shopping

Katy pov

My eyes flew to the entrance and they widened dramatically.

Nova stood frozen in the doorway, a takeout bag dangling from her hand and her mouth hanging open.

"Oh my God," she breathed, her eyes darting between me and Lucian. "I am so sorry, I didn't mean to—" She trailed off. Probably because she didn't know what to say or what to make of our rather compromising situation.

"It's fine," I said quickly, my voice coming out higher than normal. I tried to step around Lucian, but his hand on my hip tightened, keeping me pinned against the table for another heartbeat.

His dark eyes held mine, an unfathomable emotion flickering in their depths that made my stomach clench.

"We're not done," he murmured, low enough that only I could hear. His thumb traced one last deliberate circle against my skin before he finally stepped back.

The sudden absence of his body heat left me feeling oddly cold for some reason.

Lucian straightened his jacket with practiced ease, transforming back into the composed Alpha who had walked through my door earlier and scared my customer away.

He turned to Nova with a polite nod.

"You must be Nova, Katy's best friend.” He said and I could not help but raise my brows at him.

He even dug into my friends? How rude!

"Alpha Lucian," Nova managed, still looking stunned. "I... didn't know you would be here otherwise I would have…"

"I was just leaving." He said, cutting hrf off.

His gaze slid back to me and I felt that look everywhere. "I'll be in touch, Katy. Soon." He announced.

The way he said my name, like a caress and a command wrapped together made my knees weak all over again.

He walked past Nova and out the door, leaving nothing but the lingering scent of his cologne and the ghost of his touch on my skin.

The moment he was gone, Nova rushed forward and set the food down on my work table.

"What the hell was that?" She asked, her gossip mode successfully activated.

"Nothing," I said automatically, turning away to fiddle with my tattoo gun.

Anything to avoid her knowing stare.

"Nothing?" Nova's voice raised an octave.

“Katy, he had you caged against that table like he was about to devour you! That was not nothing!" She pointed out as if she didn't see my embarrassment.

Heat flooded my face. "He was just... we were discussing the contract." The lie escaped my lips weakly. I didn't believe it myself so how could I expect to convince Nova?

"Oh, is that what they're calling it now?" Nova crossed her arms, a wicked grin spreading across her face. "Because from where I was standing, it looked like you two were about to sign a very different kind of agreement." She teased.

"Nova—"

"Your shirt is halfway up your ribs, your hair is a mess and you look like you've been thoroughly kissed even though I interrupted before…" She stopped, eyes widening further. "Oh my God, I interrupted before he kissed you, didn't I?"

I groaned and covered my face with my hands. "Can we please not talk about this?"

"Absolutely not. We are definitely talking about this." Nova pulled out two containers of food and pushed one toward me.

"Eat this and spill the beans, Katy.”

I sank onto my stool, suddenly exhausted. The adrenaline that had been coursing through my veins drained away, leaving me shaky.

"I don't even know what happened," I admitted quietly. "One minute we were talking about the contract and the next he was just... there. So close to me and I couldn't think straight." I admit.

That's all there was. I couldn't pull away, couldn't think straight with Lucian’s body pressed against mine.

Nova's expression softened slightly. "So? What's the problem? Lucian is gorgeous, powerful. He can help you with your dream and revenge.” She reminded me.

"He's also arrogant," I shot back, opening my container of pad thai. "He is possessive too and an asshole." I pointed out.

Why was she only mentioning the good things and not the whole reality?

"An asshole?" Nova raised an eyebrow.

"I asked if we could add a clause about seeing other people during the contract marriage." I stabbed at my noodles. "You know, since it's not real and he flat-out refused."

"Of course he did," Nova said, like it was obvious. "You are going to be his wife, Katy. Even if it's just a business arrangement, he's an Alpha. They don't share." She argued.

"But it's not real," I insisted, even though saying it out loud made something in my chest twist uncomfortably. "It's just three years of playing house."

"Is it though?" Nova leaned forward. "Because what I just saw didn't look fake. That looked very, very real."

I opened my mouth to argue, then closed it again. She wasn't wrong. The way Lucian had touched me, looked at me, the raw possession in his voice when he'd said …you're mine..

That hadn't felt like business.

"He's hot," I finally admitted, shoving noodles into my mouth. "Okay? He's ridiculously hot and handsome and when he touches me I can barely remember my own name. Happy?"

Nova's grin returned in full force. "Very happy. However, I can still feel a but lingering in your mind..say it?"

"But he is also insufferable. He scared away my client, showed up unannounced, acts like he owns everything including me and he's just so..." I gestured vaguely with my fork. "So infuriatingly confident about everything."

"You mean he's an Alpha," Nova said dryly.

"A cocky, arrogant Alpha," I corrected. "Who thinks he can just waltz in here and…" I trailed off, unable to explain in words what I mean.

"Make you wet with barely a touch?" Nova probed, a teasing smile playing on her lips.

I threw a napkin at her. "Nova!"

She caught it, laughing. "I'm just saying what we are both thinking. You want him, Katy. There's nothing wrong with that."

Goddess! How did she come to that conclusion?

"There is everything wrong with that," I muttered. "This is supposed to be a business arrangement. I can't afford to catch feelings for someone who's just using me to…" I stopped.

Nova shrugged. "Does it matter? You're getting your garage, he's getting... whatever it is he wants. So, everyone wins."

I wasn't so sure about that. Something told me that with Lucian Thorne, nothing was ever as simple as it seemed.

We ate in companionable silence for a few minutes before Nova checked her phone and squealed.

"Oh! I almost forgot. We need to go."

"Go where? You didn't mention where you were taking me? " I asked warily.

Trust Nova to surprise you with her super ridiculous ideas. Who knows where she wants to drag my sorry ass to.

"Shopping." She was already pulling me to my feet. "Come on, finish up. I am excited.” She squealed, making me raise my brows.

Excitement paired with Nova can only mean one thing… disaster.

I let her pull me from my shop and to her car.

Twenty minutes later, Nova's car pulled up in front of a building that made my jaw drop.

The storefront was all gleaming glass and gold accents, with a single name etched elegantly across the entrance: “Mirabelle's”

I recognized the name immediately. Every woman in the city did.

“ Ready to get something to spice that marriage?”

My mouth fell open as the reality of what Nova was up to hit me like a freight train.