Page 45 of Jacob Michaels is Not Here

“Ten minutes ago?” Lucas shrugged, not looking up from his book. “Mrs. Wagner said you were up here taking a bath, so I thought I’d wait. She had a shovel in her hand, and it’s after dark, so I figured it probably was best to just wait up here instead of getting in her way.”

He laughed lowly at the thought of Oma and her shovel. I couldn’t give him an explanation without telling him more than he needed to know.

“So…you just stripped down and crawled into my bed like you own the place, huh?” I chuckled as I tucked the towel into itself so that I wouldn’t have to hold it in place.

Lucas frowned and looked up, his eyes finally landing on me. They lit up immediately, seeing me standing there, still damp and essentially naked, straight from the bathtub.

“Well,” Lucas smiled widely, “if I had known this was how you’d greet me, I would have gotten here a lot sooner.”

“You smooth talker.” I teased.

Lucas pulled the flyleaf out and used it to mark his place in the book before setting it on the bedside table. Then he patted the bed suggestively, his eyes hungry as he stared across the room at me.

“That’s your side now, is it?”

“Well,” Lucas shrugged slightly, his eyes burning with desire, “you always sleep over there, so it just seemed logical to me. Just like at my house. You sleep on the right, I sleep on the left.”

“Did you always sleep on the left, or did that become a thing once I came along?”

“I slept in the middle before you came along.” He said simply. “But I prefer the left.”

I nodded. “The right side is better than the middle for me, too.”

“Did you sleep a lot in the middle while you were off being Jacob Michaels?” He asked.

“When I slept.”

“How do you sleep now?”

“Better.”

Again, he was smiling and patting the bed.

“You’re not too worn out from work?” I grinned at him as I pulled the towel from around my waist, leaving myself bare before him so that I could dry my hair better. “I mean, teaching kids and working in the hardware store is bound to tucker a guy out.”

Lucas’ eyes danced all over my body as I stood there, running the towel roughly through my hair. I was pretty sure that he licked his lips at least once. When my hair was no longer dripping, I ran the towel over my body and tossed it in the direction of the hamper in the corner. Then I stood there, staring at Lucas, naked and completely comfortable.

“You should have done at least one nude scene in one of your movies.” His Adam’s Apple bobbed as he stared at me. “Even skinny as hell, you’re sexy.”

“Maybe I did do a nude scene.” I shrugged. “You don’t know.”

“It never made it into a movie.” He replied. “I’ve seen all of them.”

“I’m sorry.” I teased.

“I’m not.”

“Even though there were no nude scenes?”

“No.” He shook his head, his eyes coming to rest on mine. “I’m glad I’m the only person who gets to see you like this. I love seeing you like this.”

“How was your day, dear?” I crossed my arms over my chest and smiled lasciviously at him.

“Who cares?” He gestured for me to come closer.

“Don’t make me feel cheap.” I turned my nose up playfully. “How was your day?”

“Doing work and waiting for the hours to pass so I could see you again,” Lucas said. “I was worried I would work too long and miss the chance, so that was stressful. But I’m here now. Come to bed.”