Bite Me If You Can - Argeneau Series - Book 6 Page 0,90

he turned abruptly and ducked back into the closet.

Lucian almost expected her to follow him into the closet and demand an explanation, but she didn’t. After a moment he stepped back to the door and peered warily out. Leigh was still standing in the doorway, staring at the bed, a confused look on her face.

He was debating whether to say anything when Bricker called from somewhere deep in the house, “Hey, Leigh! What do fashionable Canadian men wear grocery shopping?”

Leigh blinked and turned to peer out the door. “How do I know? I’m from Kansas.”

“Yeah, but you’ve at least been shopping today and seen the guys out there.”

“Toques and plaid?” she suggested with amusement.

“You’re joking!” Bricker squawked.

“Yes, I am.” Leigh chuckled as she moved out of the door. “Just wear…”

Lucian didn’t hear the rest. Letting his shoulders relax, he turned back into the closet. He stuffed a couple more items into his bag, then moved to the en suite bathroom to grab his spare razor and a few other items.

When he stepped out into the sitting area, it was empty, and he followed the murmur of voices downstairs. Leigh and Mortimer were in the kitchen, talking as they waited for the kettle to boil.

“I’m making tea,” Mortimer announced as he entered. “You want any?”

“Tea?” Lucian asked with interest. It was something he hadn’t yet tried.

Mortimer grabbed a third cup from the cupboard, paused, then took a fourth cup as well. For Bricker, Lucian supposed.

“Are you coming shopping, too?” he asked Mortimer.

“No.” The other man picked up the kettle and poured water into each cup as he said, “I’m going to sleep. We were taking turns driving to try to catch up with Morgan. We were driving around the clock, one sleeping while the other drove. My shift was just ending when Bastien called and told us about the plane tickets and that he was sending a plane for us.”

Lucian nodded.

“I’ll let you each fix your own tea,” Mortimer announced as he took the tea bags out. He then took his own cup to the table.

“Ahh, tea,” Bricker said, entering the kitchen as they were finishing off their cups several minutes later. He’d changed into faded, holey jeans and a skintight maroon t-shirt. “I’ll have one of those, too.”

“No time,” Lucian announced, getting to his feet. “Your ten minutes are up.”

Bricker groaned. “You’re a hard man, Lucian.”

“Yes, I am. Don’t forget it,” he said dryly. “If you’re coming, then let’s go.”

Taking Leigh’s arm as she got to her feet, Lucian walked her out to the car, noticing the way her eyes ate up the environment he’d had built around his home.

“How much land do you have?” she asked, curious.

“Twenty or thirty acres,” he answered, then glanced around and realized she’d only seen the front yard. “The river winds through it, then comes around the house and empties into the pond. “There’s a fountain spout in the pond,” he added, gesturing to a point just in front a little bridge and pagoda. “I turned it off before heading down to Kansas, though,” he explained, then promised, “I’ll bring you back in the next couple of days and show you around properly. There’s a pool, an outdoor shower, a bunkhouse, and a little studio on its own.”

“It’s lovely, and I’d love to see more,” Leigh told him solemnly.

“Tomorrow,” he decided. “I’ll bring you back tomorrow.”

Lucian opened the front passenger door for her, then closed it and turned, remembering that Bricker was accompanying them. He was standing beside the car, grinning like an idiot. Lucian scowled.

“Get in,” he muttered, and walked around to the driver’s side.

It occurred to him then that he was acting as out of character around Leigh as the two of them had on the day they brought her back to the hotel. The difference was, he’d been surprised and exasperated by their behavior. His own actions, on the other hand, seemed to be causing Bricker a great deal of amusement. Sighing, Lucian slid behind the wheel and started the car.

They stopped at Marguerite’s to drop off their purchases, to make room in the trunk for the groceries, setting them inside the foyer to be put away when they got back. Then they fed Julius before continuing on to the grocery store.

Leigh was an organized shopper, Lucian saw with approval. She had the list she’d made that morning and followed it, placing item after item in the cart he was pushing. Bricker, on the other hand, seemed to throw everything his