My smile faded. Stubbornness aside, there was something heartbreaking about him being unable to fully relax in sleep. Was he in pain? Was that it? I wanted to reach out, smooth my hand over the strong line of his jaw, now shaded with stubble. But he wasn’t mine, and I would come off as a creeper.
So I drove. Soon enough, we were veering away from being directly next to the water. The highway became lined with turnoffs, industrial parks, and malls. I knew we were going to Montecito but didn’t know the exact location. When we neared an exit, I turned off and pulled into a fast-food restaurant.
Lucian stirred. It was clear by the way he jerked and then sat up straight that he hadn’t realized he’d dozed off. I suppressed a smile, knowing he was probably disgruntled by the fact. The poor guy had more than his fair share of pride. Just as clear was the fact that he’d been suffering a migraine earlier.
I knew the signs—the way he’d tried to shade his eyes from the light, the need for air, and the paling of his tanned skin. He’d been suffering but hadn’t been able to admit it. I hadn’t missed that he’d been suspicious about my sudden car sickness—and for good reason—but I was nothing if not an excellent actress. And if my act got him to rest and allowed me to drive us safely to our destination, then so be it. Not that I thought he’d risk it, but he had been struggling and obviously loathed to confess he couldn’t drive.
So then, problem solved.
Now, however, he looked around at the parking lot in confusion. “What’s wrong? You hungry?”
That he immediately worried about my comfort was cute. I put the pickup in park. It was a nice vehicle, well kept and clean. Given that he was renovating Amalie’s estate, I knew he didn’t drive it for show but for utility.
“Nothing’s wrong. I thought since we were close to Montecito, I’d let you drive us the rest of the way.”
The other thing I knew instinctively? He wouldn’t want his grandmother seeing us pull in with me at the wheel. A truth that stretched between us like sticky toffee, pulling and clinging. It made me nervous, and when I was nervous, I talked too much.
“That is if you’re feeling . . .” Shit. “Ah, I mean if it’s all right with you.”
The engine ticked as he stared at me, obviously hearing my slip.
Lucian grimaced but hid it by rubbing his big hand over his face. The rasp of his stubble sounded in the silence. “I’ll drive.”
But neither of us moved. We continued to stare each other down and then, as if by silent agreement, turned to open our respective doors and exit the truck. I walked around the front of the truck, only to halt when I met Lucian midway.
He was tall enough that he had to dip his chin to meet my gaze. Lord, but he was a big beautiful man. Wintergreen eyes stared at me with such intensity my skin flushed with heat. I couldn’t move or think under that stare.
“Were you really carsick?”
That hot-cream voice compelled me to tell the truth. I had to fight against it, and those damn eyes. I blinked up at him, all sweet innocence.
“Lucian, are you accusing me of lying?”
“Yep.”
Well then.
His granite expression didn’t change, but something glinted in his frosty gaze that told me he wasn’t angry so much as wanting to know the truth. Two could play it that way.
“Tell me, Brick. Would you have admitted you had a migraine if I asked?”
Firm lips twitched; the glint grew amused. “Eventually.”
“Hmm.”
His dark brows winged up at that. “Hmm? That’s your answer?”
I shrugged. “Why not? You use it often enough.”
The twitching corners of his mouth threatened to bloom into a full-fledged half smile. But he got it under control just in time. “Just so we understand each other.”
“I guess we do.” That should not have filled me with bubbles of anticipation. But it did. With a businesslike nod, I moved to pass him, but he halted me in my tracks by ducking down.
Though his lips didn’t touch my ear, I felt them there like a hot stroke to my skin. I nearly shivered when his voice rumbled out in a dark whisper. “Thank you, Emma, for saving me from my masculine pride.”
I couldn’t have hidden my answering smile if I’d tried; it fell over me like sunshine, warming