The Vine (6 page)

It just fitted perfectly.

Feels like it should have always been there.

I clutched onto his bicep, and even through his shirt and jacket his arm felt strong and muscular, and I suddenly had the urge to see it in the flesh. We entered the restaurant and Lucas was greeted like an old friend, which made me begin to wonder how many dates he’d brought there in the past. We were shown through to a secluded VIP part of the restaurant and took our seats.

As we both perused our menus, I kept looking over the top of it, trying to take him all in. He’d taken his jacket off and was wearing dark jeans and a navy shirt. As I was secretly spying on him, we locked eyes as he completely caught me. He grinned, and I giggled and looked back to my menu. Once wine and food was ordered, our conversation was light, and it just felt relaxing to talk to each other like we usually did when he came for his meetings, so my nerves slowly ebbed away.

I asked about him, his company, his brothers and his parents, and he asked me about Katy, mentioning that she had practically threatened him before we left. Embarrassed, I mentally noted to have words with her about that later.

He asked about my relationship with George, which led me into telling him briefly about the loss of my mum and dad. After that, we opened up to each other about all sorts of things.

Dinner came and went, and I was feeling quite full after my starter, main and pudding.
So much for thinking I wouldn’t be able to eat anything in front of him.
We were having coffee now, and I knew our evening was coming to an end. I was sitting and reflecting on our evening, totally zoning out with perfect thoughts of a perfect man. I was used to zoning out with my thoughts, but normally they were horrible, full of guilt for not being with my parents on the night of their deaths. It was quite refreshing to have pleasant thoughts.

As I was staring into space, I saw something move in my peripheral vision and it startled me slightly, bringing me out of my daydream. I looked down to Lucas’s hand; his forefinger is pressed down onto the table and he’s pushing it forward to me. I looked,
confused by his hand, to his eyes, and then back to his hand. Then he lifted his finger and I saw a penny. My eyes looked back to his, confusion still written in them, when I heard him say with a gentle smile playing on his lips, “A penny for them.”

“Sorry?” I asked, not understanding at all.

“A penny for your thoughts,” he clarified.

I smiled in realisation, and after a few moments of silence, I could see I had lost him to his own thoughts, although by the smile on his face, they must’ve been good ones. I slid the penny back over to him, and the noise must have attracted his attention as I saw him look at my finger. I lifted it slightly so he could see the penny. I saw his gaze slowly move from my finger, up my arm and to my face. When he found me giggling, he threw his head back, laughing at how he was now being the one caught out.

Neither of us mentioned our private thoughts, but we carried on chatting easily like our daydreams had never happened and I slipped the penny into my bag, a memento that this moment was real in case I never saw this sensational man again. I would like to think that he was stalling because he didn’t want the night to end, and to be perfectly honest, I didn’t want it to end either. This guy was under my skin…big time.

When the table had been cleared, we were still chatting, and I could not believe how well this evening had gone. There had not been an awkward silence in sight. I excused myself to go to the ladies room and Lucas stood, being the gentleman that he is. I smiled at him, and as I turned, I realised we were the only people left in the restaurant. When I returned from the ladies room, I saw that he had left our table and was at the cloakroom. He was already wearing his jacket as he held out my cardigan, and as I turned to slip my arm in the sleeve, his arm accidentally brushed against my left breast and it felt like electricity. I lightly gasped at the intensity and rush of feelings from just the brief touch, and I smiled shyly at him as I continued to slide my arms into the cardigan.

The serious look I received back from Lucas made me well-aware he felt exactly what I had during our fleeting touch. Once my cardigan was on, he placed his palm to my lower back. It felt like it was burning a hole right through the layers of my clothing, and straight through to my skin.

Lucas had already paid the bill, so after the owner, Marco, shook his hand vigorously, and then grabbed my face and kissed me on both cheeks, we finally managed to leave the restaurant. He guided me out with his hand still on the base of my spine.
Why does his hand feel so good
? His car was waiting for us, and Daniel, his driver, stood holding the door open.

I stepped in, closely followed by Lucas. Once we were seated in the car, I smiled to myself as he took my hand, laced his fingers through mine and laid our entwined fingers on his lap. Although he wasn’t looking at me, he was rubbing the tips of my fingers with his free hand. The look on his face told me he was far away in thought, so I relaxed against him and laid my head on his shoulder. I felt his body tense briefly at first, but then I felt it relax. I was really quite sleepy by that point; it had been a long, exciting day leading up to this evening, and it had been just magical. I closed my eyes to rest them, all the thoughts of this evening playing slowly through my mind. His intoxicating presence was like a sleeping potion to me, and without realising; I slipped into a light slumber.

I felt the car pull up and heard a door open, so I opened my eyes, realising I was indeed home. Lucas stepped out of the car with me and walked me to my door. As we arrived at my door, we stood there looking at each other, and I shivered slightly. I wasn’t sure if I was cold or if it was a shiver of anticipation in case he wanted a goodnight kiss—which I most definitely did.

“You had better go in if you are cold; I wouldn’t want you catching pneumonia on our first date,” he said smiling.

“Would you like to come in for some coffee?” I offered, really not wanting this evening to end.

“I had better not, especially if I want to survive the rest of the night with your scary, threatening bodyguard loitering about,” Lucas joked about Katy. I giggled as I subconsciously leaned into him.

“I love it when you do that,” he said.

“Do what?” I asked innocently.

“When you giggle, it’s such an adorable sound. I love it when you lean into me like that too; it’s such a small thing, but it just seems so intimate. It makes me feel trusted by you, which going on what you have revealed to me tonight, makes me feel special and privileged.” He was serious now, and looking straight into my eyes.

“You are special,” I said quietly, “and I do trust you. Don’t ask me why or how, I just do.”

“You don’t know how happy that makes me to hear you say that, Lizzy. That’s also the real reason I don’t want to come in for,” he smirked, “a coffee. Believe it or not, I’m not the least bit afraid of your flatmate, but what does scare me is my intense attraction to you, Lizzy, and under no circumstances would I want you to think I was abusing the trust that you have so openly given to me.”

Although I really didn’t want Lucas to leave, I totally understood what he was saying. The attraction was immense between us, and if we were alone together, I’d be the first to admit that things could happen between us. It wouldn’t be a bad thing—we are both adults, after all—I just didn’t want to be a statistic to him, a one-night stand or even one of those girls who puts out on the first night. My parents brought me up better than that.

I liked Lucas a lot, and I wouldn’t want him to think badly of me so early on in what could be a relationship. Of all the scenarios I’d imagined, I never thought this intense physical attraction between two people even really existed—outside of a book, that is. I looked back into his eyes, drawing on the safety I felt there. “Thank you,” I said, and with that, I thanked him for the evening, and for his respect and understanding of me. Lucas leaned in and I closed my eyes. I could feel his close proximity
before I could feel his touch, and when he did finally touch me, it was just a gentle kiss on my cheek and then…nothing. I surprised myself with what I felt—disappointment. My eyes fluttered open and his face was still beside mine; his eyes were closed and by the look on his face, it looked like he was physically pleading with himself.

I knew instantly what this battle he was having with himself was about. It was for him to have some restraint and be the gentleman he so wants to be with me. I took the decision away from him as I turned my face and pressed my lips to his, and I felt a moment of stillness from him before he brushed his lips to mine. Then we melted into each other; Lucas put his arms protectively around me, pulling me into him as our kiss deepened.

After a moment that just didn’t seem long enough, and because I didn’t think he could take any more, he pulled back and rested his forehead against mine whilst cupping my face in his hands. “You are a seriously delicious, sexy woman, Lizzy Maynard, do you know that?” he asked huskily. I looked down embarrassed, and Lucas immediately lifted my chin back up.

“I had better go, Lizzy, but can I meet you for lunch tomorrow? I’m in New York for four days next week, and there’s no way I can go that long without seeing you.”

I smiled and nodded. “I’d love that.” And with that, he kissed me on my cheek and I turned and put my key in the door, and as I turned the key and quietly opened it, I swung slowly back around to Lucas. He was casually standing by his car, looking quite relaxed with one arm leaning on the roof and his other hand in his trouser pocket. He was watching me, and in that moment, he didn’t look like a ruthless businessman at all. He looked like a boy on his first date with a girl he’s absolutely smitten with.

I gave him a little wave as I turned and went inside. I shut the door and leaned back against it, grinning from ear to ear and feeling like a young girl who’d been on her first date with a boy she’s totally crazy about.

I saw something move out of the corner of my eye; I looked over and saw Katy getting up from the armchair. She looked at me, but she said nothing; she just walked past me, smiling and shaking her head.

I stayed quiet too, but headed to my room to hopefully be all-encompassed by dreams of Lucas Castle. My phone buzzed, and it was a message from him.

Lucas: Sweet dreams, Lizzy. I know I’ll be having my own.

It was as if he’d read my mind. I texted him back a quick message telling him I was looking forward to our lunch date, smiling to myself and feeling so giddy. But I was also completely exhausted, so fortunately, sleep took me quickly.

The couple of days before my first date with Lizzy surprisingly went by fairly quickly, considering I just wanted it to be Saturday night. I had loads of meetings and paperwork to do, so I think that helped the time fly. The worst day was Saturday, as I had loads of spare time before I was meeting Lizzy. I ended up spending ages in the gym working out my frustrations, and then I went for a run. But even then, in my head I was debating the concept of time and why it doesn’t go by quickly enough. I also kept thinking about Lizzy, wondering if she was nervous about our date or if she was excited. I thought she would probably be a bit of both like I was. I was never nervous about anything in my life, so why I was about our date, I had no idea. Well, actually I did—I really wanted her to have a good time, and I
really
wanted her to want to see me again.

I felt a bit out of control here because, what if she doesn’t want to see me again? I couldn’t force her. I was actually really starting to piss myself off with the negative thoughts, so I turned up my iPod and pounded the pavements some more.

I’d had a shower and gotten myself dressed, and at last I was ready to go and pick Lizzy up. I couldn’t wait. I’d decided to let Daniel take us, that way we could have a little drink to calm our nerves. Thinking about a drink to calm my nerves, I walked
straight into the kitchen to get a short glass from the cupboard, half-filling it with some Jack Daniels. I put the glass to my lips and threw my head back, and as the liquid slid down my throat, burning slightly, it did the trick of instantly calming me.

As I slid into the back of the Mercedes, I felt fairly calm, but also excited. I hadn’t felt this excited since I was a little boy on Christmas Eve.

As we approached her flat, nerves started to kick in and I was getting really pissed off with myself with the whole sudden anxiety thing that kept happening when anything involved Lizzy.
I don’t get nervous
…
ever!
I never suffered with nerves in anything I did, and I certainly never had over a woman. As I was mentally scolding myself, Daniel had pulled up and opened my door. I got out of the car, walked up to the door and knocked confidently, regardless of the weird feelings I had going on in my gut.
What is that, anyway?
I questioned myself as the door swung open.

A very pretty, wild-looking blonde girl answered the door. I thought I slightly recognised her face from somewhere, but I didn’t actually know her.

“Good evening, is Lizzy here, please?” I asked politely.

The pretty girl in front of me frowned and was clearly trying to put on a ferocious act—which she was pretty good at—although she didn’t intimidate me in the slightest.

“Yes, she’s here. She is just getting her bag,” pretty thing snarled at me.

“And you are…” I enquired.

“Never mind who I am, but let me tell you, Lucas Castle—I know who you are. I know your brothers, and I know your game as far as innocent young women like Lizzy are concerned.” I could see she was on a roll and had a whole speech prepared, so I said nothing and let her carry on and get whatever she had to say off of her chest.

“Unfortunately, Lizzy has fallen for your charms and is quite looking forward to your dinner tonight, so I hope you have the decency to treat her with a bit of respect. She is not the type of
girl who will jump into bed with you on a first date, so if those are your intentions, forget it. I also know where you live, Lucas, so if you are out of order at all tonight, or in the future, or Lizzy comes home with anything other than a smile plastered on her gorgeous face, raving on about what a gentleman you’ve been, then mark my words—I will be coming to find you, and God help you then!”