This was his time. She’d come to think that he awoke at such an early hour because it was the one time of day he would not be disturbed. Lucian’s life was unendingly busy, yet at the same time, startlingly lonely. She didn’t like to think about him sitting up in the middle of the night before she came to live with him. There was a sadness to Lucian she was still figuring out. She liked to think she was easing it, filling that hole camouflaged beneath the image of perfection, but she was never really sure.
She quietly padded over to him, smiling softly the moment he noticed her. The tension tightening his expression eased, and he seemed to breathe a sigh of relief as if she were a welcome distraction.
His hand reached for her. “Hey, beautiful.”
“Hey.”
Evelyn lowered herself to the carpeted floor and rested her head on his thigh. His palm immediately ran over the length of her hair.
“Did I wake you?”
She shook her head, the silk of his pants a whisper beneath her cheek. “I couldn’t find you.”
His sigh told her he had a lot on his mind. She wished she could ease his burdens, but most of Lucian’s stress was far above her head.
“Did you have fun with Antoinette yesterday?” he asked, his fingers sifting softly through her hair.
She shut her eyes. “Mm-hm. Your sister sure likes to shop.”
He laughed quietly as he twirled a chestnut strand. “Your shopping bag was delivered. What did you get?”
Evelyn remembered the way Toni made fun of her purchases. “Nothing.”
“You got something. The bag felt heavy.”
She shrugged. “A vendor was selling some odds and ends I thought were neat. He looked a little down on his luck and I thought some of his merchandise was interesting so I paid him a hundred dollars for all of it. I think the most valuable thing I got was his gratitude. The rest is probably worthless, but it felt really good giving him that money.”
“Then mission accomplished. I give you spending money to enjoy; if giving it to that vendor brought you pleasure, I’m glad you did it.”
Her heart fluttered at his justification. He was always so accepting of her, even when she did weird stuff like pay a hundred dollars for a bag of rocks.
“Your sister thinks I’m nuts.”
“Toni’s young.”
“She’s my age, Lucian.”
“You’ve had more life experiences than most will ever see in their lifetime. Toni only knows what it is to live in the lap of luxury. She doesn’t understand what it is to truly be hungry for more.”
She drew in a deep breath, pulling his comforting scent deep into her lungs. The sky on the other side of the glass had faded to a deep amethyst. They skipped dinner last night, spending the evening in bed making love and munching on muffins and breads Lucian always kept on hand. She was hungry.
As if reading her mind, he said, “How about I order some breakfast for us and you show me your purchases?”
“Okay.”
She stood and Lucian grabbed her hand. His dark gaze told her he wanted to tell her something. He looked at her for a long moment, but said nothing. Noticing the set of his eyes, she recognized a bit of the well-concealed sadness showing through.
“What is it?” she asked.
He shook his head. “Nothing. I just . . . I’m glad you’re here . . . with me.”
Warmth spread through her chest. Her lips curved. He had no idea how much he meant to her. Never before in her entire life had she put so much trust in another human being. Although she was terrified of admitting she loved him, afraid saying it would make it real and somehow more fragile, she knew he felt her love.
He had brought her here, clothed her, sheltered her, taught her, and loved her. Lucian was home, her home.
Leaning close, she pressed her lips to his and whispered. “Me too. Besides, where else would I be?” As she pulled away, worry still weighed on his face. Something was really bothering him. “Lucian, is something wrong?”
Immediately, his expression cleared. “No. I’m just being sentimental. Go get your things. I’ll call down for breakfast.”
She knew when he was being sincere and when he was being Lucian Patras, master of strategy, connoisseur of façades. She didn’t enjoy feeling maneuvered like one of his business associates, but whatever was bothering him seemed to run deep. She’d give it a few days to surface before she asked again.
While they waited for breakfast, Evelyn had a quick shower. As she returned from the bedroom, hair wet and in her robe once more, she found Lucian sitting at the sofa, examining a blue stone. She hesitated, hoping he wouldn’t tell her she wasted her money. Their covered breakfast awaited them at a small bistro table in the corner. She could smell the sweet scent of the maple syrup and knew he had ordered her favorite, French toast.