Free First Rapture (The Rapture Series) by Alexandra Ivy Page B

his home to shower and shave, swiftly changing into a pair of well-worn jeans and T-shirt before heading to out to find Madison.
    Now he awaited her arrival with a growing frustration.
    Was it possible that Kristen had sent him to the middle of nowhere so Madison had time to escape him?
    It was exactly the sort of plot the devious young lawyer would concoct.
    Especially if Kristen thought he intended to hurt her friend…
    The sound of an approaching car broke into his dark brooding and Luc backed into the shadows of the rocks, watching the silver sedan pull into the lot.
    A grim smile touched his lips as he caught sight of the dark-haired beauty seated behind the steering wheel of the rental car.
    Madison.
    Angling to avoid being seen in her rearview mirror, Luc jogged across the lot, swiftly reaching the car. Then, with a yank on the handle, he had the door open and was sliding into the passenger seat.
    “Morning, Maddy.”
    There was a feminine screech as Madison jerked her head to the side to watch him slam the door shut, her hand pressed to the center of her chest.
    “Good god, you nearly gave me a heart attack,” she rasped, her eyes narrowing as suspicion replaced her initial fear. “What the hell are you doing here?”
    He slid an appreciative glance over her slender body before returning to her furious face. Even in jeans and no makeup she was still the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen, but there was no mistaking the shadows beneath her glorious eyes and the pallor of her skin.
    A part of him was instantly concerned by the signs of a sleepless night, while a much larger part of him felt a stab of hope.
    Surely a woman who’d accomplished her mission would have slept soundly?
    “Weird,” he drawled, holding her wary gaze. “That’s the precise question I was about to ask you.”
    Her scowl deepened. “Did you follow me?”
    “Actually I’ve been waiting for you.”
    “How could you possibly have known I was coming—” Annoyance abruptly flared through her hazel eyes. “Kristen,” she muttered.
    “She sent me a text,” Luc admitted. “She said that you were coming here to complete some unfinished business. She also said that I needed to stop you.”
    Madison’s breath hissed between her clenched teeth. “Meddlesome pain in the ass.”
    He leaned toward her, resting his forearm on the center console as he carefully monitored her expressive face.
    “Why are you here, Maddy?”
    She gave a shake of her head, her braid brushing her shoulder. “It’s none of your business.”
    “What would it take to make it my business?” he asked, reaching to grasp the braid and tug the band off the end.
    “I…” She licked her dry lips, looking incredibly young and vulnerable as the morning sunlight streamed through the windshield. “Don’t understand.”
    His heart twisted, the familiar affection he’d always felt for this woman deepening into a richer, more lasting emotion.
    Avoiding her wary gaze, Luc concentrated on unraveling her hair from the braid. “When I caught sight of you last night it all became clear.”
    “What did?”
    “Why I could never commit to another woman.” He unraveled the last of the braid and combed his fingers through the satin softness. His breath caught as a fierce arousal slammed into him. Oh…man. Just being near this woman was enough to make him hard with need. The sooner he had her in his arms, the better. “And why I kept such a close watch on your career,” he continued, leaning even closer. “And why I felt as if I’d been living my life in black and white until you walked onto that balcony and filled the night with beauty.”
    He was near enough to see her eyes darken at his soft words. Of course, her expression remained stubbornly defensive.
    Nothing about Madison Philips would ever be easy.
    And he didn’t give a shit.
    He would give whatever necessary to make her happy.
    “Did you practice that?” she tried to mock, grimacing as her words came out