Free Lucius (Luna Lodge #3) by Madison Stevens Page A

the major, but he seemed more than capable of handling things on his own.
    “Mostly just things around the house,” she said. “He and my mother had shared land, so I maintain both the houses.”
    “What about your mother?”
    Hannah wished she hadn’t asked when the woman looked down at her hands.
    "My mom passed away last year," she said quietly.
    "Oh, hon." Hannah took her hand. "I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have assumed."
    Jenna shook her shoulder-length curly brown hair.
    "You wouldn't know," she said. "She was sick for some time. I took care of her for the last few years. My uncle would stop by and check on us. Make sure we were okay. Help with money and mom’s shares of the estate."
    Hannah looked at Jenna. She couldn't have been much older than twenty-two. If she had been taking care of her mother for years, then she had spent much of her younger years caring for her dying mother. It was both sweet and sad.
    "I should have thought first." Hannah frowned. "Just about everyone here has something they struggle with. I don't know why I thought you'd be any different. I'm really sorry."
    For the first time, Hannah saw a real smile break through.
    "You know, we're going to throw a baby shower for Kate on Friday. You should come."
    Jenna looked nervous for a moment, and Hannah wondered how many friends she had. That many years without much interaction would make it difficult to even try.
    "It will be fun," she coaxed. "I think Kate would really like it if you came."
    She waited. It was a long shot because Kate wasn't exactly the warm and fuzzy type, but Jenna obviously was and might just be enough.
    "You think so?" Jenna twisted her hands in her lap.
    Hannah grinned and stood. "Be in the great room at seven."
    She gave a little wave and left feeling a little better about her roller-coaster day. She had gotten the party. Lucius nearly ripped her clothes off. She’d even made a new friend. On the whole, a good day. It would have been better with clothes ripping, but the night was still young.
     
     
     

Chapter Eight
     
     
    Lucius stood in the hall, watching her bend over the pictures and magazines on the floor. It was how he had found her the other night, and he was starting to think that, despite the perfectly fine table, she liked being on the floor, which was a little funny considering the kind of clothes she tended to wear. Not that he was going to complain. He liked her clothes. They hugged her curves and showed off everything that made the men flock to her.
    His palms started to sweat, and he groaned. This wasn’t good. Getting nervous was so stupid. There was no reason he needed to let her get to him like this. He knew what it was though. It was that he might have to actually talk to her and, worst of all, that she might actually listen.
    She rubbed the back of her neck. Lucius stood rigid as he watched her arms reach up over her head. She groaned, and he felt his cock harden in his pants at the primal sound. He ached to breathe through his nose again. To see if he could take in the scent that seemed to fill his mouth. He took a few deep breaths and sighed. It was the strangest thing, and he really didn’t quite know what to make of it.
    Lucius shook his head. The last thing he needed was to get caught gawking at her in the hall. He walked to the door and knocked on the frame. She jumped at the sound and turned around to look at him.
    He was nearly swept away by the dazzling smile she gave him.
    “Lucius,” she said. Her breathy voice didn’t help his already swollen cock.
    “You’re supposed to work in your room with the door closed.” He frowned.
    Hannah sighed and waved a hand at the lights. “I tried, but the power kept going off and on all day,” she said. “When I called the main line, they said there were issues with the grid. It was the only way I could get air and light.”
    Her face was flushed and without the fan, it likely got very warm in her room. Why she didn’t just leave was beyond