Chapter 68

Serena's POV

"Please get up." I tried to keep my voice steady, fighting against the nervous flutter in my chest. The weight of Lucas's body pressed against mine, his breath warm against my neck.

The silence in the hospital room felt oppressive, broken only by the steady tick of the wall clock and the distant hum of medical equipment. Lucas immediately moved away, his usual grace momentarily abandoned as he stood up, running a hand through his disheveled hair.

"I'll be right back," he muttered, his voice hoarse as he strode toward the bathroom, leaving me alone with my racing thoughts.

I sat up slowly, my fingers unconsciously smoothing the wrinkles of my patient gown. The ghost of his touch lingered on my skin, and I forced myself to take deep breaths, trying to calm my thundering heart. This was Lucas Harrington - father to Milo and Stella. I couldn't afford to let my guard down, no matter how my body had responded to his proximity.

The sound of running water from the bathroom gave way to footsteps, and I found myself staring intently at the floor as he returned. Despite my best efforts, my eyes flickered briefly to his composed figure, and I felt heat creep up my neck when I caught him watching me.

"What exactly... did I do?" Lucas asked, his deep voice carefully controlled.

I cleared my throat, aiming for a casual tone that I didn't quite feel. "You were sleeping. I thought you might be cold, so I was putting a blanket over you. Then you just... sort of grabbed me. Like sleepwalking."

His jaw tightened slightly. "I apologize. I didn't mean to..." He paused, and I noticed a faint flush creeping up his neck. "Sometimes these things are... difficult to control. I hope I haven't made you too uncomfortable."

The hint of amusement in his voice when he apologized made something twist in my stomach. Was this routine for him? How many women had he charmed with this act of the accidentally passionate businessman?

"Only with you," he said softly, his blue eyes intense as they met mine. "I've only ever been this... intimate with you, Serena."

My heart skipped a beat before rationality kicked in. I almost laughed at the line - it was almost too perfect, too practiced. Besides, he had two children. Clearly, he'd been intimate with at least one other woman.

"It's fine," I said briskly, standing up and smoothing my skirt. "We should both get some rest. It's been a long day."

But as I turned away, I couldn't quite ignore the way my skin still tingled where he'd touched me, or how his gaze seemed to follow my every movement. I told myself it was just physical attraction - natural, but dangerous. I had too much at stake to let myself be swayed by rehearsed lines and magnetic grey eyes, no matter how convincing they might be.

A soft knock at the door interrupted the lingering tension between Lucas and me. Miles entered with dinner, his movements careful and precise as he arranged the containers on the small hospital table. The rich aroma of food filled the room, momentarily displacing the sterile hospital smell.

"Miles, join us for dinner," I said, noticing how he was already backing toward the door. "There's too much here for just the two of us."

Miles froze mid-step, his eyes darting instinctively to Lucas. I caught the slight tightening of Lucas's jaw - clearly, he'd been hoping for a private dinner. Well, too bad. After our earlier... incident, I needed a buffer.

"Don't let it go to waste," I added firmly, using my CEO voice. That seemed to do the trick. Miles pulled up a chair, though he sat perched on the edge like he might need to flee at any moment.

The meal proceeded in awkward silence, broken only by the quiet clink of utensils. I used the time to compose a mental list of everything I needed to check on at StarRiver. Having Lucas hover over me all day hadn't exactly been conducive to work.

"You should go home," I told Lucas once we'd finished eating. "Milo and Stella will be wondering where you are."

He studied my face for a long moment, and I kept my expression neutral. Finally, he nodded, though reluctance was written in every line of his body as he stood.

"Call me if you need anything," he said, his voice low and intense. "Anything at all."

I waited until his footsteps faded down the hallway before letting out a long breath. The room suddenly felt larger, less suffocating. I pulled out my phone and started making calls.

"The new collection's sales figures?" I asked Wesley Morgan, our sales director. His response made me sit up straighter.

"Up 300% from last week? Are you certain?"

The good news continued. Caleb Reed from Purchasing reported that our main suppliers had suddenly become much more flexible about payment terms. Amazing how a surge in sales could change people's attitudes so quickly.

I was just finishing my last call when my phone buzzed with a social media notification. Eleanor had posted again, and I found myself smiling as I read through the supportive comments from her fans. The crisis seemed to be well and truly over - her reputation was bouncing back even faster than our sales figures.

Then I saw her latest post: "Need gift suggestions for a special man's birthday! He's sophisticated, successful, and impossible to shop for. Help a girl out? 🎁"

My finger hovered over the screen as an uncomfortable sensation settled in my stomach. Lucas's birthday was coming up. The phone suddenly felt heavy in my hand.