“Uhhh,” I groaned at the ringing of my cellphone which pulled me out of a deep sleep. I opened my eyes and looked around, confused for a few seconds before I realized I was in my dorm room. If I’d had any doubts, Ruby’s snores convinced me I wasn’t anywhere else. Such as Lucas’ dorm. After the kiss we had shared against his car last night, I’d been so hot for him, I wouldn’t have minded if he’d taken me back to his dorm. I’d expected it. But he’d surprised me by bringing me back here and giving me another long, sweet kiss that left me wanting more before he left.

For the first time, I’d been horny enough, wet enough, and needy enough to not mind the thought of finally losing my virginity. I ought to be ashamed of myself. We’d known each other only a week and I was ready to fall into bed with him. Was he being sincere last night when he’d expressed those sentiments to me? And what sentiments were those, anyway? He liked me. Liked. The word was such an understatement in view of the hot kisses we’d exchanged. His bulging erection I’d felt was more than just like. He wanted me. And I wanted him.

And we were about to spend five hours in the close confines of his car. Together. Damn, how would I forget that kiss? And I wasn’t about to let him get a hotel room either when we got to my hometown. He could stay with us. It was the least we could do after he volunteered his time to drive me all that way. He could occupy the guest room. My father would understand. Wouldn’t he?

The persistent ringing of my phone snagged my attention. I searched for the phone which was somewhere on the bed. My fingers closed around the device and I brought it up to my face to squint at the screen. Dad.

“Good morning, Dad,” I greeted him.

“Morning, Debra,” he returned in that familiar voice which made my heart tighten in fondness. “Are you still going to be able to make it down today? It’s been snowing steadily here since yesterday.”

“Yes, I’ll be there. It’s not snowing here yet. At least I don’t think so.”

“All right, take care on the road. I’ve got a few jobs lined up for today but I should be at the house before you get there.”

“Okay, Dad. No fuss, I still have the key.”

“Good,” he said then paused. “Is your car in good enough shape for you to make it all that way?”

The opening had just provided itself for me to mention I wouldn’t show up alone, to give him a little warning. But I didn’t. I was afraid if I told him, he would disagree with me bringing a guy over with me. Better to wait until we got there and then it would be too late for him to say anything about it. Was that decision the best? I had no clue. I’d never brought a man home to meet my father before, and that was the big problem. How would he react? And when he found out Lucas was wealthy? Would he be able to let the past go or would he make me out to be my mother?

The few times I’d seen him very upset had been related to my mother. Like once per year when it would have been their anniversary. He would recall how my mother had run out on us to make life in the big city with a new, wealthy husband.

“I’ll be fine, Dad,” I commented. “No need to worry about me.”

“You know I’ll always worry about you being away from home,” he responded. “But you’re an adult now and I respect your decisions, even if I don’t agree with them.”

I blinked back tears. ‘I love you’s between us were few and far between, but I knew he loved me and he knew the same. I hoped he remembered these words when Lucas and I arrived.

“I’ve got to go, Dad,” I announced, seeing from the clock mounted on the wall that it was almost seven-thirty. “Will see you shortly.”

“All right then. See you.”

I scrambled out of bed after hanging up. If I was going to be ready when Lucas stopped by, it was imperative I get a move on.

Thirty minutes later, I was dressed and stuffing a few outfits in my large brown tote for the two days I’d be away when a knock came at the door. Ruby was still sleeping since she’d gotten home just a few hours before from the club and I didn’t want to wake her, so I hastened to answer the door.

Lucas. A smiling Lucas dressed in jeans, a hooded sweater with the hoody down, and boots. Flurries of snow clung to his long, black hair. He wore gloves. Damn, was it snowing already? An image of us locked in a passionate kiss made me squirm a little.

“Hey,” I said breathlessly.

“Hi, you ready?”

“Almost. Let me grab my bag and put shoes on,” I replied nervously. “I would invite you in but my roommate’s still sleeping.”

“No problem. I’ll wait out here.”

I left the door ajar and grabbed my low-heeled boots from the closet. Slipping my arms into my gray sweater my Dad had gifted me last Christmas, I felt a little pang of regret that I looked nothing like I did last night. Maybe now I was back to my old self, the real me, Lucas wouldn’t be as interested as he was last night. I shrugged and picked up my bag. He already knew my financial status and he still hung around, so I would give him the benefit of the doubt.

I scribbled a note for Ruby that I was gone although it was obvious, but I thought it would be polite considering she’d been kind about last night. When I walked out the room and closed the door behind me, Lucas pushed off the wall he leaned against to retrieve the bag of gifts I had to distribute tomorrow.

“I’ll take that,” he announced and dropped a kiss on my lips before taking the bag. His kiss made me giddy and melted away some of my worries about how I looked now versus last night.

The snow was coming down lightly when we got to his car parked outside the residential hall. We stowed the bags in the back seat of the car and then we were off.

“You excited to be going home?” he asked me while he maneuvered the car through the busy streets. Traffic was hectic but would taper off as soon as we got out of the city.

“Yes, I haven’t seen my dad since last summer,” I explained. “I didn’t get to visit for Thanksgiving this year, so that’s why I was so adamant about getting the car to go home. How is it, by the way?”

“Coming along,” he answered vaguely. “You and your dad sound close. What about your mom?”

“Whatever you do when you’re around my dad,” I warned him, “do not bring up my mom, and I’m not exaggerating. They’re divorced—bitterly. I’ve not seen her since I was four.”

“At least you’re still close to one parent.”

“You aren’t?”

He gave a bitter laugh. “Which one? I decided parents weren’t special anymore when I wound up with too many.”

“What do you mean?” I pried, wanting to know more about him.

“The last time I saw my mom, she wanted me to pretend I was her brother, not her son.”

“What? No way!”

“Yes way. My mom likes younger men. Just like my Dad likes younger women. The difference is that she doesn’t actually marry them, while my Dad is on wife number six. At least he was the last time we spoke.”

“That sounds confusing,” I murmured.

“I stopped trying to learn the names,” he responded. “I’ve two brothers and two sisters. Other than my older sister, the others have been by different wives of my father.”

“Do you at least get along with them?” I asked hopefully. I couldn’t imagine living with the family he had.

“It’s not that we don’t get along, but everybody is doing their own thing. For instance, we all planned Aspen for this Christmas. Suddenly, my Dad has to take his new wife to Maui.” The disappointment was heavy in his tone as he spoke. “Giselle has a modeling career and has a show booked for Paris. Samantha, barely eighteen, got herself hitched to an Italian guy and prefers spending time with his family, and I can’t say I blame her. Josh decided he wants a warm Christmas, so he’s somewhere in the Caribbean with friends. A graduation present from my dad. Then there’s Lionel, my step-brother…well, he’s under house arrest.”

The more he spoke, the more everything he said sounded all made up. “House arrest?”

“He has a drug problem.”

“That’s so sad.”

“Yes, it is. Our parents are screwed-up people with screwed up kids.”

“You’re not screwed up,” I protested.

“You’ve no idea,” he said on a chuckle that made a shiver run down my spine.

I noticed then we were on the wrong road. I had been so distracted by our conversation I didn’t realize.

“Lucas, we’re going the wrong way,” I pointed out. “We should have been on the I-25.”

“Relax, I know what I’m doing.”

I found it hard to relax when I wasn’t sure he did know what he was doing.

“Lucas…”

“We’re almost there. Just a couple more minutes.”

I stared in confusion at a sign indicating a private airport. What the hell was he doing?

“I’m not getting out this car till you tell me what’s going on,” I argued when he cleared the security post and we drove up the parking deck.

“A five-hour flight to your hometown is way too exhausting, Deb,” he answered finally, reversing into a parking space. “We’ll get their quicker this way.”

“What way?”

He was already out the car and reaching into the back for my bags. I got out of the vehicle and squared off with him over the top of the car.

“What are you doing?”

Lucas walked around to my side and handed me my tote. I took it from him and he placed his free hand around my waist and guided me from the deck.

“We’ll discuss it when we’re in the air.”

As if it wouldn’t be too late then.

“I don’t understand,” I protested.

“We’re taking my father’s private jet.”

My footsteps halted, my eyes wide. “No, we’re not.”

“Come on, Deb. Don’t be stubborn. The pilot’s already waiting.”

“I can’t fly!” I insisted a little panicky. Why did he want to do this? I wasn’t used to taking commercial flights much less flights on a private jet.

“Trust me on this, babe. My father doesn’t mind.”

The way he called me ‘babe’ made my legs turn to mush and warmth spread throughout my body and infuse my cheeks.

“I’ve never flown before,” I blurted out.

“Never?” he asked in surprise.

“Never.”

His hand left my waist to cup my cheek. “Then it’s time you did. Trust me on this, Deb. I believe you’ll enjoy it. For a first-time flyer, it doesn’t get better than this. We’ve our own personal pilot and airhostess for the flight.”

He kissed me then and scattered all my thoughts. When I moaned into his mouth, I knew I wouldn’t resist him. But I was afraid—so afraid to get caught up in this extravagant lifestyle of his. Because God help me when he decided he needed a new challenge.