

This is a work of fiction.

Lucian © 2018 Lorraine Beaumont

Ravenhurst Series © 2012 Lorraine Beaumont

Names, characters, organizations, places, events, and incidents either are figments of the author's imagination or used fictitiously.

Text Copyright © 2018 Lorraine Beaumont

All Rights Reserved

No part of this book may be reproduced or stored in a retrieval system, transmitted in any form or by any means—electronic, mechanical, photocopying, record-ing, or otherwise without the express written per-mission of the author.

PRAISE FOR THE RAVENHURST SERIES

"It has been a few years since I was able to stay interested in a book. The Ravenhurst series has given me the pleasure of feeling like I can't live without knowing - again!!!!" R Groen

"I truly enjoyed this book. It was one of those "hard to put down" reads. I'm definitely going to get the next one. I can't wait to see what happens to these characters. Not only in the past, but in the present. Romance novels have many of the same storylines which can become beyond boring. This book is a welcome diversion with its time traveling theme." Ellie

"Ms. Beaumont's story kept me captivated from the get go and made me blush in quite a few spots. Great books!" Book Gorilla reader, Judy

"Fans of Outlander will fall in love with this series filled with swoon worthy knights and unexpected twists and turns!" Romancing the Reader

"I love to read time travel stories but have never read one as good as Diana Gabaldon Outlander series until now! Like Diana, Lorraine puts you right into the story and you don't want it to end! Thank you for a very memorable and enjoyable vacation read. And I will be looking forward to the next book in the series. I hope it's about Lucian. Fingers Crossed." J. Wagner

"Hoping this series makes it to Hollywood!" Christina

"What a romance and even if the story goes on in another book the author gives you that ah moment at the end. Loved it found it very entertaining." Druecilla

"LOVED this book. I search out time travel books and have now found my favorite writer! This isn't just a mindless read. There are twists and turns and things I didn't predict. Perfect. Can't wait to read the rest of the series!" Just me

"There's everything you want in a book , romance , a bit of mystery & danger !" Anita Foster

"Time Travel in an adult format. Well written and draws you in the very first sentence. I highly recommend this book. Ms. Beaumont is a true storyteller from the beginning to the end." Crystal Miles Gauthier

"Loved this book! I have enjoyed the entire series. I liked how the characters in the series had a cross over or were mentioned in the book." CAT

"Loved this book and bought the series.. Loved it! Loved it! Loved it..." Bella Perez

"Awesome Books" Amanda Smith

"Totally love the storyline - and can't wait to read the next books on Ravenhurst!!!" Kathy

"Amazing time travel stories! I could not read them fast enough! Waiting on next book to get done. I love the way it all blends together" Dawn Sorrell

"This series was great. It was romance with time travel. The stories all linked together and were well written. Love the characters." Cheryl Helberg

"I really enjoyed reading these books, they are very well written and the story line keeps you wanting to continue reading. I did not want to put the book down. I am waiting very patiently for the next one to come out." Eric Niver

"Hard to put down... so many stories under one cover a real page turner! Have to read the next book."

La Verne G Menear

"Great mystery with a side of beef!" Lorie Van Gorp

"I'm hooked!" B Pellegrin

"Loved this series. Hope it keeps on going. The characters are so real and the story lines are fantastic. Once you start reading you can't stop." L. Breed

"This reminds me of Outlander. A great story from beginning to end!" True Romance

"Time Travel in an adult format. Well written and draws you in the very first sentence. I highly recommend this book. Ms. Beaumont is a true storyteller from the beginning to the end." _Crismysty_

"No one really forgets love or lust. Murder and greed repeat over and over because they are never satisfied. Love searches and searches even when the mind doesn't know for what it is searching. _" Ms Santa_

"Steamy Time-Travel! A really unique approach to time-travel with interesting, real-life characters. Romance and mystery combine for a real page-turner. I couldn't put it down _!" Vicki_

"Every book in this series was incredible _!" Wyndywen_
"Fantastic! another time travel sequence. I do not want it to stop. Cannot get enough of Lorraine Beaumont novels. Keep them coming and I will keep reading. Thanks!" Piper/Holly

"This series is amazing!" Jessiejo

"Thank you Ms. Lorraine for the most wonderful time travel series ever! Keep them coming" Sandy

"Very edgy and intriguing!" Dedeia

"I like this author very much. She is different than your ordinary time travel romance author. In a good way!!!!" Jill Cogburn

"Brilliant! This is a great story. I am now up to the fourth book in the series and wish there were many more. So hard to put down. Well done Lorraine ... keep writing!!" Robyn Roberts

"Nicely done! I liked the way the author handled intrapersonal remarks, putting them in italics. That was very effective and at times extremely humorous. " Niren

"Charming!" Ms. Picc

"It is a fantastic story line. Thanks Lorraine, you have been a blessing for me, especially since I had two operations last year, and I am still recuperating this year. God Bless you, keep writing, please." C. Bridgeford

"Intriguing!" Denise

"Love this Series!" Thalia in Kansas

"Excellent! Makes you forget the real world for a while." ykminers

"The Ravenhurst Series is fantastic. Lorraine is a fantastic writer. Look forward to new books to each series of books that she has written already." Charlotte

"Amazing time travel stories! I could not read them fast enough! Waiting on next book to get done. I love the way it all blends together!" Dawn Sorrell

"I loved this book as well as all the books in this series. The story line is well developed and easy to follow even when it is switching between the past and the present. All the characters are well developed and believable. They are complex and flawed, but all we can identify with. I truly loved the ending of this story, it was a surprise ending for me. I would truly recommend this series to anyone who enjoys time travel stories." Brenda Langham

"I love the way Lorraine Beaumont continues the wonderful mixture of suspense, romance, action and mystery. Even though it appears the end is here and all has fallen into place, she leaves the door open for more at the end!" Cat Figaro

"Love this series could not put them down." Angel Lucas

"This is by far one of the best books I have read in the past year and I read a lot of books." Barbara McCarthy

"Romance is the name of the game in this book. This book delivers what we all want more romance and excitement in our life. Overall, I am very well pleased with this book and the excitement it has brought me. This book had me unwilling to put it down until I turned the last page, as I was so enthralled with the plot. The author of this book knows how to deliver the good in this romance novel." Marion Botello (Amazon Top Reviewer)

"This was an excellent book and whole series. I was so entertained that I am snapping up her other books and can't wait to escape again!" Kiwi Cone

Other titles by Lorraine Beaumont

Ravenhurst Series

#1 Bestselling Time Travel Romance

Forgotten Time

Shadows of Yesterday

Time to Remember

Dreams of Tomorrow

Now and Forever

A Victorian Christmas

Lucian

Merlin

A Modern-Day Christmas

♦

Ravenhurst Special Edition Trilogy

Ravenhurst, Vol I

Ravenhurst, Vol II

Ravenhurst, Vol III

♦

Lost in the Highland Series

#1 Bestselling Scottish Time Travel Romance

Lost in the Highlands, Book I

Lost in the Highlands, Book II

Lost in the Highlands, Book III

♦

Briarcliff Series

Young Adult Paranormal Dark Urban

Fantasy Written for Adults

Briarcliff - Elyograg

Briarcliff - Gargoyle

Briarcliff - Degare'

Briarcliff Box Set

♦

Edenbrooke Hollow Series

Paranormal Time Travel Romance

The Witches of Edenbrooke

♦

New Series in the Works

# TABLE OF CONTENTS

AUTHORS NOTE

CHAPTER ONE

CHAPTER TWO

CHAPTER THREE

CHAPER FOUR

CHAPTER FIVE

CHAPTER SIX

CHAPTER SEVEN

CHAPTER EIGHT

CHAPTER NINE

CHAPTER TEN

CHAPTER ELEVEN

CHAPTER TWELVE

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

CHAPTER NINETEEN

CHAPTER TWENTY

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

CHAPTER TWENTY -SEVEN

CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

CHAPTER THIRTY

CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE

CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO

CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE

CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR

CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE

CHAPTER THIRTY- SIX

CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN

CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT

CHAPTER THIRTY- NINE

CHAPTER FORTY

CHAPTER FORTY-ONE

CHAPTER FORTY-TWO

CHAPTER FORTY-THREE

CHAPTER FORTY-FOUR

CHAPTER FORTY-FIVE

CHAPTER FORTY-SIX

CHAPTER FORTY-SEVEN

CHAPTER FORTY-EIGHT

CHAPTER FORTY-NINE

CHAPTER FIFTY

EPILOGUE

Dear Reader –

ALL BOOKS IN THE RAVENHURST SERIES

ABOUT LORRAINE

#  AUTHORS NOTE

The seventh book in the Ravenhurst is a full- length novel and a standalone book, (approximately 80,000 words) which means it does not have to be read with the other books in the series. However, if you would like the full Ravenhurst experience, you can grab Forgotten Time, book 1, free, at select retailers such as Barnes and Noble, IBOOKS, Kobo etc. If you want it free for Kindle, send an email to the address below and will send you a copy for that device.

lbeaumontbooks@gmail.com

#  CHAPTER ONE

Lake Lure, North Carolina

A lone motorcycle rumbled into a parking lot outside the 'Mountain Lake Resort' Bar/Restaurant.

Cutting the engine, Lucian Scott pulled off his helmet and eased back on the seat. He wasn't sure how he had ended up in Lake Lure, North Carolina, of all places, but it seemed as good a place as any to disappear for a while.

And he _needed_ to disappear.

At least until he figured out a way to get the money he needed to pay back his gambling debts—Lucian had an appetite for the finer things in life but not the money to acquire them, which he thanked or blamed, depending how one looked at it, on his father, and his tightfisted brother, Reed.

Irritated more at himself than his brother or father, at this point, he climbed off his bike and made his way up the wooden stairs to the outside bar for a drink. The bistro style wrought iron tables and chairs were on a deck overlooking the lake, so the view was nice. He wished he could say the same about the room he rented. But beggars couldn't be choosers and right now he was near broke.

Attached to the bar was a restaurant and further up the mountain, there were cabins for rent. They were _really_ nice but far from his price range. In another life, his old one, he would have stayed in one of those cabins and been eating a fine dinner in the restaurant instead of trying to fill his belly on the free snacks.

Seating himself, he picked a table by the railing under a tree and pulled the bowl of snacks closer. A warm breeze wafted off the water and a few ducks floated on top bobbing in the wake of a boat that just passed. The tree overhead was almost bereft of all the leaves but the ones that still clung to the branches were bright yellow.

Settling back in the chair, he propped his booted feet up on the rung and grabbed a few pretzels out of the bowl to munch on. There weren't many people out on the deck except for two women who were seated a few tables away, surrounded by shopping bags. They looked to be having a heated discussion about something.

Close to the door to the restaurant an older man was reading a book, and sipping on a beer. Every few minutes the man would look up to watch a tall slender man and a pretty brunette woman on the other side of the deck while they practiced some kind of dance routine to a catchy old fifties song. Through the windows of the restaurant, he could see some of the servers getting the tables ready for dinner. The smell of steak and seafood made his stomach rumble even more.

"Hey there. What can I get for you?"

Lucian pulled his eyes back from the window and was surprised to see a rather pretty blonde, with long shapely legs standing in front of his table with a pad and pencil. She was wearing a white polo, black shorts and a red half-apron tied around her slender waist.

"I'll take a whiskey, straight up. No ice."

"Any preference on what kind?" She lifted her brow flirtatiously.

Lucian didn't notice. "Whatever is the cheapest."

She smiled at that. "A man after my own heart."

"Yeah," he chuckled. "I guess."

She stuffed her pad back in her pocket and tucked her pencil behind her ear. "A glass of cheap whiskey, coming right up." Winking, she turned and walked back inside.

Lucian appreciated the view and then shook his head. He had to remind himself he was swearing off women for a while. Grabbing a few nuts, he tossed them in his mouth and turned back around to watch the dancers practice.

♦

Inside, the dining room was awash in murmurings of idle chitchat from the servers getting ready for the dinner rush, along with the distinct clatter of trembling fine china, crystal stemware, and polished silver, as the tables were prepared.

Molly pulled back her unruly mass of curls into a messy bun. If one looked closely, especially in the sun, they would see streaks of copper highlights. Her father would say they came from her mother's side of the family.

Leaning back against the carved mahogany bar, the one her father personally had imported from England, Molly took a sip of water with a single slice of lime inside, wishing she wasn't working so she could have something stronger.

Her boyfriend, Dan, was supposed to help her out at the restaurant today to teach some of the new hires how to dress tables but he bailed at the last minute. What else was new, she thought grimly. He told Molly, he needed take care of some business. What the might be, she had no idea—he never told her squat, anymore.

Surveying the progress, she looked around the restaurant and then outside. Esmerelda was standing on the deck, with her hands on her hips, practicing Baby, while Sergei moved his slender hips back and forth, with his imitation of Johnny, from the movie Dirty Dancing, to the lyrics of, 'Hey Baby,' by Bruce Channel.

They were getting ready for one of the last theme weekends, at the restaurant/bar she managed for her father, which included troupe dancers who impersonated the cast from the Dirty Dancing. Johnny, aka, Sergei, and Esmeralda, aka Baby, were both from Ukraine.

Molly had a deal with the dancers. Instead of paying half up front like most of her competitors in the area, she instead promised them part of the proceeds. Since the dancers seemed to get more into character, it turned out better than she had expected.

She had come up with the idea a few years back when the Restaurant/Bar was nearing bankruptcy.

Her father wanted to sell it off to developers for Luxury Mountain Homes but Molly had begged him to give her a chance running it. After a lot of complaining/begging, he had finally relented and gave her a year to turn it around. That's when she came up with her version of a Dirty Dancing weekends with the tag line: "Discover the magic of a bygone era at Mountain Lake Resort." And just like the movie, the guests would get dancing lessons; participate in games, such as charades, a scavenger hunt, and a viewing of the movie as well as party that would follow where all the dancers would reenact the final dance scene in the movie.

Molly pulled her eyes back from outside as a waitress walked up to the bar.

"Hey Tim, can you get me a whiskey, straight up, no ice?"

"Anything for you, gorgeous."

Molly rolled her eyes. She never got comments like that. Fine. Maybe it would be inappropriate since she was the boss, but it would have been nice to hear some kind of compliment once in a while. Dan never told her she looked good.

Frowning, Molly noticed very quickly how short her shorts were. Her butt cheeks were practically falling out of the back of her shorts. Sighing, she walked over to the bar. "Hi there," she said in her best managerial voice. "What's your name?"

The girl gave Molly a bland stare which immediately rankled her.

She blew a bubble and snapped it loudly. "Tracy."

"Tracy, are you scheduled to work in the restaurant tonight?"

"Yeah."

"You can't wear those."

"What can't I wear?" She scowled.

"Those shorts."

"And who are you to tell me what to wear?" Tracy asked indignantly.

Molly tensed. "I'm your boss."

"Rodrigo didn't say anything to me."

"I just bet he didn't," Molly mumbled.

"What was that?"

"I'm Rodrigo's boss too."

"Oh." She cast her eyes downward.

Molly gave her a smug smile. Take that, she wanted to taunt her suddenly.

"Well, Boss Lady," she said just as smugly. "What would you like for me to wear?"

Molly tensed from her smartass tone. "Black pants."

"But I don't have black pants."

"Then you won't be working tonight."

"But I have a customer now."

"Fine. Serve your customer, then after you set up the rest of the tables on the far wall, you can punch out." Normally Molly wouldn't have made the girl do the tables too, but she didn't like her attitude.

The girl made a disgruntled face. "Fine."

Molly was about to say something else but her phone bleated. Pulling her phone out of her pocket, she looked at the number. It was Dan. Great. "I have to take this."

"Don't let me stop you." She rolled her eyes and turned back to the bar.

Molly gritted her teeth and answered her phone. "Yes, Dan, what is it?" she snapped.

"What's with the tone?"

"I'm in the middle of something."

"Can't it wait?"

"No, Dan, it can't." She walked away from the bar for some privacy.

"God, why are you always such a b--!"

"What?" Molly, lowered her voice so she couldn't be overheard. "What's so important?"

"Can you bring me some food? I'm starving."

"Are you kidding me?" Molly couldn't believe he expected her to drop everything just so he could tell her he was freaking hungry.

"No. I am not kidding you. You know how I get if I don't eat," Dan complained.

"Well, if you are that hungry why don't you get yourself something to eat?"

"There's nothing good in your fridge."

Molly tensed even more. "Why are you at my place?"

"You have cable."

"I thought you had something to do?"

"Ah, I did but uh, I finished."

She exhaled. "Fine. But I can't leave for a while."

After Dan rattled off the list of food he wanted, he added, "Thanks babe. You're the best."

"Yeah. You're welcome." Molly ended the call and rubbed the back of her neck, trying ease the tension gathering there.

Dan always pulled crap like this. Honestly, she was starting to wonder why she was even still with him.

Walking back to her spot at the bar, she watched Tracy walk outside to a guy sitting all by his lonesome. He was pretty hot. Actually, he was more than pretty hot—he was divine. The wind whipped his shoulder length dark hair back away from his rugged profile. He looked like one of those cologne models.

Dan, on the other hand, was cute, not hot, but she loved him, right? She did at one time, but lately he seemed so distant. He hardly ever wanted to make love anymore. And if he did, he was usually drunk which made the whole thing a little one- sided.

Her father didn't like Dan at all. He said Dan was a little prick.

For once, she agreed wholeheartedly with her father, well...almost. Dan may not be a little prick but he certainly had one.

As soon as that thought entered her mind, she felt a pang of guilt. Forcing her eyes away from the handsome stranger, she made her way to the kitchen to place Dan's dinner order.

♦

Lucian reached inside the snack bowl, snagged out a few more pretzels, and popped them into his mouth.

"Here you go, handsome." A glass of whiskey landed on the table.

"Thanks. What do I owe you?" He reached into his back pocket.

"Don't worry about it." She put her hand on his arm. "It's on the house."

"You sure?"

"Yeah." She smiled, perching her hip on the barstool at his side.

"Perks of the job?"

"I guess you could say that." She glanced in the windows and stood up suddenly. "I'll be back in a minute."

"I'll be here."

"Great." She gave him another sweep with her baby-blues. "See you in a few."

"Okay."

Turning, she made her way back inside.

#  CHAPTER TWO

Lake Lure, North Carolina

Molly walked out of the kitchen into the main dining room and immediately spotted Tracy, leaning against the bar talking to Tim.

Still irritated at the girl's lackadaisical attitude toward her earlier, she walked up to the bar. "Tracy, I thought I told you to dress the tables."

"With what? I don't see any clothes."

Molly's mouth dropped open and then she closed it. "Not with clothes," she finally said.

"Then how do I dress the tables?" She widened her eyes.

Molly tensed. "With dishes and tablecloths."

"Oh." She chewed on her lip.

"The cart right there."

"Oh. I didn't see that." Tracy walked up and grabbed the wrong cart.

"Not that one!" Molly rushed forward and grabbed hold of the stack of plates before they toppled to the floor.

"Which one then?" Tracy crossed her arms under her substantial breasts.

"That one." Molly pointed to the other cart.

"Oh." Tracy gave her a disparaging look as she walked over to the other cart and grabbed hold of the handle. The wheels on the cart squealed as Tracy pushed it forward.

"By the windows," Molly called out when the Tracy veered off to the left.

"I am, but this stupid cart is not cooperating."

Molly thought Tracy was stupid, not the cart. Groaning inwardly, she walked over to help Tracy push the cart full of dishes over to the tables lined up on the far wall by the windows.

"Can you handle it from here?" Molly asked, wishing not for the first time that she had stayed in bed this morning. After she had another fight with Dan this morning, everything had gone downhill the rest of the day and now this girl was really testing her patience.

"I guess so."

Molly pulled her phone out of her trouser pocket and perched her hip on the edge of one of the tables. She had three messages. Punching in her code, she lifted her phone to her ear. It was Dan, again.

"Moll's, don't forget the cheese sticks."

She hit delete.

The next message played.

"Hey sweetheart, it's your father, just checking in. Call me." Molly smiled. Her dad's calls always made her feel better.

She listened to the next message, which was from her best friend Peggy, the one getting married in a few short weeks.

"MOLLY!" Peggy's voice was insistent on the other end. "Did you ask? Did you get it?"

Opting not to call, she texted her friend a quick message: Working on it.

Molly was supposed to bring the liquor for the wedding but she needed to clear it with her father. And even though she assured Peggy she could get the booze, she still hadn't asked. Debating whether to call her father, she stared at her phone.

"Now what?" Tracy asked.

Molly exhaled and shoved her phone back in her pocket. She would have to call her father later. "Dress the tables."

"What?" Tracy gave Molly a blank look.

Pushing her shoulders back, Molly put on her best managerial face. "Watch," she instructed. Leaning over, she pulled out a starched white linen tablecloth from under the cart.

"This is how we dress a table." With a flick of her wrists, Molly sent the fabric snapping into the air and floating soundlessly down on top of the table.

"Next," she said, making sure Tracy was paying attention, "we put the plates on top. Each setting gets three." She pulled a stack of plates off the cart and one by one, she arranged two plates together and put the smaller one at the top."

"What's the smaller one for?" Tracy asked.

"It's where you put the bread."

"Oh." Tracy's full lips pursed together.

Molly gritted her teeth. "Just place the silverware on either side of the plate. The small fork goes first, then the larger one. On the right, you place the table knife."

"What about the spoon?"

"After you put the cup and saucer on the table, here," she instructed, setting the aforementioned cup and saucer at the top of the plate, she then pulled a spoon off the cart and angled it across the smaller plate.

"Oh. I see."

"After each place is set, be sure to put a vase of flowers in the center and then place the linen napkins on top like so." Molly set the rest of the things on the table and looked pointedly at Tracy. "Do you think you can finish these?"

"You want me to do them all?" Tracy looked appalled by the prospect.

"Yes. All of the ones against the windows."

"It's going to take me a while." Tracy begrudgingly turned and walked off towards the tables.

"Who didn't know that was coming," Molly grumbled under her breath, then added louder, "I'll be back to check on your progress in a few minutes."

Lifting her hand, Tracy waved off her comment.

Molly felt like pulling out her hair. Normally she was pretty patient dealing with new hires but the stress of Peggy's wedding and Dan, once again, being Dan, was apparently taking its toll on her.

#  CHAPTER THREE

Lake Lure, North Carolina

Around ten thirty Molly stepped inside her house and shut the door. She was beat. The television was blaring and there was an odd smell coming from her kitchen.

"Molls, is that you?" Dan called.

"Yes." _Who the hell else would it be_? she thought with irritation.

"What took you so long?" Dan stepped out of the kitchen with a plate of food in his hand.

"I was teaching a new hire how to dress the tables." She hung her bag on the hook by the door and kicked off her flats onto the rug.

"Why don't you get _Rodrigo_ to do that?" He sang his name.

Molly knew Dan didn't like Rodrigo and the feeling was mutual. Rodrigo said Dan was a sot.

"Because he had other things to do." She picked up the bag of takeout and carried it into the living room.

"You really need to delegate better," Dan said, adding his two cents.

"I delegate just fine."

He gave her a doubtful look but didn't press the subject. "Did you bring the food?"

"Obviously." She held up the brown paper bag.

"Good. I'm starving."

"Really?" She gave him a doubtful look. "You have a plate full of food."

"It's just some snacks to tide me over until you saw fit to bring me food."

"Here." She shoved the bag in his hands. "I'm going to take a shower."

"Uh huh," he said distractedly, watching television as he dug into the bag with gusto.

♦

"Jesus." Lucian threaded his fingers through his thick shoulder length hair. "This is what my life has come to."

Sighing heavily, he looked around the room he had rented. The furnishings were sparse at best and only consisted of a bed, chair, desk, and an old tube television that sat cockeyed on a faded dresser. Heavy pattered yellow curtains hung crookedly on the far wall, and a tan metal air conditioner/heater was underneath the window that made a knocking sound every time it kicked on.

Dropping his hands, he lifted up a bottle of whiskey and poured two glasses. A mirror was on the wall behind the bed. He assumed it was to make the small room seem larger but it didn't really help. A lone floor lamp stood in the corner for no other apparent reason than to take up space, because when he tried to turn it on, it didn't work. An ugly print of some animal was on the other wall, with a mountain scene and a stained multi colored shag carpet covered the floor.

Lifting his glass, he downed the contents and then refilled it. It seemed like a lifetime ago that he was back in England, begging his brother to help him out of yet another mess that he had gotten himself into.

The latest was a gambling debt. He owed some lowlifes from the underbelly of society quite a bit of money; if it wasn't for that, he would have never entertained the notion of returning home to Ravenhurst—he hated it there. But he had a plan and it was a damn good one, too, until Cecily, "the Bitch" as he now referred to her as, betrayed him for money. He hoped Karma came and bit her in the ass like it was doing to him now.

The door creaked open and steam entered the room, along with the waitress from the bar he met earlier. Her long, bleach blonde hair hung limply around her lightly tanned shoulders and a yellowish colored towel that he was sure was once white, was tucked securely under her arms.

"Did you pour a drink for me?" she asked.

"What do you think?" His gaze smoldered under dark lashes, casting shadows across his high cheekbones as his lips turned down in annoyance. She wasn't the brightest bulb in the room and that was saying something since most of them didn't even work.

Before she found her voice to answer, he lifted the glass in her direction.

"Oh," she giggled and sauntered over to him. "Thanks." She plucked the glass from his outstretched hand and slammed it back with little finesse.

Swiping the back of her hand over her mouth, her gaze dropped to the thin line of dark hair that formed right below his navel and disappeared into the band of his low-slung jeans. Slowly, her eyes coasted up from his ripped stomach, to his bare muscled chest, to his dark, almost black gaze as she handed out her glass for a refill.

He took the glass, splashed more whisky in the bottom, and then handed it back to her.

A knowing grin slid over her pretty face as she took the glass once more. Taking a delicate sip, this time, her full lips lingered on the rim of the glass.

"You want some more?" His dark brow lifted in question.

"What do you think?" Her lazy drawl poured over him like honey.

Lucian knew she wasn't talking about the whiskey this time. "Drop the towel." His voice was deep, firm—the kind of voice that warranted attention.

Cradling her glass, she bit her lip seductively and let the towel slip out from under her arms; it fell with a whooshing sound down onto the ugly stained carpet.

"That's better." Reaching down, Lucian unfastened his jeans, his dark gaze never wavering from hers. Plucking the glass from her fingers, he set the glass on the dresser at his side. "Come here," he said.

She stepped forward.

He reached down and covered her breast. Her nipple puckered instantly. "You like that?"

"Hmm, hmm," she said, returning the favor by pressing her hand to the front of his jeans.

Lucian rubbed his thumb back and forth over her taut nipple.

She increased the pressure on his growing erection.

"Keep that up and we won't even get to the bed."

"I don't care. We can do it here or even on the table if you like?"

Reaching down, he hooked his arm around her back; one under her knees, sweeping her easily into his arms.

Giggling, she wound her arms around his neck as he carried her to the bed. Setting her down, he stood back up...watching as she got comfortable.

"How do you want me? Like this?" She got up on her knees and pushed her bottom in the air.

Lucian's breath hitched at the sight and his dick sprang to attention.

She looked over her shoulder, grinning. "I see I've gotten your attention."

"Yeah," he agreed huskily.

She turned back around so she was facing him and reaching out, she grabbed hold of his erection. "I want to give you something first," she said and pulled.

"Hey," he gasped. "It's not a leash."

"Oh. Sorry." She giggled. "I will make it better." Tightening her grip on his length, she slowly lowered her mouth.

Lucian hissed out a stream of expletives as she practically swallowed him whole. But once he was inside the warmth of her mouth, he didn't want to stop. Gathering up her long flaxen hair, he held on.

She swirled her tongue over the tip and then took him to the back of her throat again.

" _Yes, that's it!_ " Lucian clenched his buttocks, rocking his hips forward as he twisted her hair around his hand.

She pulled back and his dick slid out of her mouth with a pop. "You like that?"

"Y _eah_!" he gritted, throbbing.

"Just wait," she boasted, apparently quite pleased with her skill. She lowered her mouth again and as she did so, she squeezed and raked her nails down the sides.

" _Fuck_ _yeah_!" He closed his eyes as waves of pleasure that coursed through his body. Normally he wouldn't even be close to coming at this point but in his defense, it had been a while.

Smiling, from the power she had over him, she moved her fingers down into the wiry hair at the base of his shaft, while milking him for everything he was worth.

"Damn!" he gritted. "That feels fantastic." And it did.

Increasing the pressure, she cupped his balls as she took him to the back of her throat.

Inhaling a sharp intake of air, he tried to keep control, but damn, it felt good—too good. If he didn't stop now, he would come.

"Need to get on a condom." Reluctantly, he withdrew and chilled air slid over his erection as he left her mouth.

He almost went back in.

He wanted inside the sweet warmth. He wanted it to cover him...to consume him—to make him forget. Forget how Cecily had betrayed him. Forget that he was running for his life. Forget that he was broke and not one person gave a shit about him. Not his father and probably not even his brother—Reed. It was hard to believe he had even looked up to him, from afar, but his father was a real prick and liked to pit brother against brother. To what end? Lucian didn't really know, nor did he care any longer, either. That ship sailed a long time ago.

Grabbing his drink off the dresser, he tossed back the contents, poured himself another, and downed that too. Opening the drawer, he pulled out a condom and walked back to the bed. "Here," he said, handing it to the girl. He didn't even remember her name.

Ripping open the packet, she pulled out the condom and her cold fingers encircled his erection again.

" _Damn,_ " he swore, gasping.

"Did I hurt you?"

"No." He shook his head. For some reason, his mind strayed back to Cecily. How she looked when he saw her last. Her beautiful face flushed from their lovemaking as he told her he loved her. She was the first woman he had ever said that to. He thought she was one. A bitter, deprecating laugh bubbled to the surface. Thought was the operative word. She not only screwed his brains out that night but she betrayed him too, for money—lots of it. He hoped she choked on it.

"It's not working," she complained. "You're getting soft."

Lucian tensed. He looked down and she was right. " _Fuck_!" He raked his hand through his hair in aggravation.

"You want me to kiss it again?" Her baby blues simmered with passion.

Shoving all thoughts of Cecily from his mind, he reached down and covered her breast. The moment his fingers grazed her nipple, it hardened into a delectable little bud and his dick sprang back to life. _Thank God!_

"Yeah," he breathed urging her onward. "Suck _me_." He slid his hands back through her hair, moving the mass out of the way.

Leaning forward, she pressed her pillowy lips against the tip and slid her fingers underneath his balls—cupping them.

"Damn, that feels fantastic." Jerkily his hips thrust forward.

Back and forth, she moved her mouth and tongue over his length.

"You've got a talented mouth, you know that?"

"Hmm, hmm," she mumbled, vibrating his length.

Clenching, he tried to make the sweet torture she was eliciting from him last a bit longer but it was too much. If he didn't stop now, he was going to come.

"Hold on." He withdrew from her mouth, still rigid...throbbing, and slipped on the condom himself.

Before he finished she had already turned around with her ass lifted in the air. She had a nice ass, that was for sure. His dick throbbed to be inside of her but he wanted to make sure she was ready for him. Reaching out, he stroked his hands over the sweet curve and down between her thighs into her milky warmth.

As soon as he inserted his finger, she clamped down around him like a vice. "Yes!" She bucked upward.

He inserted another finger, stroking deeper, making her wild.

"Give it to me!" she screamed.

Lucian didn't need to be asked twice. "I'm coming in," he said gruffly. Withdrawing, he smoothed his hands over the rounded curve of her sweet ass and positioned himself behind her.

"Do it! Do it now!" she begged, already panting.

Grasping the base of his shaft, he pressed the tip up against her entrance and thrust forward. " _Fuck_ ," he groaned as her warmth enveloped him.

" _Fuck me_!" she screamed, going wild.

Everything turned a bit frenetic after that.

Holding on, his length grew in size with each wonderfully sweet mind-numbing push.

"Harder... _faster_ ," she cried.

Sweat dripped down his body as he kept up the relentless tempo. They were like animals, mating. Both out of control, searching for that elusive thing that was just out of their grasp.

"Oh, YES!" she screamed, bucking wildly.

He could only imagine what they sounded like to passerby's. The walls were thin as paper, but right now, he didn't even care. "Not _yet_ ," he said.

"I _can't!_ " Her body shuddered and she tightened around his length, pulsing, throbbing against him, as her orgasm tore through her.

Lucian palmed her ass, driving faster, harder...he was losing his mind. He didn't want this feeling to stop. He didn't' want his life closing in on him again so soon. The emotions tearing through him were too much, though. One last squeeze and he finally gave over to the mind-numbing pleasure of his own orgasm.

♦

Spent, Lucian lay on his back, his eyes closed.

He felt the bed shift beside him.

He reached out towards her, but then dropped his hand back to the bed.

"I've got to go but I will stop by tomorrow after work, alright?"

"You don't have to," he said, reopening his eyes and watching her throw on her clothes.

"I want to."

Lucian closed his eyes, again. "Fine."

Sitting down on the edge of the bed, she pulled on her boots and zipped them up. "Get some sleep," she said. "I'll be back before you know it."

"Can you bring some food," he asked, rubbing his empty belly.

"Sure." She leaned over and kissed him soundly on the lips. "Be back before you know it."

"Yeah." Lucian closed his eyes once more as the door shut, wishing like hell he was the one leaving this shithole, instead.

#  CHAPER FOUR

Lake Lure, North Carolina

Molly turned into the parking lot of the restaurant and pulled into her normal space in the back. Killing the engine, she gathered her things and climbed out of her car, noticing Dan was standing outside the restaurant talking to the new girl, Tracy, that she had the incident with the previous night.

Shutting her door, she tugged her bag up on her shoulder and waited for a minute. Dan looked mad. We're they arguing? From her vantage point it certainly looked like they were. Why would Dan be mad at Tracy? Of course, the better question was, why was Dan even here? He left early this morning claiming once again, he had to go to work. Dan sold real estate for a living so he pretty much made his own hours.

Walking forward, she watched their body language. It was something she did to kill time at work and often times would make up little stories about the people while she was watching them. They seemed to be having a heated discussion about something, which was just weird.

As she drew closer, Tracy noticed her and immediately stopped talking.

Dan turned in her direction and the look she saw on his face almost made her stop dead in her tracks. He not only looked mad, he looked like he wanted to kill someone, and if she wasn't mistaken, that someone was her.

Tracy turned and ducked inside the building.

Dan turned back towards her, the look she had seen a moment ago was completely gone which immediately made her wonder if she had imagined it.

"What are you doing here?" she asked, stepping up on the stairs leading inside.

"Gee Molls, can't I come to see you at work?" he sounded nervous, his voice high.

Molly frowned. Since when did Dan want to come and see her at work? Normally he would say things like "Why? So, your dad can figure out another way to make my life miserable?" Dan was a conspiracy theorist; at least he was when it came to her father. He said he was sure her father was taking his clients. Of course, that wasn't the case. Her father didn't need to take his clients. He was rich. But Dan didn't believe her, and they ended up fighting. So, what was the point?

"I thought you said you had appointment with a client today?"

"I did but they canceled," he replied with an accusing tone, which meant he was somehow, once again, blaming her father.

"So, why are you here?"

"I already told you, I wanted to see you."

"Why? Do you need money again?"

"No. I don't need money, again."

That was a first. Dan always borrowed money from her, with a, "I'll pay you back" but that never seemed to happen. "Well," she prodded. "Why are you here?"

"Damn, Molls." He swiped his hand through his hair in an aggravated gesture and then dropped it back to his side. "Why do I have to have a reason to come and see my girl?"

She narrowed her eyes, contemplating his answer.

"Wow. Excuse me for even bothering." A wounded look crossed Dan's face.

She reached out and touched his arm. "I sorry. I didn't mean anything. I am just surprised," she added feeling a pang of guilt suddenly.

"No. I get it. You don't want me here."

"That's not it."

"Afraid your daddy will see me?" he added smartly.

Her shoulders tensed. That was something else Dan always did. He dragged her father into every argument they ever had, using her father's dislike of him as an excuse to be an even bigger ass. "What does my father have to do with this?"

"Give me a break. You know as well as I do that he doesn't like me."

"Can you blame him?" she blurted without thinking. Her father liked Dan just fine until he dumped Molly and made her an insecure basket case for a month before he called her and in a moment of weakness, she caved and got back together with him. Sometimes she wondered, especially in times like these, why she even bothered.

"What the _fuck_?" he spat. "You know what. Just forget it."

Her chest tightened. "Dan..." She reached out to touch him.

"No." He put up his hand to stay her. "I'm leaving and don't worry, I won't be back."

"What do you mean?" Her heart started pounding faster.

"I'm leaving."

"Me?" As soon as the word was out of her mouth she felt pathetic for even asking.

His face softened. "No. I'm not leaving you."

Molly thought sure she would have felt relief from his admission but she didn't. Actually, if she were to be honest, she felt the opposite. The why of that, she was still not real sure about. Maybe she was afraid of failing at something else in her life. That's why making the restaurant work was a such a big deal to her.

Dan reached forward and pulled her into his arms. "How can I leave you?"

Molly's face was pressed against his chest and Dan's Lagerfeld cologne engulfed her. He was heavy handed with his cologne, but another scent clung to his body, a mix of berries and musk. She pulled back and looked at his face. "What's that smell?"

"What smell?"

"That berry smell? And something else...."

"It's the restaurant." He pulled her back in his arms and ran his hand down her hair.

She stayed like that for a minute, trying to figure out where she had smelled that scent before.

"I better go and let you get to work." He dropped his arms and stepped back.

"Did you want to come inside? Get a coffee or something?"

Dan looked up the stairs. "No." He shook his head. "I have another appointment to get to."

Molly felt panicky suddenly, like things were not quite right between them. "Are you coming over later?"

He exhaled. "I guess I can be persuaded to see you on your lunch break."

"How?"

He waggled his brows. "You know how."

"Oh. OH!" Her face flamed as his meaning finally sunk in.

"See," he smiled. "There's my good girl."

Normally, Molly felt all giddy when he said things like that, but this time, his eyes seemed different, like he didn't really mean what he said.

"Hey, Boss Lady," a deep baritone voice called from the top of the stairs.

Molly looked up to see Rodrigo, his face showing his dislike for Dan. "What's up?" she called back.

"You need to get up here and have a talk with Esmerelda. She's having a fit about the dance."

"I'll be there in five."

Rodrigo merely nodded his head. After a minute of glaring at Dan, he finally turned and walked back out of sight.

When Molly turned back around, Dan too, was glaring up the stairs. "I, uh, better get inside."

"Of course, you do," Dan deadpanned.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing." He grimaced.

"Are we okay?"

"Yeah, sure. Why wouldn't we be?" He gave her a cold stare.

She frowned from the look he was giving her and adjusted her bag on her shoulder. "I don't know."

"Try not to be late for our afternoon delight." He leaned forward and gave her a chaste kiss on her cheek.

"Okay."

Dan turned and walked away without another word.

A sickening feeling settled in her stomach and she felt like she might need to get sick. But once Dan pulled out of the parking lot, miraculously, the feeling subsided and she felt much better.

♦

Late morning sun slanted through a crack in the drab drapes onto the bed. Not wanting to get up, Lucian covered his head with the extra pillow and tried to go back to sleep but as usual when he wasn't in a drunken stupor his mind went back to Cecily—and the ache from her betrayal bubbled to the surface again.

"Fuck!" He threw off the blankets and climbed from the bed. His stomach hurt—he felt like he had rot-gut. Glancing at the near empty bottle of whiskey on the dresser, he could understand why. What he needed was some food, something to absorb the alcohol swirling around in his empty belly.

Walking to the bathroom, he stepped inside. Pulling the ugly plastic curtain back, he turned on the shower and climbed inside. Bracing his hands against the wall, he let the spray of water ease his aching muscles. At least with the girl last night he had forgotten about Cecily for a while. But that was a short reprieve, he knew, but it was better than nothing.

After the water turned cold, which in this dump, didn't take that long, he climbed back out of the shower and got dressed. A gnawing hunger churned his insides. "I got to get some food."

There was a little coffee shop a few miles down the road he saw yesterday that would hopefully have something substantial to eat.

Grabbing his jacket and helmet, he left his room. The door slammed shut behind him.

A cool breeze blew against him as he headed down the stairs to the parking lot. His bike was in the front row. He climbed on, tossed on his helmet and started it up. The bike rumbled to life.

Twisting the throttle a few times, he lifted his feet and took off. The cold air helped revive him a bit but did little to alleviate the sickening feeling twisting in his gut from too much alcohol and lack of food.

#  CHAPTER FIVE

Lake Lure, North Carolina

Molly barely got the fight between Esmerelda and Sergei straightened out before it was already time for her to go back home to meet Dan.

"Rodrigo," she called over her shoulder, grabbing her purse off the bar stool. "Can you watch things here for a bit?"

He gave her a curious look. "Sure. Why?"

"I um, have to ah...do some errands," Molly lied, noticing Tracy had suddenly stopped wiping down the bar and instead watched her with rapt interest. Her shoulders tensed and Molly felt like telling her to mind her own damn business but didn't.

"Let me guess," Rodrigo said a bit snidely. "The prick told you to jump."

"It's not like that." Sure, it was a bit unconventional the relationship she had with Rodrigo her assistant manager but he was also the one who gave her a shoulder to cry on when Dan dropped her like a hot potato over just about every holiday and then once it was over, he came back out of the woodwork with some story about how much he missed her, etc. etc. and against her better judgement, she would inevitably end up getting back together with him.

"You _are_ too good for him."

Molly sighed. There was no point in arguing. "Can you do it or not?"

His face softened. "You know I will do anything you ask."

"I know."

"Just be careful, all right."

Molly knew he didn't mean be careful literally but more figuratively. "Don't I always."

Rodrigo gave her a look that said otherwise.

"I hear you." Molly made a face.

"I didn't say anything."

"I know. But I know what you are thinking."

He shrugged his broad shoulders. "You know I love you."

Her lip quivered involuntarily. "I know. I love you, too."

Tracy made a snorting noise from the bar.

Molly turned, about to give her a piece of her mind, but Tracy wasn't looking at them. She was bent over, cleaning the baseboard.

Frowning, Molly turned back towards Rodrigo.

He lifted his brows and shrugged. "Go on. I'll take care of things till you get back."

"I shouldn't be long."

"Yeah, I know."

"Smartass." She tugged her bag on her shoulder.

Rodrigo threw his head back and laughed. "Yeah, I am."

"Yeah, you are." Molly smacked his arm playfully on the way out.

Rodrigo only laughed harder.

♦

Molly had every intention of going right home to meet Dan after she left the restaurant but it was such a pretty day, she decided to take a more scenic route. Her reasoning was that she was still headed home but in a more roundabout sort of way. In another time, she would have drove straight home, afraid to upset Dan, but lately, she found that she just didn't care as much as she used to.

Passing the flower bridge, she headed into Chimney Rock. There were several quaint shops lined up on each side of the road that sold art from local artisans as well as souvenirs. A few small restaurants were there, as well as the best coffee shop. They had just about every kind of coffee you could want and their mocha java was to die for. When she had started seeing Dan, he would get them coffee from there all the time but not so much, now.

On a whim, she pulled off into the side lot, and put her car in park. Grabbing her purse, she climbed out. Chimney Rock mountain loomed above the shop in the distance. She loved it up there. Hiking on the paths and the view always helped her get things that were bothering her into perspective. Pulling her phone from her bag, she held it up to snap a photo.

Not paying attention, Molly took a step forward to get a better shot and bumped into a hard object.

"Shit!" a male voice yelled, as a drink splashed down onto the asphalt at her feet.

"I'm so...." Her eyes met the ones of the person she had just plowed into.

"Your so, what?" he asked, his irritation palpable.

Molly swallowed hard. She recognized the beautiful man in front of her immediately. He was the one she was ogling through the window at work yesterday. He looked even better up close or he would have if he wasn't scowling at her. "I'm so sorry about your drink."

"How about you watch where you are going next time," Lucian snapped and stalked off.

"It was an accident!" Molly yelled and even though it was a rather nice view she couldn't help adding, "Jerk."

#  CHAPTER SIX

Lake Lure, North Carolina

Dan held both of her ankles, pounding away. "Oh _yeah_ ," he groaned, thrusting forward in short bursts. He had his head thrown back, and his eyes shut.

Molly pressed her hand against the headboard, to stop her head from hitting it. She hated this position. To make matters worse, her black socks were coming off her feet. She didn't bother taking them off, because Dan said he was in a hurry.

"Squeeze your _fucking_ pussy tighter!" he rasped.

"I am!" Molly, felt like squeezing something all right but it didn't have anything to do with her own body.

Dan tightened his grip and pushed her legs higher. "I'm so _fucking_ close," he gritted, jerking his hips forward to the point his balls made a slapping sound against her bare bottom.

Molly wished she could say the same for herself.

"Fuck _yeah_!" Dan's body seized up. "I'm coming! I'm coming right _fucking_ now!" And he did. And then it was over, just like that.

♦

Sitting outside on a bench near the stream in the back of the dive motel, Lucian drank what was left of his coffee and ate a bacon, egg and cheese croissant. He got lucky, the coffee shop was having a two for one, so he got the coffee and the sandwich for only three dollars, which suited him just fine since he was running out of money fast. In a few more weeks he would be completely broke. And then he didn't know what he would do. At some point, he knew he should try to find some kind of work but he really didn't want to work. He wanted his old life back.

Pulling out his phone, he stared down at Cecily's number. She had called him numerous times since that night in the cabin, the night she betrayed him.

His thumb hovered over the number—he almost caved and called her—but what would be the point? Nothing had changed. She was still a liar and a money hungry little Bitch.

"Damn you, Cecily. Why?" Of course, he knew why, but that didn't stop the all too familiar pain and anger from bubbling to the surface again. He had thought they had a good thing going. She knew his likes and his dislikes. She was the love of his life—his equal—his perfect match. At least that was what he thought. Turns out money meant more to her than he did which somehow hurt even worse.

Maybe he had been kidding himself all those years. Maybe she wasn't his perfect match, after all?

He certainly hoped that was the case. If not he was pretty much screwed. He would be alone forever. Although, being alone didn't bother him as much as being lied to by someone he loved.

Maybe he was more like his brother than he thought. Reed wasn't interested in settling down at all. He told Lucian on more than one occasion that happily ever after didn't appeal to him in the least. That he was more than content to spend his days fixing up Ravenhurst, making money and trying to find out what happened to their father.

Lucian thought that was a waste of time since their father took a walk one day and didn't come back. And as much as he didn't want to outwardly admit it, he was glad he was gone. His father was a real prick. To Lucian especially. He was the reason Lucian left home to begin with. To get away from the emotional and verbal abuse his father liked to dump on him on a daily basis.

Reed on the other hand was the prodigal son. Their father had nothing but good things to say about Reed and more times than not told Lucian he should be more like him.

But Lucian didn't want to be like Reed. He wanted their father to like him the way he was. But as with most things he wanted in his life—that never happened.

Of course, when they were younger and their father wasn't in the equation, Reed and Lucian had actually gotten along rather well. They even tried to find the elusive treasure of Ravenhurst while pretending to be Knights.

Their father had ruined that as well. Telling Lucian that he could never be a Knight because a Knight was noble, steadfast, and good and obviously, Lucian was not.

His phone rang, pulling him from his thoughts.

It was a number he didn't recognize.

Freaked the people he owed money to had somehow found him, he quickly turned off his phone and shoved it back into his pocket.

Standing up, he gathered his trash and walked over to a wooden slated box with a plant on the top. The trashcan was inside. Pulling down the lever he tossed in his trash and walked back up the path he had come down earlier to go back to his room.

When he got to the front of the building, he pulled up short. Sitting in one of the rocking chairs in front of his room was the waitress he had met. She was smoking a cigarette with a brown bag at her feet staring at her phone. She looked up and saw him.

"Hey there." Standing she dropped her cigarette and stepped on it. "I brought you food."

"Uh, thanks." He wasn't really in the mood for company but since she went to the trouble of bringing him food he didn't want to be rude. "You want to come in?"

"Sure. I can't stay long, but I remembered how hungry you said you were."

"That's awfully nice of you." He used his keycard and opened the door. Stepping inside, he held the door open for her. She was wearing a pair of tight black pants and a white polo. "You heading to work?"

She exhaled and made a face. "How did you guess?"

"Oh, I don't' know. Your outfit might have had something to do with it."

"Yeah. I know, it's terrible."

"It's not bad. But what happened to your shorts?"

"My boss is a jealous bitch."

Lucian frowned. "Not following."

"Oh, right." She exhaled. "She told me I couldn't wear them anymore." She made air quotes. She said, "It's not appropriate attire for a family restaurant."

"What does she know."

"Yeah." She laughed again. "That's what I said."

"I take it that didn't go over very well with your boss?"

"Ah. No. She made me leave."

"What a bitch," he said echoing her earlier statement.

She laughed harder, snorting in the process. "I know, right."

Lucian put the "Do Not Disturb" sign on door even though it was highly doubtful a maid would come by since he had yet to see one.

Tracy carried the bag to the table and set it down. "You hungry?"

"Not yet." He shut the door and locked it.

"Oh. Well, I got you lots of goodies. It should tide you over for a while. At least until I can get back with some more."

"Thanks a lot. I really appreciate it." And he did. At least he wouldn't have to worry about food for a while.

"I brought some more whiskey." She reached in the bag and brandished the bottle.

"Wow. Thanks."

"Want a glass?"

"Sure. Why not."

"Here," she said, handing him the bottle. "You do the honors.

She pulled two empty plastic cups out of the bag and set them on the table.

"She brings accoutrements too." He broke the seal on the bottle and twisted off the lid.

"Huh?" Tracy, frowned.

Lucian shook his head. "Nothing. I was probably using the word wrong anyway."

"Oh." She laughed again.

Lucian lifted a cup, poured whiskey into it and then repeated the action. Setting down the bottle he lifted a plastic cup and handed it to her.

"Thanks." She gave him a sexy smile.

"It's the least I can do." He lifted the other cup off the table and into the air. "Care to make a toast?"

"A what?"

Lucian had a hard time not rolling his eyes to that one. "Never mind."

She giggled again. "You are funny."

"Oh yeah, I'm a real crack up."

"A real what?" she asked, looking confused. "I don't get it."

Lucian had felt kind of bad yesterday for thinking she wasn't the brightest bulb in the room, but decided quickly his first assessment of her wasn't too far of the mark. "Cheers." He knocked his cup against hers and then tossed the contents back in one gulp.

Tracy tossed hers back much the same as she had yesterday, with little finesse and then swiped the back of her hand over her mouth. "We should have another."

"Don't you have to go to work?"

"What's the big deal? You afraid I can't handle my liquor?"

"It's not that. I just don't want you driving drunk."

"Please," she scoffed. "It would take more than two little drinks to get me drunk."

"Alrighty then." He lifted the bottle and refilled both their cups.

Cradling the cup, she traced the rim with her finger. "So, how long are you staying here?"

Lucian shrugged. "Until my money runs out."

"How long will that take?"

"Uh, about a week or two."

"Oh." She chewed her lip for a moment and then asked, "Where will you go then?"

"I haven't given it much thought."

"You can always stay with me," she blurted and then tried to backtrack. "I mean, uh, well...."

"Thanks for the offer, but I think I might try to see the sights a bit."

"Any place in particular?"

"I haven't really thought about it." Actually, that was an outright lie. He had thought about it a lot, but he had no idea where he would go from here and he definitely didn't want her getting any ideas about him sticking around.

"Do you have a girlfriend?"

Lucian frowned. "Not anymore."

"What happened to her?"

"I'd rather not talk about it." The last person Lucian wanted to talk about was Cecily. "How about you?" he asked hoping to get off the hot seat.

"Well," she sighed. "I don't have a boyfriend right now, but I'm kind of seeing someone."

Lucian spluttered his drink. "You're what?"

"It's not that big of a deal. He's seeing someone else right now."

Lucian wasn't too sure how to take that. "If you are seeing someone else, why are you here?"

She shrugged. "What's good for the goose is good for the gander", she made a face, "at least I think that's how it goes."

"So," he hedged. "Since he is seeing someone else, you feel it's all right to see someone else as well?"

"Yeah, sure, why not?"

"I don't know. Aren't you worried he'll get upset?"

"What he doesn't know won't hurt him," she said like it was of no consequence.

Lucian couldn't help wondering if Cecily thought the same way about him, but as soon as he thought it, he pushed her back out of his mind.

"Like I said, he's got a girlfriend. And besides, if he really wants me, like Beyoncé says in her song, 'he can't put a ring on it'." She downed her drink and set the empty cup on the table.

Lucian chuckled at that. "So, you have it all figured out."

"Yes. I do." She smiled smugly and pulled her shirt over her head. Her breasts jiggled slightly from the action and her hard nipples were clearly visible through her lacy white bra. "He gave me this," she said, running her fingers over the lace. Then she reached down, and unbuttoned her pants, pulling them off. "And these too." She hooked her thumbs in the band of her lacy panties.

Lucian suddenly felt bad for the poor bastard but not the bad. "Come here."

Reaching down, Tracy finished taking off her pants and shoes, then straightened again. Walking forward, she stopped in front of him and ran her finger down his chest and hooked them in his waistband.

"When do you have to be at work?"

She dropped her hand and reached up to pull the rubber band from her hair.

"In about two hours. I was already there this morning to set up." Shaking out her hair, she reached down and started unbuttoning his jeans.

"You sure you want to do this, now?"

"Uh-huh." She knelt down. Tugging his jeans and boxer briefs over his hips, she pulled them off along with his shoes.

His erection bobbed upward in anticipation.

She gave him a saucy smile and then wrapping her fingers around his length she took him in her mouth.

His buttocks clenched as he inhaled a sharp intake of air. "Damn," he gritted. "Your mouth feels amazing." And it did.

Encouraged by his praise, Tracy sucked him in even deeper.

In moments, he had forgotten about Cecily, the fact the girl had a boyfriend or what they were even talking about. All that mattered was what was happening to him right now, right this _fucking_ minute.

Her nails bit into the backs of his legs as she drew him farther into her mouth.

"Damn," he gritted or the verge of exploding. "Where'd you learn to do that?"

She smiled and her teeth cut into his flesh causing a flash of pain and pleasure to shoot through his body simultaneously.

Pulling back, she slipped her lips off the tip of his erection. "Practice makes perfect." She looked up at him and licked her lips.

Lucian groaned and pulled her up off the floor. By the time he got her to the bed, he was already halfway inside her warmth.

Clawing his back, she pulled him closer. " _Yes_!" she screamed, writhing underneath him.

She didn't kiss him and he didn't bother kissing her. They were _fucking_. Pure, unadulterated, _fucking_. Both fighting for the ever-elusive thing that was just out of their reach.

"Harder— _faster_!" she screamed again, meeting him thrust for thrust.

Holding her hips, he lifted her higher.

Her long legs wrapped around his waist, and her heels dug into his back.

Reaching down between their bodies, she toyed with herself, her eyes glazing with passion as she helped herself near release.

That was all it took. With one last thrust, Lucian pushed them both over the edge.

#  CHAPTER SEVEN

Lake Lure, North Carolina

" _You_ just don't do it for me anymore."

Molly stuck her finger in her ear and wiggled it around.

"What?" She was sure she'd heard him wrong.

"I tried. I really did." Dan climbed from bed. His muscled torso flexing as he lifted his shirt, pulling it down over his head.

"What?" She couldn't seem to understand what he was saying. Didn't he just make love to her? His dick seemed to be working well enough just a few minutes ago. She gathered the sheet tighter under her arms.

"Come on, Moll's," he said in a placating voice. "You knew this was coming. I could tell."

"You, you, could tell?" She sounded belligerent. "What about this morning? What about what you said about not leaving me?"

Dan ignored her and smoothed the pleats in the front of his tan pants.

She hated those pants suddenly. When he wore them, he reminded her of a glorified Zookeeper.

"Chin up, Moll's," he said. "It's not like we can't be friends with benefits."

He waggled his brows and gave her a toothy grin, which used to make her heart go pitter-patter. Now, though, she realized, the brow/grin thing reminded her of one of those monkeys at the zoo he'd taken her a few times—the ones that like to throw their poop.

"What about the wedding?" She couldn't believe how pathetic she sounded.

"Oh that." He sat down, grabbed up his Dr. Who socks, and pulled them on. "I guess..." He sighed audibly. "I can still be your date."

"You guess?" Her stomach twisted.

"Yeah," he said. "I know how embarrassed you get when you have to do something alone."

Molly thought about all of the times she got herself over the finish line...alone. Apparently, she wasn't as embarrassed as he thought, but then again, he was usually already asleep when that happened.

"No." Molly shook her head adamantly back and forth, fighting back a sudden rush of tears. "I can't believe this."

His brow hitched up a notch. "Now Moll's," he pacified. "Don't go getting all blubbery on me. You know I can't stand to see you cry."

Molly choked back her tears, her face burning. "Are you out of your mind?"

"Hey, I was just trying to do you a favor, for old time's sake."

"Old time's sake?" she repeated.

"Yeah, listen," he said. "This doesn't have to get ugly. Marshall and Peggy are my friends, too."

Molly could barely catch a breath. "They were my friends first."

"Yeah, so," he snapped. "What's your point?"

"You shouldn't go to the wedding."

"Sorry." He shook his head. "No can do. I promised Marshall that I would be his best man."

"You can't break a promise to Marshall but you can break the thousand promises that you made me?" She gaped at him.

"I did no such a thing." His face turned red.

"Really, how didn't you?" Molly felt like her face was on fire. "You said I was the one." Her lip started to quiver and she bit it.

"God," he exhaled. "You are such a pain in the ass." He stood up.

"Me!" She clenched the pillow in her lap.

"You just had sex with me and then told me I didn't do it for you anymore. Don't you think you should have mentioned that prudent piece of information before we had sex?"

He shook his head. "You make what just happened sound cheap. I was just trying, in my own way, to say goodbye—soften the blow."

Molly shoved her hands through her hair and pulled. "God, Dan. You're such an asshole."

"See, this is why we don't work. You're a name caller."

"Asshole!" she screamed.

"Bitch!" he yelled back as he grabbed his jacket off the chair and slung it over his shoulder.

"Who's the name caller now, Dan?"

"I'll call you about the wedding."

"Don't you dare call me," she warned about to lose it completely.

"Now, Moll's," he pacified. "Don't get your panties in a wad."

"My panties in a wad!" she echoed and grabbed up her lacy red 'special occasion' panties he had given her and threw them at his head.

She missed.

Her panties fell soundlessly to the floor. "Take them and shove them up your ass!"

"You're such a child." He raked his hand through his sandy blonde hair, making it stand at awkward angles.

"Get out!"

"Just to be clear..." He paused at the door. "I guess it's a no go on the wedding then?"

"Why yes, Dan," she dripped sarcastically. "That means it's a no go on the wedding."

"I'm still going."

"Yeah, so am I."

"Moll's..." He gave her a sympathetic look.

Molly bit back the tears clouding her eyes. "Just go, please."

"Are you okay?"

"Oh yeah," she sobbed. "I'm just peachy."

"You don't sound too...peachy."

She choked back her tears. "Wow. What a brilliant deduction, Sherlock."

Dan shook his head and opened the door. "Grow up."

"Shove it!" she yelled after him, but it was too late, he had already shut the door.

#  CHAPTER EIGHT

_Lake Lure, North Carolina –a_ _week later_...

Lucian stared down at his phone. "What the—?" He still couldn't believe what he just read. Reed Scott, his brother, had gotten married. To Raven Tremaine, the appraiser that was sent out to Ravenhurst from Biddle and Bailey, no less. Lucian couldn't quite fathom that one. "What happened to staying a bachelor, Reed?" he said, not quite sure what to feel. He was torn between anger and a bit of sadness too. He knew their relationship wasn't the best but he had thought something as big as marriage Reed would but their differences aside and want Lucian to be his best man or at least invite him to the wedding. Granted, the article had said it was spur of the moment, but damn.

Shaking his head, he shoved his phone back in his pocket and walked up the stairs to his room with some food from one of the local burger joints.

Before he read the article, he had been batting around an idea about where he might want to go from here for most of the morning. His money was getting low and he didn't see much use in sticking around since the season was ending in a few weeks.

One of the owners of the coffee shop that he stopped by the other day told him the place turned into a ghost town during the off season. If that wasn't incentive enough to leave, they also told him how treacherous the roads got when it snowed. That bit of information sealed the deal. He wasn't too keen on being in the mountains when it snowed since his only form of transportation was his motorcycle.

He hadn't seen Tracy in a while either, so he guessed she had got her man after all. Poor bastard, he thought, shaking his head. She was a handful, that was for sure. And even though he did enjoy having sex with her, he wasn't interested in anything more. Not like Reed, he thought with no small amount of resentment.

And even though she told him she was on the same page as him, the more time he spent with her, he started to feel like she was looking for something more and that scared the shit out of him. He didn't want a girlfriend.

So, if and when she showed up again, he was going to have to cut the cord, so to speak, and tell her he couldn't see her anymore. It would be better this way, he thought.

Turning the corner, his step faltered.

There Tracy was, sitting in one of the rocking chairs outside of his room, smoking a cigarette while she flipped through a magazine.

When she saw him, she stood and tossed the butt to the ground and stepped on top of it. She wasn't wearing her uniform but instead a short jean skirt with a boob-hugging t-shirt and thigh high boots. She looked like sex and automatically his dick hardened—apparently his dick had yet to sync up with his mind.

"Hey there." He smiled, walking forward.

She smiled back at him. "Hey there."

"What's up?"

"I just wanted to stop by to say goodbye." She jutted out her lip in a pout.

He lifted his brow. "You going somewhere?"

She cast her gaze nervously down to the ground. "Not exactly."

He frowned. "What's the matter?"

"I know you said that you weren't interested in a relationship, but I was wondering if you might have changed your mind?"

His frown deepened. "I thought we agreed it was just for fun?"

"Yeah," she sighed. "We did."

"Besides didn't you say you were interested in someone else?"

"I did, I mean, I am or... I was."

His shoulders tensed. He knew what was coming next and it was not something he wanted to deal with today or any other, for that matter. "What happened?"

"He dumped his girlfriend."

A wave of profound relief poured over him. Now he wouldn't have to be the one to break it off. "Well...isn't that good news?"

"Yeah, I guess," she sighed out.

"Then what's wrong?"

"I don't want to stop seeing you," she blurted.

"Well," he exhaled trying to find the right words. "I already told you I wasn't interested in having a girlfriend and if you care about him, you should only want to be with him, don't you think?"

"Well, he does have money and I do care about him a lot."

"Then it's settled." He used the keycard and opened the door to his room.

"I was hoping I could talk with you for a minute."

"Okay." Lucian, stepped inside his room. "You want to come in?"

"Yes." She followed him inside the room, shut the door and locked it.

Lucian set the bag of food and his drink on the table. Pulling out a chair, he sat down. "What do you want to talk about?"

Tracy chewed on her lip, pacing back and forth in front of him. Then she stopped abruptly. "Why don't you want a girlfriend?"

Lucian scrubbed his hands over his face and dropped them back on his lap. "Because I am not that guy. I'm a loner."

"That seems awfully lonely way to live," she said, walking forward and kneeling down between his open legs. Placing her hands on his thighs, she rubbed them back and forth.

Lucian adjusted his position and leaned back. "I don't know what to tell you, that's how I feel."

"Oh." She stopped moving her hands. "What if you meet the one?"

He frowned. "The one?"

"Yeah, the one you are supposed to be with, your soul mate?"

He chuckled at that. "Yeah, I don't see that happening."

"But what if you do?"

"I guess I'll cross that bridge when I come to it."

"Oh." Reaching up, she twirled a piece of her hair around her finger.

Lucian quickly changed the subject. "What finally made your guy drop his girl?"

"I guess he finally figured out she was a bitch."

"Do you know her?"

"I work with her."

Lucian was surprised to hear that. "Does she know about you and her guy?"

"No." She shook her head. "She's stupid."

Lucian thought that was a bit harsh but refrained from saying as much.

"I've been telling him that for months," Tracy added.

"He's been cheating on his girlfriend for months, with you?" What a dick, Lucian thought, feeling instantly bad for the other girl.

"Yeah," she said, and a slight smile lifted her lips. "He loves me, not her."

"Well, I guess it's a good thing they broke up then, right?"

"Yeah, but I still have to see her."

"Why?"

"I still work for her."

"Oh right, you said that already."

Lucian could smell his food wafting over to where he was sitting and immediately his stomach grumbled.

Tracy noticed and giggled. "I guess I should let you eat."

"Yeah, I'm pretty hungry."

"Unless...." she trailed off.

He narrowed his eyes. "Unless what?"

"I was hoping you might want to have a quickie before I leave."

Lucian's dick twitched. "And I was hoping you would say that."

She smiled, flirtatiously. "You know what they say..."

His brow hitched up a notch. "What might that be?"

"That great minds think alike."

"Yeah," he grinned down at her. "I like that saying."

She grinned back knowingly. "I thought you might."

♦

His food momentarily forgotten, Lucian leaned back as she undressed.

Tracy pulled her top over her head, and unzipped her skirt. The heavy jean material fell down to the floor with a swoosh. Wearing only her bra, panties and thigh high boots, she reached down to unzip her boots.

"Leave them on," Lucian said gruffly, his erection throbbing uncomfortably inside the confines of his jeans.

"Let's get you undressed," Tracy said huskily, her eyes simmering with unspent passion as she helped Lucian quickly remove his clothes and then she pushed him back in the chair.

"Don't you want to go to the bed?"

"No." She shook her head. "That would be cheating."

Lucian's eyes widened. "What?"

She let out an exasperated breath. "If we do it in the bed, I will be cheating on my guy."

"And if you are not on a bed, you won't be cheating?" he asked, with no small of disbelief.

"Exactly." She grinned and knelt down between his legs. Leaning forward, she began peppering wet kisses down the light trail of dark hair on his abdomen.

Lucian pulled in a sharp intake of air as she put her mouth on the tip of his erection and swallowed him whole. "Damn, I'm going to miss you..." As soon as the words were out of his mouth he froze. He didn't mean to say that. He meant to say _your_ _mouth_ , not _you_. But it was too late.

Luckily, Tracy didn't seem to hear. She kept right on sucking but with a bit more gusto than a moment ago.

He hoped she didn't hear him, but damn, he really was going to miss her _mouth_.

Closing his eyes, he leaned back and enjoyed the moment.

#  CHAPTER NINE

Blue Ridge Parkway, North Carolina-two weeks later

" _Come_ on, you piece of shit!" Gnashing her teeth together, Molly hit the steering wheel in frustration. Jerking the door open, she climbed out of her sputtering car into the late afternoon mountain sun and immediately began dripping sweat.

Large billowing clouds of steam squeezed out from under the hood of her car. Lifting her hand, she shielded her eyes and looked up the road. Above the blacktop, the air rippled from the late afternoon heat, distorting her view. It didn't matter—she knew where she was—it was what Peggy like to call, BFE! ( _Bum Fuck Egypt_ )

Catching sight of her reflection in the side mirror, Molly groaned. This morning it had taken her two hours to style her hair for Peggy's wedding, she wanted Dan to see what he was missing out on, but now, even the wild flowers entwined in the length had wilted and were more frizz than curl at this point. Her beautiful makeup that looked awesome this morning was sliding off her face like a melted wax figure from Madame Trousseau's museum.

Peggy and Marshall, the couple headed to happily ever after, were getting married at an abandoned Emerald mine in Little Switzerland, North Carolina, because Peggy thought it would be romantic. What she didn't say was that it was also presumably haunted and since Molly's father owned the mine, it made a cheap place to have a wedding. They were an unconventional couple, or so Peggy often said. Molly figured they were more thrifty than unconventional but refrained from saying as much since it wasn't her place to do so.

Peggy also had the bright idea for Molly to bring up the booze. Luckily, her father said to give them what they wanted as a gift for their wedding. Now she had three large boxes full in the back of her car and also the mixers that she had taken from the restaurant last night.

Not too far away was Chimney Rock state park, a behemoth mountain with a rock formation that looked like a chimney and had an actual elevator inside. If she ever got married, that is where she wanted to have her own wedding. Right on the top...well, the only accessible top of the mountain, which was 2, 446 feet in the air, called Exclamation Point, with the world she knew beneath little specks in the fading horizon. Not that she had any prospects—not since Dan dumped her, but she could dream, couldn't she?

Pulling out her phone from the car, she lifted it in the air.

" _Damnit_!" She stomped her sneaker clad foot and threw her phone back on the seat beside her strappy silver heels that she opted not to wear while driving. She wished she had thought to do the same with her dress. At least she was wearing biker shorts underneath—her makeshift girdle so she wouldn't get crack sweat on the back of the taffeta mermaid gown that Peggy had picked out for her to wear.

Looking up the road, she figured she had two choices. Either she could walk in the heat up the steep mountain road or she could wait and see if someone passed by that she could flag down. Sitting on her seat, she chose the latter because there was no way in hell she was walking anywhere in a dress that had her trussed up to the point she could barely take a breath.

She stood up and walked over to the edge of the road. More sweat poured down between her cleavage and the poufy sleeves of the emerald green gown deflated around her shoulders like airless balloons.

After Dan dumped her she had went back to the restaurant. As soon as she saw Rodrigo, she lost it. Rodrigo knowing immediately what happened took Molly into his muscular arms and held her until she cried out all of her tears. Then he promptly got her a stiff drink.

"You are better off without him," he had said, rubbing her back as she drank down the whiskey.

Molly felt blessedly numb for the rest of the day and after she went home that night she had called Peggy and cried all over again.

Now, she was going to see Dan at the wedding and she wasn't sure how she was going to be able to deal with seeing him. The wounds he inflicted from dumping her were too fresh, too new. If anyone else was getting married she would have bailed but Peggy was her best friend and she couldn't do that to her on her big day.

Walking back to her car, she stuck her head inside and reached for her bottle of water. As soon as her hand closed over the bottle she heard the distinct rumbling of a motorcycle. Jerking back, she whacked her head on the side of the car and a bright flash of white momentarily stole her sight.

Rubbing her aching head, she weaved sideways towards the road. Waving her arms, she tried to flag the rider down. The problem was, between smacking her head and the deluge of sweat sliding down her face into her eyes, she couldn't exactly see where she was going.

#  CHAPTER TEN

Blue Ridge Parkway, North Carolina

Sun dappled across the worn pavement filtering through the overhanging branches as Lucian rode his bike up the scenic mountain parkway. The tires of his motorcycle hugged the road as he downshifted into another switch back. He had his bags packed on the back of the bike. In other words, he was getting out of dodge while the getting was good.

As far as Tracy was concerned, he still had a hard time believing she didn't think she was cheating on her guy since they weren't in the bed. And even though he was sure her guy would see things differently if he knew, he rather enjoyed the afternoon. She had one skilled mouth, that was for sure. A slight smile tugged at the corners of his mouth as he remembered her climbing on top of him in the chair. She went wild and bounced up and down, screaming in pleasure all the while—she practically rubbed his dick raw.

After they both gave over to their explosive release, Tracy had gotten dressed. He hugged her and told her good-bye and that he wished her luck. She seemed to want to stay longer but he had told her that she should go. Reluctantly she had left but not before she gave him her number with a "Call me if you change your mind."

He had almost called her on three separate occasions when the hurt and betrayal from Cecily plagued him but he refrained. There was no reason to give her false hope and that's what it would be because he had no intention of sticking around. Especially now that he knew there was no work to be had because the season was ending.

If he had gotten a job, he might have stayed around for a bit longer. He may have even called Tracy again, but what was the point? Other than their romping good sex with each other they didn't really have much in common.

Leaning into the turn, Lucian was so lost in his thoughts that it didn't register what he was seeing until the very last moment.

" _Sonofa_..."

He hit the brakes.

The tires of his bike skidded on the pavement as he swerved to avoid the lunatic in the middle of the road.

#  CHAPTER ELEVEN

Blue Ridge Parkway, North Carolina

By the grace of God, Lucian didn't lay his bike down. He got off his bike and yanked off his helmet, fully intending on lighting up the person that nearly caused him to wreck.

Molly gaped in disbelief as a gorgeous man stormed towards her wearing a pair of faded blue jeans with a black t-shirt that hugged his muscled torso. A beat-up leather jacket flapped in the wind. As he got closer, she suddenly realized who he was. It was hunk from her work and also the rude man from the coffee shop. The _jerk_! And he almost killed her.

Lucian crossed the road and stopped in front of her. "What the hell are you doing? Are you out of your ever-loving mind?"

Molly looked up from his broad chest into a pair of smoldering dark brown eyes that looked almost black. "Ah..." Her vision blurred. Suddenly she was seeing two very hot angry men. Then everything turned black, and her legs gave out.

" _Sonofa_...!" Lucian leapt forward and grabbed her limp body in his arms before she hit the ground.

♦

_Molly_ floated...

She was sure she was dreaming. She knew this because a gorgeous man hovered above her speaking in hushed tones. She couldn't hear what he was saying, but that didn't matter. Looking at him was all she needed. She decided very quickly she was having one of the best dreams of her life, even by her standards which often included Sam Heughan, from Outlander and Jamie Dornan, from Shades of Gray. She couldn't recall where this new man had come from, but her imagination, as it was, never let her down. So, she went with it. Puckering her lips, she prepared herself for the best dream kiss of her life...

Lucian frowned. What the hell was she doing? "You okay?" he asked, again.

Molly blinked. His deep melodic voice was just as sexy as the rest of him. "Uh..." She rubbed her head, coming back from her stupor. "What happened?"

"Which time?"

Molly recoiled from his tone. "Just now," she croaked, suddenly remembering exactly who he was.

"I think you passed out." His brows creased more.

"I did?"

"I guess." He shrugged his broad shoulders. "Your eyes were open."

"Were they?"

"Yeah." His dark brows hitched up.

Molly's face burned five shades of red. "Must be heat stroke," she muttered stupidly.

"Heat stroke?" he asked, skeptically.

"Dehydration, I mean. I've been out in the sun for a long time with no water," she explained, making up the first thing she could think of.

"Is that so?" His lips twitched as he lifted up the bottle of water off the ground and handed it out to her.

She took the bottle. "Thanks, for sharing."

"It's not mine."

She had the bottle halfway to her mouth. "It's not?"

"No. It's yours."

"Mine," she squeaked. "Where ever did you find it?"

"It was in your hand."

"Oh." She cringed. "You know," she supplied lamely, covering. "Dehydration makes you forget stuff." Just to prove the lie she had just doled out, she took off the lid and took a big drink.

He laughed then. It started out as a light chuckle but it turned quickly into a full-fledged belly laugh that made his shoulders shake and his eyes tear up.

Lowering the bottle, she laughed too, " _He he._ " Granted, hers was forced but it didn't matter.

"Sorry." He shook his head. "I didn't mean to do that." And he didn't, but damn...that felt good. He hadn't laughed in such a long time, he had forgotten how much better it made him feel.

"It's all right," she was quick to assure him.

"Are you feeling better?"

"Yes. Much. Thank you." She fanned her overheated face.

He frowned. "Don't I know you?"

Molly shook her head. "I don't think so," she lied.

"What happened to your car?"

"It broke down..." She made a face. "It's a piece of...." she trailed off.

Lucian's gaze absently drifted to her hair, the way the light played with the strands, the wispy pieces fluttering around her face, resembling shimmering strands of copper. Then to the cleft in her chin... to her perfect rosebud lips, and then up to her eyes—they sparkled like emeralds. Involuntarily, his breath caught. He felt like someone just suckered punched him in his gut.

Molly swallowed hard. "Uh...what was I saying?"

Trying to clear his mind, Lucian shook his head. "Damned if I know."

"Are you okay?" Molly put her hand on his shoulder.

Hot tingles of awareness shot through Lucian as flashes came at him–quickly, blurring, which wouldn't have been so bad, but whatever he was seeing was also accompanied by an overwhelming urge to take her into his arms and kiss that look from her face.

Shirking her hand off his shoulder, he stood up. "Must be the heat," he said.

"Yeah...probably the heat," she agreed, rubbing her tingling fingers across her palm.

Putting some distance between them, Lucian took a few steps back. "Where did you say you were you headed?"

"To my wedding," she said.

Lucian's chest tightened. "What?"

"Not mine," she quickly told him. "It's my friend's. I'm the maid of honor."

"Oh, I was wondering." A feeling of relief washed over him and he didn't know why. It's not like he cared. Hell, he didn't even know her.

"Yeah, I know," she sighed, taking his look for something other than what it was. "It's a horrible dress."

"No. It's...nice," he lied. She was right, the dress _was_ horrible.

"Yeah, right," she laughed.

Lucian gave her a look of mock horror. "Are you calling me a liar?"

"What? No." And then she saw his lips twitch like he was holding back a laugh. "Are you messing with me?"

"Of course not."

She smacked his arm lightly. "Liar."

He frowned. "I'm not a liar."

"Oh. Uh, sorry." The last thing Molly wanted to do was offend him.

Lucian smiled. "I'm just messing with you."

"You are not funny." She turned around and walked towards her car.

"Your right. I'm not," Lucian called after her.

Molly turned back around to give a rebuttal but her snappy retort lodge in her throat. He was giving her the strangest look and suddenly her legs felt weak again, like she might need to lie down for like ever...

Lucian snapped out of his stupor first. "Do you need a ride?" He wasn't sure why he asked. The last thing he wanted to do was deal with some stranger that had nearly gotten him killed but he couldn't seem to help himself.

"Sure. That would be great." Before she did something else stupid, like start to drool, she walked over to her car. Leaning down, she reached inside, pulled her things out of the car, then locked and shut the door.

#  CHAPTER TWELVE

Blue Ridge Parkway, North Carolina

" _Are_ you sure you can ride in that?" Lucian gave the young woman in front of him a doubtful look.

"Oh, sure, sure," she deflected, hooking the straps of her heels together and then linking them through her the chain of her fancy confetti sequined purse. "It'll be fine," she assured him. "It's not that far."

A strange fluttering whirled in his stomach. He shook his head—maybe he was dehydrated, too. "You ready?" He leaned forward, making room for her on the seat of his bike.

"Yep." Molly grabbed hold of the bottom of her dress and wiggled back and forth until the slick material slid up on her thighs. "See," she laughed. "It's good."

"If you say so." His gaze traveled up from her sneakers to her shapely legs.

Molly lifted her leg and immediately lost her balance.

Lucian grabbed her arm and jerked her upright.

"Thanks." She gave him a cheesy grin.

He frowned.

She tried again and this time she managed to climb on the back of his bike.

"Here." He handed her back his helmet.

"But don't you need it?"

"I think I'll be okay."

"But what about the bugs?" she asked.

"I have sunglasses." He slid on a pair of aviators, which only made him look, if possible, even more delectable. "See."

"Yeah, I see." Her stomach did another little funky flip. She chalked it up to hunger.

"You situated?"

"I'm good." She slid on his helmet and adjusted her bottom.

"Put your feet here." He pointed at the small metal rungs on either side of the bike.

Molly lifted her feet and immediately her body lurched forward, making her boobs press into his muscular back. "Sorry," she said, trying to back away from him.

"Here," he said, grabbing her hands and putting them on his waist. "Hold on."

"Okay." The helmet slipped over her eyes. She let go of his side and pushed it back up.

"You good?"

"Yep." She was better than good— _she was in heaven_.

He started the ignition.

The bike vibrated underneath her bottom. _Damn_. She reflexively grabbed hold of him again and tightened her hold.

"Which way?" he asked, turning his head slightly.

"Just head up that way," she yelled over the roar of the engine, pointing up the winding road. "I'll tell you when to turn."

"Sounds good," he called over his shoulder, revving the bike.

Before she could say another word, he took off.

♦

Twenty minutes later, the bike rumbled into the nearly deserted hotel parking lot. Several quaint shops with art from local artisans and souvenirs, along with a coffee/ice cream café lined the brick walkway on the left side of the lot. The hotel was over to the right, which was where a lot of the guests were staying over for the wedding. A bright emerald green and white striped canopy covered the entrance to the hotel.

Down the brick walkway, near one of the shops, Molly spotted a bathroom. Taking off the helmet, she braced her hand on the back of the seat and climbed off the bike. Her leg stuck.

"Whoa." Lucian grabbed her hips and steadied her until she could get her leg off the bike.

Just as his hands touched her, Molly felt another zing. She looked at his too handsome face wondering if he felt it too but he didn't seem fazed. "Thanks for the ride." She handed him back his helmet.

"Anytime." He gave her a cheeky grin and her stomach did another involuntary flutter.

"Would you mind waiting here for a minute?"

"Not at all," he said. "I've got nowhere to be."

"Great. I'll be right back." She grabbed her purse from the ground and jerked the skirt of her dress back down.

"I'll be here." He stood up, straddling his bike and placed his helmet on the back.

With her dress lifted, Molly ran/stumbled down the uneven bricks to the bathroom. Once inside, she yanked out paper towels and wet them in the sink. The porcelain had chipped away exposing a brown metal underneath. Quickly, she patted her face, armpits, and wiped the sweat from between her boobs. Her reflection showed she didn't look nearly as bad as she had thought. "Thank God for small miracles."

Plucking a few wilted flowers from her hair, she dropped them in the white plastic trashcan beside the sink.

She used the toilet, yanked her gown back in place, washed her hands and pulled open the door.

"Molly!"

She turned to see Peggy rushing toward her in a flurry of toile and satin. "Oh, Peggy," Molly gushed. "You look beautiful."

Peggy preened. "Thanks."

"What happened to you?" Her brows creased as she gave Molly a sweep with her eyes.

"My stupid car broke down."

"Where's the alcohol?"

"Back down the road."

"How far down the road?" Peggy looked like she was about to have heart failure.

"Not that far. Here," Molly said as she handed Peggy the keys to her car. "Can you get one of the guys to get it from my car along with my bag?"

"Sure. I'll get Tim to run down with Steve in one of the Golf Carts."

"Perfect." Molly tried to cut around Peggy.

"Wait..." Peggy grabbed her arm. "I have to tell you something..."

"Can it wait? I kind of need to do something," Molly said evasively, trying to cut around her again.

"Where are you going?" Peggy turned and her eyes rounded. "Who is _that_?"

"Oh," Molly said. "He gave me a ride."

"He's...wow." Peggy made eyes at Molly. "Did you ask him to the wedding?"

"No."

"What _is_ wrong with you?"

"Nothing. It's not my place to ask..."

"Well, I can."

"Peggy..."

Peggy didn't even wait for her to finish. She lifted her skirts and cut across the parking lot.

Closely on her heels, Molly followed her friend over to where her ride had parked his bike. "Peggy, this is uh..." Molly waited for him to give her his name, not able to believe she had completely forgotten to ask.

"Lucian," he said. "Lucian Scott."

Peggy shoved out her hand.

He grabbed hold. "You are a vision."

Peggy's mouth popped open.

Molly elbowed her.

"Oh," Peggy laughed, sounding a bit hysterical. "Thank you."

"This is Peggy," Molly supplied a little harshly trying to get her friend's eyes back in her head.

"Nice to meet you," he said, releasing her hand.

"So where do you know our Molly from?"

A shot of irritation rang through Molly, with prolific sharpness, like the bells of the Sistine Chapel before mass. Inwardly cringing, Molly gave Lucian an apologetic look, for she knew only too well where this conversation was headed. Now that Dan had dumped her and Peggy was getting married, she wanted to play matchmaker for everyone else. "He gave me a ride," Molly reminded her.

Peggy didn't seem to hear. "Are you from around here?"

Molly tensed. She was sure he would make excuses and want to leave to avoid any more probing questions from her friend.

"No." He gave her a winning smile, the kind that bespoke of good social graces. "I'm just visiting for a while."

"Really?" Peggy became bolder. "Where do you hail from?"

His lips twitched. "England," he told her.

"Across the pond?" she asked, beaming, apparently quite pleased with her elevated wordage use and deductive abilities.

What was she saying? Hail? Across the pond? Molly gave Lucian another apologetic look, not sure what had gotten into her friend. She couldn't help wondering if Peggy had been reading Historical romance novels again. Whenever she did, she completely changed her vocabulary to match whatever she was reading, which was a bit unsettling and annoying.

"Oh, I've always wanted to go there," Peggy, gushed a little too exuberantly.

Stunned, Molly blinked. Since when did Peggy want to go to England?

"It's a nice place."

"I love your accent."

Molly gave her friend a cutting look. He didn't have an accent.

"I'm not actually English," he corrected her. "I moved there when I was younger."

"How exciting..." Peggy practically purred.

Molly wanted to smack some sense into her friend. She was acting ridiculous and definitely not like someone that was getting married to the love of her life in just a few short hours.

"I really have to thank you, again. It was really nice of you to give our Molly a ride." She reached back, yanked Molly forward.

"It wasn't a big deal," he said, smiling. "I'm just glad I got her here in time for the wedding."

"Are you staying for the wedding? I mean... you have to, now, that you have saved the day."

"I wouldn't want to impose..." he began.

"Nonsense," Peggy cut him off. "You have to stay."

"Well..." His eyes slid to Molly, surprised he actually wanted to stay. "If it wouldn't be too much of an imposition...I do love a good wedding." Where the hell had that come from? Since when did he give a damn about weddings? Actually, he usually steered clear of anything resembling the leg-shackled life of matrimony.

"Perfect." Peggy clapped her hands. "Now, I must be off. I have to go tell Steve and Tim to get the alcohol. What's a reception without booze, you know." She giggled.

Molly couldn't help rolling her eyes.

"If you like, you can use the groomsman's room to freshen up. They are already at the mine."

"I really don't have the proper clothing..."

"Don't worry about that." She waved her hand dismissively. "You look divine," Peggy assured him boldly.

"Thanks." He gave her a heart-stopping smile.

In that moment, Molly felt a surge of jealousy towards her friend.

"Oh...Lucian," Peggy purred as though they were long lost friends, "would you be a dear and give our little Molly here a ride over to the wedding? My cart is full."

"Sure."

"You're the best." She reached forward and gave him a big boob-squishing hug.

Granted, Peggy had always been the more outgoing of the two women, which was why she was getting married in the first place. The first time Peggy laid eyes on Marshall, she informed Molly that he was going to be her husband. When Peggy saw something she wanted, she went after it. And sure enough, even though Marshall was in another relationship at the time, Peggy had boldly given him her number with a "if you break up with her, give me a call." Low, and behold, not four months later Marshall called Peggy and they had been together ever since.

It still amazed Molly it had been so easy for her friend. But Peggy was one of _those_ people. She took chances and this time it had paid off tenfold. Now, they were the quintessential perfect couple, and Molly wished she too could find someone who loved her as much as Marshall loved Peggy. She thought she had found that with Dan, but of course, just like every other relationship she had, it didn't pan out.

"I better get going. Wedding, and all." Peggy let out another childlike giggle and took off across the parking lot in a flurry of toile and satin.

"I'm sorry about that," Molly said, her face burning with embarrassment.

"Don't be," he said. "I love weddings."

"You do?" Molly squeaked.

"Sure." He grinned and his eyes twinkled mischievously.

"Are you messing with me?"

His brow lifted. "I'm serious—I mean, what's there not to like?" _What the hell was the matter with him_?

#  CHAPTER THIRTEEN

Little Switzerland, North Carolina

_A_ river of sweat pooled in the valley between Molly's boobs by the time she made it over to the quaint hotel. As she jerked open the door and walked into the lobby, a burst of cool air slapped against her, making gooseflesh rise on her sweat-dampened skin.

An old fifties song warbled out of the overhead speakers as Molly shimmied across the marble tiles. She was sure her ass looked like two pigs fighting under a blanket of green taffeta as she made her way to the set of rooms reserved for the Bridal Party. "So where were you headed?"

He gave her a questioning look.

"When you nearly ran me over?" she elaborated.

"You mean when you ran out in front of me?"

Molly cringed. "Yeah, sorry about that."

"It's not that big of a deal."

"So...." She gave him a questioning look.

He shrugged his broad shoulders. "Nowhere in particular," he said. "I was just enjoying the sights." He didn't mention he was dead broke and had no idea where he would go.

"Oh."

"You from around here?" he asked.

"Yeah, born and raised." She cringed. God, she sounded like she was talking about livestock.

By the time Molly stopped in front of one of the doors the conversation had dwindled and the silence was deafening. "You can freshen up in here." She used the key card to open the emerald green door.

"Where will you be?" He tucked his hair behind his ears.

"I'll be right next door."

"Is there a connecting door?"

"Um, I think. Why?"

A slow smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. "I was just wondering."

Molly's belly flip-flopped. "Well, um, yeah," she said lamely, wiping her sweaty palms on her dress. "I'll meet you back here in say..."

"Half hour?" he suggested.

"Sounds good." Molly unlocked the door and slipped inside. Once the door was firmly shut, she leaned back against the cool metal. "Wow." A rush of giddy excitement shot through her. Smiling, she pushed off from the door and went to get ready.

♦

_Twenty_ -nine minutes and fifty seconds later, Molly stood outside of _his_ door, well, the groomsman's door. Taking a bracing breath, she lifted her hand to knock just as the door opened. "Oh." She stumbled backward.

Lucian noticed three things when he saw her. One: For some reason unbeknownst to him, he was unaccountably nervous. Two: He had a sudden urge to pull her into his arms and kiss that look from her face. Three: He decided he must be out of his ever-loving mind, because he never thought about shit like this.

"Hello," Molly said, smiling up at him.

Lucian was momentarily mesmerized by the small freckle right beside her full top lip.

"Are you ready?"

He lifted his eyes back to hers. "Don't I look ready?"

"Of course," she flustered. "Where did you get the jacket?"

"One of the guys in the wedding party came back and gave it to me to wear." Lucian pulled the door closed and made sure it was locked.

"You look nice." That was an under- statement—he looked better than nice—he looked HOT!

"Thanks." A slight smile tugged at the corners of his lips. "You look beautiful."

A flush of heat climbed to her face. "Thanks."

He extended out his elbow. "Shall we?"

"Yes, of course." Molly slipped her hand through his arm and lifted her gown with the other hand.

"So, where is this Emerald mine?"

"It's not too far from here."

"I'm afraid riding my bike isn't going to do much for your hair." He gave her another sweep with his eyes.

"I know," Molly agreed. "That's why we're taking a golf cart."

He gave her a questioning look.

"Peggy had one brought back up while you, I mean, we, were getting ready," Molly explained.

Digging in her confetti-sequined bag, she pulled out the keys. "Do you mind driving?"

"Not at all," he said and took the keys.

When his fingers touched hers, another jolting tingle slid up her arm. She glanced at him to see if he felt it too but he didn't seem fazed. _Dangit_.

Once outside he helped her into the golf cart. Rounding the back, he rubbed his tingly fingers. "Keep it together," he reprimanded himself and walked around to the driver's side. The cart tilted slightly as he climbed inside. Putting the key in the ignition, he turned it on. The engine made a buzzing sound. He glanced over at her again. "You ready?"

"Yes." Her heart was beating really fast.

He put the cart in gear and gave it some gas.

The cart lurched forward and cut off.

A flush of red crested his cheeks. He hit the gas again. The cart lurched and puttered out. "Am I doing something wrong?"

"I think the emergency brake is on."

"Right." Releasing the brake, he pressed down on the gas again and the cart jolted forward. "Hold on," he said, laughing.

"I am." Molly was laughing too. She tightened her grip on the dashboard.

Lucian's long legs were cramped in the small space, and he had a hard time turning the wheel as he pulled out onto the main road.

Molly was having a hard time, too. But it didn't have anything to do with being cramped and more to do with trying to keep her eyes on the road. Instead, every few minutes, her gaze slid back to him. The black jacket he was wearing strained against his broad shoulders and muscled arms.

"So," he said, glancing over at her, "what's with your friend having a wedding in an Emerald mine?"

"Peggy and Marshall like to think of themselves as an unconventional couple."

"Well, they sound like it. I've never been to a wedding at an Emerald mine before."

"Do you go to many weddings?"

"No." He laughed and shook his head. "Not at all. This is a first for me."

"First wedding at an Emerald mine, or is it your first wedding?"

"Both," he admitted.

"Oh."

"How about you?" He glanced over at her.

"I've never been to a wedding at an Emerald mine before but I have attended a few weddings."

"How were they?" He pressed the brake, slowing the cart around another steep turn.

"Depressing." She made a face.

Again, Lucian laughed. "That bad?"

"Well, it does tend to get old."

He gave her a questioning look.

"I'm always a bridesmaid or in this instance, the maid of honor," she elaborated. "Never the bride," she muttered. Once the words were out of her mouth, she wished she kept her big mouth shut because his expression changed completely.

Lucian turned and looked back out the windshield. That was the last thing he needed. He had sworn off women, well, nice women. "Oh."

"I'm not one of those girls..." Molly blurted.

"What kind of girl might that be?" His brow lifted.

"The ones that only want to get married. I mean, I do, I guess, at some point, but only if I meet the right guy," she was quick to assure him. "How about you?" she asked.

His body visibly tensed. "I'm not the type to settle down," he answered truthfully.

"Oh." Molly didn't know why, but hearing him say that made her feel depressed. "So..." she hedged, "you never want to have kids?"

"I never gave it much thought," he admitted.

"I don't really think about having kids, either. Sometimes, I think there is something wrong with me."

His brows creased. "Why?"

"I guess I should want kids at some point but I just don't see what the big deal is. Peggy always talks about her maternal clock ticking, but I think mine is broke."

Lucian smiled at that. "Yeah, me neither."

"Since you don't want to have kids, what do you want to do with the rest of your life?"

"I don't know. I guess travel." The cart lurched as he slowed around another steep turn. "What about you?"

"I don't know, either. I might want to travel, too."

"Where would you like to go?"

"Maybe Scotland," she said. "I've never seen a real castle before, except Cinderella's at Disney World."

His lips twitched.

"What?"

"I don't' think that qualifies as a real castle."

"Yeah. I know." She shrugged. "So, I guess, if I could, I wouldn't mind exploring a few castles, just to say I did."

"You're not missing much," he muttered.

"Why do you say it like that?" Molly noticed the frown creasing his brow.

"I pretty much grew up in one."

"Wow." She turned more in her seat. "That's amazing."

"Not really." He thought about Ravenhurst, the vast rooms and acres of floor space. A place he never felt like he could get any privacy.

"Is it still in your family?"

"Yeah," he said. "My brother still lives there."

"All alone?"

"No." He shook his head. "He recently got married."

Molly remembered what he said. "You didn't go to his wedding?"

"I wasn't invited."

"That's terrible. Why not?"

"It's a long story," he replied and that was the end of that.

The cart chugged up another hill as Molly twiddled with her fingers. "Did you have servants?" she asked finally, hoping to break the awkward silence.

"Yeah, we did, for a while."

"That's nice."

"Not really."

"Oh." She didn't know what to say to that.

Another long silence stretched between them.

"Is it in Scotland?" Molly asked.

"No. It's in England."

"What's it called?"

"Ravenhurst."

"Oh." Molly brows creased. She wasn't sure why the name sounded so familiar to her, but it did. "How old is it?"

"It's rumored to have been erected in the time of King Arthur."

"Wow. Seriously?"

Hearing her excitement warmed him. He never much thought about what it might sound like, especially to someone like Molly that he had grown up in a real castle. "It doesn't really look like a castle anymore. A lot of the owners through time have added to it and now, it looks more like a Gothic monstrosity with spires and gargoyles."

"That sounds amazing."

He shrugged. "It has a dungeon, too."

"Shut Up!"

Lucian laughed. "I'm serious. Even though I have to admit that I have only seen it once. It was pretty creepy."

"I'll bet. Did it have torturing devices or chains with shackles hooked to the walls?"

"I'm not sure. I was very young when I saw it. And before I could really explore it, my father found me. He scolded me for being down there."

"Did you try to sneak down there again?"

"Once...."

"Well..." she asked expectantly. "What did you see?"

"I didn't really _see_ anything, but I heard something strange—something that didn't sound quite right."

"Like what?"

"Not sure."

"What did you do?"

"I ran like the dickens and never went down there again."

"Really?"

"Yeah," he said, nodding.

"What do you think was down there?"

He shrugged his shoulders. "Nothing, I guess."

"Oh, come on," she said. "You have to have a theory."

"You'll think I'm crazy."

"I won't," she was quick to assure him.

"Well, it seemed like someone was there, even though I couldn't see them." His body visibly tensed. "I had a feeling that someone was beside me, watching...waiting..."

"For?"

"I don't know. And I'm afraid I didn't wait around to find out."

"Do you think it was a ghost?"

His brow hitched up a notch. "You believe in ghosts?"

"I don't know... _maaybeee_."

"Really?" Now it was his turn to look surprised.

"Yeah. I kind of do," she admitted.

"Huh?" He gave her a curious look. "I didn't figure you for the type of girl to believe in ghosts."

"I don't' know if I do or not. But I sometimes watch the reality shows on haunted houses and castles on the Discovery channel...or is it the History channel...?" she mused. "Well, never mind." She waved her hand. "It doesn't really matter where I've seen it, only that there seems to be a lot of evidence that points to things like that."

"Ravenhurst is presumably haunted."

"Well," she said. "Then you should know what I'm talking about."

"Not really. I always chalked up the strange noises I heard as a child to my young, over active imagination."

"But what about the reality shows then? Do you think it's a hoax?"

"Not sure. I guess it could be."

"Don't you think it has to be based in some kind of fact?"

"Depends."

"On..."

"Whether you believe in that kind of stuff or not," he said, glancing over at her—his eyes sparkling.

Once again, her heart made an involuntary flutter. "What or who is supposedly haunting Ravenhurst?"

"A Knight, maybe." He shrugged.

"A Knight?" she repeated.

"Well, yeah," he said. "When Ravenhurst first came to be, a Knight inhabited the castle and then one day he disappeared."

"Where did he go?"

"No one knows for certain."

Molly pondered that for a moment, her mind spinning tales from a forgotten time.

"It is also rumored to have a treasure as well."

"A real treasure?" Molly's mind came back to the present. "Like from a pirate ship?"

"I don't think it came from a pirate ship."

"Where did it come from?"

"The Knight," he said.

"How did he get a treasure?"

"He won a lot of battles."

"What does that have to do with treasure?"

"As the saying goes... "To the victor go the spoils..."

"So, he robbed people, like Robin Hood, but instead of giving it to the poor he kept it for himself?"

"I guess so."

"Wow. That's crazy."

"Yeah," he agreed. "It kind of is. But it gets even better..."

Molly turned more fully towards him.

"There is a legend, too."

"What does the legend say?"

"It's more of a riddle."

"I love riddles," she said, getting excited. "What is it?"

"It goes something like, "Locked within for all time may no other find peace of mind."

She shivered. "That sounds more like a curse."

"Yeah, I thought so too."

"What does it mean?"

"That's the million-dollar question. No one knows for certain."

"Huh." Molly chewed on her lip and looked out the windshield.

"I'm sure it's just a load of rubbish, anyway."

"Yeah, I suppose." Molly didn't tell him that she too had heard that story somewhere before. Something her father had told her a while ago. She never much paid attention to it when he told her, but now she wished she had.

"You okay?" He glanced in her direction.

"Yeah, totally. My mind is just envisioning treasure and curses, that sort of thing."

"It's easy to get wrapped up in it all, you know."

"Yeah. I agree," she said. "Are you going to look for it?"

"For what?"

"The treasure?"

"No." He shook his head. "What's the point?"

"Aren't you curious?"

"Not any longer."

"Oh." Molly didn't know why but she felt like a proverbial door had just been slammed in her face. Meaning the conversation was over.

#  CHAPTER FOURTEEN

Emerald Mine Museum, Little Switzerland

_Lucian_ pulled to a stop in front of an old clapboard gray wooden building alongside the rest of the Golf Carts out front. A flurry of gravel dust flew up into the air caught by gusts of frigid wind. An ancient, carved, Emerald Mine sign squeaked loudly on its hinges and a few empty rocking chairs moved of their own accord in the wind, like phantoms or specters from a long- forgotten era, that still remained, ever present, ever watching, from the vantage point on the long sweeping porch.

A sudden chill ran up his spine. "Where is everyone?"

"I'm sure they are already down in the mine." Molly grabbed her purse from the seat.

"How do we get there?"

"We have to go inside the building and then through the tunnel."

He glanced over at her. "Are you serious?"

"Unfortunately, yes."

"Wow. You weren't kidding when you said it was going to be unconventional."

"Yeah," she agreed. "I'm just glad we don't have to wear hard hats with lights attached to the fronts like the old prospectors had to wear."

"Yeah," he said absently as his eyes drifted back to the rocking chairs again. One moved out of rhythm with the other chairs lined up out front and for a second he could swear he saw a young woman sitting on it.

He closed his eyes and reopened them.

Now the chair was empty.

Ignoring the uneasy feeling gathering in the pit of his stomach, he climbed out of the cart and made his way to the base of the stairs.

Molly stepped up to his side.

Lucian took her elbow and helped her up the stairs to the porch.

"Thanks for coming with me," she said, once they were standing in front of the door.

"You don't have to thank me," he said. "I'm looking forward to it." He was really looking forward to eating something substantial. He was running on empty at this point. Giving her a slight smile, he said, "You lead."

"Okay." Her belly flipped again. _Damn. He was hot._

Lucian grabbed the handle and opened the door, holding it open for her and then followed her inside.

There was a musty unused odor about the place and footprints in the dust settled on the wooden planked floor, which all headed towards the door to the mine. Glass cases lined up right in front filled with minerals and other stones in various sizes and colors.

Scattered throughout the room shelves were lined with prospecting equipment and souvenirs, like bumper stickers and cards. Sweatshirts, t-shirts, and what looked like scientist lab coats, hung on racks by the door. A bucket of pickaxes rested near the entryway to the tunnel that led to the mine as well as empty gallon buckets with small shovels.

"Do people really look for emeralds here?"

"Yeah, they do," she said. "Actually, one of the largest emeralds was found here."

"Really?" he asked. "How big was it?"

"I think it weighed eight pounds."

"Wow. What did they do with it?"

"I'm pretty sure they sold it."

"Didn't they have to give it to the owners of the mine?"

"No. They paid for a bucket of dirt and found it inside. So, they got to keep it."

"Seriously?" Lucian couldn't quite fathom that.

"Yeah. It was pretty big news around here for a while."

"I should say so." Lucian walked over to one of the glass cases and lifted up a leaflet. "What's this?"

"It's a leaflet they give out during the season for the tours on the history on the place."

"Can I keep it?"

"Sure."

Lucian folded the leaflet and shoved it into his jacket pocket.

♦

Molly ran her hands down the sides of her gown, trying to smooth out the wrinkles as she waited by the door to the mine. When Lucian wasn't looking, she checked her breath. It still smelled like the mint mouthwash she had used back at the hotel. _Thank goodness._

Shoving his hands into his pockets, Lucian looked around the room. "Do they still use this place to mine?"

"Not anymore. It's more of a glorified museum at this point. But they do still let you get buckets of dirt from the mine and search for stones. There is a wash area out back for that."

"You seem to know a lot about this place."

"You found out my big secret," she said in an ominous voice, trying to be funny.

"What might that be?"

Molly frowned from his tone. "Peggy and I used to work here for extra cash during summer break when we were younger."

"Where do you work now?"

"At a restaurant." Molly didn't elaborate further even though she was proud of her job and what she accomplished but she also knew men got a bit weird when she told them she ran it especially when they heard her father owned it. She didn't want him thinking she was some spoiled daddy's girl because she was anything but.

"Is the food good?"

"I've been told it's the best in town."

"Hmm," he mused and lifted a small book off the counter.

Molly looked at the clock on the back wall. It was getting late. "We better go."

"Yeah, okay," he said distractedly, setting the book he had picked up back on the counter. Walking over to where she stood, he stopped beside her. "Should we take one of those?" He nodded in the direction of the bucket of pickaxes.

"I think we're good for now." She smiled up at him.

Lucian merely nodded.

Molly reached out and grabbed the handle to the door. The metal was unusually cold under her fingers and a shiver of unease flitted over her.

Ignoring the feeling, she opened the door.

Lucian reached out and placed his hand on the door to hold it open.

Stepping inside, Molly waited a beat until her eyes adjusted to the dimness in the room. Unlike the room they had just come from, this room was much colder and had the distinct smell of freshly turned dirt. Funny, she didn't remember it smelling this way. Over to her right, a set of stairs led up to another level.

"What's up there?" Lucian asked stepping up behind her.

"That's where the museum is." Molly felt a tremor of awareness course through her body as Lucian's body brushed against hers.

"Oh." He lingered on the stairs, looking up the next flight.

Molly lifted her gown and made her way down two short flights of stairs, holding onto the rough rail for support. With each step she made, the stairs creaked under her weight.

After a minute or two, Lucian followed her down inside the lower room where lanterns of all shapes and sizes hung at intermittent levels from the ceiling. "What are all these for?" He waved his hand towards the lanterns.

"These are all the types of lighting devices that have been used underground in the mine. As you can see, they have evolved quite a bit." She fell right back into her guide role from when she worked at the mine. "See, here," she said pointing at the back wall, "this is one of the earliest ones."

Lucian looked over at the small candlestick on the wall.

Molly continued, "Through time they progressed from oil lamps, then to carbide lamps, and finally, safety lamps."

Lucian looked upward. There were over a hundred lamps in various shapes and sizes as well as birdcages. "What are the birdcages for?"

"Oh, that's where they kept the small birds to detect poisonous gases in the mine."

He frowned. "What would that do?"

"If they lived the air was good. If they died...."

He shook his head. "Wow. That seems a bit harsh."

Molly shrugged. "I guess they figured a dead bird was better than a dead man."

"I guess." Lucian walked over to the back wall. There were several black and white photos on display. Ghostly faces of several miners coated with soot stared back at him. He was surprised to see most of them were boys and not men, standing in groups.

There was a lone picture of a pretty young woman with long curling golden hair, surrounded by a group of male admirers wearing dated clothing at an old timey piano with the single name "Rebecca" scrawled on the bottom.

His heart picked up pace; he could swear she was the same young woman he had seen sitting in the rocking chair when they arrived. "Who is this?"

"That's Rebecca."

"Why is her picture here?"

"Her father was one of the miners that disappeared." Molly could swear the room had gotten colder at the mention of her name. She shivered and rubbed her arms wanting nothing more than to be out of the room.

Lucian didn't turn from the picture. "What happened to him?"

"No one knows for certain what really happened to him."

"What happened to her?"

"I'm not sure, shortly after her father went missing she disappeared as well. Some say she ran off with one of her admirers in the photo, while others speculate something foul must have happened to her.

"Why would they say that?"

"I'm assuming, per the stories that have been told over the years, as well as the sightings of Rebecca, that her spirit haunts the mine." Another burst of cold air snaked its way around Molly, making her teeth start to chatter.

"Why?" he asked as his gaze slid back to the haunting depiction. A shiver of something akin to want tore through him with such velocity he almost doubled over from it. Rebecca was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. Her light gray eyes drew him into the photograph. They slanted slightly upward at the corners, framed with dark lashes, arching brows, high cheekbones and perfect bow shaped lips.

He was mesmerized.

Molly frowned. "It was also rumored her father found a cache' of emeralds in the mine. No one believed him, of course."

Lucian pulled his eyes away from the picture. "Why didn't anyone believe him?"

"I believe he had a penchant for tall tales."

His brows creased. "I'm not sure I'm following."

Molly expelled a pent-up breath. "He liked to drink and gamble. He owed some people money to some lowlifes from the underbelly of society. He promised them he would get the emeralds to pay his debt. But when he went to retrieve them, he never returned."

The story hitting too close to home for his liking, Lucian inwardly cringed. "Why would she haunt the mine?"

"Maybe she is trying to clear his name or maybe reveal who his murderer was or hers. I don't know."

"Murdered?" He pulled his eyes from the photo.

"Yeah. For the emeralds," she said.

"I thought you said he didn't find any emeralds."

"That's the story but I think that maybe he might have. Or maybe he double crossed them and kept the emeralds for himself and took off."

"Without his daughter?" he asked.

"Yeah, I guess. At least that's what they told her. She didn't believe them, though. She was sure something must have happened to him but she could never prove it."

"Do you think he was murdered?"

"Don't know." She shrugged. "But it does seem weird that he would leave his daughter and not take her with him."

"Is there more information on her?" Lucian had a sudden urge to find out all there was to know about the woman in the picture. "I mean the story?" he quickly added when he saw the look Molly was giving him.

"There should be some artifacts and more information upstairs in the museum." Her brows creased, wondering what his sudden interest was.

"She's really quite beautiful." There was a hint of awe in his voice.

A pang of something akin to jealousy settled deep within her. She shook it off, feeling ridiculous. It was only a picture for goodness sake. The woman was long dead and buried. "We should get going."

"Right," he agreed absently, finally tearing his eyes from the picture, away from Rebecca.

♦

With Lucian following, Molly walked down the passageway to another flight of stairs that led to the outside. There was a small strip of land with water and a wall of rock to the right. Scattered around the perimeter was an assortment of rusted mining equipment. In small groups, guests mingled, waiting to go inside the mouth of the cave.

"I'm going to have to leave you for a bit," she said, turning slightly and looking back over her shoulder at him. "Will you be all right?"

"It will be tough, but think I think I will be fine."

"Of course, you will." Her face turned five shades of red. "I didn't mean it like that."

"I know." His lips twitched. "I was only kidding."

Molly gave him a cheesy grin. "Be back soon."

"I'll be waiting."

#  CHAPTER FIFTEEN

Emerald Mine Museum, Little Switzerland

Molly walked as fast as she could in her long gown over the uneven tracks that led into the mouth of the cave. Over to her right was a large body of water and if one looked closely they would be able to see pieces of equipment still at the bottom from when the mine flooded mysteriously. A few geese floated nearby, ruffling their feathers and diving into the water.

When she rounded the corner, she stopped abruptly. The dank cave had been completely transformed.

Lovely white chairs were set up on either side, with bright green ribbon swags with wild flowers tied to each bough. More colorful wild flowers spilled over from old milk cans set up on rough wooden pedestals which were set in intervals down the emerald green carpeted aisle.

Two tall candelabras were at the end flanking a small platform with a wrought iron arch spread across the length where the Ordained Minister would stand to perform the ceremony. Slightly lower was another platform, which is where she would be relegated to stand beside Dan. Thinking of him made a sickening feeling twist in her gut. She shook it off. At least Lucian was here, if not she would have really been a mess. Granted he wasn't really her date or anything close, but Dan didn't need to know that. Besides, he was hot, Lucian, not Dan.

"Molly!" Peggy rushed forward.

Molly turned. "What are you doing out here? Someone is going to see you."

"I know but I had to tell you...."

"Tell me what?" Molly didn't know why but the sickening feeling twisting in her gut just gotten ten times worse and she felt like she just might need to throw up.

"It's...." Peggy looked over her shoulder towards the entrance. "Shit!"

Molly turned to see what her friend was talking about and her breath caught. Dan was standing at the entrance, with a girl. And not just any girl either. It was Tracy, the new gorgeous server from her work she had trained a few short days before Dan dumped her. "What's she doing here?"

"That's what I wanted to tell you..." Peggy trailed off.

"They are together?" Molly gaped at her friend.

Peggy's face turned a nice shade of red as she nodded.

"Like together...together?" The queasiness in her stomach increased.

"Yeah." Peggy gave her a sympathetic look.

Molly grabbed her friend's arm and dragged her over behind the arch. "Why didn't you tell me earlier?"

"I was going to but..."

"But what?"

"I didn't want you getting upset before the wedding."

"Well, that's just great." Molly threw her hands in the air. "Now, I feel sick."

"Take a deep breath and calm down. Lucian came with you, right?"

"But he's not my date?"

"Yeah, but Dan doesn't know that."

She had a point but it didn't stop her from breaking out in a cold sweat. "I feel sick."

Peggy took her clammy hands in her own and tugged on them. "Don't lose it on me now. I need you."

Molly inhaled through her nose and exhaled slowly. "Fine. But I swear, Peggy, if you leave him alone with me, I am going to lose it."

"I won't. You just have to get through the ceremony. It will be fine," she assured Molly.

"Yeah. I hope you are right."

"There's my girl." Peggy peered around the arch. "Okay, the coast is clear. Now come and help me with my veil and flowers."

"All right," Molly said, hoping her friend was right.

#  CHAPTER SIXTEEN

Emerald Mine Museum, Little Switzerland

"Just perfect _,"_ Lucian muttered to himself spotting Tracy, the girl he had been having sex with enter the cave on the arm of some yuppie looking guy.

If they weren't blocking the entrance he would have left but there was only one way in and one way out.

Once she saw him, her eyes widened and then she smiled. It was same sexy smile she had given him before they had sex and as usual his dick got some movement. "Traitor," he mumbled to his uncooperating appendage—the damn thing had a mind of its' own—a one track one at that.

Not having any other alternative at this point, he gave her a brief wave, keeping his hand low so as not to draw attention to himself.

Luckily, the guy she was with didn't seem to notice. He was too busy staring at a curtained off section in the back of the cave, where Molly and her friend had disappeared to, which seemed a bit odd. Why would he do that? Lucian couldn't help but wonder.

More people filed in the cave and took seats on either side of the green runner carpet. He wasn't even sure which side he should be on but at this juncture he didn't think it would matter. The sides filled with guests seemed to be pretty even and he was three quarters of the way towards the back. A short balding man, escorted a blue haired woman to the seats in front of him and he became a bit self-conscious as she gave him the once over.

Being polite, he gave her a brief smile.

Her penciled-on brows lifted to her hairline and then she winked.

Lucian chuckled lightly.

"Mildred, stop salivating over the guest!"

Unperturbed, the woman named Mildred sat down and then preceded to smack her husband's hand off her arm. "Shut up, Morton," she snapped and then added. "What's good for the goose is good for the gander."

Lucian couldn't agree more. Stirring the pot, he gave Mildred a wink in return which made her husband's face burn red while Mildred fanned her own.

"Hey there!"

Lucian turned and was surprised to see Tracy standing on the other side of him.

"Is this seat taken?"

Lucian looked around. "I guess not."

"Good." She gave him another one of her sexy smiles which had the same effect on him as the last one did. "What are you doing here?"

"I could ask you the same thing," Lucian responded.

"I came with a date."

"So, did I."

She pursed her lips together. "Where is she?"

"Where is who?" He played dumb.

"Your date?"

"Where's yours?" Lucian asked instead, even though he already knew the answer.

"He's up there." She pointed to the front where the arch was set up.

"So, that's your guy?"

She made a face. "Yeah, I guess."

"You make a cute couple."

"You think so?" She gave him an expectant look.

"Of course."

She looked to the front of the room and frowned.

"What's wrong?" he asked, not sure why he was even bothering. He really didn't care.

"His ex is here."

Poor girl, Lucian thought and he was going to leave it at that but his curiosity got the better of him. "Where is she?"

Tracy looked around. "I guess she is with the bride."

A niggling sense of unease settled on Lucian. "With the bride?" Molly was with the bride. Granted there may have been others too, but he hadn't seen anyone else in the wedding party on the bride's side yet, besides Molly. He swallowed hard, putting two and two together rather quickly. "Are you still working for her?"

She sighed. "Unfortunately, yes."

"Does she know about you and her guy?"

"You mean, my guy?" She gave him a reprimanding look.

"Well, he was her guy, first, wasn't he?" He didn't know why he was saying that, but her lackadaisical attitude about the situation was kind of getting on his nerves.

She made a harrumphing sound and then crossed her arms. "I guess."

"Well?" he prodded.

"Well what?"

"Does she know about you and her, err, your guy?"

"I'm not sure but she'll find out soon enough." A snide smile crested her lips.

Lucian's earlier assessment of Tracy was just reinforced. She may be hot and pretty fantastic in bed, but she obviously wasn't too nice of a person, which normally wouldn't have fazed him in the least, but something had changed in him since he was the one dumped or betrayed, depending on how one looked at it. Actually, now that he thought about it, he was dumped by betrayal which somehow made it even worse.

"I can't wait to see her face when she does see me with him," Tracy added.

Lucian would have said more, but the music started.

♦

The Harpist cued the music.

Molly took a bracing breath. "I can do this," she repeated her earlier mantra.

"Of course, you can," Peggy assured her for the umpteenth time since they had entered the small curtained off room where emeralds and other gems were on display, black lighted in Plexiglas cases to show off the colors of the stones. A curtain was over the front and there was a stale unused odor combined with the overly fragrant smell of hers and Peggy's bouquets.

Molly pushed back the curtain and peeked out, looking for Lucian. She spotted him towards the back row. A wave of relief washed over her until she saw who he was talking with. She dropped the curtain and whirled around to face Peggy. "Why the hell is that tramp talking to Lucian?"

Peggy's brows creased. "Who?"

"Tracy—the—the tramp!" spluttered Molly.

Peggy pushed past Molly and peeked out the curtain. "Where?" asked Peggy. "I don't see... Oh..." She dropped the curtain back in place.

"I can't go out there." A cold clammy sweat broke out on her skin. She waved her hands under her armpits frantically, trying not to stain the gown with pit sweat.

"Yes, you can." Peggy grabbed her shoulders and shook her slightly. Her hands were clammy too.

Molly, instantly felt bad. She was ruining her friend's big day. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be. It'll be fine. Okay."

"Okay." Molly took another breath, trying to keep it together. "Here," she said. "Turn around so I can fix your veil."

Peggy dutifully turned around.

Molly lifted the long trailing gossamer veil to the back of her hair, and fastened it with a faux emerald and rhinestone comb. Once she was satisfied with her handiwork, she placed her hands on her friend's bare shoulders, and spun her back around.

"You look beautiful." And she did. The strapless ivory gown had an emerald sash fastened around her waist with a sprinkling of crystals over the bodice and the full skirt. Peggy's bright red hair was pulled up with a mass of curls crowning the back of her head with her veil fastened underneath.

"Promise?" Peggy gave her a worried look.

"Yes, I promise." Molly squashed down her own nerves. Today was about her friend, she repeated in her mind, and she wasn't going to ruin her day by having a meltdown.

"You look beautiful, too," Peggy assured her.

Molly doubted that she did but refrained from saying anything else.

Peggy peeked out of the curtain and then pulled her head back inside. "I think it's time."

Molly gave her friend a quick hug and then she picked up both bouquets and handed the largest one to her friend. "Okay," she said, reaching down to adjust her friends train.

"Here I go." Taking a bracing breath and with one last reassuring smile at Peggy, she left the sanctuary of the room.

♦

For all the preparation and time that went into the planning of a wedding, the actual ceremony seemed to take no time at all. In fact, it was more of a blur and felt a bit surreal. Molly didn't even notice Dan standing behind Marshall. Instead, her eyes kept darting back to Lucian, hoping he hadn't decided to leave. But he didn't. He was still there and now, he was all by his handsome lonesome. _Thank_ _God_. A wave of relief washed over her.

"And now you may kiss the bride," the Minister bellowed.

A round of applause exploded, echoing throughout the cavernous room. Molly gave Peggy a quick hug and handed her back her bouquet. After she adjusted her train, Peggy and Marshall made their way down the aisle through thunderous applause and catcalls from the guests.

Dan stepped up to her side and extended his arm.

She ignored him.

"Don't you want to hold my arm?"

"No."

"You look nice." His blonde hair was jelled into a tousled messy look that she always thought looked so adorable on him. Now it looked sticky and molded.

"Stop talking to me."

"Grow up."

"Screw you." Molly plastered on a big fake smile and followed the newlyweds out of the cave, leaving a stunned Dan trailing behind.

♦

After they were outside again, Molly dutifully stood beside Peggy and Marshall until they started making their rounds to greet their guests. Once they were preoccupied, Molly broke away and made a beeline for Lucian.

"Hi there," she said a bit breathlessly, arriving at his side, relieved he didn't leave.

"Hey there," he said, smiling down at her flushed face. It occurred to him that she was prettier than he originally thought. "That was nice."

"Yeah, it was," she agreed.

He tucked his hair behind his ears. "So..." he hedged, rocking back on his heels. "What do we do now?"

What Molly really wanted to know was why Lucian was talking to the tramp but didn't know how to broach the subject. "It will be a bit before Peggy and Marshall cut the cake, so, if you want, I can grab us some drinks."

"That sounds perfect." The wind blew his hair forward.

Molly thought he was perfect but refrained from telling him that. "What would you like?"

"I'll have whatever you're having."

"Two whiskeys coming right up," Molly said cheerily.

"A girl after my own heart," he said.

Molly's stomach made an involuntary flutter at the mention of his heart. "I'll be right back."

"I'll be here."

"Okay." She gave him what she hoped was a sexy smile and then made her way through the throngs of guests to the bar. She smiled at some familiar faces and tossed out a few, "I'll be back" when someone tried to stop her.

The line to the bar was longer than she would have liked. There were at least ten people standing in the way of the drinks she needed to get.

"Oh, come on!" She wanted to cut the line but couldn't think of a good enough of an excuse to do that. So, instead, she waited, wishing the bartender moved his ass a little faster.

♦

Lucian waited near one of the rusted pieces of equipment, trying to keep a low profile. He was pretty surprised to see Tracy here. What were the odds, right?

Thank goodness, she was with a date. But she kept looking over at him with those sexy eyes of hers like she was undressing him. Thankfully, a guy walked over in front of her and blocked her view. He recognized him immediately from the ceremony. It was the Best Man.

Moving back a few steps he watched from afar, wondering if he was Molly's ex. If so, he was a real piece of work. Not that Lucian really had any right to judge, but it was still a pretty messed-up thing to do. He suddenly hoped Molly wasn't the girl that got ditched, because if she was, seeing her ex with another girl would really suck for her.

♦

By the time Molly got to the bar, the cover band Peggy hired started to play their rendition of Billy Idol's, Hot in the City. Trying to get in the spirit of things, she bobbed her head to the music as she nonchalantly looked over her shoulder to make sure Lucian didn't leave before she got back, or worse, found someone else to hang out with. It was impossible not to notice that there were a lot of single girls here who were already zeroing in on Lucian. And to make matters worse, she saw Dan drooling all over Tracy. What a dick.

Twenty minutes later, she was finally able to get their drinks. "Two whiskeys', please."

The bartender, who was pretty cute, gave her a raised eyebrow look as he poured her drinks.

Molly ignored him and grabbed her drinks once he set them on the bar. "Thanks."

"No problem," he said.

She turned and made her way through the crowd back towards Lucian.

♦

Three girls were edging their way towards Lucian by the time she got back. "Coming through," Molly called out and elbowed her way through the middle of the girls. "Here you go." She handed one of the drinks to Lucian.

His lips twitched. "Thanks." He took a sip.

Feeling nervous, she took a big sip of her own drink.

It was too big and her eyes immediately teared up. Pressing the back of her hand over her mouth, she stifled a cough.

"When's dinner?" He patted his flat stomach.

"Um..." Molly swallowed back her cough. "There isn't going to be a dinner."

"There isn't going to be any dinner?" He looked appalled.

Molly's face reddened. "Well, no, not a sit-down dinner."

Lucian normally wouldn't have cared but he hadn't eaten anything for a while and was hoping to get something decent for a change. "Is there going to be _any_ food?"

"There's finger food."

"Oh."

"If you're really hungry I can hold up one of the waiters," she joked, making a pistol with her fingers.

Ignoring her joke, he slammed back his drink. "Do you need another?"

"Um...sure..." Molly followed Lucian back to the bar she had just left, transfixed with the way his muscles strained against the fabric of his borrowed suit jacket. _What I would give to see him without that jacket and run my fingers over his broad shoulders,_ she thought, already feeling a bit tipsy _._

Lucian passed over the strip of land that separated them from the cave where the wedding was held. A large piece of rusted equipment was a backdrop to the bar.

Fast walking, Molly tried to keep up with his long strides.

"What's that?" He stopped at the back of the line and pointed to a piece of equipment that looked like a small-scale train.

"It's an Eclipse."

"A what?"

"Sorry, that's just the name of the model. It's a steam engine."

"What was that used for?"

"It provided the steam to run hoists, drills, pumps and belt driven equipment for the mine."

"It looks pretty old."

"It is. It was made around the 1890's."

"Does it work?"

"Absolutely."

Lucian couldn't quite fathom that. Shoving his hands into his pockets, he rocked back on his heels and looked around. A few of the women were blatantly staring at him, including Tracy—they looked hungry and he didn't think it had anything to do with food. He would have laughed if it wasn't so damn unsettling.

Molly nonchalantly glanced over her shoulder. She spotted Dan. He caught her looking at him and smirked.

Acting oblivious, she stepped closer to Lucian and claimed her space beside him while Tracy, aka, "the Tramp," sauntered over to a waiter and grabbed a glass of champagne. With little finesse, she slammed the drink back. Giggling stupidly, she lowered her glass and promptly teetered sideways.

Dan grabbed hold of her arm and steadied her before she took out one of the guests.

Molly gritted her teeth. Dan was making a spectacle of himself salivating over Tracy like a dog in heat. Granted, she could see why. Tracy was wearing a black clingy dress with a V cut down to her navel, which did a fine job of showcasing her giant boobs. Like moths to a flame, the men ambled closer to her. And it didn't go unnoticed to Molly that the women also seemed to be creeping closer to Lucian.

"So," Molly hedged. "Are you having a good time?"

Lucian dropped his gaze to her upturned face. "Yeah, I am," he said, surprised it was actually the truth. Molly was not his type in the least, at least not the type of woman he usually found attractive but there was something wholesome and sweet about her, in a homegrown sort of way.

Cecily, on the other hand, was worldly; she'd been around the block a few times by the time he met her which is why he found her so attractive. She wasn't shy or nervous about their lovemaking. She usually initiated it and _damn_ , it was good. His chest tightened at the thought. Shaking his head, he pushed her from his mind. The last person he wanted to think about right now was Cecily. " _Bitch,"_ he muttered to himself.

Molly spluttered her drink. "What?"

"Sorry," he said, apologetically. "I wasn't talking about you.

"Oh." Molly couldn't help wondering who he was referring to but didn't want to pry.

"You know that guy?" Lucian titled his head.

Molly looked over to where Lucian had indicated. "Unfortunately, yes," she muttered.

A look of surprise crossed his face. "Were you two involved?" he asked, letting his curiosity get the better of him.

"Were, is the operative word."

"What happened?"

"He ah..."

"Dumped you?"

Her face flamed. "Let's just say we parted ways."

Lucian looked across the crowd, noticing the guy in question smirking at Molly. Just to piss him off, Lucian draped his arm over her shoulder and pulled her close. "Why?"

Molly smiled warmly, feeling immensely better suddenly. "I'll tell you if you tell me who you called that name."

"Is that so?" His brow lifted.

"Yep." She nodded enthusiastically.

"I was talking about my ex. She's a bitch."

"What did she do to you?"

"What didn't she do?" A disgusted look crossed his face.

"That bad?" she asked.

"Yes."

"Want to talk about it?"

"Not really." He swiped his free hand through his hair.

"Okay." Even though Molly was dying to know what happened she didn't press the issue.

"Can we change the subject?"

"Sure. What would you like to talk about?"

"What else do you know about Rebecca?"

Molly blinked stupidly. The last person she thought he would be asking her about was Rebecca. "Um, she was about my age when that picture was taken and she liked to play the piano for the miners."

His brows creased. "How'd you know that?"

"Her piano is up in the museum."

"Really?" His eyes brightened.

"Yeah," she said. "It's behind a glass wall."

"Why is it behind glass?"

"I guess they want to make sure no one touches it."

"That makes sense." He removed his arm from her shoulder and took another long pull of his drink.

"Where will you go from here?" she asked, trying to change the subject from Rebecca.

He shrugged. "Not sure."

"Are you interested in staying here for a while?" she asked, hoping he would.

"I haven't given it much thought, really." That wasn't true, exactly. He didn't really have any money to go anywhere else. He was down to his last twenty. And if Peggy hadn't invited him to the wedding, he would have probably been sleeping at one of the rest areas scattered throughout the scenic parkway.

"Well," she said. "If you decide to stay, I can show you around."

"Can you show me the museum and the rest of the mine?"

"Um, I guess, sure." Her brow creased.

"Are there any cheap places to stay around here, I mean, if I decide to stay?"

"I know a place. You can stay there for free if you like."

"Seriously?"

"Sure. It's kind of in disrepair right now, but it's a place to stay."

"Sounds great." He wouldn't have cared if it was a shack so long as he had someplace to crash for a bit, until he could figure out what he was going to do.

"Are you looking for work?"

"I guess at some point."

"Can you do carpentry?" she asked an idea forming in her mind.

"I guess so." He shoved his hand in his pocket.

"Well, the place does need some work." She didn't mention it was for her father.

"I uh...I wouldn't want to uh...impose." Lucian was starting to think he bit off more than he could chew.

"Nonsense." She waved her hand dismissively. "I know the owner and he has been looking for someone to do some work for a while now. Of course, you will be paid well and most of the supplies are already there and anything else you need can be put on account at the local hardware." She didn't mention the old house in question was owned by her father as well.

"Well," he hedged, not sure what he was getting into but then again what other options did he have at the moment? And it wasn't like he didn't know how to use a hammer and nails. Hell, he had practically rebuilt the cabin at Ravenhurst. "Sure," he said before he changed his mind. "I'll check it out, see what I can do." He nudged her shoulder with his own. "Thanks."

Molly nudged him back, smiling. "No. Thank you."

"So, when do I get to see my new home?"

"I'm staying here tonight, but I can take you tomorrow if you like."

"Sounds good." The problem was, Lucian didn't really know where he was going to be spending the night.

As if reading his mind, Molly added, "You can stay in the groomsman's room tonight."

"I wouldn't want to impose."

"Nonsense." She waved off his comment. "It's not a big deal."

"Okay. Thanks."

Her eyes crinkled at the corners as she smiled up at him. "You are welcome. Besides, we've got some drinking to do."

"Yeah," he agreed. "We do." He gave her a winning smile that made Molly's knees weak.

"So," he hedged. "What else is there to see around here?"

"Gosh, there are so many places. It's hard to pick one."

"Like what?"

"Well, there is Chimney Rock..."

"What's that?"

"It's a state park, but it has some cool trails and falls if you are into hiking and nature, that kind of stuff."

"That sounds...fascinating." He rolled his eyes.

Molly smacked his arm playfully. "It's not that bad and I bet once you climb it you'll be glad you did. The views are pretty spectacular."

"Well, if you think I will like it, I'm game if you are."

"Great. I'll put that on our to do list."

Lucian was getting a strange feeling. He wasn't sure what it was exactly.... excitement maybe? Not sexually excited, although, he had to admit the more he hung out with Molly, the more attractive she was getting. He didn't know if it was the booze or... something else, something he didn't want to ponder overmuch.

"There is Biltmore Estate too. It's not too far away but since you pretty much grew up in a castle I guess it wouldn't be at the top of your list."

"Hey, just because I grew up in a castle, or what I like to call: a gothic monstrosity, doesn't mean I might not want to check out this ah, house."

"Mansion."

"Yeah, mansion." He got a squeamish look.

Molly laughed at the look on his face. "I promise it's worth checking out. And besides there's a winery... they give tours and we can get a free tasting of their latest wines."

"Well, why didn't you say so," he joked. "Free wine, what's there not to like about that."

"Okay. I'll put that on the list, too." Molly was having the best time even if he wasn't her date. Maybe it was better to just be friends with a guy first. She never tried that out before.

"What else?"

"There's always the lake. We can take a boat out, my friend, err, has one we can borrow." Once again, she didn't mention that it was her father's boat.

"Sounds great." He moved forward in line.

"I can show you the million-dollar view."

"How can I pass that up?"

She nudged him.

"Okay, okay," he laughed.

"Oh, and if you like gambling, the reservation in Cherokee has a casino."

Lucian shrugged noncommittally to that one. He wanted nothing to do with gambling; he was swearing that off—at least for a while. "Let's try the rock first and go from there."

"Okie Dokie." Molly grinned, excited about the prospect of showing Lucian around.

#  CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

Emerald Mine, Little Switzerland

After they both got two more drinks and grabbed a few hors d'oeuvres, they made their way to a little patch of grass near the twenty-five-foot, _Bon Ami_ waterfall.

Molly took a sip of her drink, balancing her little frankfurters in blankets on a small paper plate while Peggy and Marshall made their rounds to the small clusters of people dotted across the grass. Since the area wasn't too big to begin with, it looked packed but that didn't matter because everyone seemed to be having a good time, and Molly was no exception. She was having a fantastic time, even if Dan was here with Tracy, aka 'the Tramp'—and she didn't even care—well, she probably would have if Lucian wasn't here but he was, so that didn't matter.

Lucian popped two more hors d' oeuvres in his mouth and then washed them down with his whiskey which wasn't the best combination but it was better than nothing. Wiping his mouth with a little paper napkin, he caught Tracy looking over at them and turned away so his back was facing her. The last thing he wanted to do was watch her tits falling out of her gown. He already got a really good eyeful earlier and that alone made his dick stand up and take notice. She knew it too, he could tell. But he had no interest in Tracy. He just wished his dick would sync up with his mind.

"Is it supposed to rain?" Lucian asked.

Molly had her frankfurter halfway to her mouth and then stopped. No way in Hades did she want Lucian seeing her stuff her face right now. "I hope not," she said, setting her frankfurter back on her plate and then looked upward. There were quite a few fat bellied gray clouds pressing down on them.

"You going to eat those?"

"No." She shook her head. "Not hungry." Her stomach protested by making a gurgling noise. She coughed to cover it up.

"Mind if I have them?"

"Nope. Go for it." She watched with rapt interest as Lucian plucked them both from her plate and popped them in his mouth.

"These are pretty good," he said. "Do you think they have some more?"

Molly hoped they did because she was starving. "I think I saw a waiter over...." Before she could finish her sentence a large drop of water splattered down on her head. _Please don't rain_. _Please don't_...Oh Hell!

Rain started pouring from above like buckets.

"We better find some cover," Lucian suggested, shielding her with his jacket.

Bedlam ensued and a flurry the guest ran for cover toward the cave where the wedding was held.

Molly started to run in the same direction but Lucian grabbed her arm and pulled her up short. "Let's go this way."

"Okay." Molly wasn't going to argue. She would happily follow him wherever he wanted to go.

"Head over there," he yelled over the pounding rain, pointing toward a small cave across from the waterfall.

"Okay." Molly gathered her skirts in her hand and ran until she was just inside the mouth of one of the caves. This one was small and very dark in the back. She hadn't been in it before. When she worked here, it was flooded by water. The ground under her feet was packed mud and there was a bone chilling dampness hanging in the air. The rain didn't help. Shivering, she leaned forward to see where Lucian went. She spotted him over by the bar. He grabbed something and turned back around, running towards the cave where she was waiting.

"Holy shit! It's really coming down." He swiped the water off his face and pushed his wet hair back.

Molly merely nodded. She would have said something but she was momentarily mesmerized by how hot he looked. If possible he looked even better wet than he did dry and that was saying something.

The wind picked up and slashing rain started to come into the mouth of the cave.

"Let's move back inside." Lucian grabbed her arm and steered her further back in the cave.

It was even colder here.

"This is better, don't you think?" Lucian leaned back against the wall.

"Ye-yeah," she chattered.

"Let's get you warmed up." He shrugged out of his jacket and placed it over her shoulders. "How's that?" He rubbed her arms.

"Much better, thank you," she said, even though she was still freezing.

"Here, this will help." He lifted the bottle out to her.

Molly took the bottle. "I didn't bring my glass with me."

"Who cares," he said. "Be daring." A mischievous look entered his eyes. "Drink straight from the bottle."

Molly looked at his lips and swallowed hard. Taking the proffered bottle, she took a big swig. Coughing, she handed the bottle back to Lucian.

"To us." He tilted the bottle back and took a hefty swig of his own.

Molly smiled up at him stupidly. She felt giddy, free, like she did before Dan. Back to when she was in High School, when she used to hide behind the bleachers at football games with Peggy and drink. With the only difference being, they were usually hanging out with a bunch of losers, never the hotties. But now, she was with a hottie and it was... _amazing_. When he handed the bottle back out to her again, she took another big swig not even stopping to think about how drunk she was starting to feel.

"This place is pretty amazing," he said looking around the dank cave.

"Yeah, it is," Molly agreed.

"I wonder how old it is?"

"I'm not sure. It was flooded with water when I worked here."

Lucian took another pull off the bottle and handed it back to Molly. "How did they get the water out?"

"I guess they used pumps."

"Where did they put all the water?"

"Over on the other side, I think."

"Hmm. Crazy."

Like old friends, they took turns handing the bottle back and forth until it was halfway gone.

Molly was always the quintessential 'good girl'. She waited three months to sleep with Dan because she thought he was the one. The one she would eventually marry. That didn't turn out to be true, obviously. But as she looked at Lucian, she couldn't help but wonder if she had tried out Dan sooner, test drove him so to speak, if she would have stayed with him so long or gotten back together with him so many times. She wasn't a quitter. She told herself she could make it work—like she had some kind of point to prove to herself and the rest of the world that she could keep a man. What a joke that had turned out to be. Now with Lucian, a man she barely knew, she wondered if she should just take the plunge; try him on for size. See if he fit. And if he didn't, well, she would have a damned good time in the process.

"Why are you looking at me like that?"

Her face heated. "No reason," she squeaked.

Lucian was feeling no pain at this point. The lack of substantial food probably had more to do with it than the whiskey he was drinking. Actually, he was surprised he hadn't worked up a better tolerance since he had picked booze over eating three squares lately. He could only afford one or the other and numbing his brain took precedence to sustenance. He took another drink and handed the bottle back out to Molly. "What else did they mine for, or was it just emeralds?"

"Well, per the name, the place does have an abundance of emeralds and some other semi-precious stones, but what it is really famous for was the feldspar."

"What's that?"

"It's a cleaning agent."

"A what?"

"You know, to clean with, like comet."

"Why would they mine for that?"

"It was during the depression and the demand for emeralds and semi-precious stones weren't that great, but the cleaning agent was. If you can believe it, the workers were actually told to throw out a lot of the stones."

"You're kidding me?"

"No." She shook her head. "It's the truth."

"Wow."

"I know, right."

"Did they really throw them out?"

"Not sure. I think some of the workers may have kept some for themselves but I can't say for sure."

"I would have," Lucian said.

"Me too," Molly agreed and took another drink, feeling much warmer suddenly but she doubted it had to do with the whiskey. Lucian propped one foot on the wall behind him, and shoved his hands in his pockets. He looked utterly gorgeous. To cover her gawking, she took another drink. The whiskey didn't even burn her throat now. Swaying, she handed the bottle back to him.

"You still cold?"

Molly nodded while her little inner voice called her a liar. She told her inner voice to shut the hell up.

"Come here." He set the bottle down.

Molly walked over to him.

"Turn around."

Molly gave him a curious look but did as he asked.

Lucian pulled her against his chest, wrapped his arms around the front of her and rested his chin on the top of her head.

His muscular body pressed against her back and bottom as the heat from his body emanated through the back of her gown. Molly was in heaven.

"So," she said after a few minutes. "You never did tell me what happened with you and the girl you called that name."

"Oh, right. Well," he started and then stopped. The last person he wanted to talk about was Cecily. "Let's just say, she is a bitch and leave it at that."

"Come on. I told you."

"I'd rather not talk about her."

"Still hurts?"

"Not as much, especially now that I am here with you."

Molly felt a zing of pleasure course through her from that. "Really?"

"Yes, really."

"Good." She smiled and snuggled back against him.

The rain was coming down so hard it looked like a curtain of water was in front of the cave. And Molly couldn't be happier.

"So how long were you seeing your guy?"

"Gross. I don't want to talk about him either."

Lucian chuckled. "Fair enough."

"What did you do for a living, before you came here, I mean?"

He shrugged. "A little of this and that."

"Wow. That tells me a lot."

"I don't know. It's kind of complicated."

"That's life," she said.

"Yeah, I guess."

The both grew quiet, lost in their own thoughts.

Suddenly she burst out laughing. It wasn't a small little giggle either. It was a full-on belly laugh.

Lucian raised his brow, giving her a curious look and then started to laugh too. It was hard not to, her laughter was contagious.

"It's not that bad," she said once her laughter dwindled down.

"What's not that bad?"

"Getting dumped."

"It's not?"

"Nope." She turned to look at him feeling bolder than she probably should. "He did me a favor."

"How so?" He thought about how the guy had cheated on Molly and felt a surge of protectiveness over her.

"I wouldn't be here with you and..."

"Yeah," he breathed, his gaze smoldering as he looked down at her. She looked so damn cute. All he wanted to do suddenly was kiss her, make her forget about the loser that dumped her.

#  CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

Emerald Mine Museum, Little Switzerland

Throwing caution to the wind, and against his better judgement, Lucian lowered his mouth to hers.

Her lips were soft...sweet...perfect.

Molly parted her lips, letting his tongue slid right in without any hesitation at all and wrapped her arms more securely around his broad shoulders.

Lucian deepened the kiss, pressing her body against his own. She tasted of whiskey and mint, a surprising arousing combination.

Reveling in the warmth of his tongue lashing against her own, Molly twined her fingers in his silky hair. If she had to rate the kiss on a scale from one to ten, she would give it a hundred, —it was that good.

Lucian groaned into her mouth. She was warm and sweet. Just what he needed. And the more he kissed her, the more aroused he became. He could tell she wanted him as well. His hand slid down her back, over the rounded curve of her bottom.

Molly moaned in pleasure. Her body completely relaxed from drink, she became bolder and slid her hand inside his shirt. His chest was hard and his skin soft.

Lucian returned the favor and traced a single finger over the swell of her breasts. Delving deeper, he pulled her gown lower as he went.

Molly was so turned on at this point, she didn't even care that he was pulling down the front of her gown. Cool air made her nipples pucker instantly into tight little buds...

Lucian lowered his mouth, nipping at her naked flesh, then closed his mouth over the tender bud.

Molly gasped, holding his head in her hands as the flat of his tongue slid over her delicate skin. " _Yes_ ," she cried out, tugging his shirt out of his pants. She wanted to feel his bare skin against her own...taste him like he was tasting her...

"Ahem!"

Molly didn't at first hear the noise but Lucian did. He tensed, and turned his body so he was shielding Molly.

"What are you doing?" Molly asked dizzily, still caught up in the heat of the moment.

"We are not alone," he whispered hotly.

"What do you mean, we are not..."

"Molly!"

She heard the voice that time and it had the same effect as a gallon bucket of freezing water being tossed on top of her. Jerking her bodice back in place, she warily looked over her shoulder.

Dan was standing outside the mouth of the cave with a disgusted look on his face. "What do you want," she snapped, frustrated.

"Peggy is waiting for you at the hotel," he snapped back.

"Oh." Flustered, she jerked on her dress, making sure she was covered. "Tell her I'll be there in a minute."

"You tell her yourself," he said and stormed off.

"Jerk," she called after him. "Sorry," she said, completely embarrassed, turning back around to face Lucian.

"It's all right, we've got all night." Lucian gave her a wink accompanied by a sexy lopsided grin.

Molly's heart melted all over again.

♦

After Dan's rude interruption, the hot moment between her and Lucian was completely blown to smithereens. To make matters worse she had lost her buzz and now had a half-assed headache.

The cool damp air revived her even more as they sped back to the hotel in the golf cart. She couldn't believe she had not seen all the people from the wedding file past her and Lucian while they were making out and a bit more than that, she thought, or that the rain had stopped.

Suddenly, she wished she had another drink.

Once they were back at the hotel, Lucian put the golf cart in park and turned off the engine. He turned in his seat. "Now what?"

"I guess we go inside for the cake cutting and dancing."

"Will there be food?"

She smiled. "I can get you some."

"You're the best."

So are you, she wanted to say but didn't.

♦

As soon as Molly walked back into the hotel with Lucian, Peggy ran up. "I'm cutting the cake in a minute. Where have you been?"

Molly cut her eyes to Lucian and back to Peggy.

"Oh." Peggy got her meaning and smiled conspiratorially.

"Lucian, are you having a good time?"

"Yes," he said. "As a matter of fact, I am."

"Good. Good." She patted his shoulder affectionately, and winked at Molly.

Molly rolled her eyes.

"I'll be cutting the cake in a moment," Peggy repeated.

"Sounds great," Lucian, said.

"Okay," she exhaled. "I better go and don't forget to come over for the dancing."

"I won't," he told her.

"Great. I better get back." And with that, Peggy took off across the room toward the cake table that was set up near the back wall.

Molly turned towards Lucian. "I think it may be a bit before I can get you some food," she said.

Lucian rubbed his flat belly. "I think I'll survive for a bit longer."

Molly smiled. She couldn't help it. He was so damned sexy. Just looking at him made her hot and bothered all over again. "I guess we should get over there."

"I'll meet you there," he said. When she gave him a questioning look, he added," I need to use the little boy's room."

"Oh." Molly laughed. "It's down the hall over there." She pointed him in the general direction. "I'll meet you by the cake table."

"Got it." He gave her a conspiratorial wink and then walked off towards the bathroom.

Molly took a breath and smoothed her hand over her dress. "Keep it together," she told herself, and then made her way across the room through the crowd.

Halfway across the dancefloor, Molly had to stop to jerk the strap of her heel back on. When she stood back up, Dan was there, glaring down at her. "What do you want?"

"What in the hell are you doing?" His face was red.

"I'm having fun, Dan. That's what I am doing."

"You are acting like a slut," he accused.

"No, Dan," she said, surprised she was so calm. "You are obviously confusing me with the slut you brought to wedding."

He looked taken aback and then his expression changed. "You don't even know that guy."

"How do you know?"

"Marshall told me."

"So, what? Like you know Tracy any better?" Take that asshole, she thought.

"Actually, I do," he said and then he averted his eyes.

Right then, her relationship with Dan became crystal clear to Molly. Dan had been cheating on her. She waited for the anger to bubble up, or the sadness, at his obvious admission but none of those emotions came. Instead, she felt numb to her core. "How long?"

"For a while now, but it's not what you think..."

She put up her hand. "Just stop. Don't bother, okay." She shook her head.

"But..."

"You've said enough. I get it." The numbness subsided and suddenly she felt like a weight was pressing down on her, smothering her. She was finding it hard to take a breath. "God," she exhaled. "I'm so stupid."

"Molly," he said, his voice taking on that tone that was a cross between placating and demoralizing.

She shook her head. "Just stop. I don't need to hear anymore."

"Well, it's your fault," he quickly defended his actions.

She fisted her hands and inhaled through her nose, trying to keep it together. "My fault?"

"Yeah. You kept getting all clingy with me. You were suffocating me."

"I was suffocating...you...," she repeated.

"I tried to tell you but then I felt bad."

"You felt bad...for me?" The numbness was back.

"Come on, Moll's...like I said, we can still be friends. That is...," he added, "if you ditch that guy and start acting right."

"Excuse me?"

"Come on." He swiped his hand through his hair in aggravation, making it stand up. "Don't make me repeat myself."

"Oh, don't worry, Dan," she said calmly. "I don't need you to repeat anything. Everything you said is crystal clear, for once. Actually, I want to thank you for the clarification."

His brows creased. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"It means that now I can tell you what I've wanted to tell you for a long time now."

"What's that?"

"To go screw yourself."

"God! What is with you? Grow up."

"Here's a novel idea, Dan," she said. "I'll grow up when you stop sticking your dick in other women. How's that?"

He threw up his hands in exasperation. "What the fuck-ever, Molly."

"Well, at least we finally agree on something, Dan."

"What do you mean?"

She threw her hands in the air just like he did. "What the fuck- ever, Dan."

"Smartass," he mumbled.

"Asshole." She couldn't believe she was even having this conversation with him. "I got to go. Peggy is waiting on me."

He grabbed her arm. "What about that guy you're with? What are you going to do with him?"

Molly thought about that for a moment and then smiled. "I'll be doing whatever I damn well please with him and for once, I will be enjoying every moment." She jerked her arm from his grasp.

Dan face showed his surprise. He looked like she slapped him.

Happy her dig hit its intended mark, Molly pressed her shoulders back and walked away, holding her head high.

#  CHAPTER NINETEEN

The Hotel, Little Switzerland

Lucian walked out of the men's room and pulled up short. "Hey," he said.

"Hi there." Tracy traced her finger down her décolletage, and bit her lip. "Where are you going?"

"I've got to ah, meet someone."

"Oh." She stepped closer and placed her hand on his chest. "I was thinking, I mean, I remember what you said to me, but I was wondering if you might have changed your mind."

He frowned. "Changed my mind about what?"

"You know," she said, walking her fingers up his chest. "About staying with me," she said and then added, "until you get settled."

"Thanks," he said. "But I've got that covered."

"Let me guess," she said, toying with the button on his jacket. "You and that little bridesmaid are hooking up tonight?"

"I didn't say that."

"You're not denying it either."

Lucian had a sudden urge to tell her it wasn't any of her damn business.

"Well, I guess..." Tracy looked over Lucians' shoulder and suddenly narrowed her eyes.

"Take care," he said, trying to be nice and get away from her at the same time.

"Wait!" Tracy threw herself against him, and wrapped her arms around his neck.

"What are you...?"

Her mouth landed on his.

Lucian was going to object but her hand slid down over the front of his pants and then she cupped his balls and a zing of pleasure shot through him and his dick swelled. It wasn't necessarily from Tracy but rather a residual effect from earlier with Molly. "Damn," he groaned against her parted lips.

Tracy sucked on his bottom lip. "You like that?"

Lucian shook his head, getting his wits about him again. "I'm sorry. I can't..." He pushed her back.

"I told you," she said loudly. "I'm seeing someone."

"What?" Lucian frowned not understanding what she was even saying.

She jerked her bodice back up and then smiled. She wasn't smiling at him though, but instead at something or someone, behind him.

Lucian suddenly had a bad feeling.

He turned then and saw Molly standing there. Her face unusually pale. "Molly..." He took a step forward.

Molly stood there stupidly feeling like a knife was just stuck in her heart. Granted, she didn't know why she was surprised. Who wouldn't want Tracy over her? Dan obviously did, and now Lucian. It was too much. She couldn't stand there looking like an idiot any longer. Therefore, instead of saying anything, or letting him talk, she turned and ran in the other direction. Halfway down the hall, she remembered she was supposed to be with Peggy as she cut the cake, but she couldn't. Not right now. She had to get to her room. That was all she could think of. To get to her room and get a moment by herself before she lost it completely.

Lucian narrowed his eyes at Tracy. "What did you do that for?"

"Sorry." She shrugged. "I couldn't help myself."

Lucian noticed she didn't look sorry at all.

"Now that she's gone," she said, stepping forward again. "You want to come back to my room and finish what we started?" She made eyes at him.

It was the damndest thing. Normally, Lucian would have gladly taken her up on her blatant offer but he found he wasn't the least bit interested in doing anything with her, and that, in itself, scared the ever- loving shit out of him.

#  CHAPTER TWENTY

The Hotel, Little Switzerland

Molly slammed the door shut to her room and leaned back against it.

She was torn between wanting to cry and scream. She ended up doing neither.

What was the point?

She should have learned her lesson with Dan, but oh no, not me, she thought dejectedly.

Walking across the room, she sat down on the edge of the bed. She wanted to crawl under the covers and cry herself to sleep but she couldn't do that. She had to get herself together so she could go back out to the reception and be with her friend.

Grabbing a pillow, she pulled it into her lap and proceeded to punch the crap out of it. Wishing it was Dan or even better, Tracy.

Ten minutes later, after she got all her anger out, she let out a heavy breath.

"Well, Molly, it's time to get it together." Tossing the beaten pillow back on the bed, she stood up and walked over to the bathroom. Her shoes made a soft clicking sound on the marbled tiles as she made her way to the sink and turned on the faucet.

Leaning forward, she scooped up cold water and splashed it on her face.

Taking a white fluffy towel down off the rack, she blotted her face, and then set the towel aside. Grabbing her makeup case, she pulled out her tube of Dior lip venom, reapplied her lip-gloss, used some more mascara, and lastly, brushed powder over her face.

Surprisingly, she didn't look too bad, considering how wretched she felt. After she blew out her bangs with the hairdryer, she used some deodorant, and then brushed her teeth.

After she freshened up as much as she could, she left the bathroom and headed back out to meet Peggy before she missed anymore of her friend's reception.

Closing the door to her room, she turned and her breath caught.

"Hey there," Lucian said, leaning back against the wall. "I was hoping I would find you here."

"What do you want?" She hated that she was happy to see him.

"Isn't it obvious," he said.

"If it was obvious, I wouldn't have asked," she snipped, completely irritated, and flustered at the same time.

"Feisty," he said and his lips twitched.

Molly's heart made an involuntary flutter. It was hard being mad at Lucian when he was looking at her like that. Then she remembered he was making out with Tracy and that feeling disintegrated. "I'm late."

"Hey," he said, reaching out to grab her arm.

"What?" She jerked her arm away and turned, trying to hide her face. She suddenly felt like balling her eyes out.

"Molly, I didn't kiss her."

"You might want to tell that to your lips," she choked past the tears clogging her throat.

"She kissed me. I promise."

He sounded so sincere but then again, so did Dan when he was lying to her. "Why would she do that?"

"I guess I should come clean with you." He shoved his hands in his pockets.

"Go on," she said even though she didn't really want to know, especially if it was going to be bad.

"Remember when I told you that I've been here a while?"

She nodded, afraid her voice would betray her.

"We kind of hooked up before, but..."

Molly gaped at him. "Dan was seeing her."

"Well, she told me that, too."

"About Dan?"

"Well, no. Just that she was seeing someone and that he had a girlfriend. I didn't know it was you until today."

"And knowing she was seeing someone else didn't stop you from hooking up with her?"

He shrugged. "She wasn't my girlfriend."

"Well..." It seemed like all her bluster went to the way side. "That's just great. Thanks."

"You can't be mad at me for something that happened before I met you. That's not fair."

"Life isn't fair."

A sad look crossed his face. "Yeah, I know."

She huffed out a breath of air. He was right. It wasn't fair. And on some level, it did give her a bit of perverse satisfaction since Dan was being cheated on too. "So why didn't you tell me this before?"

"You want the truth?"

"That would be helpful."

"I didn't want you to think differently about me, or get upset."

"Why would you care about that?"

"Because," he exhaled, seemingly having a hard time finding his next words. "I like you," he finally said.

Molly blinked stupidly.

"I mean," he sighed. "I _really_ like you."

"Uh...." What was she going to say to that? Granted part of her wanted to jump up and down with glee but the other part, the more cautious part, wasn't sure she believed him. "Then why did you kiss her?"

"I already told you. She kissed _me_."

"Why would she do that?"

He shrugged. "I guess she wanted to...you know."

Oh, Molly knew all right. It was the exact thing she wanted to do with him. It was hard not to, just looking at him made her feel warm and tingly all over.

"But I told her, I couldn't..."

"Why?"

"Because of you," he said, finally, realizing how true it was.

"You told her that?"

"Yeah." His brows creased. "Why wouldn't I?"

"I don't know." That was a big fat lie. There were a number of reasons that she could think of.

"Can we start again, I mean, if you can forgive me."

Molly sighed. "I don't own you."

"I know but...I really do like you and I have been having such a good time with you."

"If you are just saying that because I am giving you a place to stay, save it. You can still stay there and work. That hasn't changed. I'm not like that."

"That's not why. I don't care about the place or the job."

"You don't?"

"No. I don't."

Molly felt her resolve crumbling. He sounded sincere. And he did say sorry. And it wasn't his fault Dan was such an asshole...

He jerked her forward and pressed his lips to hers. He hadn't meant to. But seeing her upset stirred something deep down inside of him. Of how he felt when Cecily had betrayed him and the last thing he wanted to do was make Molly feel the way Cecily had made him feel.

Molly was going to protest, push him away, but once his lips pressed against hers, all the protesting she was going to do went out the door. Instead her betraying arms wrapped around his broad shoulders and she kissed him back.

"Damn, you taste good," he murmured against her lips, pulling her pliable body closer. "

Muffled over her own breathing, she heard the announcement from the DJ for the first dance. And even though she wouldn't have minded kissing him like this all night, she couldn't very well do that when her best friend was about to have her first dance.

"Lucian..." She pressed her hand against his muscled chest.

"I know," he murmured, mistaking what she was saying. "Let's go into your room." He backed her towards the door, while he continued his assault on her mouth.

Molly wanted to cry and scream all over again, but for different reasons this time. She couldn't go to her room with him, now. She had to go back to the wedding or she would officially be the worst friend on the planet. She pushed back harder. "Lucian, I can't."

Lucian froze.

The last thing he thought he would hear from someone like Molly was the word can't. "I don't understand," he said.

"I have to get back to the wedding."

He raked his hands through his hair. "Right," he exhaled, feeling somewhat relieved. "I forgot about that."

"Can we continue this... later?" she asked hopefully.

"Yeah, later," he said, trying to get himself in check.

"Do you want to wait in my room or come back to the wedding with me?"

At that precise moment, Lucian would have preferred taking a cold shower but he didn't want her to have to go back out there alone. "I'll come with you, that is, if you want me to."

"Of course," she said.

He smiled then. It wasn't forced or fake, which is what he normally would have done in situations like this. "Shall we," he said, holding out his arm.

She smiled, nodding. "Okay." She slid her hand through his arm.

Arm in arm, they walked back down the corridor to the main room where the reception was held.

♦

Once they were at the end of the hall, they stopped at the entrance.

Lucian's eyes boggled at what he saw. People were flapping their arms and making cock-doodle-do sounds.

Molly saw his look and laughed.

"What are they doing?" he asked, his brows creasing.

"It's called a Chicken Dance."

"A what?"

"A Chicken Dance," she said. "See." She flapped her arms and bobbed her head, shuffling her feet back and forth. "Bock-Bock!"

It was Lucian's turn to laugh. He had never seen anything so ridiculous in his life, but right now, he didn't even care. Joining in on the fun, he flapped his arms, making, "Bock-Bock" noises with Molly.

Laughing, they both shuffled over to the dance floor.

♦

After they danced the Chicken, and watched some guests do what Molly told him was the worm, a slow song came on.

Lucian tucked his hair behind his ears. "Shall we?" He held out his arms.

Molly had to pee but she didn't want to stop dancing, yet. She was having a really good time.

It was almost like they were a couple...almost. And she couldn't get what Lucian had said out of her mind—that he _really_ liked her. She wanted to hug herself and pinch herself at the same time to make sure she wasn't dreaming.

He swept her into his arms, his hips moving fluidly against hers to the beat.

Molly decided rather quickly there was no way she could be dreaming because her mind could not have ever conjured something this perfect.

"I need a fearless love," he sang in her ear to the Melissa Etheridge's, 'Fearless Love' "Oh, if you can't hold me now, you can't ever hold me again."

"I won't settle for anything less," she sang back to him.

His eyes became serious as he jerked her pliable body even closer—then, forgetting they were in the middle of the dancefloor, he claimed her mouth with his own.

Molly didn't care that they had an audience or that Dan was watching from the sidelines, or Tracy.

She wrapped her arms around his broad shoulders, kissing him back as the room and the people around them blurred before her half-closed eyes, fading away.

#  CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

The Hotel, Little Switzerland

The sound of applause is what finally tore Molly from her kiss induced stupor and she slowly came back to her senses. She looked around the room at all the faces.

Cringing, she lowered her arms and let her feet fall back down on solid ground.

Lucian was still smiling, his eyes twinkling mischievously. "I think we have may have a bit of an audience," he said.

"I think that may be an understatement," Molly said, blushing to her toes.

Peggy ran over to them. "Are you two having fun?" She made eyes at Molly.

"This is a blast," Lucian said. "Thanks again for inviting me."

"Hey, I'm just glad you're having fun," Peggy said. "Do you mind if I steal Molly for a minute? I need some help."

"Sure." Lucian frowned.

"Ladies room dilemma," Peggy said, lifting her full skirt.

"Oh, right." He shoved his hands in his pockets, as the band started to play, 'Don't be Cruel' by Elvis.

" Are you sure?" Molly asked, looking to see where Tracy was.

He followed her line of vision and immediately felt bad for what he had let Tracy do earlier. "I promise, I will be right here, well," he amended. "I'll be at the bar."

"Be back in five." She pressed up on her toes and gave him a quick peck on his cheek.

"Make it four," he said, smiling.

"I can do that," she assured him.

"Come on, Molly." Peggy grabbed her hand. "I'm going to piss myself."

Molly gave Lucian an apologetic look as Peggy pulled her away through the crowd.

♦

"How did that happen?" Peggy asked, squatting on the toilet.

Molly held her gown higher, so it wasn't touching the floor. "How did what happen?"

"Oh, come on. Don't play dumb with me. You know I'm talking about you and Lucian hooking up."

Molly grinned. "I didn't expect it. We were drinking and joking around, and then he just pulled me into his arms and kissed me."

"Was it good?"

"Better than good!" she exclaimed. "His kisses are amazing."

"Better than, Dan?" asked Peggy.

Molly laughed. "What do you think?"

Peggy laughed, too. "I told you he would be great at helping you getting over Dan."

"I know." Molly became pensive.

Peggy saw her look and sighed. "Don't over think it. Just have fun."

"I really like him though."

"Don't start that yet," she advised. "You'll freak him out."

"I'm not starting anything." Molly made a face. "Actually, he told me that he really liked me first."

"Really?" Peggy looked doubtful.

"Yes, really." Molly helped Peggy stand and backed out of the stall still holding the bottom of her gown.

Peggy hobbled forward. "I think I'm good."

"Okay." Molly dropped the hem of Peggy's gown and fluffed it out, then retied her sash.

"So, what are you going to do?"

"I'm going to have amazing sex."

"Shut up!" Peggy nudged her slightly.

Giggling, Molly nudged her back. "I'm thinking about it."

"Isn't he leaving?"

"No. He's going to stay here for a while."

"When did he tell you that?" Peggy frowned.

"Earlier, at the mine," she said.

"I thought he said he was just passing through?"

"He was but I guess he decided he wanted to stay for a bit. I'm going to let him stay at the house my dad has on the old Jenson property. The one that needs fixing up."

Peggy chewed on her lip. "You sure you want to do that?"

"Why wouldn't I?"

"I just don't want you getting in too deep."

"What's wrong with that? I'm taking him out there tomorrow and afterwards we might go sightseeing."

"Does he know it's your dad's house?"

"No."

"Why didn't you tell him?"

"You know why."

"Molly," Peggy sighed. "Not everyone is interested in your money."

"It's not my money. It's my father's."

"Then why don't you tell him."

Molly shrugged. She didn't tell Peggy the real reason. She was afraid he would look at her differently like every other guy she had dated once they found out her family had money. And then they would meet her dad and then she usually never heard from them again, except for Dan. He had stuck around. Sometimes she thought he did it just to piss her father off. "He has money too," Molly said.

"If he has money, then why is he staying at that decrepit old house?"

"Well, he doesn't right now. But he lived in a castle."

"A real castle?"

"Well, per Lucian, he said it was more of a gothic monstrosity."

"That bad?"

"Apparently," said, Molly.

"You sure he isn't lying."

"No. He is not lying," Molly, snapped, getting riled. "What is with the twenty questions?"

"Hey, I'm just looking out for you."

"Well, in case you didn't notice, I'm a big girl and can take care of myself."

"That's what you said about Dan." Peggy gave Molly one of her staple 'don't be stupid' looks.

"Oh, fine," Molly, grumbled, pulling off a paper towel. "I will take it slow."

"I didn't say to do that. You deserve a good romp after Dan. Just don't expect anything after, okay?"

Molly sighed. She knew her friend was right. She shouldn't get so attached, especially since she didn't know him very well. But, damn, how could she not. He was so sexy and...."

"Earth to Molly!" Peggy waved her hand up and down.

"Huh?"

"Are you planning on staying in the bathroom all night?"

"No. I was just thinking."

"About?"

"How good it's going to be if we do have sex."

Peggy laughed. "I was just thinking the same thing."

"Peggy," Molly gasped. "You're married."

"Hey, I may be married but I'm not dead. And by the looks of Lucian...."

"Peggy..."

"All right, I'll stop, but you got to promise to tell me everything."

"Oh. I will," Molly assured her friend.

"Now let's get you back out there before one of the other girls snatches him up." Peggy turned to leave.

"They already tried."

Peggy pulled up short. "What do you mean?"

"I caught Tracy kissing him."

"Dan's, Tracy?"

Molly nodded.

"When did that happen?"

"Earlier."

"Are you freaking kidding me?"

Molly shook her head. "I wish I was."

"What a slut."

"Tell me about it."

"But wait...if she was kissing Lucian, how come you're going to let him stay at your dad's house?"

"He said she kissed him."

"And you believed him?"

Molly sighed. "Yes."

Peggy gave her a sympathetic look.

"I know, I know," Molly said. "I'll be careful."

"That's my girl." Peggy gave her a quick hug. "Now let's go. I still got a bouquet to toss."

"I thought you already threw it?"

"Nope. I was waiting for you."

"Really?"

Peggy nodded, smiling.

"You better throw it at me."

"You bet," Peggy promised.

♦

Waiting for Molly to come back, Lucian stood near the bar sipping a whiskey. He was already on his third drink. He kept close to the potted plants, hoping Tracy didn't try to corner him again. He was still horny as hell from his impromptu make out session with Molly in the hall. He wasn't sure what to make of it since he wasn't usually that aroused with women, well, not since Cecily—the bitch, as he liked to call her. She had taken something from him that day at the cabin and he had yet to get it back. Hell, he wasn't sure if he even wanted to.

And even though he had always been a sexual kind of guy, in a very visual way, for some reason just thinking about how pliable Molly had been in his arms made him....

"Damn!" he swore under his breath. The last thing he needed was another girl in his life. He had sworn to himself not to get involved with anyone, at least not on an emotional level. He built a fortress around his heart and he planned on keeping it that way. He decided he would just enjoy his time here, check out the sights like she had suggested. Hell, maybe they would even go back to the mine and look for that old miner's stash. They might even find it and if they did, then his problems would be over....

As the band started to play another eighties song, he took another sip of his drink, a plan forming in his mind at the possibilities of such a thing. Granted it was farfetched but what the hell did he have to lose?

Not a damn thing, he decided.

♦

Molly split apart from Peggy once they were back inside the reception room. She wanted to make sure Lucian was close to the dance floor when Marshall threw the garter, especially if she was lucky enough to catch the bouquet.

Halfway in, she spotted Dan and veered to the left.

As she cut across the dance floor, bodies bumped and grinded in drunken joviality to the hired bands version of, 'You dropped the bomb on me' by the Gap Band. She craned her neck, looking for Lucian but she couldn't find him. A sickening feeling twisted in her stomach.

Once she made it to the bar and still didn't see any sign of Lucian, she decided to get a drink. Irritated, she slapped her hand on the bar top. "Another whiskey," she demanded and then added in a nicer tone, "please."

The bartender gave her a sweep with his eyes. "You sure you want another?"

"Yes. I am sure." Molly rolled her eyes in exasperation.

"Hey, I'm just looking out for you," he said, frowning.

"Well, don't bother," she snipped and then felt bad. "Sorry."

The crease between his brows deepened. "Here, take it." He pushed out the whiskey.

Molly, felt bad. She really wasn't trying to be a bitch but he shouldn't be giving her his two cents when she didn't ask.

Ignoring his look, she lifted the glass and slammed the contents back in one gulp, hoping to get her happy buzz back.

"Thanks." She placed the glass back on the bar. "Another, please," she said, trying to keep the derision from her voice. It wasn't his fault she was suddenly in a foul mood.

A hand snaked up her back and over her shoulder, delving down into the front of her gown. Feeling profound relief that Lucian hadn't left, she relaxed against him and pressed her bottom back against his hard body.

"I knew you missed me." He nuzzled her neck.

Molly tensed and whirled around. "Dan," she gasped, cringing. "What are you doing?" His eyes were glassy with too much drink. She had seen that look in his eyes too many times while they dated and didn't welcome it now.

"What?" His hair was sticking up in awkward angles and his shirt was unbuttoned to his navel.

"Gross." She shuddered. "Don't touch me."

"Hey..." He gave her an indignant look. "You're the one that pressed your ass into my dick."

"I wouldn't have done that if I knew it was you."

"Yeah, right," he snipped.

"Where's your slut?"

"She isn't a slut. Her name is Tracy," he reprimanded. "She had to go."

Molly felt a wave of dread creep over her. If Tracy left, did that mean Lucian was with her?

♦

Lucian swerved back and forth down the patterned carpet of the hall.

He was seeing double.

He was going to wait for Molly but after he finished his third whiskey and she still wasn't back, he decided to go back to the rooms to look for her.

Lifting his hand, he knocked on the door.

When no one answered, he pulled out his key card and used it on the groomsmen door where he had gotten ready earlier.

He was going to lay down for a few, knock the edge off.

Unlocking the door, he stepped inside.

The lights were out, but he didn't think much about that since he was pretty sure he had turned them off when he left. Once he shut the door, he noticed a faint shaft of light coming from under the bathroom door.

Thinking it was one of the guys, he made his way to one of the beds. As he sat down, the bed creaked under his weight. Kicking off his shoes, he leaned back and closed his eyes for a moment.

Once he rested for a few he would go back and look for Molly. At least that was the plan.

♦

Stationed on the side of the dance floor, Molly swayed back and forth to the music. She was feeling no pain at this point. The buzz she had lost, she got back tenfold from the two whiskeys she downed so quickly. She gave the bartender a derisive look. He was right, of course, but she didn't want to admit that. She still hadn't seen Lucian, which meant he was probably off with Tracy somewhere.

"Stupid men," she complained and hiccupped. She wanted to sit down but Peggy was about to toss the bouquet. Leaning down, she pulled off her strappy sandals and fell sideways.

"Sorry," she mumbled.

A distinguished older man with a cane gave her mischievous grin. "No problem," he said.

Molly noticed he had a crisp English accent and frowned. She didn't remember seeing him at the wedding. "Must be from Marshall's side of the family," she murmured to herself.

Brushing her hair back from her face, she took her place and waited.

The DJ finally killed the music.

"Ladies, get ready," he announced cheerily as Peggy turned her back to the crowd.

A group of women gathered around the edges of the dancefloor.

Molly kicked her shoes out of the way and elbowed her way to the front, not caring one bit about the gasps and derogatory remarks from the other women she was cutting off.

"On the count of three," the DJ bellowed.

"One, two...three..."

The bouquet was tossed and all hell broke loose.

The women stormed the dance floor, fighting their way over each other for the coveted bouquet.

Molly made a dive for the bouquet. Her fingers grasped the ribbon covered stems....

Someone shoved her.

She slid sideways, losing her grip.

The bouquet fell, on the floor.

Another girl dove on top of it.

Then it was over.

Just like that.

"I've got it," screamed one of the women from the pile up on the floor.

Molly straightened back up and glared over towards the woman who was now waving the bouquet like an imbecile.

Disgusted, she sat down at one of the empty tables and rubbed her sore trampled toes. "Bitch," she mumbled.

"Pardon?"

Embarrassed someone had heard, she turned and looked over her shoulder. She wasn't alone at the table like she had thought. "Oh, it's you." Heat climbed to her face.

The older gentleman from earlier gave her an assessing look. "Things are not always what they appear to be," he said casually.

"Pardon?" she said. Not sure what the man was even speaking about.

"Love," he said. "It is tough."

"Huh?"

His face became serious. "Take heed," he said and grabbed her hand.

Molly shivered.

His fingers were like ice.

She tried to pull her hand away but he held fast.

#  CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

The Hotel, Little Switzerland

Lucian was dreaming.

Cool hands slid under his shirt and Lucian groaned in his sleep. His belt made a slight tinkling sound as it was unbuckled. He didn't hear it. His mind was back at Ravenhurst, at the cabin in the woods, with Cecily.

He remembered how she would tease him. How she would make him wild....

His dick sprang to life and his buttocks clenched.

"Damn, babe," he murmured as those same cool hands pulled off his jeans and boxer briefs.

He knew on some level something wasn't right but he was so drunk, he couldn't quite wrap his mind around what was happening.

" _Shhh_ ," a voice whispered its way into his sub- consciousness. "I'll make it better."

Cecily always said that before she gave him head. This time was no different. Even wrapped tightly in his dream he could feel her warm lips as they trailed wet kisses down his stomach, moving downward to where he was throbbing to be touched.

Hands pressed on the insides of his thighs, pushing them apart wider. He groaned in his sleep as a gentle hand slid under his balls, cupping them softly at first and then tightened.

Gritting his teeth, he drew in a sharp intake of air. His hips thrust upward and he gasped as those same fingers encircled his length, stroking, squeezing, milking him for everything he was worth and then they retreated.

Cecily left.

The hurt came bubbling back.

"Don't leave..."

But it was no use. She was gone. He knew this even in his slumber, and yet he still throbbed, aching to be touched, painfully so.

"I'm not going anywhere baby," a voice murmured in his ear as a hand slid down his chest. "I'm just getting started."

Lucian slipped back under the cloak of darkness back into his dream.

Again, those hands slid over him and then lips hit the tip of his erection, sliding up and down the length...

He groaned as they retreated, again.

Over and over, he was assaulted. Teeth nipping, fingers clawing, squeezing his balls... caressing... fondling...

His balls drew up tight.

Cecily used to do that to him.

She came back.

No. It was a dream.

It had to be a dream and _damn_ , it felt so good.

Then his dream veered off course. And instead of Cecily, he saw Molly. Sweet Molly. She made him laugh and feel less alone. But she was upset.

Why was she upset?

He opened his eyes. He didn't see Molly. He saw someone else. Someone with long blonde hair...Rebecca, the woman from the mine was leaning close to his face.

His breathing turned ragged as he tried to make sense of what he was seeing. Then she lowered her head, her long blonde hair tumbling down in a veil over his abdomen.

His breathed hitched as she placed her bow shaped lips on his throbbing erection.

"Has to be...a dream..." he murmured, fighting against the dregs of slumber. But it was too much and he was pulled back under the blanket of oblivion.

♦

" _Yes_!" he moaned, hips thrusting upward.

The assault continued.

The more turned on Lucian became, the more his dream broke apart, slipping away, little by little, bit by bit. And then his mind slowly synced up with his body and he knew something wasn't right. He was so hard—too damn hard.

On the verge of exploding, his body became tense... he was so close... but how could that be?

His eyes snapped open. He wasn't back at Ravenhurst, with Cecily, nor would he want to be. He wasn't with Molly either or...

"Who are..." He suddenly realized he wasn't dreaming at all. "What in the hell are you doing?"

"Don't worry, baby," she said, grinning like a Cheshire cat, "I won't tell anyone." Then she planted her mouth back on the tip of his erection and wrapped her fingers around his balls and squeezed— _hard_.

"FUCK!" Shoving his hands into her hair, he tightened them against her scalp, and pulled back until his length slid out of her mouth with a pop.

"Lucian..." she whined.

He hissed out a breath, fighting for control. "Give me a minute."

Tracy didn't wait. Climbing over his body, she pushed him back down and straddled his waist. "I'm not finished with you." She grabbed hold of his throbbing erection, and impaled herself.

" _Fuck_!" Lucian gasped.

Tracy jerked upward, tightening as she went. "Give it to me," she screamed, arching back and placing her hands on his thighs.

"Fuck!" he yelled again. He didn't want this, but right now, he couldn't stop either. Not yet, even though he knew it was wrong.

"That's the plan," she cooed.

Up and down, she moved her hips, riding him, driving him wild.

Lucian jerked his hips upwards to meet hers, but it was suddenly not enough. Pressing up, he wrapped his arms around her waist and flipped her onto her back in one fluid motion.

Readjusting his position, Lucian pulled out of her body and got up on his knees. His erection bobbed upward.

Tracy let her legs fall open wide.

His eyes drifted down, he could see her wetness glistening in the folds between her thighs. Hooking his arms in the bend of her legs, he jerked her forward to the point the backs of her thighs pressed against his chest. Positioning himself, he pushed himself to her moist entrance and with one thrust, he easily slid inside.

" _Yesss_..." she moaned, reaching forward, grasping his thighs, scratching his flesh with her nails as she lifted her hips to take him deeper.

Lucian gritted his teeth. He was still half-assed drunk. Closing his eyes, he gripped her hips tightly and thrust deep. " _Damn_ ," he groaned.

"That's right," she coaxed him onward. "Give it to _me_."

Lucian knew he needed to stop but it felt so damn good. So, once again, he let his conscious go to the wayside, and let the moment control him. In short bursts he pumped his hips, faster... _harder_...it was only moments before his mind was void again from everything except what he was doing and how it was making him feel. He would worry about the consequences later because right now his only concern was release.

Bowing upward, Tracy met him thrust for thrust.

"Oh, _yes_ ," she cried. She was wild...frantic, bucking upward.

Lucian continued his relentless pace, thrusting, and retreating. Glistening with sweat, his grunts of satisfaction overrode her mewls, and gasps of pleasure.

Lost completely now, he continued, on and on. His sack slapped against her bare ass, making her squirm.

"Fuck me... _harder_!"

Lucian obliged and pressed her legs higher to the point they were hooked over his shoulders. Frantically, he thrust harder, deeper, pushing them both closer to the edge.

Tracy slid her hand under his balls, and raked her nails under his sack causing a sharp intense pain that simultaneously bordered on exquisite pleasure.

" _Fuck_ _yeah_!" Buttocks clenched, Lucian thrust forward again.

Cresting on the waves of her release, she tightened around him like a vice and cried out as her orgasm tore through her body.

That was all it took.

One more thrust and Lucian, too, exploded and fell right over the edge into blessed oblivion once again.

♦

Molly, completely unaware of what just happened in the room right beside hers, stumbled into her rented room and shut the door. She tossed her sequined bag on the chair, and her heels on the floor. Even though there were still a lot of guests at the reception, she had told Peggy she was calling it a night.

Swerving across the room, she stepped into the bathroom. The tiles were cold under her feet. Peeling off her hideous gown, she made her way over to the shower and turned it on. Once the spray was hot, she climbed in.

Little dried flowers fell onto the shower floor as she shampooed her hair. She didn't even care.

Twenty minutes later, she turned off the water.

Climbing out of the shower, she took a white robe off the back of the door and slid it on. After she combed out her hair and brushed her teeth, she headed back into the bedroom to call room service. She needed something to absorb all the alcohol she drank. Of course, her mind went straight to Lucian. "Jerk." A rush of hot tears stung the backs of her eyes.

Sniffing, she sat down heavily on the bed, and pulled her legs up, tucking them under her bottom, as she lifted the phone off the nightstand.

The night went downhill after she got back from the bathroom with Peggy and found out Lucian was gone. Then on top of that, Dan had made a pass at her, trying to feel her up and then got mad when she yelled at him for it. Seriously? Come on. What did he expect?

"Asshole," she grumbled thinking about Dan. She couldn't believe she had missed getting the bouquet and then, to top off her less than stellar evening, the strange gentleman and his weird warnings made her feel even more unsettled.

Who in the hell was he even talking about? She really had no idea and had said as much to him. But he still continued on in hushed tones with his warnings about trust and relationships. She couldn't even hear half of what he saying and wished, not for the first time that night that she wasn't so drunk. Then maybe what he told her would have made more sense.

Shaking off her wayward thoughts, she called room service and ordered some fries and a hamburger along with a pickle. The vinegar in the pickle always helped settle her stomach.

Still feeling relaxed from the shower, she laid back on the bed and shut her eyes. Thinking of Lucian, and how hot his kisses made her feel, she reached down and slid her hand under her robe.

Caressing the swell of her breasts, she rolled the tight buds of her nipples between her fingers, tweaking them, all the while wondering how it would feel if Lucian was doing that very same thing to her with his mouth. Letting her legs fall open, she trailed her fingers down her stomach and delved them into the juncture between her thighs, gasping from the contact.

It wasn't long before she felt her body rising to climax, imagining how it would feel if Lucian was there, touching her with his own hand, tasting her wetness with his mouth.... she couldn't help the whimpers that escaped from her lips as her breathing quickened. On the precipice of release, she arched upward...

A knock sounded at the door.

With a guilty start, she jerked her hand away, pulled her robe closed and sat up.

"One minute," she called. Scrambling off the bed, she tightened the belt around her waist and ran to answer the door.

#  CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

The Hotel, Little Switzerland

Tracy smiled at Lucian like the cat that just ate the poor little canary. "That was nice," she said, twirling her platinum hair around her finger.

Lucian didn't bother to answer. He just nodded.

"Was it good for you?"

His jaw clenched. "Yeah, it was great." He felt like an ass.

"Why don't you seem happy?"

Because you probably just fucked up my chance to be with someone I actually wanted to be with for a change, he thought bitterly. "Just tired," he lied.

"I need a shower," she announced, standing up. Crossing the room naked, she grabbed one of the complimentary robes from the hotel off the hanger in the closet. "Mind if I use this."

"No." He sat up and scrubbed his hands over his face. The sheets twisted around his bare legs. He didn't even know where boxer briefs and pants were.

Tracy walked over and smoothed her hand down his hair, much like he had done to her the last time he was with her. She didn't even bother covering herself. And even though he didn't want to, he couldn't stop his dick from getting some movement from the sight of her perky tits so close to his face. She had an incredible body, Lucian would give her that and she was skilled in bed, which was another boon he would give her, but that is where it ended. He had no desire to stay with her, let alone be with her sexually again. He didn't even want to this time. Damn it!

"Want to join me," she asked, reaching out to touch his shoulder.

Lucian felt like knocking her hand away. "No. I think I'll just rest a bit."

She sighed audibly. "Suit yourself." Walking away, she twitched her sweet ass back and forth, making his dick grow even more at the sight.

Once he heard the shower turn on, he tossed the sheet back and looked for his clothes.

After he dressed and grabbed his things he couldn't get out of the room fast enough. It was a dick move, but he wanted to be gone before Tracy came out of the bathroom.

Quietly slipping out into the hall, he shut the door and walked back down the corridor toward the wedding reception. He passed a few trays of food outside of the doors lining the hall which was another reminder that he had yet to eat anything substantial.

When he stepped into the wedding reception he looked for Molly but he didn't see her anywhere.

"There you are," Peggy said appearing at his side from who knew where.

"Where's Molly?"

Peggy gave him a strange look. "She thought you left."

"I uh, needed to lie down for a bit."

"Oh." She smiled. "Well, so did Molly. She went back to her room."

"Really?" He couldn't help but wonder if she had somehow heard him and Tracy. He suddenly felt like an even bigger ass.

"I bet if you hurry, you can catch her before she goes to sleep."

"Yeah, I guess." He shoved his hands in his pockets looking around. He didn't know what to do. If he didn't go back to see her then he wouldn't have any place to stay. And if he did, how would he face her?

"Molly is a forgiving person," she said as though she could read the guilt on his face.

"What do you mean?" He felt sick.

"I mean..." She let out a breathy sigh. "That she won't be mad. She will understand."

Lucian's eyes widened. "What?" He couldn't be sure but he felt like she _knew_ he was with Tracy. But that couldn't be possible, could it? "I'm not sure I am following."

"That you fell asleep, silly," she said laughingly. "What did you think I meant?"

"Not sure."

Peggy looked over her shoulder. When she turned back towards him she was frowning. "Is something wrong?"

"No." He shook his head. "Still feeling a bit drunk, I guess."

"Oh."

"I think I'm going to head back over to the room."

Peggy eyed him critically, like she was trying to figure him out which didn't sit well with him. He hated when people looked at him like that. "Thanks for inviting me," he added quickly.

She smiled then but it didn't quite reach her eyes. "Glad you came."

"I had a really good time." She gave him an odd look like she was sizing him up for something.

She leaned in suddenly. "I'll tell you a secret."

"What's that?"

"I think Molly may have a bit of a thing for you," she confided.

The Adams apple in his neck bobbed as he swallowed. "Really?"

"Yeah." She narrowed her eyes. "You like her too, right?"

Now he knew what the sizing up was for. She wanted to make sure he wasn't going to fuck over her friend. "I do," he answered seriously.

She let out a pent-up breath. "Well that's good. I was worried you were just out for a one night stand, which is fine, but don't fuck with her head. Got it?" she warned.

He blinked, not sure what to say to that.

"Sorry," she said shaking her head and laughing slightly. "I'm her best friend and I just worry about her. You understand, of course?"

"Of course," he said, falling with familiar ease right back into his lies.

Peggy lifted her hand and waved to someone across the room. "I better go."

"Thanks again."

"Anytime," she said. "Have fun."

"I will."

She winked at him and then took off across the floor.

Lucian followed her lead and quickly headed back out of the room.

#  CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

The Hotel, Little Switzerland

_Molly_ unlocked the door and pulled it open. "That was fast...."

"Hey there." Dan smiled drunkenly down at her.

"Go away!" Molly tried to shut the door.

Dan blocked it with his hand. "Moll's, come on."

"Come on, what?" She shoved her hands in her robe pockets.

"I want to talk to you."

"Not in the mood."

"But I miss you."

"You miss me?" She fisted her hands in her pockets, her resolve scattering like ashes in the wind.

"I do." He took a step forward.

"What the hell, Dan?" For once, she made herself hold her ground.

"I made a mistake."

"What mistake might that be? That you dumped me for a tramp and now that she kicked you to the curb you are coming after me again?" She shook her head. "I don't think so. Not this time." The familiar tightening in her chest subsided a bit.

"But I'm sorry."

She let out a self- deprecating laugh. She had heard his half-hearted apologies for two years. "You're sorry?"

"I am..." He grabbed the belt of her robe and pulled her forward. "I love ..."

She shirked away from him. "Gross, Dan. Don't even start that shit with me."

"What the fuck, Molly? People make mistakes."

"Yeah and from first-hand experience you seem to make them all the time where I am concerned." She couldn't believe she was actually standing up to him. And it felt good—really good.

"Moll's...." He slouched against the doorframe.

"Don't Moll's, me." She pushed against him but he didn't move. "Go to bed, Dan."

"Thanks." He pushed past her, making his way to her bed.

"Don't you dare!" She grabbed hold of the back of his shirt and steered him towards the door. "I meant for you to go to bed in your own room."

"I can't."

God, he was getting on her nerves. "Why can't you?"

"I lost my keycard," he grumbled.

Molly tensed.

Seriously?

Now she knew why he was trying to be nice to her. He just wanted a place to crash.

Not going to happen.

"Here," she said, pulling him towards the adjoining door to the connecting room. "Go this way."

He looked at the door. "Is that my room?" He turned his glassy eyes on her.

"It is now." She undid the lock and was relieved when the door opened for her on the other side.

Dan swayed on his feet. "Are you coming with me?"

"No."

"God," he complained. "You are such a bitch."

"And you are a dick." She shoved him through the door.

Dan stumbled forward.

"So that makes us even." She slammed the door in his face and locked it before he could say another word.

Leaning back against the closed door, she took deep breaths, trying to calm down.

"I am such an idiot." She was upset that she had almost believing his lies again. Shaking her head, she shoved off the door and checked the mini bar for something to drink.

There was a row of miniature bottles of Jack Daniels inside and even though she knew it would probably cost her ten dollars, she didn't even care. Breaking the seal, she unscrewed the lid and dumped the amber contents into a small glass on the dresser. The little paper attached to the bottom of the glass, drifted absently to the carpet.

She had the drink halfway to her mouth when a knock sounded at the door, again.

Pissed, she slammed the glass back on the dresser, walked over to the door and jerked it open. "Now see here..." her words caught in her throat.

"Hey."

Molly's belly flipped at the sight of Lucian standing in her doorway. "Hey."

"Can I come in?"

"Of course." She opened the door wider.

Lucian stepped inside. "I wasn't interrupting you, was I?" he asked, looking around her room.

"No." She shook her head. "Not at all." She touched her hair and then dropped her hand. What was the point? He already saw how bad she must look.

He smiled. "Good."

"I thought you left." She shoved her hands in her pockets.

"No." He shook his head and a piece of his hair fell forward over his brow. "I passed out." He gave her a sheepish look.

Relief washed over her at his admittance. "Oh."

"Did you catch the bouquet?"

She shook her head. "No."

"Sorry."

"No biggy." She crossed the room to the dresser and lifted up her glass. "You want a drink?"

"Sure."

Bending over, Molly reached into the mini bar and grabbed out another miniature bottle of whiskey. "This good?" she asked, holding it out so he could see.

"Perfect."

Breaking the seal, Molly unscrewed the lid and poured the amber contents into another glass, repeating her earlier ritual.

"Here you go." She handed the drink out to him.

"Thanks." Lucian took the proffered glass. "To us," he said, lifting his glass in the air.

Molly picked up her glass and lifted it in the air as well. "To us," she said smiling from ear to ear.

Lucian took a sip.

Molly took a sip too and then lowered her glass again. "You want to sit down?" She had jelly legs. And if she didn't sit down soon she was afraid she might just fall down.

"Sure." Lucian walked towards the bed and then stopped. He turned towards Molly. She looked so damn cute wrapped up in a white oversized robe with her damp hair curling around her face. He felt the familiar tightening in his loins at the sight, realizing just now, that she was probably naked under that robe.

Molly swallowed hard. _Was he going to sit on the bed_? _Was he going to ask her to sit on the bed with him_? Feeling heated, she tugged on her robe, her mind straying to what she was doing on that very same bed just a short while ago and more importantly, who she was fantasizing about.

Lucian tugged at his collar and sat down in one of the overstuffed chairs. He wanted to do nothing more than climb into that big soft bed with Molly, pull her into his arms, explore what she had on under that robe, but he couldn't. Not after he had sex with Tracy. That wouldn't be fair to her or to him. And that thought alone made him realize something about himself. Maybe he wasn't a lost cause after all. Maybe, just maybe, Lucian had some redeeming qualities after all. Maybe...

#  CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

The Hotel, Little Switzerland

Feeling unusually nervous, Molly quickly finished off her drink. "You want another?"

"Sure, why not." Lucian slammed back the contents and handed out his glass for a refill.

Tucking her hair behind her ear, she grabbed the glass and padded barefoot back across the room over to the mini bar. Bending down, she pulled out two more miniature bottles from inside.

Standing back up she broke the seals and refilled both of their glasses.

"Here you go," she said, and handed out his glass.

Their fingers briefly touched and she felt the familiar zing, just like every other time she had touched him. Glancing at his face, she wondered if he felt it too, but once again, he didn't seem fazed. _Dangit_.

"Thanks." Transferring his drink to his other hand, he rubbed his tingly fingers on the arm of the chair.

"You're welcome." She gave him a brief smile and following his lead, sat in the chair opposite from his. Pulling her legs up, she tucked them sideways and covered them with her robe.

"So..." he began. "How long did you stay at the wedding after I left?"

"Um, not too long."

Lucian digested that, hoping like hell she didn't hear him and Tracy. "Who caught the bouquet?"

"Some girl. I didn't know her but she rammed me like a linebacker and stole the bouquet from my grasp."

"I'm sorry I missed that." His lips twitched.

"Oh, yeah, I just bet you are."

"It sounds like it would have been fun to watch."

"I'm sure it was."

"Hmm." He nodded and stared down at his glass. He was having a hard time keeping direct eye contact with her. He was sure at any moment she would tell him she heard him fucking Tracy. Obviously, she wouldn't use that word but, damn, he felt like a complete and total asshole.

Molly took his silence as something altogether different. She was wondering if he decided not to stay and was trying to find a way to tell her. Not able to take the guessing game in her mind any longer, she blurted, "If you still are interested in staying, I mean...uh...like we talked about earlier, I still have the house and..."

"Yeah. I still do, if that is alright."

"Of course." A wave of relief washed over her and she immediately felt better. "I can show you around tomorrow."

"That would be great." Resting his head against the back of the chair, he absently swirled his drink in the bottom of the glass. Noting once again, how damn cute she looked. "I saw Peggy."

"You did." She lifted her eyes from the floor, back to his face.

"Yeah, back at the reception. She told me where to find you."

"She did?"

He nodded. "I told her how much fun I had and thanked her again."

"Really?" She couldn't keep the surprise from her voice.

"I really did," he said. "I can't remember the last time I had this much fun."

"Me neither." She gave him a cheesy grin.

He leaned forward and braced his elbows on his knees. "So, what would you like to do first?"

Molly blinked stupidly. "First?" A jolt of heat shot between her thighs, imagining a bit too clearly all the naughty things she had envisioned doing with him.

"You did promise that you would take me."

Her eyes widened. _When? Where? What position?_ She was game for them all. "I guess we could go to the..." She turned towards the bed.

"The boat?" he asked.

"Oh!" She laughed. "Right... the boat."

The crease between his brows deepened. "Wasn't that what you were going to say?"

"Of course," she lied, feeling like an idiot. "If you like," she said.

"Actually, I was thinking that maybe we should go back to the mine first. What do you think?" He didn't know why but he had a strange urge to see the picture of Rebecca again. Well, he knew why...kind of.

"Um, sure. When did you want to do that?"

"Tomorrow too soon?" he asked, looking a bit too excited at the prospect.

She shrugged. "I don't see why not."

"Great. I think we should look for the stash of Emeralds, don't you?"

"Um, sure," she answered.

"You did say if we find them we get to keep them, right?"

"That's what I've been told." Not that a lot of people hadn't tried in the past. It was a really cool story and brought in a lot of revenue for the mine, so she and Peggy had always really poured it on thick for the tourists when they worked there. That's what her dad had wanted her to do after he acquired the mine from old man Jenson.

He sat forward, his eyes alight. "What else can you tell me about the mine?"

She cleared her throat. "Well, as I told you earlier there are a few different stories or what some call legends, swirling around the mine."

"Such as?"

"Strange things happen there, along with sightings of the "supposed" poltergeists." She made air quotes.

"What?"

"You know, ghosts, that sort of thing."

"Is one of them Rebecca?"

"Uh, I think some people have said that, why?"

"I didn't tell you before but when we pulled up the building I saw one of the rocking chairs move."

"I saw them too."

"You did?"

"Yeah, the wind was blowing them."

"No. Not those. The one I noticed was rocking out of sequence with the others, like someone was sitting in it."

Molly shivered and rubbed her arms. "Are you messing with me?"

"No." He did a sign of the cross over his heart. "I promise."

"Now you are freaking me out."

"Don't be," he said. "I'll protect you."

"Have you had much practice with ghosts, then?"

"Well, I did tell you about the dungeon at Ravenhurst and a lot of other things happened there, especially when I was younger."

"Like?"

"Doors would slam, rooms getting cold, those kinds of things."

Molly remembered how cold the room had gotten when Lucian was looking at Rebecca's picture. She shook her head. Surely, that was just a coincidence...or was it?

#  CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

The Hotel, Little Switzerland

" _Who_ did you say owns the mine?" Lucian asked, leaning back on a stack of pillows at the top of the bed. They had moved to the bed after room service came and they shared Molly's food.

"There were several owners. It exchanged hands quite a bit over the years." Molly wasn't about to tell him her father owned the mine, at least not now, so instead, she told him about the man who owned it before her father.

He made a grunting noise.

Molly gave him a questioning look.

"It sounds like Ravenhurst," he explained. "Go ahead."

Molly adjusted herself on the bed and tucked her legs underneath the quilt. "Well, the most recent owner was Gunter Jenson. He was an old prospector who had snatched up the mine in a game of poker back in the depression or so the story goes. It was called a money pit and was thought to have been mined out. But he wasn't from here originally and got the idea to mine for feldspar and then made a deal with the Bon Ami Company. He ended up making quite a substantial amount of money. However, as his wealth increased so did his gambling habits and then eventually his debts. Finally, he had to sell it."

Lucian pillowed his head on his arms. Was that why he had such an urge to go back to the mine? Was it because he felt a kindred spirit to one of the owners? He might have actually believed that but he hadn't even heard the story till just a moment ago.

Molly chewed on her lip. The last thing she expected to do in a bed with Lucian was talk about the mine but surprisingly, she found that she didn't mind one bit.

#  CHAPTER TWENTY -SEVEN

The Hotel, Little Switzerland

Late morning sun slanted through the windows as a cart filled with dishes clamored down the hall outside the door. Molly stretched lazily and rolled over. The other side of the bed was empty. At first, she thought Lucian left but then she heard the shower and smiled.

Lying side by side on the bed like a pair of old friends, she and Lucian had talked until the wee hours of the morning. It was strange but also kind of fun. He didn't make a move on her like she had hoped but maybe he was too drunk. Dan liked to have sex while he was wasted but it never did much for Molly.

Maybe Lucian was a more considerate lover. At least she hoped that was the case. She didn't want to entertain the notion that he might not be attracted to her in that way. Besides, she reminded herself, when he kissed her at the mine and also in the hall he had seemed pretty damn turned on, so it couldn't be that—at least that was what she was hoping for.

Sitting up, she rubbed her forehead. She had a half-assed headache and cotton mouth to boot. She needed a soda stat and a greasy breakfast sandwich. That was her go-to food when she had a hangover. Blowing on her hand, she checked her breath and groaned. Gross.

The shower turned off.

As the door creaked open, Molly quickly laid back down. Feigning sleep, she closed her eyes.

Hearing the soft padding of feet across the carpet, she cracked open one eye.

Wearing only a towel slung low over his cut hips, Lucian casually walked across the room towards the bed. His chest was completely bare and his hair was wet and tousled around his head as he used one of the fluffy hotel towels to dry his hair.

Squeezing her eyes tightly closed, she pretended to be asleep.

"What am I going to do with you?" he murmured huskily.

Molly had to stop herself from automatically answering, "Anything you want!"

The bed gave as he lowered himself down beside her. "Wake up, Sleepy head." He pushed her hair away from her face.

Blinking, she opened her eyes. "Good morning," she said groggily, acting like she had just woken up.

"Good morning." He smiled down at her.

Another zing of pleasure shot through her.

"You hungry?"

When wasn't she hungry? "Um, sure."

"Great. I ordered us some breakfast. I hope that's okay."

"Of course." It didn't occur to Molly why he was telling her that.

♦

After Molly had taken a shower, dried her hair, brushed her teeth, put on some minimal makeup and got dressed, she opened the door to the bathroom. A large cart with two silver domed lids was between two chairs on a pristine white cloth, along with a pitcher of coffee, cups, juice, fresh fruit, and a plate of croissants. "Wow," she said, taking in the all the food.

"I ordered the works," he said, smiling. "I hope that's okay?"

"Sure."

His brows creased.

"Something wrong?" she asked.

"I charged it to the room. Is that all right?"

Molly blinked and then recovered. "Of course."

"Good. I was worried."

"Don't be. We got to eat, right?"

"Yeah, and I'm starving."

"Me too." Molly sat down and poured a cup of coffee for them both. Lucian hadn't gotten dressed yet and his bare chest flexed each time he moved something on the table.

Molly had all she could do not to stare and drool. Damn, he was hot.

Slowly chewing a bite of croissant, Lucian asked with his mouth full, "So, what do you want to do first?"

"Hmm," Molly answered distractedly, watching his muscles in fascination as she sipped her coffee.

"Earth to Molly." He snapped his fingers.

She reluctantly dragged her eyes back to his face. Big mistake. "Yeah." She swallowed hard.

"What do you want to do?" he repeated.

Molly gave him a confused look. There was a lot of things she wanted to do and they all involved taking off that towel he was wearing and...

He frowned. "You still want to go to the mine, right?"

"Of course." Her face flamed five shades of red.

"I have to say..." He leaned back against the chair. "I am really looking forward to this."

"Me too," Molly agreed wholeheartedly and then she remembered that she hadn't told anyone at work she wouldn't be in. Dang it. "Will you excuse me for a minute?"

"Sure." His brows creased again.

She lifted her cell phone off the table and shook it in the air. "Work stuff."

"Oh."

She got up from the table, walked over to the bed and dialed the number for work. Lucian was still giving her a strange look. Not trying to be rude but also not wanting him to hear the conversation, she got up and walked over to the bathroom. "Bad reception," she lied, and stepped inside, closing the door until it was almost shut.

Once Molly was out of the room, Lucian quickly grabbed his own phone. He had put it on vibrate last night but could hear it rattling on the dresser. He had three messages and they were all from Cecily. Lifting his phone, he punched in his code and listened to them.

"Lucian, it's me, Cecily." She sighed. "Can you meet me, I have something to tell you."

"Right," he murmured. "I bet you do." He skipped the rest of the message and listened to the next one.

"Lucian, you can't avoid me forever," she whined. "I have to tell you..."

"Yes, I can." He skipped past that message as well.

"Lucian, _pleassse_..." She was begging now.

"Not happening." He hit the end button and took a breath. He didn't want or need to listen to anymore of her lies. "Fuck you," he grumbled at the phone and shoved it quickly back in his jacket pocket. Swiping his hands over his face, he stood up and got dressed.

♦

Molly stepped back out of the bathroom after a few minutes. She had talked to Rodrigo and he assured her he had everything taken care of so she could go and do whatever she needed. She told him she owed him and Rodrigo had jokingly said, "You bet your sweet ass you do."

She didn't take offense, he always joked like that and she didn't mind one bit. If he wasn't married she probably would have dated him. He told her on more than one occasion that Dan wasn't good enough for her. And for once, she agreed, wholeheartedly.

As she crossed the room, much to her chagrin, she noticed Lucian had gotten dressed.

She sighed.

There went her heated fantasy right out the window. Sitting back down at the table, she set her phone next to her breakfast plate and then lifted her cup again.

"Everything okay?"

"Yeah, its fine." She took a sip of her coffee.

"Do you still want to go to the mine or would you rather show me the house first?"

"Since the mine is close by, I guess we should do that first and then I can show you the house later."

"Sounds good."

"Yeah, great," she said absently and took another sip of her coffee.

He gave her a strange look but didn't say anything else.

#  CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

The Hotel, Little Switzerland-on the way to the mine

Keys to one of the golf carts dangled in her fingers as Molly made her way down the stairs of the hotel and out the door.

Unlike this morning when she first woke up, the sun was now gone and it was gloomy out. Gray, fat bellied clouds pressed down from the sky and it looked like it was going to rain. She wasn't too awful worried about that though because in the mountains, rain never usually lasted that long. Still it was a chilly day and she rubbed her arms, wishing she had a heavier jacket. She was wearing a t-shirt under her hoodie, a pair of faded blue jeans, and a pair of sneakers.

Across the parking lot, Lucian was standing near his bike. He had his phone up to his ear but as far as she could tell he wasn't talking to anyone.

Just looking at him made her feel all warm and tingly.

He definitely had it going on, there was no doubt about that. However, even though he made her heart go berserk just about every time she saw him, she couldn't help the little nagging feeling she also got when she saw him. She didn't even know if he liked her, really. Sure, they had hooked up while they were both drunk but he hadn't tried anything while they were in bed together or this morning. And now she was starting to wonder if it was because he just didn't like her in that way or if he was just being respectful.

Spotting Molly, Lucian shoved his phone back in his pocket. "There you are," he said cheerily, walking towards her with a smile.

"Here I am." Molly held out the keys to the golf cart.

Lucian took them. "I take it we're using another golf cart."

"Yeah, I thought it would be easier to carry all our jewels."

Lucian gave her an odd look. Not because of what she said but because he could swear he saw someone else standing behind her, and that someone was the girl he had seen in the picture at the mine, the one named, Rebecca.

A trick of light, or perhaps, another guest had stepped into his periphery, which would have made sense, but he also thought he saw her last night, in the room, with Tracy. He had chalked that sighting up to the residual effects of too much whiskey. But what was his excuse now? he had to wonder. Shaking his head, he cleared his vision and once again, Rebecca had disappeared.

Molly couldn't help but notice the play of emotions crossing his face. "You still want to go to the mine?"

"Of course." He rubbed his forehead as an uneasy feeling gathered in the pit of his stomach.

"Is something wrong?"

"No. Nothing." He dropped his hand and stared blankly over her shoulder.

"Lucian..." Worry creased between her brows. "Are you ready?" She turned to see what he was looking at but there was nothing there.

Lucian pulled his eyes back to hers. "Yeah. Sure. Whatever you say."

"Okay." Molly frowned as she walked over to the golf cart.

Lucian climbed in on the other side and started the engine.

♦

The ride to the mine was nothing like the day before. Yesterday while riding with Lucian in the cart, Molly had felt a mixture of shyness and exhilaration. Now though, she was feeling more dread than anything else and couldn't quite figure out why.

Lucian turned the cart into the mine and pulled up in front of the gray clapboard building just like he did the day before. This time the chairs weren't rocking out of time with one another but remained still.

Almost too still, he thought, considering the way the wind was whipping. Trying to ignore the trepidation he was feeling, he got out of the cart and followed Molly up the stairs.

"The mine isn't open today?" Lucian asked as Molly pulled keys out of her pocket to unlock the door.

"No. Not today."

"How'd you get the keys?"

"I know the owner," she evaded and averted her eyes to the task at hand. Once she unlocked the door, she held it open for Lucian to walk inside.

Just like the day before, Lucian immediately noticed how dim it was inside and the musty closed up smell of the place. There was a white powdery substance on the floor leading to the door of the mine but no tracks, which somehow added credence to the strange eerie vibe he was feeling.

Molly shut the door and it clicked softly in place. "What would you like to do first?"

"Can we go to the museum?" Lucian didn't know why but he felt a pull to go there.

"Um, sure." Molly headed towards the double doors leading to the mine. She was thankful she had on jeans this time since the place was pretty dusty, even more so then she remembered from yesterday.

It almost looked like someone had spilled talcum powder or chalk on the floor. She couldn't figure out why that would be but chalked it up figuratively and literally to the guests who walked in here before and after the wedding yesterday. It was weird though, there were no footprints on the floor this time. She could have sworn they were there yesterday. She made a mental note to tell her father to get a cleaning crew in here before the mine opened to the tourists again in the spring and then grabbed the handle to the door.

She immediately ripped her hand away—it was freezing.

Lucian was feeling suddenly very queasy, but he didn't mention it. His need to see the museum was increasing and he just couldn't seem to figure out why.

He took three steps and stopped.

His eyes widened as he saw the girl named Rebecca, standing on the other side of the doors. Her ghostly image reflected in the glass.

His tongue felt heavy in his mouth and his breath came out in ragged gasps as Rebecca's image passed through the doors. Suddenly, he felt like he was suffocating from within.

Molly screamed.

#  CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

The Mine, Little Switzerland

Lucian couldn't help wondering why Molly was screaming. He wanted to tell her it was all right but for some reason he couldn't seem to make his mouth form the words.

Molly tightened her hold on his waist and used her shoulder to keep him upright.

He was dead weight.

"Lucian!"

She was freaking out. His head listed to the side and his eyes rolled back in his head. Was he having some kind of seizure?

Reaching around with her right hand, she grabbed her phone out of her back pocket and punched the key code with her thumb. She kept hitting the wrong numbers.

"SHIT!"

He slumped against her, making her lose her hold on her phone; it clattered to the floor at her feet.

"No! No! NO!"

Using all her strength she propped him back against the counter while extending out her foot to drag her phone back. She knew if she let him go, he would surely fall and crack his head open.

With another burst of exertion, she pushed him upright.

Giving up on her phone, she turned towards him and patted his face gently. "Come on," she urged. "Wake up."

Lucian jolted and his eyes opened.

"Oh my God, Lucian! Are you okay?" She pressed her hand against his chest.

He got a strange look in his eyes. It was as though he was seeing someone else, standing in front of him and not Molly. She didn't know why she was thinking that. But that is the way she felt. "Lucian," she repeated. "Are you okay?"

Shaking his head, Lucian cleared his vision and the image of Rebecca disappeared and was transposed by Molly's—her face ashen...worried. "You okay?"

"Am I okay?" Molly looked at him like he had three heads. "What is wrong with you?"

Lucian shirked her off, feeling clammy and cold suddenly. "I don't know." And he didn't. It was like his brain took a vacation from his body and he had no idea where it went.

"We are leaving." Molly turned to go.

He grabbed her arm, freaking out. "No!"

"Lucian," she said in a calm voice, looking him in the eyes. "I want to take you to the hospital. I think you had a seizure or something."

"I didn't... I mean, I don't know. But I can't leave, not yet."

"Why?" Her brow creased in concern.

"I have to do something."

"What?"

He rubbed his forehead, trying to alleviate the pain gathering behind his eyes. "You wouldn't believe me if I told you."

"Well," she snapped, not meaning to. "If you don't, we are definitely leaving." She was already planning to leave anyway but wanted to know what the hell had just happened.

"I saw Rebecca."

"Who?" She frowned more severely.

"The girl from the picture," he muttered, barely audible.

"What pic..." Molly trailed off as the realization of what he was saying hit her. "You mean..." she swallowed hard, "the, Rebecca?"

He nodded.

Her mouth opened and closed like a fish. "When?" she finally managed.

"Just now... I mean, not right now, but before when..."

"When you almost passed out?" She gaped at him.

"Yeah, I guess." He shrugged and shoved his hands into his pockets.

"We should get you to the hospital..."

"No. I don't...I can't...You said yourself this place is haunted," he defended.

"Yeah, but I wasn't serious. That's just what we told the tourists."

"But it has to be based on some truth, right?"

"How the hell am I supposed to know? I just repeat the stories, to make this place sound more interesting."

He gave her a look of disbelief. "I thought you said you believed...that you watched the shows..."

"Well, I did watch the shows, but that doesn't mean I believe..." She saw his expression and took a breath. "Fine..." She exhaled trying to keep it together. "If what you say is true..."

"I saw her," he was adamant.

"Okay," she said. "Okay," she repeated. "If I am to believe that you saw Rebecca..."

"I did see her and I have seen her more than once."

"When did this start?"

"Since..." he trailed off, trying to remember.

"How many times?"

"Four but with this last time it is five."

Molly braced herself on the glass display case and took a deep breath. Her heart was pounding and her hands were shaking. She felt like if she didn't hold on she would surely fall on her face. What the hell is going on? She exhaled, getting herself back under some semblance of control. "Where did you see her exactly?"

"At the hotel and here."

Molly remembered how he looked in the parking lot. "What is she doing when you see her?"

"Mostly, she just stands there, and sometimes, she gives me a sad smile, but this time, she came through the door right past you."

Molly reflexively took a step back and looked at the chalk like substance on the floor and not surprisingly, there was still only one set of prints leading to the door—her own.

#  CHAPTER THIRTY

The Mine, Little Switzerland

"Fine. I'll stay. But I swear if you do that seizure crap again, we are out of here. Got it?"

Lucian made the sign of the cross over his chest. "I swear."

"Assuming you aren't having some kind of episode and you really have seen this... Rebecca..." Just saying her name filled Molly with dread. "What do you think she wants?"

"I don't know but I feel like I need to go there..." He pointed up.

"What?" Her eyes widened.

"I mean upstairs."

She put her hand over her heart and leaned over. "Oh, thank God."

"What did you think I meant?"

Molly stood back up. "I'd rather not say. It might jinx you."

Lucian caught her meaning and his eyes widened. "Oh. Yeah, let's not say that."

"So, do you think this has to do with her dad or the emeralds or something else?"

"I don't know but I have a feeling we are about to find out."

"Let's hope."

After Lucian drank some water and rested for a moment, Molly grabbed one of the brochures for added information and walked over to the door. She put her hand on the knob and was relieved it wasn't freezing this time.

Opening the door, she stepped through onto the platform and waited for Lucian to follow her.

The door closed with a resounding thud, as they made their way up to the museum on the top floor.

On the way, they passed by several glassed cases filled with variations of stones that had been dug from the mine and put on display. When they finally made it to the top floor, Molly stopped.

The room was filled with old pieces of equipment for the mine and household items, like dishes, a chair, musical instruments, like horns, an accordion and also an old china cabinet that now stood empty save for a large bee's nest inside without the bees.

Lucian gave Molly a curious look. "What happened here?"

"Got me. It was like that when I started working here."

Over in the far corner was the piano, _her_ piano. Lucian had a vision of Rebecca sitting there and playing a tune while passerby's, watched, from the street of an old town with clapboard buildings lined up on either side. "This was hers," he said.

Molly stepped up to his side. "Yes. It was."

"Can I get closer to it?"

The piano as well as the other items were behind a glass wall. A lone door stood off to the side.

"I guess so." The last thing Molly wanted to do was open that door but at this juncture she didn't think she had much of a choice. Reluctantly, she pulled the key out of her pocket and walked over to the door. "You sure?" She looked at Lucian over her shoulder.

"Yeah." He nodded.

"Here goes nothing." She held her breath, not sure what to expect. With shaking hands, she unlocked the door and then pushed it open. There was no resistance like she would have thought for a door being closed for so long—it didn't even creak.

"Has anyone been in there recently?" Lucian asked, voicing her thoughts out loud.

"Not that I know of."

As soon as the door opened all the way Molly felt an icy chill. In fact, it was so cold suddenly, her expelled breath turned white.

"She's here," Molly said. It was a statement.

Lucian looked over her shoulder beside the piano where Rebecca had just materialized. "Yes."

Molly felt like icy fingers were crawling over her skin. She stepped purposefully away from the door and the feeling subsided instantly. "What is she doing?" Molly stared at Lucian, afraid to look in the room.

"Nothing," he said. "She is just standing there, waiting for me."

"Wait?" Molly did a double take. "What?" Her heart kicked into high gear.

"It's okay," he said, stepping forward. "She doesn't want to hurt me."

"What does she W—want?" Molly chattered.

"Don't know." He shrugged. "I guess she'll let me know when I go inside." He took another purposeful step forward.

Molly jumped in front of him.

It didn't even faze him. His eyes never wavered from the glass.

"Maybe this isn't such a good idea. I mean..." she lowered her voice, "what if she is... _bad_?"

His eyes lingered on the glass wall but slowly drifted down to Molly's upturned face. "It's okay," he tried to assure her.

Molly felt sick to her stomach. Everything in her was telling her this wasn't right. That something awful was going to happen. She threw her arms out and wrapped them around his waist. "Don't go."

"I have to." He tried to push her arms down.

Molly held tight. "No. No. No." She shook her head. "Lucian, let's just think about this for a minute... okay."

"She wants me..."

Molly searched his face. His eyes were glassy, unseeing. She pushed against him but he wouldn't budge. "Lucian."

He wasn't listening.

Getting desperate, Molly looked for something to use to stop him but she wasn't close enough to anything. Not having any alternative, she did the only thing she could think of.

She reached up and kissed him soundly on the lips.

At first, he was unresponsive but she kept kissing him until he opened his mouth.

Then everything changed.

Reaching up, he cupped her face in his hands and kissed her back. But it wasn't a normal kiss.

Groaning, Lucian jerked her closer. He had one hand on her bottom, another snaking its way to her breast—when his fingers found the soft mound, she moaned in pleasure.

His erection pressed against her and she wanted nothing more at this moment then to feel him buried deep inside her body. Moving her hands, she massaged the outline of his length, making him jerk and gasp.

She enjoyed it. This power she suddenly seemed to have over him. She wanted more. She was frantic to have more. She wanted to taste him. She wanted him to taste her. She wanted him to go wild like he was making her wild. Giving into her basic desires, she kissed his neck. Reaching inside his jeans she continued her assault and massaged his erection.

"Damn," he groaned. Grabbing hold of her hand, he showed her how he liked to be touched. "Faster," he begged. "Squeeze me... _yeah_ ," he gasped as her fingers tightened. "Harder..."

Molly was more than willing to oblige. Rebecca forgotten for the moment she let herself go unchecked and ignored the niggling voice of sensible, practical Molly. Feeling emboldened by his response, and her sudden power, she took it a step farther. She slid her hands into his waistband and boldly pushed his jeans and boxer briefs down his legs.

Lucian was in a haze. He knew what was happening was not right, but he couldn't seem to help himself. It was as though he was possessed.

Lowering herself to the floor, Molly did something she would never do. It was like Molly was someone else and she welcomed the feeling.

With desire burning in his heavy-lidded eyes, Lucian watched as she lowered herself down. All the while his conscience battled against his growing desire to have her.

"Wait..." he began but his objection was short lived when she wrapped her sweet lips around the throbbing tip of his shaft.

Clenching his buttocks, his body instinctively jerked forward, plunging deeper into the wet warmth of her mouth.

There was no stopping now.

Winding his fingers though her hair, he held on as she continued her relentless assault to his senses. He was so turned on, he couldn't form a coherent thought. It was the same way he felt with Cecily—before she betrayed him.

Tracy, as skilled as she was in bed, she hadn't even been able to evoke this kind of response from him. He normally needed some coercing, not to have sex, but become fully aroused. That is why he liked to watch. But right now, with Molly between his legs, sucking him, he was more turned on then he had ever been in his life and he wasn't sure what it meant.

Molly was out of her element but she didn't let that slow her down. She became bolder, swirling her tongue around the tip, sucking harder. His musky scent filled her nostrils, as she drew closer to the base of his shaft.

Lucian was losing his mind. He had never felt like this before—his want, his need, consumed him...and even though he knew it was wrong, he couldn't help wanting the sweet torture she was inflicting upon his person, last just a bit longer.

Reveling in her newfound power, Molly clasped the back of his thighs and buttocks, digging her nails into his skin. She felt like another person altogether.

"Please, Molly," he begged, not wanting to come in her mouth.

But Molly was too wrapped up in the moment to even understand what he was trying to say. And right now, she didn't care either because she was more turned on then she had ever been in her life and it was not because of what he was doing to her, but rather, what she was doing to him and the power she had over him.

Oh _God,"_ he gasped _,_ tensing, trying to pull back _._

Molly wasn't fazed. She continued licking, sucking, driving him beyond himself...beyond reason, until Lucian lost what little restraint he had left.

#  CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE

The Mine, Little Switzerland

Molly was so embarrassed. What just happened was not something she would have never done, not even with Dan, especially not with Dan. _Little_ _Prick,_ she amended quickly. But she couldn't seem to help herself.

It was as if someone else had taken over her body—fine, maybe that was a stretch because she did enjoy herself—more than she probably should have considering her knees were sore and her pants were now covered with dirt. But it was good—was it for him? she couldn't help but wonder. It must have been, right? He did seem to be enjoying himself immeasurably, which actually turned her on more than Dan ever did. And even though she was only going to kiss him to stop him from trying to make contact with a poltergeist—one she couldn't see, mind you, it had turned into so much more...

She couldn't help but wonder why that was? Well, besides the obvious reasons. Lucian was hot! But there was more to it than that. And if she were to be truthful with herself, she wouldn't mind doing it again.

Standing, she brushed off her pants, and straightened back up. Suddenly, she was not feeling quite as brazen any longer—apparently her moment of being naughty and wild, had flown out the proverbial window. God, what would he think of her?

Not able to help herself, she took a quick peek at him. He wasn't smiling at her, like she thought he might, or even looking in her direction.

Nope. Not even close.

Instead, his eyes were riveted again on that damnable piano.

Molly felt like jumping up and down waving her arms yelling–what about me! But didn't. What she did do, was step in his line of vision.

Slowly he brought his eyes back to hers and smiled.

That one little act made her warm to her toes. "I don't know what came over me. I don't usually do that sort of thing." Molly lifted her bottle of water from her bag and took a sip.

"Don't apologize, Rebecca."

Molly lowered her bottle, sure she had heard him wrong but she knew she didn't. "What did you say?"

Lucian frowned at the look on her face. "What's wrong?"

Molly gaped at him like he had three heads. "You just called me Rebecca."

"What?" His frown deepened. "No way."

"Yes. You. Did." Molly wanted to crawl into a hole.

Lucian shook his head. "No. I..." his voice trailed off.

Molly tensed. "You've got to be kidding me." She was torn between humiliation and downright anger at this point. Slowly she turned and looked over her shoulder towards the glass wall where Lucian's eyes were once again transfixed, but she saw nothing.

"Lucian!"

His eyes refocused on her face. "I...have to go..."

"Where?"

"In there."

"Not this again." Molly fisted her hands. There was no way she was going to give Lucian up to some freaking ghost that she couldn't even see. Not after that. Not after she had just...

Icy fingers of dread prickled her skin as a thought occurred to her. What if Lucian had thought she was this Rebecca the entire time she was doing that to him? "Oh, God." She covered her face.

Lucian came out of his stupor once again. "Hey... hey." He stepped up to her. "Molly?" He pulled her hands from her face and dipped his head down so he could see her eyes. "What's wrong?"

"What isn't wrong?" she snapped.

His brow creased. "I'm not following."

"Did you think I was Rebecca? That whole time? Did you think that?"

"What? No. No. I knew it was you."

Molly gave him a look of disbelief. "You sure about that?"

"Of course," he said but his words lacked conviction.

"I'm leaving." Molly turned to flee.

"Don't leave me. _Please_."

Molly's heartstrings knotted. Part of her wanted to leave but another part, one she was battling against, wanted to stay. _Needed_ to stay. "What do you want from me, Lucian?"

"I want you to believe me."

"That's it?"

"Yes." He nodded.

"Fine. I believe you." She turned to go. She wasn't heartless, but she needed to look after herself first, right? She turned and started walking towards the door. She only took three steps before Lucian stopped her. Not by blocking her way out or grabbing hold of her, but with seven little words.

"I thought you said you believed me."

She let out a lengthy flow of air that she had been holding until this moment. She couldn't do it. She couldn't just walk away. "What do you want from me?" she repeated.

"I want you to help me."

Knowing she might, probably...definitely, regret her decision at a later date, she turned back around. "Help you what?"

"I don't know." He pushed his hands threw his hair in aggravation.

"Then why are we staying here?"

He exhaled and dropped his hands back to his sides. "Because I have to, for her."

" _Ohmigod_!" She threw her hands up in the air. "What are you even saying?" Molly felt like she was in an episode of the Twilight Zone.

"I don't understand it, okay. I just keep seeing her and it's like she is trying to tell me something."

"Listen..." Molly stepped up to him, purposefully blocking his view of the piano. "Even if you are seeing her, and I am not saying you are. Don't you think it's weird that only you can see her?"

"Hell yeah, it's weird. Imagine how I feel? I keep seeing a dead woman and to top it off, I just had the most explosive orgasm of my life with you."

Molly felt a mixture of emotions. She wasn't too sure she wanted to be clumped in a conversation with a dead woman but he did say that Molly gave him his most explosive orgasm in his life. "I did?" She chose to ignore the former part of his statement.

"Hell yeah, you did. And now all I want to do is return the favor. Look." He pointed down to the front of his jeans—the outline of his erection apparent. "My dick is getting hard all over again just thinking about you and that sweet mouth of yours...and what I want to do with the rest of you..."

Molly couldn't help the smile that pulled at the corners of her mouth or the warmth she felt from his admittance. She had never heard a man say such things to her. Not even Dan. And they had dated for two years.

This entire thing was crazy and yet she couldn't stop herself from saying, "What do you need me to do?"

#  CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO

The Museum, Little Switzerland

Molly stood beside Lucian as he sat at the piano. Well, not exactly beside him—she had one foot out the door. Just in case.

Lucian stared at the keys on the piano. He punched a few and then stopped. "What do you want?"

Molly knew he wasn't talking to her. He was talking to Rebecca—she couldn't help the surge of annoyance and jealously that shot through her simultaneously. "Maybe she left for the night?"

"No." He shook his head. "I can still..."

"See her?" Molly supplied.

"No. I feel her."

"Great," Molly grumbled.

Lucian looked over his shoulder at Molly. "I'm sorry."

She sighed. "It's not your fault."

"Maybe we should just call it a night."

YES! Molly wanted to break into a happy dance. "Are you sure?"

"Yeah," he sighed." Maybe we can try again tomorrow."

"Oh." She gritted her teeth.

"Is that okay?" His brow raised with an expectant look in her direction.

"Sure. Why not." It wasn't like she had a job or anything to get to, she thought with sudden irritation.

Lucian stood up and stretched.

Molly stepped forward to close the lid on the piano. "Ouch!" She jerked her hand away and blew on her freezing fingers.

"Are you okay?"

"Why is that so cold?"

Lucian frowned. "It didn't feel cold to me." Tentatively he reached out and pulled the lid. "See..." It slipped from his grasp and slammed down with a resounding thud.

Molly started from the sound.

In astonishment, they both watched as a series of clicks ensued and then a compartment popped open from the side.

"What was that?" Lucian asked.

"That." Molly pointed, terrified to move.

Leaning over, Lucian looked down into the small drawer. He pulled out an aged piece of parchment rolled up with a single emerald green ribbon wrapped around it. Carefully he untied the ribbon and unrolled the parchment.

"What is it?" Molly asked, leaning forward as far as she could without releasing the door.

Lucian blinked a few times. And then shook his head. "You're not going to believe this," he said.

"You wanna bet." At this rate, she would believe that pigs could fly and that unicorns were real.

His eyes sparkled strangely as he looked back over at her. "It's a map."

"Of what?"

"I need to study it more but I think it's a map to the missing Emeralds."

Molly blanched. "Are you kidding me?"

He shook his head no.

"Holy shit!"

"Holy shit is right."

#  CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE

The Museum, Little Switzerland

Molly stood on the porch watching the rainfall, waiting for Lucian to come back outside so they could leave. It was already dark but the outside lights were on a timer, which illuminated the area. Her father installed them after the place was broken into a few times. She wasn't really sure how lights were going to help stop the break-ins but at least she wasn't standing outside in the dark.

She never realized how creepy this place was at night or how cold it could get. When she worked here, she was usually home before the sun went down. Her father didn't want her and Peggy driving on the mountain roads at night because of the switchbacks and the drop offs. It was hard enough to maneuver in the light of day. The sheriff pulled cars out a few times a week from tourists who took the turns too fast and lost control. Luckily no one had died—at least not lately.

"Come on," she said, rubbing her arms. After Lucian discovered the map, they had both went outside and were getting ready to leave but at the last moment, Lucian decided he needed to go back inside to check something. What that something was, she had no idea. And decided very quickly that she didn't want to know, especially if it had anything to do with Rebecca. She had the map tucked securely in her bag. Lucian gave it to her before he went back in the building because she asked him to.

If he thought that was a strange request he kept it to himself. It wasn't that she didn't trust him, exactly...well, she amended, that wasn't exactly true either. She didn't know what to believe. By his own admission, he said he could see the ghost of Rebecca which made her wonder about his state of mind. But as it stood, she didn't have much room to talk since she was thinking the same thing, only, unlike him, she couldn't see Rebecca. Nor did she want to.

As far as their little episode in the museum, well, not little, she amended quickly blushing to her toes—she wouldn't mind doing that again, except the next time, (if there was a next time) she thought, she would prefer to do it without an audience.

♦

Lucian stood in front of Rebecca's picture, mesmerized just like he had been the first time he laid eyes on her. He didn't know why he needed to go back inside to see her picture. It was like he was being pulled to her, or this room, for some reason. He just didn't know why. "I found your map," he told her, or rather, the picture of her.

There was no answer. No aberration of Rebecca appearing before him like she had done near the piano earlier. And then again, while Molly was taking him in her mouth. She, Rebecca, had simply stood there, watching, adding to the exquisite pleasure Molly was evoking from him. It was one of the most erotic things he had ever done in his life and also the strangest. Maybe he hadn't seen her at all. Maybe he was losing his mind? But deep down he didn't believe that. She wanted something from him. Was it simply to find the Emeralds or was it something more?

"I will be back tomorrow," he said, reaching out to touch her picture. "I promise." He dropped his hand back to his side and taking one last lingering look at her picture, he turned and headed back up the stairs to meet Molly outside, completely oblivious he was being watched the entire time.

♦

Molly started from the noise of the door slamming shut behind her. She spun around with her hand on her heart. "Lucian?"

"It's me," he said, locking the door behind him.

"What took you so long?"

"I had to check on something."

Molly chewed on her lip not knowing if she should question him further or just let it slide. Obviously, he was doing something, but what? "What?" she asked against her better judgement.

"I had to see Rebecca," he said. "Tell her we would be back."

"And did she answer you?" she prodded.

"No. She didn't show up but I could feel her presence."

Molly bit back her snappy retort. "All righty then." She blew out a slow stream of air, fighting the jolt of jealousy that surged through her. It was just her luck. She finally found a man she could really fall for and he was apparently missing a few screws...or was he? She didn't know, but one thing was certain, she wasn't giving up without a fight. Rebecca was dead and she was not. End of story.

#  CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR

The Hotel, Little Switzerland

After they got back to the hotel, Molly handed over the keys to the golf cart to the valet standing out front.

"Did they bring my car back?"

The valet looked at his clipboard. "I don't see anything. You may want to check the front desk."

"Great. Thanks." Molly walked up to Lucian. "My car isn't back yet."

Lucian pushed his hair back from his face. "Should we just stay here another night?" he asked.

Although, Molly was looking forward to sleeping in her own bed, she decided that since her car wasn't back and if they were going back into the mine the following day it didn't really make any sense to go back home in the dark, especially since it was still raining. "Yeah, I guess that would be the best avenue at this juncture."

"Good." He slung his arm around her shoulder. "I don't know about you, but I'm starving."

On cue, her stomach grumbled. She had been so caught up in everything that she didn't realize how hungry she was. "Yeah, me too," she agreed.

"Can we order some room service?" He looked down at her expectantly.

"Sure. Why not."

♦

While Lucian looked at brochures, Molly checked back into the hotel for the night and picked up her bag from the front desk where she had left it earlier.

"I got the room," she announced walking up to him.

Lucian put the brochure back he was reading. "Great. Let me take your bag."

"Thanks." She handed her bag to him. "The room is this way."

"You lead, I'll follow." He gave her a sexy smile as he lifted her bag on his shoulder.

Molly nodded, her belly flip-flopping with expectancy. In silence, they made their way down the carpeted corridor and then she stopped in front of the door. Inserting the key card, she waited for the lock to click and then pushed open the door.

Lucian held the door until she stepped in the room and then followed her inside. Turning, he brought the bolt home and dropped her bag down on a chair. "I need a drink," he announced, flopping down in one of the two chairs. "And then a shower."

"You and me both," she agreed, feeling nervous suddenly.

"Mind if I call room service while you get the drinks?"

"Not at all." Molly walked across the room, pulled two miniature bottles of whiskey out of the minibar, and poured them in the glasses sitting on top of the dresser as Lucian dialed the number for room service.

"You want a steak?" he asked, cradling the phone to his ear.

"Sure. That sounds great."

"Loaded potato?"

She nodded.

"I'll take two of everything," he said. "Salad dressing?" he asked her.

"Ranch."

He winked at her. "Yeah, I'll take Ranch too." Then he hung up the phone. "It'll be about an hour."

"Great." She walked over to him and handed him one of the drinks.

"Thanks." He took a long pull off the glass and then settled back into the cushions. "That was something today."

"Yeah." Her throat was suddenly too dry. She gulped her drink, nodding all the while.

He frowned. "Something wrong?"

"No," she squeaked.

He gave her a curious look. "You sure you're okay?"

She plucked at her shirt. "Just need a shower. I feel gross."

"Tell me about it." He rested his head back on the chair and shut his eyes.

Glancing over at him, she thought about inviting him into the shower but when he didn't even look in her direction, she ended up feeling too shy to even ask. Grabbing her bag off the chair, she went to the bathroom all by her lonesome.

Lucian waited until Molly shut the door and the shower turned on before he took out his phone. He had three more messages. Leaning forward he braced his elbows on his knees and hit play.

"Lucian, please...."

It was Cecily, again. He didn't want to hear her pathetic excuses. He hit delete before he could hear any more of what she had to say.

"Lucian, it's me, Reed. I need to talk to you."

"Too bad," Lucian said but he didn't erase the message, he just skipped over it to the next message.

"Hi, Lucian. It's me, Raven. I know we don't know each other that well but Reed really needs to speak with you about...."

Lucian hit end. The last thing he needed right now was some guilt trip by Reed's new wife. He had enough to deal with.

Tossing his phone back on table, he got up and paced the room. Then he crossed over to the bed and opened Molly's purse. He just wanted to look at the map, study it a bit while she was in the bathroom. But when he opened her purse, he noticed it wasn't inside.

"Damnit!" He exhaled and raked his hands through his hair and sat heavily on the bed. He couldn't help but wonder why Molly took the map with her. Did she not trust him? Granted, she didn't know him that well, but her mistrust still stung.

Standing once again, he crossed the room and picked up his glass. In one gulp, he finished off the contents. The sound of the shower drew him to the bathroom. He glanced at the clock beside the bed. It was almost ten. How long ago did he call for the food? he wondered.

Feeling antsy, he walked over to the minibar, pulled out another bottle of whiskey, and refilled his glass.

Leaning back against the dresser, he thought about everything that happened earlier at the mine. His strange attraction to a ghost was pretty out there, not to mention the fact that he kept seeing her. He wasn't sure what to make of it. Was he losing his mind or was she really there? And what of his mindboggling orgasm with Molly? Was she responsible for it, or was it because he could swear Rebecca was watching or was it combination of both.

"Fuck!" He didn't know what to do and thinking about it only made him feel more unsettled and hornier than hell. He looked back over to the bathroom door, then back to the clock, making up his mind.

♦

Molly looked at her distorted reflection in the mirror as the bathroom steamed up from the shower. She braced her hands on the sink and took a few breaths. She was trying to make up her mind whether to ask Lucian to join her in the shower. The old Molly would never entertain such a notion. But she had already done other things to him, she reminded herself, so what would a few more things matter, in the big scheme of things?

"Coward," she reprimanded herself chickening out, and instead of heading toward the door, she climbed into the shower.

♦

Lucian opened the door silently, noting she hadn't locked it, which he took as a good sign. For a moment, he stood in the doorway watching as she lathered soap all over her delectable body. She had nice full breasts, not more than a handful...a perfect handful, he thought as his dick sprang to life. She turned into the spray of water, showing him her rounded heart shaped ass.

That did it.

Jerking his shirt over his head, he tossed it on the floor. His shoes, socks, jeans and boxer briefs soon followed. Crossing the room, he pulled back the curtain. "Mind if I join you," he said.

Molly covered herself and then made herself drop her hands. The old Molly would be embarrassed but she reminded herself, she was turning over a new leaf.

"Not at all," she said, trying to sound sexy but it came out more of a squeak. Thankfully, Lucian didn't seem to notice.

Lucian climbed in and pulled the curtain shut. "Want me to wash your back?" He lifted the soap.

Molly nodded, yes. Her legs felt weak and her heart was pounding.

"Turn around," he instructed.

Molly turned and braced her hand on the wall to keep upright. She bit her lip to stop from crying out, as his soapy hand slid slowly over her back and then down farther.

Lucian savored the moment, taking his time, massaging her back, kneading the muscles. "So, sweet," he murmured.

Leaning forward, he nuzzled her neck as he slid his soapy hand down her back and then over the rounded curve her delectable heart shaped ass.

"Do you like that?" He slid his hand between her thighs and then slowly pulled it back out gain.

" _Yees_..."

"Spread your legs a bit more," he instructed. "That's it. Put your other hand here." Lifting her hand, he placed it on the wall next to her other hand.

"That's my girl." He slid his hands upward and around the front, feeling the weight of her breasts. In slow lazy circles, he teased her nipples into tight little buds.

Molly gasped in pleasure—she had never been so turned on in her life—Dan never, ever, got close to how she was feeling right now.

"You like that?" He nipped at her earlobe.

" _Yees_..." His hands left her breasts and slid downward over her stomach and into the soft-cropped curls.

"I want to be here..." He gently slid his soapy fingers between her legs, toying with the delicate bud.

Molly moaned in pleasure.

Lucian increased the pressure, pushing harder... "Yeah, that's it," he coaxed her onward.

Molly lifted her hands from the wall to turn around.

Lucian stopped her.

"No," he said. "It's my turn." With one hand on top of hers, he continued his assault. His fingers worked their magic, delving deep and then retreating, pushing her closer to the edge.

"Does that feel good?" he murmured against her ear.

"Oh God, yes, _yeess_..." A ragged moan tore from Molly as Lucian slid another finger inside. Her body jerked reflexively against the added intrusion.

She was going crazy.

"Lucian... _please_..." she begged.

Withdrawing his fingers, he leaned forward and nipped her shoulder, lower back, while splaying his hands between her legs, helping spread her legs a bit wider. "So, sweet," he murmured.

Molly's entire body trembled as Lucian stood again—his heat emanating against her from behind.

"Just relax." He angled the throbbing head of his shaft between the lush rounded curves of her bottom and then he slowly buried himself inside her warmth, savoring the way her wet heat surrounded his length until he was deep inside.

Molly cried out from the intense pressure and pleasure, rippling through her body simultaneously.

Fighting for control, Lucian gritted his teeth. He had no idea what was happening. Well, he knew what was happening, but normally he would have already been pounding away, to push himself to where he liked to be, in blessed oblivion but with Molly, something held him back. He wanted...to go slow; make her cry out in pleasure. Granted Tracy did a few times, more than a few, he amended, but it wasn't the same as this. Something about Molly made him want just a bit more.

Water sprayed down on them, keeping their bodies slick and warm. Threading his fingers, through hers, he pushed forward again, driving deeper.

Molly gasped and clamped down on him like a vice.

Lucian tensed. He was already on the verge of losing control. His entire body tingled and burned at the same time.

Leaning forward, he delved his fingers through her soft curls until he found her clit. "You feel _so_ good."

Molly gasped, losing all sense of where she even was as the fire built, radiating from the inside, out, until she simply couldn't control it any longer. Pressing her hands, and face, against the shower tiles, she cried out in pleasure as her orgasm tore through her body in white-hot waves.

'That's it, baby. Just let go." He worked his magic until the residuals effects of her orgasm subsided. Slipping his hand away, he readjusted his position and gripped hold of her hips. Slowly, he used deep strokes, as her wet heat enveloped him again. He wanted to savor every moment—

"Damn," he gasped. His intentions of going slow, disintegrated the moment icy water spiked against his shaft like needles. Pumping in shortened bursts, Lucian finally succumbed to the mind-boggling pleasure of his own orgasm.

♦

Completely spent, Lucian leaned against Molly, holding her close. He didn't want to let go, which was so out of character for him, it rattled him to his core. Cecily had given him intense pleasure like this in the past, but this was something altogether different. Maybe it was because he felt that Molly got him, who he was. Both of them screwed over by the people they thought mattered to them most. Maybe that was it, he thought, trying to make sense of the feelings coursing through him. Ones he didn't think he would feel ever again.

Yeah, he thought, maybe, just maybe, that, was it? It couldn't be that he was actually falling for her...could it?

Molly didn't want to move but the water was freezing. Reaching down, she turned off the shower.

"Hey, sleepyhead," she laughed, nudging Lucian.

"I can't move," he groaned, and then nuzzled her neck.

"That tickles," she giggled, shirking him off. Still smiling, she turned around, grabbed a towel off the rack, and handed one out to Lucian.

"Thanks." He took the towel and wrapped it around his taut waist. Climbing out, he lifted his hand to help Molly out of the shower but this time he wasn't seeing the woman he just made love to.

His blood ran cold.

"Rebecca?"

# CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE

The Hotel, Little Switzerland

Up until about sixty seconds ago, Molly was in a glorious haze from the best sex she had ever had in her life and was in the midst of making a mental entry in her mind to include this momentous occasion in her memoirs someday. That of course disintegrated into the most horrifying moment of her life when Lucian said the name of a woman who by all accounts had been dead for over a hundred years.

"What's wrong?" His brow creased. "Wasn't it good for you?"

"It was..." Was, being the operative word, she thought grimly. "Actually, it was utterly amazing until you said another woman's name." She wrapped the towel she was holding around her body and stepped out of the shower. The tiles were cold under her feet, matching the rest of her as she tried to walk past him.

"What do you mean?" He grabbed her arm.

She spun around. "Lucian, you said _her_ name..."

"No." He shook his head.

"Yes. You did." She nodded.

"When?"

"After we...you know."

"I..."

"Please don't lie to me."

"I'm not. Well, I did see her for a minute but...."

"While we were..."

"No. Not till after."

"Why? Am I not good enough?"

"No. Damnit. I didn't even realize I said her name out loud."

Molly gaped at him. "So that makes it okay."

"No. Of course not."

"Then why?"

"I don't know." Frustrated, he raked his hands through his hair.

"Please leave."

"You want me to leave?" Lucian couldn't believe what he was hearing.

"Yes."

"I..." He didn't know what to say to make it better. "I'm so sorry."

A pang of regret caught Molly off guard. She didn't want him to leave, but she wasn't okay with him saying another woman's name either, even if she was dead. "Lucian..."

He stopped at the door and turned around.

"I don't mean you have to leave, leave. Just leave the bathroom so I can get dressed."

"Oh." A look of relief crossed his face. "Are you sure?"

Molly sighed. "Yes. I am sure."

Lucian wanted to say more, but also didn't want to press his luck. Had he said another woman's name with anyone but Molly he was sure he'd be shoved out of the room before he could get his clothes on. "I'll meet you out in the room."

"Yep."

Lucian turned and walked out of the bathroom, and gently closed the door behind him.

Molly didn't breathe until she heard the door click shut. Walking over to the sink, she pressed her hands down on counter, and stared blankly in the mirror, not really seeing herself.

She wanted to cry or scream, she wasn't sure which.

In the end, she did neither.

Instead, she cleaned herself up, dragged a combed through her hair, and pulled on one of the fluffy white complimentary terry cloth robes from the hotel. Opening her bag, she checked to make sure the map Lucian had found was still there.

It was.

Feeling somewhat relieved, she pulled the zipper closed.

Her mind was going a mile a minute. Why did he say Rebecca's name and why did she feel so different when he was making love to her? And then a thought occurred to her, chilling her to her core.

What if she was possessed?

What if that bitch somehow entered her body and took control?

Well, if she did, Molly had news for her. "You can't have him," she said suddenly out loud on the off chance she wasn't going out of her ever-loving-mind, and then for good measure, added, "He is mine! So back the _fuck_ , off."

Expelling a shaky breath, she waited. For what, she wasn't sure. But as the minutes ticked by, and nothing otherworldly happened, she gave up.

With one last look in the mirror, she left the bathroom and headed out to eat some of the food she was paying for.

#  CHAPTER THIRTY- SIX

The Hotel, Little Switzerland

When Molly finally walked out of the bathroom, she noticed two things. The food had arrived and Lucian was holding a single rose in his hand, looking so sexy she felt like her knees would buckle. She hated her weakness. She should be reading him the riot act right now. "What's that for?"

"It's for you, beautiful." Smiling, he held out the rose.

Molly tried to be mad, she really did, but for some reason she couldn't muster the energy. And he did say sorry—and no, sorry wasn't good enough. Walking forward, she grabbed the rose from his hand. "Thanks." Then she dropped it back on the table.

Lucian frowned. "I really am sorry."

"I know you are."

"I don't know why this keeps happening to me." He sat down heavily in the chair.

"Yeah. Neither do I." Molly sat down across from him and pulled her legs up into the chair.

"I know you probably won't believe me, but I don't even remember saying her name."

Molly felt her resolve slipping. He looked so sincere. "You _really_ don't remember?" She wanted to believe him.

"I swear." He crossed his heart.

"Then why did you do it?" She wanted to let it go but she just couldn't.

"I don't know." He raked his hand through his hair.

"Did you think I was her? Is that why you..." She couldn't finish, she felt like she had something lodged in her throat, choking her.

"No," he said quietly and then added louder, "NO!"

"Then why did you do it?"

"I don't know." Lucian braced his elbows on the table, threading his hands through his hair. "I don't know what is going on? I keep seeing her, and maybe..."

Molly's breath whooshed from her chest. When she spoke again she was barely audible. "You saw her while we...?"

"No. I told you I didn't. Please," he begged. "You've got to believe me."

Molly was torn. If he was lying he was really good at it, and if he wasn't, she wasn't sure what to feel. She knew that people made mistakes; no one was perfect.

Hell, she was far from perfect and she had also made more than a few mistakes herself. Was she going to ruin what could be between them by becoming judge and jury? Convicting him of a crime he had no knowledge of? What if it was all Rebecca's doing? She didn't know a lot about ghosts but she had watched a few specials on them and some were evil, well, they were if one believed that they were real in the first place.

He reached across the table and grabbed hold of her hand. "I really like you," he said. "And what just happened between us was so far removed from anything I have ever felt. I can't explain it, but I feel like..."

"Like what?"

He took a breath. "I feel like we are kindred spirits, you and me," he said, not sure if he should continue.

Molly clutched the napkin in her other hand.

"I swore to myself that I would never do this..." he lifted his free hand and pointed at Molly and then himself, "I might, I think, I already have...fallen for you."

Molly blinked stupidly as her heart picked up pace. Was he serious? He certainly looked serious. Granted she did not know him that well but she really wanted to believe him. Was she being stupid? She always jumped the gun in relationships and look where that had gotten her. Dumped, over and over again. But Lucian wasn't Dan.

Making up her mind, she decided, right then and there, that she didn't give a damn about a dead woman stealing her thunder at the last minute—well, she did, but she wasn't going to give up without a fight. And if Molly had her way, she would make sure that bitch got a one-way ticket back to wherever she had come from—at least that is what she told herself.

#  CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN

The Hotel, Little Switzerland

"What do you think she wants?" Molly asked, and then took a bite of her steak. She normally didn't like eating in front of men, but decided this was going to be an exception, especially since he had already seen her as naked as the day she was born. With Dan, she never kept the light on, which she was glad for.

This, what was happening now, between her and Lucian, a practical stranger, was a time for firsts for her, and she was scared she would get hurt, but also excited at what may come of it.

Needless to say, she was more than happy these firsts she was experiencing, was with Lucian. And against her better judgement, and all the warning bells ringing in her mind that something just didn't seem right, she chose to ignore them and tried, for once, to just enjoy the moment.

Lucian lifted his glass. "I don't know what she wants. Maybe there is more to the story than finding the Emeralds. Maybe, like you mentioned earlier, it may be a bit more sinister." He took a long pull from his glass.

Molly shivered involuntarily. "But why are you the only one that can see her?"

"I really don't have a damn clue." He lowered his glass and set it back on the table but his fingers lingered, turning it back and forth making the amber liquid swirl in the bottom.

"It seems odd," Molly said. "I mean, I worked there and never saw her. Maybe there is something she wants. Not from me but from you."

"Like what?" He stared down at glass in his hand, not really seeing it. His mind was going a mile a minute. He told Molly he didn't have any idea that he said Rebecca's name but that wasn't altogether true because he had seen her. Not while they were together and that certainly wasn't why he had such an explosive orgasm...but...he did see Rebecca when he was with Tracy...but he had thought he was dreaming.

"I don't know," Molly answered.

Lucian looked up. The sound of her voice interrupted his train of thought, bringing his mind back to the conversation at hand. "I don't know either," he said finally. "But obviously she wants something.

Molly set her napkin on the table. She suddenly lost her appetite. "It seems, she may want you."

He was about to deny what she said but obviously there was more to it. Rebecca did want something. He just didn't know what. "It's late," he said, pushing back from the table. "Let's get some shut eye and see what tomorrow brings when we get back to the mine."

"We're going back?" The mine was the last place she wanted to go.

"Yeah, I think we should. Don't you?"

"I guess." Molly chewed on her lip to stop from saying anything more.

"What's wrong?" His brows creased with concern.

"Nothing," she lied.

"You still have the map, right?"

"Of course."

"Good." He stood up, crossed over to where she was sitting, and extended out his hand. "Let's go to bed."

Taking a breath, Molly placed her hand in his and let him pull her to her feet. Her hand immediately started to tingle from the contact.

They were toe to toe.

She could feel the heat emanating from his body and wanted nothing more than to reach up, wrap her arms around his neck, and initiate a repeat performance of what happened in the shower. She knew she shouldn't want to especially after what happened, but her body seemed to have other ideas.

Lucian watched the play of emotions on her face. She was so unlike Tracy, or even Cecily. Molly was an open book. He could tell she wanted him. And surprisingly, he found he wanted her as well, which was so out of character for him he started second guessing his own sanity because this was the last thing he needed. Molly would be just another complication in a long list of complications in his life. And more importantly, he didn't want to hurt her. But he also couldn't seem to muster the strength to turn her away either. "I want you," he said, but then added, "if you don't want to, I understand."

Molly was at war with herself, but the battle waging was already a lost cause. Because right now, nothing else mattered but the pull she had to Lucian. She would worry about the consequences tomorrow. "I want you, too." She kept her eyes averted, afraid to see his face.

Lucian lifted her chin with the tips of his fingers and dipped his head down so they were eye to eye. "I don't want to lie to you, okay."

"Okay." She looked up into his smoldering eyes.

"I can't make you any promises," he said.

Molly knew she should just shut it down, whatever was happening between them, but she just didn't have the willpower. "I don't care."

Those three words were all the affirmation he needed. With a low growl, he grabbed the belt of her robe and pulled her on the bed. "Lie back against the pillows and close your eyes," he instructed.

Molly laid back against the softness of the pillows and closed her eyes.

"There's my good girl," he said. Reaching forward, he pulled apart her robe.

The cool air, combined with the excitement, made her nipples harden into tight little buds.

"Touch them for me."

Molly tentatively reached up and caressed her breasts.

Lucian shrugged out of his robe. His erection jutted eagerly outward. "You are so beautiful."

Emboldened by his praise, and a feeling a bit tipsy from the drink she had, she slid the tips of her fingers down her stomach, past the cropped curls, then even further.

"Don't stop," he coaxed her onward as he lowered himself to the bed. Reaching out, he trailed one finger over her taut nipple.

Molly gasped from the sensation.

"You like that?" He rolled the bud between his thumb and forefinger.

" _Yeess_ ," she gasped, jerking upward.

"Hold still," he advised.

Molly dutifully obliged.

Eager to help her to where she needed to be, he leaned forward and slid his hands up her thighs, pushing her legs further apart.

When he inserted his finger, Molly nearly came off the bed from the invasion.

"So, sweet," he breathed. Slowly he slid his finger deeper and then retreated just as slowly.

Of their own accord, Molly's legs dropped open wider.

"That's it." His voice was husky with desire. He repeated the action but this time he inserted another finger. "You like that?"

Molly clenched her hands into fists, jerking upward. " _Yes_!"

Lucian increased the tempo until his fingers were slick with her wet heat. "Tell me what you want."

"I want you inside of me," she begged. She was on the verge of losing all control but she didn't want to give over to it yet, she wanted to make him as crazy as he was making her.

Lucian was throbbing. He wanted nothing more than to be buried deep inside of her, but he was afraid. Afraid of losing control. And more importantly, of what he might say. He didn't want to hurt her again. Not now. Not when he was so close to getting everything he ever wanted. But his body had other ideas. Against his better judgement, he let his body control his mind. Rising up, he levered himself over the top of her. Trying not to let his weight settle on her, he braced hands on either side. "Hold on baby." He groaned, as he buried himself to the hilt. His entire body shook as he fought not to explode. "Are you okay?"

Beyond words at this point, Molly nodded. Everything felt so good with Lucian, so right.

"Thank God," he breathed. He began to move, again. At first, it was slow, but as he moved inside her warmth, he picked up a steady rhythm. Her eyes glazed with passion, making his blood boil and his shaft swell even more. Jerkily he thrust forward, burying himself even deeper. "Damn baby, you feel so good."

Molly released all her inhibitions, giving completely over to the feelings swirling deep inside as Lucian filled her completely, again and again. She clenched the sheets tighter, thrusting her hips upward to take more of him. Back and forth, in and out, she fought for the elusive thing that was just out of her grasp. Reaching forward, she ran her nails up the backs of his thighs.

"Yeah," he gasped. "You feel so _fucking_ good." He drove home again until he was buried as deep as he could go and still it wasn't enough. His skin glistened with a light sheen of sweat as he spread her legs even wider.

Molly's fingers slipped under his balls and her nails accidentally scraped against the delicate skin.

Lucian clenched his buttocks, thrusting forward jerkily. "Oh, _yeah_ ," he groaned. "That feels incredible."

Emboldened by his praise, she did it again; this time a little harder.

"That feels amazing," he gritted, his hips moving faster.

Molly's hand slipped off his sack.

" _Please_ ," he begged. "Don't stop... _touching_... me."

In that moment, Molly felt an overwhelming sense of power and reveled in it. Daringly, she reached forward and made another slow pass with her nails.

"You are driving me _fucking_ crazy." Throwing his head back, he gripped her hips, pumping in shortened bursts, faster... harder...he was losing his mind.

Daringly, Molly raked her nails over him again, a little harder this time as her own climax built from within growing brighter and stronger the crazier she made him.

"Oh, baby!" he gasped in pleasure.

Shaking all over, Lucian lost what little control he had left. Burying himself once more, he took them both right over the edge into an explosive release.

This time when he came, he yelled out Molly's name.

♦

Feeling a bit euphoric from their love play, Molly snuggled against Lucian's side, and gave him a quick kiss on his sweat dampened cheek. "That was amazing," she said.

He squeezed her tighter. "Yeah," he said. "It was." His body completely spent, he stroked his hand down her back as his breathing returned to normal and slowly but surely, his mind came back as well. Pulling her closer, he moved her so her head was resting in the crook of his arm as he stared up at the darkened ceiling.

Being with Molly was not what he expected. She was shy and sweet on the outside but under it all she was wild and drove him crazier than anyone else ever had. He couldn't help but wonder if she was like that with other men before him, even the prig, Dan. He hoped not. He wanted what they had just experienced to be just between them. "I think...I am falling in love with you, Molly," he said quietly, almost a whisper on a breath of air.

Molly didn't respond because she was already sound asleep.

#  CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT

The Hotel, Little Switzerland

The sound of splattering water woke Molly. Stretching lazily, she winced, feeling a slight soreness between her thighs and blushed remembering the cause. She couldn't believe how wild she had become or bold. It was so unlike her. But then again, that was what new beginnings were for...well...not to have wild sex with someone you barely knew, but to take chances. And she had certainly taken a chance with Lucian. And he did tell her he was falling for her. She was sure he would just need a little shove to fall for her completely—at least that is what she was hoping for.

It was strange that she felt such a bond with Lucian already, even though she didn't know him that well. Maybe that is the way it was supposed to be.

Who knew? Maybe this, what her and Lucian were doing together was normal and what she had with Dan was not.

She could almost hear Peggy now, "Don't expect anything. Just have fun." Well, she was certainly having fun.

Smiling, she pulled the covers back, thinking to surprise Lucian and climb in the shower with him like he did to her the previous day. But when she sat up, she saw it was a gray overcast day and the sound she had heard was actually rain pelting against windows.

She looked over at the bathroom.

The door was ajar.

A sickening feeling twisted in her gut but she chose to ignore it as she climbed from the bed.

Walking over to the bathroom, she pushed open the door but Lucian wasn't in the shower like she had thought.

The shower was empty and so was the bathroom.

Frowning, she chewed on her lip as the feeling of anxiety increased. Surely, he didn't leave, she thought.

"He would have told me, right?"

Turning away from the empty bathroom, she crossed the room to her bag and unzipped it. Digging inside she looked for the map, but it wasn't there.

"No. No. No." She couldn't bring her heart to admit what her mind already knew.

"He took the damn map!" Torn between utter devastation and anger, she tried to wrap her mind around what must have happened.

Scrubbing her hands over her face, she dropped them to her sides and paced the room.

She looked on the table and beside the bed on the nightstand, looking for a note. "Why wouldn't he have at least left me a note?" _Because he didn't want you to know where he went,_ her inner voice screamed at her.

"Was that it?" she asked despondently.

"Was that why he left? Did he plan this all along?" she wondered out loud even though she already knew the answer—at least she thought she did.

A knock sounded at the door and all the anger she was feeling evaporated, replaced by an overwhelming sense of relief.

"Coming," she yelled, tightening the belt on her robe, and quickly rushed towards the door, thinking he must have ran out to get coffee and forgot his keycard.

She jerked open the door. "There you are..."

"Sorry, Miss," a plain faced maid said, standing in front of her looking just as bewildered as she felt.

"I was told to get the room ready. I didn't realize you were still here."

"I'm sorry," Molly mumbled, feeling once again like an idiot. "I will be out of here in few minutes. Can you come back?"

"Of course, Miss." The maid gave her a curious look and then pushed her cart down to the next room.

Mechanically, Molly shut the door and leaned back against it, feeling blessedly numb. However, that didn't last long. The anger she was feeling earlier came back tenfold. Fuming, she gathered her things together, shoving them forcefully into her bag.

"I'm such an idiot," she railed as she gathered her belongings, and shoved them into her bag. Zipping up her bag, she looked around for anything else she may have forgotten.

Being a glutton for punishment, her eyes drifted to the bed. The sheets were rumpled and the imprint of their heads still on the pillows. Memories of what she and Lucian had done on that very same bed entered her mind—wave after wave assailed her as she remembered stifling her screams of pleasure on that very same pillow.

"How stupid am I?" she asked as an overwhelming sadness closed in on her. Hot tears burned her eyes but she sniffed them back. "I will not cry," she told herself.

What really got her the most was that Lucian had told her he was betrayed too, so he knew what it felt like. So why would he want to do that to her, too? Was he really that big of an asshole or was there another explanation for him leaving without telling her?

Problem was, no matter how many different ways she tried to reason why he left she couldn't come to any other conclusion than the obvious. He used her and took the map. Not for them, but for himself. What an asshole!

Unfortunately, no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't stop the flow of tears from falling from her eyes or the terrible sickening feeling from twisting in her gut at her own stupidity.

"God, why do I keep doing this to myself?" One would think after Dan, she would be more careful but she was too wrapped up in the moment to take precautions like she normally would have.

Releasing the belt of the robe, she shirked out of it and walked to the bathroom. Turning on the shower, she climbed under the spray of water. Washing her hair and body, she pushed the intimate images from her mind of what they did here too, as she washed away any remnants of their lovemaking.

She stayed under the spray until the water turned cold.

Shivering, she turned off the faucet, climbed out of the shower, dried off and then got dressed in a pair of jeans, a t-shirt. Pulling her blow dryer out of her bag, she quickly dried her hair and forgoing styling it, she tossed the mass up in a rubber band in a loose bun on top of her head.

Walking back in the room, she pulled her makeup out of her duffle bag and put on some Tarte waterproof mascara and Bare Essentials lip-gloss. Normally she would have used some Too Faced candlelight powder and some Benefit dandelion blush but she just didn't have the energy to even care at this point.

Pulling on her socks and her sneakers, she stood back up, tossed on her hoodie, and lifted her bag on her shoulder.

Taking a breath, she pressed her shoulders back and walked out of the room without a backwards glance.

#  CHAPTER THIRTY- NINE

The Hotel, Little Switzerland

Passing several closed doors, Molly dragged her suitcase down the carpeted corridor. Once at the end, she turned right into the lobby and pulled up short.

Dan was at the checkout counter with Tracy.

That was all she needed. Why were they even still here?

Skirting behind a potted plant, she waited until Dan finished up, which took a lot longer then she would have thought. The entire time, Tracy leaned against Dan, pressing her big boobs against his back.

Gross.

Molly couldn't help but wonder when and or how Tracy had come back, or did she even leave? And if she didn't leave, where was she earlier? It occurred to Molly belatedly that Lucian was missing around the same time as Tracy. Her body involuntarily shuddered thinking about that scenario.

Once Dan finished, he left the lobby with Tracy hooked to his arm.

Cautiously, Molly made her way to the counter.

"Hi there," she said, stopping in front.

The girl turned around. She was wearing a blue blazer, black slacks and a gold nametag pinned to her lapel with the name Cindy, in big bold black letters.

"Hello. Can I help you?" she said taking in Molly's disheveled appearance.

"Yes, I would like to check out." Molly pushed her keycard across the counter. "I'll need my car keys too, please."

"Of course." The girl took her keycard and punched some buttons on her keyboard. "You were in room, 303?"

"Yes. I think so."

"Oh, you were with the wedding party?"

"Yeah."

"Someone else just checked out."

"Really?" Molly feigned ignorance.

"Yes." The girl nodded and then her eyes widened as she stared at the computer screen. "Do you have your valet ticket?"

"Um. No. My friend must have it."

"That's all right. I should still be able to find your keys." She punched a few more buttons, frowning. "I'll be right back."

Molly shifted awkwardly, hoping like hell Dan didn't come back inside. That was the last thing she needed right now.

The girl walked out from the back. "I'm sorry Miss, but your keys are gone."

"What do you mean my keys are gone?"

"I'm not sure." The girl looked squeamish. "Let me get the manager."

♦

"We thought the gentleman was with you. We told him about your car and gave him your keys," said the short balding manager.

Molly gaped at him in disbelief.

"You were with him, correct?"

Molly felt her face turning five shades of red. "Yes. I _was_ , with him." Was, being the operative word. "Do you know where he went?"

The manager looked at the woman behind the counter with a cross between bafflement and horror.

"He did ask about the mine," the young woman added quickly.

"What about the mine?"

"Um..." She shifted her eyes from the manager and then back to Molly. "He asked if it was open to the public but I told him it was closed for the season."

"And what did he do when you told him that?"

"He thanked me and um, smiled."

"I just bet he did," Molly mumbled in irritation.

"Excuse me?" said the young woman.

"Nothing." Molly took a breath. "What do I owe you?"

The young woman quickly slid the bill across the counter.

Molly scanned it, noting how much it was and then pulled out her credit card. "Here you go."

Again, the young woman gave her a curious look as she charged her card. "Is there anything else you need?"

"Yeah. I'm going to need to rent one of your golf carts for the day."

"That's fifty dollars," the young woman said.

"Fine. Just charge it, too."

The young woman frowned. "I can't until you come back but I will need a deposit."

Molly gritted her teeth. "Fine."

After she paid, she left the hotel.

It was a dismal day and it was spitting rain when she stepped outside. Her mind reeling as she walked to the golf cart. If Lucian was really planning on leaving her, why on God's Green Earth would he take her keys? She didn't have the answer but she would.

That was a certainty.

Tossing her bag inside the golf cart, she climbed inside and started it up. The rain was coming down heavier now. Her phone bleated. She pulled it out of her pocket and read her text.

It was from Rodrigo.

**Rodrigo** : Are you coming back soon?

**Molly** : Not until later, something came up.

A few moments later, her phone bleated again.

**Rodrigo** : What do you want me to do about the finale?

**Molly:** Just have them practice it as planned and I will try to make it back later.

♦

Molly tossed her phone into her bag and put the golf cart in gear. Putting the pedal to the metal, the cart crawled out of the parking lot.

Rain steadily splashed against the windshield. It was really coming down now, making it hard to see but she persevered.

Twenty minutes later, she pulled in front of the old clapboard building at the mine. It was even creepier looking than normal with the gray skies, slashing rain, and the blustering wind picking up. She looked to her left and noticed Lucian's motorcycle was parked over at the end of the lot.

Anger flooding her body, she pulled her hood up and climbed from the cart. Grabbing her bag, she ran under the overhang on the porch, hoping like hell Lucian didn't lock the door behind him when he went inside.

The boards creaked under her feet as she made her way to the door.

Suddenly she was freezing, and if she didn't need her keys she would have turned right back around and went home, but that wasn't an option at this point.

Reaching out, she grabbed the handle to the door and was relieved it wasn't cold. That boon didn't dispel the uneasy feeling she had about being here which was weird since she had worked here for three straight summers with Peggy after her father acquired the property.

Opening the door, she stepped inside. As soon as the door shut, it Molly that she didn't know Lucian that well.

Well...she amended, she knew him intimately but not his character as a person. For all she knew he could be some whack job. And even if he wasn't, which she hoped like hell he was not, what if he did find the emeralds, what then?

Taking a step forward, the closed-up smell assailed her.

Shivering, she rubbed her arms, making her way to the counter to grab a flashlight. She knew there was one underneath from when she worked here with Peggy.

Taking the flashlight out, she clicked it on and off a few times to make sure it worked. Thankfully, it did.

She couldn't believe she didn't even know Lucian's phone number. "I am such an idiot," she said out loud.

"No, you are not," a disembodied voice said from the darkened corner of the shop.

Molly jumped about three feet in the air. "Who's there?"

"I've been waiting for you."

Her breathing slowed but her heart was still pounding out of her chest. "Lucian?"

"Yes." He stepped forward into the faint stream of gray light coming in from the windows.

"What are you doing?"

"Isn't it obvious?"

"If it was obvious, I wouldn't have asked?" she snapped not meaning to, but he scared the beejeebies out of her.

"Didn't you get my message?"

"No. I didn't get your message." Even as she said it she felt a pathetic for the wave of relief that washed over her.

"I told the girl at the front desk to tell you where I was and to meet me."

"You did?"

He nodded but then his brows creased. "If she didn't tell you to meet me, how did you know where I was?"

"A lucky guess."

"I took my map back."

"I know."

"Are you mad?" He stepped forward.

"No," she lied, taking a reflexive step back.

"I should have waited for you, but I was hoping to get a head start."

"So why are you here and not in the mine?" she asked warily.

"Once I got here, I realized I didn't want to look without you."

"Oh." What was she going to say to that?

"I left you a note."

"Oh, really?" She gave him a doubtful look. "Where?"

"I put it in your bag."

Molly frowned not sure if she believed him. "In this bag?" She lifted her bag from her arm.

"Yeah. I thought you would check there first."

"Well," she said and then added, "I didn't look because I didn't know to look there."

"You can look now," he said, stopping his advance.

"Okay." She pulled her bag off her shoulder and unzipped it. Inside there was a folded piece of paper under her makeup bag. She took it out and read what was written.

You were sleeping so peacefully I didn't want to wake you. I'm getting a head start, meet me at the mine.

Xo Lucian

Molly let out a pent-up breath and looked over at him, feeling immeasurably better. "I thought you left me."

"But you still came." He shoved his hands in his pockets, looking unsure suddenly.

"You have my keys."

"Oh. I didn't think about that. They gave them to me on my way out."

That made sense. But she still had an uneasy feeling about the entire situation. "Didn't it occur to you that if you had my keys I wouldn't be able to drive over here?"

"Oh, right." He frowned. "I didn't think of that. How did you get here?"

"I rented a golf cart."

"I'm sorry."

Was he? She couldn't' tell. "It's okay," she lied.

"Well, you are here now." He looked across the room towards the door that led to the mine.

"Lucian, are you okay?"

"Sure," he said. "Why wouldn't I be?"

Maybe because you are acting like a weirdo, she wanted to say. "No, reason."

"Good." He smiled then. It wasn't a normal smile either. For some reason, it scared the beejeebies out of her and she had all she could do not to turn around and run out of the building.

"So, uh, what do you want to do?" she asked.

"Rebecca wants us to go to the mine."

Molly felt sick to her stomach. "She does?"

"Yeah. I think she does."

"Can you see her?" Molly looked warily towards the door and was relieved when she didn't see anything otherworldly staring back at her.

"No."

Relief washed over her.

"But she was here."

Oh great! "Did she uh, talk to you?"

"No. But I know what she wants us to do, or rather, what she wants me to do."

"Really?" She opened and closed her mouth. "What might that be?" she finally forced out.

"To find the Emeralds, silly."

"Oh, he he," she faked laughed. "Silly me." What the eff was he talking about? He wasn't acting like the Lucian she had come to care about or even start to fall for, no, he was acting like some crazy person. Was he? Or was she?

He pulled his hand out of his pocket and held it out to her. "Come on."

"What?" She gaped at him.

He frowned. "What's the matter?"

"Nothing."

"It doesn't look like nothing."

His frown deepened. "You seem different."

She could say the same about him. "Just tired."

"Didn't you sleep well?"

"I did but..." What was she going to say to that? She slept really well, until she woke up to find him gone. "I guess I am still a bit uh, sleepy."

"Do you want to leave?"

_Hell_ _yeah_. "Not if you don't want to. Do you?"

"Only if you do."

Well that helped—not. "I don't care."

"I think we should at least try, don't you?"

"Um, sure," she said against her better judgement as fingers of dread raced up her spine.

"Great." He started walking towards the door.

"It's dark outside from the storm and we don't have any lights," she added quickly, stalling.

"Can't we use these?" He pointed to the wall of prospecting hats with lamps attached.

"I guess." _Stupid hats_.

He lifted one up and tested the light.

The beam blinded her.

"Sorry," he said and turned it back off. "At least it works."

"Yep. At least it works."

Lifting another hat, he handed it out to her.

Molly tentatively took it from his outstretched hand and tried the lamp. It worked, too. _Dang it_.

"What else do you think we need?"

I have no idea, she wanted to say. "Maybe we should bring two of the pick axes."

"Right." He chuckled. "I guess those would help."

Would they? She didn't have a clue. "I guess."

Lucian grabbed two large pickaxes from the bucket and tucked them under his arm. "We should at least try, right?" he asked again, giving her an expectant look.

"Right." She took a breath.

Opening the door, Lucian stepped through, holding it for her.

Molly dropped her bag on the floor, and shoved her hat under her arm. Taking a breath, she stepped under his arm, through the open door. Once she was on the other side, she stopped and waited for him. "What does the map say?"

"I don't know."

"You don't know?"

"I really haven't looked at it much."

"What have you been doing this whole time?"

"I was looking around a bit, reading the history and waiting for you."

She wanted to ask him if he was gawking at Rebecca's picture again. "What if I didn't come?"

"I would have gone back to the hotel."

"But I wouldn't have been there."

"I have your keys, remember?"

"Oh, I remember."

"Come on." He pressed his hand to her back and pushed her forward. "It'll be fun."

Not bloody likely, she thought. "Yeah, fun," she deadpanned.

"Where's your sense of adventure?"

"Apparently, I left it back at the hotel."

He chuckled. "You have a great sense of humor."

"I wasn't kidding," she muttered despondently.

He slung his arm around her shoulder. "You are a real crack up," he said, still chuckling.

"I'm something, all right," she mumbled, stepping carefully down the stairs.

Once they got down to the bottom of the stairs, Lucian walked over to the wall with the pictures and pulled out the map. He shined the light on it.

"Look here," he said, pointing to something that looked like a waterfall. "The cave is behind this."

"How are we supposed to get there?" Her eyes drifted over to the photo, the one of Rebecca with all the men drooling over her. It seemed like Rebecca was mocking her, saying " _look at me, I can have any man I want and you can't even get one_."

"Wasn't there a boat tied outside?" Lucian asked.

Molly pulled her eyes from a familiar looking man in the photo. "I don't know."

"Didn't you see it at the wedding?"

"I was pretty drunk," she reminded him.

"Well, I did. Come on."

"Of course, you did." She made a face and followed him out the door.

It was raining harder when they stepped outside under the protection of the overhang.

"I am pretty sure those are the falls where the cave is." He pointed across the clearing.

"You think the cave is behind the Bon Ami Falls?"

"Didn't it look like that to you on the map?"

"Sure," she said even though she really had no idea.

"Well..." He gave her a pointed look. "What are we waiting for?"

"Um, nothing, I guess."

"Let's go." Lucian took off out into the rain towards the boat bobbing unsteadily in the water.

The last thing Molly wanted to do was go in a cave, a very dark cave, and look for some emeralds that probably wouldn't even be there. Undecided, she stood there.

"It looks like it floats," he called out to her.

"Great." Taking a breath, she ran out in the rain to the boat.

"Let me help you," he said, holding out his hand. His hair was wet and dripping in his eyes but he still managed to look pretty damn sexy.

She put her hand in his.

He surprised her by pulling her close and then he put his chin on the top of her head. "Thank you for doing this with me."

All the trepidation she was feeling vanished. "No problem." She was pathetic.

"If we find the emeralds, I want you to know we will split them equally."

She started freaking out. If they did find the emeralds, which was pretty doubtful, but if they did, and they somehow accomplish what no other person had been able to do, what was she going to tell Lucian? That her father owned the mine? "I really don't think that will be..."

"I need to tell you something," he said, cutting her off.

She tensed. "What?"

"When I said I left England due to family troubles. I wasn't telling you the entire truth."

"You weren't?"

"No." He sighed heavily, deciding to come clean. "Remember when I told you I came here because of a falling out with my family?"

"Yeah." She was getting a bad feeling.

"That wasn't altogether true."

"It wasn't?" she squeaked.

"No." He tucked a piece of her hair that had come loose from her bun, behind her ear. "I owed some people some money."

"How much money?"

"A lot," he said. "So, you see, this will work out for the both of us. If we find the emeralds, you can solve your money problems and I can get out of debt."

"Oh, that's..." Her throat clogged and she couldn't seem to get any more words out. She didn't remember telling Lucian she had money problems, because she didn't have money problems, really.

"You can even get a new car."

Suddenly, what he said became clearer. It must have been her crappy car that made him think she was poor. But still, if he thought that, why did he order so much food at the hotel?

"You can even pay Peggy back for all the food we put on her bill. And even if we don't, I want you to know I will pay her back."

"But you said you don't have any money?"

"I know, but I will once I start working, right?"

"Right." She frowned. "Of course."

"Are you upset?"

She felt like an imposter. "No." She shook her head. "Thank you for telling me," she managed finally.

"I normally wouldn't have said anything, but with you, I feel like we were put in each other's path for a reason, don't you think?"

"Yeah, it does." Double crap. The longer Molly stood there, the more anxious she became. What if Lucian found out she had been lying to him? Granted, it wasn't a bold-faced lie, just a small fib but would he recognize the difference?

"We better go." He released her and stepped into the boat, making it dip down in the water. He held out his hand and helped her on board.

Molly sat down. Shivering, she rubbed her arms for warmth while she waited for Lucian to untie the boat. She tried to squash down her growing trepidation. It wasn't like other people hadn't tried to find the emeralds in the past; in fact, her father had encouraged it for a while, but after some of those same people went missing too, her father called it off.

Lucian sat down and started rowing towards the falls. "Did they get everything settled?"

"What?"

He frowned. "At work?"

"Yeah, it's fine."

"What exactly do you do?"

"Um, not much," she said distractedly.

Lucian frowned at her lack of response. If he didn't know better he would think she was keeping something from him...but why would she do that? Still, he couldn't quite shake the feeling he was getting. She looked like a deer caught in the headlights—he knew that look all too well. "That's it?"

"Oh," she recovered. "I manage a restaurant back in Lake Lure. I told you that at the wedding, remember?" She still didn't mention that her father owned it. She was proud of what she had done with the place but she also knew that people always got a little weird when she told them that. And she didn't want Lucian looking at her differently. She wanted him to like her for herself not because her father was loaded.

"Oh, right. Tracy mentioned..."

Molly's eyes boggled. "What?"

"I mean, right... I remember you saying that?"

Molly gave him a doubtful look but didn't press the issue. "What did you do, I mean before you came here?"

"Besides gamble, you mean?"

"I wasn't going to put it that way."

"Sorry." He shook his head. "I'm kind of a free spirit. I roam around a lot. Or, I did, before I got into trouble."

"Didn't you work?"

"Not really. I tried to help Reed out with Ravenhurst but he was always such an ass, I usually ended up leaving."

"Oh." Molly looked down at a few ducks that were diving under the water, grabbing fish, while others were ruffling their feathers in the rain.

"I wanted to make Ravenhurst more self-reliant. Using rainwater for the crops and getting tank-less water heaters, that kind of stuff, but that costs money and..." he trailed off.

"Wow. I've told my father about that for the uh..." she stopped because if she said anymore he would know she wasn't telling him the whole truth about the restaurant. "We're almost there," she said instead.

Lucian looked over his shoulder. "That was fast."

"You're a good rower."

"At least I'm good at something."

"You are better than good," she said, remembering a bit too clearly how good he was in other areas.

"What are you thinking about?" he asked, smiling.

"You."

"What about me?"

"That I am glad you almost ran me over."

"You mean you are glad that you ran out in front of me."

"You say apples. I say oranges. At least we got to meet each other."

"Yeah, I was thinking the same thing. It almost seems like we were destined to find one another."

"I think so, too."

They both stared at one another for a moment, neither one saying what they were really thinking.

"Molly, if this doesn't pan out..." Lucian began.

"It's okay," she interrupted him, not wanting to spoil the moment. "We will cross that bridge when we come to it, alright?"

Lucian let out a pent-up breath. "Sounds good."

He used the oar to push the boat over to a small outcropping, which was more of a path and tossed the rope over a rock. "Let me get out first and then I will help you out, okay?"

"Okay."

Climbing out of the boat Lucian tied the rope over a large boulder and with one foot braced on the path and the other on the rock, he helped Molly out.

Once they were both standing on solid ground, they grabbed their gear and made their way down the path that led under the falls. "I never knew this was here," she said, following behind, carefully stepping over rocks and debris.

"Yeah, it's really hard to see unless you are over on this side." He stopped and pulled out the map a few feet away from the falls and turned towards Molly. "I think it's best if we look at this now, in case."

The rain was still coming down pretty good, but they were both standing under an outcropping of rocks so they were mostly protected.

"In case what?" Molly's eyes widened.

He shrugged. "I don't know, but we are about to find out."

Molly made a face. "That doesn't sound very reassuring."

His lips twitched as he looked at her over the map.

"What?"

"You're cute."

Heat flushed her cheeks. "Thanks. You're pretty cute yourself."

"I know."

Molly smacked his arm lightly. "Conceited much."

"I can't be conceited if it's true." He grinned.

He had her there. "Well, there is that." She smiled back at him.

Lucian glanced up at her again. "What are you smiling at?"

"You."

"Why?"

"Because, I was just thinking..."

"About?" he prodded.

"That I may not have known you that long but I feel like I have known you forever." She shook her head. "I know that must sound stupid to you."

"Not at all," he told her, his eyes turning serious. "I feel the same way."

"Really?"

"Really."

Molly turned thoughtful for a moment.

Lucian lowered the map again. "What's going on in that mind of yours?"

"I wonder if it will always be this way between us."

"Well, there is only one way to find out."

Her brows creased. "Huh?"

He chuckled. "I guess we will have to spend more time together to make an actual assessment on the matter," he elaborated.

"What if we don't find the emeralds?" she hedged, trying to read him.

"I'm not planning on going anywhere anytime soon, are you?"

"Well, no, I live here." She gave him a perplexed look.

"Then you have your answer," he said, and then added, "at least for a while."

"What if we find the emeralds," she blurted, trying to cover all her basis.

"Then I guess we will be doing a lot more sightseeing... and other things." He wiggled his brows.

She giggled at his unsaid innuendo. "You're bad."

"I thought you liked that about me?"

"Oh, I do," she assured him as her gaze drifted down the length of his body.

"If you don't stop making eyes at me, we won't find anything tonight."

"Why?" She played dumb.

"Because I will need to put you back in that boat," he said, tilting his head towards the aforementioned boat.

"And do what?" she fished.

"Anything you want and probably a bit more than you ever imagined."

Molly fanned her face as her entire body heated.

"You are a bad girl," he said, giving her a wicked look.

"Only with you," she said and then widened her eyes in embarrassment not believing she had said such a thing out loud.

"Promise," he said, turning serious suddenly.

"I promise." She made a cross over her heart.

"I'm holding you to that."

"I can't wait." She made eyes at him like he did her, and then giggled.

"Molly," he gasped, feigning horror, placing his hand to his chest. "Am I corrupting you?"

She nodded enthusiastically as she stepped up to him. "YES!" She pressed up on her tiptoes and gave him a chaste kiss on his cheek.

Lucian lifted his hand to his face and touched where she kissed him, feeling an unfamiliar warmth spreading throughout his body. It was a feeling he hadn't felt in a very long time. A very, _very_ , long time.

#  CHAPTER FORTY

The Cave, Little Switzerland

Inside the cave was cold and damp. The stones underfoot covered with moss made taking even the smallest of steps difficult. Even though their hardhats had the lights on, it did very little to dispel the dark gloomy interior.

The falls were rushing in front of them both and they stopped for a moment to appreciate the beauty. Instinctively, Lucian reached out, grabbed hold of Molly's hand and squeezed gently.

In that moment, Molly suddenly wished that Lucian would kiss her, right here, right behind the falls. And then to her amazement, he did. But it wasn't the toe-curling kiss she had hoped for but instead a platonic brotherly type of kiss, right on her cheek. _Dang it_.

"Let's go," he said, releasing her hand and picking back up the pickaxes again.

Molly barely took a step before she tripped over something and had to catch her balance, while Lucian had no trouble at all. This continued for about twenty minutes until the rocks finally thinned out and the cave opened up so they didn't have to keep ducking down.

Lucian stopped and turned around. "You okay," he asked, his face mirroring his concern.

"Yep," she panted. "Just trying to stay upright."

"Do you want to wait here?"

Molly gave him a horrified look.

Lucian laughed at the look on her face. "I was kidding. Come on." He turned and started down a worn path that led deeper into the cave.

She frowned at his back but tried to make sure she kept up with him better. Tried, being the operative word. The damn light on her hard hat kept cutting out.

"Wait up," she called but Lucian had already rounded another corner. Irritated, she pulled off the hard hat and smacked it. The light flickered but shut off again.

"Stupid thing," she grumbled, and whacked it again. The light came on at the same time the hair on the back of her neck rose and her skin prickled from the sudden temperature change. "Lu...Lu... _cian_..." she chattered out, suddenly freezing, which only added credence to the fact that she knew she was no longer alone.

♦

Noticing Molly wasn't behind him, Lucian stopped and turned. "Molly," he called out. But he didn't hear her or see her. "What is taking her so long?"

He was reluctant to backtrack since he had a gut feeling he was nearing the emeralds. It was the same feeling he got when he bet on the horses. Granted, they weren't always winners, but they had been in the past, more than a few times, which had made him a very rich man, for a while. That is, he was, until that two- bit piece of shit screwed him out of most of his money. He had a bad streak for a while...everyone got them, especially people like him who gambled professionally. But instead of taking a break, that asshole Cuthbert, who worked for Bishop, the broker he used or what some would call a Shark, had egged him on, saying shit like, "you're not so lucky", or "you must have lost your touch."

At the end of the day though, Lucian knew it was really his own ego that had done him in. But it still irked the shit out of him, because if it hadn't been for that idiot, he would have taken a break, like he always did when his luck ran its course. When that happened, he would go see Cecily or she would come and see him for a few days. They would go out, drink, eat dinner, have wild sex, and then repeat, until his magic returned.

Unfortunately, as with most things in life, at some point his luck had to give and give it did. After that he knew he had to get while the getting was good because men like Bishop didn't take rain checks. And if Lucian didn't have the money, Bishop would find another way to get his due, ways that would cause him permanent damage to his body and that was something he wasn't going to wait around to happen.

So instead of waiting out his punishment for faulting on a loan he couldn't repay, he decided to go to Ravenhurst and see his brother Reed, to ask for an advance on his inheritance.

If that didn't work, he was going after the treasure he and Reed had hunted for as children against their father's wishes. But of course, who cared what his father thought, he was, after all, an asshole.

Of course, in the end, that didn't pan out either, and after Cecily betrayed him to the very person he was running from, he ran again, leaving everything and he had somehow ended up here, in North Carolina, with a girl who had somehow managed to put a hole right in the middle of the wall he had built around his heart.

Hell, she might even end up being the one—the love of his life. How ironic, right? Just when he thought his life was over...a monkey wrench was tossed in the mix and his life was irrevocably changed forever.

Now, he was in the middle of nowhere, in a cave, hunting for emeralds, and very possibly, definitely, falling in love with a girl he barely knew.

He shook his head. It was funny how things worked out when you least expected them to, he thought wryly.

He was so lost in his thoughts, he didn't notice how cold it was getting or that when he exhaled, his breath was turning white.

♦

Molly took another deliberate step backward. This time she wasn't tripping or falling clumsily like she was before—this time, she made certain that each step she took was sure footed on the path behind her... because if she didn't, she knew that she may very well end up being as dead as the skeleton lying in a heap a few steps away from where she was right now.

"Lu... _Lu...cian_ ," she chattered, louder.

#  CHAPTER FORTY-ONE

The Cave, Little Switzerland

Lucian's mind slowly came back to the present and with it, the realization of how cold it had become while his mind had wandered. His heart thumped against his ribcage, gaining momentum as the seconds ticked by.

"Molly!" he frantically yelled and took off running back the way he had just come.

Molly held out her hands. "I'm not here to hurt anyone," she told the ghost of Rebecca whose very real looking eyes were flitting between Molly and the skeleton on the ground.

"What did you do?" the ghost asked very plainly, like they were having a conversation about the weather, or it would have been like that if the anger emanating from her ghostly form wasn't quite so palpable.

Right then Molly decided if anyone ever told her that they saw a ghost she wouldn't doubt them ever again. She would tell Lucian that as soon as she saw him... _if you ever see him again_ , her sick twisted mind taunted her.

"Oh, just shut up," she told herself and immediately regretted it because Rebecca's icy gaze focused on her again.

"You killed my father," Rebecca sobbed, holding her arms akimbo.

"No, I didn't..." Molly defended, holding out her own hands to somehow try to stop Rebecca from coming closer, which was so ludicrous, she almost laughed, albeit a hysterical and unintentional laugh. It was something she did when she was nervous or scared and right now, she was at her beejeebies limit.

"Why did you do it, Luc? Why?" she cried as glistening tears streamed down her crystalline face.

Molly frowned. Wait? Who the hell was Luke? She lifted her eyes back to the ghostly form of Rebecca and was exponentially relieved Rebecca wasn't looking at her any longer but rather at someone over her shoulder.

Lucian couldn't get his legs to move. He felt frozen in place like the many statuary spread throughout the halls of Ravenhurst when he was younger. "You aren't real," he said, trying to make sense of what he was seeing.

Molly gasped when she saw who Rebecca was looking at with such anguish and palpable hate.

It was Lucian. He was standing about ten feet behind her. His face reflecting what Molly was sure hers would look like if she was to see herself in a mirror right now.

"Why did you kill my father?" Rebecca screamed suddenly directing the full extent of her anger towards Lucian.

Molly recoiled from the frigid blast of air. She felt like someone had opened an ice box and put an industrial fan in front of it on high. It was _that_ cold.

"Molly," Lucian called, keeping his voice low and even. "Are you, all, right?"

"I'm fa...fa...fine," she chattered, still feeling the residual effects from the icy blast.

"What do you want?" he asked, this time his question was directed at Rebecca.

"I want to know why you killed my father, _Luc_!" The way she said his name was like nails scrapping down on a chalkboard.

Molly shivered so hard she thought her skin would shake off. "Lucian, I think, she thinks your someone else."

"What?" He had to forcefully pull his gaze from Rebecca and finally focused on Molly once more.

"I think this..." She pointed at the skeleton with a smashed skull. "I think it's her father."

Lucian was having a hard time understanding Molly. She sounded miles away. "I can't hear you."

Molly was getting angry now, not a Lucian but at the bitch that was messing with him. "That's not Luke, Rebecca," Molly yelled and in turn was once again the target of Rebecca's ire.

Rebecca turned her cold unfeeling eyes on Molly. "What do you know?" she scoffed. "You are nothing more than a dalliance to him, he wants me, he has always wanted me."

Slivers of doubt pricked at Molly.

Lucian said her name, not once but twice...she remembered suddenly. B _ut he told you why_ , her niggling conscience put in its two cents.

"No." Molly's head shook forcefully and she was actually having a hard time getting it to stop moving of its own accord. "He loves me." She didn't know why she said that but it seemed the thing to say—too bad it was only wishful thinking on her part.

Rebecca looked from Molly back to Lucian. "Luc..." her voice broke. "You love... _her_?" her voice dripped with a combination of disdain and disbelief.

Lucian felt like he was miles away, everything he was hearing was coming at him like he was standing at the back of a very long and very narrow tunnel so it took a moment for him to respond. "Yes," he said finally. "I think..." He pushed past his doubt. "I do love her."

Molly would have melted on the spot if she wasn't frozen in place by some whacked out ghost. He loved her! _He really loves me_ , her mind repeated.

"You killed my father for the emeralds? Not to give me, but for her?" Rebecca's face, even as cold as it looked, seemed to shudder under thready looking wisps of white smoke.

"I didn't kill your father," Lucian said calmly. "This other man did, not for you, but for the emeralds. He didn't love you or anyone else. He only loved himself."

"What?" Rebecca's image shuddered again and more thready wisps of white smoke escaped making her less solid than moments before.

Lucian didn't know how he knew that. Maybe it was just a shot in the dark from his own experience of what greed could do to a person. And what lengths they would go to keep it for themselves—Hell, he was that person only a few short days ago, just like his father had been, but not now. Not since he met Molly. He found out there was much more to life than the luxuries that money could buy. There was love and no amount of money in the world could buy that or replace it. "He didn't love you."

Rebecca seemed to absorb what he said which was a weird thing to say considering she was just a puff of smoke at this point. "You want the emeralds," she taunted. "You would take them over her, wouldn't you?" A bag of dazzling emeralds appeared near the outstretched hand of the skeleton on the ground.

Molly held her breath. Why wouldn't he take the emeralds over her? He barely even knew her. Granted they had some good sex, _outstanding sex, you mean_ , her naughty voice chided her. That was true enough, Molly acknowledged to herself. But he would be rich and didn't he say he _needed_ the money?

So, Molly being Molly, prepared herself, or tried to, for the inevitable moment, that she was going to be dropped like a hot potato, or in other words—dumped.

"No." He shook his head from side to side. "I don't care about your emeralds," he was saying, which didn't quite register with Molly at first. "She is worth more than those emeralds. And if I had the choice, if she will have me, I would take her over an entire mountain of emeralds any day."

"Who says you have a choice?" Rebecca snapped.

"I do." He stared her down.

"But you would be rich beyond your wildest dreams," she dangled. "And we could finally be together, forever, like we talked about. Have you forgotten what it is like to be with me so soon?"

An image of Rebecca in the throes of passion entered his mind, just like she did when he was with Tracy and then after with Molly in the museum. He shivered to his core.

Molly saw the look on his face and her heart sank. It was the same look he had after he said Rebecca's name after they had sex.

Lucian shook his head, breaking free of the memory. "I don't care," he said finally—forcefully. "What I have with Molly, money could never buy."

"What is that?" Rebecca asked, looking bewildered by such a prospect.

"Love."

"Love," she repeated.

"Yes, love," he said as his gaze slid from Rebecca to rest on Molly's surprised face.

"Ree...a...lly," Molly chattered, as hot tears slid down her frozen cheeks.

"Yes, really," he said. "I promise." He crossed his heart.

"You can't mean that," Rebecca sobbed, turning on the waterworks. "You promised me. You told me if we had the emeralds you would marry me."

"I'm sorry, but that wasn't me."

"It was..." A look of panic crossed her face. "Where did you go?"

"I don't know you."

"You do." She frowned. "Although..." She paused. "You do seem different. Younger perhaps...but it's you. I knew it the moment I saw you with _her_." She pointed a shaky finger at Molly. "I've been waiting for you all these years, to come for me and here you are, just like you promised."

"Rebecca," Molly spoke softly. "You are dead."

"I am _not_...dead..." A look of panic crossed her face. She held out her hands and turned them over, staring at them.

Molly's heart went out to her. She could only imagine what she must be feeling to have found out that she was screwed over by the man she loved, waiting for him to come back, only to find that she had waited in vain because she was no longer alive.

"You came back for the emeralds. Not me." It was a statement, not a question.

"I came here with her," he said, lifting his finger, pointing at Molly.

"Why?"

"Because I found your map." He reached in his pocket and pulled out the map to show her.

"Where did you get that?"

"Inside your piano," he said. "There was a hidden compartment"

"That is not mine," she said.

"If you didn't make it, then who did?" Molly asked, more than a little amazed that she and Lucian were having a conversation with a dead person. It was weird though, she didn't feel afraid like she did at first. Only an immense sadness for the girl... _erhm_...ghost.

"I bet it's the person that took the emeralds and killed your father," Lucian told Rebecca as he stared down at the map. In the far corner, there was a name, barely legible in the faint light. "Drake Lucian Scott," he read aloud. His vision became blurry and he dropped to his knees. "This can't be happening..."

"Lucian!" Molly screamed as he hit the ground.

#  CHAPTER FORTY-TWO

The Cave, Little Switzerland

"What happened?" Lucian asked groggily, sitting up.

"You passed out," Molly explained, helping him to his feet.

He rubbed his aching head. "Where did she go?"

"After you passed out she disappeared."

"Did she say anything to you before she..."

"Vanished." She shook her head. "No." Well, that wasn't completely true. After Rebecca ranted and raved for a few minutes about the unfairness of it all, she looked pointedly at Molly and said, "You better watch out because apples usually don't fall far from the tree." _Whatever that was supposed to mean_ , and then she disappeared right along with the emeralds.

Lucian uncrumpled the map in his hand and held it out for Molly.

"What do you want me to do with that?"

"Read the name."

Molly squinted down at the aged parchment. "It's hard to see."

"Just try."

Molly lifted the light. "Drake Lucian Scott."

"That's what I thought." He scrubbed his hands over his face.

She frowned. "Wow. What are the odds that guy's middle name is the same as yours?"

"Yeah," he said in disbelief. "What are the odds."

"Do you think he was the one that killed her father?"

"I hope not."

Confused, Molly looked down at him. "Why do you say that?"

"Because that's my father's name."

♦

" _How_ is that even possible?" Molly asked, staring down at the picture they had taken off the wall when they got back to the museum. It was the one with Rebecca and all of her admirers.

"Can't you see the resemblance?" He pointed to a man in the picture.

"Well, now that I look at it, yes, he does look like you, but an older version."

"How the hell did he end up here?"

"Are you sure it's your dad?" she asked trying to sound supportive even though he was talking about crazy impossible stuff. "Maybe he is just some ancestor of your family's."

"I don't know. Maybe you are right. Maybe he is just some ancestor of mine, but what if..." He shook his head, knowing how crazy he sounded. He scrubbed his hand over his face and then dropped it back down to his side. "Remember when I told you about the legend of Ravenhurst?"

"The one that I said sounded more like a curse?"

"Yeah. That's the one."

"What does that have to do with all this?" She waved her hand over the picture.

"My father took a walk one day and never came back."

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be. He was an asshole."

"Okay, but I am still not following."

"I'm reaching, like really reaching, but what if he somehow traveled back in time...what if he...." He couldn't get the words out.

"Didn't leave you and your brother on purpose?"

"Yeah. What if?"

"I don't know."

He exhaled and raked his hand through his hair. "You think I'm out of my mind, don't you?"

"No. I just think you are trying to make sense of something that doesn't make any sense."

"But if he did...do you think he killed her father?"

Molly could see how upset he was. "I'm sure he didn't," she lied because she wasn't sure what to think and telling someone she cared about that his father, or the person he thought was his father, was a murderer wasn't something she would do, ever. Besides, it was a moot point anyway. It happened over a hundred years ago and it wasn't like they would ever know for certain unless his missing father somehow came back. But that wasn't possible...or was it?

"Maybe if it was him, he will come back someday and tell us what happened," he said as though he read her mind.

"Yeah, maybe, someday..." she answered.

#  CHAPTER FORTY-THREE

The Hotel, Little Switzerland

Neither Molly nor Lucian said too much to the other as they drove back to the hotel. They were both in a sort of limbo of shock, awe, and a hefty amount of disbelief.

The sun had set and there was crispness to the air as the cart rolled to a stop in the designated space next to the rest of the golf carts and Lucian killed the engine. Taking a breath, he turned in the seat and faced Molly. "You okay?"

"I was going to ask you the same thing?"

He shook his head. "I don't know, I guess."

"That was crazy, right?"

"Yeah," he agreed. "If I wasn't there I wouldn't even believe it happened, you know."

"Oh, I know. What really gets me is, Rebecca. I mean, I know she was a ghost and all, but don't you think it was weird she left so easily?"

"Yeah. But maybe since she found out I wasn't who she thought I was, there was no point in sticking around."

"Did you see the emeralds next to the skeleton?"

"I did, for a moment, and then...well, you know, I passed out. When I woke back up, they were gone and so was Rebecca."

"But the skeleton was still there."

"I know. I did see that."

"What do you think we should do?"

"Got me."

"Maybe we should call the police."

Lucian gaped at her like she had three heads. "And say what? That we broke into the mine to look for emeralds and instead found a skeleton, a ghost and an actual cache of emeralds that disappeared when the ghost did?"

"Hmm. I didn't think of it like that. They won't believe the emeralds disappeared with the ghost. They will think we took them."

"Exactly. And I for one don't want to get arrested for breaking and entering."

"But we had the key..."

"Did the owner know you had the key?"

Molly was going to say yes, of course, but then remembered Lucian had no idea her father owned the mine, but the sheriff knew. Crap. "No," she lied. "Of course not."

"Maybe in a day or two, we can make and anonymous call and report it."

"Yeah. That is probably the best course of action." Actually, Molly was going to tell her father just as soon as she could get a call out to him without Lucian being around. But that didn't look like it was going to happen anytime in the near future.

A thick bank of fog settled around the golf cart and a flood light popped on, illuminating the area in a hazy yellow glow.

"Now what?" Lucian asked.

"Do you want to stay here, again?"

"Not really, but it's late, and you did say the roads were bad at night, right?"

"Right," she said distractedly.

"Then I guess we are staying another night."

Molly noticed he didn't look quite convinced. "Are you sad you missed out on getting the emeralds?"

"No." He shook his head. "Don't get me wrong, it would have been nice to be able to get out of debt but at what cost, you know?"

"Yeah. I know what you mean." Molly didn't want any parts of those emeralds, especially if they had anything to do with an unrestful spirit, which they obviously did. Shivering, Molly rubbed her arms.

Lucian leaned forward and took Molly's cold hands in his. "Thank you."

"What for?"

"Saving me."

"I didn't save you."

"Sure, you did." He didn't mention she saved him from a lot more than just a ghost. She also saved him from himself. And that in itself was something he would never forget.

"Do you think _she_ is gone for good?" Molly asked, staring out the windshield at shadows moving in the light.

"I hope so." Feeling an eerie vibe, like they were being watched, Lucian looked out the windshield, too. But he didn't see anything. "I think we should go inside."

"Yeah. I think so too."

Both of them quickly climbed out the golf cart and practically ran inside the hotel.

#  CHAPTER FORTY-FOUR

The Hotel, Little Switzerland

Molly was still in a daze. The events of the day had taken its toll on her and she was starting to feel sleepy.

She could tell Lucian was still thinking about the day too. Every so often he would look up at her, a question in his eyes, but then he wouldn't say anything.

She stifled a yawn and readjusted her position.

Lucian stood up and walked across the room. Leaning down, he grabbed a whiskey out of the mini bar. "You want a drink?"

"Sure." After what she saw today, she would have preferred a much larger bottle than the ones in the minibar.

Lucian cracked the seal and poured the small bottle of whiskey into two glasses. Walking back across the room, he held out the glass "Here you go."

Molly took the glass from his outstretched hand and leaned back into the chair, tucking her bare legs under the edge of the robe. Earlier, when they got back to the hotel, they both had taken showers, separately this time. She didn't mind. After the incident with Lucian calling her Rebecca the last time they were in the shower, she was in no hurry to do it again. Well, that wasn't true. She wanted to do _it_ again, but just not in the shower.

"So," Lucian hedged, sitting down across from her. "Do you still think I am crazy?"

"I never said you were crazy."

"Yeah, I know. But you thought it, didn't you?"

Yes! She wanted to say, but didn't. "No. Not really."

He lifted his brow. "Come on, you can tell me the truth."

"It does or did, sound crazy but what do I know. If you asked me a month ago that I would have seen a ghost, a skeleton, or a bag of emeralds in a cave..." or that I would have met you, she thought. "I would have said you were crazy, but I did see them, so..."

"Hmm," he mused. Setting his glass down on the table, he stared down at the carpet.

"Do you really think that was your father? In the picture, I mean?"

"I don't have a clue. But it is strange, the uncanny resemblance, right?"

"Well, yeah, it's strange. And that ghost of Rebecca thinking you were someone else is pretty strange too."

"But do you believe me? About my father, I mean?"

Molly chose her words carefully. "I believe that you believe the man in the picture could be your long-lost father."

His brows creased.

Molly felt bad that her answer wasn't what he wanted to hear. But what was she going to say to that? That she really believed his father had traveled to the past? She didn't, not really. Even though, there was a small part of her that wondered...

He scrubbed his hands over his face and then dropped them back in his lap. "I guess we won't ever know."

He looked sad.

"Who knows," she said, trying to cheer him up. "Stranger things have happened."

His eyes lit up. "Do you really think so?"

"Sure. Why not."

Why not, indeed.

#  CHAPTER FORTY-FIVE

The Hotel, Little Switzerland

"Wait?" Peggy said. "You mean to tell me that cockamamie story we were told, was actually true?"

"Yes."

"I don't believe it."

"It's true. I swear."

Peggy's voice was doubtful on the other end of the phone. "How much did you drink?"

"A lot, but I swear it's true. I even saw her ghost."

"Yeah, okay," Peggy sounded doubtful. "But you don't have the emeralds?"

"Nope." Molly smiled at Lucian across the room.

"Let me see if I got this straight. You mean to tell me the supposed ghost took them back?"

"It would seem so but who knows, maybe they weren't even there to begin with. Or maybe they are still buried. I don't' know."

"What about the skeleton. Are you going to tell your dad?"

"Of course. But I can't right now."

"Why not?" she asked and then added, "Oh, you don't want Lucian to know your dad owns the mine."

"Well, yeah."

"Molly," Peggy reprimanded. "You are going to have to tell him at some point."

"I know that," Molly snapped at her friend not meaning to.

"Hey, I am just watching out for you."

Sighing, Molly cradled the phone closer to her ear. "I know."

"You will tell him though, right?"

"Yes. I promise."

"Well," Peggy exhaled. "Since I can't see your face I will give you the benefit of the doubt, for now, but when I get back, I expect to hear you told him. Got it?"

"Got it."

"I better go or Marshall is going to end passing out from heat exhaustion in the hot tub before I get in."

Molly laughed. "Wouldn't want that to happen."

"I know, right." She laughed.

"When are you getting back?"

"I don't know. We were going to come back tomorrow but Marshall wanted to wait until next week."

"Oh."

"Why?" Peggy asked.

Molly didn't answer right away.

"Are you still there?"

"Yeah. I just remembered something," Molly said.

"What?"

"Didn't Dan tell you Tracy left?"

"Yeah, that's what he said. Why?"

"Not sure but I saw Dan this morning with Tracy."

"Did he see you?"

"God, no! I hid behind a potted plant until he left."

Peggy didn't laugh like she thought she would.

"Don't you think it's weird they were together?"

"That is what's weird," Peggy said. "When Marshall spoke to Dan he said she left. So, if she left with Dan today, where was she all that time?"

"Got me."

"You don't think she was with Lucian, do you?"

Peggy voiced Molly's biggest fear. "No. No," she repeated louder this time. "He was passed out."

"Yeah. I guess," again, Peggy sounded doubtful.

"It doesn't matter. They deserve each other," Molly said.

"Yeah, they do," Peggy agreed. "Any way, got to run. See you soon. Tell Lucian I said hi. Kisses."

"Yeah, I will. Kisses." Molly hung up her phone.

She set her phone on the table, walked to the bed. "Peggy say's hi."

"Did you tell her I said hi?"

"Yep. I sure did."

"Is she having fun?"

"Yes. Very much." Molly sat down on the edge of the bed and frowned.

"What's wrong?"

"I was just wondering about something."

"What might that be?" His brow hitched up.

"I saw Dan and Tracy checking out this morning but Peggy said when Marshall talked to him the night of the wedding, he said she had already left."

Lucian visibly tensed. "Yeah, so?"

"Well, I was wondering how she got in the room. Dan was pretty wasted."

"I don't know. I guess Dan let her in." He turned away.

Molly chewed on her lip, her mind going a mile a minute. Was he lying? She had an awful feeling that he was. "I guess," she said reluctantly.

Lucian readjusted his position, and looked pointedly at Molly. "The way I see it," he began. "There is no reason to dwell on a past that can't be changed, right?"

"Yeah," she said, her frown deepening.

"But we can certainly work on the future, together, right?"

He looked so sincere.

"Yes, we can," she said, even though her inner voice was telling her something different.

"Molly, what's wrong?" His brows creased with concern.

"Nothing," she said, making up her mind. "Not a damn thing." Slipping out of her robe, she dropped it to the floor and climbed into bed.

♦

Lucian intended to go slow with Molly but he felt like a man possessed. Gripping her hips, he rose up to meet her, his entire body shaking with desire.

"God, I'm going to come." He gritted his teeth, holding still.

"Do it," Molly urged him onward, clamping down tighter on his swollen shaft.

Once she did, Lucian lost what little control he had. Thrusting upward, he exploded in a million directions, bringing Molly right with him.

#  CHAPTER FORTY-SIX

The Hotel, Little Switzerland

"Are you ready to see your new home?" Molly asked outside of the hotel after they checked out.

"Absolutely."

"I'll drive slow, but if you get lost, you can call me."

He smiled. "Got it."

Thankfully it was a nice day so driving wouldn't be so bad on the roads. "Once I show you around for a bit, I got to get to work."

"Sounds good."

"You can come with me to work," she suggested not sure he would want to stay at the house all day.

"Nah., I would rather look around and you can meet me back at the house later."

"Are you sure? It probably won't be until after ten."

"It's fine," he assured her. "Besides," he added, I want to check out my new digs."

"Okay...but if you change..."

"Molly..." He reached out to grab her hand. "It will be fine."

"Right. Sure. Of course."

Lucian leaned forward and gave her a chaste kiss on the cheek. "Don't lose me."

Molly smiled. "I won't."

♦

An hour later, Molly put her car in park and killed the engine. Her palms were sweating and she felt unusually jittery. What would she do if he hated it? Would it matter? Of course, it would. She loved this house. And at some point, she wanted to move here. In her perfect dream world, she would live here with someone she loved...her eyes slid over to Lucian as he pulled up beside her on his bike...Yes. It would be awesome if she lived here with him. Granted he didn't know how she felt yet, but she knew she was already falling for him... Fine. That was a lie. Who was she kidding? She had already fallen for him.

Lucian took off his helmet and placed it on the back of his bike.

"Well?" Molly asked expectantly as she walked up beside him.

Lucian looked up at the derelict house with a combination of shock and disbelief. What a dump. "It's not so bad," he lied.

Molly laughed. "Yeah, right. It's a dump. But it's got good bones."

"Oh, yeah. Great bones."

"Come on. I'll give you a quick tour."

Lucian reluctantly climbed off his bike. Tall grass with little flowers protruding from the tops, shuddered in the stiff breeze, making a rustling sound.

A group of black birds sat on the wires leading to the house and took flight when Molly pulled her bag from the car and shut the door.

The house itself was four stories, including the basement and had a large sweeping porch. The shutters, what was left of them, creaked on their hinges every time the wind blew. And even though the house was in disrepair, Lucian noticed on second glance that there was a quiet beauty to the place, like whoever had lived here before put a lot of love into building it.

Now though, it was just a forgotten memory of what used to be. "How old is the house?"

"I think the original structure was built over a hundred years ago but through the years, different owners have added on to it. It's kind of majestic, isn't it?"

"Majestic? Hmm, I don't think I would say that."

"I guess what I am trying to say is, they just don't make houses like this anymore."

"No. I guess they don't." Lucian usually preferred streamlined homes, with a more contemporary feel but this place did have something. And he was sure given enough time and money, he could change it back into the showplace it once was.

"Do you think you can do something with it?"

"I'll have to see the extent of decay on the inside, but yeah, I think I can." Before Lucian got caught up in the gambling world, he studied to be an architect and was rather good at it. He didn't necessarily want to build houses but rather preserve them and also modernize them with rain water gutters, tank-less water heaters, and some kind of renewable energy, like solar or wind. That went by the wayside when he got the gambling fever, but now, he felt the glimmerings of how much he had loved it start to come back.

"It does have something...right?" Actually, Molly loved this house. Her father wanted to sell it but she didn't. So, after she begged him, and made a nuisance of herself for a week straight, he had reluctantly told her he would keep it, but she had to find someone to fix it up. She just hadn't found anyone, until now.

Taking Lucian's hand into her own, she pulled him up the stairs. "I think a pair of white ladder-backed rockers would look amazing here." She pointed to the side of the door.

"Yeah," he said absently, suddenly remembering the rocking chair at the mine and who he saw in it. It was the first time he saw Rebecca. Forcing her from his thoughts, he added, "That would be in keeping with the integrity of the house. A classic elegance. Nothing too fancy."

"Exactly." Smiling, she released his hand, and unlocked the door. Turning towards him, she flourished her arm. "After you, Sir."

"Sir?" He smiled down at her. "I like that. But I am a gentlemen and ladies always go first."

"Of course," she giggled, feeling giddy and warm all over. "What was I thinking." Molly fanned her face. "It's warm out, don't you think?"

"I guess." Actually, he didn't think it was warm at all. Since he arrived, it seemed the temperature had dropped considerably, especially now that they were out of the sun.

Molly gave him a weak smile and then walked inside the house.

Lucian followed her in, and after a moment, his eyes adjusted to the dimness.

A sweeping staircase led up to a second level and immediately he was reminded of Ravenhurst, somehow, albeit a much smaller version.

"Yeah," he said more to himself than to Molly, sizing up the place. "I can definitely work with this."

Molly let out the breath she had been holding. "I was hoping you would say that."

#  CHAPTER FORTY-SEVEN

The House, Lake Lure, North Carolina

Halfway up the stairs, to the second level, Molly's phone rang. "You go ahead," she said to Lucian. "I have to take this."

He brushed past her and gave her a pat on the bottom. "Meet you upstairs."

"I'll be right there." Molly leaned back against the wall and pulled out her phone from her back pocket.

Rodrigo's name flashed up on the screen.

She hit the answer button.

"Hello," she said cheerily, appreciating the view as Lucian walked the rest of the way up the stairs.

"We've got a problem."

She sighed. "What now?"

"Esmerelda won't do the lift."

"Why not?"

"She says Sergei will drop her."

"For God's sake. He's six three, and built like an ox. Did you tell her he benches more than she weighs on a daily basis?"

"I told her that."

"And what did she say?"

"She says she needs to talk to you."

"Now?"

"Yeah."

"Fine, put her on the phone."

"No can do, Boss lady."

"Why?"

"She says she needs to talk to you in person," he said.

"Did you tell her I was busy." Molly pushed part of the unraveling carpet back and forth with the toe of her shoe like a cat with a ball of yarn.

"I did."

"Fine. Tell her I will be there in about an hour." She stomped on the top of the ball she had made with her shoe.

"Will do."

"Thanks, Rodrigo."

"You are quite welcome."

Molly hung up the phone and put it in her back pocket. Climbing the rest of the stairs, she made her way to the back hall.

Lucian was standing in the doorway of a room at the end.

She sensed something was wrong before she even got down the hall. "Lucian," she called.

He turned around, his expression grim.

"What's wrong?" Her heart started beating uncontrollably as she made her way to where he was standing.

"Who did you say owned the house before?"

"Huh?" The question caught her off guard. "Not sure. I would have to check with my Da... err, I mean the owner."

His brows creased.

"Why?" She leaned forward to look in the room. It looked like a nice room and it was still mostly furnished, with an old four poster bed and an entire wall filled with bookshelves which still held at least a hundred books if not more. There was a desk pushed up against the window as well. And a chair sat askew in front of it. Books were open on the top and some were even on the floor. It looked like someone had just gotten up and left the room but never came back. "It's just a bedroom. What's wrong?" She placed her hand on his arm.

Feeling her hand, he shook his head. "Sorry. I don't know what just came over me."

"Do you see something...I don't?" Molly was starting to freak out. Was there a ghost here, too?

"No. I don't see anything. The room, it just reminded me of my father's back home."

"I'm sorry." She squeezed his arm for reassurance. "Are you okay?" She knew from what Lucian had told her, there was no great love-loss between them, but it still it must be strange seeing something that reminded him of his father, especially after what happened at the mine.

"Yeah, I'm fine."

"Are you sure?" she asked. "If you are getting a bad vibe about the place...."

"No. It's not that," he cut her off. "It's a fond memory, actually."

"Oh," she exhaled. "Good. I mean, if it seems too creepy or something, I can certainly find someone else to..."

"I'm fine," he reassured her. "I really like it here. It's reminds me of home, somehow." Which was pretty ludicrous considering Ravenhurst could fit a dozen of this house inside and still not cover all the floor space. But there was something...a smell or the feeling of familiarity. Both seemed to stick with him. It was almost like one of those dreams you have. Like déjà vu' of some kind. It was like he knew this place but deep down he knew he couldn't. Which was just weird.

Molly's brows creased watching the play of emotions cross his face. "Are you sure?"

"I am sure." He patted her hand. "Who was on the phone?" he asked, wanting nothing more than to change the subject.

"Oh." She let out a lengthy sigh. "It was Rodrigo."

His brow hitched up. "Rodrigo?"

"Yeah. He's my assistant manager."

"Is he good-looking?"

"Well, yeah. He's quite delectable, actually."

Lucian suddenly felt a surge of jealousy rush through his veins like liquid fire. He didn't like Molly calling another man, especially one she worked with that. "Delectable?" he asked.

When she saw the look he was giving her, she laughed. "He's married."

"Married men don't always have the best intentions."

"Trust me. Rodrigo does. He is like a brother to me."

"He better be," he muttered.

Molly couldn't help the smile that spread over her face or the warm feeling she got from his response. Was he jealous?

By his reaction, he obviously was and that made Molly extraordinarily happy.

♦

After Molly quickly explained why Rodrigo called, she had to leave to go back to the restaurant. Apparently, Esmerelda and Sergei' per Molly were having a heated debate about some lift for the finale and she needed to go and smooth their ruffled feathers.

Lucian didn't go into the room, the one that reminded him of his father's. Not because he got a bad vibe or anything, but because he didn't want to dwell on the past right now.

Moving slowly through the house, Lucian made mental notes of what he would need for the renovations. It wasn't going to be cheap, but once he was done, he was sure the place would be worth about a million, if not more.

The last owner left a lot of stuff and it would take some time to go through it all. Nothing looked too old so he wouldn't need to get an appraiser but if he did, he could always ask Raven, his brother's new wife. As soon as that thought entered his mind, he discarded the notion just as quickly. It would be a cold day in hell before he asked his brother for help, again.

Making his way down the stairs, he made right and walked down the hall toward the back of the house.

The kitchen was one of the last rooms he looked at and noticed right away it had been updated a bit but not since the seventies by the look of yellow paint on the walls and the linoleum flooring. Bending down he pulled a bit of the linoleum up and was relieved to see hardwood floors underneath, still intact.

Of course, they would need to be sanded and stained again, but once they were, it would really bring the kitchen back to life.

There was only one thing he would keep in the room and that was the old farmhouse sink. It was at least ten inches deep, with a bib front and white cast enamel. The faucet was also in good condition. He liked the gooseneck and the old lever handles which was perfect for the sink.

Pulling open one of the drawers, he found a notepad and an old lead pencil. Sitting down at the old wooden table, he started making sketches and lists of the supplies he would need.

♦

It was well after eleven when Molly had finally made it back to the house.

Climbing from the car, she grabbed bags of food from the restaurant out of the back and shut the door.

The front porch light was on, and there was a quiet beauty to the place. She could envision quite clearly what it must have looked like in its heyday, before time and neglect took hold.

Opening the door, she stepped inside and let her eyes adjust to the dimness. There was a light on at the end of the hall. Making her way towards it, she passed a few closed doors, wondering briefly what was behind them and then stopped at the end of the hall. A smile tugged at the corners of her lips and her stomach flipped, spotting Lucian at the table. He had one hand in his hair, pushing it back from his forehead as he stared down at a paper on the table. He looked so damn sexy.

As if sensing her standing there, Lucian looked up from his notes. "Hey, there." A broad smile broke across his face and an unfamiliar warmth gathered inside his chest as he looked at Molly. "I thought I was imagining the smell of food because I was so hungry." He set his pencil down and stretched, not noticing how stiff he was until just now.

"You weren't imaging it. I brought lots of goodies." She held the bags in the air.

"Great," he said and rubbed his empty belly. "I kind of lost track of time."

"You look like you have been busy. Have you moved?" she asked looking at the sketches strewn across every available space on the table.

He laughed, shaking his head. "Not really. I had a lot of ideas and wanted to make sure to get them on paper."

She set the bags on the counter. "Can I see?"

"Sure." Lucian laid out his sketches and the supply lists on the table as Molly got the food ready.

Once she had all the food on the table and opened a bottle of wine, she sat down.

While they ate, he showed her his sketches of what he thought should be done and some ideas he had for opening up some of the rooms if it was structurally sound.

♦

Afterwards he helped her get some sleeping bags from the car and laid on them in front of the fire he had built.

They stayed there in the library on the sleeping bags, talking until the wee hours of the morning about the renovations he thought the house needed and what happened at the restaurant.

Once again, she was in a kind of awe at how easy talking to Lucian was, and even though she met him only a few days ago, she felt like they had known each other for a lot longer and said as much to him. Taking a sip of her wine, and setting it back on the floor, she propped her chin on her hand and her elbow on the pillow. "It's so weird," she said, feeling a bit tipsy from the wine. "I feel like we have known each other forever."

Reaching up, he tucked a stray piece of her hair behind her ear. "I normally would never admit this," he said, his face growing serious. "I can't explain it, but when I am with you, I really can't remember what my life was like before I met you."

"You can't?" she squeaked, not able to mask the elation in her voice.

"No. I can't." Setting his wine over on the floor, Lucian turned back around.

Molly rubbed the back of her neck. She thought the wine would help alleviate the tension in her neck but it wasn't working very well.

"You okay?"

"Yeah. Just tense."

Lucian moved her glass of wine out of the way. "Lie down on your stomach."

"What for?"

He smiled. "I'm going to give you a massage."

"Here?"

"Where else?"

"Uh. Okay." She laid down on stomach.

"Take off your shirt and bra."

Molly slipped her shirt off and then unhooked her bra.

"There," he said. "That's better." Rubbing his hands to warm them, he placed them on her back and began massaging the tension out of her shoulders.

Even though Molly was embarrassed, she started to relax immediately. But that didn't last long. The more he rubbed her back, the more excited she became.

Using deep strokes, he massaged every inch of her body, following each pass with light kisses down her spine to the base of her back. "You have a beautiful body."

Molly smiled into the crook of her arm. "I do?"

"Yes." He worked his way back up to her neck. Moving her hair to the side, his fingers slid under her hair, massaging there as well. "Does that feel good?"

"Yes." She nodded. It felt better than good. It felt fantastic.

Lucian was in unventured territory. He had never taken the time to give a woman a massage before, except once with Cecily. But he found the more he touched her, the more turned on he got. His erection pressed against his jeans. Reaching down, he ran his hands over the rounded curve of her derriere' and then slid them down between her thighs.

Molly moaned.

"Take off your pants."

Using the blanket as a shield, she slipped her pants off and the quickly laid back on her stomach.

"You realize that I have seen you naked before?"

"Yes. I know."

He put his hands on her back, and began massaging again. Slowly, methodically, he ran his hands down to the base of her back but right when she thought he was going to delve deeper, he slid his hands upward again. He was driving her crazy.

Back and forth, up and down, he fingers smoothed, rubbed and then retreated. Each pass, he ventured further, down between her thighs, and just when she thought he was going to delve deeper, he retreated again. It was the most erotic and frustrating thing she had ever experienced simultaneously.

Lucian was throbbing to be inside of her, but he wanted to prolong the sweet torture just a bit longer. Slowly, he slid the tips of his fingers down, between her thighs and inserted one in her warmth.

Molly whimpered in pleasure, lifting her hips so he had better access.

"That's it," he coaxed, as her wet heat coated the tips of his fingers. Becoming bolder, he slid in two, stretching her and making her buck upward against his hand.

Molly muffled her cries of pleasure in the pillow. She was so hot, so turned on, she couldn't even form a coherent thought or care about where her propriety went. She felt possessed. Scratch that. Not possessed, but really turned on. Really, _really_ , turned on.

Lucian pulled his hand back and Molly whimpered from the abandonment. "I'm coming back," he assured her, smiling at the effect he had on her. Not able to wait, he released himself. His erection jutted outward, bobbing slightly from the action. Lowering back down to the floor, he splayed her apart with his fingers and licked her glistening crevice.

"Lucian," Molly recoiled, not expecting him to do that.

"Just relax." He lowered his head back down between her thighs and licked her with the flat of his tongue, making her writhe and moan, while his fingers massaged and opened her up further.

Molly bit her bottom lip to keep from screaming out from the intense pleasure that was rippling through her from his mouth...his hands...his fingers—they were like magic.

His tongue swirled upward...sucking the delicate bud. "You taste so damn good," he murmured, diving back in for another pass as he licked up her creamy wetness.

Her entire body clenched and spasmed on the precipice of her orgasm. "Lucian!" she screamed his name.

"That's right..." he coaxed her onward. Lifting his head, he positioned himself behind her. He was harder than he had ever been. His shaft throbbed. A dewy wetness gathered on the tip. He was losing his mind, but he still waited, driving her a little closer to the brink. He wasn't sure why he didn't just plunge deep inside, take what he wanted like he normally would. Instead, feelings were coursing through him, feelings he never thought he would ever have again.

Molly lifted herself upward, searching for his touch. She was so close. She wanted him deep inside her body.

Reaching down, Lucian gripped hold of himself, and stroked his hand down the length, milking his dick,...his buttocks clenched. "If I don't get inside you, I'm going to come." His voice was throaty...hoarse with desire.

"Lucian..." she cried his name.

"I can't..."

Molly misunderstood. She didn't know what he meant. "Let me help you." She reached back and cupped his balls in her hand.

Pulling in a sharp intake of air, Lucian groaned in pleasure as the tide of his own orgasm began to spiral out of control. "I've got to..."

Molly raked her nails against his balls, squeezing them.

"Oh God...YES!" Jerkily he thrust his hips forward, gaining entrance to her sweet warmth. "That's it."

Once he was in he couldn't control himself. He felt like a man possessed. Shaking with need, he gripped her hips and drove home again and again, until they were both beyond themselves.

Molly met every thrust, losing herself in the moment until she was spiraling out of control. "I love you..." she screamed as he pushed her right over the edge.

In a haze of desire, Lucian let go. Wild, frantic he thrust once, twice, until he too finally fell over the edge. As his orgasm ripped through him, he pulled her close and said the words he never thought he would say again. "I love you, Molly!"

#  CHAPTER FORTY-EIGHT

The House, a Month Later

After that auspicious night where Lucian proclaimed his love to Molly, they got into a routine of sorts. Molly would leave in the morning to go to work and Lucian stayed in the house doing repairs until she came back at night with food from the restaurant.

He was full of energy and ideas. Each day he woke to a sense of pride and excitement seeing first-hand the strides he made to bring the place back to its former glory.

It was a month since the incident at the cave and the confrontation with Rebecca. Molly even tried to find out more information on her and her family but there was wasn't much to find other than what they already knew. Once in a while, she would pop into his head—not in a sexual way though, but more curious. It was hard not to wonder what really happened to her father and the emeralds, for that matter—even his own resemblance to the man in the picture in the museum. It was certainly strange. Maybe one day he too would find out what happened to his own father. Maybe...

As for the derelict house, Lucian was making fast work of repairing the old and replacing it with the new. It would take time though. Thankfully, Molly had told him the owner said money was no object and he took that to heart.

Taking a break from tearing off some old wallpaper, Lucian walked down the stairs.

Out the open door he heard a car pull up. Taking a rag out of his back pocket, he wiped off his face and stepped out on the porch.

It was Molly.

Once he saw her, his stomach made an involuntary flutter. The love he felt for her was so beyond anything he had ever experienced and combined with the fact that he knew she loved him just as much, warts and all, was something he thanked God for on a daily basis. He wanted so many things out of life and with Molly by his side, he felt for the first time he may be able to attain them.

"I hope you brought some cold beer." He tossed the rag on a new rocking chair by the door.

"You know it." Molly's stomach flip-flopped as she looked up a Lucian as it always did.

He walked down the stairs. "Let me give you a hand."

Molly grabbed the food out of the back seat. "The cooler is in the back."

"Got it." He walked behind the car and pulled out the cooler. Ice rattled in the plastic confines as he carried it up the stairs and set it down on the porch.

Following Lucian up the stairs, Molly set down the bags of food on a bench and went back out to the car to get a blanket. By the time she made it back up to the porch, Lucian had two beers out of the cooler with the tops off. "Here you go."

"Thanks." Molly took a sip of the beer, which tasted really good. Sometimes a beer just hit the spot.

"No problem."

"So, what have you been up to?"

"I got most of the wallpaper off, and I will be ready to start sanding in a day or two."

"Wow. That was fast."

"Yeah. I kind of got on a roll after you left."

Molly wanted to ask if he missed her, but then didn't know if that was something she should say. Granted they had been spending almost every day together, or nights, after she got off work, but as far as where she stood with him, she didn't know. Sometimes it was like they were old friends and others, it was like she was a girl from school with her first crush. But it was more than a crush. She loved him more than she ever thought possible. And when they weren't talking about the house or her work, they made love.

They pretty much christened every room, the stairs, the porch and even once in the grass out front. And every time it just got better and better—and every time she fell deeper in love with him.

"I went into the room today."

Molly didn't need to ask which room he was talking about because she already knew it was the one that reminded him of his father. "Find anything interesting?" she asked nonchalantly.

"Actually, I did."

"Really?" She looked up at his face to read his expression but as usual she couldn't tell what he was thinking. "What did you find?" She took the food out of the bag and spread it on the blanket.

"A few things."

Molly noticed how closed off he seemed suddenly and didn't want to press him unless he was ready to tell her. "Did you want mustard on your burger?"

"Sure." Lucian readjusted his position on the blanket and took another drink of his beer. A chilly breeze blew against them bringing with it the smell of freshly cut grass. A landscaping company had been out earlier and cut the lawn.

"The yard looks great," she said while she finished fixing their burgers, and pulling out the chips and splitting them up on the plates.

"Yeah. I think so too. They will be out later in the week to do some more trimming, mulching, stuff like that."

"Great." She handed him a plate of food.

"So," he hedged, taking the plate and setting it down on the blanket. "What do you want me to do with the items I find?" he asked and then took a bite of his burger.

"I don't care."

Lucian gave her a curious look. "What do you think the owner wants me to do?"

"Oh. I guess we should try to keep the good pieces of furniture as well as anything that you think adds to integrity of the place but other than that, I don't see why you can't keep it for yourself."

Lucian chewed his burger slowly, digesting the information. "I don't know," he finally said. "There are some good pieces in here, as well as some other things you and the owner might find of interest."

Molly lifted a chip out of her bag. "What things?"

"There are a lot of books."

"I guess we could keep those. If you think they are in good condition."

"They are."

"So, what else?"

"I found a hidden compartment."

Molly swallowed her bite of burger. "A what?"

"It was behind the wall paper I tore down."

A rush of excitement shot through her. She told her father she bet this place had all sorts of treasures hidden inside but of course, he had laughed and told her that was highly unlikely. "Like what?"

He got a strange look on his face.

"Lucian, what did you find?"

He took a breath. "There were some papers and this." He pulled a book out of his back pocket and set it on the blanket. It was leather bound, and not much bigger than a paperback romance she liked to read, and it had a green velvet ribbon tied around it. "What does it say?" Her skin prickled.

"I don't know. I opened it up, but then I closed it again."

She reached out for the book. "Why?" Her hand hovered over the top.

"I recognize the handwriting."

"What do you mean?" She jerked her hand away.

"I am kind of afraid to tell you."

"Why?"

"You will think I am crazy."

"Lucian." She reached out to place her hand on his. "I would never think that."

"Promise?" he asked, looking hopeful but unsure at the same time.

"Of course, I promise."

He took a breath. "It looks like my father's handwriting."

Molly blinked stupidly, not sure what to say to that.

"See. I told you that you would think I was crazy."

Molly recovered. "I don't, I promise, but how can that be possible?"

He shrugged and took another lengthy swallow of his beer and set it down. "I have no idea but I think if we find out who owned this place before your ah, friend bought the house we might get some answers. Who did you say owns this place, again?"

"Uh, I'm not sure who owned it before my uh, father's acquaintance acquired it. But I am sure there have been several owners over the years."

"Wait...your father?"

"Huh?" Molly's mind was spinning a mile a minute, trying to keep her fibs straight.

"I didn't think you had any parents."

"Of course, I do. How else would I be here now?"

Lucian raked his hands down his face and then dropped them at his sides. "I just assumed your parents were dead. You never mentioned them."

"Oh." She laughed a little, albeit a forced one. "My parents are divorced. But they are both still very much alive." She shrugged and quickly grabbed her beer to give herself something to do.

"Do you talk to them?"

"My father, yes. My mother, not so much."

"Why not your mom?"

"She took off a few years back and we haven't talked much since. I get an occasional card on the holidays and my birthday, but that's about it."

"Where did she go?"

"Got me."

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be. I think she's happy now."

"Why did she leave your father?"

"Um, not sure. My dad says she had a restless spirit and needed to keep moving."

"Doesn't that bother you?"

"Not anymore. Granted it used to, but as I grew older, I could kind of understand what she was going through. My father can be... difficult."

His brows creased. "How so?"

"Let's just say, he has high standards and a lot of people fall short of the mark with him."

"Except you?"

"Of course, except me. I am his little girl and can do no wrong."

"Must be nice," Lucian muttered.

Molly didn't comment to that because she already knew about the estranged relationship Lucian had with his father before he went missing.

"Where is your father now?" he asked.

Molly lifted her beer. "I'm not sure. I think he's somewhere in England right now."

"You don't know?"

"Well, no. I don't keep tabs on my father."

"What's he doing over there?"

"Business stuff, I guess." She shrugged. "He has lots of business ventures."

"What kind of business ventures?" Lucian started feeling sick to his stomach and he didn't know why.

"Gosh, I don't know. I never really asked."

Lucian finished off the rest of his beer and then tossed the empty bottle in the bag. "I think I need another beer. You want one?"

She lifted her bottle and looked at the remaining dregs in the bottom. "Sure. Why not."

Lucian grabbed two more beers out of the cooler and popped the tops on them. Handing one out to Molly, he sat back down.

Molly took the beer, and set it down on the blanket.

"Do you think you can find out? About who owned the house, I mean?"

"Sure. I can ask my da—err, I mean, the owner." Molly still hadn't told Lucian her father owned the house. And she had no intention of doing so until much later. At this point, he was on a need to know basis and she didn't think he needed to know. Even though, she did feel a bit bad for keeping secrets from him but she would worry about that later.

"What do you want to do with this?" he asked, pointing his beer towards the journal.

"Don't you want to read it?"

"I don't think I can."

"I can read it if you want."

"It's up to you."

"Aren't you curious?"

"No. Not really."

Molly found that hard to believe but didn't press the issue. "I think I'll just wait a bit, unless you want me to read it now."

"No. I'm good."

"Okay then. We will wait. I mean, I will wait. Okay?"

"Sure."

After that, the conversation turned back to renovations and what happened at work. And although, Lucian didn't mention the journal again, but Molly caught him looking at it off and on, with a look akin to longing that she didn't quite understand. She wanted to read it _now_ , but in deference to Lucian's feelings, she refrained.

♦

After Lucian showed her the progress he had made on the house, Molly came up with an excuse to go back outside. She said she had to clean up the trash but she really wanted to take a peek at the journal and put it in her car before she forgot about it. With that in mind, she walked back out onto the porch as Lucian climbed the stairs to take a shower.

The sun had gone down and there was distinct chill in the air. A cool breeze blew against her and the trees surrounding the house made a rustling sound. It was such a peaceful place and she could quite clearly envision what it would be like to live here with Lucian. That is, if he wanted to. She wasn't sure how he would react if he knew her father owned the house. She didn't tell him at first because she didn't want him thinking he was a charity case. If he did know, she was sure he would have turned her down, so that is why she fibbed about it in the first place.

Leaning down, she picked up the trash and put it in the bag along with the empty bottles. The journal was on top of the blanket. Feeling a bit guilty, she leaned back and looked inside the house, making sure Lucian hadn't come back downstairs without her hearing him.

The coast was clear.

She quickly untied the ribbon and opened the book.

Inside was barely legible scrawl.

Leaning down closer to the page, she tried to read what it said, but it too dark. Shifting closer to the dim porch light, she read what was written on the first page. "Rebecca...my love..."

Her heart picked up pace. "No." She shook her head. "It can't be the same Rebecca...can it?" About to turn the page, she heard a noise from inside the house.

Not wanting Lucian to see her reading the journal after she told him she wouldn't, she slammed the book shut, retied the ribbon, and quickly balled it up in the blanket that was on the porch.

Not wasting another moment, she ran down the stairs to where her car was parked. She felt like a thief, skulking around outside in the dark. Pressing the button on her keychain, the lights in her car popped on. Opening the back, she tossed the blanket and the journal inside, and then slammed the door shut.

Once the journal was out of her hands, she felt a lot better. Still, she couldn't help but wonder if it was the same Rebecca and if it was, did Lucian's father really write that. Lucian felt it was his father's handwriting, but that couldn't be possible, could it?

Well, Molly thought, she didn't think ghosts were real either, but she was proved wrong on that count, too...unless, she was losing her ever-loving-mind. But even if on the off chance she imagined the ghost, there was still the very real journal to consider and what was written inside.

Halfway back to the house, she stopped. She had the strangest feeling she was being watched. Slowly, she turned back towards her car, half expecting to see someone standing there. But no one was there.

"Weird." Feeling a strange uneasiness settle on her, she started fast walking the rest of the way back to the house. When she was back on the porch, something shifted in her peripheral. Heart pounding, she spun around.

A ghostly silhouette was outlined in the glow of the moon. "I have a weapon," she yelled, freaking out.

Lucian stepped out of the shadows. "Molly, it's me."

"What are you doing out here?"

"I was coming to help you clean up."

"I thought you were going to take a shower?" She didn't know why but she felt not only guilty, but also a little scared, which was ridiculous. Why would she suddenly feel afraid of Lucian?

"I was, but I decided to help you first."

"Too late. I already cleaned up."

Lucian walked forward. "What did you put in your car?" He had a strange look on his face.

"The blanket. I had to put the blanket away." That was at least half true.

He looked out in the darkness towards her car and then back at her. "We better get inside."

"Why?" She didn't know why but she suddenly felt like running out to the safety of her car.

He frowned. "It's late and I want to show you something."

"Oh. Okay."

Lucian held out his hand.

Reluctantly, Molly put her hand in his outstretched one and let Lucian pull her back inside.

Once they were in the foyer, he released her hand and shut the door. Then he locked it.

Molly looked over at him, noticing the strange look was still on his face. "Why are you locking the door?"

He frowned again. "I always lock the door."

"Right. Of course. What was I thinking?"

"Molly, are you okay?"

"Oh yeah. I'm just great. Why do you ask?"

"I don't know. I just feel like there is something wrong. Are freaked out about what I said about the journal. You know, looking like it was my father's handwriting?"

"Of course not," she lied again.

He took a step forward.

Molly took a step backward.

"Are you afraid of me?"

That took her off guard. Was she? Hell, yeah, she was. But she didn't know why. "No. I'm just tired."

"Come on. Let me tuck you in."

"What?"

"Molly?" He stepped forward. "What's the matter?"

"Maybe I am a little freaked about the journal," she finally admitted. She didn't mention that she looked inside the book or that the ribbon around the journal looked like the same as the one on the map they had found. Did Lucian notice the ribbon as well? Is that why he didn't want to read the journal?

"I can see why. It freaks me out too."

"It does?"

"Of course. Trust me, the last thing I ever expected to find here was something that reminded me of my father."

"So, you don't think it was his handwriting?"

"I...no. I mean, how could it be, right?"

"Right." A wave of relief washed over her, along with a niggling sense of guilt. Should she tell him about peeking inside and what she read?

"It's just weird that it looks like his handwriting, you know?"

"I can see that." She suddenly felt terrible for getting so freaked out before. Of course, it wasn't the same Rebecca. It had to be just a coincidence...right?

"Come on," he said, smiling, holding out his hand again.

"Lucian," she began...

"What's the matter?"

"I peeked in the journal," she blurted.

"I thought you might."

"You did?"

"Yeah."

"Are you mad?"

"No. I am not mad."

"Well..." She waffled in place. "I think you might want to know what I saw..."

He shook his head. "No. I don't. Let's just leave it be for now, alright?"

"Um..." Molly debated whether to just tell him what she read...

As if reading her thoughts, he added, "Sometimes things are better left alone."

Well, that was true enough, she supposed. "Okay," she finally agreed, even though she still had every intention of reading the journal when she got some time alone.

"Come on," he said again, lifting his hand out to her. "I've got a surprise for you."

"What is it?"

He gave her a reprimanding look. "If I told you, it wouldn't be a surprise."

"Oh, right." Maybe that was why he had a weird look on his face, and why he was on the porch—he was trying to make sure she didn't spoil his surprise.

"Now close your eyes," he instructed as he grabbed hold of her hand.

Molly closed her eyes.

"Watch your step," he said, pulling her forward.

"You know, that's kind of hard to do if I am to keep my eyes shut."

He squeezed her hand. "Smartass."

"I know," she laughed. "My da— "

She stopped abruptly. She was going to say her dad always said that but didn't want to bring him into the conversation because who knew where it would lead. Thankfully, Lucian didn't seem to notice.

"Okay. Don't move," he said, when they stopped walking. "And don't open your eyes."

"Got it." She smiled.

"Are your eyes still shut?"

"Yes." She could hear him moving around but had no idea what he was doing.

Lucian grabbed hold of her hands again. "Okay, before you open your eyes, I have to tell you something."

"Uh-huh." A feeling of dread washed over her.

"I don't know how it happened, exactly," he began.

"How what happened?" Oh, God, he was going to tell her he slept with Tracy...she knew she should have fired the bitch when she had the chance. But Dan begged her to let Tracy stay on at the restaurant and she caved. Stupid. Stupid. Stupid.

"I know we haven't know each other that long, but I guess old habits die hard."

"Old habits?" _Oh_ _no_.

"Yeah. When I feel something in my gut, I have to act on it."

Now she felt really sick. _He's going to dump you_ , her sick mind taunted her. Oh God—WHY?

"Okay. You can open your eyes."

Molly opened her eyes and promptly screamed.

#  CHAPTER FORTY-NINE

The Mountain Lodge Restaurant- three weeks later

Molly pulled the keys out of the ignition. Her palms were sweating and she wiped them of the fronts of her jeans. Grabbing her bag off the seat, she climbed out of the car and shut the door.

Pulling her bag on her shoulder, she let out a nervous breath and looked over at Lucian.

"Maybe we should wait," Lucian said, from across the car after he climbed out.

"It'll be fine," she assured him. "My father is just a big old Teddy Bear."

"Maybe he is to you but I doubt I will have the same effect..." Lucian mumbled.

"Don't worry. He will love you as much as I do."

Lucian gave her a look that said otherwise. "Yeah, I won't be holding my breath on that one."

Molly laughed. "Come on. He's not that bad."

"I think your opinion may be a bit biased." He tugged on his leather jacket and raked his hand through his hair.

Molly watched him, it was hard not to. He was so damned sexy. Lucian looked like the quintessential bad boy, the one every woman dreams of—, and he was all hers—, and she still couldn't believe it. She would have pinched herself to make sure this was real and not some fiction conjured from her overactive mind but was afraid she would wake up from the best damn dream she could have ever had.

Walking over to the other side of the car, she reached out, grabbed hold of Lucian's hand, and gave it a reassuring squeeze.

He looked down at her with heavy lidded gaze and his lips tugged upward into a slow sexy grin. "I think I'm ready."

"Good." She tugged on his hand and pulled him around to the back entrance.

"Did you tell your father about the mine?"

"Not yet."

"Oh." Lucian stopped abruptly.

Molly looked up at him. "What's wrong?"

"Whose car is that?" Lucian pointed over at a Shelby Cobra sitting in a parking space near the door.

"I guess it's my father's. Why?"

His brows creased. "My brother has a car like that, too."

"Really," she choked, finally remembering something.

Lucian reached out and patted her back. "You okay?"

"Yep. I'm good."

He gave her strange look. "You don't look too good."

"Gee, thanks."

"You know what I mean," he said, opening the door for her.

"I'm fine," she assured him stepping inside, even though she was freaking out. Molly usually kept out of her father's affairs but she remembered quite clearly, when he got that car and where he got it. And more importantly, now she knew why the name Ravenhurst seemed so familiar when Lucian had brought it up...

Before she could make up a viable excuse to leave, the door to her father's office opened up and out stepped Cuthbert, her father's right-hand man.

"Hey boss man," Cuthbert called over his shoulder into the office. "Come and see who the cat dragged in." Turning back around, he held out his arms to Molly. "You are a sight for sore eyes, baby girl," he said. "Come and give your uncle a hug."

Cuthbert wasn't really her uncle but she had called him that since her mother left. Hoping to delay the inevitable, she walked forward into his outstretched arms, giving him an obligatory hug. "It's good to see you."

He released her and held her at arm's length. "Let me look at you," he said, smiling, revealing a few new teeth that hadn't been there before. "I think you have gotten taller."

He always said that.

"No, I haven't," she assured him.

Lucian was frozen in place. He couldn't breathe. How? It was the only word his mind could register.

Bishop's imposing frame filled the doorway. His eyes settled on his daughter, noting immediately that she seemed in good spirits. He had his doubts since he knew that dipshit Dan had dumped her, again. When that happened, she was usually a basket case until Dan wormed his way back into her life again regardless of his warnings.

"Daddy." Molly broke away from Cuthbert and ran to her father, wrapping her arms around his waist.

Bishop hugged her back, stroking his hand down her hair, like he had since she was a little girl. "You seem happy," he warily said, testing the waters.

"I am." She pressed her head against his chest, inhaling his comforting scent.

Lucian finally got his feet to move. Acting quickly, he stepped back into the shadows hoping to be unobserved until this little reunion was over and he could get the hell out of here before he was noticed.

It was too late though. Bishop's dark gaze settled on him. "Long time no see," he said, disentangling his daughter's arms from around his waist.

"Oh, Daddy," she said. "I want you to meet my fiancée, Lucian, the love of my life," Molly said thinking fast, hoping to head off any kind of confrontation between Lucian and her father.

Bishop did a double take. "What did you say?" He looked pointedly at his daughter.

"That's _my_ Lucian, Daddy," she said and added, "I finally took your advice." She smiled up at him.

"What advice might that be?" His eyes landed back on Lucian.

Lucian tensed. If looks could kill he would already be dead, he thought.

"That I should stay away from Dan and find someone else—I found him." She walked over to Lucian and put her arm around his rigid body.

Bishop blinked a few times and then rubbed his brow.

Cuthbert was the first to react. He got into a defensive stance, and cracked his knuckles. "What the bloody hell are you doing here?"

Lucian opened his mouth and closed it again.

"I already told you," Molly interjected. "This is my fiancée'," she said, laying her left hand on Lucian's chest reassuringly, showing off her emerald engagement ring.

"Sir," Lucian began...

"No." Bishop lifted his hand. "Not yet."

Lucian swallowed hard and nodded.

"Molly would you be a dear and get me a drink from the bar?"

Molly looked between her father and Lucian. "Daddy, you better be nice," she warned.

"Of course, sweetheart," he assured her. "Cuthbert go with Molly and get yourself a drink."

Cuthbert was about to object but one look from Bishop made him hold his tongue. He walked towards the adjoining room.

"Do you want me to stay?" she asked Lucian.

"No." He shook his head. "Go get your father his drink."

Molly narrowed her eyes at her father. "You better be nice," she warned again as walked across the room.

"I already told you that I would."

Once Molly and Cuthbert were out of earshot, Bishop smoothed a hand over his inky black hair that had a slight peppering of gray at the temples. "How do you know my daughter?"

"I didn't know she was your daughter."

"Obviously," Bishop said. "But how did you meet her?"

"She ran out in front of me on the road."

"She what?"

"She was trying to flag me down—her car broke down."

Bishop shook his head. "I've been telling her to get rid of that death trap for years..."

"And she asked me to be her date for her friend's wedding."

Bishops brow lifted. "She did?"

"Yes, Sir."

"Did she have a good time?"

"Yes, I believe so."

Bishop frowned. "I see."

"About the money..." Lucian began.

"It's already been taken care of."

It was Lucian's turn to frown. "How?"

"Your brother paid your debt some time ago. Didn't he tell you?"

A wave of relief washed over Lucian. "I haven't spoken to him." He couldn't believe it. Was that why his brother was trying to get in touch with him?

"I was wondering where you ran off to," Bishop said. "And now I know."

"I wasn't trying to avoid you..."

"Let's cut the bullshit. I know you ran. Luckily for you, your brother had the means to fulfill your debt or we would be having a very different conversation right now."

"I'm sure we would," Lucian agreed.

"Do you care about my daughter?"

"Yes." He nodded.

"What do you plan to do?"

"I'm sorry. What do you mean?"

"Do you plan on sticking around?"

"Of course, I wouldn't have asked her to marry me..."

Bishop cut him off with a look. "You still need money, I assume?"

"Don't I always need money," he joked and then regretted it. "I have been working," he added quickly.

"Doing what, exactly?"

"I've been renovating the old Jenson house for a friend of your daughter's. It's coming along nicely."

Bishop contemplated him for a moment, wondering why his daughter hadn't told him that he owned the house. "That's new. Have you turned over a new leaf, then?" His brow hitched up. "Given up gambling, have you?" he poked.

"Yes, Sir, that's the plan."

"And what if I offered you money to leave? Would you take it?"

Lucian was about to answer...knowing the shortfalls of himself better than anyone. He had always taken the easy way out— to hell with the consequences— which he had learned the hard way on more than one occasion that there really was no easy way out—you would have to pay your dues at some point but he could take the money and put off the inevitable for a bit longer...couldn't he?

"It's a substantial amount that I am offering." Bishop added, "For you, it could mean beginning again somewhere else, or going back home a very wealthy man." Bishop pulled out a checkbook from the breast pocket of his impeccably tailored suit jacket. "Name your price."

Lucian looked at the checkbook, a battle waging in his mind. In another time, his answer would be a no brainer—he would take the money and run. But could he leave Molly? The old Lucian said yes, but the new Lucian wasn't so sure...

#  CHAPTER FIFTY

Chimney Rock, North Carolina-Six Weeks Later

Life was all about perspective, Molly thought as she placed her hands on the worn wood railing at exclamation point, the farthest part of Chimney Rock mountain that you could still reach on foot, remembering the last time she was here. It seemed like a lifetime ago that she stood in this very same place contemplating her life, or lack thereof, with the town she knew beneath, little specks in the fading horizon.

Sniffing, she wiped away a stray tear that slipped from her eye.

"I hope those are tears of joy or you are going to give me a complex."

Molly looked up into Lucian's smiling eyes and her heart nearly burst with the love she felt for him. "Of course, she assured him. "I just get emotional every time I am here. It's really beautiful."

"Yes, it is." But Lucian wasn't looking at the scenery, he was looking at Molly, his bride. He could hardly believe it himself and if someone had told him a year ago that he would be married to a girl he had only met a few short months ago, he would have laughed and told them they were out of their ever-loving minds—but as with most things in life, nothing ever turns out the way you think it will, which for Lucian, had turned out to be a boon in his favor.

Before he met Molly, he was headed down a dark path. He let his greed and jealousy, not only jade him, but also push him into making bad choices and they were doozies. Now however, with Molly by his side, he felt like a new man and the possibilities of what the future held in store for them both were not only bright but boundless.

Now, since most of the renovations were completed at the house, their house, he amended, they were going to see the sights,—Molly had her heart set on going to a real castle. He had one in mind—two actually, but he didn't want her to know about either until he made few calls and tidied up the loose ends.

"So, what do you think?" Molly asked, pulling Lucian from his thoughts.

"Hmm..." He stroked his chin. "You sure you can get up there?"

She smacked his arm lightly. "Hey, I beat you up here, remember?"

His wiped the sweat from his brow. "You tired me out last night."

"I was on top," she reminded him.

"But I did all the work."

"No, you didn't..."

His lips tugged up into a slow grin, making her forget her rebuttal.

He laughed. "I get you every time."

"That you do," she agreed, smiling warmly up at him.

"Now what was your question?"

"I can't remember. Can you?"

"It seems to have slipped my mind."

She narrowed her eyes. "You don't remember? Really?"

"Of course, I remember."

"Then what were we talking about?"

"Your fantasy."

"So," she said. "What do you think?"

"I made it up here, didn't I?" He pushed his wet hair behind his ears.

Molly chewed on her lip, thinking about how tired she was. "I suppose we could go back to the house and..."

"And ruin your fantasy of uninhibited sex on the side of a mountain? I think not."

"Are you sure you can muster enough energy to perform your husbandly duties?" Her hand slid down over the front of his jeans.

Lucian groaned. "I believe, I have turned you into an insatiable monster."

"But I am _your_ insatiable monster."

"Why yes, my lovely wife, you are."

Without another word, Lucian bent over, swept Molly into his arms, and headed off to the relative seclusion of the grotto to make love to his new bride on the side of a mountain.

He could hardly wait.

# EPILOGUE

A Month Later

"It won't be that bad," Molly said, smiling up at her husband's handsome face. "I am sure everyone will just eat and then want to leave."

"Yeah, right." Lucian moved another chair to the table. They still didn't have all the furniture they wanted for the house but since it was going to be more of an informal dinner party, he didn't think that would matter too much.

"Give it some time," she said, setting out the glasses. "I am sure he will come to love you as I do."

Lucian highly doubted that was going to be the case, but he didn't mind. He was just exorbitantly happy her father didn't try to kill him. It was touch and go for a while. He gave his wife a dubious look. "I spoke to your father after the wedding and we came to an understanding of sorts."

"Really? What understanding did you come to?"

"That I am to be the best husband you could ever hope for or, as your father put it, 'he will kill me'."

"Wow." Molly laughed.

Then she caught the serious look on Lucian's face and immediately regretted it. "You know he was only kidding, right?"

"Oh, sure." Even though Lucian highly doubted that was the case. Good thing, he had every intention of making Molly the happiest woman in the world. And it did help that he and Molly planned on leaving the states for the holidays. Thinking of home made him think of Reed, his brother, and what he gave up to get Lucian out of debt. He could still hardly believe it.

Now he knew why the car in the lot behind the restaurant had looked so familiar. It was what Reed referred to as 'his baby'. Still, Lucian had a hard time believing her brother had given up his prized possession for him. But there it was, plain as day, sitting in the lot behind the restaurant. Every time he saw the car now, it made him miss his brother and realize he may have misjudged him... _maybe_. He'd reserve judgement on that count until after he saw Reed again.

"What are you thinking about?" She wiped off her hands and walk towards Lucian.

"Reed."

"What about him?"

"I was wondering if you would mind stopping off to see him in our travels. You know, sometime during the honeymoon?"

"No." She shook her head up and down and then changed direction. "I mean, yes. I would love to meet your brother and see your home."

"Are you sure?"

"Of course, I am sure. I mean, come on, what girl in her right mind wouldn't want to see a castle." She gave him a cheesy grin and then nudged him when a frown creased between his brows. "I really don't care about that," she said honestly. "But I would truly love to see where you were raised." It was hard to remember how insecure Lucian was about some things. Like he didn't think he deserved to be happy, which made her sad.

"Well, it is a castle," he said. "So, you will get both."

"I know I can't wait." She felt like pinching herself to make sure she wasn't dreaming and couldn't help wondering how she got so lucky. "I'll get to meet his new wife, too."

Lucian shook his head, half in wonderment, and half in disbelief. "I still have a hard time believing he married Raven."

"Why?"

"She was the appraiser that was sent out from the auction house, Biddle and Bailey."

"Was he going to sell your home?"

"God no. Reed wouldn't do that unless..." Lucian trailed off. Would Reed? Suddenly he wasn't so sure.

"What?"

"Nothing. I am sure everything is fine."

"Have you called him yet?"

Lucian shook his head. "No."

"You said you would after the wedding."

Lucian exhaled. "I think it's better if we surprise him."

"Why?"

"That way he can't tell me to stay away."

"He wouldn't do that..." Molly stopped talking because of the look Lucian was giving her.

"Yes," he said. "Reed would."

"Oh. Well, that's not very nice."

"Who said Reed was nice?"

"Oh, just stop. He is your brother, and he did pay off your debts which was a very nice thing to do."

Lucian crossed his arms and leaned back against the mantel. "Yeah, I guess you are right."

"Well..." Molly reached up and tucked a piece of Lucian's hair behind his ear. "I would love to see your home and meet your family. Raven and I can compare notes..."

Lucian eyes cut to her face. "On what, exactly?"

"Oh, I'm sure we would find something to talk about."

"Wife?"

"Yes, husband?" She gave him a look of innocence.

"What would you compare notes on?"

"Oh, just your prowess in bed and..."

Lucian didn't let her finish. Bending over, he swept Molly up in his arms and tossed her over his shoulder.

"Put me down this instant." She pummeled his back lightly. "The guests will be here soon."

"The guests can wait." He smacked her backside.

"Ow! Lucian, stop."

"That's husband, to you, wife."

"Husband!" Molly yelled. "What are you doing?"

"I am making sure you have ample notes to compare."

♦

Lucian dried the last plate and looked over at the clock on the stove. It was three in the morning.

All in all, the evening had gone well, he thought, setting the rest of the dishes in the cabinet. Even her father seemed to be in a good mood for a change, and that was saying something. Granted, the man had given them the house as a wedding gift but Lucian didn't hold out any hope for more than a cordial relationship with the man. He couldn't blame him, really, especially considering their past relationship.

Even Cuthbert had been tolerable for a change. And he did like Marshall and Peggy even though they really were an unconventional couple—but that's what he liked most about them. As a belated wedding gift, they wanted to take them on a Segway tour at Biltmore Estate and then for a private wine tasting after they got back from their honeymoon.

Their gift was his second favorite out of all the gifts they received for the wedding. The first, of course, was the house—thanks to Molly's persuasion and of course, the generosity of her father. And it helped that Bishop had been so impressed with the updates and work on the house he had completed so far, that he even offered Lucian a job to work on other historic properties he had acquired in the area. He had to admit, he was pretty excited about that and had all sorts of ideas for bringing the old houses into the twenty first century.

Bishop seemed pleased with the ideas he had so far as well.

Stretching, he walked over to the door and switched off the light. Walking down the hall, he made a few mental notes about what he still needed to bring the house up to date. And even though some rooms still needed some work, that was okay. He had plenty of time to complete the house and outbuildings before he started his new job in the spring.

Climbing the stairs, Lucian stopped and stared down the hall at the room at the end—the one that reminded him of his father. He still had not updated it but instead, left it the way he had originally found it—well, almost. There was a spot missing some wallpaper, where he had found the journal.

"Wait..." Lucian frowned, thinking.

"What happened to the journal?"

♦

The bed gave as Lucian climbed in beside Molly.

"What took you so long?" Molly asked on a yawn.

"I was looking around a bit."

"Oh." Molly rolled over.

"What happened to the journal?"

Molly's eyes popped open and she sat up. "I don't know."

"How don't you know?" Lucian frowned, trying to make sense of what she was saying.

"I wanted to tell you, but then I forgot..." she was rambling.

"Wait...what do you mean?"

Molly took a breath. "I was going to read it and actually peeked inside, which I told you about, but then you asked me to marry you, remember?"

"Yes, I remember."

"Well, after that, I kind of forgot, but then one day, I thought about it and went out to my car."

Lucian gave her a questioning look.

"I put it in there with the blanket," she explained.

"Go on."

"Well, like I said. I kind-of forgot about it. You know," she elaborated, "with all the excitement about the wedding..."

"Yes," he cut her off. "What happened then?"

"I went out to my car and it was gone."

"Gone? How could that have happened?"

"I don't know. Maybe someone took it or maybe it fell out or something." She grabbed his hand. "Are you upset?"

"Nah." He shook his head. "Just curious."

"Oh, good, I was worried."

His brows creased. "Why would you be worried?"

"You know, because of what I read."

"I thought you said you didn't read it."

"Well, I didn't, not really. I only saw one page."

"What did it say?" his voice was barely audible.

Molly chewed her lip and then said, "You sure you want to know?"

He took a breath. "Yes."

"I could be wrong, but could swear I read, Rebecca, my love..."

Lucian swallowed hard, trying to digest what she said. "Are you sure?" he asked finally.

Molly nodded.

"Do you think..." she started.

"No." He shook his head. "Must be a coincidence."

"Yeah, that's what I was thinking too."

"Right. Okay..." Lucian raked his hands over his face and dropped them back on his lap. "What's wrong?"

"Well..." Molly made a face. "There is that ribbon to consider..."

"What..." Then he remembered. "Right, it did have a ribbon on it—an emerald green one."

"Yeah." Molly nodded.

He shrugged. "Big deal. So, what if it had a ribbon on it."

"Don't you remember what else had a ribbon on it?" Molly leaned forward, peering closely at his face.

"The map."

"Exactly," Molly said. "But I'm sure that is just a coincidence, too."

"Yeah, I guess."

Molly noticed the resolute look on his face. "You don't believe in coincidences, do you?"

"Sure, I do."

Molly rolled her eyes and fell back on the pillows. "Great."

"What was that for?"

"You are lying."

"Hey," he chuckled, amazed at how well Molly knew him. "How do you know that?"

"You were a gambler. There is no way you would believe in a coincidence. Luck, yes, a longshot, yes but a mere coincidence...no way."

Lying back on the pillows, Lucian lifted her hand in his, and kissed her palm gently; then gave it a good squeeze. "I believe, my dear wife, that sometimes you know me better than I know myself."

"And you, my dear husband, know me better than I know myself... _sometimes_."

"You mean, all the time?" Lucian leaned over and gave her a chaste kiss on the lips, then fell onto his back once more.

" _Maaybee_..." Molly leaned over and gave him a chaste kiss as well. "There." She looked down at him. His eyes were heavy-lidded and he had a mischievous grin playing on his lips.

"What's this?" She reached down and ran her hand over the object in question.

"It's a friend of mine and he misses you terribly."

"He does?"

"Yes."

"Hmm..." She snuggled closer. "What does this friend of yours have in mind?"

"He is open to any and all suggestions."

"Is he?" She stroked the tips of her fingers over the velvety skin of his erection.

Lucian groaned.

"How badly does he want to make my acquaintance?"

"Pretty damn bad."

"Well," she sighed. "Maybe I could be persuaded to meet him...for a price."

"What price might that be?" he asked.

"What price is he willing to pay?"

"I'm pretty sure the skies the limit."

"Only the sky? What about the moon and the stars?"

"I bet if you ask him nicely he would give you them as well."

"Wow. This friend of yours must want to meet with me pretty badly."

"He does."

"Has he also told you how he wants to meet me?"

"I'd bet he would take you anyway he could have you."

"He doesn't have a preference?"

"Oh, he does," he assured her.

"And what might those preferences be?" She tightened her grip.

Lucian groaned. "He is feeling a bit overwrought and wondered if you could take control."

"Really?" She propped her head on her hand but continued massaging his length with her other hand.

"Yes, really." His eyes glazed with lust.

Releasing him, she crawled up and straddled his waist. Pressing her palms down on his chest, she leaned close to his face. "Do you think he would like me like this?"

"Oh, yes." His lips lifted into a slow sexy smile. "I think he would really like that."

Molly kissed him quickly and then pulled back before he could kiss her back. "I guess I could arrange that for him." Using her fingernails, she raked them down his chest.

Lucian's breath hitched. "If you did, I'd bet he would do anything you asked."

"Anything?" She circled, teasing him.

"Anything," he repeated.

"Well then, I don't see how I can refuse." Grabbing hold of his throbbing erection, she settled down on top of him.

Lucian gritted his teeth. She felt amazing and he had all he could do not to come on the spot. "You feel so good, baby." Reaching up, he held her breasts and thumbed her nipples. Back and forth, he slid the pads over delicate flesh, making them tighten into little buds.

Molly moaned.

"Do you like that?"

"Yes," she said, nodding. Moving slowly, she eased upward and then back down once again, riding him. She repeated the action, moving just as slow.

"Baby," he groaned. "You are making me crazy." Not able to take it, he pulled her down and kissed her—Hard. Hot. Until they were both breathing in each other's air... panting, tasting, touching, devouring. "I love you so much!" he murmured against her parted lips, holding her face in his hands.

Molly agreed wholeheartedly because she felt the exact same way. She loved him so much it hurt and every time she was even near him, she wanted to be like this...together...as close as they could get to one another until there was no space left between them.

Back and forth, they gave each other pleasure...taking and giving, until they were both breathless with want...need.

"Damn, baby. I can't get enough of you." Rising up, he flipped her over on her back. Never missing a beat, he continued his assault.

Acclimating herself to the new position, Molly tightened her legs and thrust up to meet him.

"Oh, _yeah_!" Lucian gasped. Pumping harder, faster, body pulsing—he kept up the rhythm until he pushed them both over the edge into an explosive release at the same time.

Falling back on the pillows, Lucian grabbed hold of her hand and dragged it over his raging heart. "I love you, _wife_ ," he said quietly.

Molly sighed contentedly. "I love you too, _husband_."

♦

Lost in thought, Lucian held tightly to Molly, stroking his fingers down her bare back as she snuggled next to his side, sleeping. He wasn't sure to make of the new revelations he had found out about the journal, or if it really even mattered. He liked to think it didn't, but there was something about it, something niggling in the back of his mind that didn't quite add up.

There were too many ' _What if's'_. What if his father was in the past? What if he really did love Rebecca? What happened to him, to her?" He let out a heavy sigh. He guessed he would never know. Just like he would never know if there was really a treasure hidden at Ravenhurst...the one he and Reed had searched for as boys—the same one his father had disappeared looking for.

"I'm going home," he said, still not believing he would be back at Ravenhurst within the week. He smiled thinking of how shocked Reed was going to be. Knowing Reed, he'd shut the door in his face—or he would, if he didn't have such impeccable manners, he thought.

Besides, he knew, regardless of his differences with his brother, that Reed would welcome Molly with open arms into their home.

Not to mention that he still needed to thank his brother for bailing him out with his most prized possession, no less. Who knew, maybe, just maybe, his brother did love him after all. Now that was something to ponder...he thought wryly and then discarded the notion. More likely Reed had a windfall and...

His mind squelched to a halt.

Holy Shit!

Did Reed somehow find the treasure of Ravenhurst?

"Nah, he couldn't have...could he?"

Lucian didn't know, but he would certainly be finding out in the not too distant future.

♥

#  Dear Reader –

I hope you enjoyed getting to know Lucian Scott a little better and meeting Molly. If you are still wanting more of Lucian's and Molly's story as well as the other occupants of Ravenhurst, not to worry, I will be adding another book to the series very soon with, Ravenhurst – A Modern Day Christmas where you can revisit Molly and Lucian on their honeymoon as well as reacquaint yourself with Marguerite, Darias, Milford, Raven, Reed and a few surprise guests that you won't be expecting.

Ravenhurst, A Modern- Day Christmas

COMING SOON

Inquiring minds want to know...

What happened to Drake Scott? Was he really in the past with Rebecca? And if he was, did he find the emeralds? Did he kill her father? What really happened to the journal Lucian found? Was it really his father's handwriting? Was it really about 'the Rebecca' from the emerald mine? _Maybe_...but that is a whole other story.

Rebecca, My Love,

A Ravenhurst Series Novel

Coming in the not so distant future

♥

What's Brewing at the Castle?

As for the plans for my Ravenhurst Series, I will be also adding a book about Merlin this year. This will be a prequel but also revisit some of the other occupants of Ravenhurst in the past. More information on that book will be announced in about a month.

♥

To be the first to know when I am releasing another book, and to be kept up to date on the latest happenings at Ravenhurst, sign up to my newsletter HERE!

# ALL BOOKS IN THE RAVENHURST SERIES

FORGOTTEN TIME

SHADOWS OF YESTERDAY

TIME TO REMEMBER

DREAMS OF TOMMORROW

NOW AND FOREVER

A VICTORIAN CHRISTMAS

LUCIAN

MERLIN

A MODERN-DAY CHRISTMAS

REBECCA, MY LOVE

RAVENHURST BOX SET

SPECIAL READERS CHOICE TRILOGY

RAVENHURST VOL I

RAVENHURST VOL II

RAVENHURST VOL III

KEEP READING TO CHECK OUT LORRAINE'S OTHER BESTSELLING SERIES

RAVENHURST SERIES

#1 Bestselling Time Travel Series

"If you have ever wanted to take an adventure through time, this would be the one to take! Loved every single moment of these books and did not want them to end!" Bewitch Me Romance

A once forgotten legend...

Katherine Nicole Jamison never imagined when she took a job at a prestigious auction house for the summer, that one moment of impulsiveness could change her life forever. When she "borrows" an ancient amulet, she inadvertently sets in motion a series of events, which results in her waking up in 18th century England, betrothed to an arrogant, self-centered Earl.

Sebastian de Winter ~ The Earl of Ravenhurst, is a renowned womanizer who always prided himself as being a lady's man, until he is left standing at the altar. His betrothed Marguerite vanishes and as if by magic reappears months later. But is she his betrothed?

Ravenhurst ~ locked somewhere within the gloomy confines of this ancient edifice is the key that will unlock the door of time itself.

LOST IN THE HIGHLANDS

#1 Bestselling Scottish Time Travel

"Irresistible characters, fresh voice, and a

hero to die for...what's there not to like!" Jamie Scott, Award Winning Author

A Bewitching Interactive Scottish Time Travel Romance—Magic, Mystery, Steamy Romance, Treasure, A Loch Monster, and a whole lot of Hunky Highlanders

When Paige Walsh attends the annual Scottish Highland Games on Grandfather Mountain in North Carolina and makes a deal with a Gypsy, little does she know that her illustrious plans to find a Hunky Highlander for her own would backfire. Instead of one man wearing a kilt, she somehow ends up in the past, facing an entire clan of them.

Gavin de Grey, the current laird of Greystone Castle, located on the Northwest shore of Loch Morar, is cursed. Or so he had been told on numerous occasions throughout his life by his family and also the women he bedded. Sentenced to death for a paltry crime or two, mayhap three, Gavin would tend to agree. However, after weeks of imprisonment he believes his luck may have just turned around. When an old crone strikes a deal with him for his freedom in return for the smallest of favors, he cannot refuse.

Together, Gavin and Paige must not only battle against their differences, but also, their growing feelings for one another. Will Gavin make the ultimate sacrifice to break the curse or will he damn them all for eternity?

EDENBROOKE HOLLOW SERIES

"Poof! Magically Entertaining!" R Hart

Novice witch Melody Granger is on a mission to not only learn the spells she needs to get into the elite circle within her coven but also get the guy of her dreams with one. But when she inadvertently buys a defective spell book from a Charlatan at the local Potions, Broomsticks, and Beyond and her spells start to backfire she realizes that someone may not only be trying to derail her carefully laid plans to join the elite circle within her coven but also get rid of her for good.

Derrick St. Claire -A Vampire with an insatiable appetite... striking good looks and too much money to spend in his many lifetimes wants his ancestral home back from the Black Hat Society's Patronesses who have taken it over for their coven and yearly witches' ball. As far as he is concerned, like oil and water, Witches and Vampires don't mix, but when he encounters Melody Granger, a novice witch with a penchant for getting herself into trouble he realizes that some rules, even his own, are made to be broken.

BRIARCLIFF SERIES

#1 Bestselling Gothic Fantasy

"A paranormal romance for those who are not afraid of the dark!" Sookie Stackhouse Reviews

The paranormal romance that centers the story and pulls you into its embrace like a lover you had forgotten how much you enjoyed kissing. There is mystery and more than anything there is the need to find out what dark secret lies at the core of it all.

Briarcliff Township may look like any other town snuggled deep within the forests of the New England coastline but it harbors a dark secret. When the winds change, old stirrings arise from forgotten misdeeds and a thirst for vengeance. Something wicked this way comes...

# ABOUT LORRAINE

Lorraine Beaumont is a #1 Bestselling Author and an Award-Winning poet. Even though she writes is several genres' all of her books are written with an ensemble cast of characters, filled with plenty twists and turns that will keep you guessing until the very end. She has four series to date and is in the process of working on another series.

She lives in what she calls (Farm Country) Maryland with her family and is currently working on her next novel. For more information, connect with her online: She LOVES hearing from her readers!

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