Chapter 11: Baby, Why Are You Always So Gorgeous?

By the time Claire and Lucas emerged from the conference room, the office had already emptied out for the day.

Claire made her way back to her desk, where a cluster of female coworkers swarmed her immediately. "Claire! You actually landed President Kane! That's incredible!"

Claire just smiled, grabbed her bag, and left without a word.

Lucas watched from the doorway as she pulled away in a white Tesla.

He touched his own mouth absently, her scent still lingering there. A faint smile crossed his face before he turned and climbed into his own car.

A sapphire-blue Ferrari 488 Spider roared past her Tesla moments later.

Claire caught a glimpse of him through the window black sunglasses, effortlessly polished, a small smile tugging at his mouth.

Back at her apartment, she peeled off the black bodycon dress, only to remember that her bra hadn't survived the conference room encounter. She'd walked out of the office wearing nothing but the blouse underneath.

The memory sent heat rushing to her face all over again.

She carried the discarded skirt to her full-length mirror, unbuttoned her blouse, and studied her reflection with quiet satisfaction the elegant line of her collarbones, her long legs, that unmistakable spark in her eyes.

A waist a man could circle with one hand. A figure that turned heads without even trying.

She changed into something comfortable and stretched out on the sofa, scrolling through her phone.

Ping. A message notification.

She opened it and found a text from Lucas they'd exchanged numbers in the conference room, apparently at some point between everything else that had happened.

His profile photo showed him in black sunglasses, mouth curved in that same faint smile, all mystery and quiet arrogance even with his eyes hidden.

Luxury cars. That face. All the money in the world and the confidence to match.

Well, Claire thought, if I'm going to reel one in, I could've done a lot worse.

She hadn't planned on this thing lasting beyond one night.

But since her catch seemed so eager to keep circling back…

She wasn't about to hold back either.

Lucas Kane, she thought, smiling to herself, just don't go falling for me. You won't like how that ends.

His photo, she guessed, had probably just been snapped the background looked like the inside of that Ferrari. His previous profile picture had been moodier: a man in a black suit wearing a plain white mask, striking and a little unsettling.

Given the body underneath that suit and the sheer confidence radiating off him even through a phone screen, there was no mistaking who it was.

Apparently President Kane likes a good photo.

A little vain, this one.

Claire laughed under her breath, her mouth curling into a smile despite herself.

His message read: Baby, I miss you.

Send me your address. I'll pick you up in an hour dinner at my place tonight.

She smiled and typed back a single word: Okay.

She got up, dug through her closet for a slinky black dress, touched up her makeup, and finished with a spritz of the custom cologne he'd given her the day before.

Checking her reflection one last time, she smiled at herself.

This one doesn't waste any time, does he. Already missing me.

She thought back to walking out of that conference room, barely steady on her feet, Lucas's arm the only thing keeping her upright.

The memory alone was enough to bring the heat rushing back to her cheeks, her pulse climbing all over again.

His hands deceptively rough for how elegant they looked had been almost unbearably warm against her skin.

He's good at this. Really good.

Makes me wonder just how much practice it took to get there.

That kiss alone had nearly undone her the intensity of it, the complete lack of restraint.

The memories kept coming, each one sending another spike of heat through her system.

An hour later, a silver Ferrari 812 GTS pulled up outside her building.

Claire came downstairs and eyed the car with a raised brow.

Rich and reckless, apparently.

A blue convertible yesterday, a silver one today. For a man like him, cars were clearly disposable toys.

Lucas had changed into something more casual, sunglasses still in place, his profile as sharp and commanding as ever that same effortless, untouchable presence.

A small smile crossed his face as he watched her approach.

Claire reached the car, opened the door, and slid into the passenger seat.

The black dress clung to her curves, elegant and unmistakably deliberate. Her collarbones and shoulders were on full display, drawing his eye the second she settled into the seat.

Lucas felt something tighten in his chest.

Every single time, he thought. She finds a way to surprise me.

His eyes narrowed slightly, his jaw working as he swallowed.

The moment she was seated, he reached over and pulled her against him, one arm circling her waist.

She gasped, falling into the warmth of his chest, that same intoxicating scent wrapping around her again.

His voice came out low and rough, achingly magnetic.

"Baby. Why are you always this gorgeous?"

"You're going to be the death of me, you know that?"

"Hm?”