Chapter 12: Playing with Fire

Claire looked at Lucas with a teasing tilt to her head, her eyes bright and full of mischief.

She reached up, tracing a light path along his jaw.

Her thumb grazed his lower lip, and she swallowed hard at just how good he looked up close.

She wanted to push him just a little. See how far she could pull that composure apart.

Every bit of it seemed to work exactly as intended, drawing the supposedly untouchable Lucas Kane in deeper, piece by piece.

"Lucas. Look at me."

She hooked a finger under his chin, smiling in a way she knew was devastating.

What is she doing to me, he thought, something dark and amused flickering behind his eyes.

He caught her waist, a low laugh rumbling out of him.

"Sweetheart. Feeling like playing with fire again?"

Claire's eyes went half-lidded, her smile turning lazy and deliberate.

She leaned in close, her breath warm against his ear.

"President Kane. Don't tell me you don't love it."

Something shifted in his gaze restless, hungry.

He reached over and yanked the seatbelt tight across her, the corner of his mouth twitching.

His laugh came out low and completely unrepentant.

"Careful. You're about to get exactly what you're asking for."

Claire yelped at the sudden motion, then dissolved into laughter, one hand braced against his chest.

"You're impossible, you know that?"

His eyes stayed lit with amusement, but his grip didn't ease, his thumb tracing idly along the seatbelt strap, something wolfish simmering underneath the smile.

"Fine. Your place first. You're a menace."

Claire, wanting to keep him exactly on edge, gently eased his hand off the strap, a satisfied little smile playing at her lips.

Lucas chuckled and hit the gas, the silver Ferrari tearing off into the night.

Ashcombe Estates.

This was Claire's second visit to Lucas's private residence the first time she'd barely registered the furnishings around her.

Tonight, she wanted to see the rooftop pool properly.

She'd always had a thing for water pools, the ocean, anything with a current. She'd taken lessons as a kid and even placed in an amateur swim meet once.

The moment Lucas noticed her making a beeline straight for the stairs to the third floor, a smile spread across his face, and he followed at an easy pace.

Claire reached the terrace and stopped short, captivated by the pool's deep blue glow.

Even in the dark, the underwater lighting kept the water lit and safe to swim in.

She'd never swum at night before. A grin broke across her face as she turned to him. "Lucas, I want to go in."

His gaze swept over her her face, the fitted black dress, and finally down to those endless legs.

He arched a brow, something dark simmering behind his eyes. "Go ahead."

Claire smiled, slow and deliberate, her fingers hooking under the neckline of her dress, her eyes never leaving his face as she peeled it away.

The temperature between them seemed to spike instantly.

Lucas's mouth curved into a wicked grin, that familiar fire lighting behind his eyes.

Claire flashed him one last teasing smile, then turned and dove straight into the pool, cutting through the water with easy, practiced strokes.

Her dark hair fanned out around her as she surfaced, pale skin gleaming against the blue glow of the water striking, almost otherworldly.

She looked like something out of a ghost story, the kind of beauty that seemed a little dangerous to look at directly.

It was, without question, a breathtaking sight.