.” I patted his chest. “That’s all it ever was. Aside from being friends.” The jealousy Lucas displayed sent a sweep of giddiness through me. It was nice that he cared, even if our marriage was fake.

“But,” I continued with a sigh. “I’m not sure I can say that anymore.”

“Good. He doesn’t deserve you.” He leaned down and pressed his forehead to mine. Arctic blue eyes invaded my vision, and his breath danced across my skin. I licked my dry lips, wanting nothing more than to taste him again.

“How do you figure? I’m no better than him. I’m a thief and a coward. A joke of a person.” Tears threatened to fall. The reality of my life was so messed up.

Lucas pulled back and stared down at me. “You are nothing like Frankie.” He kissed the top of my head, and warmth spread through my chest at the sweet contact. “You’re nothing I would’ve have expected you to be. You’re… more. Better.”

A fake laugh escaped me as I sniffled. “You don’t have to lie to kick it, Lucas.”

“I’m serious. You’re smart, motivated, fearless. I mean, shit, you stole my fucking car.”

A true laugh bubbled from me then, the urge to cry receding. “That’s not a good thing. I never aspired to be a car thief. It just happened.”

“It takes some big balls to steal a car from me. And then the key from the museum.”

“About that, if they take a look at the security footage, they may be able to recognize Evie and me. Even with wigs.”

“That’s been handled already,” he said with a smug grin.

“What? How?”

“Don’t worry your pretty little head about it.”

“Are you going to have any?” I asked, nodding toward the cake. His eyes didn’t leave me for even a second .

“No, I have something else in mind for dessert.” The intensity of his gaze burned hotter, sending my stomach twirling.

With as much bravado as I could muster, I tore off a piece of cake and popped it into my mouth. Then I proceeded to seductively suck my thumb into my mouth. It had been a while since I’d had sex, but I wasn’t some scared little virgin.

A growl reverberated from Lucas, and that was the only warning I received before he dropped the container and lunged at me, sweeping me up into his arms. A cry of shock left me as he marched through his mansion with me pinned to his chest.

“The cake!” I practically screamed.

“Fuck the cake. I’ll buy you another one,” Lucas said.

Laughter erupted from me as he took the steps two at a time, eating up the distance from the first floor to the second. But he didn’t turn toward my room. “Where are we going?” I asked.

“My room. Our room.”

My palms started to sweat, and I inhaled deeply, trying to calm my racing mind. An avalanche of thoughts and feelings burst through me as I tried to process Lucas’s words. Our room . And what we were going to do in said room.

Did I want to have sex with Lucas? For some reason, even though he could be a grouch at times, I felt cared for. Seen and accepted with all of my flaws by the man. He stirred something to life inside of me, bringing forward every desire and hope I had buried so deeply within myself.

Lucas was giving me the one thing I wanted most in life. Freedom. Not just from paying off my debt that I owed the Crimson Brotherhood. I could finally get back into the nursing program and start fresh.

So, again, did I want to have sex with him? Without a doubt in my mind .

With my arms linked around his neck, I allowed my fingers to run through the short hair there.

I could have sworn I felt a small shiver from Lucas, but he didn’t falter his stride.

Once we passed through the threshold of the bedroom, he used his foot to shove the door closed.

Then he placed me onto my feet. Between one breath and the next, Lucas’s mouth was on mine.

Lust fulminated within me, an explosion of desire heightened in every one of my nerve endings.

From tip to toe, I could feel Lucas. Not just with his mouth and tongue but everywhere .

He invaded every fiber of my being, inside and out.

The virility of his touch soaked into me as he skimmed his hands down my arms, leaving a static charge in their wake.

I absorbed and fell into every sensation that assaulted my senses.

Lucas’s presence was demanding enough, but his touch, his need, was all consuming.

He backed me up toward the large four poster bed until I fell onto my back, his lips never leaving mine.

The plush white comforter was cool against my exposed flesh.

The buttery material was such a contrast to the fervid heat the front of my body was experiencing.

A raging inferno that increased every second from the closeness of my husband.

With more urgency, Lucas ran his hands down to my hips, bunching my dress roughly as he tugged, and the sound of tearing fabric caused me to gasp and momentarily pull back from his lush mouth. “What are you doing?”

“I need you now, Monroe. If I don’t taste every inch of you this second, I’m going to lose my fucking mind,” he said. His lips landed on my neck as he jerked his grasp again. My dress split up the center, until Lucas had completely shredded it in half, pulling the tattered edges apart .

He pulled back and gazed down at my lingerie set Evie had brought me to wear tonight. A growl of appreciation came just before he darted forward and latched onto one of my nipples through the lace. My back bowed, and the warmth of his tongue elicited a moan of ecstasy from me.

Lucas trailed his hands down the center of my stomach, his fingertips tickling my skin.

Goosebumps erupted down my limbs, and a deep pulse of need blossomed between my legs.

I attempted to close my thighs against the building ache, but my effort was thwarted by Lucas.

He released my breast from his mouth while simultaneously shoving my legs apart again and dropping to his knees.

“No, little thief. You’ll keep these pretty legs spread for me until I say so.

” The pressure of his fingers on my skin sent a storm through my lower belly.

A cyclone of ardor swirled within me as Lucas leaned forward and brushed his nose against my clothed sex.

“Fuck, you smell delicious.” He flicked his tongue out against my panties, nearly making me come undone at the seams. I groaned and writhed my hips, wanting more.

But Lucas had yet to give in to my need for him.

He ran a finger under the edge of my thong and brushed his knuckle over my clit. “Lucas,” I whimpered breathlessly.

“I love my name on your lips. So full of need, and your pussy so ripe for the taking.” He pulled my underwear to the side, and then his hot mouth was on me.

He licked and sucked my core as the tension of my orgasm immediately started to peak.

I was so worked up, so turned on. I had denied myself a self-induced orgasm for weeks now.

Not wanting to bring the hots I had for Lucas to the forefront of my mind.

But now, with him settled between my thighs and his devilish mouth latched onto me, he was pushing me past the point of no return .