sensed his attention sporadically, his alert focus as he observed her. Why was he stretching things out now
that she no longer officially worked for him and they’d both completed their medical exams? He was driving her mad with his
elusiveness.
She definitely had Lucien’s attention now, though, and she gloried in that fact. Caden was a good dancer. She hadn’t danced
since her nightclub days and wasn’t really sure if she still had what it took. Turns out, she found her rhythm just fine,
if Caden’s admiring grin and increasingly sexy moves in reaction to hers were any indication. She danced with Francesca’s
handsome friend, but she danced
for
Lucien. Even though she refused to look in his direction, she was acutely aware of his focus on her . . . of his increasing
tension, like a powerful storm brewing in the distance. She laughed at Caden’s comments and gyrated her hips, giving him a
seductive look that turned his eyes hot. She glanced over her shoulder at Lucien and transferred the gaze to him, thrilling
to see his stare trained directly on her.
She’d known it would be.
She’d stayed under the radar for the past year or so, but tonight, she felt the wild girl in her rattling at her cage.
When the dance came to an end, she and Caden shared a quick hug, both of them laughing and overheated. They began to walk
back over to the seating area to join Jacob, Mrs. Hanson, Lin, and Anara.
“Aren’t you going to dance, Lucien?” Ian asked pointedly as Elise and Caden passed their little circle, which consisted of
Ian, Lucien, and Davie. Elise’s cheeks grew even warmer than they had from the dance when she noticed Ian nodded in her direction,
an infinitesimal smile on his sculpted lips. She realized Ian was teasing Lucien. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen you dance
before,” Ian prodded.
“And you never will, if I have my way about it,” Lucien said shortly. Caden and Elise drifted over to their group.
“Ah. As good at it as I am, I’ll wager,” Ian said, taking a sip of champagne.
“Lucien is a fabulous dancer.”
Three pairs of eyes flickered over to her when she spoke; one pair flashed a disbelieving glance that seemed to burn right
through her. She bit her lip.
Oops
.
Ian lowered his glass. “When have you seen Lucien dance?” he asked, amusement tingeing his features. “I thought you two had
just met recently.”
“We did,” Lucien said at the same time she did.
“What . . . does Lucien break into dance after last call every night at Fusion? I can’t quite picture it,” Caden asked, joking
and doing a couple subdued dance moves, immediately stilling when noticing Lucien’s impassive expression and glacial stare.
She got the distinct impression that while easygoing Caden and Justin might have partially broken through Ian’s reserve due
to their friendship with his fiancée, Lucien was still considered a bit intimidating. Lucien transferred his gaze back to
Elise, his manner seemingly calm, only his slightly flared nostrils betraying the fact that his hands were likely itching
to stretch around her neck.
“Oh no, it’s nothing like that. Sharon Aiken and a couple of the waitresses told me that Lucien stepped out for a few at
the Fusion Christmas party last year,” Elise sidestepped with a verbal sleight of hand to hide her error.
“I was at that party,” Ian mused. “I don’t recall seeing Lucien dance.”
Lucien quirked a brow up at her calmly, as if to say,
I’ll let you handle the lying, since you’re the unquestioned champion
.
“You have to wait until the bitter end for the good stuff—or so rumor has it.
Thank you
,” she told Mrs. Hanson warmly when the elderly lady brought Caden and her their drinks.
“Well, you learn something new every day,” Caden said. Elise took a long drink. She felt a little light-headed, but she didn’t
think it was from the champagne. She pointedly ignored Lucien’s stare.
Ian
that she no longer officially worked for him and they’d both completed their medical exams? He was driving her mad with his
elusiveness.
She definitely had Lucien’s attention now, though, and she gloried in that fact. Caden was a good dancer. She hadn’t danced
since her nightclub days and wasn’t really sure if she still had what it took. Turns out, she found her rhythm just fine,
if Caden’s admiring grin and increasingly sexy moves in reaction to hers were any indication. She danced with Francesca’s
handsome friend, but she danced
for
Lucien. Even though she refused to look in his direction, she was acutely aware of his focus on her . . . of his increasing
tension, like a powerful storm brewing in the distance. She laughed at Caden’s comments and gyrated her hips, giving him a
seductive look that turned his eyes hot. She glanced over her shoulder at Lucien and transferred the gaze to him, thrilling
to see his stare trained directly on her.
She’d known it would be.
She’d stayed under the radar for the past year or so, but tonight, she felt the wild girl in her rattling at her cage.
When the dance came to an end, she and Caden shared a quick hug, both of them laughing and overheated. They began to walk
back over to the seating area to join Jacob, Mrs. Hanson, Lin, and Anara.
“Aren’t you going to dance, Lucien?” Ian asked pointedly as Elise and Caden passed their little circle, which consisted of
Ian, Lucien, and Davie. Elise’s cheeks grew even warmer than they had from the dance when she noticed Ian nodded in her direction,
an infinitesimal smile on his sculpted lips. She realized Ian was teasing Lucien. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen you dance
before,” Ian prodded.
“And you never will, if I have my way about it,” Lucien said shortly. Caden and Elise drifted over to their group.
“Ah. As good at it as I am, I’ll wager,” Ian said, taking a sip of champagne.
“Lucien is a fabulous dancer.”
Three pairs of eyes flickered over to her when she spoke; one pair flashed a disbelieving glance that seemed to burn right
through her. She bit her lip.
Oops
.
Ian lowered his glass. “When have you seen Lucien dance?” he asked, amusement tingeing his features. “I thought you two had
just met recently.”
“We did,” Lucien said at the same time she did.
“What . . . does Lucien break into dance after last call every night at Fusion? I can’t quite picture it,” Caden asked, joking
and doing a couple subdued dance moves, immediately stilling when noticing Lucien’s impassive expression and glacial stare.
She got the distinct impression that while easygoing Caden and Justin might have partially broken through Ian’s reserve due
to their friendship with his fiancée, Lucien was still considered a bit intimidating. Lucien transferred his gaze back to
Elise, his manner seemingly calm, only his slightly flared nostrils betraying the fact that his hands were likely itching
to stretch around her neck.
“Oh no, it’s nothing like that. Sharon Aiken and a couple of the waitresses told me that Lucien stepped out for a few at
the Fusion Christmas party last year,” Elise sidestepped with a verbal sleight of hand to hide her error.
“I was at that party,” Ian mused. “I don’t recall seeing Lucien dance.”
Lucien quirked a brow up at her calmly, as if to say,
I’ll let you handle the lying, since you’re the unquestioned champion
.
“You have to wait until the bitter end for the good stuff—or so rumor has it.
Thank you
,” she told Mrs. Hanson warmly when the elderly lady brought Caden and her their drinks.
“Well, you learn something new every day,” Caden said. Elise took a long drink. She felt a little light-headed, but she didn’t
think it was from the champagne. She pointedly ignored Lucien’s stare.
Ian
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